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The Moon Ledger
Enter a date to read the sky. Left as it stands, it reads tonight’s.
Intention
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Colour
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Herbs
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Crystals
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Best Worked For
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The 8 Moon Phases Explained
The moon moves through eight distinct phases roughly every 29.5 days — a cycle called a synodic month. Each phase marks a different relationship between the sun, moon, and Earth, and each carries its own traditional meaning in lunar and witchcraft practice. Here’s what each one means, and how to work with it.
New Moon
0% Illuminated · BeginThe moon sits between the Earth and sun, its lit side facing away from us entirely — the sky’s darkest point in the cycle. Traditionally the moment for new beginnings: setting intentions, starting projects, and planting the seeds you want the rest of the month to grow.
Waxing Crescent
1–49% Illuminated · GrowA thin sliver of light appears and grows night by night. This phase carries early momentum energy — good for taking the first concrete step on something you set in motion at the New Moon, and for working spells related to courage and attraction.
First Quarter
50% Illuminated · DecideExactly half the moon is lit — a clean, straight line down its face. This is often felt as a tension point in the cycle: obstacles tend to surface here, and the traditional work is pushing through them with decisive action rather than waiting them out.
Waxing Gibbous
51–99% Illuminated · RefineMore than half lit and still growing toward full. Less about starting something new and more about adjusting and perfecting what’s already underway — patience and fine-tuning rather than big moves.
Full Moon
100% Illuminated · ManifestThe moon is fully lit and directly opposite the sun in the sky — the most potent point of the cycle. Traditionally used for manifestation, charging tools and crystals, divination, and bringing a working to its culmination.
Waning Gibbous
51–99% Illuminated (Decreasing) · Give ThanksLight begins to recede after the full moon. This phase is associated with gratitude and generosity — sharing what you’ve gained, teaching what you’ve learned, and beginning the gentle turn toward letting go.
Last Quarter
50% Illuminated (Decreasing) · ReleaseThe mirror image of the First Quarter — half lit, half dark, now on the opposite side. This is release work: banishing habits, cutting cords, and forgiving what you’re ready to put down before the cycle ends.
Waning Crescent
1–49% Illuminated (Decreasing) · RestThe final sliver before the sky goes dark again. Often the most overlooked phase, but an important one — this is a time for rest and quiet reflection, not action, as the moon (and traditionally, you) prepares to begin the next cycle at the New Moon.