Melanie Marquis - Llewellyns Little Book of Moon Spells (Llewellyns Little)

Introduction

The Magical Moon

H ave you ever felt inspired or excited by a bright full moon, or found comfort and hope in the silvery glow of a crescent moon shining through a thin veil of clouds? As our closest celestial neighbor and the brightest, biggest object in the night sky, the moon has an undeniable connection to the planet we all call home. In fact, life as we know it literally depends on it.

Not only does the moon move the oceans and produce the tides through its gravitational pull, but it also actually lengthens the day by tempering the speed at which our planet spins on its axis. It can be easy in modern times to take the moon for granted, but we need it just as much as we always have, even though some of our needs have evolved.

Before humankind learned to harness the power of electricity, full moon nights held the significance of enabling activity much later than was otherwise possible, long after the fire had died down. The bright light of a full moon invites adventure, secret meetings, arts and crafts, storytellingall the things that are hard to fit into a daytime filled with work and a nighttime consumed in darkness. Although we no longer rely on the moon as the sole way to light up the night, the moon still seems to awaken something primal and magical within us, inviting us to plunge into the unknown to discover something mysterious and unexpected. In todays world of hustle and bustle, the moon gives us a much-needed reminder to look up, just as it inspires us to look within.

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, New Age visionary, author, and former owner and CEO of Llewellyn Worldwide, described the movement of the moon and planets as being Natures own clock. In a very practical and physical sense, what we see in the sky above gives us guidance as to what we will find below. Our observation of the moons cycle gives a rhythm and pattern to life, providing us with a visible way to mark the changing of seasons and the passing of days. Attuning to the rhythm of the moon allows us to make the most of the opportunities that each moment in time provides, enabling us to plan the best route forward to our desired destination.

In this book, youll find many ways to use the power of the moon to actively enrich your own life experiences while enriching and transforming the world as a whole. Instead of feeling stuck when you stumble against one of fates many roadblocks, youll learn to attune to the influencing and influenceable tides of destiny and transform troublesome situations into opportunities that work in your favor. This is the art of magic.

Despite pop culture implications, magic isnt actually scary, spooky, or impossible. In fact, anyone can do it and it wont require years of difficult training or expensive or complex tools. Magic is simply the act of using your own personal power and the power of the universe to transform and guide the energies that make up all that is. Moon magic is any type of magic that uses the moons power to help you do just that.

Analogous to the subconscious mind and psychic awareness, the moon epitomizes the abilities we rely on most heavily in a magical working (also called a spell). Even to people completely new to the art of magic, the moon can be a ready springboard that quickly launches you out of the mundane and into the mystical.