Working with the Moon: A Guide to Moon Phase Rituals
We’ve seen all sorts of questions: are there actually moon rituals for each phase? (yes.) Can I manifest abundance by doing a moon ritual? (most definitely!) Should I cut my hair according to moon phases? (maybe?!)
Since I’ve learned to harness the moon’s magic, my spiritual and manifestation practices have transformed entirely. In this guide, I will explain what a moon ritual is, how to prepare moon phase rituals, and the essential practices to make your rituals work for you.
What Powers Does The Moon Have?
Humans, especially women, have long connected with the moon. For thousands of years, we have organized time and traditions by observing the movement of our moon in the night sky.
The word “moon” shares its first few letters with “month”—that’s no coincidence. As the Earth orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth, we experience each phase of the moon over about 29 days.
As the moon takes time to reset, renew, radiate, and retreat, so do we. Humans traverse different emotional experiences, mindsets, and ways of being—the same way the moon travels around the Earth. So the more attuned we are to each moon phase and how they align within us, the better we can harness moon magic.
The 8 phases of the moon
To practice moon rituals for each phase, you must first understand how to follow the moon through its cycle.
Each moon phase is about 7 days apart. So while you may have heard of the energetics of a full moon before, there are unique energies within each moon phase.
It begins with the new moon, a time to reset and set intentions. Then, moving through to the waxing crescent moon (a time for nurturing ideas), to the first quarter moon and the waxing gibbous moon (creating action and refining our plans), and onto the center point—the full moon (a time for calling in, manifesting, and harvesting).
From there, we cycle back around: the waning gibbous moon is a time for gratitude for all we’ve received. Moving to the last quarter moon (a time for release and letting go) and ending with the waning crescent (a time for rest)—before returning to the new moon again.
If you’re new to moon cycle rituals, consider this: the moon phases each have a special meaning, and we can mentally, spiritually, and physically follow the same phases through intentional devotion.
Moon Rituals For Each Phase
A ritual is a symbolic practice, observation, or exercise designed to align and honor. The goal of a moon ritual is to align yourself with the energetics of the moon.
Similar to full moon rituals or new moon rituals, which are more commonly held, practicing moon phase rituals can help you align your experience, intentions, and manifestations with the moon’s illuminating power.
Being your moon ritual by entering with specific intentions (depending on the moon’s phase).
MOON RITUAL intentions FOR EACH PHASE:
New Moon - Reset and Set Intentions
Waxing Crescent Moon - Nurture Yourself and Your New Ideas
First Quarter Moon - Create Action
Waxing Gibbous Moon - Root Into Your Plans and Refine Where Needed
Full Moon - Illuminate and Manifest
Waning Gibbous Moon - Express Gratitude and Reap the Benefits of Your Work
Last Quarter - Release Energy and Let Go of Stagnancy
Waning Crescent Moon - Celebration Completion and Cultivate Rest
how to create your own moon ritual
Choose practices that intuitively raise your internal vibration to create a moon ritual that resonates with you.
The goal of a moon ritual is to simply connect with yourself, your guides, your inner being, or whatever it is that lights you up. It can be a night of celebration, gratitude, manifestation, rest, or release.
While there are numerous instructions for creating moon cycle rituals, I recommend finding what works best for you! I include 4 essential practices in every moon ritual, which can be done in various ways.
what YOU’LL NEED:
Pen and paper for journaling
A candle
A small bowl of water
I also wear comfy clothing, keep the lights low, and make sure I have space to move.
4 Essential Practices For a Moon Ritual
Give each of these practices a try, and then craft a moon ritual of your own:
1. Breathwork
You don’t need to have regular breathwork practice for a moon ritual. You simply want to practice conscious breathing to create relaxation and calm. Deep “belly” breaths into the diaphragm with long, slow exhales are a good starting point.
In the book The Healing Power of the Breath, we learn that breathing can reset the body and mind. “By changing the patterns of breathing, it is possible to restore balance to the stress response systems, calm an agitated mind, relieve symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, improve physical health and endurance, elevate performance, and enhance relationships.”
A four-count of breath in, a hold of four, and an exhale of four is a good way to calm your mind and start a moon ritual. If you’d like to explore more breathwork techniques, there’s a myriad of offerings to be found with a quick google search.
2. Movement
This is where you can really have some fun! Movement can range from yoga poses to dance moves to anything in between. For example, in a recent new moon ceremony, I lead a group of women through the shamanic process of ‘dancing your spirit animal.’ The idea is to call the spirit of an animal (any animal you’re drawn to) into your body and then move like the animal moves.
We also did something completely different in another full moon circle I was a part of recently. We started by moving through a series of “cat and cow” sequences (a fundamental move in a yoga practice that begins with all fours rolling your spine up and down).
From there, we flowed from the cat/cow to swinging our hips in big circles to release any pent-up emotion held in the hips. In the yogic view, the hips store deep relationship wounds and other traumas.
Another example of releasing energy is practicing “lightning walking” (I created this one for my new moon ritual practice). Start by standing in a tall posture, then walk with heavy feet. As you take each step, visualize a bolt of lightning striking from your body into the floor. Any stagnant energy should be cleared from your body and grounded into the floor beneath you.
3. Visualization
Visualization is another opportunity to get creative. You can start with a simple meditation practice, visualizing whatever action you’re working on for that particular moon cycle—manifesting, clearing, refining, etc. I like to use a basic chakra visualization as a jumping-off point.
The seven chakras (which translates to “wheel” in Sanskrit) are the body’s primary energy centers. When our chakras are clear or “unblocked,” positive energy moves through them freely, and there’s a natural balance. The chakras begin at the base of the spine (the “root”) and work up, ending at the “crown” of the head.
In my “cleansing” visualization practice, I imagine the spinning wheels—moving from the root up to the crown—being cleansed by water, or spinning so fast that any blockages spin away. I see the water moving across each wheel and then washing through my body onto the floor beneath me.
In contrast, when I’m doing a “manifestation” visualization, I imagine each chakra spinning and emitting light around my body. Then, I close the visualization by imagining a magnet spinning above the crown of my head, attracting in all that I’m calling in for that lunar cycle.
4. Fire
When practicing with fire, consider the duality of what fire offers: things burn, and then new growth forms.
To perform a simple fire practice for letting go:
Set up a candle and a small bowl of water.
Write down anything you’re holding onto on little slips of paper.
Burn the paper in the flame and extinguish it in the water.
Visualize those things holding you back, leaving you as they go up in flames.
Another fire practice I love to do is for manifestation and calling in. First, I write down anything I’d like to call into my life for that lunar cycle. Then, I pause after writing and gaze into the candle while considering each item on my list.
I focus on the sensation of the light flowing into me and then imagine my manifestations rising up from the candle into the light of the moon. The room around me begins to fade as the candle flame takes over my awareness. This type of flame meditation is called “Trāṭaka.”
One more simple practice with fire is to light a new candle on the night of your new moon ritual while journaling out your intentions for that moon cycle. Then, every evening before you go to bed, light that candle again and revisit your stated intentions.
Align, Flow, Manifest, & Repeat
My goal in sharing these essential moon ritual practices—breath, movement, visualization, and fire—is to help you create a ritual that works best for you. When we learn to align with the energetics of the moon, we begin to flow with that celestial being (versus moving against it).
Oh! And in regards to the haircut question, “should you cut your hair according to the cycles of the moon?” My advice: always do what feels best to you.
Wanderfully yours,
Andi
