The power of the moon

[smoothmonkey]

I have been performing full moon rituals since January of this year, and have been dedicating more energy towards giving it gratitude and showing respect to it's power. In past full moons, the ritual includes all day contemplation of the moon and my intentions for bringing in a new month as well as what I want to leave behind, an all-day fast, some time spent in nature (usually a hike and cleanse in the creek), and ultimately, a psychedelic ceremony. I have begun to look at time differently in the sense that I gauge my months based on the moon cycle rather than the name of month and I also have become more aware of the moon's profound effect on people (and myself) during its fullness -- an amplification of energies, intuition, sensitivities, and emotions. The ceremony has been with changa (1:1:1) every time except for the last two, which were replaced with a Reiki healing. The resulting experiences were equally as powerful and healing. Each experience has given me a new perspective and helped me to begin each month with a spiritual 'clean slate' as well as releasing any difficult blocks.

The visionary states induced during these experiences have produced extremely powerful changes in my life and have proved to be more meaningful than an if I were to smoke changa on any other occasion. This conclusion has many ingredients, namely, the amount of respect, preparation, sacrifice and intention put forth beforehand and the energy emitted through the cosmos and amplified by the moon. As this practice progresses I am incorporating a longer fast and more restricted diet the week beforehand, use of psilocybin (and/or changa) and beginning the day with a moon mantra drawing devotion towards the moon (I will also recite this mantra during ceremony before I journey).

Does anyone else practice full moon rituals/ceremonys and give thanks to the moon? What are your experiences with the moon intensifying psychedelia? Do you have any practices that I could add to the day?

Peace and Love
-SM

 

[entheogenic-gnosis]

This may be a bit off topic:

I know herb growers (actual herbs not cannabis) who only harvest under the full moon, believing that the full moon is when the herbs will have peak amounts of aromatic oils.

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Also, I enjoy the "The McKenna-Meyer Goddess Calendar", which is a complete lunar calander, below mckenna describes potential benefits of a lunar calander:

it would help to free us from "solar paternalism", subservience to the myth of the solar deity (originally the Roman Emperor, now his successor, the holder of the office of President, Chancellor, etc., chief executive of the modern bureaucratic patriarchal nation state). The solar deity ruled over a static ordering of time in which everything, from the seasons down, had its fixed and allotted place. A calendar in which the months are no longer fixed to the seasons might allow for a less bureaucratic way of thinking among its users. The McKenna-Meyer Goddess Calendar

As far as Entheogenic ceremony regarding the moon, I can't say much, though I'm sure someone here will have insight to offer.

-eg

 

[smoothmonkey]

I know herb growers (actual herbs not cannabis) who only harvest under the full moon, believing that the full moon is when the herbs will have peak amounts of aromatic oils.

Thanks for the reply! I found this interesting as my newfound love for gardening continues to grow. I actually harvested some herbs from my garden a few days ago, wish I would have waited! :lol: I will have to look at the monthly calendar more, it looks as though I was born under Gaea moon :roll:

As for my full moon experience yesterday -- it was very healing, insightful, and helpful in many ways. It was also lined with fear and resistance. I will report later on this when I have a bit of time.

-SM

 

[entheogenic-gnosis]

I know herb growers (actual herbs not cannabis) who only harvest under the full moon, believing that the full moon is when the herbs will have peak amounts of aromatic oils.

Thanks for the reply! I found this interesting as my newfound love for gardening continues to grow. I actually harvested some herbs from my garden a few days ago, wish I would have waited! :lol: I will have to look at the monthly calendar more, it looks as though I was born under Gaea moon :roll:

As for my full moon experience yesterday -- it was very healing, insightful, and helpful in many ways. It was also lined with fear and resistance. I will report later on this when I have a bit of time.

-SM

Again, I'm not sure how true that is about the herbs, it's just something I was told by some herb growers that I know, but it is interesting...

-eg

 

[○]

I've had many experiences under the full moon during fall, cool night times. The feeling I get with the moon and the glow it casts, incredibly soothing and adds this very relaxed depth to whichever experience for me usually, whether it's from tryptamines or phenethylamines or w/e.

 

[Cognitive Heart]

I find the moon works similar to a catalyst in heightening the senses during such experiences. It helps aid in the reality of what's out there in that deep space surrounding Earth. One evening with psilocybe mushrooms(this was years ago) the midnight moon was full and shining. Upon looking at the moon every now and then; eventually came along a giant meteor passing close by to the right of it. Just a heated pile of star dust! It was and has been the largest rock I've seen pass by in the sky. Lit up a partial area of the night-sky in bright colors. The moon remained cool, stable and quiet.

 

[Koornut]

Down here in Melbourne, particularly from april to september the full moon is enveloped in a lunar corona due do the ice in the atmosphere. It's striking to see, like a low saturation rainbow cones base with the distant moon as its white light peak. It's nice to live on spheres

 

[smoothmonkey]

Thanks for sharing guys!!

Overall the consensus I assume is that it adds another layer of mystical quality to the experience for most people :d

Down here in Melbourne, particularly from april to september the full moon is enveloped in a lunar corona due do the ice in the atmosphere. It's striking to see, like a low saturation rainbow cones base with the distant moon as its white light peak. It's nice to live on spheres

I had never heard of this and I imagine it looks beautiful -- especially if you're in an altered state!

To summarize my August 18th full moon experience:

The main message I received, from the entheogenic ceremony anyway, was that I am to let the DMT/changa be for a while.

I entered sub-breakthrough hyperspace with much resistance, and upon contemplation, have come to the conclusion that my spirit guides did not permit me to break through out of protection. I was dropped into a cosmic pool of sorts, where I was kind of floating underneath, and I could see the roots of plants growing underneath the water while the flowers of said plants were blowing in the wind above the water. I became quickly aware of a slithering, ancient fish-like entity that was swimming/hovering right over my chest and pushing it aggressively. It wanted something from me. It wanted to take energy from my heart space. I communicated to the being to move on, return to source, and that it may not enter my being. It remained above me as I faded down; I could feel it's presence even after I could no longer see it behind my eyes. These visions were sub-breakthrough, and were revealed to me in darkness rather than full blown inexplicable color (though intricately detailed).

I came out of this state feeling overwhelmed by the heavy harmala, confused, and disappointed that I had not broken through. The lesson behind this trip seemed far away and imminently hidden. Determined and convinced that my experience was not complete, I waited and meditated, loading up another bowl of Changa. I prepared myself, stated my intentions once more, and took a healthy rip, inhaling fully and deeply, filling my lungs with the loving lavender tryptamine taste...

This time, unlike any other, I had the sudden urge to get up before I even let the rip out. This may be partly because i could hear my dog restlessly moving upstair but also I felt like I needed to be outside. So I ran outside and lay quickly on the ground, trying to remain focused on the experience at hand. Immediately my line of vision became filled with the most beautiful greens, yellows, and indigo hues, surrounding the shape of a human body with 7 illuminated chakras. This form was spinning in multiple dimensions. This seemed strange to me, because it was more colorful and intense than the bowl before where I ripped the whole thing, and this time I smoked about half of it. I could hear mother earth telling me, "This is where you were supposed to be silly, out here with me. Feel me beneath you, within you, without you, in your breath, in the smells and the and sounds around you. I am with you." I opened my eyes and laid in bliss watching the sky morph and the clouds move like ocean waves, honing in on my breath, yet still uneasy...

In conclusion, and upon much contemplation, I was not permitted to enter hyperspace because (a) my owl and coyote guides were presently protecting me from a malicious entity, (b) there were some minor distractions, (c) I was meant to learn a lesson in patience (I anxiously rushed my preparation during ceremony), and (d) the most important lesson which is one that is deep rooted -- "Use the medicine wisely." I have decided that the next full moon ceremony will be with Psilocybin -- the DMT is so intense and quick, the thought of easing in with the slower onset of the mushroom medicine makes me excited and optimistic

Overall, this was a powerful day for me to connect with nature and the mysterious power of the moon. Thank you all for reading!

 

[Mitakuye Oyasin]

I spent some time in Costa Rica years ago and spoke with some of the builders who integrated "natural" or ancestral techniques into their construction practices. They claimed that the woven roofs that many of the palapas or native houses would have on them could either last a few years or 10-15 years depending on when the material was harvested and woven. Their secret number was three days after the full moon. Any time other than this and the roof would only last a year to three at the most. But materials harvested and woven together three days after the full moon would last up to 10 and some even 15 years. That is a big difference when you have to re roof your home and spent time and energy and money to do so.

Another moon story I heard and saw while there was about the lunar phases and fishing. The needle fish would spawn certain times a year depending on the moon cycles. Once the spawning happened, they would wait for the full moon and would fish with long hooks (about the size of your hand) that were unbaited. They claimed the flashing of the metal through the water with the reflected moonlight was enough to cause the fish to bite. They were hauling up dozens of these fish, some 5 feet long, with nothing more than an unbaited hook, some fishing line and a piece of wood to hold onto and wrap the line around. No poles, no bait. These fish were delicious cooked in a fresh coconut milk and curry powder stew.

Not moon related, but another cool story was meeting this man, one of the construction workers who told me about the moon cycles and the thatched or woven roofs. I watched him as he scouted out the leaf cutter ants (google this if you do not know what they are) and picked out the largest and strongest looking ones from their marching line. He then placed them into a bottle of isopropyl alcohol that was about 1/5 full. Once he had about 30 ants in the liquid he would shake it around and filter out the dead ants. Then he would rub the liquid onto his fingers, wrists and elbows. I asked him what he was doing and he told me it was a natural cure for arthritis. The man only looked to be about 50 or so, but I found out later he was in his 80's. He claimed the oil the ants secreted was great for joint pain and that he only had to do this a few times a year to keep his arthritis from flairing up, which allowed him to continue working in construction.

 

[Koornut]

I had never heard of this and I imagine it looks beautiful -- especially if you're in an altered state!

I ask myself the question - which causes which? The poetry and beauty of the natural world and the altered state.

 

[smoothmonkey]

@Mitakuye Oyasin:

Wow, really cool stories! Thank you for sharing, this is the kind of thing I was hoping for. The power of the moon is vast!! :d

@Sphorange:

Now that's a thought worth thinking about... Reality is beautiful, magnificent, perfectly synchronized... and I feel like I truly understand this under the influence of entheogens, but it expresses beauty with or without. The intensity, vibrance, intricacy, micro-macro cosmic ever moving life of the present moment is revealed to us cleary - without the filter of normal perception - and has an imprinting effect on our brains that, for me anyways, always lingers in the background when observing nature in all her glory. Look between the layers and you will see the light in all particles of matter...

 

[Mitakuye Oyasin]

Some Cannabis farmers swear by moon cycles for planting and harvesting. They claim it makes a huge difference to the size of the buds and the amount of THC and Cannabinoids that they produce. I'm sure you could find some info online if you were interested in learning more.

 

[entheogenic-gnosis]

In the transcription below terence discusses taking ayahuasca during a lunar eclipse.

(He was mostly speaking about music and sounds influencing the ayahuasca experience, but he did mention the lunar eclipse...he never mentions whether he thought the eclipse impacted his experience, but it's still interesting. )

at 2:06 in ...(

)

I recall many years ago, it was the night of a total eclipse, or Some hellish thing in the sky, a total eclipse of some kind, and Sun-water and adelle, who some of you may know, and I decided we would do this ayahuasca that I had in the back of the refrigerator for years, and this was like a long time ago, maybe 8 years ago, and I got it out, and I couldn't remember whether Don Fidel had said "always shake the bottle", or "never shake the bottle", so I thought to be safe we should shake the bottle, in case that's what he did say, so I did, and...and, you know, I've never had it hit me so hard, and we were...i had put on a record which I had previously found mildy entertaining, and the goal of the first 40 minutes of this ayahuasca trip became to survive the playing of this record, I mean it was so...I don't know, I have had other experiences, a friend of mine brought me a tape from tribal Afghanistan that I listened to one night in Hawaii on ayahuasca and I became so alarmed and freaked out and... I just... I could hear something in this music that just shouldn't have been there, I could hear that this wasn't wizened old rag-heads in mud huts...(inaudible)...these guys had connections to the Martians musician union of....(inaudible)......it was highly agitating.... -terence McKenna

-eg

 

[Ulim]

Coral rely on moon cycles too.

 

[Intezam]

to we full moon feels loike a quarter blotter LSD, and if it's very big (super-moon)....it even feels loike a half blotter. The Indians don't call moon - som(a) (a kind of haoma) for no reason, Monday is still Somvar in Hindustani...

But pray to the moon....? Nah! No way! That would make intezam a true lunatic.

Anyway, we won't try drink haoma during full moon or supermoon any time soon, it had a speed up effect :shock: that defies any description - it's loike mixing two drugs...

 

[○]

to we full moon feels loike a quarter blotter LSD, and if it's very big (super-moon)....it even feels loike a half blotter. The Indians don't call moon - som(a) (a kind of haoma) for no reason, Monday is still Somvar in Hindustani...

But pray to the moon....? Nah! No way! That would make intezam a true lunatic.

 

[smoothmonkey]

to we full moon feels loike a quarter blotter LSD, and if it's very big (super-moon)....it even feels loike a half blotter. The Indians don't call moon - som(a) (a kind of haoma) for no reason, Monday is still Somvar in Hindustani...

But pray to the moon....? Nah! No way! That would make intezam a true lunatic.

Anyway, we won't try drink haoma during full moon or supermoon any time soon, it had a speed up effect :shock: that defies any description - it's loike mixing two drugs...

Interesting note Intezam. I may just not use any medicines this next moon and see if i notice effects similar to low dose LSD.

... and aren't we all lunatics?

 

[Intezam]

...in tantric and ixlamic traditions there are fasting days and dietary (and behaviour) restriction according to lunar cycles, the primary reason appears to cultivate shukra, ojas and amrit (pineal gland secretions) perhaps that is why in pictures of Lord Shiva and on top of mosques, there is a moon depicted, it symbolizes the relationship to the moon and the nectar secreted by the more subtle endocrine glands (??).....As far as the destruction of Ojas, the (ayurved) texts describes seven ways in which it can be negatively affected: anger, hunger, obsession, sorrow, fatigue, fear, and consuming things of a pungent and dry nature.

... and aren't we all lunatics? Pleased

Some of us are defintely solnatics...we loike to feed the both into a central passway

 

[Seagull]

From my understanding the moon influences the water in the bodys and earth (a much greater body) , *im just going out on a limb here* so if this magnetic force of the moon influences us so significantly , then other planets also have similar effects but not as noticable. And this could be the explenation of how we come up with horoscope readings etc..
Now i say magnetic, and sure, this is measurable but i believe only to a certain extent (as far as we know).
Does this mean that we also radiate a magnetic field around ourselves (im almost 100% sure) and that we effect our lives and those surounding us, and what happens if we eat something that is MAGNETIC?! ... Mhmm i wonder..
*takes a sip of shroom soup*
...
I remember having alot of different gems when i was a kid, and they had alot of different colours etc and people also wear those things for fortune, luck, good health.. W/e u name it im sure there is some one who sells it
Now what people do is they gather a few of gemstones and place it next to electricity antennas , and claim that they hold back the negative effects of electrical waves.
This prove to me that size is not significant to what magnetic wave u resonate and send out, but rather of what the gem consists of!

 

[BecometheOther]

I have always felt the full moon to add a great deal of power to any ritual. Also it seems very significant things happen to me on full moons.

For me at this time psychedelics are always only a part of ritual and ceremony and are not the only facet. For me psychedelics used in the context of ritual or ceremony is a much more holistic and enlightening experience than psychedelics alone without ritual. Like you said part of that is the power of your intent and level of respect and effort put into the ceremony. And the other part is he real magic that ceremony brings to the table

The more you put into ritual the more you get out