Wiccan rituals for full moon are an integral part of Wicca practice. Full moons are seen as a time of power and connection to the divine. Wiccans believe that the energy during this phase of the moon is heightened and lends itself well to spellwork, divination, and honoring the gods and goddesses. One popular ritual during the full moon is the Esbat, which is a ceremony specifically performed on the full moon. The purpose of the Esbat is to celebrate and harness the energy of the full moon. It is a time for Wiccans to gather, either in a coven or individually, to connect with the spiritual realm and conduct various rituals and magical workings.
It is a time for Wiccans to gather, either in a coven or individually, to connect with the spiritual realm and conduct various rituals and magical workings. During an Esbat ritual, Wiccans may choose to cast a circle to create a sacred space. This is typically done using candles or stones to mark the cardinal directions.
What do witch doctors actually do?
One thing every Acholi person wants to avoid is being associated with a witch doctor, but I took courage and informed the bodaboda (motorbike taxi) man that I was heading to the witch doctor’s place. He bombarded me with questions: What is your problem? Are you looking for riches? Has someone bewitched you? And his last word was that these people (witch doctors) are bad.
People certainly associate witch doctors with bad acts. They don’t associate witch doctors with, for example, deciding whether widows, with or without children, can stay on the land of their dead husbands, return to their maiden home or have the choice to reject or accept a protector (male relative of their late husband)?
Yet these are just some of the roles I discovered when I interviewed some witch doctors in Northern Uganda as part of my research for CPAID. Let’s hear from Akumu Christen (a female witch doctor):
‘It was in 2009 when I became a witch doctor, even though I never wanted to be one. In 2005 I was attacked by a ‘jok’ for the first time’.
Robin: ‘She was trying to show me what she uses in her daily work, Each one of those things has got different roles to play. The spear represents a god call Jok Kalawinya. Kalawinya is summoned when someone is possessed by evil spirits. The Bible represents a god called Mary, Mary is a white and she loves peace, so for anything concerning bringing peace, they summon her. The beer bottle represents a god call Jok Kirikitiny. Kirikitiny is a god from the Karomonjong ethnic groups – he is concerned with protection. The small syrup bottles contain a liquid substance which she takes before starting her work, it makes her see and hear from the gods.’
A jok is a class of spirit within the traditional Acholi belief system that is viewed as the cause of illness. Traditional healers (known as ajwaka) first identify the jok in question and then make an appropriate sacrifice and ceremony to counter them. Alternatively if such an approach is unsuccessful the person possessed by the jok can go through a series of rituals to gain some level of control over the jok and then themselves become ajwaka.
‘This jok wanted me to become a witch doctor. When I resisted, I became mad for three months, but in the fourth month I was taken from the forest and became a born-again Christian and the jok left me alone. But that liberty only lasted for two years and then I suffered the hardest attack yet from the jok. I became mad for the second time and lived in trees like a monkey for three months without eating food or drinking water and without coming down to the ground. Then my sister brought another witch doctor to initiate me into being a witch doctor, which was what the jok wanted all along, and that’s how I became a witch doctor.
‘I was scared because of what people would say but I now have realised that this jok–known as jokajula- does not support wrong-doing like killing people. I don’t do rituals to kill people but to help them’.
Akumu Christen now helps the people in her neighbourhood town. Paico, in different ways, including:
Mental Health Worker: Helping victims or Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) returnees by trying to stop or prevent spirits from attacking them. Or stop them from being haunted or rerunning in their minds the bad things that they did in the bush, preventing nightmares and helping them cope in their community.
Peace Maker: Participating in the reconciliation of two clans, where one killed a person from the other clan. Beside that she is also involved in summoning the spirit of the dead to ask him who should receive the ‘kwo money’(blood money paid to the victim’s family/clan).
Family Therapist: End barrenness in both men and women, which is hugely important because children are very significant to an Acholi: for a home to be called a home it should have children around.
Repair broken marriages or relationships.
Livelihoods Promotion: Remove bad luck and make people rich, especially those who have been put into bondage by bad people who want them to remain poor.
Disaster Prevention: She is summoned by the community elders to perform rituals to prevent natural calamities like drought or floods.
These are some of the things she does, but she is also a mother of two children with a very loving husband.
So now let me ask you again, do you still think witch doctors are bad people?
Robin Oryem (@oryem_robin ) is a researcher for LSE’s CPAID programme in northern Uganda.
The views expressed in this post are those of the author and in no way reflect those of the Africa at LSE blog, the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa or the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Family Therapist: End barrenness in both men and women, which is hugely important because children are very significant to an Acholi: for a home to be called a home it should have children around.
Once the circle is cast, participants often invoke the elements and call upon the gods and goddesses they wish to work with. This may involve chanting or reciting invocations. Wiccan rituals for full moon can include spellwork and divination. Many Wiccans believe that the heightened energy of the full moon is conducive to manifesting intentions and working with the universe to bring about desired outcomes. Spellwork during this time may involve lighting candles, using crystals, or performing specific rituals with herbs or other natural elements. Divination is also a common practice during full moon rituals. Wiccans may use divination tools such as tarot cards, runes, or scrying mirrors to gain insights into their lives or receive guidance from the divine. The full moon's energy is believed to enhance intuition and enhance the accuracy of divination readings. Another important aspect of full moon rituals is the offering of thanks and gratitude to the gods and goddesses. Wiccans may choose to make offerings of food, drink, or other items to show their appreciation and honor the deities they work with. This act of giving thanks is seen as a way to maintain a strong connection with the divine and to show respect for the powers that be. In conclusion, Wiccan rituals for full moon are a significant part of Wicca practice. They provide an opportunity for Wiccans to connect with the divine, harness the energy of the full moon, and perform spellwork and divination. These rituals also serve as a way to express gratitude and honor the gods and goddesses. The full moon is seen as a powerful time for spiritual work, and Wiccan rituals aim to make the most of this energy..
Reviews for "Full Moon Rituals for Love and Relationships in Wicca"
1. Sally - ★☆☆☆☆
I was really excited to get my hands on "Wiccan rituals for full moon," as I am really interested in exploring different spiritual practices. However, this book was a major disappointment. Firstly, the author seemed to lack any kind of organization or structure in their writing. It was a mishmash of random information, with no clear guidance or instructions on how to perform the rituals. The author also failed to provide any background or context for the rituals, leaving readers clueless about their significance. Overall, this book was a waste of time and money.
2. John - ★★☆☆☆
I had high hopes for "Wiccan rituals for full moon," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While the book did provide some basic rituals to perform during a full moon, I found the instructions to be quite vague and insufficient. As a beginner in Wiccan practices, I was hoping for more detailed guidance on how to properly conduct the rituals, but this book left me feeling confused and unsure. Additionally, the author's writing style was hard to follow, with unnecessary jargon and repetitive explanations. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for comprehensive and clear instructions on Wiccan rituals for the full moon.
3. Emily - ★☆☆☆☆
I was highly disappointed with "Wiccan rituals for full moon." The book was filled with inaccuracies and misinformation, which made it extremely hard for me to take it seriously. It was evident that the author did not have a solid understanding of Wiccan practices, as they made numerous mistakes in their explanations and instructions. Furthermore, the rituals described in the book lacked originality and creativity. It felt like a regurgitation of generic rituals found in any basic Wiccan guide. Overall, this book was a letdown and I would not recommend it to anyone serious about Wicca or looking for meaningful rituals for the full moon.
4. David - ★★☆☆☆
I was hoping to find some unique and powerful rituals in "Wiccan rituals for full moon," but unfortunately, the book failed to deliver. The rituals described in the book felt generic and uninspiring. I was looking for something that would truly connect me with the energy of the full moon and invoke a spiritual experience, but none of the rituals had that effect. Additionally, the author relied too heavily on cliché Wiccan symbolism and practices, which made the rituals feel repetitive and unoriginal. Overall, this book didn't offer anything new or engaging in the realm of Wiccan rituals for the full moon.