How to use the Moon Phases in your Magic, Spells and Witchcraft

Last Updated on July 10, 2022 by Wishbonix

Using Lunar Energy in Your Magic

Witches, practitioners, druids, and shamans have always viewed the moon as magical and mystical. Rituals were held under different moon phases, amulets were charged, spells were cast, or conjuring formulas were spoken. Even today, among other things, Wiccans and Practitioners of other magical traditions meet to celebrate the moon and its phases and harness lunar energy for their work.

Some people may be skeptical, but the moon does affect many parts of life, such as animal behavior, tides, and the development of plants. Therefore, since the moon can dictate mammal behavior, witches strongly believe that our energies also change due to the changing moon.

For rituals and spells, we follow the energy of the moon. Just as the moon has the power to move vast amounts of water during its cycle, the cycle also affects everything else on our planet. It has the ability to strengthen or weaken the energy of our rituals and spell work.

Therefore, scheduling a ritual according to the moon’s cycle is recommended. While it shouldn’t be a problem to wait for the proper moon phase, it is certainly more complicated to schedule the ritual so that we also hold it at the correct hour of the moon and, above all, in the appropriate zodiac sign. Sometimes we just don’t have time to wait months for the best-fitting zodiac sign – but we have found that the effort is worth it!

The Correspondences of the Moon

The Phases of the Moon

The lunar cycle evolves from the new to the full moon, and each cycle has its power and energy. You should keep the moon’s phases in mind when casting a spell. To give you an idea of how you can use the phases of the moon in rituals, the following is a basic outline of the different types of spells you can cast during each phase:

New Moon

In this phase, the moon is born again; it is only partially recognizable in the sky and begins to grow again. This phase stands for growth and vitality. The powers are still fresh and unused. Now inspiration and activity are required; new ideas have a good chance of being realized.

The lunar energy of a New Moon is used to cast spells that deal with personal growth and cleansing rituals. It’s a good time for new beginnings or ventures. It is also a time for health, love, romance, or job searching. You can cast new moon spells from the day it begins up until three and a half days after it starts.

The new moon is also a favorable phase for social events, celebrations, and invitations. But even those new beginnings that require a lot of self-confidence can now be tackled particularly successfully. Likewise, projects that require assertiveness are now to be undertaken well. The new moon is also an excellent time to sow and plant flowers and medicinal herbs in the garden.

Correspondences of the New Moon

• Color: Black
• Celebration: Samhain
• Plants: Wormwood, Locust, Vervain

Waxing Moon

The moon has the shape of a wider sickle, a croissant. In this phase, development and change are central issues. Decisions made at the new moon can now be implemented particularly well. The waxing moon also gives strength to overcome difficulties, strengthens self-confidence, and the self-healing powers are particularly active during this time.

The waxing moon is also a good time for business and important contracts. Monetary transactions, investments, and property purchases are now possible. It’s a good time for exams, studies, and discussions that require toughness and patience. If possible, new plantings in the garden should also take place in this moon phase.

The waxing moon is for constructive magical purposes and includes spells for love, success, wealth, friendship, courage, health, or luck. It occurs approximately seven to fourteen days following the new moon. The waxing moon helps to create as it is physically described as growing into the full moon, starting from the right side of the moon. Love spells like attraction spells and return lost lover spells are often cast during this phase. The waxing moon is the best time for positive or white magic. This magic attracts something.

Correspondences of the Waxing Moon

• Celebration: Imbolc

Full Moon

The full moon is an exciting time. In this phase, the moon reveals things that we may not yet know and that are otherwise not part of our lives. Your feelings become more intense and cannot always be controlled. Often, strong desires, ideas, fantasies, dreams, or impulses from our subconscious are revealed to us so that we are forced to deal with them.

At full moon, therefore, a particularly large number of people react aggressively if they are not left alone or are irritated unnecessarily. The full moon is a good time for arguments with yourself, spell work, and psychic work. Dreamwork can now also be done well – since we are more in contact with our subconscious than usual. The full moonlight is one of the most magical of the lights; it heals and calms; it makes things grow and immerses nature in an ethereal, shimmering light that changes everything and makes it appear enchanted. Even more, the moon develops its strength when it comes close to a planet (planet constellation) that is important for your birth constellation.

The full moon is the ideal time for performing protection, divination, and prophecy rituals. Anything in one’s life that requires extra power, such as healing for a severe ailment, finding a new job, etc., should be done during this phase. Other spells to be cast at this time include love, legal undertakings, knowledge, dreams, and money. The full moon occurs fourteen to seventeen and a half days from the new moon. The full moon phase is when the moon appears in its full glory and is the best time for protection spells.

Correspondences of the Full Moon

• Colors: Red, Green
• Celebrations: Beltane
• Metal: Silver
• Plant: Sandalwood

The Waning Moon

Now the crescent of the moon is getting narrower again. This phase is characterized by farewell and departure. It is an excellent time to introduce changes, separations, and goodbyes. It is also a good time to clean the house and to perform cleaning or protection rituals. To clear out the basement and the soul – tidying up and letting go of unnecessary things also has a psychological function. It helps feel more centered afterward and is especially useful in clearing unresolved issues. Also, mowing the lawn in the garden will not grow as quickly, dig up plants, and cut trees and bushes for winter; the energy of the waning moon is highly beneficial.

The waning moon is when the moon decreases in appearance after the full moon has shone. Since the moon is decreasing in appearance, magic spells used to banish evil and negative energies work the best during this time. This is the time to banish magic and rid oneself of negativity, including illness and addictions. The waning moon occurs three and a half to ten and a half days from the full moon, and it is the best time for ‘negative’ magic. This magic helps to get rid of something.

Correspondences of the Waning Moon

• Celebration: Lughnasadh

Dark Moon

The dark moon is the phase designated for dealing with enemies. It is also a time to uncover our darkest emotions and understand our passions and angers. Spells cast during this stage are often associated with justice. The dark moon occurs ten and a half to fourteen days from the full moon. The dark moon phase comes approximately 2-3 days before the new moon phase and is similar in appearance.

Correspondences of the Dark Moon

• Color: Black
• Celebration: Samhain
• Plants: Wormwood, Locust, Vervain

Special Lunar Events

Lunar Eclipse

A lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon and appears when the earth is between the sun and the moon. It can be observed on the entire night side of the earth and lasts a maximum of 3 hours 40 minutes.

Which Spells and Rituals are best during a Lunar Eclipse?

A Lunar Eclipse is best suited for spell work related to increasing psychic abilities, magical power, divination, intuition, and wisdom. It is also a good time for spells related to love, relationships, romance, health, protection, and money.

The Different Lunar Eclipses are:

Total Lunar Eclipse

The moon moves entirely into the earth’s shadow during a lunar eclipse. The totality lasts at most 100 minutes. Considering the geometric conditions in a total lunar eclipse, the moon should lie in the earth’s umbra. This should theoretically extend almost 1.4 million kilometers into space, but it only reaches about 250,000 kilometers because of the strong scattering through the earth’s atmosphere. The moon is, therefore, not wholly darkened, even in total darkness. Since the earth’s atmosphere scatters the blue portions of sunlight more than the red ones, the moon appears as a dark red-brown disc in complete darkness, hence the occasional name “blood moon.”

Partial Lunar Eclipse

During a partial lunar eclipse, only a part of the moon is shadowed by the earth; that is, a part of the moon remains visible throughout the course of the eclipse.

Penumbral eclipse

During a penumbral eclipse, the moon is only (partially or completely) immersed in the penumbra of the earth. Penumbral eclipses are fairly unremarkable; there is only a slight graying of the moon side that is closest to the umbra of the earth.

Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse is only perceived as such by the view from earth. The sun, of course, continues to shine while the earth lies in the shadow of the moon. Corresponding to the lunar eclipse, one would have to speak correctly of an earth eclipse.

Blue Moon

The Blue Moon occurs on average every 2.4 years as the second full moon in the month. The Blue Moon was officially named in 1819, and its magical nights are said to release a lot of energy and can assist with strong and potent magic.

The fact that the moon is very popular and very special may be due to the rarity in which it shows us its beautiful light in the sky.

Which Spells and Rituals are best during a Blue Moon?

The Blue Moon is an extremely potent time for spell work. It is especially suited for spells that require potency, challenging problems, and matters that require fast success. During this time, you may want to charge and bless your tools, herbs, candles, and crystals with the potent lunar energies of the blue moon.

Black Moon

A Black Moon may mean something different from one practitioner or coven to another.

What is a Black Moon?

• A Second New Moon in the same month
• Third New Moon in a Season
• No New Moon in February
• No Full Moon in February

Which Spells and Rituals are best during a Black Moon?

Just like a Blue Moon, the Black Moon offers us increased potency. Use the Black Moon to cast spells for new beginnings, truth, psychic abilities, or any spell that requires extreme potency.

Super Moon

During this fascinating natural spectacle, the moon comes remarkably close to the earth and releases fascinating forces – and these can be harnessed to influence our spiritual work strongly.

Which Spells and Rituals are best during a Super Moon?

It is a time of great transformation, a lot of energy is flowing, and we can use this time to let go and grow. The full moon helps us to forgive and start again. It gives us the strength to break new ground and spark new ideas.

How to Use Moon Energy in Your Magic

(From Everyday Wicca: Magickal Spells Throughout the Year by Gerina Dunwich)

The 13 Full Moon Esbats

Full Moon Oil

Now that you know the basics of the different phases of the moon, something else you may want to make part of your spells experience is full moon oil.

This is an oil used to anoint candles or oneself during a full moon ritual. It can also be used when the moon’s energy is needed for moon spells and our full moon love spell. You need to make the oil before the full moon. It consists of the following ingredients:

• 13 drops of sandalwood essential oil
• Nine drops of vanilla essential oil or extract
• Three drops of jasmine essential oil
• One drop of rose essential oil

Click here to learn more about the Magical Properties of Oils

If you find the idea of casting moon spells intriguing, you will need a Magical or Witches’ Almanac to keep up with the moon’s phases. You can find one of these almanacs online, in a specialty occult store, or the “New Age” section of a large bookstore, locally or online.

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