Working with Moon Magic

Why work with Moon magic?

The Moon is an Astronomical powerhouse that anyone can work with. Just like the Sun, the Moon comes and goes every day, filling our lives with varying degrees of illumination and magic.

You’ve probably heard things like:

• The moon controls the earths tides, and therefore can influence the 80% of water that exists in us

• During Full Moons there are higher rates of accidents

• Women’s menstrual cycles, when in connection to natural circadian rhythms*, can follow the Moon cycle.

*in other words, you wake up and go to sleep in synch to the sun’s rising and setting. I have also heard that womxn's menstrual cycles can intensely synchronize with the moon if they are not heavily relying on artificial light and nutrition.

I ask you to go deeper. Instead of following and instantly prescribing to the information you read, really try to connect to the moon for yourself.

ACTION STEP: Google your location + moon phases + the current year. There are many sites that accurately chart the the exact time that the moon peaks in a particular phase, based on your specific location. Write down the dates of the New Moons, Full Moons; if you want to go the extra step, write down the 1st Quarter and 3rd Quarter moons as well (these phases are when the Moon is illuminated halfway).

What are the different Moon Phases?

In total there are 8 notable phases of the moon. In order they are:

New Moon

Waxing Crescent

1st Quarter

Waxing Gibbous

Full Moon

Waning Gibbous

3rd Quarter

Waning Crescent

(Dark Moon)

When working with moon magic we can also count a ninth moon phase called the Dark Moon, which is essentially looks the same as a New Moon (I’ll dig into this deeper soon). When working with moon magic, some practitioners choose to use all 9 moon phases or focus on New Moons and Full Moons. These two phases are believed to be the most powerful and effective to work with.

As with anything I’m an advocate for accessibility and natural integration, so I would highly recommend to keep it simple. The more we try to add to or compartmentalize our Spiritual practices, the more confusing, saturated - and in many ways - disconnected our practices can feel from the rest of our life. I usually focus on New Moons and Full Moons for my own personal rituals and events, also, for the sake of consistency.

Spirituality should shape our lifestyle. Lifestyle does not shape the Spirit.

If something is important to you and your spiritual growth - like meditating everyday, practicing healthier eating habits, practicing Tarot, or working with the moon - then try to prioritize it. Make these things special events in your day! Encourage joy and play in your practice, so that your Spirituality and Mindfulness becomes a natural part of your daily life (and doesn't feel like a forced chore).

If being in synch with the Moon cycle is important to you, then try be diligent on keeping track of the dates. Be kind to yourself if you forget a day or two when starting out. We're all at different stages in our learning.

What do I do if I miss a Moon Phase?

Missed the New Moon? Wanted to manifest something BIG but the Full Moon slipped past you? Not to fear! Lunar energies tend to linger for 2-3 days after the Moon's phase. Of course, for maximum potency you want to try to be as close to the phases' peak (highest point) but it's not a strict rule. Listen to your intuition and trust that when you start working with Nature's rhythms you will start to align more freely. This is why I encourage folx to focus mainly on New Moons and Full Moons, as adding all 8 other phases can sometimes diminish the intention of what we're doing: connecting our bodies and spirits with nature.

What about waxing and waning Moons? How can I work with those?

General rule of thumb: when the moon "grows in size" and becomes more illuminated, you can add things into your life. More activity, movement, and external growth. When the Moon is shadowed or "shrinks" in size, you're called to welcome more stillness, rest, healing, and reflection.

What do I do during a New Moon vs Full Moon?

New Moons are popular time for feminine spaces/ groups to host Red Tent gatherings. These Red Tent gatherings bring womxn together in honour of Goddess energy, women's cycles and to offer one another communal healing, and support. New Moons are also a great time for the greater community to gather in meditation and healing. For solitary work you can use the New moon for planning, reflecting, shedding things you no longer need, plant the seeds of new ventures and changes.

The Full Moon, has great potency for rituals and spellwork. Any gatherings feel amplified due to the Full Moon's heightened energies. Be aware that the Full Moon can illuminate characteristics of your Moon Sign (based on your astrological birth chart), so if you know that information, keep that in mind! We can be highly sensitive but also extremely intuitive and Spiritual during Full Moons. For Solitary work, try having some fun making vision boards, journaling and manifesting your greatest dreams. If you want to go deeper, perform rituals that help you work with your Purpose, or help you attract the resources and people that you need.

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Sharing is caring so be sure to spread this knowledge with those you love most! If you want to reference any of the work above, please be sure to tag @tjdailymagic on Instagram or share a link to the original work!

I look forward to sharing the next Moon cycle with you. Much thanks.

xo TJ