Solo Ritual for the January, 2024 Full Wolf Moon

With Imbolc just a week away, most groups are unlikely to hold a group ritual to celebrate the Full Wolf Moon this year. What I’ve done is put together a short solo ritual, which provides everyone the means to do their monthly cleansing & clearing.

At 10:54 AM on January 25th (MST) the Full Wolf Moon will peak. This moon name, like most of the other months names, comes from the Native American tribes. With heavy snow on the ground, freezing winds blowing, and the air thin and cold, the howling of hungry wolves could be heard for many miles. Some of the other names for the January full moon include the Frost Moon, the Hard Moon, the Cold Moon, Greeting Moon, the Center Moon, the Quiet Moon, and the Spirit Moon.

Since this is a solo ritual, you can perform it indoors or outside, depending on your current situation. If you are doing it inside, be cautious with your burning (might want to unplug those smoke detectors). As written, it can be adapted to any full moon.

Items You’ll Need for This Solo Wolf Moon Ritual

Quarter Candles (yellow, red, blue, green)
Large black candle
Athame or wand
Small fire-safe cauldron or metal container
Paper and pencil or dried bay leaves

When you have chosen your space, place your candles in the four directions, your Goddess candle in the center, and your cauldron, paper, and any other magickal items you wish to use, close at hand inside the circle. Wherever you choose, make sure the moon can be seen.

wolf moon

Ritual Begins

Light your black candle, focus your intention, then use your wand or athame in a circular motion above your head and say aloud

To the sky and to the ground, gather forces all around, protect me on this full moon night, open doors and fill my sight!

Calling the Full Wolf Moon Quarters

<it is completely up to you, as an individual, on how you approach the calling. You can sit, stand, look, or do something else.>

The East is the direction of the rising sun, springtime, a new dawn, and illumination. Because energy, like time, is in continual motion, what happens in the past, stays in the past, and new beginnings are possible at any time. I choose to release that which no longer serves me, leave it behind, and travel forward, seeking that which completes me. <light yellow candle>

The South is the direction of the midday sun, summer, passion, and the undying spark of existence. Strength comes from understanding the dynamics of all things, not just the great and powerful forces. Each action has a reaction, and each choice a consequence. I choose to think before speaking, and speak before acting, giving thought, time, and understanding to all that shall be revealed. <light red candle>

The West is the direction of the setting sun, the end of a day, autumn, the ancestors, and the lesson of transformation. Observations of energies shifting, hibernation, and nature resting, are but reminders that things may appear to change but remain the same. I pledge to myself that my deeds and actions made in the name of survival will not influence my inner being, my true self. <light blue candle>

The North is the direction of the night, winter, the eternal silence, and self-discovery, Knowledge lies at the heart of all things, and understanding the pathway to reach it. I will seek that which raises my vibration, affirms my decisions, charges my sense of motivation, and leads me to a higher plane of existence. <light green candle>

The Great Energy Exchange

Energy is the common thread which links all things together. Lunar energy, the powerful grounding energy of the earth, the cosmic energy, which is the engine of perpetual motion, solar energy, and potential energy are all present at each and every moment, across time and space. The exist in harmony, none trying to destroy the other. At times, some are stronger and others recede. When the moon is full, lunar energy is stronger, so strong that it influences our actions, our bodies of water, and touches our spiritual self in a magickal way.

Take a few minutes to ponder on this thinking; meditate, allowing the moonlight to fill your essence, share your space, and bring comfort to your surroundings. Becoming one with the energy is easy. Open your self, let the moonlight speak to your very essence. Become one with it, and it shall become one with you. Focus on the vastness of space and time, and hear the calling of the hungry wolves, and the whispers of your ancestors. Engage with those things which are of a higher existence and seek their guidance in raising your vibration.

full wolf moon ritual 2024

Understanding the Sources of Negative Energy

There’s really no way of measuring negative energy, but it’s existence is obvious. It can come from environmental sources, toxic people, or from within. Influencers spread it, lifestyles foster it, and once it’s taken hold, it spreads quickly, doing severe emotional and physical damage. Look around, make observations and refuse to talk yourself out of what is obvious. If you aren’t certain on what to look for, here are a few examples of negativity.

Unhappy people who don’t want help. They just want to complain and pity themselves to whomever will listen. They go on and on, exhausting you with their tales of woe. When you try to help them, it’s like turning on a feeding tube. They take until you cannot give anymore. Environments which are heavy to crime, violence, conflict, and constant trouble. Taverns, poolhalls, nightclubs, and seedy motels are a few examples of places with a heavy stain of negative energy. So-called influencers who only have their agenda in mind, an agenda which brings no benefits to you. Family members who dump generational issues in your lap. People who manipulate you to get their way.

Negativity can also be found inside of you, being generated by your own actions. Negative self-talk, thoughts of inadequacy, insecurity, lack of confidence, loss of motivation, being overly critical of every decision you make, and lethargy, are a few examples of how you are engaging in self-defeating activity or thinking. This demoralizing thinking will rapidly manifest itself into actual physical health problems, insomnia being one of the first to surface.

Now that you are aware of some of the sources of negativity, you can focus on shielding yourself from the influences and raise your vibration.

Cleansing and Clearing

Energy never stops moving, which means we must be vigilant in our efforts to defend ourselves from these negative influences. One invaluable tool is a monthly cleansing and clearing, utilizing the powerful lunar energy of the full Wolf Moon to help us focus and follow through on the process. We say cleansing and clearing, a two-part process. The cleansing is recognizing the source of the problem, opening the door for clearing away that which no longer serves us. Often times, the greatest struggle comes from recognizing, or admitting, what is causing problems in our spiritual lives.

In order to achieve complete success, you’ll need to also prepare for a positive change after the cleansing and clearing. You’ll need to be ready to fill those empty spaces with something positive and simultaneously prepare to defend yourself, Once you cut off the source of negative energy, it usually won’t just walk away. Negative people will hound you. Places will seem to call your name. Influencers will seek you out and ty to sweet talk you into coming back under their spells, and on and on and on.

Our ancestors have taught us that fire is the ultimate tool in banishing negativity. We can bear witness as the heavy baggage of negativity is consumed in the flames and the smoke carried away on the wind. By burning the remnants of things useless and without value, we free ourselves to find new and positive things to fill those empty spaces. So now, focus on the things that no longer serve your greatest and highest self.

<Write down the things you need to release on a small piece of paper or a bay leaf>

Carefully light the paper from the black candle and drop it into your fire-safe pot or cauldron. State the following aloud while the paper is burning.

“I give up freely that which is no longer serving me”

As the smoke rises, focus on the intent of permanently shedding those negative influences from your life. Prepare for brighter days ahead, trust in yourself, and have no fear.

<meditate for as long as necessary, focus on your plan for growth and how you will deal with the negative influences of the new few days>

Closing the Full Wolf Moon Circle

The lessons of the North are learned tonight. I must remain grounded, trust in those things which are built on a solid foundation, with solid ideals and principles. I must never forget failure is but a state of being, and refuse to be my own worst enemy. <extinguish green candle>

Truths discovered in the West are committed to memory tonight. Although I may show many faces to the world, those things that matter will eternally be steadfast – Truth, Strength, Resolve, Hope, and an open mind to those things which are waiting in my future. <extinguish blue candle>

Observations gathered with my own eyes in the South shall shepherd me on this great journey of life. I have watched as those things which I have surrendered to the universe were turned to ash and smoke, and carried away, far from my existence. <extinguish red candle>

The Wolf Moon shines full overhead, reminding me that tomorrow, a new dawn will be born in the East. My lot has been cast and I am prepared to step forth under those eternal rays of sunshine, with hope in my heart, courage in my movements, and faith in my abilities. <extinguish yellow candle>

This circle open, now shall be, power now returned to me!