Understanding Waxing VS Waning Lunar Energy + How They Relate to Full Moons

The moon’s influence over the tides serves as a constant reminder of its continuous push and pull of energy. Each phase of the moon imparts a specific kind of energy onto you and any magickal workings you perform. When we zoom out and take a more straightforward look at lunar energy, we can understand it as expansive vs. contracting energy.

I’ve been sharing an annual moon phase calendar with my newsletter subscribers for the past five years. One of the most common questions I receive is how to use the moon phase calendar. This simplest and most effective way, in my belief, is to weave the waxing and waning energy of the phases into your life. 

It can feel overwhelming to keep track of every single moon phase and its ever-changing astrological sign. Working with each phase (new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, etc.) is more nuanced but isn’t necessary to fully benefit from the effects of lunar energy. 

In a busy world where self-care is shouted from the rooftops, shouldn’t we be finding ways to connect with ourselves and nature in easier ways? Rather than skipping the ritual or the meditation because it seems like "too much"” I want to offer you easy methods to honor lunar energy. 

Cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

Waxing Energy Vs. Waning Energy

When we break down lunar energy into its purest forms, we have waxing energy and waning energy. Waxing energy is in alignment with growth, expansion, and abundance. Waning energy is in alignment with releasing, surrendering, and resting. 

When does the waxing phase happen?

The waxing phase of the moon cycle begins at the new moon and ends at the peak of the moon’s fullness. 

When does the waning phase happen?

The waning phase begins the moment the moon starts decreasing in light and ends at the dark moon. If you’d like some clarity about the dark moon vs. the new moon, check out this previous blog post I shared. 

Waxing Moon Energy Correspondences

• Elements: Fire and Air

• Yang 

• Action

• Growth

• Abundance 

• Celebration

• Accumulation

• Seeking

• Motivation

WaningMoon Energy Correspondences

• Elements: Water and Earth

• Yin

• Passive

• Releasing

• Letting go

• Surrender

• Acceptance

• Peace

• Review

• Integration

• Reflection

• Rest

Working With Waxing & Waning Energy Daily

Once you begin working with the phases of the moon in this way, you’ll likely feel more in tune with her energy. Rather than looking up the specific dates for each new moon and full moon, you’ll be in flow with the entire cycle of mama moon. You may begin to feel so in sync with her energy that you instinctively recognize waxing vs. waning energy on a soul level. 

In my practice, I rely on the energy of the waxing or waning moon for basic decisions throughout my day. Throughout my day, I may decide to do or not do certain things based on the moon being in a waxing or waning phase. 

Aid in Decision Making 

When faced with the decision to push forward or let it go, notice what moon phase you’re in for guidance. If you’re in a waxing phase, push on; if you’re in a waning phase, consider letting it go. This idea can be applied to interactions with people, manifesting work, and projects. Of course, there are times when you may not have the option to “let go” of a project that genuinely needs to get finished. If you’re in a waning moon phase and really need to complete something, you can still make a mental shift to let go of expectations and desired outcomes. It’s a subtle but powerful shift.

Burning Candles

Candle magick is one of the easiest ways to shift your energy. When you align it with lunar energy, it is even more potent. When I say “candle magick” in regards to daily energy work, I simply mean lighting a colored candle that’s in alignment with lunar energy, that’s it!

Candle colors that align with waxing energy: white, red, yellow, orange, green, gold

Candle colors that align with waning energy: black, blue, purple, pink, brown, silver

Here’s an example of how to apply this to a real-life situation. If you’re trying to bring more financial abundance into your life and it’s a waxing moon phase, light a green candle to expand your wealth, if it’s a waning moon phase, light a blue candle to bring in a sense of peace and acceptance around your desire to increase your financial abundance. 

Adding and Clearing Energy

When you get in tune with the cycle of the moon, you may find that you enjoy cleansing the energy of yourself and your space more during the waning moon phase. Because the energy of the waning moon is associated with releasing, clearing, and letting go, it will amplify your desires to cleanse and purify. Alternatively, if you feel the need to add energy to yourself or your space, the waxing moon phase will be in better alignment. 

Wearing specific crystals

One of my favorite ways to stay in sync with waxing and waning energy is to wear specific gemstones that are in alignment with the current energy of the moon. Here's a list of crystals that align with waxing vs. waning energy.

Waxing Moon Crystals: citrine, tiger's eye, green moss agate, sunstone, pyrite, sodalite, lapis lazuli, green aventurine, garnet, rainbow moonstone, turquoise, fluorite, kyanite, carnelian, and malachite.

Waning Moon Crystals: obsidian, snowflake obsidian, hematite, black tourmaline, rose quartz, smoky quartz, rhodonite, prehnite, larimar, black moonstone, onyx, jasper, labradorite, and bloodstone.

Full Moons & Waxing and Waning Energy

The different energy associated with the waxing vs. the waning phases of the moon is especially relevant for the full moon. The full moon is the most intense point of the lunar cycle, so understanding the waning vs. the waxing side of it is really helpful! The full moon can be broken down into three parts, waxing side of the full moon, 100% lumination (which only happens for about one minute!), and waning side of the full moon. If you are going to perform a more in-depth ritual, knowing which side of the full moon to perform it on will add a very intense and specific kind of energy to your ritual. 

I hope this breakdown of waxing vs. waning lunar energy helps you feel more confident in your ability to connect with the moon daily! You can find more in-depth rituals to work with lunar energy in the blog posts below:

• How to Journal with the Moon Phases + 10 Journal Prompts

• Meditations for Each Moon Phase + Free Guided Meditation

• 4 Rituals for the Waning Moon + Card Spread

• Rituals for Every Moon Phase // Free Printable Moon Cards

• New Moon Card Spread

• Yoga, Mantra, Pranayama for the Full Moon

• More Full Moon Suggestions

• Three Dark Moon Rituals

3 Rituals for Letting Go

What is your relationship with letting go?

Ritual and magical practice can help us with more than manifesting, attracting, and calling in. It can also help us shed, let go, and transform ourselves and parts of our lives. The winter season invites us to incubate, release, and hibernate. It is an ideal time for release work (as well as the fall!). The phases of the moon that correspond to release are all the waning phases - the waning gibbous moon, the last quarter moon, the waning crescent moon, and the dark moon. Learn more about the phases of the moon with The Ritual Deck (pictured below.)

Before we get into the rituals, I also want to add that we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to let go of things, and I want to honor that letting go can be really hard. Especially if what we’re letting go of has been something we have loved and cherished but is no longer a fit, feels comfortable, and/or feels safe. 

So please, be gentle with yourself, be kind to yourself, and let release happen on your own timeline. 

Keep scrolling to find a few rituals to support you in letting go.

MOON RITUAL FOR LETTING GO

Our sweet, gorgeous moon is more than just an archetype, a deity, or energy. She is a real living body just like the Earth that we can go outside and look at, connect with, and talk to. I think sometimes we forget this but this is one of my favorite practices! 

This is ideal to do when the moon is in its waning phases but still visible (so not the dark moon). 

For this ritual, what you’ll need is yourself, an offering for the moon, and clarity on what you’re releasing. Your offering could be anything - a plate of your dinner, a glass of water, a branch, a flower, a drawing, a song - let your intuition guide you and go with what feels right. 

When you have your offering, it’s ideal to go outside and sit or stand under the moon. If it’s really cold out or you don’t have space outdoors to do this, you can also sit by a window - that works just as well! 

Take some time to center and ground yourself, entering a ritual space. Turn your gaze to the moon, ask to connect with her, and share your offering with her. Spend some time gazing at her and share your offering with her in whatever way feels good to you.

When you’re ready, tell her what you’re desiring to release. Ask for her help letting go. Sit in meditation, drawing down her energy and light through your crown and your whole body, letting this energy fill you up and either help you release whatever you’re desiring to release internally (blocks, fears, internal limits, ways of talking to self, etc), or charge you with the courage and power to release externally (a relationship, a job, a situation, project, etc.). 

When you feel the energy shift, you know you’re finished! Thank the moon, ground yourself again, and spend some time journaling and processing afterward. 

TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD FOR LETTING GO

For this ritual, you’ll need your tarot or oracle deck and journal. Take some time to create a ritual space, whatever that means to you, and ground yourself before working with your cards. Set the intention to communicate with your highest self, spirit guides, ancestors, intuition, or any other deities or beings you had a relationship with.

Once you’re fully present, shuffle your deck and pull cards for the following questions:

1. What do I need to let go of at this time?

2. Why do I need to let go?

3. What is on the other side of this release?

4. Supportive energies to connect with to help me let go.

Take your time with each card, really letting its messages move through you. I find it incredibly helpful to either meditate with my cards or journal about each card and what the spread means to me. I always get more information and a deeper understanding this way.

When you feel complete, it could be nice to add the cards to your altar - particularly the first and third cards - to support you throughout the release. 

CANDLE MAGICK FOR LETTING GO

I love working with fire in spells and rituals, so naturally, I love candle magick! Fire is such a powerful element with its ability to transform and transmute - think of how fire turn logs into ash. It helps things change shape, die, and transform. 

For this spell, you’ll need a black candle, a tarot card or oracle card representing what you’re releasing, and a safety pin to carve your candle.

Start by grounding yourself and casting your circle. Call in any supportive deities, guides, or other beings you have a connection with to join your circle and help you.

Next, you’ll want to intentionally choose the card from your deck that most represents what you’re releasing at this time. Take your time with this and really make sure you’re clear on what you’re desiring to release.

Once you have your card, it’s time to carve your candle. Carve into your candle any words and/or symbols that represent letting go to you. For example, I like to carve the glyph for Pluto into my candles when I work with releasing spells. Pluto represents change, rebirth, and transformation. Symbols and words work best when they’re personal to you, so don’t worry as much about the technical meaning and just intuitively choose what feels right to you!

Once your candle is ready, set it up with your card under it and take a few deep breaths. Speak your intention aloud as you light your candle, saying, “As I light this candle, I release X.” You might like to spend some time gazing into the candle flame as you focus on this intention.

Then, it’s time to raise energy. You can raise energy however feels good to you - you might chant, sing, dance, do breathwork, or use any other tool that feels good to you. As your candle burns, you are raising energy in order to support this release.

When you feel the energy is at its peak, direct it with your intention towards releasing whatever it is you are releasing from your body, from your life. 

When you feel complete, ground yourself again. Let the candle burn all the way down, thank any beings who joined you to help facilitate this release, and re-open your circle. Spend some time processing in your journal afterward, writing down what came up for you and what you felt.

Full Moon High Priestess Mist

The High Priestess is the archetype in the tarot’s major arcana, who reminds us that we have all the answers we need within us. Ruled by the moon and associated with the triple goddess, divine feminine, and the story of Persephone’s descent into the underworld, the High Priestess, brings us deep within to awaken our connection to our wisdom and intuition.

I love working with tarot archetypes in different ways, and one of those ways is by making mists. In this post, I’ll be sharing how to create a High Priestess mist to connect you to your intuition - a connection that is your birthright. High Priestess card from The Starchild Tarot.

High Priestess card from The Starchild Tarot.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• A spray bottle

• Small tumbled crystal chips of amethyst or another stone you intuitively connect the High Priestess to (note that some stones dissolve or lose their luster in water) 

• Water charged under the full moon

• Witch hazel 

• Essential oils of frankincense, clary sage, and/or sandalwood 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MIST

The ingredient that may or may not take the longest to get (depending on where the moon is as you’re reading this!) is water charged under the full moon. I recommend charging your water on the night before the moon is technically full - so for example, if the moon is full at 8:30 am on Saturday, charge your water on Friday night, not Saturday night. 

All you need to do to charge your water is to place a bowl or glass of water under the full moon and leave it out overnight. Place some amethyst in your water if you'd like, but it's totally optional. You can drink your excess water or use it in rituals and spells! 

Once you have your full moon water, I recommend creating this spray on the day of the full moon. Here are your steps:

1. Fill half the bottle with witch hazel 

2. Add 25-30 drops of essential oils (if using multiple oils, split up the drops according to whatever scents you prefer!)

3. Add your crystal chips

4. Fill the rest of the bottle with the full moon charged water

5. Close the bottle and shake!

If you’d like, it can be nice to spend a little time meditating with the mist to set intentions for it to connect you with the High Priestess within you. Use the mist before doing divination work to infuse your space with High Priestess Energy, before meditation, and in ritual and spellwork around intuition.

Let your intuition inspire your use and enjoy! Click here to share your mist with us on Instagram. 

3 Simple Protection Rituals

Those of us who are energetically sensitive, connected to the spirit realm, or in a process of opening up our psychic abilities may find ourselves feeling drained or sometimes connecting with negative, unwelcome energy. That’s where protection rituals come in, to help protect us from unwanted energies and spirits.

This time of the year when the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is the thinnest is ideal for all of us to do protection rituals!

I’ve got you covered in this blog. Keep scrolling to find three rituals for protection.

ANCESTORS + GUIDES PROTECTION RITUAL

This protection ritual is intended to help you call on the protection and guidance of your spiritual support team: your well ancestors, spirit guides, angels, and any other energies who have your highest and best interests at heart. You’ll need:

• A black candle

• Salt

• Rosemary

• Bergamot oil or a simple oil like grapeseed

Before you begin, prep your candle. Cover your candle in oil and roll it in a mixture of salt and rosemary. Then, start your ritual by grounding yourself and casting your circle. Sit in meditation, focusing on your breath, or do a little breathwork to bring yourself into a clear, open, receptive state.

• When you feel ready, light your candle. Speak aloud and ask these spirits and energies, one at a time, to join your circle:

• Well ancestors from your mother’s lineages

• Well ancestors from your father’s lineages

• Spirit guides

• Angels

• Any other helpful beings who have your highest and best at heart

When you feel them arrive, thank them. Ask them to protect you, ask them if they have any messages you need to receive right now and ask them if they have a symbol of protection to offer you. Take as long as you’d like here, breathing and listening.

Ask these helpful beings what you can offer them as thanks for their protection. Maybe it’s a sweet treat, some wine, a prayer, or a song. If it’s a physical offering and you have what you need, gather the offering and place it on your altar. If not, return to your altar tomorrow with the offering. If it’s something like a prayer or a song, offer it to them.

Thank your ancestors and guides for their help and let them go as you let your candle burn all the way down. Begin working with the protection symbol offered by these helpful beings in whatever ways feel right to you. Maybe you paint it and hang it in your space, write it in your journal, carve it into candles, customize it as a necklace, or invoke it in future rituals.

CHARM BAG FOR PROTECTION

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know I love charm or spell bags! Here’s what you’ll need:

• A small bag (If you want to use a colored bag, opt for black)

• Yarrow or rosemary

• Smoky quartz, black tourmaline, or malachite

• Kundalini protection mantra Aad Guray Nameh

• Symbols: Hamsa Hand, Eye of Horus, a pentacle, crossed spears, and/or any other personal symbol of protection

Gather your items and ground yourself. Place each item in your bag one by one, visualizing protective energy pouring into your bag and swirling around you, creating a flexible bubble of protection that only allows in the most loving, helpful energies.

Once each item is in the bag, I recommend placing your hands on the bag and chanting the mantra Aad Guray Nameh until you feel complete. You know your bag is ready when you feel an energy shift. Carry the bag with you as you move through your day or place it by your bed for protection as you sleep.

SALT BATH RITUAL FOR PROTECTION

Salt has long been known to have powerful protective energy. For this simple salt bath ritual, you’ll need:

Pure salt

A black pillar candle

Optional: yarrow or another favorite protection herb

Start running your bathwater. As the tub fills, sit in meditation to ground yourself and create an internal ritual space. A few deep belly breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth is a beautiful way to ground and come into your body.

When you feel grounded, add the salt and herbs if you’re using them to your bath. Sprinkle a little salt and any other herbs you’re using into the top of the black candle and light it near your bath.

Spend time meditating in your bath, invoking the four elements and any other protective energies you connect with to surround you, support you, and help you. Stay present and really feel how it feels to be surrounded by loving energy. Ask the elements to create a protective field around you as you emerge from the bath, keeping any harmful energies and spirits away.

To complete the ritual, light your pillar candle every day for the next 3 days until it burns all the way down.

The Witch’s Herb // 3 Magickal Uses for Mugwort

Mugwort, or Artemisia vulgaris, is touted as the witch’s herb. Mugwort is a powerful plant that every witch should have in their arsenal, but the richness of its history goes far beyond the witch. Mugwort is viewed as a weed and a nuisance by some, but don’t let this plant fool you, it’s powerful and potent!

Mugwort has been used for thousands of years and has a multitude of purposes, including ancient beer production, acupuncture, and protection rituals, to name a few. I’ll be focusing on ways to use Mugwort in your spiritual and magickal practice. Keep scrolling for four ways to use Mugwort.

Oracle card featured from The Ritual Deck.

Space Cleansing with Mugwort

There’s been a spotlight on the overharvesting of other plants commonly used in magickal and spiritual practices like white sage and palo santo. There’s undoubtedly some truth to these claims, and white sage and Palo Santo are not always the best option. If you do feel uneasy about using white sage and Palo Santo, or simply want an alternative, Mugwort is a pleasant and powerful option.

Similar to white sage, mugwort is an antimicrobial that can be used to purify the air of your space. Science has caught up with what many of our ancestors already knew, herbal smoke of certain antimicrobial plants can kill bacteria, and mugwort is one of them!

Mugwort has a light, earthy, and slightly sweet aroma. Many prefer it to white sage, myself included. To burn mugwort for energy cleansing you’ll need dried mugwort that’s either loose or in stick form. Use mugwort smoke to cleanse your space by wafting the smoke around with your hand or a large feather.

Beyond cleansing the air of your space, burning mugwort will offer protection and enhance your intuition. Keep reading for more about using mugwort for protection and intuition.

Protection with Mugwort

It’s quite astonishing how many cultures have relied on Mugwort as a protective tool. Native American cultures have used mugwort as a form of protection against ghosts, and as an amulet during sleep to protect against nightmares. In China, mugwort was used to dispel evil spirits during the Dragon Festival. There’s even a reference to St. John the Baptist wearing a wreath of mugwort as protection against evil spirits. In Europe, mugwort was often planted around houses as a form of protection.

Here’s a list of ways to employ the protective benefits of mugwort in your practice:

• Burn dried mugwort in loose or stick form to cleanse and protect your space before performing psychic and intuitive work.

• Hang mugwort above doorways to prevent negativity from entering.

• Plant mugwort around your house for external protection. Be careful, this plant is invasive and can spread quickly!

• Make a satchel of dried mugwort to carry with you for protection on the go.

Magick & Psychic Work with Mugwort

Mugwort is associated with the Goddess Artemis and the moon. These lunar ties give mugwort a strong connection to femininity, psychic work, and all things sleep-related. Another reason for using mugwort while practicing psychic work is how protective it is. Performing psychic work makes you vulnerable to psychic attacks and other negative energies. The protective properties of mugwort are another likely reason it became such a popular tool for witches.

Oracle cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

Here are some ways to use mugwort as a magickal tool:

• The next time you’re doing a card reading or any other intuitive work, aid your intuition by burning some mugwort or drinking a cup of mugwort tea before you begin your practice. Note: Pregnant or nursing women should not consume mugwort.

• To enhance your dreams, receive messages in your dreams, and practice lucid dreaming, place a pillow of dried mugwort under your pillow as you sleep.

• Create a psychic protection charm bag.

• Steep mugwort in a bowl of water to use as cleansing water for your psychic tools, only the ones that can get wet, of course! This is a great option for crystal balls, pendulums, and mirrors used for scrying.

• If you have access to mugwort plants, their stalks are hearty and make beautiful wands for circle casting and spellwork.

• Mugwort is associated with the crone phase of the Triple Goddess and is an excellent plant to work with when working with this energy.

Mugwort has been revered for its medicinal uses as well, especially in women, but that’s a post for another day! If you want to learn more about mugwort, I encourage you to continue to research it, and there’s much to gain from this magickal plant.

WATER MAGICK 101

Water is associated with the moon, the direction of the west, the Cups suit in the tarot, and the zodiac signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Water signifies intuition, surrender, dreams, emotions, and psychic abilities. It is oceans, rivers, ponds, the moon, waterfalls, light rain, hurricanes, and tsunamis. It extinguishes fire and floods Earth. It cleanses and purifies, and connects us with the deepest parts of ourselves.

We can use the element of water in ritual, spellwork, and spiritual practice and that’s what I’ll be talking about in this blog. Keep scrolling to learn what water magick is and find different ways to practice it.

WHAT IS WATER MAGICK?

My favorite definition of magick comes from Starhawk, who said: “Magick is the ability to change energy at will.” So water magick is simply changing energy using the element of water and all that it represents, as I shared above.

We can do magick with any of the elements. There is air magick, fire magick, and Earth magick as well. But in this article, we’ll be exclusively exploring water magick.

SCRYING

Scrying is an ancient divination practice where you connect with your intuition and make the unseen seen by gazing onto a reflective surface. Some common reflective surfaces to use are the full moon or a black bowl filled with water.

You can do scrying with other substances such as fire, a crystal ball, or a mirror, but when working with water magick you want to choose something associated with water like the options I’ve shared above.

To begin your scrying practice, create a ritual space for yourself and either go outside and find a view of the moon or gather your bowl and water. As I walk you through scrying, I’ll use the example of a bowl of water. For this practice, you’ll want to be in a dark room with only one or two candles lit.

Once your space is ready, enter a trance state through meditating, energy work, drumming, chanting, breathwork, or any other practice that helps you drop into your subconscious mind.

Once you feel like you’re in an altered state of consciousness, relax your eyes and gaze into your bowl of water. Breathe deeply, let yourself soften, and ask a question silently (for example, what is holding me back in X situation? Or what do I need to know about Y?).

Gaze into the bowl and let yourself see what you see. It may take time for images to come up, but if you stay focused and present, they will. Allow the images, words, and sensations to flow, rather than holding on to them tightly.

When you feel like you’re done, you’re done! Spend some time journaling after about what you felt and saw to help you answer the questions you came to receive answers for. Remember, the subconscious mind works with symbolism, so don’t discount anything that you see even if you’re not quite sure what it means at first!

CLEANSING SPELL

This simple spell helps us use the element of water to release and is best worked during the waning and dark moon times. You’ll need:

A large glass of water

A piece of paper and pen

To start, choose what you’re focusing on releasing. Maybe is blocks to self-love, fear of being seen, a harmful way of speaking to yourself, or self-judgment.

Once you’ve decided what you’re ready to release (you’re welcome to spend some time journaling on this to get clear), start making a list of all the limiting beliefs and stories that you hold associated with this block.

For example, let’s say you’re working with clearing fear of being seen. Your list might hold beliefs like:

I’m not good enough

If people see who I really am, they won’t love me

I’m too weird

Keep letting the beliefs flow! I tend to fill up a whole page when I do this spell.

Once you have your list, it’s time to work the spell. Ground yourself, cast your circle, and pick up your list. You’re going to say the first belief out loud, starting with “I clear the belief that ________ from my body” and then taking a big sip of water. Pause and notice, feeling and visualizing the water moving through your body, cleansing this belief from your system on every level.

Repeat this for each belief on your list, taking your time and really feeling the beliefs move out of your body.

MOONGAZING

Personally, this is one of my favorite practices. It’s best done when the moon is full or around fullness. All you need is yourself, the moon, and your creativity for this practice.

In its simplest form, simply go outside, sit or stand under the moon, and gaze up at her beauty. Beam a heart full of love towards her, and feel her filling you up with her lunar energy.

You might like to take it further in a number of ways:

Drawing down the moon (opening up your arms and visualizing your crown opening to receive lunar energy

Singing to the moon

Writing poems to the moon and reading them to her

Asking her questions and sitting in meditation under her light to receive answers

There’s no right or wrong way to moon gaze. Let your intuition and creativity be your guide!

CHARGE WATER UNDER THE MOON

A powerful form of water magick is charging water under the full moon at night and then using it. In its simplest form, you simply drink the water. You can also use the water in spell workings, water your plants with it, or add it to your ritual bath (which we’ll explore below).

You are welcome to charge just a glass of water under the moon. However, you could also add a crystal to your glass that’s related to your intention for extra power. Here are some suggestions:

Rose quartz for a love infusion

Green aventurine for an abundance infusion

Amethyst for clear sight and intuition

Citrine for personal powerObsidian for protection

Carnelian for creativity

Clear quartz as an amplifier for any intention. Use alone or with another crystal!

You can work with any crystal you’d like, just remember that some crystals are water-soluble so check first to make sure it won’t dissolve in your water overnight.

SPEND TIME IN BODIES OF WATER

If you’re lucky enough to live near a body of water, going to that body of water whether it’s a lake, river, or ocean and immersing yourself in it for cleansing and purification is one of the most powerful forms of water magick there is. Turn a simple dip into magick by using your presence, breath, and intention to receive the medicine of the water.

Card featured from The Ritual Deck.

RITUAL BATH

If you can’t get to a body of water or it’s too cold to get in, a ritual bath is a beautiful way to immerse yourself in the power of water. In this blog post, I share some herbal bath recipes for specific intentions to help make your bath extra magical. But again, if all you bring to your bath is your presence, breath, and intention - that’s all the magick you need. Everything else is just an extra amplifier!

Three Dark Moon Rituals

The dark moon is one of my personal favorite times of the cycle. It’s the last few days of the waning time of the cycle, when the moon continues to shrink and eventually disappears from the sky.

Different traditions honor the dark moon at different times. Personally, I honor the dark moon when you can’t see the moon at all in the sky--which is technically the new moon. Others honor the dark moon the last few days before the new moon. I recommend using your intuition and noticing how you feel during these days to understand when to honor the dark moon versus new moon.

So what is the dark moon all about?

The dark moon is our time for radical rest, for deep clearing and releasing, and turning within. This is the time to cancel plans, to do shadow work, to go to sleep early and wake up late, and to pull tarot or oracle cards to tune in to your inner voice.

Keep scrolling for a few rituals to consider working with at this time.

WATER SPELL FOR CLEARING

One of my favorite spells to work during the dark moon is this simple water spell. Water is a helpful element for cleansing and purification, and this spell works especially well when the dark moon is in a water sign--Pisces, Cancer, or Scorpio. You’ll need:

• A large glass of water

• A piece of paper and pen

To start, choose what you’re focusing on releasing. Maybe there are blocks to self-expression, fear of being rejected, shame around your path, or blocks to abundance. Once you’ve decided what you’re ready to release (you’re welcome to spend some time journaling on this to get clear), start making a list of all the limiting beliefs and stories that you hold associated with this block.For example, let’s say you’re working with clearing blocks to abundance. Your list might hold beliefs like:

• I can’t make money doing what I love

• People with money are jerks

• It’s wrong to have money when other people have so little, etc.

Keep letting the beliefs flow! I tend to fill up a whole page when I do this spell.

Once you have your list, it’s time to work the spell. Ground yourself, cast your circle, and pick up your list. You’re going to say the first belief out loud, starting with “I clear the belief that ________ from my body” and then taking a big sip of water. Pause and notice, feeling and visualizing the water moving through your body, cleansing this belief from your system on every level.

Repeat this for each belief on your list, taking your time and really feeling the beliefs move out of your body.

Card featured from The Ritual Deck

When you’re done, use the energy of your palms to charge your last sip of water with what you do want - abundance, healthy self-expression, creativity, etc. - and feel your whole body being charged with this intention by the power of the element of water.

Give thanks to water and the Universe for their help, ground yourself again and open your circle.

CANDLE MAGICK FOR RELEASING

For this spell, you’ll need:

• Black taper candle

• Carving tool like a sharp point crystal, toothpick, or athame

• Black tourmaline, smoky quartz, or petrified wood

• A simple oil like grapeseed or bergamot essential oil

• Rosemary

Start by cleansing all of your items for the spell. This can be done by wafting rosemary smoke over them or visualizing light cleansing them.

For this spell, you’ll be carving what you’re releasing into your candle as well as the glyph for Pluto, the planet that helps things die and be transformed. For your words, keep them simple and powerful by carving the basics of what you’re releasing like “fear” or “self-doubt.”

Anoint your candle with your oil and roll it in your dried rosemary. As you carve and anoint your candle, visualize your all of whatever you’re releasing - your fear or your self-doubt as in the example above - pouring into the candle.

Place your crystal(s) and candle on your altar, light your candle, and start meditating on the flame. Continue to visualize all that you’re releasing pouring into the candle, and watch as it burns and turns to smoke. Stay with this meditation until you feel a shift in your energy - until you really feel a release.

Let the candle burn out if you can or snuff out the candle and continue the same spell each night until the candle has burned completely.

SHADOW WORK TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD

The dark moon is a deep invitation into shadow work.

What is shadow work?

Simply put, it’s an intentional exploration of our shadow side - the parts of ourselves that we reject, that we’re ashamed of, that we stuff down and hide. Click here to learn more about shadow work if you’re new to it!

For this ritual, you’ll want to create a ritual space - whatever that means to you. For me, it usually means cleansing my space with smoke beforehand, lighting incense, and lighting candles. Maybe you also like to take an essential oil bath beforehand, or sprinkle herbs in a circle around you.

All you’ll need for this ritual is:

• A journal and pen

• Your tarot or oracle cards

Spend a few moments grounding yourself, then shuffle your cards and pull a card for each of these questions:

• What part of my shadow is rising to the surface to be worked with?

• How has rejecting this part of myself manifested in my life?

• How can I show this part of myself more love and integrate it into my whole self?

Give yourself the gift of sitting with your cards after you pull them. Spend time meditating on your cards, journaling about them, or even painting with them to process and understand what their messages are for you.

NEW MOON CARD SPREAD

Every new moon, we get a beautiful opportunity for a fresh start. The new moon is the time of the lunar cycle where we get to dream, vision, and set intentions for what we would like to heal, manifest, and create for the new cycle.

Cards, whether oracle or tarot (learn all about the difference between oracle & tarot cards and how to choose here), can be a powerful way to help us gain clarity and understand how to work with the whole cycle holistically. 

Keep scrolling for your new moon card spread and to learn how to work with the cards throughout the whole moon cycle!

Cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

CARD SPREAD FOR THE NEW MOON

This is a card spread designed to help you work with the moon cycle holistically- through all of the major moon phases of the cycle including the new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, last quarter moon, and dark moon.

To ritualize drawing cards, you might like to take some time before getting started to light incense or burn other herbs, ground yourself (click here for suggestions on how to get grounded), and/or do a practice that helps you open your channels such as breathwork, a movement practice, or a visualization meditation.

When you feel ready, you can start pulling cards:

1. What cycle is opening up for me?

2. What wants to emerge, grow, be tended this cycle?

3. What blocks are coming up around this? (Draw one to three cards - let your intuition guide you!)

4. Why this block is here/the shadow underneath the block (draw one card for each blockage card)

5. Advice for healing these blocks (draw one card for each blockage card)

6. Advice for working with these energies to come back to myself

This card spread can offer some beautiful guidance for working with the phases of the moon holistically. I’m going to cover the 5 major phases of the moon below - the new moon, waxing moon, full moon, waning moon, and dark moon.

THE NEW MOON

The new moon is a time of dreaming and feeling into what you want to grow during the cycle. So during the new moon time, you’ll want to focus on cards one and two. I recommend creating an altar based around the themes of these cards.

For example, if the cards showed that in this cycle, spirit is inviting you to work with your creativity, then you could create an altar representing your creative energy blossoming. This might include lush flowers, the tarot cards you drew, anything that represents your creativity to you, and sacral chakra crystals like carnelian, peach selenite, or tiger’s eye.  

Seeds are always a great addition to a new moon altar as well, a symbol of what you’re planting this cycle.

WAXING MOON

The waxing moon is the time for action. It’s an opportune time for taking the steps needed to bring your dream, your desire, into reality. During the waxing moon, you’ll want to focus on the steps that need to be taken to help card number 2 emerge and grow.

This could be internal or external! Often, I find, it’s a combination of both. 

For example, say that your cards showed that this cycle is all about growing your business. During the waxing moon phase, this could be a time where you take more external steps to grow your business (like sending your newsletter, making a content calendar for Instagram and sticking to it, etc.) as well as doing an abundance ritual. 

[Looking for abundance rituals to work with? Find four abundance rituals on the blog here.]

Remember to work with the sixth card, advice for working with the energies this cycle to come back to yourself, to support you through every phase.

FULL MOON

The full moon can feel like “everything all at once,” as one of my teachers says. The water in our bodies is heightened- emotions, intuition, fertility, psychic abilities. This is the last big push in the growth phase of the cycle so it’s the perfect time to do a manifestation ritual around your first and second cards, what it is you’re cultivating this cycle.

Notice any feelings or downloads you receive at this time and take note - you’ll weave them into your work through the waning part of the cycle.

WANING MOON

The waning moon is a time for shadow work, for releasing, for turning inward. It’s our invitation to work with cards three through five of the spread above: the blocks around your dream or desire, the shadow underneath the block, and the advice for healing these blocks.

This is a great time to explore the roots of these blocks and do practices like tapping (EFT) or breathwork to deprogram the stories and patterns that make up those blocks. If any of those blocks feel ready to be released, this is also the time to release them!

DARK MOON

The dark moon is the time of the cycle when the moon disappears from the sky. It’s a deeply internal time for rest, shadow work, banishing work, and cord-cutting.

If you feel ready at this time to release the blocks and work with the fifth card, the advice for healing those blocks, this is the time. A cord-cutting ceremony or banishing ritual would be ideal to help you wrap up the cycle and release these blocks once and for all.

You can return to this new moon card spread with every new moon to help guide your cycle. Want more rituals for the new moon? Click here!