The November full moon has many names: the Frost Moon, the Fog Moon, the Beaver Moon, the Mourning Moon. Regardless of the name, it always means that something is ending. We’re used to this from the seasons, of course. The leaves are falling from the trees in earnest, the harvest has been gathered, the days are getting shorter and the nights longer. Literally everything around us in the natural world is closing up shop. Standing at the leading edge of another dark season – after another undeniably dark year – it could be easy to feel surrounded by gloom.

It's not just light and warmth that we let go of, however. It’s also a time to let go of the past year, to let go of any fear or negativity that’s lingering, to let go of the habits and mindsets that held us captive as we struggled to find a new normal in a changed world.

Every major religion in the world has a holiday about light, celebrating the turning of the world toward the sun and the gradual lengthening of the days. Happy as we are to celebrate light, no living thing can sustain growth without a time to lie still and rest. Without nightly sleep, our days quickly become undoable; without a day off work, our jobs become unbearable; without a season of dark and cold, nothing can germinate in the silent earth to spring forth later. We can’t make room for the new until we’ve cleared away the old.

What do you need to let go of? What will you make room for? 

• Do a ritual to help you end something that no longer serves you. Use gemstones such as lapis lazuli or topaz; cypress, alder, or hazel; or seasonal herbs such as verbena and fennel.  
• Work on deepening your connection to an element of your practice, whether it’s working with a deity, honing your divination skills, working more closely with your cards – anything you’ve been meaning to spend more time and effort on.
• Decorate your altar or space in your home with seasonal items to reflect acceptance of the changed world around us. Do a thorough cleaning before the weather changes and you can’t open the windows anymore.
• Make your peace with any losses from the past year, including the loss of someone beloved. Take time to properly mourn your losses; we so often want to rush through the expression of our emotions as if they’re an inconvenience.
• Focus on self-care and renewal, clearing the slate for the new things to come. Freshen your heart and mind in preparation for the holidays ahead. 
• Ritually burn a paper with the names of things you want to let go. Consider the things you wish to take their place.