I was barefoot, having formed a semi-circle with seven others for a full moon circle, with my eyes closed, hands clasped together, a yoga mat in front of me.
“Open your arms and your hands for me, sister,” came the soothing voice of Camilla Dos Santos, a shaman and natural health practitioner, as she whirled a woody blend of palo santo and frankincense around me to cleanse my aura.
We were in the yoga studio at Beaverbrook’s plush Coach House Spa, tucked into the pastoral Surrey Hills, for a two-hour full moon circle to mark February’s full moon in Leo. With lights dimmed, the scene was set with sprigs of rosemary, crystals, incense and bowls of different sizes on the floor, in front of a large ceremonial gong.
Courtesy of Beaverbrook
The full moon — the pinnacle of the lunar cycle — has been celebrated for thousands of years; seen as a time to let go of unwanted energy and set new intentions. Though there is no scientific proof, the moon is also considered by many to impact our mental health and our mood.
Although I haven’t experienced seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the past, this year, I found winter’s endless grey and white skies slowly impacting my mood. While I often meditate and I’ve tried sound baths, this was my first full moon circle, and I was curious as to how I would feel during and after this ancient ritual.
What happens at a Full Moon Circle?
Every full moon circle, also known as a full moon ritual, is different, but typically, you can expect to meditate, either outside, under the glow of the moon, or indoors. This is often accompanied by other ceremonial elements. For us, it included a cacao ceremony, breath work and yin movement, before ending with a guided sound bath meditation.
Camilla and Lino, the two circle facilitators, first explained how the full moon in Leo in 2025 is a powerful time for self expression and embracing your inner confidence. With this in mind, they asked us to consider setting intentions that we would later be asked to write down.