Hindus / Pagans: Moon phases, esp. full moon

[Sirona]

Dear Hindus, dear Wiccans, dear (Neo-)Pagans,

do you have any special practices or rituals related to the moon phases, especially to full moon?

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Heyo]

Dear Hindus, dear Wiccans, dear (Neo-)Pagans,

do you have any special practices or rituals related to the moon phases, especially to full moon?

Thanks for your replies.

I'm neither Wicca nor pagan but I have looked a bit into the Celtic calendar. Coligny calendar - Wikipedia
Little is decoded from that culture but it seems their rituals might have to do with the lunar cycles and possibly with the new moon. Their days start at sundown, their year starts at Samhain (Halloween), so it might be the new moon that starts a month.
Most Neo-pagans and Wicca use the modern (solar) calendar and they fixed the Holy days to it. (Samhain to the night of October 31st to November 1st.)
More likely is that the old Celts had Samhain on the second new moon after the fall equinox.

 

[Quintessence]

Yes! I'm not always good about practicing ritual consistently, but this is one I've been pretty good about over the past year. I'll be doing this today, in fact - sometimes I do it a day before or day after (the moon is basically full in appearance for a three day period).

What I do is something similar to a chat with a dear friend. Before Moon, I take an account of what the last moonth has brought and how it relates to themes of change and transformation (domains of Moon). I also think a bit about what the next moonth may bring, again relating to those themes of change. The energy of Moon to me is quiet and introspective in this way - an ideal time to reflect and to think about life's changes and the constancy of change. Sometimes these chats turn very philosophical.

I remember the chat I had with Moon shortly after lockdowns began, for example. I talked with Moon about how some of my people were referring to "the new normal." I said to Her that I understood the sentiment, but didn't agree with it at all. There never was any normal; one of the mysteries of Moon Spirit is to embrace and acknowledge that everything is always in motion, always changing. There wasn't a "normal" before, only complacency in thinking things will somehow be the same forever. That is not the way of our world. Through acknowledging things constantly change, I guess I wasn't really bothered much by all the changes. The lessons of Moon helped make me resilient.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yes! I'm not always good about practicing ritual consistently, but this is one I've been pretty good about over the past year. I'll be doing this today, in fact - sometimes I do it a day before or day after (the moon is basically full in appearance for a three day period).

What I do is something similar to a chat with a dear friend. Before Moon, I take an account of what the last moonth has brought and how it relates to themes of change and transformation (domains of Moon). I also think a bit about what the next moonth may bring, again relating to those themes of change. The energy of Moon to me is quiet and introspective in this way - an ideal time to reflect and to think about life's changes and the constancy of change. Sometimes these chats turn very philosophical.

I remember the chat I had with Moon shortly after lockdowns began, for example. I talked with Moon about how some of my people were referring to "the new normal." I said to Her that I understood the sentiment, but didn't agree with it at all. There never was any normal; one of the mysteries of Moon Spirit is to embrace and acknowledge that everything is always in motion, always changing. There wasn't a "normal" before, only complacency in thinking things will somehow be the same forever. That is not the way of our world. Through acknowledging things constantly change, I guess I wasn't really bothered much by all the changes. The lessons of Moon helped make me resilient.

I haven't got any particular practice currently involving the moon, but this last moon cycle, while meditating(by a window at night), I got the feeling that the moon was recognizing me... but on a different level than peeking in and saying "there's George!" Like the moon had known me in so many different times, and in so many different places, in so many different bodies. How much I have changed, but inside, I was the same, and Moon recognized that part of me. Since that day, I have been feeling like when I chant, the moon is hearing that part of me...

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Back in high school--lo these many millennia ago--I got really concerned for awhile about developing or finding a 'true' calendar. After spending buku time and effort, I finally came to realize that timekeeping is a arbitrary and completely artificial activity...There is no objective date on which to start a calendar, a year, a month, or a day. Equinox or solstice? Which one? Phase of the moon? Which one? and so on.

So for convenience I use the predominant calendar, but don't worry about being exact in ritual or appreciation. I love the full moon, but I also love moonless nights, and to see the crescents. I love the seasons, but where I live, I now see eight ecological seasons, which vary on the start and end with the conditions of each year. I try to do appreciative rituals around the various 'traditional' pagan holidays, but frankly I'm positive that the spirits are thankful that I do the ceremonies and offerings, and are not so concerned that it happens on exactly the right day or time.

Others' mileage may vary.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Dear Hindus, dear Wiccans, dear (Neo-)Pagans,

do you have any special practices or rituals related to the moon phases, especially to full moon?

Thanks for your replies.

Used to until my need/desire for ritual fell away. So no, nothing more than appreciation of its appearance at this juncture.

 

[Rival]

THREAD MOVED TO INTERFAITH DISCUSSION.​