Drawing Down the Moon

The practice of bringing the motherly or goddess energies into a person or rite by using the forces and energies of the moon.

This is typically done for new moon rites when the energies are at their fullest.

Drawing down the moon is sometimes referred to as drawing down the goddess. It is a ritual practiced by most traditional Wiccan groups. While carrying out the ritual, a the High priestess of a coven enters into a trance and requests the triple goddess or the goddess, which is symbolized by the moon, enter into her body directly and speak to her from within.

The priest might aid the high priestess to invoke goddesss spirit. While the priestess is in the trance, the goddess speaks through her.

How It Came To Be?

It is believed to have started from a depiction of two women and the moon on ancient Greek vase which dates back to the second century BC. Ancient Thessalian witches who were thought to control the moon with Vangelo in his poem defining how drawing down the moon is done, which has been followed to this date by various Wiccan groups.

It is a practice which forms part of both the Cochranian and Gardnerian rites. Though various Wiccan groups practice it differently, the modern coven’s which are originated from the Gardnerian Wicca use this ritual as a central element of Alexandrian and Gardnerian Wiccan ceremonies. In modern drawing down the moon, the high priestess recites from the Charge of the Goddess which is a mixture of Aleister Crowley and Gerald Gardner texts; the Doreen Veliente is also preferred especially in the Gardnerian tradition.

How The Drawing Down The Moon is Done

The practitioners invoke the goddess directly into themselves. With some variation, a high priestess may go into a trance-like state and speak of the words of the goddess, or it can be done formally using a monologue to call upon the goddess in her many forms.

It is normally a ritual which is carried out on the night of the full moon or on any night before the full moon. While outdoors is the most preferred place to perform the ritual, if the weather or the environment is not conducive, it can be done indoors.

The practitioners stands by the altar with hands crossed over their chests and feet facing towards the moon and recite the Charge of the goddess. Once done, the feet are moved apart to shoulder width and hands raised up and out to welcome the goddess into their body. There will be a tingling feeling due to a surge of energy and that will automatically be the goddess making her way into the practitioner’s body.

The words spoken should are presumed to be from the goddess, speaking through the practitioner and it should  thus reflect words from a divine.  After the recitation is done, the practitioner will automatically feel the power of the goddess within them. A conclusion is then made, after which, they are supposed to stay relaxed for a  minutes to visualize in the glow of the goddess while meditating upon that which they have just gone through. one the energy is low, the arms are lowered and the ceremony is concluded the usual way a ritual is done.

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