A Guide to Each Lunar Phase and Their Meanings (2024)

FAQs

What are the 12 phases of the moon and their meaning? ›

The primary phases are the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. The secondary phases are waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning crescent and waning gibbous. The term waxing refers to a growing of the moon's image, while the term waning refers to a shrinking image.

Each night, the lit portion of the moon increases slightly, creating a sense of anticipation and buildup toward the Full Moon. The Waxing Gibbous phase symbolizes refinement and adjustment, a time for fine-tuning and making necessary changes to plans or intentions set during the New Moon.

A moon phase is the shape of moon's sunlit portion as seen from Earth. There are a total of eight moon phases: new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. These phases repeat every 29.5 days.

As the moon orbits around the Earth, it appears to change shape because different amounts of the illuminated side of the moon are visible from Earth due to the angle between the moon, Earth, and the sun. This is known as the lunar cycle, which takes approximately 29.5 days to complete.

Waning Gibbous Moon

It symbolizes a time of release, gratitude, and introspection. This phase is about letting go of what no longer serves you and giving thanks for what you've learned.

It takes about 29.5 days to complete a lunar cycle. So there are more than 12 but fewer than 13 full cycles in a year.

A new moon, the first of the eight phases of the moon. Depicts the moon as a full, bluish- or grayish-black, cratered disc, not illuminated by the sun. May be used to represent the moon more generally, nighttime, outer space, and astronomy. May also be used to convey enchanting or eerie feelings.

It also provides analogy for the stages of human development: the new moon is infancy, the crescent is youth and adolescence, the full moon is maturity and pregnancy, and the waning moon represents the decline of life, sleep.

The Full Moon phase is thought to be the most powerful of all the moon phases. It brings with it a time to harvest intentions set, celebrate achievement and reap reward. The Full moon is often compared as the Yin to the Yang of the New Moon and as such can represent a period of closure and coming full circle.

Gibbous describes a certain phase of the moon, when it's bulging outward but isn't quite full. A waxing gibbous moon is one that's getting progressively rounder, night after night.

What does waning crescent mean? ›

The area illuminated on the surface of the Moon during this phase is in the shape of a crescent and the amount of sunlight reflecting off of the Moon is decreasing. The term waning means decreasing, which is why this Moon phase is called Waning Crescent.

First quarter moon people may long for freedom. Those born under the waxing moon gibbous phase are more aware of their needs. Full moon beings give their all to relationships. Waning gibbous phase is on board to commit. The last quarter moon adds forgiveness and compassion to their partnerships.

These different shapes are called the phases of the Moon, and they change with a regular pattern over a period of about 30 days. The phases of the Moon are caused by the changing positions of the Moon, Earth, and the Sun. As the Moon goes around the Earth, different parts of it are illuminated by the Sun.

Researchers believe our internal biological rhythms may be linked to the Moon's cycle. Changes in sleep can have dramatic effects on your overall mood – causing irritability, decreased concentration and focus, impatience, and elevated levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.

The lunar cycle has an impact on human reproduction, in particular fertility, menstruation, and birth rate. Melatonin levels appear to correlate with the menstrual cycle.

A first quarter moon, the third of the eight phases of the moon. Depicts the moon as a cratered disc, its right half illuminated in gold or silver, its remainder dark. May be used to represent the moon more generally, nighttime, outer space, and astronomy. May also be used to convey enchanting or eerie feelings.

🌑 New: We cannot see the Moon when it is a new moon. 🌒 Waxing Crescent: In the Northern Hemisphere, we see the waxing crescent phase as a thin crescent of light on the right. 🌓 First Quarter: We see the first quarter phase as a half moon. 🌔 Waxing Gibbous: The waxing gibbous phase is between a half moon and full moon.

Gibbous describes a certain phase of the moon, when it's bulging outward but isn't quite full. A waxing gibbous moon is one that's getting progressively rounder, night after night. Occasionally the adjective gibbous is used for describing something else that protrudes or bulges, like a sleepy kitten's gibbous belly.

The full moon is a time of peak illumination, symbolizing completeness and clarity. It is a potent period when the moon aligns directly opposite the sun, creating a sense of harmony and balance in the universe. As the moon reaches its fullest potential, its energy intensifies, and so does ours.