I don’t know about you, but I have always been drawn to the moon. I used to look out for the full month every month with excitement, and while I never really realised what my pull towards it meant, I knew I wanted to watch it.
Some people find that they struggle to sleep when there’s a full moon, or they suddenly feel drained of energy when the moon is in total darkness. If that sounds like you, or you’re fascinated by the idea that the moon can have an impact on our moods and energy levels, this blog will be a fascinating read.

The scientific bit

Here comes the science, as they used to say in L’Oréal adverts! You probably already know that the Earth moves around the sun once a day, and the moon moves around the Earth, taking 27.3 days to complete an orbit. That means the position of the sun in relation to the moon dictates how much of it we can see when we look into the night sky.

The new moon, sometimes called the eclipse, occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. The sun’s rays shine onto the side of the moon that we can’t see, so the moon seems to completely disappear.

The full moon occurs when the sun is positioned on the opposite side of the Earth to the moon, so its rays light up the entire side of the moon that faces Earth. That full illumination is beautiful, and on some cloudless evenings can be bright enough to enable us to walk (perhaps home from a pub!) at night without the need for a torch.

Zodiac moon signs

If you’re interested in zodiac signs, you will know that people speak of having been born under a star sign (also called a sun sign), which relates to the position of the sun and stars at the time of their birth. For example, I’m a Taurus and that there are certain personality traits that we are said to have like being practical, patient and kind!

But there’s also a moon sign, which gives far more detailed and accurate predictions. It can be slightly trickier to work out your moon sign because where you were born, and the time of your birth impact your moon sign. But people say the improved accuracy means it’s worth it! My moon sign is Capricorn, which is another earth element, making me stable and confident.

Moon magic

I was first drawn to moon magic a while ago, and now a lot of things make sense when before they didn’t. For example, I now know how to cope with the tiredness I felt every dark moon. It used to knock me for six every 27 days! I also know why I get so restless during a full moon. Let’s take a closer look:

The dark moon

The period running up to a new moon, when the moon is getting smaller in the sky (you’ve probably heard this referred to as ‘waning’) is called the dark moon period. This is when people are most likely to feel or have a difficult night’s sleep. Other people get headaches or feel more anxious and worried at this time in the lunar cycle.

However, like so many things, knowing there’s a cause and you’re not going mad, helps you manage the symptoms. If you can track the moon in a diary, you can anticipate these symptoms and learn to work with them.

The new moon

As I mentioned in the intro, this is when the sun, moon and earth are all aligned and there is no visible moon. This is a time for new beginnings as we await the time that the moon will become visible once again. People find this is a time to create anything they want, to believe in anything and start again. You might feel full of optimism and energy, and I recommend you make the most of that! Here’s a handy new moon ritual for you to help you set your intentions for the month ahead.

• Light a candle and journal about how grateful you are for all that you have in your life, the people, things, and the feelings.
• List five wishes or goals you would like to realise or accomplish during this moon cycle.
• Visualise each wish coming true, really see it and feel it happening.
• Spend time writing the affirmations that will help you achieve these wishes.
• Meditate on how you will make these wishes come true.
• Release your dreams to the universe and say, “for the good of all or not at all”.

The full moon

The full moon, when the sun is full and bright in the sky, is a great time to reflect and let go. This moon is a restless time so you might feel on edge or excited. I love the full moon time; it is such a happy time for me. As so many people find this a period of release, when they want to let of things that no longer serve them, here’s a full moon ritual to help you:

• Light a candle and write a list of all the things that might be holding you back. What comes up for you?
• Journal on what you have been struggling with, or hiding behind, or not dealing with.
• List the ways you can reframe your limiting beliefs and find freedom from your blocks.
• Journal on what you can implement bit by bit during the waning moon.
• Visualise all that you are letting go of and what you want to release.
• Write these out on a separate sheet and burn them.
• Place your crystals on a window ledge or outside so they can be cleansed by the moon.

I hope you found this walk through moon magic helpful! I would love to hear how you get on with these rituals, so please feel free to tag me in on social media or send me a DM when you’ve done them. If you’d like to delve a little deeper, here are two of my favourite books on moon magic that you might find interesting. The first is Lunar Living by Kirsty Gallagher, and the second is Moonology by Yasmin Bowland. I hope you enjoy them.