Moon Phases

New Moon
Finally, growing smaller still, the moon has waned completely and it vanishes. This is called the Dark of the Moon or New Moon -- and it is reserved for dark works and dedications to dark deities. On the night of the New Moon you will see no Moon at all, no matter how long you stay up and watch, because... The New Moon (Dark Moon) rises at sunrise and sets at sunset. ` new wishes on the New Moon.


Waxing Crescent
When the Moon is a Waxing Crescent; the dark side is to your left, more or less, and the bright Crescent is to your right. (Sometimes the Moon is tipped a little, so it may not be exactly right or left, but you will know what i mean if you go outside and look at it.) You can use this time to perform waxing, drawing, increasing, or growth spells.


First Quarter
The Waxing Crescent Moon rises after sunrise and sets after sunset -- it is only seen in the night sky for a short time after the sun goes down. Every night the Moon rises in the East a little later and the thickness of the Waxing Crescent gets fatter, until the shape of the Moon is half a circle. This is the First Quarter, also called by some people the Waxing Half Moon. It is dark on the left and bright on the right. You can continue to do waxing, drawing, increasing, or growth spells. The Waxing First Quarter Moon rises about at noon and sets about at midnight.

Waxing Gibbous
After that, the Moon starts to look like it is pregnant -- it is perfectly round on the right side, but bulged out past half-way on the left. This is the Waxing Gibbous Moon. You can continue to do waxing, drawing, increasing, or growth spells. The Waxing Gibbous Moon rises in the middle of the afternoon and sets before well before sunrise.

Full Moon
It takes about 14 days of growing bigger for the moon to grow or wax completely full -- that night you will see the Full Moon rise as a perfect circular disk. This is the Light of the Moon, and it is reserved for light works and dedications to benevolent lunar deities. It is used for celebrations and prayers for peace. The Full Moon rises almost exactly at sunset and sets almost exactly at the next sunrise.


Waning Gibbous
After its 14 days of waxing, culminating with the Full Moon, the entire process is reversed and the Moon decreases in apparent size. After about 3 days of appearing to be more or less full, the moon slowly begins to visibly go dark on the right side, while the left side stays the same disk-shape as it had when it was Full. This is the Waning Gibbous Moon -- it looks perfectly round on the left side, but bulged out past half-way on the right. This is the time to begin waning, repelling, decreasing, or reversing spells. The Waning Gibbous Moon rises in the early evening and sets some time after sunrise. 

Last Quarter
Every night the Moon rises in the East a little later and the thickness of the Waning Gibbous gets thinner, until the shape of the Moon is half a circle. This is the Last Quarter, also called by some people the Third Quarter or Waning Half Moon. It is dark on the right and bright on the left. You can continue to do waning, repelling, decreasing, or reversing spells. The Waning Last Quarter Moon rises about at midnight and sets about at noon.





Waning Crescent 
As the shape continues to shrink, night by night, the Moon becomes a Waning Crescent; the dark side is to your right, more or less, and the bright Crescent is to your left. You can continue to do waning, repelling, decreasing, or reversing spells. This is a powerful time to take off curses or to send evil back to the one who sent it to you. The Waning Crescent Moon rises between midnight and dawn, but fades out when the Sun comes up.