There it was, a lonely glass filled with "two-buck chuck" wine and next to it a small plate with four town-house crackers. The ritual was over and as I turned to partake in the "cakes & ale" portion of my full moon ritual it somehow felt all wrong. Here I was all exhilarated and energized from participating in this sacred rite. I had just danced to the beat of drums with the summer air swirling around me. I had called the energies of the elements and felt their presence within my circle. I had pondered the beauty of the full moon and felt my own connection to its mysteries.

And now it was over. It was time to ground my energy and recover, which meant partaking in the "cakes & ale" I had laid out for myself. Compared to the beauty and energy of the summer full moon, the wine and crackers before me seemed lackluster and uninspired. While I have nothing against cheap wine, in fact I rather enjoy it, it somehow didn’t feel right for this ritual. It was summertime and the flowers were in full bloom all across the city. The scent of honeysuckle lingered in the air as the fresh breeze from the lake tempered the evening heat. Summer was a time of sticky-sweet strawberries and cool lemonade. Wine, on the other hand, reminded me of an autumn landscape filled with burgundy and chestnut-colored leaves.

In general I’ve been trying to eat more seasonally as I know that doing so will make me feel more connected to the changing seasons. I’m not sure why this intent hasn’t filtered down to my own solitary full moon rituals. It seemed that I was just going with routine; casually picking whatever I happen to currently have in my apartment for the "cakes & ale" portion of my rituals. A simple ‘cakes & ale’ definitely makes sense for group rituals, but as I practice mostly solitary I know that I can do more. Besides, I really do enjoy cooking and know that with a bit more effort I can really end my full moon rituals with something unique and truly representative of the season.

Here’s some links to a couple recipes I've found that I’m planning to make for future summer full and new moon rituals. These recipes and photos are adapted from Local Milk Blog and The Minimalist Baker.

I’d love to know if you ever change-up the "cakes & ale" portion of your full and new moon rituals. If so, do you have a favorite recipe? Share in the comments below.