Moon Magic

The Moon knowledge being used today by Pagans, is the same powers of the Moon phases as was ancient knowledge in a great many cultures around the world. Humans can tap through ritual, phases of the Moon which produce unique energies. From after the Full Moon until the New Moon, with the day or night of the New Moon being strongest, spell working for banishing, decreasing, or removing problems takes place. From after the New Moon until the Full Moon, with the day or night of the Full Moon being the most powerful, spell working for increase, growth, and gain takes place . This ancient use of Moon magic still works today.

This is a simple explanation, where as actual Moon magic is a little more involved. The three aspects of the Triple Goddess: Maiden {Crescent Moon}, Mother {Full Moon}, Crone {Dark Moon} has traditionally been connected with the Moon months. Specific energy paths: waning {decreasing}, and waxing {growing} further join these three aspects. There are thirteen Moon months in a calendar year, and a different type of seasonal energy flow is directly connected with each Moon month.

With the Goddess coming into Her own once again, the Moon is being more openly recognized for Her influence and importance in the lives of humans. Anne Kent Rush, in Moon, Moon, wrote that the importance and position of women in a society can be judged by the importance that society gives to a Moon. Hidden in that statement is the religious fact that where the Moon is ignored or denigrated to the role of fantasy and fairytale, so the Goddess is ignored, forbidden, or cast in the role of the Wife/Mother of a deity. Women, the Moon, and the Goddess are inextricably bound together. What is doubly sad is that the patriarchal societies have concealed the fact that men also are caught up in the weaving of the Goddess and the Moon.

Women subconsciously know their connection with the Moon through their bodies and menstruation. Men do not have such obvious physical connections. They began a study to understand the unusual monthly cycles of accidents by their all-male drivers. They found that each male seemed to have periods that affected his reactions, and these periods correspond to certain lunar positions. When schedules were changed to fit around these lunar cycles, the rash of accidents ceased.

So, of what use is watching the Moon and Her phases? Being aware of the Moon and Her influences upon your life can save you a lot of frustration, time, and wasted energy. The Crescent, sometimes called the New Moon, is a time for introversion, of starting new projects and plans, and making personal changes in general. It is an excellent time for self-examination in everything from your love life, career, moving into a new house, and breaking habits, to spiritual intentions. The Full Moon, the most powerful phase, is a time of extroversion, high-energy tasks, and work with other people.

There are benefits to being in tune with the Moon as well. By cutting your hair and nails during a waxing Moon, they will grow back stronger and faster. Planting by the Moon has been known for centuries; certain plants grow better when planted during certain phases. There are Moon sign almanacs, that give you all the information on this you need.

This is all interesting information on the Moon but hardly of much practical use unless you combine it with magical techniques. And magical techniques are of little use unless you apply them in practical ways to your personal life. After all, magic is for improving your life physically, mentally, emotional, and spiritually.

We can't escape the influence of the Moon and Her powers, even if we don't consciously believe in them. The collective unconscious, or universal mind, still holds all the old information from our past lives and those of our ancestors. The Moon knowledge of all those ancient civilizations still can affect our subconscious thinking, and our lives, in subtle ways. Each human, however, can learn to deliberately access this portion of the mind through deep meditation and , therefore, be more aware of how it is influencing life. Add this to the fact that the physical Moon affects our bodies and emotions, and it seems rather absurd not to work with the flow of power instead of against it. Life is difficult enough. Why not use Moon magic to smooth the path a bit?

The Thirteen Moons are called:

1) January - Wolf Moon also known as Quiet Moon, Snow Moon, Cold Moon, Chaste Moon, Disting Moon, Moon of Little Winter.

2) February - Ice Moon also know as Storm Moon, Horning Moon, Hunger Moon, Wild Moon, Red & Cleansing Moon, Quickening Moon, Solmonath (Sun Moon), Big Winter Moon.

3) March - Storm Moon also know as Seed Moon, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Worm Moon, Hrethmonath (Hertha's Moon), Lentzinmanoth (Renewal Moon), Lenting Moon, Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Moon of the Snow-blind.

4) April - Growing Moon also known as Hare Moon, Seed or Planting Moon, Planter's Moon, Budding's Tree Moon, Eastermonath (Eostre Month), Ostarmanoth, Pink Moon, Green Grass Moon

5) May - Hare Moon also know as Merry or Dyad Moon, Bright Moon, Flower Moon, Frogs Return Moon, Thrimilcmonath (Thrice-Milk Month), Sproutkale, Winnemanoth (Joy Month), Planting Moon, Moon When the Ponies Shed

6) June - Mead Moon also known as Moon of Horses, Lover's Moon, Strong Sun Moon, Honey Moon, Aerra Litha (Before Lithia), Brachmanoth (Break Month), Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Moon of Making Fat

7) July - Hay Moon also known as Wort Moon, Moon of Claiming, Moon of Blood (because of mosquitoes), Blessing Moon, Maedmonat (Meadow Month), Hewimanoth (Hay Month), Fallow Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon

8) August - Corn Moon also known as Barley Moon, Dispute Moon, Weodmonath (Vegetation Month), Harvest Moon, Moon When Cherries Turn Black

9) September - Harvest Moon also known as Wine Moon, Singing Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Haligmonath (Holy Month), Witumanoth (Wood Month), Moon When Deer Paw the Earth

10) October - Blood Month also known as Harvest Moon, Shedding Moon, Winterfelleth (Winter Coming), Windermanoth (Vintage Month), Falling Leaf Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Moon of the Changing Season

11) 28th Oct- 1Nov - Blue Moon also known as Moon of the Dead, Hunting Moon, Ancestors Moon, Hunter's Moon

12) November - Snow Moon also known as Dark Moon, Fog Moon, Beaver Moon, Mourning Moon, Blotmonath (Sacrifice Month), Herbistmanoth (Harvest Month), Mad Moon, Moon of Storms, Moon When Deer Shed Antlers

13) December - Cold Moon also known as Oak Moon, Wolf Moon, Moon of Long Nights, Long Night's Moon, Aerra Geola (Month Before Yule), Wintermonat (Winter Month), Heilagmanoth (Holy Month), Big Winter Moon, Moon of Popping Trees

 Back to homepage