Make Way for Scorpio's Full Flower Moon With This Clearing Ritual

When the full moon enters Scorpio on May 18, you’re likely to be feeling a bit heavy. Whether it’s because you’re hanging onto some dead weight or because there’s something you want that you don’t have, you’re bound to feel it—and not just emotionally. The concentration of planets in Taurus alongside the flower moon will have us feeling that miasma physically, as well.

The best solution (aside from mindfulness and self-care) is to lean into the feeling and then try to be thankful for the good things in our lives. The creation of a curated smudge bundle embodies the power of Scorpio’s full flower moon through dried blooms, allowing you to harness the potent and energy, clear away unease, and enhance gratitude for what you already have.

How does your moon sign affect you?

Materials

• 100% cotton thread or twine
• Fire-safe dish or an abalone shell
• Lighter

Ingredients (exact quantities are up to you)

• White sage leaves (energetically clearing)
• Marigold (spiritual cleansing)
• Lavender stems (calming)
• Rosebuds (self-love)
• Aster (patience)
• Carnations (gratitude)

Instructions

• Arrange your plants in a pile in front of you, using as much of each as feels correct. Make sure the stems are all pointing down and the flowers are spread throughout. As you lay down each flower, take some time to smell it and appreciate the beauty of the plant.
• Gather all the stems together and tie a tight knot around them with the twine. Twist the twine up and around the bundle in a spiral pattern, being sure to keep very tight tension—the plants will shrink as they dry out. When you reach the top, spiral back down and tie tightly again at the stems.
• Hang your bundle in a dry place and allow it to dry out completely. This could take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks depending on weather and placement. For a quicker method, place on a baking rack and dry it in the oven at about 150 degrees 1.5–2 hours, checking regularly.
• Once completely dry, begin your ritual. Hold your smudge bundle by the stem end and light the tip over a fire-safe dish until it’s smoldering.
• Waft the smoke over yourself. As you do, imagine any negativity or irritation about your current situation drifting away with the smoke.
• When you have sufficiently smudged yourself, waft the smoke around your living space—being sure to get into all the corners—while imaging negativity and irritation drifting away. As you move from space to space, express thankfulness for the things you have. Picture the area you’ve cleansed filling with a sense of gratitude.
• Once you’ve smudged yourself and your space to your satisfaction, either let the bundle burn down in the fire-safe dish or stub it out. Bury the remains of the bundle and any ashes outside.

Happy full moon!

Jennifer Billock is an award-winning writer, bestselling author, and editor. She is currently dreaming of an around-the-world trip with her Boston terrier.
Art by The Moon Journal