As the New Year begins, look ahead to the full moon cycle for guidance on how to plan your rituals. Each full moon has its own significance within the great Wheel of the Year. Each has something to teach you about the cycles of sowing, growing, reaping, and lying fallow. The names of the full moons vary according to different cultures and traditions. Some names have a Native American flavor, and others sound distinctly Wiccan, but the names themselves are not as important as their essence. Here is a guide for each month to come.

The January full moon (4 January 2015) is the Wolf Moon. This is a point of great stillness. The cold has frozen the ground. The lakes and rivers are gripped in ice. Nothing can move, but great potential is building. You want to start afresh and anew. On this full moon night, perform banishing rituals to sever the ties with any negative energy that may have followed you from last year. Do protection spells for the year to come. Practice divination with your favorite method (Tarot, runes, Ogham, pendulum, scrying, et cetera) to gain insights into the year’s potential. Remember to write down your results in your Book of Mirrors (see Related Links below). Read more about the Full Wolf Moon of January.

The February full moon (3 February 2015) is the Storm Moon (also known as the Quickening Moon). February is a month of beginnings and renewal as celebrated with the Imbolc sabbat. During this month, you want to get rid of emotional baggage and physical clutter to make way for new projects. On this full moon night, try a purifying ritual and cast spells for health and vitality. Read more about the Full Storm Moon of February.

The March full moon (5 March 2015) is the Sap Moon. It is a time of unpredictability, shifting of the seasons, and surging energy. Now the sap is rising in the trees and the Ostara (spring equinox) sabbat is at hand. You must choose, organize, and bless your upcoming projects. On the night of the full moon, perform a blessing ritual and work fertility magic. Read more about the Full Sap Moon of March.

The April full moon (4 April 2015) is the Seed Moon. It is time to plant and start your projects. On the full moon night, cast prosperity spells and protection spells. Read more about the Full Seed Moon of April.

The May full moon (3 May 2015) 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 first few results from your projects should also be manifesting. Here is where you must evaluate your initial results to decide where to offer help – or where to cut your losses. In gardening, you will be thinning out the seedlings to make room for the plants with the most potential. On this full moon night, try divination to determine how to do the same with your projects. Cast prosperity spells. Read more about the Full Flower Moon of May.

The June full moon (2 June 2015) is the Honey Moon, and this is also the month of Midsummer sabbat. Your garden and all of your projects should be thriving and you can turn your thoughts to love and companionship. On this full moon night, practice sex magic or cast attraction spells to alert the universe of your desire to find a mate. Celebrate your marriage. Read more about the Full Honey Moon of June.

The July full moon (1 July 2015) is the Corn Moon and the first shift into the harvest season as you pick ripe corn. On this full moon night, work magic that is centered upon friendships, relationships, health, hearth, and home. Celebrate your blessings. Perform rituals of gratitude. Research, study, and deepen your relationship with your patron gods, or put forth your request into the universe to acquire a patron god or goddess. Read more about the Full Corn Moon of July.

The August full moon (31 July 2015) is the Herb Moon. August is also the month of the first harvest of wheat, and the Lammas sabbat. Now is the time to harvest your herbs for magical, cooking, and medicinal use all through the next twelve months. Herbs reaped during both the waxing and waning phases of this month are the most potent than at any other time of the year. On this full moon night, you are balanced between the growing and the great reaping. Any magic involving herbs will be especially powerful. Practice divination with the ogham, otherwise known as the tree alphabet, or with tea leaves. Read more about the full Herb Moon of August.

The September full moon (9 September 2014) is the Harvest Moon, and this is also the month of the second harvest of root crops and Mabon (fall equinox) sabbat. On this full moon night, cast spells to increase your health and strength to fortify yourself during the busiest time of the year and to ready yourself for the coming winter. Read more about the full Harvest Moon of September

The October full moon (8 October 2014) is the Blood Moon or Hunter’s Moon. This is also the month of the third harvest when the Lord sacrifices himself in human form, and it is Samhain sabbat. It is also a good time to work with animal energies because this used to be the month that harvesting turned to hunting to lay away enough food for the winter. It reminds us of the close bond between humans and animals. On this full moon night, take a shamanic journey and seek the advice of your power animal. Read more about the Full Blood Moon of October.

The November full moon (6 November 2014) is the Snow Moon, also known as the Tree Moon. On this full moon night, cast spells of protection and banishing. Now is the time to let all negative energy go and to step into winter with a clear conscience and a light heart.

The December full moon (6 December 2014) is the Oak Moon, which is wonderfully symbolic to the Wiccan religion: upon the Yule sabbat, the Oak King defeats the Holly King in battle, which turns the Wheel of the Year back toward longer days and shorter nights. On this full moon night, work magic that pertains to home, hearth, family, and health.

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