Wiccan Moon Phases

Full Moon Names: There was a time, in the not so distant past, that people measured time by the Moon. Our calendars have changed over the years, along with the way we measure the passage of time. Today we are very 'Sun' oriented, and we measure time by the Suns rotation...but it wasn't always so.

Early civilizations were based on hunting and agriculture. These civilizations worked within the cycles which the Sun & Moon produced. They tracked the time & seasonal flow by the Full Moons passage... this is how they kept track of time. They gave each Full Moon it's own name, similar to how we have each solar month named... and in this way they kept track of the Seasons.

They chose names for these complete Moon cycles based on their observations of things happening in the world around them; hence November, being the time of year the beavers
are busy preparing for winter, and therefor more plentiful, it
was time to set beaver traps and secure a store of warm fur before the swamps freeze over... So, naturally, November's Full Moon became known as Full Beaver Moon.
The Moon's cycles also became embedded within early festivals, which reflect the rhythm of the Earth, the Sun and the Moon's cycles. These festivals have a similar tone to the festivals celebrated by Pagan's today...the meanings and ideas behind such festivals are not much different from those of our ancestors who came before us, they have simply changed to reflect the difference of our culture today.



 In Wicca, Paganism or Witchcraft, we break down each Lunar month into different phases of the Moon. First we say that a Moon is Waxing.This means that each night we see more of its planetary surface reflected. Then we arrive at the Full Moon, when its face is in full view to us. The Moon then retreats, which we refer to as Waning. As the Moon hides her face from our view it slowly disappears and we reach the Dark Moon. Then the cycle begins anew and we reach New Moon... and so the cycle continues once again in another lunar month.








We break down the Moon's cycles into two phases...where its considered that a Waxing Moon is when the Moon's Energy is on the Increase, until it releases this energy at the Full Moon. Having depleted or reflected all this night time energy from the Sun, it then Wanes, and looses its energy gradually until we reach Dark Moon... And then we have New Moon where the Moon Goddess reunites in union with the Sun God and begins to Wax, or Increase energy again... and again... and so the Lunar cycle continues..
It is important for us to understand that each Phase of the Moon brings with it a Special Energy for that Phase of the Lunar Cycle. Everyone knows the Moon affects the tides of the worlds oceans, but as Wiccans and Pagans we know that these phases also affect us and the world around us. We Understand what those energies bring, and we know how to connect with and use those energies in our magickal Rituals, Spell workings, Meditations and even our daily life...








Moon Phases:






New Moon:

New Moon is a time of Beginnings. The New Moon is related to changing our thoughts and initiating them into some form of action. It is a time to become balanced and feel good about ourselves. The New Moon is for starting new ventures, new beginnings. Also love and romance, health or job hunting.

New Moon workings can be done from the day of the New Moon to three-and-a-half days after.


Waxing Moon:

The Waxing Moon is best used for Attraction magick, Love spells, Protection and Healing. What you want to attract to yourself and your path can be enhanced during this phase of the Moon.


Full Moon:






The Full Moon is when the Moon Goddess releases her energies to us. It is the most Powerful time to hold Rituals and do Spell work. It's a time for charging or consecrating sacred objects or tools. The Full Moon tends to bring about some form of awareness, and inner personal inspiration. Its a time for regeneration in the personal understanding of ones objectives. Rechecking on how things are developing, throwing away those thoughts, which may not be working. Its a time to become a sponge and soak up those energies being released, and turning them within ourselves. The Full Moon is the Prime time for working spells or Rituals for protection, or performing any type of Divination. It's also a time to revisit spells started on New Moon that need extra power, such as help finding a new job, love, knowledge, legal undertakings, money and dreams. It is the Best time for working magick involved in Healing, for yourself or others.

Full Moon magick can be conjured during the 3 days prior to the rise of the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon and during the 3 days after.


Waning Moon:

The Waning Moon is used for Banishing... Pushing away and Rejecting those things that influence us in a Negative way. Negative emotions, diseases, ailments, and bad habits can all be let go of and Banished during this time. It is also a time to work Spells for cleansing Negative Energies from the self, home, ritual circle, tools, etc. Banishing Spells should be performed at this time. Remember though, that when you remove an energy, you want to fill the void with a more positive energy.


Dark Moon (Void of course)

The Dark Moon period occurs 3 days prior to the New Moon and it's the shortest phase of the moon. This is the time when you can't see the Moon. In some Traditions no magick is performed during this time. Most Witches take this time to relax and replenish their own energies, performing Grounding & Centering Meditations to find Balance within themselves. During Dark Moon it is typical to perform vision quests and deep meditations to focus on personal matters, questions and answers, it is a time for introspection, time to examine your inner self and evaluate where you are at on your path.


This is just my beliefs, I'm sure there are many other beliefs about the Moon's Phases out there. This is just what I have learned or been taught...


~Love & Light~

Wicca Dreamers, Mary