Do you ever find yourself staring at the moon? Perhaps you feel drawn to her and wonder why? Are you curious about the moon and her phases? Well, babe, you are in the right place. Read through this beginner's guide to working with the Moon and all her phases.
It should be noted that the Sun spends about a month, or 30 days, in each zodiac sign and the moon spends about 2.5 days in each zodiac sign during each month. So astrologically, the moon moves through the signs much quicker than the Sun.
MOON PHASES 101:
There can be 4, 8, or 9 phases of the moon depending on how you choose to work with the cycles --- and any breakdown is acceptable. It all depends on how detailed you want to get.
If you are just beginning your moon phase journey, it might be wise to start slow and simple. When I first began my journey of working with the Moon, I was so excited and wanted to experience every little detail I possibly could. I have found over time, that the simplest act is often the most effective. I used to actually make myself crazy trying to stick to a schedule and remember every detail I put together for each ritual - so much so that I ended up missing the point a lot of times and getting frustrated with myself and the experience, which defeats the purpose of this whole journey. My purpose in working with the Moon began to better understand myself and empower myself to let go of things that do not serve me so I can reach my greatest potential. So, my advice to anyone is to start slow and work your way up over time, if you chose to. With that lovely disclaimer out of the way, let's get into moon phases.
There are four MAIN phases of the Moon, which are: New, Waxing, Full, and Waning.
The waxing & waning moon phases can further be broken down into 3 phases each… which gives us 3 waxing moons and 3 waning moons; and if you add the New and Full Moons you are now at 8 phases. Let's start by breaking down the four main phases.
NEW MOON PHASE:
The cycle starts with the New Moon. This is when the Moon is not visible and the night sky is dark with the exception of stars and streetlights, etc. The Sun and the Moon are aligned in the same zodiac sign. The New Moon phase is when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth, so the backside of the Moon is being lit up and the side facing the Earth is not; it is in darkness.
NEW MOON ENERGY:
The energy is all about newness, fresh starts, and new beginnings. This is a time to think about goals and set intentions. New Moons are associated with the element air, so this is a big reflection process and thinking about what our plans are going to be. Where we want to be and how we want to be in our lives going forward.
WAXING MOON PHASE:
Next is the Waxing Moon and it lasts about 2 weeks. This phase occurs between the New & Full Moon phase. The moon appears to be getting bigger and fuller as the Moon moves forward ahead through the zodiac, surpassing the Sun, and moving more and more into opposition with the Sun (this is bringing us toward the Full Moon phase).
WAXING MOON ENERGY:
This energy is all about taking action on the intentions that we set at the New Moon. The waxing phase is associated with the element of fire. Fire energy is all about passion, action, and pursuit of our goals.
**Now this is where the further breaking down of the Waxing phase comes in. Like I mentioned earlier, there are four main moon phases, but the waxing and waning phases can further be broken down, giving us 8 phases in total. You may be wondering at this point why I mentioned 9 phases, but just stick with me through the waning phase. We're getting to the magic 9, I promise.
So, if 2 weeks seems really daunting, like it’s just too much time for action and work, then try breaking down the waxing and waning phases, which are each about 2 weeks in length.
When breaking down the waxing phase, you would start with the Waxing Crescent phase, which is when the Moon is just a sliver in the sky right after the New Moon. Then we get to the Waxing Quarter (also known as First Quarter), which is when the Moon appears to be half full. Last, we have the Waxing Gibbous, which is the blob in the sky that has no real shape I can compare it to, it just looks like a blob of light, right before the full moon.
I am not going to break down each of those phases here, I will do that another time… and soon, have no worries!
Moving on, we then have what tends to be most people's favorite phase, the Full Moon.
FULL MOON PHASE:
The Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth, and the Sun is lighting up the side of the Moon that is facing the Earth, so we’re getting this full illumination and the Moon appears very bright in the sky, which is why it tends to be a favorite moon phase. The Sun and the Moon are in full opposition, which means that the zodiac signs of each are also opposite each other. So, let's say the Sun is in Gemini, then that Full Moon is going to be in the sign of Sagittarius (Gemini’s opposite). Or if the Sun is in Aries, then the Moon will be in Libra, and so on.
FULL MOON VIBES:
A Full Moon can often feel like a time of tension or release since we have been doing so much work leading up to this phase. Although, really a Full Moon is about celebration (which, in my opinion, can totally be a type of release). It is a culmination of the last 2 weeks of work. Full Moons are about releasing control over the outcome of our intentions to the Universe. It is a great time to do a ritual, practice gratitude, and an especially wonderful time to practice self-care. Full Moons are associated with the water element, so they are very much about emotions and connecting to our spiritual selves.
WANING MOON PHASE:
The Waning phase is the final phase. This is when the moon appears to be getting smaller and smaller in the sky, and this phase also lasts about 2 weeks. The moon is moving back through the zodiac toward the Sun and the Sun is still slowly moving through the zodiac... so by the time they line up again (the New Moon phase) the Sun and Moon will meet up in the next (but same) zodiac sign. So, if our last New Moon was in Aquarius our next New Moon is going to be in the sign of Pisces and so on, and so on…
WANING MOON ENERGY:
This phase is all about release and letting go. It can even be about banishing things that no longer serve us. The Waning phase helps us let go of expectations, make time for ourselves, and prioritize rest. Associated with the element of Earth, this is a very grounding time where we go within and hibernate to nourish & rejuvenate ourselves.
The Waning phase can also be broken down into smaller phases, starting with the Waning Gibbous (the blob right after the full moon), then the Waning Quarter (also known as Final Quarter or Last Quarter), and then the Waning Crescent.
Now, if I haven't lost you yet, and you're thinking okay tell me more, then this is where that 9th phase comes into play. Some people, like myself, like to work with the Dark Moon Phase. This phase has many different perspectives and definitions. A popular Dark moon definition is that it is the last 2 or 3 days before the New Moon. Or more specifically, it is the 2.5 days that the moon spends in the sign just before the New Moon. So, if were going into a New Moon in Pisces, the Dark Moon will be in the sign of Aquarius. I always chose to work with this phase because I was actually born on a Dark Moon, and I therefore feel a strong connection to this phase. *Which brings another topic to mind - if you do not know the phase of the Moon when you were born, go look it up. This tends to shed light on a lot of our patterns and cycles of life. I will write a separate blog on moon phases during birth and their significance. But, for now, trust me - look it up and enjoy what you find.
Back to the Dark Moon - this is the peak of the Waning Moon phase – the last moments of release & letting go before we set new intentions at the New Moon.
And there we are friends, back at the New Moon phase, where we started.
You can work with the phases of the Moon for many things – manifesting, self-care, magic, or just allow these cycles to be markers in your life cycles. I truly believe in intention. I believe that you can put your own intention into anything you choose to do and do not let rules or the way other people do things restrict you on how you want to work with the Moon and her phases. This is just some information I have put together to give you an introduction to the Moon phases. If something doesn’t feel right to you, or you have a different idea of what you want to do around a particular moon phase, go with your gut, aka your intuition. Listen to and trust yourself and you will create magic in your life.
I hope this gave you more information to get you started in working with the Moon and her phases. It is quite a fun journey to embark on.
GSS hosts Moon Circles twice a month, once at the New Moon phase and again for the Full Moon phase, and we would love for you to experience one of these events with us. Click the link at the bottom of this article to get more info or to book your session today! Feel free to send us a message for more information as well.
Namaste, moon babe!!
Don't forget to subscribe to Gypsy Soul Sanctuary's mailing list so you don't miss out on our monthly New and Full Moon energy articles and so much more!
Moon Juice (fun stuff to know):
The Moon's phases repeat every 29.5 days, but it's orbit around the Earth only takes 27. Why is this? As our Moon moves around Earth, the Earth also moves around the Sun. Our Moon must travel a little farther in its path to make up for the added distance and complete its phase cycle.
Special Occasions / Moons:
Blue Moon. You may have heard that saying, "once in a blue moon" and it comes from this special moon occurrence as they do not happen very often. A blue moon is when you have 2 full moons in a single calendar month. A blue moon is an opportunity to double down on gratitude and try to focus on trusting your intuition and opening up to receiving the messages and wisdom of that sign in a deeper way. What does this sign mean, what are its symbols, its goddesses, what lessons does it have to share?
Black Moon. A black moon is when 2 new moons occur in a row in the same sign… the second moon, which is the black moon, is a time to really double down on the intentions that we set at that first new moon in that same sign. Black moons are super powerful for manifestation.
Eclipses: This is a topic all in itself, and I think I will have to write a blog focusing only on eclipses. For now, I will tell you that eclipses are game changers. They are fated and powerful events in the astrology world. Eclipses have seasons, and they are tightly intertwined with the Nodes of Destiny. A Lunar Eclipse occurs during a full moon and Solar Eclipse occurs during a new moon.
Again, I hope this article gives you some information to get you started on working with the moon phases in the way that works best for you.
Gypsy Soul Sanctuary currently offers Moon Circle packages where you can join a group of supportive and spiritually connected women to vibe on and connect with the Moon's energy. During these gatherings we let go of things that aren't serving you or set intentions and work on manifesting. We currently gather for New and Full Moons; and Zoom is available as well, so anyone can join from anywhere.
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