When you gaze up at the Moon, what feelings arouse within you?
The Moon has the power to enchant and inspire us. Her mystery is an age-old wonder for us here on Earth. In both folklore, ancient and modern times, the beautiful lunar orb continues to fascinate.
The Moon is not just a beacon of light in the sky, nor just something pretty to look at. The lunar phases have long been revered as offering different vibrations that we can work with in order to manifest our dreams.
Our dreams can come in many different forms. Sometimes they can be related to relationships, money or careers. Sometimes they can be focused on the journey of the Self as we continue to learn and grow on this journey called life. For others, dreams of greater harmony in the world are expressed as the deepest desire.
Knowing how the different lunar phases affect us can help us to navigate life just that little bit easier. As we grow familiar with the lunar phases, we forge a deeper connection with our inner being. We begin to see how the cycles of life move in sync, just as the cycles of the Moon wax and wane.
How the Lunar Cycles Affect Us
Each lunar phase produces its own special energy. Below are the different phases of the Moon and how their unique energies can help you on your individual journey.
New Moon
As the name suggests, the New Moon is a time for setting new intentions. It is all about new beginnings now. Starting new projects, acknowledging new seeds of inspiration, beginning a new phase in your relationships and embracing new ideas and habits. During this lunar energy, we see a powerful time of renewal and starting afresh.
Moon Magic Tip: During the New Moon, setting intentions in the form of journaling is a wonderful way to harness the lunar energy. Wrap up in a cosy blanket, put some gentle meditation music on and think about what you want to manifest in the coming days. Write down your intentions and wishes while envisioning them happening.
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Waxing Crescent
The New Moon is beginning to wax now. Here we see a sliver of light on the right side of the Moon in the night sky. This stage is about growth and hope. It involves setting the groundwork for the intentions recognised during the previous stage. In the New Moon, we acknowledged seeds of intention. Under the Waxing Crescent, we begin to plant these seeds.
Moon Magic Tip: During the Waxing Crescent stage, write a list of practical steps you can take to manifest your goals and visualise them happening at the same time. Focus your energy on growth and pay close attention to your feelings. Visualise it so powerfully that you feel the joy and happiness that will come as if it has already happened.
First Quarter Moon
This is the Moon in its half-light stage with the right half illuminated and the left half in darkness. This is a time of powerful action. Here you begin to see the first stages of manifestation. Commitment and decision-making are powerful themes under this lunar energy. This is a time for moving forward and being determined.
Moon Magic Tip: The stage most known for overcoming obstacles, creating a vision board of your strengths and aspirations is a wonderful way to harness your inner warrior. Reminding yourself that you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to is strong under this energy. Taking time to do things that you enjoy which make you feel good is a wonderful way to raise your vibration.
Waxing Gibbous Moon
Most of the surface of the Moon is illuminated now and this is a time of preparation. It is time to take a step back and analyse how far you have come. It is time to be detailed and diligent, making adjustments where necessary and staying focused on the bigger picture. Here we can detach ourselves from the smaller details which may have distracted or blocked us and remind ourselves of the overall aim.
Moon Magic Tip: It is time to take a step back to assess the way things are going. Taking some time out, spending time among nature, going on a retreat, and generally slowing down to give yourself the space you need to reflect works best under this lunar energy. Waxing Gibbous encourages patience while we wait for the ultimate peak, the Full Moon.
Full Moon
The Moon shines fully now and it is a time of harvest, celebration and letting go. Now we see how the intentions set during the New Moon are manifesting. We see with greater clarity what no longer serves us and what does serve us. We take this time to honour all that has happened and acknowledge how the cycle has led us to this point.
Moon Magic Tip: A Full Moon ritual is always highly recommended, either solo or with a group. Incense, candles and Moon meditation music set the ambience beautifully. Today is a time for honouring yourself and others and to give thanks and gratitude for the blessings in your life. Spending quality time with loved ones and engaging in self-care is paramount under this powerful lunar energy.
Waning Gibbous
This marks the start of the Moon’s transition back to the darkness as a small dark shadow appears on its right side. This is a powerful time of release and letting go. Here, the realisation of what no longer serves us becomes more pronounced than ever. Now is the time to let go of thought patterns, situations, concepts or anything that no longer serves and embrace the new. It is a time of forgiveness and great self-awareness.
Moon Magic Tip: Write down what you wish to let go of and engage in symbolic acts of letting go. For example, after writing down what you want to release, scrumple the paper or burn it while saying, “I release this from my life and I am ready to move into my future.”
Read this next: How Do We Work With Our Shadow Side?
Last Quarter Moon
This is the Moon in its half-lit phase, this time with the light on the left-hand side. It is a time of reflection, forgiveness and assessment. The ability to go within is especially powerful right now and this is a wonderful time for reconnecting with yourself and listening to the wisdom of your intuition.
Moon Magic Tip: A soothing hot bath, walks among nature and creating crystal grids are all wonderful ways to harness this lunar energy. Quiet time reflecting and journaling your feelings is a powerful way to connect to the Last Quarter Moon. Be gentle with yourself and forgive yourself as well as others.
Waning Crescent Moon
The final stage before we reach the New Moon once more. There is a sliver of light which represents a time of healing and surrender. Under this lunar energy, we acknowledge how surrender is so often the greatest form of victory – the surrendering of something much greater than oneself and the faith that our Higher Self knows what is best for us and is working tirelessly to manifest our dreams into reality.
Moon Magic Tip: Rest, rest, rest. Rest and relaxation is the theme under this lunar energy. This is a time of healing, to acknowledge your wounds and to remind yourself that life is a cycle and experience is a teacher. Gentle exercise such as yoga and Tai Chi, comforting healthy foods, and essential oils are wonderful ways to regain realignment with your mind, body and else.
Let the Light of the Moon Guide You
Our orb of wonder is here to guide us and shine a light in dark places. Through a deeper understanding of the phases of the Moon as laid out in this article, you can reconnect with yourself at a deeper level and engage in lunar rituals that lead to greater self-awareness and greater manifestation.
Everything we do is guided by how we feel, though at times we may not even realise it. Sometimes we can feel so disconnected from our emotions that confusion and loss of direction set in.
The lunar energy is here to help us reconnect with ourselves and help us rebuild this connection. When we feel this connection within, we then project it into the world around us and it is then that the power of the Moon is manifested in its greatest entirety. The power of the Divine Feminine is unleashed and we find ourselves once more.
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