The 8 Moon Phases Explained

The moon is a potent force in our atmosphere. With its powerful feminine energy and omnipresence in our sky, the moon has a great impact on our spiritual well being. If you’re looking to become more informed about the universe and its significance, it’s essential to learn more about the moon.

The moon has eight primary phases in its cycle. Similar to leaves, which grow into a beautiful green, before turning darker and falling in the autumn, the cycle “waxes” before it “wanes”.

The moon itself can signify wisdom, intuition, rebirth and many other things. It has a special spiritual connection with the earth and its inhabitants. 

Once we understand the phases of the moon, we can act accordingly and optimise our actions and crystals to thrive in all eight phases.

New Moon

When the moon is between the sun and earth, it’s not visible from the earth - this is when a new moon occurs. As it’s at the beginning of the cycle, this phase of the cycle signifies new beginnings. Whether it’s your job, relationships or personal life, now can be a time for experimentation. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to start something new - this is it.

There are many crystals that are ideal for new starts. Rainbow Moonstone is the stone of new beginnings and can give you the strength to take on the unknown, helping you grow in the process. Meditating with Rainbow Moonstone during the New Moon phase can be incredibly powerful.

Fresh starts also call for fresh spaces. By burning a sage smudge stick, you can cleanse your space - perfect for the beginning of a new era in the moon cycle.

Waxing Crescent Moon

As the cycle progresses, when less than half the moon is showing - the moon has entered its “Waxing Crescent” phase. We use the term waxing whenever the visible part of the moon is growing.

As it’s still the beginning of the cycle, this phase is for setting new intentions - declaring your personal goals for the cycle.

Before you set new intentions, it’s important that you cleanse your crystals. This ensures that they are renewed and ready to receive your new goals. This can be done with stream water, rice or sunlight - it’s a personal decision.

Of course, it’s important to use the right crystals for your intentions. Popular associations include Labradorite for personal challenges, Citrine for financial and career success, Rose Quartz for self-care and Howlite for anxiety and stress.

Once you’ve chosen your crystal - meditate with it in your palm, saying your intentions aloud, placing their energy in the stone.

First Quarter Moon

When the moon appears to have been cut in half, the first quarter moon has been reached. The main meaning of this phase is decision making. Action is ready to be taken, it’s time to act on the intentions you made in the previous phase.

During this phase, it’s important to reflect on previous decisions - asking yourself what you learned and how to apply it to everyday life.

There are many crystals that aid with decision making - including stones that access the Third Eye Chakra. During this phase, stones dedicated to mental clarity and clear thought are incredibly valuable. Crystals that cleanse your space can also be useful, as they provide the right environment to make important choices.

Spending time around stones such as Amethyst, Azurite and Fluorite can balance the Third Eye and aid with your decisions.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

During this phase, when more than half the moon is visible and it is still growing, you should be refining your life. Pay more attention to your words and actions, growing into habits that strike you as truly good.

During this moon, it’s important that you feel yourself. This is the time to have confidence in your actions, believing that what you’re doing is right.

This is a time for crystals that promote prosperity and good fortune. This will give you the confidence to act in a manner that is truly you. Stones such as Citrine can be incredibly valuable during this time, as it helps with self-belief.

You can place this stone in places where you may be tested, such as the office, in order to invite some healing, confident light into the challenging parts of your day.

Full Moon

The full moon is the star of the show. The full moon is significant in cultures all over the world, not least for its powerful spiritual meaning. At this point, the moon is giving off the most energy possible, so its meanings can be very potent - this is a crucial time during the cycle.

However, not all of this energy can be positive. This abundance of energy radiating down on earth can create a super volatile environment - it’s essential to ground yourself as much as possible.

During this time, smudge sticks can be amazing tools to cleanse and balance the energy in your space. By keeping one burning during your meditation, you can create a semblance of normality for your routines.

What’s more, grounding stones are a popular way to combat this wild energy. When all the attention is on the moon, it’s essential that you keep yourself present. Pyramid shapes are great for this, with their sturdy grounding base.

We recommend crystals such as Hematite for grounding and Black Obsidian for its protection. This can be a spiritually enriching phase, but it’s important to stay protected.

Waning Gibbous

The Waning Gibbousmoon is similar to its waxing counterpart, only the visible moon is getting smaller. During this time, we’re reaching the end of the cycle - this is a great time to cleanse unwanted energy that may have built up over the previous phase.

From bad relationships to habits and behaviours that you want to kick, this is the ultimate time to do some culling. Don’t go crazy, just be mindful of things you could do better without.

Stones such as Clear Quartz are great for this. It heals and purifies, allowing you to lose any toxic parts of your life. Smudge sticks are great for ridding any negative energy - as this energy can convince you to hold on to things you shouldn’t!

Third Quarter

The third quarter is the penultimate phase - the journey is nearing a close. During this time, you should be taking stock of what you’ve achieved during the current phase. Ask yourself if you’ve acted on your intentions.

If you haven’t quite made the most of your intentions, this is also a great time for final actions. During this phase, you should focus on completing things you’ve been putting off.

For this, many people recommend crystals that encourage introspection, due to the questions we must ask ourselves. Moonstone and Smoky Quartz, for example, can be great for allowing us to reach deeper into ourselves and reach the proper conclusions. You should meditate with these stones during this phase.

Waning Crescent

The final phase is all about closure. During this time, we shouldn’t be actively engaging in anything new, but putting the previous phase behind us so we can focus on the present. This should remove stress and be a relaxing time. 

In terms of stones, Bloodstones is a great choice as it allows us to cleanse before the next cycle. On top of this, we should consider using smudges to rid the energy of the previous cycle and usher in the next new moon.

This will prepare us for a rejuvenating new cycle, as we gain closure on the previous one.

We hope this small guide has helped you better understand the moon cycles, and how they can affect your life. Through this understanding, we can act accordingly and benefit from the moon’s powerful energy.