Guest Author - Fiona Blackwolf

The moon is an important entity in any Wiccan’s practice. In the physical world the cycles of the moon affect the tides of the oceans as well as the tides of emotion within people. After all, our bodies are made up of mostly water. Ask any police officer or emergency room nurse. People are affected by the moon. Mythology associates the moon with many Goddesses in many cultures. (It is important to note however, that not all Goddesses are moon goddesses.) How do we as Wiccans incorporate the cycles of the moon into our path? Let’s break things down into the phases of the moon and explore the meaning and magic that surrounds them.

The moon goes through approximately 13 phases as it makes its journey in the night sky every 28 days. In this article I will address the 4 general phases that are most widely recognized and utilized by Wiccans.

The most easily identified phase of the moon is the Full Moon. It is easy to see when the moon is round and bright in the sky. Generally speaking, the phase we call “full moon” includes the day before, day of, and the day after the astrological full moon. This is a time of great power because the moon is at the height of its strength. This is the best time to do any magical work that involves reaching its fullest potential, growth or celebration of abundance.

After the moon has reached its fullest, it begins to get smaller and smaller. This is the period called the Waning Moon. This is a good time to do workings that involve removing something from your life or making something smaller in some way. This is a great time for example to do work around getting rid of bad habits.

The darkest time is called the New Moon. This is another 3 day period. However, where the moon is most visible during the 3 days of the Full Moon, it is not visible at all during the New Moon. Many Wiccans consider this a time to do magic around hopes and wishes in order that the moon may carry them as it re-emerges from the darkness. Some Wiccans, however, do no magic on the actual day of the New Moon as it is considered a time of rest and rejuvenation. New Moon celebrations for these Wiccans might occur on the day before or the day after instead.

When the moon once again begins to show its light, we enter what is called the Waxing Moon. This is a time to begin things that you would like to increase through the time that the moon grows to fullness. The best time during the Waxing Moon to start a new venture is the day that the first sliver of light shows after the New Moon. This is called Diana’s Bow. It is named that after the Roman Goddess of the moon and the hunt, Diana (her Greek counterpart is Artemis).

Each phase of the moons 28 day travel across the sky has important benefits to the Wiccan path and it can be very helpful to check on the moons position when planning any spell, ritual or even mundane change in life. The power of the moon can lend energy to it all.