Because of all of the questions I’m getting in these last 24 hours, I’m answering this question here; “How exactly do I deal with this intense Full Moon Lunar Eclipse energy now with my smudge ritual?”
In addition to creating smudge blends and growing ceremonial sage, many of you know that I create personalized smudge kits and care packages for my clients to help guide them in creating their own personal ceremonies using sacred plants. Suffice it to say, this week’s Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, has put more to the table for all of us, as we try to prepare for the unexpected, or deal with potentially downright loonie impacts of today’s Lunar Eclipse! While I am not an astrologer, (I include references to those who are below) I do sync my sage formulating, blending and smudge ritual work with earth and lunar events and cycles. I share below some ritual ways to confidently navigate your way through this month’s Lunar Blood Moon Eclipse, and any “Eclipse Season”.
The Cosmic Lineup: Many Planets and a Lunar Eclipse
(source photo- Space.com)
This week’s stellar, and planetary line up has felt crazy strong right. Can you feel it!? While eclipses happen fairly often (2-4 times a year each for Solar and Lunar), the line up of planets like this is more rare. Yet we keep hearing of Eclipses as being ‘negative harbingers of chaos and discord’. Add to this the planetary positions, trines, and retrogrades with Mars and Saturn, and Uranus to further intensify energies we are told. But I have always questioned absolutes; all statements like “eclipses are always bad, beware…”, I personally do not feel that: we share important links with the stars and matter of the cosmos, and we are all always in flux; how can anything be always and absolutely any one thing all the time?
So, where are we now? In addition to Earth in relation with Moon and Sun (full moon lunar eclipse), we have a rare cosmic line up of planets as well; Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Uranus! Simplifying things greatly, this means more energy impacting us, certainly, but it also means to the Ritualist and Magic Maker (that’s us!) that we have more energetic POWER available to us right now too, which means more energy to work with in our smudge (or any kind of) ceremony.
How I personally use that energy, is to cleanse, persevere, and thrive. And yes, during an eclipse, I may focus a bit more on these qualities- if I need them. I will not argue with those who insist there is more planetary craziness right now (and yes plenty of opportunities to work with our shadowed sides). But Wowza!- this cosmic symphony above and around us, provides wonderful opportunities to stop, focus, and fine-tune. How? We stop our craziness to check in; We focus on what isn’t going right; And we fine-tune our smudge ceremony to INVITE and INCORPORATE all of this Energy into our smudge ceremonies, with the Sacred Plants that are also made of starlit goodness! And we not only do all of this during today’s full moon, but throughout the lunar eclipse (103minutes), but over the coming days, and into next 4 weeks.
Some astrologers say we should keep going- 
essentially establishing a cycle of ceremony and ritual that reflects the cycles around us (eclipse seasons). I agree with this of course; Honoring our lives in sync with the cycles around us, is a wonderful way to feel connected and whole. This is the whole point of ceremony; to achieve connection with the invisible forces around us, and balance and wholeness within. We are evolving creatures, after all, nothing like timing and linking our personal cycles with outer cycles, those of the orbiting planets included. Add our prayerful intent, and the earthy sacred sages in ceremony, with the movements of our stellar neighbors and cosmic universe!! Ha! Now that’s Power to your spirit and smudge bowl!!
Rethinking the Eclipse of Gloom and Doom
How many novels and Hollywood movies can you think of that link an eclipse to the end of the world? It may be an unpopular view, but I think this is pretty random and silly. Most will cite some historic reference to the rationale. But I think the indigenous people of the world knew better; better to make offerings, and prayers for abundance, than panic in despair about the end of your family and livestock. (I’ve written about this here.) That makes more sense, yes? And so, as a first step in your smudge rituals, I invite you to replace the popular view of the ‘chaotic eclipse’ invoking thoughts of defensive panic, to simply one of Love.
The Eclipse Means Self Care
Any time we are feeling overwhelmed internally, or by outside influences (overwhelmington as I call it)- it is a call to slow down, to pay attention, and begin to create rituals for our sacred self-care. Right now, as humans we may be feeling this planetary line up and shadowy eclipse, as intense; but you can’t go wrong if you remember that Eclipses are associated with Love of self, or Self-Care.
The question that guides our smudge rituals throughout “Eclipse Season” then becomes;
How am I taking care of myself now? How can I improve my Self-care regimen today, this weekend, and in the coming weeks?
The Self-Love mantra for today’s Full Moon and any Lunar Eclipse is:
I take care of myself today, in the light of this moon, I shine to thrive.
I care for myself in the shadows of this eclipse, I slow down and rest, to thrive.
LUNAR Cycle Rituals. Full moon rituals take advantage of the expansive qualities of a lunar cycle, when it is time to gear our rituals toward what we want to manifest. For the waning side of the lunar cycles, we rest, welcome introspection, and begin thinking of what to clear and purge away. Eclipses are often associated with the shadow sides of self, to deeper cleansing, similar to the same energies of a waning lunar cycle. It is common practice to adapt our rituals to the waxing and waning cycles of the moon, and our smudging ceremonies are no different.
Full Moon Lunar Eclipse Ceremonies
1.Full Moon Bathe and Star Gazing! Every chance you can get, bathe in the light of the moon. Unlike the sun where we need protection, we can bathe in the moon’s glow to our heart’s content! Our ancestors spent a lot of time outside, under the stars, celebrating, pondering, praying, and relaxing. As long as you can, with as much skin showing as possible, I recommend bathing in the moon’s glow. For me, more and more, the stars are a place of joy.
2. Cleanse yourself of this week’s Juju: with Sacred Cedar in your smudge ceremony or with Sage. Evergreens provide a deeper cleansing if you’ve had a rough week- any evergreen works. Or you can use mugwort- which is excellent for clearing and opening up; making ready for spirit work and prayer rituals you may want to do in the waning moon’s cycle, starting just after the full moon, or tomorrow.
3. Cleanse with a Salt and Botanicals bath: There are many salt blends to choose from; create your own with your own blend of salts, essential oils, and herbs from the garden now if you have one. Sage leaves and Rosemary are excellent (place in an organza bag to protect the drain). Rosemary is a perfect herb for moon baths-for cleansing of body, mind, and spirit, and to opening to the energies of this moon in Aquarius.
4. Re-Commit to Your Self Care needs Ritually now: For the questions I named above– imagine, journal, or write down on a small piece of paper, how you could be taking better care of yourself today, and in the coming days, post eclipse
5. Invoke: Say aloud your blessing prayer during your smudge ceremony, asking Creator or your spirit guides (your own beliefs and Creator names), and the power of sage or mugwort, for assistance to achieve your commitment to your self-care routine. Say aloud what you will do for yourself, to keep going in a sacred way, as a matter of self-love and commitment.
6. Smudge in Gratitude: With Sweetgrass or sage, offer a prayer of thanks in Gratitude, naming all of the gifts you have been given, and saying Thank you to Great Spirirt/ Creator/ Spirit Guides in your own words. Extinguish the flame of your braid or bundle.
Do you have other Lunar Full Moon or Eclipse ceremonies that you practice? Share here for all.
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