Phases of the Moon

Below you will find information about the Phases of the Moon. These phases are defined as New, Crescent, First Quarter, Gibbous, Full, Disseminating, Last Quarter, or Balsamic. These eight phases symbolically correspond with the stages in the planting cycle, beginning with the potential represented by the seed in the ground, and also to important seasonal events of the yearly cycle, starting with the Winter Solstice.

Name	Seasonal Festival	Keyword
New Moon	Winter Solstice	Beginnings
Crescent Moon	Imbolc, Candlemas	Initiative
First Quarter Moon	Spring Equinox	Growth
Gibbous Moon	Beltane, May Day	Perfection
Full Moon	Summer Solstice	Clarity
Disseminating Moon	Lammas, Harvest Festival	Sharing
Last Quarter Moon	Fall Equinox	Decline
Balsamic Moon	Samhain, Holloween	Preparation
Void of Course		Confusion

New Moon

In this phase, the Moon and Sun are conjunct and in the same sign. This phase represents the very beginning of the planting cycle, when the seed sends forth it's tender shoot while still underground. This is a tentative moment, with the outcome still very much in doubt. This phase also corresponds to the Winter Solstice in the cycle of the seasons.

During this phase, the world is yours to make your mark on. You tend to be subjective, even self-centered, in your approach. You feel that the rules other people make are not for you, you make your own rules appropriate to the present moment. For example, you may question why it needs to be done a certain way, and won't be satisfied with the answer that it's how we've always done it.

Crescent Moon

In this phase, the Moon is waxing and halfway between New and First Quarter Moon. In the planting cycle, this is when the young organism has to contend with the surrounding environment, which may seem difficult and hostile. This phase corresponds to the seasonal holiday of Candlemas, around February 1st, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

During this phase, you tend to charge forward with new ideas and impulses, even in the face of resistance. Your primary mission in life lies in actualizing new forms into an objective and concrete existence, as separate from the old way of being. You are fully invested in this sense of purpose, and yet you may also be very aware of the challenge represented by the status quo, since the older forms never will yield without a struggle.

First Quarter Moon

In this phase, the Moon is waxing and square the Sun. This represents the time in the planting cycle when the organism puts out its leaves and branches, a time of great growth. In the cycle of the seasons, this phase corresponds to the Vernal Equinox.

During this phase, you are a willful builder of new structures for yourself and society, and characteristically exert the utmost effort in order to achieve your goals of bringing new forms into reality, even in the face of resistance. This move forward must inevitably be accompanied with struggle, for the old will rarely yield gracefully.

Gibbous Moon

In this phase, the Moon is waxing and halfway between First Quarter and Full Moon. This represents the moment in the planting cycle when the bud begins to form, carrying within it the promise of the flower. In the seasonal cycle this phase is symbolically linked with the cross-quarter holiday of Beltane, which was celebrated around May 1st (or May Day), half way between the Vernal Equinox and the Summer Solstice.

During this phase, you are powerfully drawn to the accomplishment of your goals, with an analytical and detailed mind. You are likely to have quite a passion for the building and perfecting of new forms and structures. You will not be contented with the status quo of outmoded conceptions, nor with any hesitation in going forward with the new element, which you feel must be perfected in order to achieve its true potential.

Full Moon

In this phase, the Moon and Sun are in opposition to each other on opposite sides of the Earth. This corresponds to the time in the planting cycle for the flower to emerge. This phase symbolically relates to the Summer Solstice, the time of maximum light in the cycle of the seasons.

During this phase, you are very aware of the effect of your work on others. You are operating out of a mode of visible clarity rather than blind faith, and your watchword is objectivity. You are open to the influence of those around you, and are aware of the influence that you can have on them as well. In this sense, your work has meaning for you only in combination with other people.

Disseminating Moon

In this phase, the Moon is waning and halfway between Full and Last Quarter Moon. In the planting cycle this corresponds to the first appearance of the plant's fruit. In the seasonal cycle, there is a symbolic correspondence to the cross-quarter holiday called Lamas, celebrated about August 1st, mid-way between the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox.

During this phase, your basic mission in life is to shed light. You are filled with the knowledge of what has been accomplished in a particular field of endeavor, and your purpose is to share it with others. As the symbolic fruition of the life of the garden, you represent the culmination of the entire planting cycle.

Last Quarter Moon

In this phase, the Moon is waning and square the Sun. In the planting cycle, your phase represents the beginning of the end of the cycle, when the plant is harvested and the parts remaining start to wither and die back into the ground, while what is left of the fruit also begins to prepare its seeds for planting. In the seasonal rotation this phase corresponds to the Fall Equinox.

During this phase, you are an exemplar of the tearing down of the old structure to prepare the way for the new ones. Your type is characterized by a "Crisis in Consciousness" where-by you cannot get with the current scheme of things, and desire to change it. You possess a core level discontent with the existing social structures you find in your environment.

Balsamic Moon

In this phase, the Moon is waning and halfway between Last Quarter and New Moon. In the planting cycle, this is the time of the maturation of the seed, while the rest of the plant dies away. All the energy of the plant becomes concentrated in the seed being prepared for the next cycle. In the seasonal progression this phase corresponds to Halloween, midway between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice, when the veil between worlds is thin, and the ghosts of the dead walk the earth.

During this phase, you are very focused on a barely perceived distant reality, and may feel somewhat alienated from the existing structure of society. Like the dying plant, you are sharing the knowledge distilled from the experience of the past in an effort to bring that encapsulated essence forward into the emerging new form. You feel a sense of mission in helping to prepare the way for something novel to emerge, even though what that new social structure will look like when it arrives may never be clearly discernable to you. You need to be able to strike out on your own, to shake off the remnants of the dead past and to trumpet out your message as a chanticleer for the coming new dawn.

Void of Course

The void of course Moon represents a period of time, usually lasting less than a day, when the course of events seems to be more difficult and arrangements may be subject to unexpected changes. People seem less likely to make a solid decision during a void of course Moon. Some Astrologers refuse to make important business plans during this type of period, or even on a day when the Moon is void of course during part of the day. The actual definition for the void of course Moon is that period of time when the Moon "wanders" after her last major aspect to another planet, and until she enters her next sign.

Phases of the Moon

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