Just as the phases of the Moon affect Nature, so too do they influence magickal workings. If you are trying to attain a certain result, it is advised to perform the ritual during the phase of the Moon associated with what you are aiming to achieve. The different phases have different properties, and can lend energies to your magickal workings. The Moon is your clock and your calendar for working magick. Raymond Buckland, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft, p. 161
The new moon is a time of beginnings. It is a period of controlled energies and growth. Divination is particularly powerful at this time as well. It is a time of personal growth and healing.
This is a good time for constructive magick. This is magick that is for increase. If something is already in progress, magick at this time will influence it. The Waxing Moon is associated with the Maiden, so workings that may require influence of this aspect of the Goddess.
The Full Moon is a time for workings that require great force. The Full Moon can be cojured for 7 days - 3 days prior, the night of the Full moon, and the 3 days following. Sometimes the effects of cojuring done on the Full Moon take one full lunary cycle to take hold and come to completion. At this time, the other planes can be influenced. The subconscious spheres of influence are at their most acrive and receptive as well. The Full Moon symbolizes the Mother aspect of the Goddess. It is also a time of great psychic energies, though the energies here are very different from those which surround the New Moon.
This is a good time for destructive magick. This is magick that is concerned with the ending of things, such as bad habits, ways of life, or negative emotions. It is also a timefor banishing and rejecting things in our lives we no longer wish to have around us. The Waning Moon represents the Crone aspect of the goddess.
The Dark of the Moon occurs over the 3 days before the New Moon. At this time, the moon cannot be seen at all. At this time, no magick should be performed. This allows you to give yourself a break. Meditations and vision questing may be performed at this time, but not for specific purposes. Hecate rules this time of the cycle. So if you require her assistance, this is when you should perform ritual to attain it.
The particular phase of the Moon is not the only factor that influences the energies of the Moon. The particular Moon is also important. Lunar cycles are 28 days long. As such, there are 13 Full Moons in a Lunar Year. These Moons are also influencial in Magickal Workings. The Lunar Months below are taken from Moon Magick by D.J. Conway.
| Nature Spirits: | gnomes, brownies |
| Herbs: | marjoram, holy thistle, nuts and cones |
| Colors: | brilliant white, blue-violet, black |
| Flowers: | snowdrop, crocus |
| Scents: | musc, mimosa |
| Stones: | garnet, onyx, jet,chrysoprase |
| Trees: | birch |
| Animals: | fox, coyote |
| Birds: | pheasant, blue jay |
| Deities: | Freyja, Inanna, Sarasvati, Hera, Ch'ang-O, Sinn |
| Power Flow: |
sluggish, below the surface; beginning and conceiving. Protection, reversing spells. Conserving energy by working on personal problems that involve no one else. Getting your various bodies to work smoothly together for the same goal. |
| Nature Spirits: | house faeries, both of the home itself and of house plants |
| Herbs: | balm of Gilead, hyssop, myrrh, sage, spikenard |
| Colors: | light blue, violet |
| Flowers: | primrose |
| Scents: | wisteria, heliotrope |
| Stones: | amethyst, jasper, rock crystal |
| Trees: | rowan, laurel, cedar |
| Animals: | otter, unicorn |
| Birds: | eagle, chickadee |
| Deities: |
Brigit, Juno, Juan Yin, Diana, Demeter, Persephone, Aphrodite |
| Power Flow: |
energy working toward the surface; purification, growth, healing. Loving the self. Accepting responsibility for past errors, forgiving yourself, and making future plans. |
| Nature Spirits: |
Mer-people, Air and Water beings who are connected with spring rains and storms. |
| Herbs: |
broom, High John root, yellow dock, wood betony, Irish moss |
| Colors: | pale green, red-violet |
| Flowers: | jonquil, daffodil, violet |
| Scents: | honeysuckle, apple blossom |
| Stones: | aquamarine, bloodstone |
| Trees: | alder, dogwood |
| Animals: | cougar, hedgehog, boar |
| Birds: | sea crow, sea eagle |
| Deities: |
Black Isis, the Morrigan, Hecate, Cybele, Astarte, Athene, Minerva, Artemis, Luna |
| Power Flow: |
energy breaks into the open; growing, prospering, exploring. New beginnings; balance of Light and Dark. Breaking illusions. Seeing the truth in your life however much it may hurt. |
| Nature Spirits: | plant faeries |
| Herbs: | basil, chives, dragons blood, geranium, thistle |
| Colors: | crimson red, gold |
| Flowers: | daisy, sweetpea |
| Scents: | pine, bay, bergamot, patchouli |
| Stones: | ruby, garnet, sard |
| Trees: | pine, bay, hazel |
| Animals: | bear, wolf |
| Birds: | hawk, magpie |
| Deities: | Kali, Hathor, Anahita, Ceres, Ishtar, Venus, Bast |
| Power Flow: |
energy into creating and producing; return balance to the nerves. Change, self-confidence, self-reliance, take advantage of opportunities. Work on temper and emotional flare-ups and selfishness. |
| Nature Spirits: | faeries, elves |
| Herbs: | dittany of Crete, elder, mint, rose, mugwort, thyme, yarrow |
| Colors: | green, brown, pink |
| Flowers: | lily of the valley, foxglove, rose, broom |
| Scents: | rose, sandalwood |
| Stones: | emerald,malachite, amber, carnelian |
| Trees: | hawthorn |
| Animals: | cats, lynx, leopard |
| Birds: | swallow, dove, swan |
| Deities: | Bast, Venus, Aphrodite, Maia, Diana, Artemis, Pan, Horned God |
| Power Flow: |
full creating energy; propagation. Intuition, contact with faeries and other supernatural beings. Stregthen connection with supernatural protectors and beings around you. Power flowing from the Greenwood Gods and trees. |
| Nature Spirits: | sylphs, zephyrs |
| Herbs: |
skullcap, meadowsweet, vervain, tansy, dog grass, parsley, mosses |
| Colors: | orange, golden-green |
| Flowers: | lavender, orchid, yarrow |
| Scents: | lilly of the valley, lavender |
| Stones: | topaz, agate, alexandrite, fluorite |
| Trees: | oak |
| Animals: | monkey, butterfly, frog, toad |
| Birds: | wren, peacock |
| Deities: |
Aine of Knockaine, Isis, Neith, Green Man, Cerridwen, Bendis, Ishtar |
| Power Flow: |
full but restful energy; protect,strengthen, and prevent. A time of Light; Earth tides are turning. Decision-making, taking responsibility for present happenings. Work on personal inconsistencies. Strengthen and reward yourself for your positive traits. |
| Nature Spirits: |
hobgoblins (small, grotesque but friendly brownie-type creatures), faeries of harvested crops |
| Herbs: | honeysuckle, agrimony, lemon balm,hyssop |
| Colors: | silver, blue-gray |
| Flowers: | lotus, water lily, jasmine |
| Scents: | orris, frankincense |
| Stones: | pearl, moonstone, white agate |
| Trees: | oak, acacia, ash |
| Animals: | crab, turtle, dolphin, whale |
| Birds: | starling, ibis, swallow |
| Deities: | Khepera, Athene, Juno, Hel, Holda, Cerridwen, Nephthys, Venus |
| Power Flow: |
relaxed energy; preparing; succeeding. Dream-work, divination and meditation on goals and plans, especially spiritual ones. |
| Nature Spirits: | dryads |
| Herbs: | chamomile, St. Johns wort, bay, angelica, fennel, rue, orange |
| Colors: | yellow, gold |
| Flowers: | sunflower, marigold |
| Scents: | frankincense, heliotrope |
| Stones: | cat's eye, carnelian, jasper, fire agate |
| Trees: | hazel, alder, cedar |
| Animals: | lion, phoenix, sphinx, dragon |
| Birds: | crane, falcon, eagle |
| Deities: | Ganesha, Thoth, Hathor, Diana, Hecate, Nemesis |
| Power Flow: | energy into harvesting; gathering, appreciating. Vitality, health. Friendships. |
| Nature Spirits: | trooping faeries |
| Herbs: | copal, fennel, rye, wheat, valerian, skullcap |
| Colors: | brown, yellow-green, yellow |
| Flowers: | narcissus, lily |
| Scents: | storax, mastic, gardenia, bergamot |
| Stones: | peridot, olivine, chrysolite, citrine |
| Trees: | hazel, larch, bay |
| Animals: | snake, jackal |
| Birds: | ibis, sparrow |
| Deities: |
Demeter, Ceres, Isis, Nephthys, Freyja, Ch'ang-O, Thoth |
| Power Flow: |
rest after labor; balance of Light and Dark. Oraganize. Clean and straighten up physical, mental, emotional and spiritual clutter. |
| Nature Spirits: | frost faeries, plant faeries |
| Herbs: | pennyroyal, thyme, catnip, uva ursi, angelica, burdock |
| Colors: | dark blue-green |
| Flowers: | calendula, marigold, cosmos |
| Scents: | strawberry, apple blossom, cherry |
| Stones: | opal, tourmaline, beryl, turquoise |
| Trees: | yew, cypress, acacia |
| Animals: | stag, jackal, elephant, ram, scorpion |
| Birds: | heron, crow, robin |
| Deities: |
Ishtar, Astarte, Demeter, Kore, Lakshmi, Horned God, Belili, Hathor |
| Power Flow: |
to let go; inner cleansing. Karma and reincarnation. Justice and balance. Inner harmony. |
| Nature Spirits: |
banshees and other beings who carry messages between worlds |
| Herbs: |
ginger, hops, wormwood, hyssop, patchouli, mugwort, nutmeg, star anise |
| Colors: | black, white, purple |
| Flowers: | white lily, dahlia, chrysanthemum |
| Scents: | rosemary, dragons blood, lilac, pine, wisteria |
| Stones: | obsidian, onyx, Apache tear |
| Trees: | pine, cypress, yew, elder |
| Animals: | bat, wolf, sow, dog, snake |
| Birds: | owls, raven, falcon |
| Deities: |
Cybele, Circe, Hel, Nephthys, Cerridwen, Horned God, Caillech, Freyja, Holda |
| Power Flow: |
release, remember; communion with the dead. Prophecy. Releasing old negative memories and emotions. |
| Special Note: |
D.J. Conway places this moon during a specific span of time. Blue moons occur during any month where there are two full moons. |
| Nature Spirits: | subterranean faeries |
| Herbs: |
grains of paradise, verbena, betony, borage, cinquefoil, blessed thistle |
| Colors: | gray, sea-green |
| Flowers: | blooming cacti, chrysanthemum |
| Scents: |
cedar, cherry blossoms, hyacinth, narcissus, peppermint, lemon |
| Stones: | topaz, hyacinth, lapis lazuli |
| Trees: | alder, cypres |
| Animals: | unicorn, scorpion, crocodile, jackal |
| Birds: | owl, goose, sparrow |
| Deities: |
Kali, Black Isis, Nicnevin, Hecate, Bast, Osiris, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Skadi, Mawu |
| Power Flow: |
take root, prepare. Transformation. Strengthen communication with the god or goddess who seems closest to you. |
| Nature Spirits: | snow faeries, storm faeries, winter tree faeries |
| Herbs: | holly, English ivy, fir, mistletoe |
| Colors: | blood red, white and black |
| Flowers: | holly, poinsettia, Christmas cactus |
| Scents: | serpentine, jacinth, peridot |
| Stones: | serpentine, jacinth, peridot |
| Trees: | pine, fir, holly |
| Animals: | mouse, deer, horse, bear |
| Birds: | rook, robin, snowy owl |
| Deities: |
Hathor, Hecate, Neith, Athene, Minerva, Ixchel, Osiris, Norns, Fates |
| Power Flow: |
to endure, die, be reborn; Earth tides turning. Darkness. Personal alchemy. Spiritual paths. Reach out to friends and family, the lonely and needy. |
