The Magnificent Moon
The moon has always seemed magical to me. I think every child alive has gazed up in wonder at this magnificent rock.
It is a light in the darkness, it’s gravity affects the natural world around us on a daily basis, including ourselves. For centuries the moon has been celebrated by cultures world wide. These celebrations are often called Esbats.
“The SUN represents our ‘outer-world’, our identify, our personality, our ego. It represents how we ‘shine our light’ out into the world, the present moment, our yang or masculine archetype expression. The Sun offers us strength, courage and illuminated insight of the Soul.
The MOON represents our ‘inner world’, our hidden emotions, desires, our shadow-self, fears/worries and our dreams. It represents our feelings, our unconscious beliefs, the past and our yin or feminine goddess archetype. The Moon offers us the ability to feel, learn from the past and creatively unlock and express our essence.” – Universal Life Tools
The moon cycles through 8 phases.
Cultures, including the Celtics; followed the lunar phases and used them as a calendar base.
New Moon:
Destroying or banishing serious ailments: addictions or serious diseases. Great for soul searching and divination.
Only magick for serious ailments or for inner reflection.
First moon of the lunar phase. The moon is right between the earth and sun. Since the sun sits behind the moon, it’s not very visible except maybe a faint gray outline caused from earth reflecting light on it’s surface.
Dark Moon:
The Dark Moon period occurs 3 days prior to the New Moon and it’s the shortest ‘phase’ of the moon. This is the time when you can’t see the moon in any phase. Typically no magick is performed during this time. This is the time to give yourself a break, to turn to self and pamper or replenish your own energies.
About 3 to 5 days before the eventual return to the new moon phase, where the cycle begins again, the moon enters a dark phase.
Here the moon is neither illuminated by the sun , nor is it able to reflect the light of the sun providing an outline of it’s surface (as in the new moon phase). It is truly dark and seemingly has disappeared. When discussing lunar phases, the dark moon and new moon are usually lumped together.
Great for attraction. New Beginnings, self improvement, great for going within and bringing things out. Helps to build onto things already in work.
As the moon moves counter-clockwise around the earth a faint sliver appears in the night sky. Just the right side of the moon is visible.
Attract things and people to your life. Bringing that which you desire into manifestation. Ex: Success, Love, Money, Protection
A week after the new moon, the moon reaches it’s first quarter. It has made it a quarter of the way around the earth. The sun-Earth-moon angle is 90°, on the left side of the clock.
Renewing strength, will and determination. Best used for “reeling in” that which you’ve been working for already. Motivation
Several days after first quarter, the moon waxes but it is in a gibbous phase instead of a crescent. A gibbous moon is more than a quarter moon but less than a full moon. The sun – moon – earth angle becomes larger.
All-Purpose, Utilize this energy for your priorities that really matter in life. Cleansing and Charging. Divination
The Full Moon is best used for banishing unwanted influences in your life. You can use this time for releasing old patterns or issues, and open the door for healing by giving energy to positive patterns you’ll put in place. Full Moon magic can be conjured during the 3 days prior to the rise of the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon and during the 3 days after.
The side of the moon that faces the earth is completely visible all night. From Earth, the sun and moon appear to be at opposite ends of the sky. As the sun sets, the moon rises.
Banishing negativity. Good time for general cleansing. Great for closure and endings. Introspection.
The Waning moon is used for banishing and rejecting those things that influence us in a negative way.
Once it’s past full, the sun-Earth-moon angle begins to shrink. The moon’s phase is getting smaller. It’s moving from waning gibbous to its third- or last-quarter phase.
Overcome roadblocks, banish temptations, aid in transitions
From Earth, we see half of the moon’s disk illuminated – the side opposite as the one illuminated at first quarter. The sun-Earth-moon angle is once again 90°, but this time it’s on the right side of the clock.
The waning moon is used for banishing negativity, for curing addictions, and illness. Strongest Waning phase for banishing. Brings about a swift and benign ending
In the week after the third quarter, the moon moves through its waning crescent phase to it’s dark phase. Once again only a sliver of moon is visible in the sky.
There are 12 - 13 Full Moons a year.
These are the Esbat Celebrations
Full Moons hold powerful energies that humans everywhere have recognized for centuries.
Aka: Spirit Moon, Chaste Moon, Old Moon, Moon after Yule
Origin:
Wolves tended to howl more in hunger as the deep snow covered the forest.
Good for:
New beginnings, cleansing, conception, protection spells, working on personal goals and issues
Idea: Plan a ritual of protection around you and your family.
Aka: Hunger Moon, Ice Moon, Wild Moon
Origin:
Heaviest snowfall during this time making hunting difficult.
Good For:
Growth & future plans, purification, cleansing, healing, self-love and acceptance
Idea: Plan a ritual to ask the Old Ones for help in planning your future.
Aka: Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Seed Moon
Origin:
The snow begins to melt and the ground softens. Worms start to be seen and crows are heard more often. Maple sap begins to flow and trees can be tapped.
Good For:
Balance, growth, exploration, cultivation, prosperity
Idea: Plan a ritual to plant your desires.
Aka: Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Hare Moon, Planting Moon
Origin:
Flowers begin to appear, including the widespread grass pink or wild ground phlox.
Good For:
Creativity, manifestation, self-confidence, acting on opportunity, love magic
Idea: Plan a ritual to physically plant your seeds of desire in Mother Earth.
Aka: Milk Moon, Mary Moon, Dyad Moon
Origin:
Flowers come into full bloom and corn is ready to plant.
Good For:
Intuition, fairies lore, “green” magic, connecting with nature spirits
Idea: Plan a ritual to reaffirm your goals.
Aka: Rose Moon, Hot Moon, Mead Moon, Honey Moon, Lovers Moon
Origin:
Time to gather Strawberries. Spring is in the air.
Good For:
Protection, making decisions, personal strength, fertility
Idea: Plan a ritual to balance your spiritual and physical desires.
Aka: Hay Moon, Thunder Moon, Blessing Moon
Origin:
Buck deer start growing velvety hair-covered antlers in July. Thunderstorms are more frequent during this time.
Good For:
Divination, dreams, focusing on goals, expanding spiritual consciousness
Idea: Plan a ritual to decide what you will do once your goals have been met
Aka: Grain Moon, Wyrt Moon, Barley Moon
Origin:
The sturgeon, a large fish common to the Great Lakes (where I grew up) and other nearby bodies of water, is most easily caught during this month.
Good For:
Health and vitality, family, friends, gathering
Idea: Plan a ritual to preserve what you already have.
Aka: Corn Moon, Wine Moon, Singing Moon
Origin:
Traditionally, the name “Harvest Moon” goes to the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which falls during October once or twice a decade.
Good For:
Completion, organization, balance, letting go of worn-out things, ideas or emotions
Idea: Plan a ritual of Thanksgiving for all the Old.
Aka: Falling Leaf moon, Moon of Changing Seasons
Origin:
After the harvest, the leaves begin to fall and hunters can spot animals more clearly. Some years the Harvest Moon falls in October instead of September.
Good For:
Transition, release, inner peace, past lives, karmic completion
Idea: Plan another ritual of Thanksgiving.
Aka: Frosty Moon, Mourning Moon, Moon of Storms
Origin:
At this time of year the beavers are busy preparing for winter.
The last Full Moon before the winter solstice has also been called Mourning Moon. The astronomical seasons do not match up with the lunar months. Therefore, the month of the Mourning Moon varies. Sometimes the Mourning Moon is in November, while other years, it is in December.
Good For:
Going inward, rest and preparation, transformation, spiritual communication
Idea: Plan for a ritual to work on ridding yourself of negative thoughts and vibrations.
Aka: Long Night Moon, Oak Moon, Winter Moon, Moon before Yule
Origin:
Winter takes a firm hold and temperatures plummet at this time.
Good For:
Acknowledging death and rebirth, darkness, your spiritual journey
Idea: Plan for a ritual to help you remain steadfast in your convictions.
Due to the 29-day lunar cycle the exact dates of the full moon change every year. Most seasons (3 month intervals) have three full moons, but because of the variation some seasons have four full moons. This is called a Blue Moon.
I have found Luna’s Grimoire – Moon Phase Correspondences And CrystalWinds Lunar Correspondences to be a great resource when seeing what relates to which full moon in more detail.
Wheel of The Year
Significant Symbols
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