The moon takes about twenty-nine and a half days to go from one new moon to the next. Witches divide that cycle into eight phases and match their work to them: building while the light grows, and releasing while it fades.
How the cycle works
The moon has no light of its own. We see the part of it that is lit by the sun, and that part changes as the moon travels around the earth. When the moon lies between the earth and the sun, its lit side faces away from us, and we have a new moon. Two weeks later it is on the far side of the earth from the sun, fully lit, and we have a full moon.
While the lit part is growing, the moon is waxing. While it is shrinking, the moon is waning. In the Northern Hemisphere a waxing moon is lit on the right-hand side and a waning moon on the left. In the Southern Hemisphere it is the other way around.
- New moonRest and set intentions
- Waxing crescentBegin and plant
- First quarterAct and decide
- Waxing gibbousRefine and build
- Full moonCulminate and celebrate
- Waning gibbousGive thanks and share
- Last quarterRelease and clear
- Waning crescentRest and reflect
The eight phases
New moon
The sky is dark, or shows the thinnest sliver just after sunset. This is the beginning of the cycle and a time of quiet potential. Set intentions, start a journal, plan, and rest. Work for new beginnings belongs here.
Waxing crescent
A slim crescent appears in the evening sky. The energy is fresh and hopeful. Take the first practical steps toward what you intended at the new moon. This is a good time for work to do with learning, courage, and getting started.
First quarter
The moon is half lit. A week into the cycle, the first obstacles usually appear. This phase favors decisions, effort, and commitment. Work for strength, motivation, and overcoming difficulties suits it well.
Waxing gibbous
The moon is more than half lit and still growing. The energy is building toward its peak. Refine your plans, make adjustments, and be patient. Work for growth, health, and success is traditional now.
Full moon
The whole face of the moon is lit, and it rises as the sun sets. This is the height of the cycle and the most powerful time for almost any working. It is the night for esbat rituals, for divination, for charging tools and making moon water, and for giving thanks. Its influence is usually counted from the day before to the day after.
Waning gibbous
The light begins to shrink. The mood turns from doing to reflecting. Give thanks for what the full moon brought, share what you have, and pass on what you have learned. This phase suits work for gratitude and for teaching.
Last quarter
The moon is half lit again, on the opposite side. This is the phase of release. Clear out clutter, end habits, and let go of what has run its course. Banishing and cleansing work is strongest from here to the dark of the moon.
Waning crescent
A thin crescent rises before dawn. The cycle is nearly over. This is a time for rest, for tying up loose ends, and for quiet reflection. Many witches do no active magick in the last days before the new moon.
The dark moon
Some practitioners separate the new moon into two. The dark moon is the day or two when no moon can be seen at all, and the new moon is the first visible crescent. In this scheme the dark moon is for deep rest, introspection, and banishing, and the new moon is for beginnings. Astronomers use new moon for the moment of darkness itself. Either usage is fine as long as you know which one a book means.
The phases at a glance
| Phase | Direction | Keyword | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| New moon | Beginning | Intend | Intentions, planning, fresh starts |
| Waxing crescent | Growing | Begin | First steps, learning, courage |
| First quarter | Growing | Act | Decisions, effort, overcoming obstacles |
| Waxing gibbous | Growing | Refine | Growth, health, patience |
| Full moon | Peak | Celebrate | Any working, divination, charging, gratitude |
| Waning gibbous | Shrinking | Share | Thanks, teaching, generosity |
| Last quarter | Shrinking | Release | Banishing, cleansing, breaking habits |
| Waning crescent | Shrinking | Rest | Reflection, endings, recovery |
A plan for one lunar month
- At the new moon, write down one intention for the month.
- While the moon waxes, take practical steps toward it, and do any spellwork for increase.
- At the full moon, hold a simple ritual. Celebrate your progress and give thanks.
- While the moon wanes, clear away whatever is in the way: clutter, habits, and commitments that no longer fit.
- In the last dark days, rest and review. Then begin again.
Does the timing have to be exact?
No. The phases are a guide and not a rule. If you need to do protective work and the moon is waxing, frame it as building up your defenses. If you need to draw something in while the moon is waning, frame it as removing what blocks it. A working that is needed now should be done now. The moon is a help to a witch, never a hindrance.