The Moon Made Me Do It
I’ve been fascinated by the glow of the Moon in the sky since as long as I can remember. As much as I love the powerful fiery energy of the sun, I am in awe of the mystical magical vibrations of the Moon and enjoy nothing more than catching a few calming Moon beams on a clear night of Moon bathing.
The Moon has been celebrated for centuries. It stands to reason if the Moon’s gravitational pull can affect a huge ocean and make it rise and fall, then it’s not a wonder that it can affect us humans where two thirds of our bodies are made of water.
Unlike the other luminary object in our skies, the fiery masculine Sun, the feminine Moon is believed to represent our inner sanctum and our intuition. It is as changeable as our emotions and our lives are tuned into it’s rhythmic cycle of waxing and waning. Don’t underestimate the Moon’s potent affect on you, harnessing it’s power through working with it’s cyclical phases can truly enhance your life. Each lunar cycle lasts 28 days as the Moon orbits around the Earth, affecting our sleep, our mood and our energy levels as it moves.
To get attuned to the Moon’s phases I recommend starting a moon journal, take note each day of how you’re feeling in line with the Moon’s phase, it can be as simple as checking in with what phase the Moon is in and writing a few words of what you’ve noticed of how you feel. You can build on this, paying attention to other astrological details such as what zodiac sign the Moon is in as it moves through each sign every 2.3 days. To keep track of the phase it is in, the simplest way is to download an app like “The Moon” which will also give you other interesting details such as what time the it will rise and set and in which direction, perfect if you want to schedule in a spot of moon bathing.
So what does each phase have in store for us earthly beings?
New Moon
New Moon is sometimes referred to as Dark Moon because the Moon is aligned between the Earth and the Sun and so we cannot see the Moon as the illuminated side is not facing towards us. This phase can make us very introspective and reflective, it’s a good time to pause and reflect and think about what we want to bring into our lives in this new lunar cycle. It’s a great time to do a New Moon ritual, meditating and writing down intentions to manifest all our dreams and desires. In this phase regain your strength to begin again.
Welcome the new beginnings.
Waxing Crescent
Only a crescent-shaped sliver is visible in our skies at this time. As the Moon is growing our own energy receives a boost too, ideas start to flow which bring our New Moon intentions to life. Don’t forget to find time to thank the universe for all the incredible things that are coming your way.
Set down those intentions.
First Quarter
This phase occurs a week after New Moon, and it is when we can see the right half of the Moon illuminated as it is at a 90-degree angle to the Earth and Sun. In this phase as we work hard to bring our intentions to life we are reminded of some of the challenges we come up against as we try to make all our dreams come true. Sometimes we have to give into the flow, accept what we cannot change and realise that sometimes what we want isn’t what we need, follow your intuition and allow yourself to be guided by the signs and symbols that come your way.
Tap into your wisdom
Waxing Gibbous
In this phase the illuminated portion of the Moon is growing closer to a Full Moon. Often we can feel tested in this phase, sometimes it’s a sign from the universe to test our commitment. Try to approach things with equanimity and patience if you start to feel challenged. This is a great time to get the tarot cards out to aid your intuition and help provide guidance for any difficult situations you might be navigating. For some it can be a very exciting time as the moon grows often so does our motivations so make the most of this get it done energy.
Trust in your intuition, commit and take action
Full Moon
This is when the Moon is completely illuminated by the Sun and is a full glowing orb in our skies. The Sun, Moon, and the Earth are in perfect alignment. This is a highly emotional time, some people find their sleep is disrupted and you can feel very energetic in this time, it’s best to try and channel this energy in a productive way, bringing any of those New Moon intentions into fruition.
Full Moon is also known as lovers moon so you can feel more romantic during this phase, it’s also a great time to get together with loved ones and perform a Full Moon ritual, to give gratitude and to think about what we might want to let go of as the Moon starts to wane in the coming days. Be wary though, during this phase because of our heightened emotions what can normally seem trivial can start to feel much bigger - if you can try to do a little meditation to gain some perspective.
Trust and be open to receiving your dreams and desires
Waning Gibbous
This phase is when the illuminated part of the Moon starts to retreat and become smaller in our skies. Energy is slowing and you should start to feel more settled, it’s a good time journal and to relax and re-connect with friends and family.
Give back, the more you give the more you receive
Third Quarter
This is when we see the left half of the Moon in our skies as it is at a 90-degree angle to the Earth and Sun. This is a great time to perform a cleansing releasing ritual, write down everything you wish to let go of, that which is no longer serving you, releasing any resentment and regrets you might have. Have a good clear out, it could even just be a bit of a tidy up, sage your space, sit in meditation, working with crystals such as Selenite or Clear Quartz. Clear out the old ready for the new lunar phase.
Let go of what no longer serves you
Waning Crescent
This is when the moon starts to decrease towards the New Moon. This is a time of rest and alignment, a great time for a chakra healing or crystal meditation to enable you to feel able to make your new moon intentions, reflecting on what went well and what will go better in the next lunar cycle.
Surrender to the universe