Regularly decluttering your psyche is an important skill. Doing this at the right time is even better. This month’s lunar eclipse is ideal for releasing your shadow grit.
My Scorpio planets love the idea of letting go–although when you look at my cluttered garage, you can see how far that impulse actually goes. But a few years ago, I discovered a wonderful way to engineer this fresh-start feeling that comes from release. It’s called the Green Fire ritual. And while it won’t actually clear the clutter from your garage, it can definitely clear the clutter from your psyche. Once your psyche is clear, anything can happen. You might get a strong and sudden urge to clean the closet, end a relationship, or quit the job that’s making you miserable.
The Green Fire ritual is a powerful way to signal to your subconscious that you’re ready, willing, and eager to release the past and move on. You should perform it whenever you’re feeling stuck or burdened, but it’s especially powerful during a waning Moon in November, which is anytime between now and November 16. The beautiful priestess who introduced me to Green Fire does it four times a year, once each season.
When I first learned of Green Fire, I was desperate to change. I committed to performing this ritual on a waning Moon for three consecutive months. The result? Never has my life so dramatically transformed in such a short time. No longer stuck in the past–my feet were stepping confidently on the road to my future. I was newly clear and energized!
The ritual recipe
- The ritual is simple to do. First grab some solitude and focus on what you’d like to release. This can be specific (“I’d like to release my anger at Jim”) or general (“I’d like to release whatever is holding me back.”). You can aim to let go of a lot or a little, whatever feels right for you. Just be sure to write down each thing you’re releasing. (I like to writing each item on a small piece of paper; this makes for excellent kindling to throw into the fire.)
- Then get a cast iron pot, line it with foil, add two cups of Epsom salts, and cover the salt with rubbing alcohol.
- When you’re ready, light it with a long match and stand back. One at a time, throw in the pieces of paper on which you’ve written what you’re letting go of. Of course, do this safely! I place my pot in the center of an outdoor fire pit, with lid and water at the ready.
If you like your rituals to be more theatrical, you can dress up, recite poetry, bang drums, or dance while the fire is burning. If you want additional power, call in the ancestors, protectors and archetypal powers before you begin and thank them when you’re done. I like my rituals simple: just the fire, the pieces of paper, and all the energy that’s being released.
Support yourself with the symbolic vibrance of my monthly Moon workshop . You’ll develop your archetypal eyes and learn how to dance with the gods artfully.
© 2020/21 Dana Gerhardt
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I love the idea of the Green Fire Ritual. Unfortunately, I don’t have anywhere safe to it, living in a high fire danger area and no concrete area or fire pit. Perhaps just envisioning and lighting a candle and burning the paper over a stainless steel sink might work? And that’s if the cinders don’t float off somewhere! But it sounds fun! I may stick to the monthly ritual featured here, but one way or another, I am doing one. between now and my birthday on the 15th. Hopefully this Saturday….Thanks Dana for some great ideas!
I like your idea of burning the paper over a stainless steel sink. You could even float an ashtray-like thing on the water, so you can watch the paper burn without anxiety about embers. How much fire do you have in your birth chart? It might add more information about working with this element … Have a great birthday! My birthday is later this month. May your solar return bring delights!
Great stuff, as usual. Is it possible a typo 4th paragraph from top last word in 3rd sentence?
Yes! The November date was wrong … thanks! I need all the help I can get.