Moon Babe · Lesson 1 of 6 · 8 min
Why the moon, and the phases explained
Why people love moon rituals
People have tracked the moon for as long as people have existed. Calendars, festivals and harvests followed it, and lots of spiritual traditions give its phases their own meanings.
Our take: the moon is a gorgeous built-in reminder to check in with your life twice a month. You don't have to believe it changes you. Just let it remind you.
The phases, simply
The moon takes about 29.5 days to go through all its phases. Here's the cycle:
| Phase | What you see | The ritual vibe |
|---|---|---|
| New moon | Nothing, it's dark | Begin. Set intentions |
| Waxing crescent | A thin sliver on the right (in the northern hemisphere) | Take the first small steps |
| First quarter | Half lit, right side | Keep going, adjust |
| Waxing gibbous | Almost full | Refine, be patient |
| Full moon | The whole bright circle | Celebrate, release, give thanks |
| Waning gibbous | Shrinking from the right | Share, reflect |
| Last quarter | Half lit, left side | Let go, clear out |
| Waning crescent | A thin sliver on the left | Rest, before the next new moon |
Waxing means growing. Waning means shrinking. If you're in the southern hemisphere, the lit side is flipped.
The simplest version of the whole course
- New moon: what do I want to grow?
- Full moon: what am I ready to let go of?
That's honestly it. The rest of this course makes it cosy and makes it stick.
Tonight
Look up. Find the moon (an app or a quick search will tell you the phase). Which phase is it? What's the vibe? Write one line about it.
Today’s practice
Find tonight's moon
Look up the moon's phase, then go and find it in the sky. Write one line about what you see and how it feels.