If you’re constantly hard on yourself, always second-guessing your brilliance, and forget to take your own amazing advice, then I’ve got a great full moon spell for you!
Like you, I am harder on myself than anyone else in my life. A simple mistake can lead to days of beating myself up, wondering how I could have done things better. Yet, if a friend were to make the same mistake the first thing I would tell them is to be kinder to themselves.
As Samhain is approaching my thoughts turn to my intentions for the coming year, one of which is to cultivate more self-compassion. To help support that intention, I crafted this simple spell for self-compassion.
This full moon spell focuses on first releasing that which is blocking self-compassion, and then inviting in that which is needed to help self-compassion grow. It is designed to be done on the full moon but may be done at any time you feel it is needed. It includes a short meditation and uses common household materials. I hope you find it helpful.
Full Moon Spell for Self-Compassion
Spell timing: Full Moon or Mondays during a Waxing Moon
Spell Length: 30 minutes
Spell Ingredients:
- 1 Pink Taper Candle or Pink Pillar Candle
- 1 Cauldron or fireproof container
- 2 Bay Leaves for each person participating in the spell
- 1 Journal, Notebook, or Book of Shadows
- 1 Pen, Pencil, or Quill
- Any other crystals, incense, or tools for self-love
- Colors: pink for self-love, green for peace, and blue for healing all work well
- Stones: rose quartz for love, selenite for healing, sea and river stones, or a stone from a place in nature where you feel at peace
- Scents: lavender, sandalwood, or any scent that relaxes you
Spell Directions:
- Create your sacred space: Take time to cleanse and create your magickal space. This can be done by casting a circle or using any of your favorite sacred space rituals.
- Relax: Seat yourself before your altar or working space. Take a few deep breaths. Bring your mind and body to this moment. Remind yourself of what your intention is.
- Create your intention: When you feel ready, light the candle. Allow your gaze to rest on the candle flame. Again, remind yourself of your intention.
- Meditate:
- Visualize: Close your eyes. In your mind’s eye imagine you are in a room. It might be the room you are in right now or one of your mind’s creation. Notice that this room also contains a mirror. It might be a full-length mirror, or one mounted on the wall, or even a small hand mirror.
- See yourself: Bring yourself to stand before this mirror or, if it is a hand mirror, pick it up and hold it so you can see your face. As you gaze upon your reflection you begin to realize that this you in the mirror is looking back at you. Your reflection smiles at you and as they do you feel love and warmth pour over you.
- Know: This you loves you wholly and completely, just as you are.
This you wants you to know this feeling.
Allow yourself to bask in this feeling of acceptance for a time. - Listen: After a time, your reflection begins to speak. They say that they have two messages for you.
Receive Message 1: The first is what you need to release to make room for self-compassion in your life.
Receive Message 2: The second is what you need to take in to help self-compassion grow. - Return: Allow yourself to stay for a time. Your reflection may have more messages for you. When you are ready thank your reflection. Turn and make your way back through the cabin door, down the path, to the meadow in which you began. Begin to allow your awareness to return to your body, to the room you are in. When you are ready, open your eyes.
- Record: Take a few minutes to write about your experience in your journal. Be sure to note what you must release, and what you need to take in to cultivate self-compassion.
- Consecrate: Take up one of the bay leaves. This leaf represents that which you need to release. Hold the leaf in the palm of your hand. Send your intention into the leaf. Imagine that it embodies that which you need to let go of to bring self-compassion into your life.
- Let go of what you’re releasing: When you feel ready, say aloud:
“I release ________________ to make room for self-compassion in myself.”
Light the bay leaf*. When it is lit, drop it into your fireproof container. The smoke is your intention being released into the world.
Note: If working in a group each person will take their turn after. - Invite what you need to take in: Take up the second of the bay leaves. This leaf represents that which you need to take in to grow your self-compassion. Hold the leaf in the palm of your hand. Send your intention into the leaf. Imagine that it embodies that which you need to take in to grow self-compassion into your life. When you feel ready say aloud:
“I take in ______________ to grow self-compassion in my life.”
Light the bay leaf*. When it is lit, drop it into your fireproof container. The smoke is your intention being released into the world.
Note: If working in a group each person will take their turn after - Close your Circle: Sit for a moment to take in what you have done. And when you are ready, extinguish the candle and close your sacred space. Bury the bay leaf ashes in the earth; they will finish breaking down and continue to my intention in time it is meant to.
- Reinforce the spell during a Waning Moon: Beginning the day after the full moon, as the moon wanes, each day take a moment to light the candle again and state, “I release ________________ to make room for self-compassion in myself.” Envision yourself releasing that which blocks you.
- Reinforce the spell during a Waxing Moon: After the new moon, when the moon’s light begins to grow, each daylight the candle again and state, “I take in ______________ to grow self-compassion in my life.” Envision yourself feeling your self-compassion grow.
*A note on burning bay leaves: Bay leaves do not always burn cleanly. Depending upon how dry they are they may spark, burn, or smolder. It is okay if you need to light it more than once or if it does not burn completely!
Copyright 2018 Joie Grandbois + Plentiful Earth / All Rights Reserved.
