Full Moon Rituals – Releasing, Moon Water and Charging Crystals
For as long as humans have existed, they have looked up at the full moon – and credited it with power. In traditions around the world, the full moon marks the peak of the cycle: the moment when energy is believed to be at its highest, and when it is time to give thanks, release and recharge. Here are the best-known rituals connected with it.
Why the Full Moon?
The lunar cycle lasts about 29 and a half days, and tradition assigns a different role to each phase: the new moon is the time for sowing and new intentions, the waxing moon for growth, the full moon is the peak and the harvest, and the waning moon is for cleansing and letting go. That is why wishes are traditionally not "set" at the full moon – that is the new moon's job – but rather rounded off: giving thanks for what has been achieved and releasing what no longer serves.
Each full moon of the year also carries an old folk name – the Wolf Moon (January), Snow Moon (February), Flower Moon (May), Harvest Moon (September) – names that once served as a calendar of farming work.
The Three Best-Known Rituals
- Writing and releasing – everything a person wants to be free of is written on paper: a habit, a fear, a grudge. The paper is then safely burned (in a fireproof dish!), torn up or buried. The point is simple and psychologically sound: what is named is easier to let go.
- Moon water – a jar of clean water is left overnight in the moonlight, ideally on a windowsill or outdoors. Water "charged" this way is traditionally used for watering plants, washing the face or symbolically cleansing a space.
- Charging crystals – stones and crystals are laid out in the moonlight to "empty" them of accumulated energy and fill them with new. Unlike sunlight, moonlight does not harm even sensitive crystals such as amethyst. Read more about the traditional powers of stones in our Stones and Metals section.
What Does a Simple Full Moon Ritual Look Like?
Tradition demands nothing complicated: a quiet spot with a view of the moon (clouds do not matter – the moment counts, not visibility), a candle or incense if you wish, and a few minutes of silence. Then comes gratitude for everything the cycle has brought, writing and releasing, and – if you like – preparing moon water and laying out crystals. The ritual closes by extinguishing the candle and, most importantly, a good night's sleep.
If you want to deepen the ritual, techniques for focusing attention and creating mental images are described on our Visualization and Techniques pages, and the tools traditionally used on the Magical Tools page. And a scientific footnote to finish: the full moon demonstrably causes neither madness nor the insomnia folklore attributes to it – but as a monthly reminder to pause and give thanks, it does its job flawlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you do on a full moon?
Traditionally, you give thanks for what has been achieved and release what no longer serves – most often through the ritual of writing and burning. Moon water is also prepared, and crystals are laid out in the moonlight to 'charge'.
How do you make moon water?
A jar of clean water is left overnight under the light of the full moon, on a windowsill or outdoors. In the morning it is stored in a dark place and used for watering plants, washing the face or symbolically cleansing a space.
Can you make wishes on a full moon?
According to tradition, wishes and new intentions are set at the new moon, when the cycle begins. The full moon is the time of the peak – gratitude and release – not the sowing of new wishes.
