You might’ve completed moon phase rituals during the popular full and new moon periods, but what about the in-between? Today, we’ll explore distinct moon phase rituals to help you metaphorically plant and grow the seeds of your life.
The moon is a powerful and feminine force of energy. Working with the moon might appear “woo-woo”, but it’s been proven to greatly influence nature and people. For centuries, farmers would use the moon to predict the best times for planting and sowing crops. It influences ocean tides, correlates with the menstrual cycle, and evokes a sense of awe and wonder. The only constant in this life is change, and the moon knows how rock changes ever so gracefully.
Uncover what the ever-changing yet consistent moon phases have to teach us. When you manifest, take action, release expectations, reflect, and allow yourself to start fresh, your life will operate more smoothly and without resistance.
Sun & Moon
The moon is feminine, while the sun is masculine. The sun is a masculine energy since it revolves every 24 hours, the same timeframe as the male hormonal cycle. In our cycle syncing guide, the moon phases correlate with the seasonal energy. The moon typically takes around 27.3 days to orbit the Earth, which is a similar timeframe to the female hormonal cycle.
Although women will naturally work best by aligning energy levels and output with the moon or menstrual cycle, the world operates in a patriarchal society with everyone forced to perform on the same wavelength, even if that doesn’t serve everyone’s highest good. While you can’t change all of society’s structure, you can implement routines and rituals that help you feel more in tune with your mind, body, and spirit.
The Phases of the Moon-
- New moon
- Waxing crescent moon
- First quarter moon
- Waxing gibbous moon
- Full moon
- Waning gibbous moon
- Last quarter moon
- Waning crescent moon
New Moon-
Think of the new moon period as a clean slate. Whatever you did or didn’t do over the past cycle doesn’t matter because you can start fresh. Get clear on where you’d like to go and what you’d like to accomplish this month. The new moon is great for manifesting, but first, you need clarity on what you’d like to manifest and why.
Make sure your goals and dreams are in alignment with your inner being. If you want something but know you’d have to compromise your morals and values to get it, question the underlying reason why you desire it.
Things you’ll need:
Smudge bundle or incense
Pen and paper
Pinterest board, magazines, and paper
New Moon Phase Rituals-
Any ritual work should be preceded by cleansing your space. Tidy your home or ritual area and cleanse yourself and the vicinity with a smudge bundle or incense. After cleansing, take a pen and paper and write down three things you’d like to bring to fruition this upcoming moon cycle. Journal and think about why you want these things. Will it bring you better health and happiness, or is it strictly materialistic?
If these intentions feel good to you, pick the most important one and write down the steps to bring it to life. Next, spend some time on Pinterest, saving pictures that accurately represent what you’d like your dream life to look like. You can do it the classic way by cutting pictures out of magazines and pasting them onto paper, or creating a collage on your tech device.
Waxing Moon-
The waxing moon phase is broken down into three sections —
-Waxing crescent moon (the moon shows just a sliver on the right side)
-First quarter moon (the moon is a semicircle on the right side)
-Waxing gibbous moon (the moon is ¾ full on the right side)
This entire phase is optimal for bringing your intentions and manifestations to life. We can’t spend all our time wishing and daydreaming— at some point, we need to do the work. This moon phase is where the moon begins to grow, so pay attention to your habits as they compound and become larger, either for better or worse.
Waxing Crescent-
Take actionable steps to achieve your goals. If you had a fitness goal you’d like to reach, this period would be for working out and eating healthy to the best of your ability. This period might be easier because you have that initial excitement of starting something new.
First Quarter-
This phase is for assessing what’s going well or needs to be adjusted. Maybe you notice that you always complete your workouts if you do them in the morning, but if you wait until later in the day, you’ll skip them. You’d need to readjust your strategy or schedule and aim to work out in the morning. This period can be tough and is more of a grind because the initial excitement has worn off.
Waxing Gibbous-
This moon phase is for editing and refining the small details that add up to form the bigger picture. Once you’re more consistent with your workout routine, maybe you can continue working on your form and posture, or the number of reps you can do to get the most out of your workouts. The small details in life can often get forgotten about, but make a huge difference overall.
Things you’ll need:
-Habit Tracker
-Scheduler
-Journal
Waxing Moon Phase Rituals-
The waxing moon phase rituals don’t need ritual work as much as consistency and effort. Instead of a classic moon magic ritual, use this period to assess what you do well and what you can do better. Keep track of your habits, adjust your schedule as needed, and complete short journal entries to keep track of your progress. If becoming more fit and healthy is your goal, pre-plan meals and make grocery lists ahead of time so that you cut back on ordering takeout or buying processed foods. Use a habit tracker, scheduler, and journal to keep yourself organized during this time.
Full Moon-
The full moon is the culmination of the moon when it reaches its peak fullness and brightness. No matter how many times you’ve seen it, looking up at a luminous full moon incites a deep sense of amazement. Use this time as a period of gratitude for all you’ve accomplished thus far.
Full moons are powerful and intense and can stir up emotions in people. It’s been noted that people tend to crash out around the full moon more than at other times. That’s why, when celebrating the full moon, it’s recommended to keep it cute and cozy. Have a night in and relax with a full moon bath, meditate, do yoga, practice gratitude, and let go of expectations.
Things you’ll need:
-Journal
-Tarot cards
-Self-care tools
-Smudge bundle or incense
Full Moon Phase Rituals-
Begin your full moon ritual, as always, by cleansing your space. Go a step further and deep clean your home or apartment. Once completed, focus on gratitude during your journaling session. Reflect on how much you’ve overcome and accomplished during the past moon cycle.
If you have them, do a full moon tarot card spread to get a temperature check on your current energy. Collect moon water to use in later energy work, and set your crystals underneath the moonlight to become cleansed and recharged. Then feel free to unwind as you wish. Take a full moon bath, do a self-care night, or chill and watch your fav comfort show.
Waning Moon-
The waning moon comes after the full moon and before the new moon cycle starts over. It consists of the—
-Waning gibbous moon (¾ full moon on the left side)
-Last quarter moon (shows a left side semi-circle)
-Waning crescent moon (the last sliver on the left side)
Waning means to decrease and shows the moon’s surface gradually becoming smaller until a new moon is formed again. This visual representation mirrors how the energy begins to go inward. The waning moon phase rituals allow us to become more introspective and reflective.
Waning Gibbous-
The waning gibbous is a perfect time to let go of the things that aren’t serving you so you can step into the future, creating space for what will be. Reflect on the relationships, material objects, negative thought patterns, or bad habits holding you back from your fullest potential. Maybe you aren’t ready to do a complete life clean-up all at once, but you can slowly integrate this practice into different areas of your life.
Last Quarter-
Use the last quarter moon as a period of deep reflection. Journal what went well or what could be improved upon from your last moon cycle. Figure out if the path you’re on is one you want to continue down or if you need to course correct. Are your goals and dreams still in alignment with your higher being? Are you disciplined enough while giving yourself the space to make mistakes and grow from them? Ask yourself these reflective questions to begin wrapping up this cycle.
Waning Crescent-
The waning crescent is the final step of the moon’s cycle. By now, you’ll have done all there is to do, and it’s time to rest. Take things slow and easy so that you have energy to begin a new cycle. Do gentle stretching or yoga, meditate, or if you’re feeling like it, have a lazy day without anything on your to-do list.
Things you’ll need:
-Smudge stick or incense
-The willingness to let go
-Journal
Waning Moon Phase Rituals-
Begin by cleansing yourself and cleansing your space, then prepare to purge whatever you feel you need to get rid of. Go through your belongings and create a yes or no pile for things you want to keep or not. It might be physical things or internal patterns and habits. Finally, meditate and journal your thoughts about the past month, the good, the bad, and the ugly. When that’s completed, take some time for yourself to rest. Take a bath or have a lazy day and binge-watch a series before you take on the next moon cycle.
Final Thoughts-
The moon serves as a beautiful metaphor for the ebbs and flows of life. There will be times for starting fresh, working hard, practicing gratitude, releasing what no longer serves you, and resting. Life will constantly change, just like the moon does. When we can accept this and change with her, our lives can move more harmoniously. I hope you can practice these moon phase rituals for a well-balanced life.
