Ways to Work with the Moon
PRACTICE MAKES A PRACTICE
The most important piece of any spiritual path is to have a consistent practice. This means time invested every day engaging in activities that support your self-care, your intuition, your self-development, and your compassion. A spiritual practice enhances your connection to spirit or source, however you define that. A practice isn’t usually glamorous. Some days it is just you and a notepad, scribbling sentences in the early morning with fuzzy, unbrushed teeth. Your practice won’t usually offer you immediate reward. Some days it might feel boring or pointless. You might be too tired, sick, or overwhelmed. Create a flexible, experimental practice that can be tailored to your circumstances. It is recommended that you commit to your practice no matter what.
Over time, as you connect with yourself more and more, your practice will guide aspects of your life in both subtle and profound ways. A consistent practice fosters growth. The accumulation of consistent efforts adds up. All the tiny rivers of love eventually flow into your heart’s ocean. The enlightened self offers up knowledge that can only be found through inquiry, through continued exploration, through the decision to take your own hand through the marathon of your life. Think of a practice as a master class in the discovery of your true self and your soul.
Western overculture does not always emphasize the benefits of a spiritual practice. And yet, every single thing we care about, we practice. Every single thing that we think will give us rewards in any way, we spend time doing. The benefits of a consistent spiritual practice include a huge investment in our future, as well as a positive influence in the greater world. The payoffs are priceless!
A lunar practice is a spiritual practice. A spiritual practice is praxis. It is walking the walk. Identifying and naming your values, then actually living those values out in the world. Placing importance on your desires, and living a life that prioritizes them. Doing the right thing, not the easy thing. You get to make your practice all your own. There’s no “wrong” in a lunar practice.
Beginning Your Lunar Practice: The Basics
The first suggestion is to start a lunar journal. That is a notebook where you write the date, what phase the moon is in, and how you feel. Note your emotional state, your physical state, and anything else that is coming up for you. You could write down patterns or thoughts coming up. If intuitive messages are coming in, if you feel motivated or inspired or stagnant or despondent, write that all down. If you can’t see the moon, due to weather or location, you can use a lunar app, check online, or keep track simply in your notebook. Begin by using your lunar journal specifically to track the moon and what your energetic states are during each phase. After a while, you can modify to fit your needs.
Do this for at least one lunation, if not longer. Over time, you will start seeing patterns. This will look different for everyone; it may not correlate to a traditional lunar cycle. For example, perhaps traditionally during the new moon you feel anxious, and during the waning moon you feel clear and motivated. This is important information to have! Other factors determine our moods and energetic levels: if we menstruate, whether or not we have chronic illness or mental health issues, our sleep patterns and what we consume, our stress levels, external situations, and more. The wonderful thing about keeping a lunar journal is that it also ends up keeping track of our lives. We can look back and see what we were going through. Hindsight helps us connect the dots.
Define what your lunar practice will be for. Name your intentions and motivations. It could be very simple: to track your energy, to find out which phase of the moon is most enjoyable or difficult for you. Your intentions could be tied toward focusing on goals or dreams.
Next, make a lunar altar. This is a space to specifically call in and work with the energy of the moon. An altar is also the space where you create your spells. It is where you sit when you journal or meditate. If you don’t cast spells, your lunar altar is a safe space to connect with yourself. You could decorate your altar with the colors of the moon, put other traditional lunar correspondences on it, or decorate it with personally meaningful objects.
If you already have an altar, it is good to make another one specifically for honoring the moon. Try this for one lunar cycle, at least, to initiate your journey—especially if you are going to be making magic for the entire lunar cycle. If you decide to keep your lunar altar up, you can keep the set-up the same, except for maybe making new offerings to the moon, and cleaning it once in a while. You can also switch it up for each phase.
Next, spend focused time with the moon. Sit underneath her even if you can’t see her, and tune in to her energy. Meditate. Moon gaze. Have a staring contest with her. Talk to her, ask questions. Pay attention to what the moon wants to share, what messages are there, how she wishes to communicate with you. Lunar language comes from within. Close your eyes and tune in to your energy. Pay attention to the reflections that the bright one offers up.
If it is possible for you to do so, go on nightly moon walks. Even if you can’t see the moon, try to feel into that energy. An outdoor meditation, on your porch or in your yard, is beautiful as well. Put a mason jar of water outside, to be charged with moonlight.
You may wish to connect to the moon creatively. Paint pictures of her, write love letters or songs to her—like so many other artists have! Listen to music that reminds you of the moon; start a lunar playlist. Read poems about the moon. Research and reading might be part of your lunar practice as well. Read science books about the moon, attend astronomy lectures, and watch documentaries about it. Create a relationship that is meaningful for you.
I frequently get asked if I am always casting spells, creating rituals, in every single lunar cycle for each phase. Of course not! My life is busy. Probably like you, I am not constantly seeking out goals to conquer. In the beginning of my practice, I absolutely did stick with a strict cycle for many moons. This was important for me to do because it taught me discipline. It taught me about my own specific energy, and how I best work with the energy of the moon. It taught me a lot about myself, and my magic.
After reading this section, you might want to spend some time thinking about where you’d like to begin. Consistency is key; it may take several weeks or months for you to build connections and insights, or to figure out what practices will provide resonance and benefit. Even five minutes a day in a spiritual practice end up being just over thirty hours in a year!
You and the Moon
Your relationship with the moon is meant to be an intimate one. Everything is a relationship. Relationships are ever evolving. When we take that approach to life, there are always different options and choices. Your relationship with the moon can begin with looking up what phase the moon was in when you were born. This can teach us a lot about ourselves. You just need your birth date to look it up in an online search.
Once you find this out, check in. Does that “feel” accurate? When you are tracking your energy and emotions, take note if there is anything different. If you don’t know your birthday, that’s okay. You can note which lunar phases you feel the best around in your lunar tracker.
What phase the moon was in when you were born could determine a number of things. It could determine what time of day you feel most conscious or productive. Each lunar phase rises at a particular time of day.
Your natal moon could also give you more insight around what your natural tendencies are, where your challenges lie, and how to use your inherent gifts to their fullest potential. The idea of the lunar personality was brought to my attention by the astrologer Dane Rudhyar. In his book The Lunation Cycle, he goes over his interpretations of the types. I’ve developed my own definitions, which I’ll share with you now.
If you were born during the new moon (the day of, and the three days following it), you might be naturally optimistic, hopeful, and love a fresh start. Beginnings aren’t difficult for you, but endings could be. Be careful not to hang on to the remnants of a dream that is past its expiration date. New moon types are innovative, inventive, and brimming with ideas. They generally have no problem with sustaining hope and cheer, but have a harder time with discipline and practicalities. Follow-through can be a challenge. Find ways to bring little sparks into the everyday so as to stay motivated. There could be a number of false starts in a new moon person’s life before they find the right path. Luckily, a new moon type does well with brushing themselves off and trying again. The time of the full moon could be balancing for this lunar type.
Those born while the moon was a waxing crescent to just before first quarter may feel most at home when they are in pursuit—goals, relationships, ideas, or the next “thing,” whatever that may be. Expansion and growth need to be evident in a waxing crescent type’s life in order for them to feel fulfilled. They may wish to steer the ship; others’ authority could be difficult for them. Recognition and positive feedback is important for them to continue feeling mobilized; these types can fall prey to compliments, or rely too much on outside feedback. These are action takers and solution makers. Waxing crescent types feel at home when they are doing something different. They love to explore new spaces internally and externally. They are generally focused on the future, yet need to reflect on their past in order to learn from their mistakes. The time of the waning crescent provides them with the respite they need.
Those born during the first quarter moon could experience tension around making decisions. When first quarter moon types harness their remarkable ability to see all angles of a situation, their wisdom is unmatched. There is usually some kind of obstacle that they perceive or that is actually in their way to getting what they desire. This is the moon phase that correlates to a crossroads; shadows and light must be in balance. Lessons constructively processed create remarkable resolve and resilience. If you are a first quarter moon babe, structure and organization can help you keep going. Find ways to remind yourself that the glass is actually half-full. You know more than you give yourself credit for. Balance can be found through tuning in to the qualities of the last quarter moon.
Those born under the waxing gibbous moon will most likely have lives of external accomplishment, because external accomplishment is important to them. They are happiest when the fruits of their labors are easy to see; patience isn’t always a strong suit. They seem to possess endless reserves of energy and drive. Challenges for these types include feeling true contentment, as well as defining “enough.” If you are a waxing gibbous natal moon, define what contentment, success, and happiness mean to you, especially outside of the external. Being in the present moment and remembering to appreciate what you have is a practice to cultivate. Schedule in rest frequently. Sink into the waning gibbous, and its energies and qualities, to find balance.
Full moon babies generally have no problem being seen and no problem leading. They want to share, to shine, and they want to connect. Being understood and being seen accurately is an important value for these types. In order to feel whole, they need to explore and experience the multitude of their gifts. It is through experiencing the variety of life that they can access wholeness. A challenge for these types could be over-investment and over-giving, which lead to depletion and resentment. Boundaries are especially important for those born under a full moon. There can be a tendency to mirror those around them, sometimes unconsciously, sometimes for approval: if you are this lunar type, themes of identity may take an especially prominent place in your life path. Full moon babies tend to be empathetic, so they need to be careful about the company they keep and the energy allowed into their space. A dark moon or new moon phase/activities can help to balance their energy.
Those born under a waning gibbous moon are incredibly observant and very skilled at communicating bigger picture ideas. Learning fulfills you. Connecting different dots—which you are naturally astute at—lead to new concepts and techniques. Your natural ability to take a lot of different ideas and weave them together into new forms is not a gift to waste. Service to the collective will give your life meaning. Prioritize your own needs, especially those related to abundance and recognition, as much as you give to the cause/group/lovers. Connecting to many others, in a more public role, may also be part of your path. Lean into the hopeful self-care of a waxing crescent to shed some of the pragmatism and disappointment that sometimes bogs you down.
If you were born under a last quarter moon, you may feel similar to those born under a first quarter moon, with a twist. Instead of focusing on the waxing moon themes of growth and expansion, you may be preoccupied with updating existing systems. Dane Rudhyar refers to last quarter natal moons as “the reformer.”1 You are here to change systems: whether it’s your family constellation, how the world perceives your chosen vocation, or the culture itself. You are discerning and tend to have strong instincts on how to improve just about anything, and how things work best in general. You may have to work on self-doubt and anxiety around your intuition, which is your secret power for a lot of the projects you birth and the journeys you take. Let others in. The first quarter phase can be a time for you to connect to feelings of optimism.
If you were born during the waning crescent moon, you could feel most comfortable behind the scenes. Research, education, and intense study may be activities you excel at. Waning crescent moon babies can be more private and interior, needing more space and time to figure out their emotions and thoughts. Time spent alone is refreshing and recharging—this is where you connect to nature and receive downloads. You may have a career where you influence and reach many, but most of the work you do is in solitude. (Think: writers, painters, researchers, coders, online business owners.) A theme of your life may be reconciling your past with your present self. Show yourself as much empathy and compassion as you do others. The waxing crescent moon can be a time of balance for you.
The dark moon personality is anyone who was born in the three-day period before the new moon. This type tends to be rebellious and interested in bringing innovative ideas to the collective. You often feel misunderstood. This is because you are a visionary and often are answering to a future that others can’t comprehend. Part of your path on earth is to birth radical new ways of living and relating. This is often met with challenges, particularly from the status quo. When in alignment, dark moon types are brilliant and brimming with inspiration. Give the projects you dream of the focus and seriousness they deserve. Be careful not to isolate or settle into despondency. In order to function as your truest self, you may have to lean heavily on spiritual practices. Cultivate a few very close relationships with like-minded, trustworthy people. Death and rebirth will be a constant theme in your life. So will intense, extreme endings and beginnings. You must become comfortable mastering change. The time of the full moon or the waxing gibbous could be a time to bring balance.
Knowing the phase that the moon was in when you were born can help you explore where these themes will support your interests and patterns. The opposite phase to your natal lunar phase could feel deeply uncomfortable or incredibly balancing. For example, if your natal lunar phase is the new moon, then the full moon would be the opposite. (Check the moon cycle diagram on here for yours.) Try basking in and expressing the energy that is opposite to you.
You as Moon
Using the phases of the moon to describe the life cycle one is currently in is helpful to make sense of the bigger picture. Reflect on what lunar phase you are currently in. Are you feeling on the verge of an accomplishment? You may be in a waxing gibbous/full moon phase as you get closer to your goals. Have you just begun an activity that is invigorating and is altering your relationship to self? You could be in a new moon phase. If you feel deeply uncomfortable, and ready to destroy some area of your life in service of profound recalibration, you are most likely in a dark moon phase!
You can work with the phase that resonates with you in various ways: as an overall archetype of the energy you are harnessing, as a reflection of who you are in the current moment, as guidance on how to go more deeply into the themes of this phase, and how to find the best ways of supporting yourself. You can research goddesses, deities, and myths that correlate to the themes of each phase. You can place charms, talismans, colors, and other symbols of that phase around you, to remind you of what to stay focused on.
Our lives are complex, and there could be a number of things going on in your life that reflect different states. A relationship could be just beginning (new moon), while a beloved pet has just died, and you are grieving (waning moon). My advice to you—if you are interested in figuring out what “phase” you are in—is to touch base with both your emotions and energy and go by how you feel overall.
Knowing what phase we are in also helps us to be aware of what we might need to balance our energy and not go into extremes. If we know we are in a full moon phase, we know that is going to require a lot of energy. This could invite us to double down on our boundary work, focus on getting enough sleep and hydration, and figure out how we are going to take advantage of all that we’ve been working toward.
In general, the phases in our lives do follow the order of the lunar cycle. If you are in a dark moon phase, then that will most likely be followed by a new moon phase. If you are in a waxing moon phase, that will be followed by a full moon phase. These particular energetic phases can last months or years.
We can work with this knowledge and work with the current lunar phase. If you are in a dark moon phase, dealing with a breakup and letting other things go, then the entire waning and dark moon phase can support that process. The focus around the lunar cycle could be about grieving and healing from loss: knowing you need to focus on internal work can help you design your days. At the dark moon, perhaps you create a ritual that releases all attachments to the past relationship. Because that energy is already potent within, the dark moon may be a particularly helpful time to release. This could last for one lunar cycle, or longer. When you feel called to move on, you can consciously mark that with a ritual or spell.
Honoring the Moon
When you decide to commit to a lunar practice, also commit to a way that you will honor the moon. Like any precious relationship, it must be a reciprocal one. If the moon is helping us, we figure out how to help it. There are plans to extract water from the moon: we can try to stop that activity. Think about all the correspondences of the moon. Water, womxn, femmes, shape-shifters, empaths, children, fertility, home, hearth, reproductive rights, the protection of all the vulnerable of the earth, plants—all who are nourished, nurtured by water or who live near it—reside in the realm of the moon.
We can leave offerings to the moon both in our magical workings and in our every day. Think about choosing activities to reinforce that connection. Maybe you donate every month to Planned Parenthood or another caregiver that provides low-cost abortions. Maybe you fundraise for an organization addressing Black mothers’ mortality rates, or commit to stop buying plastic, or find ways to focus on clean water efforts locally or in polluted areas.
In a magical practice, I’ll do spells once or twice a year to protect the moon and thank her. I’ll give money to clean-water efforts, and to protect threatened and endangered sea life. One way I honor her is by teaching about her and utilizing her energy and messages to help others. Another is by consistently donating money to organizations that support the lives of systemically oppressed and marginalized folks.
The Moon and Your Menstrual Cycle
The lunar cycle is the same length as an average menstrual cycle: approximately twenty-eight days.2 Many people call their periods “their moon.” The shape of the moon, round and visibly growing larger, reminds us of a pregnant belly. During a menstrual cycle estrogen rises and falls; another tidal-like interior experience that reminds us of our own natural inner risings and our inner crashings: womb as moon.
There are some men who get periods, and there are many women who do not. There are many non-binary folks who do and do not get their periods. Linking periods with femininity and wombs is understandable, as some women get periods and give birth. But there are many women who do not get their periods for varied reasons: some are pregnant, some are on birth control, some are trans, some have had hysterectomies, some have been through menopause. Assuming that all women get periods, and that only people who get their periods are women isn’t true, and isn’t inclusive.
If you don’t get your period, that doesn’t make you any less connected to the moon. And if you do get your period, and it doesn’t sync up with the moon’s cycles, there is nothing wrong with you. Studies have shown that the majority of people who get their periods are not synced up to the new moon.3
Our periods are natural and beautiful. They need to be supported, not shamed. We see the inherent misogyny in how our culture treats periods. There is the lack of comprehensive treatment for them by the medical field. If you menstruate, learning about this part of your bodies is imperative. Observing the rhythm of your period, and your estrogen levels, against the lunar cycles is one way that many become more attuned to the body’s cycles.
If we get our period, and we find that we are more in sync with our hormones than the lunar cycle, it is important to take both of these pieces of information into account. For extensive information about your period and ways to work with it, I suggest Maisie Hill’s Period Power. In the book, the idea of a menstrual cycle as a season, with the start of our period being winter, is discussed. If one of your goals is to become more aware of how your menstrual cycle impacts you, then take a deep dive into that aspect of your body, using lunar tracking as part of your process.
The Moon and Humanifestation
The moon is a natural guide to any and all of our goal setting. Throughout this book, I outline various methods and techniques to work with the moon in this way.
Sometimes in teaching, and throughout the book, I use the term humanifestation as a play on the oft-used word manifestation. I like to use it to center all humans and to differentiate it from stereotypical New Age ideas around “manifestation.” (The word manifestation also makes me think of “Manifest Destiny,” which is the opposite of the process I share.) I also like using the terms co-creation and creation. Lunar humanifestation posits that resting, trusting our intuition, and letting help in is part of the process. Learning to float is as important as surrendering is as important as working incredibly hard is as important as calling in abundance is as important as being generous is as important as learning to love oneself. Listening can be as important as doing. All of these activities that guide us toward a rhythmic and holistic life exist within the spectrum of humanifestation.
We must also take into account structural oppression and understand that many “love and light” discussions of “manifestation” do not acknowledge racism, trans-phobia, classism, ableism, and other systemic challenges so many face. Some parts of our life conditions are not just “choices” we can “positively think our way out of.” Acknowledging hardship, discrimination, mental health issues, and structural oppression is not about “bad vibes,” it is about living in reality.
Lunar creation also emphasizes desires that aren’t necessarily deemed valuable by our dominant culture. This is growth that does not always look like stereotypical growth. Turning down opportunities that appear amazing, but that are not in alignment with one’s integrity or intuition. Focusing on emotional healing, prioritizing health, unraveling self-harm. Stepping into embodied self-love, creating and maintaining appropriate boundaries, or recovering from addictions are all examples of valuable work. Open yourself up to the ways that inner growth fosters outer blooming.
Co-creation with the universe requires your commitment and your devotion. Through the cycles, we learn how to dream, how to dare, how to try, how to accept, how to trust, and how to surrender. Everything we need is already within us. It is just a matter of staying connected with our intuition, our will, and our curiosity. It is just the practice of staying with ourselves, of not giving up, of tapping into our patience and resilience. The universe will meet us where we are, and help us. First we must meet ourselves.
Moon humanifestation is different from the mainstream consumerist promises about manifestation, even though the moon will certainly help you get big external results. And also: Getting the material thing you want will not solve all your problems. It won’t stop you from ever having to do any work on yourself. It won’t stop painful things from happening. Moon manifestation knows we are always in process, so might as well go deep.
Moon Magic
The majority of this book discusses magic, spirituality, and ritual in a variety of different ways, through each cycle. The way I teach lunar magic is holistic. We are looking at the entire lunar cycle and working with the qualities of each particular phase accordingly. This is all covered in this book, complete with suggested spells, tarot pulls, activities, and journaling prompts. After becoming comfortable with your own practice, create your own kind of lunar magic. Find your own ways to connect to the moon, your magical practice, and your own particular form of magic.
The magical traditions I have been taught reflect a European Neo-Pagan tradition. The other lunar tradition I practice is a Jewish one. That is part of my ancestry, and the Jewish lunar tradition is strong. I have attempted to make this book as nondenominational as possible, so that you can weave in your own traditions and practices that resonate with you. In general, every single culture uses the elements: water, fire, earth, air. In general, every single culture meditates, prays, burns dried plants to clear and connect, burns candles, works with items from nature such as crystals and bones, and uses talismans made of objects special to them to do their spell workings.
The Moon and Astrology
In astrology, the moon is a luminary: a personal planet that corresponds to one’s personality, relationships, and one’s particular life path. In ancient Western astrology, the moon was seen as malefic, but most modern astrology treats the moon as benefic, depending on what sign or house it is in. In traditional Western astrology, the moon is related to mothers, parenting, and caretaking. It describes our emotional needs: how we’ve learned to get them met, and how we have to practice figuring out what we actually require to feel safe, nurtured, and seen. An astrological perspective of the moon is one where the moon also represents our unconscious as well as our subconscious. The parts of us that are mysterious: our shadows and underlying motivations lie in this realm. The moon represents the parts of us that only our most intimate see. Our vulnerable side, the private sides of our personality that we let out when we feel comfortable, correspond to the moon. The femme and feminine, our sweetness and softness: these also are influenced by what sign and house our moon is in. The moon also corresponds to our memory, our moods, our emotions, and our bodies.
In Western astrology, the moon is a symbol of the past. This can also result in conservatism or an overdependence on tradition. It evokes nostalgia, and our memories, both blissful and brutal. So much of our present is tied up in the past. So much of our current experiences and responses are shaped by past events. To truly move forward is to clear out the harmful attachments to the past. To heal is to not allow the hardships of the past to negatively influence present behavior. To heal is to take the lessons of the past and use them as compost for verdant future gardens.
In Western astrology, the moon corresponds to the sign Cancer and rules the fourth house of the zodiac.4 The fourth house has to do with parenting, your perception of how you were cared for from childhood, family history, ancestors and ancestral inheritance, past lives, the home, self-care, instincts, what you need to feel safe and secure physically and psychologically, as well as establishing a home and putting down roots.
When interpreting one’s chart, aside from your moon sign, astrologers also take into consideration the house your moon is in. The different houses inform how the moon is revealed and expressed. There could be other aspects, such as sextiles, trines, or squares, that could affect your moon. Another astrological lunar theme is your north and south nodes; this refers to an aspect of your personal destiny.
Magically, we can work with whatever sign the moon is in to correspond with our spell work. For example, if the moon is in Virgo, then spells around work, growth, security, spiritual tending, and devotion could be cast. You could do spell work around healing digestion and the liver, as those are some of the parts of the body that Virgo is associated with. You could do work around worry, anger, or anxiety, as those emotions are linked to those body parts.
Over time, you can figure out how you feel when the moon is in certain signs. The easiest to deduce how the moon signs land with you, in my experience, is during the full moon. A fire full moon may feel completely different for you from an earth full moon.
Your moon sign could reveal your natural magical proclivities. Whatever positive and challenging traits the archetype encapsulates could be reflected in your own magic. If you are an air moon sign, you might be gifted at coming up with spells, chants, or poems. You might have ease communicating with spirit, guides, or ancestors. If you are a water moon, you may be particularly psychic in water, and in the role of being an empath or a vessel of creativity, beauty, and downloads. Your magical abilities might be heightened intuitive information and the ability to master the art of emotionalized visualization. If you know your moon sign, you can experiment with your unique and natural gifts.
If your moon is in Aries, you could possess the ability to make things happen really quickly; your intuitive sense is instinctual, not something to be analyzed. You may feel called to be a leader of your coven, to create a sharing circle or a new cult–cum–spiritual movement.
Those with the moon in Taurus could be skilled at energetic mastery and really gifted at the art of material manifestation. You may wish to create very symbolic, artistic altars, and wear, smell, and taste your magic.
If your moon sign is in Gemini, your magical gifts could be actualized through speaking, writing, and singing. Downloads and messages could come through when you free write or talk to yourself, or your guides, or the moon. Experimentation keeps you invested in a magical and spiritual practice.
If your moon sign is in Cancer, try utilizing your natural physical abilities in your spellcraft. One of your superpowers is your ability to feel emotions; when you learn to translate these into proper channels, you are a force to be reckoned with.
People with the moon in Leo have the ability to express or perform magic; acting, dancing, or channeling your desires into movement make these wishes court you just as much as you are courting them.
Those with the moon in Virgo fertilize their dreams with discernment and sensed details. When you see that being in service of yourself first is the most important work, your blessings will multiply.
If your moon sign is in Libra, you have an uncanny ability to collaborate with the elements, deities, and other symbolic items in your magical practice. You sweet-talk the herbs into even more potency. You meet the air, the sun, the sky so earnestly they have no choice but to do your bidding.
People with the moon in Scorpio have an amazing ability to regenerate quickly: to take the lessons of each lunation and spin that straw into gold. Your magic lies in the ability to express the unseen, the taboo, the subconscious and unconscious in healing or intriguing ways.
Folks with the moon in Sagittarius are especially equipped at the art of translating your thoughts into actions. You speak things into existence, and may need a variety of magical practices to match your ever-evolving state.
If your moon is in Capricorn, your magical ability could lie in the deep wisdom of your ancestral realm. Ancient customs and rituals could enhance your intuition; tune in to go deep. Your magic also shines in spaces of high visioning. Dream clearly of your mountaintop and you will do the work to journey there.
If your moon is in Aquarius, part of your magical gifts will be in creating your own personal rituals and spiritual practices. That innovation creates a spark that is a cosmic call to action. Trance work, meditation, and otherworld journeying all are practices to invest in.
People with their moon in Pisces possess an inherent ability to heal others—as doulas, nurses, artists, or by their presence alone. One of your magical powers is the ability to channel or communicate with otherworldly energies. You are gifted at visioning; this serves as an inspirational well for others to draw from.
In Vedic astrology, the moon, not the sun, is considered to be the most influential planet in an individual’s chart. In this practice of astrology, the proximity of the moon to the earth is thought to especially affect us. Here the moon governs temperament, mood, instincts, intuition, emotional makeup, personality, emotional and psychological patterns, our motivations, and behavior. The moon also corresponds to our energy and our perceptions, our memories, fertility, and caretaking. It is our mental health, interests, instincts, and temperament. In Vedic astrology, a waxing to full moon is benefic, or positive, and a waning to dark moon is malefic, or negative.
In Vedic astrology, the moon is called Chandra, which in Sanskrit means “bright and shining.” Similar to Western astrology, the moon in Vedic astrology correlates to themes of the mother and the feminine; beauty, comfort, nourishment, as well as general well-being and happiness.5 The moon receives the light of the soul.
The sun is a projection, what we present to the world; it can become all the world thinks of us. The moon is our core inner self—who we really are, underneath all the layers and masks.
There are other concepts and philosophies around lunar astrology besides the ones mentioned. If this interests you, do research, take classes, book an astrology reading, and read books. Some resources on tropical lunar astrology are Moon Wisdom by Heather Roan Robbins and Moon Phase Astrology by Raven Kaldera as well as the work of Jan Spiller, Dane Rudhyar, and Demetra George.
The Moon as a Timekeeper
The moon can be utilized as one of its most ancient functions: that of a timekeeper. The Chinese, Hindu, and Jewish calendars are still lunar. Holidays, such as the lunar New Year, reflect the moon’s influence.6 The Kojoda is the calendar used by the Yoruba peoples of southwestern Nigeria and southern Benin, and the beginning of their year coincides with the harvest and the moon, in either May or June. Humankind’s earliest relics are marks on wood or pieces of bone that correlate to the twenty-eight-day lunar cycle. Massive shrines were built to worship lunar and solar events; their remnants remain in sites around the globe such as Stonehenge, Woodhenge, and the Pyramid of the Moon. An archeological site in Guatemala found Mayan astronomical records dating to the ninth century A.D. that kept track of the moon’s cycles.7
The lunar cycle can be used as a checking in, a way to keep track. Where you were, what you were doing, what was happening in last year’s full moon. What has stayed the same, and what has grown. What needs to change. If you are feeling a certain kind of way, and you are not sure why, utilizing the moon as a remembrance tool can help.
Using the moon as a personal mythological timekeeper helps us write our own stories.
Think about larger cycles and patterns in your life. Do you have your own particular patterns or dates that your body keeps track of? Our body holds memories of all kinds. The body remembers trauma as well as triumph. Is there a running list of special-to-you anniversaries that it might be useful to have record of? Honoring our experiences somatically is useful. Knowing how our bodies hold certain memories and emotions, how to recognize this may help us release our attachments to them, and manage our nervous systems. (To find out more about trauma and the body, books that address this are My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Manakem and The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk.)
There’s time, and then there is quality of time. Think about utilizing the moon around quality of time. Once you’ve tapped into your own energetic patterns, the moon works as a reminder to stay engaged with that most desired energetic alignment. This also helps guide future energetic movement; it is aspirational. The quality of our experience deepens as we sync with our energy into its natural rhythms.
Ancestral Work
Each culture around the planet has its own traditions and ways of working with the moon. The Talmud believes that the moon has a consciousness and contains a genius that transmits itself into willing practitioners.8 Many cultures told stories of moon and sun as sister and brother, or as a married couple, gazing at one another or chasing each other in the faraway sky. Many cultures connected the moon to sustenance and food. In ancient Indonesia, a rice spirit lived inside of the moon. A Peruvian folktale interprets the moon as a man who helped bring plants to humans. He then married a human woman who gave birth to other cosmic bodies. There are countless other guardian moon deities across the globe who protected the fields, the earth, and all living creatures.
Each culture around the planet has its own folklore and stories, mythologies, and interpretations of the moon. Moon as home, moon as mother, moon as creator, moon as weaver of magic. Polynesia’s moon is called Mahina, the home of Hina, the mother of Maui, who ran away to create art in the safe space of the moon. Odysseus was expected to arrive home at the new moon, an auspicious and holy time in ancient Greek culture. In traditional Chinese mythology, Chang’e, the goddess of immortality, lives on the moon. The Navajo and Ojibwa call the moon the “Ancient Spinstress.” In ancient South and Central America, the Mayan lunar goddess was also a weaver.9
Other peoples equate the moon with animals: hares, buffalo, spiders, and cows are among the animals with a lunar connection around the globe. In numerous cultures—Inuit, Hindu, and that of ancient Greece—the moon was associated with dogs and wolves, some helpful, some fearsome.10
If you know your lineage, even if it is only the continent you came from, you can do research into folklores, myths, traditions, and rituals that your ancestors enacted. Whether beginner or experienced, research will only enhance your practice.
We can work with the moon for ancestral healing as well. All of us were given gifts by our ancestors. Many of us have also had trauma passed down. There may also be temperament challenges, like worry, anger, or paranoia, that your ancestors have passed on to you. We can work on healing these in this lifetime. Start by asking: What were my ancestors in need of healing?
You don’t necessarily need to do family tree research or talk to your grandparents about this, but you can. Simply tuning in and listening, and writing down what you think, is a start. Write down what you know about yourself and how this connects to your family, with focus around some of the pain points and your inherent strengths. If you do happen to know your family’s origin story, that can provide a place to begin. For example, my great-grandparents came to America incredibly poor and never learned English proficiently. Both sets also encouraged their children to assimilate. Some of those inheritances around this are healing scarcity issues, security issues, as well as feelings of alienation.
A well ancestor altar complements this process. “Well ancestors” are ancestors whom you had a good relationship with, or who were spiritually healthy.11 There may be abusive or violent ancestors in your family tree that are not appropriate to connect with. If you have any photos of deceased ancestors who were special to you, put them on your altar. Have a conversation with them. Pray to them. Talk to them. Honor a quality that they gave you. If you know what plants, herbs, deities, or myths your ancestors used, you can incorporate that into your practice. Look up traditional recipes and make them. Leave some as offerings to your ancestors. Over time, you may develop a vibrant relationship with your well ancestors.
For some of us, it isn’t appropriate to connect spiritually to any of the ancestors we know of. Maybe they were abusive, maybe the pain there is just too great. In that case, you can draw up boundaries with your ancestors. If you are the descendant of oppressors, healing work could include volunteering time or money to those who are oppressed, or connecting to where that oppression may still be inside of you, and clearing that. Educating yourself about the specific historical context of the time of your ancestors is useful and may provide information around some present issues.
For those of us unable to connect to our ancestors, create your own ancestral lineage. Maybe it is the artists, inventors, or activists who you admire that came before you and were of influence. It could be healers or witches or herbalists or teachers that deeply influenced you. Connect to ancestors who came from your specific identity: queer, Black, non-binary, Filipino, disabled, Cuban, Muslim, Korean, Jewish, Dutch, Buddhist.… Give gratitude for them. Call their energy into your lives. Carry on their lineage by living out their values. Continue their teachings by mentioning them, paying homage to them, and encouraging others to engage in their work.
There’s the rich spiritual and traditional herstory of the moon to connect with as well. So many people have been working with the moon as their practice for so long, it feels like an added accumulation of energy to benefit from. Looking up at the moon each night and being reminded that my ancestors and everyone else’s ancestors were looking up at the moon for thousands upon thousands of years is awe-inducing. This practice connects me to something greater than myself.
Working with the Moon Practically
Another way to work with the moon in a folk way is practically. Plan out your month loosely using the moon’s phases as a practical guide. Your official beginning could be at the new moon; brainstorm tasks and what would be the best possible outcomes for you for each phase. Or, work with both the lunar phases and the Gregorian calendar.
You can use the traditional agricultural themes of lunar phases to decide when to do certain tasks. For more info on this, make notes on each of the practical suggestions for each phase in upcoming chapters. Also, you can get the book The Power of Timing by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe.
Once you’ve been tracking your energy, and are familiar with your unique rhythm, then you can plan even more effectively. If you know that the full moon wipes you out, then you can pad your schedule and take other precautions. If you know that you feel amazing during a waxing moon, then maybe that’s when you schedule important dates. We can work with, not against, our own natural cycles to great effect.
Mimic the light of the moon with your behaviors. Weed when the moon is waning. Get waxed and have your hair cut when it is waning so it will take longer for the hair to grow back. Avoid surgeries around the full moon when humans are known to bleed out more. Redecorate, add to your space during a new moon or waxing moon. Plant seeds for your garden during a new moon, and harvest during a full moon when the water has been drawn to the surface of your plants. Rest and recharge during the dark moon, or utilize it for deep psychic exploration. Notice how you feel during eclipses, and proceed accordingly.
When you are tired, sleep. If you are sad, cry.
When you catch yourself feeling divine delight, let the joy sink into your cells.
The Moon and Consciousness Transformation
The moon helps us work above and below the line of our consciousness. The lunar cycle encapsulates the “circle of awareness.” These concepts were created by, and figure prominently in, the work of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, and were brought to my attention first by Tara Brach.12 What follows is my own interpretation of their ideas.
Our circle of awareness is all of our states of consciousness: our superconscious, conscious, subconscious, and unconscious. It includes our ego, our intuition, and our shadow. There is not a hierarchy to these states; they exist and work together. Spending time tending to the various aspects of our own consciousness creates a healthier intimacy with our self. Working with the moon can help us form deeper relationships with all levels of our awareness.
You can ask yourself, where am I in my circle?
Above, below the line? Why?
What space is my ego/shadow/consciousness taking up?
Is my ego in my shadow, or somewhere else? Is my shadow in my consciousness, or somewhere else?
Above the line is our consciousness. Our awareness, our engagement with the present moment. To be in that state the majority of the time is rare. It is difficult to exist solely in the present moment—completely unencumbered by the past, or dragged into future projections. The present is where we can see, feel, and hear ourselves authentically. It is the energy of the new moon and the full moon combined. Our consciousness generally is associated with our actions, how we wish to be seen, and what we share so that others see us as we think we need to be seen. It is everything we experience. It is the awareness and the attention we bring to our energy. Consciousness is the self expressed and fulfilled.
When we are trying to create change in our lives, we must work with both the conscious and the subconscious self. The subconscious is 80 percent of the human brain. The subconscious controls so much of our behavior. Ever blurt something out rather rudely to a friend or sweetie? That’s your subconscious. Ever tie your shoe, or drive, or somehow remember the address of your first home even though you haven’t lived there in ages? That’s your subconscious too. The subconscious is the storehouse. It is also the story maker. We program our subconscious with our consciousness through language, as well as different patterns, habits, emotions, and altered belief systems.
Proof that we are doing change work is the un-comfortableness. At first. Or for the next thirty-three times. Proof we are doing this is by sitting through the pain of an impulsive reaction, into a step toward vulnerability, thus creating different actions and different responses. Proof that we are reprogramming is a different outcome.
Our egos are some of the most psychic parts of ourselves. The ego can tell when we are about to end a certain way of staying small, or of self-sabotage, and will not go away gently. The experience of facing almost insurmountable internal resistance is a clear sign that you are in the process of rewiring and up-leveling. Stepping into more expansiveness often goes against your subconscious programming, and there will often be friction.
That below-the-line energy is the subconscious, our intuition, the depths, the dreams, and the unconscious. It corresponds to the full moon and waning moon. It is some of the most fertile energy we can work with—that which is underneath the surface. Consciousness is above-the-line energy—it’s our behavior, our awareness. It is like the captain of the ship, and all the rowers are the subconscious. The sea that this is all taking place on is the unconscious.
When figuring out if we are operating above or below the line, a pause is required. A calm nervous system supports our inquiry; deep breaths are encouraged.
In the pause, we can collect information about:
- Whether we are operating from an above- or below-the-line place. (Remember, neither is inherently bad or good; both give us information.)
- Whether or not our above-the-line and below-the-line states are in alignment. Or, in other words, are the rowers taking the ship where the captain would like … is everyone in consensus? If not, what dialogues or shifts need to happen so that we are leading with our heart, our integrity, our intuition, and/or our authentic desires?
- Is it time to focus on reprogramming our consciousness, our subconscious, or both? They have to be operating in a symbiotic manner; getting to the root of some of our harmful subconscious programming is the first step, then deciding what we want and creating actions in accordance with that happens next. Collaboration between the conscious and subconscious is key.
- The time line that is influencing us the most currently. Are we being ruled by the patterns and stories of our past, what is currently true in the present, or by the unknown and possibilities of the future? Healing work, evolutionary work, and moon work will often require us to address more than one time line.
- We are reacting, or we are responding. Are we behaving in accordance with our higher self, our soul, our heart? Part of evolution is remaining in your integrity, not simply reacting out of fear or attachment.
Collaborating with the cycle of the moon means attending to both our subconscious and our consciousness throughout our creation process. When we get both our subconscious and consciousness on the same page of our dreams and goals, they are more easily attained. You can do more internal, subconscious work during the waning moon, and focus on consciousness and external behavioral shifts when the moon is waxing. By flowing into different energetic patterns, actions, belief systems, sources of inner security, we create new imprints and time lines where we can flourish.
Nourishing Your Moon
Nourishing your inner moon fertilizes the soil of your soul. Your inner moon is a wide and expansive place that exists beyond language. It is a spectrum of the past, a source of ancestral wisdom, and a watery cave of healings and archaic hurts. This place is your ocean heart and your most exciting holographic visions. Your inner moon is a tiny, dark room of grief and tears, and a lava-soaked stadium where you are allowed to gleefully rage. This terrain is often ignored for fear that the pain surfaced will be too much to bear. It is a space that is available to you when you are ready to see how incredible you are. Nourishing your moon is acknowledging all of these spaces you hold and trying to give them what they need. This is how you reconcile the self; this is how you become your best parent, friend, and ally. This is how you walk the journey of self-trust: one small step at a time.
Our inner moon sometimes functions as a deep hunger that must be fed. It is what we yearn for. Our desires and dreams need attention and investment. Our inner child needs solace and acknowledgment. This is how we belong to ourselves.
Nourishing your moon is about developing a lunar practice that you deeply need. Keep this practice simple. Just show up for each moon. Drop expectations. Simply be prepared to meet and accept whatever comes up. What does your inner moon need from you? Maybe it is just one word. Think of ways to give yourself what your inner moon needs.
Create a self-tailored lunar ritual. Start at the full moon. Get comfortable, either outdoors or indoors. Bring your lunar journal. Sit under the moon. If you can’t see the moon, that’s okay. Invoke her energy by closing your eyes and breathing slowly and deeply for several minutes. Feel yourself being filled up by moon glow. Ask the moon: What would you like for me to do? What would you like for me to recognize at this time? What am I ready for? What messages do you have for me, beautiful moon?
You may wish to do this simple lunar ritual several times in a lunar cycle, or even in a week. As you begin to actively give yourself more of what you need, more love/recognition/trust/safety/awakenings become available to you. As this grows inside, so does your experience of these qualities in various aspects of your life.
Tarot and the Moon
Using tarot cards is a great way to work with the moon. These modalities are natural and gorgeous complements to each other. Like the moon, tarot cards correspond to cycles of evolution. Like the moon, the tarot is a useful device for developing one’s intuition. At the beginning of a lunar cycle, you can pull cards. Check in with yourself and ask yourself what you need to know. Ask the tarot to give you more information about the present lunar cycle. Even just one card will do: You can use that tarot card as an anchor for the rest of the lunation. You can also design a spread to answer the questions that you need perspective on.
You can also reflect on what the energies of a certain phase feel like, as reflected in a tarot card. At the end of each phase, go through your deck and choose a card that reflects the prevailing energies of that phase. Write down why, and what happened. At the end of a lunar phase, review your cards and your notes. Were there any patterns or surprises? Does looking back help you see ahead?
In the tarot, the energetic qualities of the moon are found predominately illustrated in two cards: the High Priestess card and the Moon card.
The High Priestess is the archetype of the subconscious, unbridled intuition, ancient wisdom, mysteries, rituals, and the void. When the High Priestess card comes up, it is an affirmation to dive into your own waters. An inquiry into your emotional imagination will culminate in answers. These answers you seek could come through in dreams, could come through in unexpected ways. The messages may not come through words—the High Priestess often speaks in symbols, visions, feelings, and our spidey sense. This information is collected through ritual, magic, underworld journeying, and meditation: by going within. In the traditional version of the archetype depicted by Pamela Colman Smith, the High Priestess has a crown of Hathor on her head, which corresponds to a womb, a receptive vessel to hold our intuition and magic, and to three of the moon’s phases: new/waxing crescent, full, and waning crescent.
Sitting at the threshold between day and night, between the aboveground world and the underworld, she is a liminal figure—comfortable on the edges. She helps us believe that our realities are valid. Even the ones that are invisible.
The High Priestess is also a card about mining our experiences for lessons. The pomegranates in the background reference Persephone, reminding us that we need to swim down into our depths, touch base with our core woundings, and confront them in order to heal them. Nestled in these shadows are also our core superpowers, waiting to be brought up to the surface. The High Priestess wants us to kiss our wounds and reframe our shadows as our strengths. Our life becomes its own mythology.
The Moon card shows up when we are ready to surrender to mysteries. We don’t have to see the side of her that is turned away from us in order to know it is there. We don’t need scientific proof in order to feel her influence our internal tides. This is the practice of groundlessness as redemption. In the Moon card, we find ourselves in the sea of the nonsensical. The moon wants us to get wild, wants us to be our weirdest self. Tameness only gets one so far—our intuitive longings pull us the rest of the way home. Just because there are parts of ourselves that defy logic doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of our attention and affection.
The Moon card also references different perspectives. What happens when we take a clear look with kindness instead of dismissal? When we don’t let our fears control us, we shine the flashlight of the truth on the basement space of our subconscious. Previously unknown motivations make themselves available to us. We make amends with our memories.
This archetype references profound cycles that exist outside of the confines of civilization: healing from trauma; giving birth to others, ourselves, or major projects; certain life or spiritual apprenticeships. If you receive this card, you may be asked to identify the themes and patterns of a specific meaningful cycle in order to let its lessons and experience transform you.
The Moon card is about inner reflections and the magic that we hold within. When we are able to access these, we come into our own personal power. After we plumb the depths of our consciousness and decipher the potent messages there, we experience a unity loop. We evolve. This is transformation from the inside out.
Apart from tarot, there are many other modalities that a lunar practice supports. Meditation, Reiki, yoga, the Akashic records, astrology, and herbalism are some others you can pair with your lunar practice. Your intuition will tell you where to begin. Over time, you will create and develop a lunar practice that fits your unique needs. Play around and explore. There are constellations of resources waiting to be discovered.