The Moon Phases & Magic

In ancient times, when people were closer to nature, they understood the influence of the Moon. Today, in our urban lives, this knowledge has been largely lost. This is a great tragedy, not least, because we no longer live within those natural rhythms. For Healers it is vital that we understand the Waxing and Waning Lunar Phases in order to work with the tides, rather than against them.

Each day, the Moon moves approximately 12.7 degrees. The complete cycle from New Moon to New Moon takes about 28 days, the average length of the menstrual cycle. The cycle of the Lunar phases give us markers in the evolution and change of circumstances - the Moon looks different every day; it does not even appear in exactly the same place each day. Unfortunately, there are many cycles at work, and few astrologers understand the mechanisms at work - ask an astronomer!

The qualities of the phases below are taken from an astrological aspects such as Squares, Trines.

Waxing Phase - New Moon to Full Moon - individual initiative

0 -180: Growth, development, expansion, moving to a goal. A sense of optimism, extravagance. Willingness to take risks, explore, begin enterprises.
0: Initiation of seed idea. Death and rebirth. Beginning of movement
60: The establishment of the idea in the world. Strong growth
90: Crisis. Testing and strengthening in order to overcome obstacles
120: The idea flowers and is accepted, and begins to motivate others
180: Reaping the fruit, but where do we go now?

Waning Phase - Full Moon to New Moon

180 - 360: Consideration of society - loss of the self
240: Motivating in society
270: The need to justify the idea within the world and reassert itself
The idea consolidates itself into daily life of the world: 360
Death of the old cycle and rebirth of the idea in a new guise

Extra information to the Lunar Phases

0 - New: The beginning of the cycle, the seed is sown
45 - Crescent: New Moon to First Quarter is a time of new beginnings, new thoughts and ideas that take a tentative hold in the mind. The Crescent Moon shows how the Seed of the New Moon is likely to take hold so that no other ideas can take root at the same time. The sprouts start to show through the ground, so that there is public awareness of the action
90 - First Quarter: Physical manifestation, a time of action, building up the Ego, pushing ideas. Rapid growth.
135 - Gibbous: Understanding and working with the energy. Being able to believe and have faith with the process that is going on. The results of the actions are in sight, but they are not yet right.
180 - Full: Time to reap the rewards, for good or evil. Not a time for new ideas, but a time to recollect, to receive. The peak has been reached: there is nowhere else to go.
225 - Disseminating: The harvest is over, there is no more, no challenge, so there is a desire for change in work. The Waning Phase is more reflective, life has moved on.
270 - Third Quarter: A reorientation or re-arrangement of skills. Life is reviewed, so there is just as much pre-occupation of the past as to what the future holds. Actions work best by restructuring old skills rather than new ones.
315 - Balsamic: The last phase. Security is important as circumstances change. Friends change. This is the time to clear out the old and bring in the new. Gaps begin to appear into one's life, which brings a sense of unease - there is a natural tendency to withdraw from life. Nature conspires to increase this feeling. The preparation for the New Moon

Lunar Tides related to the Four Seasons

The occult aspect to the lunar phases can be expanded to cover the four seasons, beginning at the Spring equinox.

Spring - Beltaine: Stimulation - New Works
Summer - Lughnasadh: Completion - Work to produce on the material plane
Autumn - Samhuinn: Quiescence - Work to produce on the Spiritual plane
Winter - Imbolc: Conflict - Withdrawal (avoidance of trouble). Work done to disrupt the Spring.

Lunar Tides and Magical actions

First Quarter: Inception and growth
Full Moon: Powerful actions
Gibbous Moon: Not a time for action
Darkening Moon: Malefic actions
Dark Moon: Black magic
Eclipse: Black magic

The Four Elements in the Daily Cycle

There is also a daily cycle of the four elements, starting at sunrise, starting with Spirit, then Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Spirit rules for approximately two hours, so each sub-element lasts for about 24 minutes. Air is the next element, and so on. To make things more complicated, adjustments have to be made for the length of the day.