The full moon has long held significance in many cultures and religions around the world. It’s a time of mysticism, spirituality, and ritual. On a full moon night, the moon is at its brightest and fullest phase. For many, this is an opportune time for reflection, celebration, and harnessing the moon’s energy through practices like meditation. Lighting candles during a full moon can complement rituals and add symbolic meaning. The type of candle burned often carries specific significance.
Intention Setting Candles
Setting an intention or making a wish is common practice during a full moon. The lunar energy is thought to aid manifestation. Lighting a candle while setting your intention can add power to the practice.
Intent candles come in a variety of colors, each with their own symbolic meaning:
| White | Purity, healing, peace |
| Red | Love, passion, courage |
| Pink | Self-love, friendship |
| Orange | Creativity, confidence |
| Yellow | Clarity, intellect |
| Green | Growth, harmony |
| Blue | Calm, intuition |
| Purple | Spirituality, wisdom |
| Black | Banishing negativity |
Choose a candle in the color that resonates with your intention and light it during your full moon ritual. As the candle burns, visualize your intention coming to fruition.
Zodiac Candles
Some practitioners burn candles based on the current zodiac sign of the full moon. The moon visits each zodiac sign for about 2-3 days monthly. You can look up which sign the moon is in and select a candle accordingly.
Zodiac candles often feature glyphs or symbols of the signs etched into them. The scents and colors align with the properties of each sign:
| Aries | Red, cinnamon |
| Taurus | Green, floral |
| Gemini | Yellow, citrus |
| Cancer | White, coconut |
| Leo | Gold, sandalwood |
| Virgo | Gray, lavender |
| Libra | Pink, rose |
| Scorpio | Red, musk |
| Sagittarius | Purple, pine |
| Capricorn | Brown, vanilla |
| Aquarius | Blue, ocean breeze |
| Pisces | Sea green, jasmine |
Burning a candle aligned with the moon’s current zodiac transit is thought to amplify the moon’s astrological influence.
Full Moon Phase Candles
Full moon phase candles depict the visage of the moon in its round, complete fullness. These candles sync the timing of the burn with the lunar cycle. The candle is marked with divides indicating each day of the waxing and waning moon. You light the candle on the full moon and as it burns, the moon in the image “shrinks” to represent the waning phase.
Full moon candles are carved and colored to mimic the moon’s evolving nightly appearances. Lighting one on the full moon helps connect your ritual to the energy of the lunar cycle. The candle acts as a physical symbol of the moon’s phases.
Moon Goddess Candles
The divine feminine is intrinsically linked to the moon in many spiritual traditions. Full moon rituals often honor moon goddesses from various cultures. Accordingly, moon goddess candles feature depictions of these lunar deities. Here are some examples:
| Artemis | Greek |
| Diana | Roman |
| Hecate | Greek |
| Selene | Greek |
| Chang’e | Chinese |
| Luna | Roman |
These candles connect your ritual to the mythos and energy of lunar goddesses. Their imagery and symbolism aligns your intentions with the divine feminine and the moon.
Crystal Infused Candles
Some practitioners use candles that contain crystals, or place crystals around the base of the candle, during full moon rituals. The combined energy of the candlelight and crystals is thought to amplify intentions.
Certain crystals have properties that align well with the power of the full moon:
| Moonstone | Intuition, reflection |
| Clear quartz | Focus, clarity |
| Labradorite | Transformation |
| Selenite | Spiritual growth |
| Carnelian | Creativity |
| Pyrite | Manifestation |
The crystals amplify the ritual practice when combined with candlelight on the full moon.
Aromatherapy Full Moon Candles
Scent also plays a key role in full moon rituals. Specially formulated aromatherapy candles target certain magical intentions linked to the full moon.
Here are some common full moon aromatherapy candle scents:
| Jasmine | Intuition, dreams |
| Sandalwood | Healing, purification |
| Ylang ylang | Love, emotional openness |
| Chamomile | Stress relief |
| Lavender | Peace, calm |
| Vanilla | Comfort, harmony |
| Peppermint | Clarity, renewal |
The candles release fragrance aligned with goals like self-reflection, emotional balance and spiritual alignment.
Conclusion
The full moon holds profound meaning for many spiritual and mystical practices. Candles are often incorporated into rituals and ceremonies under its light. Intention setting, Zodiac signs, moon phases, goddess energy and aromatherapy all inspire the candles selected for burning on a full moon. The candle’s color, scent, symbols and timing with the lunar cycle enhance the intentions and energy harnessed during this special celestial event. Lighting candles on a full moon can deepen your connection with its power and magic.
