The Basics: Moon Phases

The moon’s influence over us is undeniable, and getting to know the moon and her many faces can open eyes to wonderous things. While there are many intricate details of the moon’s journey through the sky, it’s best to begin with the basics. Something as simple as the moon’s phases, and being familiar with the energy of those phases, can lend great power to magick.

Learning the moon’s cycle was my first step in my journey on a magickal path, so I thought it time I record and share my understanding. In time, I may add to, subtract from, edit, and revise this page – but for the moment, I’m just sharing the basics of what I’ve learned to date about the cycle of the moon. Please feel free to share your own insights, opinions, or comments.

The Basics of the Moon’s Phases:

There are several ways to break up the moon’s phases. The easiest four are:

• Waxing
• Full
• Waning
• New

Waxing Moon:
Waxing moon is where the moon is growing in the sky. Each night for two full weeks she grows in light, getting bigger and bigger in the sky until she reaches full moon. During the two weeks that the moon is waxing, it’s the best time for trying to draw things to you, encourage growth, or to “magnify” certain things in your life. Want your nails to grow longer? File them while the moon is waxing. Want your hair to grow faster? Trim it during waxing moon. Want to increase your finances? Focus your energies on improving finances during waxing moon. Waxing moon is the best time for starting new things, seeking new employment, or establishing “gain” in any area of your life. (but remember, the zodiac position of the moon is also influencial, so reference where the moon is in the zodiac prior to working any magick).

When the moon is waxing, we feel more positive, more energized, more outgoing.

Full Moon:
Full Moon is the exact mid-point of the moon’s journey through her twenty-eight day cycle. Fourteen days into her growing phase, she “peaks”, or is completely lit… whole in the sky. This is the very best time for any time of divination or magickal works. Technically, full moon energy is “alive” for three days. The night just prior to Full Moon, and the hours leading to Full Moon, are presenting “waxing” or “growing” energy. However, full moon also “kicks over” to waning (declining) energy, so the hours just after the moon peaks, and the night after the full moon, power can be harnessed for ridding yourself of things or breaking habits. Again, it’s important to see where the moon is in regard to zodiac as that also influences magick.

Waning Moon:
Waning moon is when the moon appears to be shrinking in the sky, the last two weeks of the moon’s twenty-eight day cycle. Each night the light of the moon gets smaller and smaller until ultimately, the moon appears invisible and is completely out of sight. During this two weeks, it’s best for doing magickal workings to rid yourself of things, to cast away negative energies, or to break habits. If you want to keep your nails short, trim them during waning moon. Want to slow the growth of your hair? Cut it during waning moon. Want to end a certain relationship? Waning moon is best. Quit smoking? Lose weight? Waning moon lends its energies to these types of magickal workings.

New Moon:
New moon occurs between the last day of the moon’s recent cycle, and the first day of her new journey. Here the energy kicks over from waning to waxing and the moon begins to grow again.

These four basic phases of the moon can be broken down even further, as such:

Waxing Cresent (first week after New Moon, or “first quarter”)

Waxing Gibbous (second week after New Moon, or “second quarter”)

Full Moon

Waning Cresent (first week after full, third week into the cycle, or “third quarter”)

Waning Gibbous (second week after full, fourth week into the cycle, or “fourth quarter)

New Moon

(Note* This page is still under construction. Please consider it a work in progress.)

Go Forward to:
The Moon’s Journey: House Guest of the Zodiac

-or-

Go Back to:
Moon Magick Main Page