How To Do A Full Moon Tarot Spread & Ritual

It’s no secret that working with the lunar cycle has transformed my life—in a very good way. I’ve written extensively about moon phases, rituals, and manifestation. But in this article, I want to show you how to work with your favorite decks and do a tarot spread on the full moon.

If you’re new to the moon cycle, welcome! I can’t wait for you to immerse yourself in moon magic and experience the beauty and harmony of honoring your sacred cycle while working with her. You see, women and the moon are intertwined. Her cycle mirrors our menstrual cycle. She embodies the divine feminine.

What does a full moon symbolize?

When the moon is full, it’s positioned opposite the sun in the solar system. The sun’s light is reflected onto the moon’s surface. This is why we see a full circle of illumination. The moon herself does not emit any light. She is the dark to his light, the yin to his yang, the feminine to his masculine. Together, there is a perfect balance.

On a spiritual and energetic level, the full moon is a time of illumination, celebration, and expansion. It’s the most high-energy phase of the entire lunar cycle.

Now is the perfect time to celebrate how far you’ve come since the new moon, reap what you’ve sown, and practice gratitude for all the wonderful things in your life.

It is also a time to shine a light on your shadows. Anything that is lurking deep within your subconscious that you have been repressing or ignoring. You are being asked to confront the darkness within you and expose it to the surface. And by doing this, we can free ourselves from the hold our fears and insecurities have on us.

You can find out when the next full moon is where you live by heading here.

Each full moon will fall in a different zodiac sign, and have a slightly different spiritual meaning.

How to do a full moon tarot spread

Here are some simple steps to take before you dive into a full moon tarot spread.

1. Cleanse your space

Before you do any kind of ritual or spellwork, you’ll want to cleanse your space, both physically and energetically. So clear away any clutter, and give all the surfaces in the room you’re using a wipe down.

Then you can pick one of the ways below to cleanse the energy in your space:

• Burn a bundle of herbs (also known as smudging)
• Clap your hands
• Pop some essential oils into a diffuser and let them disperse
• Spray a diffusing spray
• Visualize a purified circle around you

2. Get comfortable & quiet

Once you feel happy and inspired in your space, it’s time to settle down. Find some stillness and quiet. You might want to meditate for a few minutes if this helps you get into a peaceful zone. Connect with the energy of grandmamma moon and your heart space.

3. Select your deck

Now it’s time to choose your deck. Go for the one you feel drawn to in the moment. And remember that you don’t have to use a tarot deck—oracle cards and animal decks work just as well with the below spreads.

If you have an altar cloth, open it up and lay it out in front of you, ready to place your cards on (this is not a must-have).

Take some time to connect to your chosen deck.

4. Shuffle your cards

Check that all your cards face the same way, and always shuffle your cards before a new reading. Some people split the deck into three and then join those three piles back together again in a different order. Next, fan them out in front of you (face down) to see them all. Make sure no cards are hiding underneath others!

Now you’re ready to do a full moon tarot spread. Here are four different tarot layouts to choose from.

Full moon tarot spread #1

The first full moon tarot spread is the easiest one on the list and a great place to start if you’re completely new to doing readings like this and working with decks or if you want instant, simple guidance.

Card #1: What is the full moon illuminating for me?

Full moon tarot spread #2

This spread involves double the cards as the first one, but it’s still quite simple.

Card #1: What is crumbling?

Card #2: What is rising?

Full moon tarot spread #3

The next full moon tarot spread on this list is a simple three-card one.

Card #1: What do I need to let go of that is no longer serving me?

Card #2: What is the full moon shining her light on?

Card #3: What awaits me ahead?

Full moon tarot spread #4

This is the spread for you if you want more detail and depth in your reading.

Card #1: What has manifested since the new moon?

Card #2: What is being illuminated within me?

Card #3: What do I need to release?

Card #4: What opportunity lies ahead?

See Also

New Moon In Aries 2023: The Energy, Fire & Courage To Evolve

Card #5: A divine message (from the Universe/your guides/your higher self/the Goddess)

Stardust Tarot Deck - Etsy

SHOP

Vintage Tarot Deck - Etsy

SHOP

Pink Tarot Deck - Etsy

SHOP

Moonlight Tarot Deck - Etsy

SHOP

After your full moon tarot spread

Tap into your intuition

As you look at your tarot layout, pay attention to what the cards intuitively mean to you before reading up on their meaning.

What do you feel? What are you thinking? And what do you think this card is communicating to you?

You can read up on the exact meanings afterward, but don’t discount your intuition.

Journal

After doing a spread, a crucial step is to journal on what came up. You can journal on each card (if you drew multiple cards), how you feel, and any action you might take going forward for the rest of the lunar cycle.

Other full moon ritual ideas

Here are some other practices you might to weave into a full or new moon ritual. Pick and choose what you like. Change it up each cycle. Trust yourself and give yourself what you need when you need it.

1. Meditate

Meditating is a wonderful way to connect to our higher selves or the divine and receive wisdom and intuition.

2. Make moon water

The full moon is the perfect time to make your own moon water, and it’s so simple! Place a bowl of water outside (on the grass, a window ledge, or a balcony) on the night of the full moon. You can even pop your crystals in the bowl if they need cleansing and charging (just make sure they’re water-safe!).

Come back the next morning, and voila, you have moon water!

3. Take a bath

I love drawing myself a blissful bath on the full or new moon. Being in the water is another way to connect to the moon because she rules the tides, and as human beings, we are mostly made of water.

Pour in the moon water you created, add a crystal to super-charge your intentions, or make your own bath tea.

4. Write a celebration list

The full moon is a time to celebrate, and one of the loveliest ways to do this is to write a big list of all the things you’re celebrating. This can be from this moon cycle, this year, or even a celebration list of your life so far—it’s up to you.

5. Choose an affirmation to work with

The full moon is also a great time to work with affirmations that can bring positive vibes into your life, help you write a new story, and support you in manifesting your deepest desires.

6. Do some shadow work

I mentioned earlier that the full moon illuminated our shadows, which means this is the perfect time to engage in shadow work—if you feel ready to.

Write a list of your deepest fears and insecurities, any memories that still cause embarrassment or shame to wash over you, and anything you’ve not been allowing yourself to think about or feel. This is by no means an easy thing to do, but the act of doing this alone helps us shed some weight and shrinks the power these thoughts hold over us.

Tell me about your full moon tarot spread

Did you do a tarot spread on the full moon? What happened? How did you feel? And do you have another spread that you like to do that’s not on this list?

Share all your comments and questions below with me!