Understanding the moon phases

The moon never does the same thing two nights in a row, and practices built around it have taken that into account for a long time. Here is what tradition attributes to each of its phases — without adding anything.

A cycle of twenty-nine and a half days

It takes about twenty-nine and a half days for the moon to return to the same phase. That is why the full moon never falls on the same date from one month to the next, and why a lunar calendar — on paper or as an app — is the only reliable way to know where you are. In the southern hemisphere the crescent appears "upside down", but the phase is the same, at the same moment.

New moon: the moment for intentions

Invisible in the sky, the new moon is traditionally associated with beginnings. Some practitioners use it to write down an intention on paper, rather than simply thinking it — a gesture found in many traditions, far beyond witchcraft.

Waxing moon: the building phase

Between the new moon and the full moon, the disc grows larger every night. Tradition sees this as a good time to move forward on a project already underway, rather than to start a new one. It is also the phase when, it is said, one chooses to charge an object meant to accompany an intention over time.

Full moon: the high point

This is the most cited phase, and the most photographed. Tradition attributes to it an energy of fullness, suited to moonstone and to rituals of clarity. It is also the moment associated with moon water — water simply left under the light of the full moon for one night, then used to water a plant or rinse an object, never drunk as is without knowing where it has been.

Waning moon: the releasing phase

The disc shrinks, and tradition treats this as a time for clearing rather than action: letting go of a habit, closing a cycle, tidying up. Nothing to charge, nothing to begin — only to let go.

Four phases, or eight

The four moments above are the ones practitioners most often keep. Others distinguish eight, adding the intermediate phases that astronomers call first quarter, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous and last quarter. Traditions do not agree on what each one "means": one more reason to take these correspondences as a framework, not a rule.

Keep a notebook rather than take it on faith

A simple way to find out what the moon does to you, or does not: write down each evening the date, the phase, and what you did or felt. After three or four cycles, you judge by the evidence. Many practitioners draw no rule from it, and that is not a failure: watching the sky is a gesture in itself.

Going further

The full moon and water have long been linked: see moon water, step by step. And to place the phases within the year, the wheel of the year tells the story of the eight seasonal festivals.

What we won't tell you

That the moon acts on your belongings, your mood, or your decisions. These are traditions, passed down as such for a long time; we report them, we do not guarantee them. If you are dealing with a real difficulty, a healthcare professional is the right person to turn to — not a moon phase.

To get started without getting lost in the vocabulary, our Starting Out page brings together simple pieces at a reasonable price.