By Margarita Celeste
New Moon. Full Moon. Manifest. Release. These are phrases that anyone with a basic interest in the cosmos and astrology knows, right? Maybe you have a favorite astrologer or website that you subscribe to for your Moon fix, and perhaps you’ve gone as far as making up your own cool rituals for these powerful cosmic times.
But, did you know that you can work your magic with the rest of the Moon Phases, too? There are eight in total, and each one offers a powerful moment in time to work proactively with the energies that exist during each time.
How do you know when the Moon changes her Phase? Well, she shifts every 3-4 days (3.6 to be exact). If you know the moment of a New Moon, all you have to do is simple math!
So, without further ado, let’s explore the different phases along with the ways you can manifest your best life working with this ever-changing Lunar Goddess:
Waxing Phases (when the Moon is growing in light)
New Moon Phase: New Beginnings
New Moon is a well-known phase in the world of Astrology. We can compare this phase with a tiny seed – the seed of all potential. At New Moon, your world is pregnant with possibility, and anything can happen!
This is the ideal time to launch any and all projects, and to set yourself a new course of action. At this stage, you’re not too sure exactly how things will turn out, and you could be fumbling in the dark, hoping for the best. Fingers crossed, eyes squeezed tight, you make a wish.
Crescent Moon Phase: Determined Struggling
The Crescent Moon phase is when the Moon is a silver fingernail in the sky. She’s showing a bit of light, yet the seed hasn’t quite made it through the ground just yet – she’s pushing through with determination.
This Phase is characterised by struggle. But not necessarily in a negative way. When we start new things, we have to push forward, and over away from the comfort zones of safety and security. Here, results slowly begin to show themselves, but it takes courage and dedication to the dream to keep going.
First Quarter Moon Phase: Action Time!
Lady Luna is now fully visible in the sky, and she’s ready for action! The First Quarter Moon is a time where we have to actively clear the deck for the fast-paced growth that is happening. Often dubbed the “crisis in action” phase, this is when we have to take the bull by the horns and ride the wave!
We may face a test to our commitment at this point, and it’s up to us to stay the course – or to let go. Some of us may crumble under the pressure, and some of us thrive. Love yourself either way!
Gibbous Moon Phase: So Close
The anticipatory Gibbous Phase has to be the most tempting and excessive phase of them all! It’s that moment just Before a Full Moon, when we know we are about to see the results of our efforts and intentions made at the New Moon. It’s that baited breath, that moment of almost-something-but-not-quite-yet.
At this time, it’s easy to trick our eyes and senses and tell ourselves that this is Full Moon. We may go over the top as we push forward. We have to lean back, pull back, just a little, and wait. In the meantime, we do our research and learn all we can about what we’ve created. We are so close!
Waning Phases (when the Moon is diminishing in light)
Full Moon Phase: The Fruits of Our Efforts: Time to Let Go
The Full Moon Phase, following two weeks after New Moon, is the results, the fruits of our creation and infestation. At this point, we have peaked, and whether we like it or not, this is what we worked for.
The best thing about working with the Lunar Phases is that there’s always more. If you realise at this point that you didn’t quite intend for this to happen, and that you actually wanted something else, well, this is the chance to review and let go.
Here, everything is illuminated for us to see, and it’s a bit like the fruit having fully ripened from that precious seed we planted. Do we like that fruit? Do we want it? Could we refine for next time, for the next New Moon?
Disseminating Moon Phase: Share Information & Collaborate
This phase is the “sharing and learning” phase. Here., We distribute the results of what we reaped at the Full Moon and collaborate with others. We begin to release, to learn, talk about and teach what we have just learnt.
Think about it – many of us, once we have “mastered” a process, we are eager to give that to others, right? It’s the harvest, the process of getting advice and input from the people around us. The Moon still looks full, but she’s beginning her process of slowing down, going inwards and reflecting instead of acting outwards in the world.
Third Quarter Moon Phase: Time for Re-Structuring
Here, we often experience an internal crisis, change or re-orientation. We realise that things need to change, we face up to what has been outward, and what we have outgrown. We adult – hard.
This phase is often when change happens inwardly, and as were show a calm face to the world, we internally experience the caterpillar to butterfly journey.
Here, we have to really release, re-structure, and re-work our existing skills for the next cycle.
Balsamic Moon: Release and Empty Out
This Moon phase, also known as the “Dark Moon”, is when our Lady of Light is barely seen in the sky – and can be a time of inner darkness, quietness and waiting for the right moment in order to start again.
This phase is mysterious, deep and rich in wisdom. Here, we can either wallow in our sense of failure (if we weren’t happy with our Full Moon results), or we gestate our ideas, ready to magic them into being in the next few days.
We need to make space with this Moon phase, to hold back from jumping into anything new. This is our inner winter, a time just for us, our dreams and our hopes.
Conclusion:
With this 29- day cycle, the Universe offers us multiple opportunities to manifest our very best. And, the best thing about this is we get many times to try again, and again, and again.
The nest time you have an idea, work actively with the Moon Phases to make it your reality. Keep trying and refining with every phase, until you’ve got your perfectly polished manifestation in your hands, ready to unleash upon the world! Look at you go, you magician, you.