An esbat is a ritual held to honor the moon, most often on the night of the full moon. Where the eight sabbats follow the sun and the seasons, the esbats follow the lunar cycle. There are twelve or thirteen full moons each year, so esbats make up most of a witch's regular ritual life.
The word and the custom
The word esbat came into English in the 1920s, in a scholar's writing on the witch trials, and is thought to come from an old French word meaning to amuse oneself. Wicca later took it up to mean the regular working meeting of a coven, as opposed to the seasonal festivals.
The division is a tidy one. Sabbats are celebrations. Esbats are when the practical work is done: magick, healing, divination, training, and honoring the Goddess in her aspect as the moon. Some witches also hold a quieter esbat at the new moon.
Drawing Down the Moon
The central rite of a traditional Wiccan esbat is called Drawing Down the Moon. The High Priestess, with the help of the High Priest, invites the Goddess to speak through her, and may then recite the Charge of the Goddess to the coven.
Solitary witches practice a simpler form. You stand in the moonlight with your arms raised, breathe the light in, and ask the Goddess to fill you with her presence. It is less a performance than an act of opening.
What happens at an esbat
A full moon ritual usually follows this shape.
- The space is cleansed and the circle is cast.
- The moon and the Goddess are honored, with words, silence, or song.
- The main work is done: a spell, a healing, a divination, or a meditation.
- Thanks are given for what the past month brought.
- Food and drink are shared, and an offering is set aside.
- The circle is closed, and everyone grounds.
A simple ritual
A full moon ritual for one
You will need
- A white or silver candle in a safe holder
- A cup of water, juice, or tea, and something small to eat
- Your journal and a pen
- A view of the moon, if you have one. A window is fine.
What to do
- On the night of the full moon, or the night before or after, tidy your space and ground and center.
- Cast a circle, in full or with the one-minute method.
- Light the candle. Face the moon and stand quietly for a few breaths.
- Raise your arms and say: "Lady of the moon, bright and full, I greet you. Shine on me and on my work."
- Breathe slowly. Imagine the moonlight filling you from the crown of your head to your feet.
- Sit down and write three things from the past month that you are thankful for. Then write one thing that you want to release, and one thing that you want to build before the next full moon.
- If you have a spell to do, do it now.
- Raise the cup to the moon and drink. Eat a little. Set a small portion aside as an offering.
- Say thank you, close the circle, and put the candle out safely. Leave the offering outside.
Things to do at the full moon
- Set a jar of water out to make moon water.
- Place your tools, crystals, and tarot deck on a windowsill to bathe in the light, and bring them in before the morning sun reaches them.
- Practice divination. The full moon is a traditional time for it.
- Take a ritual bath with salt and herbs.
- Go for a walk in the moonlight and say nothing.
- Read the entry for this month in our guide to full moon names, and give your ritual its theme.
The new moon esbat
A new moon ritual is quieter. There is no moonlight to greet, so the focus turns inward. Light a single candle, sit in the dark for a while, and decide what you want to begin in the coming cycle. Write it down in one sentence. That sentence is your thread for the month, and you will return to it at the full moon.
Common questions
What if it is cloudy? The moon is still there. Hold your ritual indoors and picture it.
Does it have to be the exact night? No. The day before and the day after are both counted as the full moon.
What if I miss one? Then you miss one. There will be another in four weeks. A practice is built over years.
Do I have to work magick? No. Sitting in the moonlight with gratitude is a complete esbat.