Witchcraft 101: Drawing Down the Moon
Okay, nobody actually expects you to draw down the moon. For one thing, think of the tidal waves! Drawing down the moon is a term that Witches use for an act of ritual magick during which a high priestess channels the essence of the Goddess, inviting her into the circle.
This is a ritual that has been around for a long time; there are references to drawing or calling down the moon in ancient Greek and Roman writing, and the rite itself can be seen on pottery from that era. But as old as it is, the ritual is a meaningful today as it ever was.
One of the basic tenets of Witchcraft that makes it different from the religions that most of us were raised in is that each of us has a personal connection to the divine. We all contain the spark of deity within us. So it is not such a stretch to think that anyone of us could, if so moved, provide a temporary vessel for the Gods to speak through.
This is what happens during the ritual of drawing down the moon. The high priestess, sometimes after fasting and meditation, opens herself spirituality so that the goddess may enter her and speak, well, whatever it is the goddess has to say at the time. Traditionally, the high priest of a coven called upon the goddess as the high priestess stood ready. These days, if there is no high priest, the high priestess will invoke the goddess herself, often through the use of a magickal poem called the Charge of the Goddess.
There is also a male counterpart called drawing down the sun or drawing down the Horned God, but it is not used nearly as often. And, of course, if you are a Solitary Witch, you can simply draw down the moon by yourself.
Either way, should you decide to invite the goddess in, remember to do so with reverence and appreciation. And don’t be surprised if you are never quite the same again….
Source
Every Day Witch A to Z
Deborah Blake
Witches Of The Craft® 