Phases of the Moon

 
In this post I shall be studying the phases of the moon and what they mean when it comes to magick/ritual/meditative needs.

Full Moon
Banishing unwanted influences within your life.
Divination, planning, releasing, working backwards in time.

Conjouring timescale: 3 days before - 3 days after the full moon
May take up to one full moon cycle for effects to take hold and come to completion

Ceremony: Drawing Down The Moon
Ruling: Mother Goddess

New Moon
Personal growth, healing, blessing of a new project/venture, cleansing/consecrating new tools for rituals, ceremonies or an up and coming festival.

May take upto the next full moon for effects to take hold and come to completion

Ruling: The Maiden/Goddess

Dark Moon
Meditation/vision questing. Magick should not be performed at this time. Break to replenish your energies and pamper yourself.

Conjouring timescale: up to 3 days before a new moon


Ruling: The Crone/Dark Mother/Hag

Waxing Moon
Attraction, love spells, protection/healing for couples

Conjouring timescale: between new moon and first quarter

Ruling: The Maiden/Goddess

Waning Moon
Banishing/rejecting things in our lives that we no longer wish to have with us. Negative emotions, bad habits, diseases and ailments can be banished at this time. Special spells for clearing may also be used at this time.

Conjouring timescale: between last quarter and dark moon

Ruling: The Crone/Dark Mother/Hag

To Conclude
There are many different stages of the moon and I have just gone through a very simple outline of the moon phases - more about these phases can be read on my reference list below.

Blessed Be, Joel

References
Joelle's Sacred Grove, 1999. Moon Phases and Rites. [online] 

Available at: http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Holidays/moonphases.html

[Accessed 24 October 2010]. 

The Pagan's Path, 2010. Working With the Moon. [online]

Available at: http://www.paganspath.com/magik/moon.htm

[Accessed 24 October 2010].