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The moon is the closest celestial body to the Earth. The moon circles the Earth approximately once every 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes to be exact. Together, the Earth and the moon, like the other seven planets and their moons, circle the sun. Wether we are talking about the moon in ancient cultures, in astrology, or even in alchemy, we find the basic meaning much the same: reflective, passive (as opposed to active), and feminine in magickal nature (although in some cultures the roll of the sun/male and moon/female were reversed). In Wicca, the moon represents the divine Goddess, where as the sun normally represents the power and force of the God. The idea of gender associated with the planets is an ancient one, dating back to about 500 B.C. and the Greek Mathematician Pythagoras, and may be older still, stretching into the 4,000-year-old Chinese concept of yin and yang, the primary elements of the universe, where yin symbolizes the feminine, dark, closed, wet and cold, and yang the masculine, light, open, dry and hot.
Wiccan celebrations are patterned after the celestial energies of the moon and sun. Esbats are evenings designed to work with the phases of the moon, and Sabbats are ceremonies dedicated to the seasonal changes of the sun. Most Witches these days refer to Esbats as circle nights. In astrology and Wicca, both the sun and moon are honorary planets, enjoying the same status as the other eight, and are considered two of the "big three" when choosing dates and times for magick and daily living.
The lunation cycle is the circuit from new moon to full moon, then back to new moon, which takes approximately twenty-nine-and-a-half days. In the Craft this twenty-nine-and-a-half day cycle is sometimes referred to as moon to moon; however, when some Witches say "moon to moon" they mean full moon to full moon, where as others mean new moon to new moon. There are two different ways to divide the moon's cycle;
The terminology first quarter means one thing in the quarterly separation and another in the phase system. First I want to explain the quarters.
The Quarters of the Moon
The first quarter begins at the new moon, when the sun and moon look like they are in the same place in the sky. They aren't really, of course but it appears that way from out position on the Earth. In fact, the moon is in front of the sun (because its orbit falls between us and that of the sun) so, therefore, the moon doesn’t appear to be visible at all. For those of you that are into astrology, this phenomenon is called a conjunction–when one planet occupies the same degree of the same astrological sign (if you were looking at a horoscope chart). Conjunctions are usually considered pretty cool things in astrology because that’s when two planets (or the sun and moon) mix their energies together and give a fairly nice magickal wallop to just about everything you do. A conjunction always stands for the birth of something, and in this case the moon and the sun are dancing cheek-to-cheek, making will and emotions work together (whether they like it or not). How they work together is easy to figure out–just look at the astrological sign they are visiting. This information is included in your almanac, so you don't have to know more than the keywords associated with each sign to figure out what kind of energy you are dealing with. When working with timing of any kind of a project, the first quarter always stands for beginnings. This first quarter (where the new moon slowly gains light) is your Go button. According to this timing you have 7.3 days to use this energy.
The second quarter begins halfway between the new moon and the full moon. Another word for this time period is waxing. This half moon rises around noon and sets around midnight, which is why if you look toward the western sky you'll see it floating there. This moon is going full tilt with the energy you gave it during its new cycle. It's still considered to be growing. In astrological terms, it is square the sun. Squares in zodiac lingo mean "challenges"--and if you want to get technical, the moon is now 90 degrees away from the sun (if you viewed a horoscope chart that represents this placement on paper). In magick, now's the time to take care of any hidden stumbling blocks that appear to be interfering with your magick. More power in the right place is the key. How do you know what kind of power? By this time the moon and the sun are not in the same sign. Check the keywords of both signs to give you a hint. Remember that in magick, as well as in astrology, the moon stands for emotion and the sun stands for the will.
In most cases the second quarter of the moon stands for continued growth, development, and the pathway to fruition of something you've already started. By the time the second quarter ends and the third quarter begins, we are half way through the lunation cycle and plop in the middle of the full moon. In magick (as well as daily life), most things that you want to increase are worked on or done in the first and second quarters of the moon.
The third quarter begins at the full moon. Its energy represents the beginning of the harvest of what you planned at the new moon. This energy will draw to a close right before the moon is declared new and the next lunar cycle begins. At this time, the moon is opposite the sun. The moon appears to glow because she is receiving the full effect of the sun’s rays. She reflects the light of the sunand we on are the recipients of this heavenly magick. This however technically isn't magick, its science. This is one of the reasons that Witchcraft is often described as the art and the science of magick. The art comes from how we use science to make magick.
The full moon stands for fullfillment, completion, power, expressing oneself emotionally in all forms of art and daily circumstances, maturity and fruition. It is now when you'll get a clue if your spellwork in on track or if it's stalled along the way. The full moon is also a heads up about life in general.
One and a half days after this full moon is the beginning of the waning moon. This is a good time to start banishing.
The fourth quarter begins half way between the full moon (just past) and the upcoming new moon. The decreasing moon of the waning cycle rises around midnight in the east and sets in the west around noon. The moon is once again in the square position, letting you know what challenges may remain in the original magick you did during the new moon, or what energy you may wish to apply in order to reap your desired final rewards.
Wiccans may also use the phases of the moon to determine the timing of their spells and rituals.
| NEW MOON
Purpose: Beginnings and impulses |
FULL MOON
Purpose: Completion and harvest. |
| CRESCENT
Purpose:Movement and action. |
DISSEMINATING
Purpose: Initial banishing and putting what you have |
| FIRST QUARTER
(not to be confused with the almanac's first quarter)
Purpose: Shaping energies and building. |
LAST QUARTER
Purpose: Destruction. |
| GIBBOUS
Purpose: Detail work and personal growth. |
BALSAMIC (DARK MOON)
Purpose: Rest. |
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