This post was originally published here before honeymallow’s revamp. Its contents have not been updated and its style may differ from the rest of the site.
Throughout the millennia, the moon has been a huge presence on many ancient (and not so ancient) cultures and religions. And rightfully so! The moon greatly influences Earth, affecting the tides. Some people even believe that the moon affects humans. Research shows that violent crime does go up whenever it’s a Full Moon…
Generally, across the cultures, the moon is seen as a symbol of femininity or portrayed as a goddess type being. We make this connection because of the similarities between the moon’s cycle of phases and the average menstrual cycle.
While I’m not going to go into the nitty gritty details about the moon phases in this post, I think it’s important to know about eventually. This is even more true if you feel drawn to the moon or plan to do a lot of moon magick. Instead, I’m going to provide an overview of the moon phases and what they represent in magick.
Why is knowing about moon phases important?
I suppose before I begin, I should explain a bit why this post is even necessary. Bluntly speaking, the moon and its energy is very powerful. However, this energy is not always the same. Instead, different phases of the moon give off different kinds of energy.
So why is this important? It makes sense to align your spellwork with a phase of the moon that provides the most suitable energy. While doing magick under a non-complementary moon isn’t going to make your ritual fail, it certainly will be a lot less powerful. By matching up the moon’s phases with the work you want to do, you can ensure an extra boost of moon energy!
The moon’s eight phases
Like I said, each phase of the moon represents something different. While this list isn’t exhaustive of everything that a moon’s phase represents, it’s a great starting point for the basics.
This post is just about the moon’s phases. I’ll be covering the thirteen different moon names in a separate post so keep an eye out for that too.
New Moon
As it is named, a New Moon represents the start of a new cycle. It represents fresh starts and new beginnings in your life, both literally and figuratively. It’s a great time to set new goals for yourself and for your future.
Best rituals:
- New projects
- Changes (career moves, physical moves, etc.)
- Centering yourself
- Sending out your intentions
Waxing Crescent Moon
The waxing crescent moon is the next phase in the moon’s cycle. Where you stated your future goals in the New Moon phase, now it’s time to start preparing and setting the groundwork for how to achieve them.
Best rituals:
- Visualization work
- Abundance
- Attracting good things
First Quarter Moon
Then, we have the first quarter moon phase. Now that we’ve started putting the pieces into place, we need to put in the work to achieve our goals. There’s a lot of great and powerful energy in this phase of the moon to help energize you to get it done!
Best rituals:
- Energy spells (boosting or nurturing energy)
- Clarity around decision making
Waxing Gibbous Moon
With the first quarter of the moon’s completion comes an increase in focus. It’s a great time to determine what plans we have are feasible and focus on the attainable goals.
Best rituals:
- Increasing success
- Balance
- Inviting guidance
Full Moon
Here’s the most famous phase of the moon! Remember how I mentioned above that crime increases during a full moon? It’s because the moon has its highest concentration of power at this phase and our intuition is most active. It’s also the time for us to reap the rewards of our efforts.
Best rituals:
- Manifestation
- Psychic abilities and awareness
- Divination
- Cleansing and recharging
- Strengthening
Waning Gibbous Moon
With this, we’re on the back half of the moon’s phases. After your efforts have been rewarded during the Full Moon, it’s time to give thanks for it. This phase is all about gratitude, appreciation, and happiness. Be thankful for what you have and share love with those you care about.
Best rituals:
- Gratitude
- Strengthening bonds and protection with others
- Letting go
Third Quarter Moon (Last Quarter Moon)
Where the Waning Gibbous Moon is about appreciation and gratitude, the Third Quarter Moon is about shedding the things that are holding you back. It’s a time to let go of unnecessary burdens and determine the toxic parts of your life that are energy drains. This may be particularly challenging but it’s necessary for your own personal growth.
Best rituals:
- Cleansing
- Detoxification
- Protection
- Banishing
Waning Crescent Moon
Finally, we’ve come to the last moon phase in the cycle. You’ve done a lot over the last weeks and now it’s time to relax. This phase is all about recharging your body, mind, and spirit as not to over exert yourself. Also, you’re going to need some rest for the New Moon when the cycle starts all over again.
Best rituals:
- Recharging
- Reflection
- Forgiveness
- Rest
Additional notes
Northern vs Southern Hemisphere Moons
There is a slight difference between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere’s moons. This post and the images used are reflective of the Northern Hemisphere’s moon. In the Southern Hemisphere, the moon is flipped 180 degrees. In other words, what appears to be a Waxing Crescent Moon in the North looks like a Waning Crescent Moon in the South. If you flipped a Waxing Crescent moon on its horizontal axis, see how it’s opposite and looks like it’s Waning now?
I just mention this in case I have any readers in the Southern Hemisphere who may be confused as to how to use the guide above. The information is still the same! It doesn’t matter what your moon actually looks like because the moon is always in the same phase. The properties and characteristics are still the same regardless of what your moon looks like. Just wanted to put that out there!
Other moon phase names
People do have other names for the moon’s phases and additional phases. I even included one alternative in this post (Third vs Last Quarter Moon). Some people include ten phases of the moon with a Young Moon and Old Moon phase too. There are those who consider the moon to have twelve phases. Practice what you like, but I use the eight moon phase cycle as my base.
Recommended apps
If you’re like me and you often loose track of the moon’s phases, don’t be afraid to rely on technology. You’re not a “bad witch” if you do. Here are my favorite (free) moon tracker apps:
- My Moon Phase – Lunar Calendar (iPhone/iPad/Android)
- The Moon: Calendar Moon Phases (iPad/Desktop)
- (And one website) MoonGiant
