THIS YEAR:
Waxing moon period: 4/30/2014 to 5/13/2014
Waxing first quarter moon: 5/6/2014
Full Flower Moon: 5/14/2014
Waning moon period: 5/15/2014 to 5/27/2014
Waning last quarter moon: 5/21/2014
New Moon: 5/28/2014
Observations: The first waxing crescent moon (Diana's Bow) appears in the sky on Beltane evening.

The May full moon is the Flower Moon. This is also the month of Beltane sabbat. Now the first seedlings in your garden should be pushing forth from the ground. The initial results from your projects should also be manifesting, which means that you need to evaluate them and decide which to put on hold for another time and which to pour your energy into. As in gardening, when you bring forth the first green shoots of your spiritual and worldly projects, you must thin out the scrawnier seedlings to make room for the plants with the most potential. As you can see, the intensity of the previous month carries over unabated into this month. Next month will be more relaxed.

Your altar
Keep last month’s large green cloth, and decorate your altar with flowers to symbolize the initial flowering of your projects. You can use cut flowers in vases, blooming flowers in pots, and even flowered scarves, jewelry, and figurines.

Waxing Moon Magic
From the night after the last new moon to the full Flower Moon:
Last month during the Full Seed Month of April, you raised energy to make your projects come alive. Now you can shift your focus slightly to make them flourish. Cast prosperity spells and invoke abundance. What better time for the New Age practice of affirmations? Look into a mirror and tell yourself that your projects are succeeding. Point out the evidence to this. Or you could focus on a candle flame and imagine yourself reaping the benefits from your already completed projects. The more specifically you can visualize this in terms of timing and details, the better.

Full Moon Magic
On the night of the full Flower Moon, perform a ritual of thanksgiving that your projects have germinated. Write in your Book of Mirrors and describe the exact results you have achieved. This is the first point in the growing season (both literal and metaphoric) when you can see the physical fruits of your labor. Now is time to celebrate your achievement and give an outpouring of gratitude to the Goddess in her Mother aspect who has helped you thus far, and to the gods under whose patronage your specific projects fall. With their help, you have manifested intent into physical reality.

Waning Moon Magic
From the night after the full Flower Moon to the next new moon:
This is similar to but not as emotionally intense as the energy work you did at this time during the Full Sap Moon of March. Back then, you had to give up things to focus your energies on attainable goals. That meant turning away from certain paths in life and even burying some dreams. You needed time and reflection to mourn your losses and move on.

By contrast, this month you are only mothballing those projects that showed enough potential to sprout, but aren't worth pursuing right now. You may only be moving them to the back burner. However, they are not taking top priority in the growing season right now. Decide which goals you want to shelve for now, and deactivate them up in the appropriate ways. This might include filing and labeling them, boxing them up, and rescheduling them. Give thanks to the patron gods and goddesses under whose auspices you may have brought your goals thus far.

See also Names of the Twelve Full Moons.

Stay current with the free, weekly Wicca site newsletter.