Her Voice Rising

Meditation is a powerful mindfulness technique that can be used to reset your chakras, promote inner balance, and encourage both tranquility and clarity of thought. There are numerous methods for how to perform, but it primarily includes sitting in stillness and clearing your mind of all thought. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading 8 Reasons to Meditate & How to Get Started.

While the moon controls physical elements like our ocean’s tides, it also has the ability to influence our personal livelihoods, affecting things like sleep and state of mind. For centuries, the Moon has been regarded as a symbol of wisdom, femininity, and transformation. The question is: How can you use the Moon to aid your own transformation? The answer lies in its phases.

Opposite to our Sun, the Moon has served as a silent partner to our body’s inner rhythm and remained deeply embedded within our emotional and spiritual being. The Moon has been our planet’s fateful companion for eons, experiencing a fresh lunar cycle every 29.5 days that consists of eight lunar phases. We will focus on the four encompassing phases: New Moon, Waxing Moon, Full Moon, and Waning Moon.

New Moon

The New Moon is a Time of Rebirth and Beginnings

The New Moon occurs when our moon is positioned between our planet and our Sun. With its shadowy side facing Earth, it is either invisible to the human eye or incredibly dark when it rises in the sky. The New Moon marks the start of a new lunar cycle, and it is remarked for its power of clarity, renewal, and stillness, making it the perfect time for introspection.

It symbolizes a blank slate or starting anew, as it encompasses the theme of beginnings. The New Moon is ideal for reflection, setting intentions, and visualizing your desires. I recommend journaling during this time, particularly following meditation to reflect on any thoughts that might have lingered or ideas that sprung to mind.

It’s also a fun idea to develop a vision board during this time–a collage of images that can encompass one or multiple ideas that you’re feeling passionate about. Consider hand crafting one with scrap materials, or during your nightly doom scroll, if you’re anything like me, set aside time to create one using Pinterest or Canva. Prior to and immediately after meditation, focus your thoughts on this vision board and the idea that it represents for you.

Waxing Moon

The Waxing Moon is a Time of Energetic Recharge

The Waxing Moon has three parts, beginning with the Waxing Crescent Moon, a thin sliver of moonlight that’s rounded to the right. It’s followed by the First Quarter Moon, when precisely half of the Moon is illuminated on the same side. Finally, it reaches the Waxing Gibbous Moon, when most of the Moon has become visible, aside from a small portion on its left side.

As the Moon grows, so does its energy. During this time, it is prudent to enforce your desired path through manifestation and action. It is the ideal time to meditate and reflect on your personal goals, productivity, and your self-discipline. Manifestation utilizes the power of thought. By focusing your mind, determination, and will on a goal, you build its energy and encourage its success through direct plan and action. Manifestation is a visualization of your goals, which you can imagine in your mind or with the use of your journal and/or vision board, in accompaniment with affirmations and meditation.

Consider using a journal to create powerful affirmations, like I am worthy, I am beautiful, or I am enough. If you find yourself struggling with your self worth or lack trust in your own capabilities, try creating affirmations using the ‘I’ phrase to promote positive beliefs in yourself. Use these affirmations during your meditation as a mantra, where you repeat the same phrase over and over until your mind has gone quiet and the mantra is the only thing that lingers.

Full Moon

The Full Moon is a Time of Emotional Release

A Full Moon occurs when the Moon is completely rounded and illuminating a full circle of moonlight in the sky, and it is considered to be the most aesthetic and notable phase.

During a Full Moon, the lunar energy is most potent with the Moon revealed to its fullest extent. Because of this, it’s common for emotions to run awry among most people because of its gravitational power. This is a time of emotional purgation, gratitude, and forgiveness. I encourage using music as a conduit to this affect, and you can learn all about why certain sounds are beneficial, how musical impacts our emotional health, and recommended songs in this post: The Impact of Music: How Sound Shapes Your Emotional Wellbeing.

Meditation through a Full Moon should be focused on emotional release, letting go, and quiet reflection. Consider this to be a time to call on light and healing. It’s common to feel catharsis from your meditative practice during this time as your mind and body release pent up frustration, sadness, grief, or stress. After your practice, always reflect on ideas that stuck to you or words that felt empowering. Avoid clinging to negative thoughts or self-doubt. While it’s important to acknowledge these thoughts and understand their meaning, it is also important not to dwell on them. Remind yourself of your positive affirmations as often as necessary.

Waning Moon

The Waning Moon is a Time of Relaxation

The Waning Moon, like the Waxing Moon, also has three parts, though its light favors to the left as opposed to the right. The first phase of this period begins with the Waxing Gibbous Moon, where most of the Moon has remained visible following the Full Moon, aside from a small portion on it right side. Next, there is the Third Quarter Moon, depicted as half a Moon, with precisely half of its left side still illuminated. Finally, it concludes with a Waning Crescent Moon, a thin sliver of moonlight that’s rounded to the same side, and this is the final phase before it begins a new lunar cycle.

During this time, the Moon is decreasing in energy to begin its new cycle once more. As the Moon’s energy decreases, so will ours. This time is crucial for detoxification and taking things slow in both physical and emotional aspects. Lighten your meditation and exercise practices, reduce the stress you’ve placed on emotional healing and accomplishing your goals, and find time for relaxation. When meditating, focus on engaging in self-care, establishing boundaries for work and personal relationships, and cleanse your energetic field.

Reflection, as in all other phases, remains a beneficial tool to continue to aid you in understanding yourself as you grow and conquer. The Waning Moon is a time of harvesting lessons and preparing to start anew once again when the cycle renews. Consider new focuses of interest, different goals, and establishing new connections during this period. This would also be a great time to focus on unblocking chakras and channeling inner peace. You can learn about the body’s chakras, how they affect you mentally and physically, and how to unblock them in this post: The 7 Chakras: Their Impact on the Mind and Body.

Why the Moon Works for You

Meditation is a highly beneficial mindfulness technique that can be used during any lunar phase, but it is interesting to note the affects that the Moon may have on the outcomes of your practice. With this acquired knowledge, you can truly make your meditation and the Moon work for you. This can encourage healing, accomplishing goals, emotional and energetic recharge, manifesting, and calming emotions.

The Moon has a strong gravitational force that affects more than our ocean’s tides. It affects our mood, energy, sleep, and so much more. It’s connected to femininity and intuition, and for this reason, meditation can feel deeply personal and revealing of one’s true self when it’s used to their benefit.

For an even deeper enhancement, consider using candles and crystals during meditation to set intentions, or even Moon water to strengthen your experience and the connection with the Moon.