Moonbeaming or The Moon 101
Have you ever found yourself marveling at the Moon in the wee hours of the night? Its glowing face is more than just the “Man in the Moon” or the round wheel of cheese you dream about (or is that just us?).
Sarah Gottesdiener, aka @gottesss, has spent the better part of the last few years dedicating her practice to the Moon and its history. In her workshop at HausWitch, she led us through a detailed discussion of the Moon and how we might incorporate its many blessings into our spiritual and daily lives.
Why the Moon Now?
The Moon has always been in our collective human history, serving as timekeeper and the great flashlight in the sky for ancient nighttime jaunts. It was the Full Moon’s light that encouraged witches and others looking to meet in secret to venture forth with only its light to guide them. After getting into the Moon’s past, the discussion veered toward the present, and three main themes emerged:
- The unreal reality we live and breathe daily takes its toll and the Moon’s cycle is grounding in and of itself.
- The Moon is forever tied to a divine feminine energy that pulls this latest wave of feminism toward it.
- It’s just darn pretty.
‘Moonths’
The Moon usually has 13 ‘lunations’ or ‘moonths’ in a year, except this year where we’re left with 12. Each cycle is approximately 29.3 days with the reliable sequence of waxing and waning towards the Full and the New Moon. This is where Sarah takes a little sidestep in a direction you might not be familiar with. Traditionally the Moon’s cycle begins on a New Moon, which you might recognize from your hanging calendars as the dark circle in the corner of the day. Sarah and other Moon-gazers consider the New Moon when you can just see the little sliver of the Moon smiling down. This is because the darkness of the Moon’s other side is considered the ‘Dark Moon.’
Think about it like this: If the Moon were to be brand new, wouldn’t you see her peeking out and not hiding away?
The Moon Phase Quick Guide
Sarah talked through each phase in great detail, outlining the most relevant activities and rituals for the phases. Ultimately the Moon at Full and Dark are ideal for doing any sort of spellwork, but a little ritual within the cycle will help keep you on track with your intentions and manifestations. As Sarah says, “When in doubt, manifest it out!” We’ve put together a little version, but if you’re looking for a deeper dive, you’ll have to pick up her next Moon Workbook!
New Moon – dreaming, vision boarding, invitation, grounding
First Quarter – calibrate yourself with the coming Full Moon
Waxing Moon – physical manifestation, affirmations, stretch goals
Full Moon – celebration, manifestation, charging, gratitude, emotional
Last Quarter – calibrating with the coming Dark Moon, banishing
Waning Moon – psychic protection, forgiveness, psychic work, quitting
Dark Moon – intense banishing, cord cutting, goodbyes, scrying
In reality if a time feels right to you then there’s nothing wrong with doing a spell or ritual at a different time than any book states. But if you’re looking for a little more oomph, the moon can give you that extra boost you need.
Meet the Moon (and @gottesss!)
Is your interest piqued? You can catch Sarah on Instagram at @gottesss and find her in LA hosting workshops and meditations at Otherwild and the Women's Center for Creative Work.
Keep an eye on the HausWitch newsletter for more guest appearances!
