Sturgeon Moon Ritual: The Northern Spirit Witch's Guide

 It's a rainy day here in Thunder Bay, so I thought I would write up a ritual on the spot for the coming full moon this Friday, August 28th.

The indigenous tribes noted that August was a time to catch the giant fresh water fish in the shallow waters. Its name comes from the large lake sturgeon of the Great lakes. It is also called the Grain moon, corn moon, and many other names depending on different cultural traditions.

Spiritually, the sturgeon moon represents releasing the old, strength, abundance, and transformation.

This ritual will be for releasing emotional baggage, unwanted habits, inherited patterns, or what no longer serves you. Since this ritual is more of local tradition we wont be calling up deities, but instead be calling up the spirit of the place, the spirit of the sturgeon, and the spirit of the waters.

So, this ritual calls to be done by flowing water, like a lake or river to release our intentions. If you can not do this, a bowl of lake or river water will suffice. I use the witch's Stang ( a 2or 3 pronged staff) to cast the circle and directions of the compass according to my local landscape. If you have more than 1 participant you can give everyone a role in the ritual such as the lead, circle caster, and quarter callers. Feel free to change it up too!

Photo by Stuart Bartlett on Unsplash

Sturgeon Full Moon Release Ritual

What you need:

A Stang, altar candle, a bell, incense, lighter or matches, a pen or marker, a piece of bark for each participant, a bowl of lake water (optional) Offerings like berries, local flowers, polished stones or something natural and appropriate, an altar made of natural items like rocks, sticks and leaves.

What to do:

Light the incense and candle on your natural altar. Ring the bell 3 times and say:

"The compass is about to be laid and we stand within to greet the spirit of the place, the sturgeon and the water spirits"

Take up the Stang in your power hand, draw the compass around the perimeter (N-E-S-W) and say:

"I draw this compass in the presence of the spirit of the place and the water spirits that we may be aided and blessed by them. This is the boundary of the compass, around us, above us, and below us as a sphere in this compass round. It is consecrated to the spirits around us. This compass is charged by the powers of the Ancient Ones! Only good shall enter and leave! So shall it be!"

Pick up the incense and carry it around the perimeter and say:

"May this smoke consecrate this compass that it may be purified and sealed, and may the fragrance be pleasing and welcoming to our ancestors, spirits of the place, familiar spirits, visible and invisible. The Compass is conjured a sacred space. So shall it be!"

Take the candle to each of the directions, starting in the North (N-E-S-W) raising the candle in respect:

(N): "I call upon light and air to illuminate and enliven the compass round"

(E): "I call upon light and water to illuminate and cleanse the compass round"

(S): "I call upon light and earth to illuminate and strengthen the compass round"

(W): "I call upon light and fire to illuminate and warm the compass round"

Place candle back on the altar. Take up the Stang and lift it at each direction to call upon the elements.

(N): "I call upon you, Elemental Air, north wind cold and old, to attend this rite and guard this compass, for as we breathe and think. Hail and Welcome!"

(E): "I call upon you, Elemental Water of the Great Lake, to attend this rite and guard this compass, for we have emotions and our hearts beat. Hail and Welcome!"

(S): "I call upon you, Elemental Earth, ancient and beneath our feet, to attend this rite and guard this compass, for we have body and strength. Hail and Welcome!"

(W): "I call upon you, Elemental Fire, warmth of the setting sun, to attend this rite and guard tis compass, for we have energy and drive. Hail and Welcome!"

Raise the Stang at the North once more and say:

"Hail the Elementals at the for directions! Welcome the spirits of the place to this compass round. We stand betwix the worlds with power all around!"

Place the Stang at the altar and stand with arms open and say:

"Behold the spirits of the landscape, spirit of the place. We invoke thee to our compass round, come upon your fellow witches! Hail and Welcome!"

Arms crossed over chest looing towards the water and say:

"O ancient water spirits, of intuition and transformation, we invoke thee to our compass round, to protect this rite. Hail and Welcome!"

Look towards the moon and say:

"We call upon the giant of the Great Lake, the spirit of the Sturgeon, we invoke thee to our compass round. Hail and Welcome!

Spell work

Each participant take up a piece of bark and a pen or marker. Take the time to think about what you would like to release and write it upon the bark. Once written one by one place the bark into the water (or bowl of water) watch them as they get washed away. Everyone stands around the altar and says:

"We call upon the Sturgeon Moon above us,

the great waters before us,

and the earth below us,

and the spirits of the northern land.

Stand witness as we release what we no longer carry.

Give us the strength to let go,

the wisdom to now what remains,

and the courage to walk the path ahead.

And it is so!"

Offerings

Ring the bell 3 times and say:

"We acknowledge our needs and offer our appreciation to that which sustains us! May we ever remember the strength of the spirits of the place."

Take the Stang and point it towards the offerings and say:

" As the spirits of the place and the ancient waters flow where the mighty Sturgeon calls home, we leave this offering as recognition. May the spirits all around accept this offering. May they protect the hills and hollow through out the land."

Place the offerings around the makeshift altar and say:

"As we enjoyed this full moon rite, may we remember that we are witches and that with out the elements we would be nothing. To the spirits of the land and water, we thank you for aiding us! So shall it be!"

Taking Down the Compass

Take the Stang and hold up at each direction and say:

(N): "Depart in peace, Elemental Air, our blessings take with you. Hail and Farewell!"

(E): "Depart in peace, Elemental Water, our blessings take with you. Hail and Farewell!"

(S): "Depart in peace, Elemental Earth, our blessings take with you. Hail and Farewell!"

(W): "Depart in peace, Elemental Fire, our blessings take with you. Hail and Farewell!"

Raise the Stang in the North one last time and say:

"Spirits of the place, Ancestors and familiar spirits visible and invisible, depart in peace. You aid in our work, whisper in our minds, and grace us from the landscape. Let there be harmony between us. Our blessings take with you. The compass is cleared!"

Take the Stang and draw the energy back into it, while moving counter clockwise around the perimeter, and say:

"The compass is open yet it remains as it's magickal power is drawn back into me and returned to the earth. The compass is cleared. So shall it be!"

⚝Cyn Craft⚝