Lunar
Cycles
NEW MOON
The new moon is a time for beginning projects. It is also a time for renewal of projects and relationships already in your life.
Plant totem
Plants for the new moon should include any newly budding plat or new growth of a plant. This represents beginnings, and can be carried or worn to remind you of new growth/energy.
Incense totems for the new moon are vanilla, cinnamon, mugwort, jasmine, myrrh, and rosemary. Vanilla contains gentle healing and Goddess energy. Cinnamon contains spicy, active God energy. Mugwort is used for opening your psychic centers. Jasmine is used as a delicate way to begin attuning to spirituality. Myrrh can be used for an earthly but spiritual incense that helps you open those channels. Rosemary is an overall good inspirational herb.
Animal
Some animal totems for the new moon are the heron and the hawk. The great blue heron is good for organizing spiritual energy. Hawks are good because they have great perception and focus.
Cats are very inquisitive, and curious, they represent the fresh energy of the new moon. Bears are good because they�re gentle companions for the shamanic journeys we bestow. Butterflies are excellent because they represent the renewal of metamorphosis. Doves, because of their gentle loving spirit. Foxes because of their cleverness and elusiveness. Wrens, because they are very industrious.
Human
Human world totems for the new moon include Zen meditation, because it helps create a one-pointed awareness, and gives an �on the spot� meditation. Another good activity is burning slips of paper with your desires, goals, or projects written on them, and release them into the Spirit.
Exercising is an excellent activity for the new moon- dancing out what you want by movement. It is a good way to initiate energies within yourself.
Mineral
Crystals are good at all times because they can be programmed. Lodestones are quite good because they hold a magnetic charge for a reletively long time. Rose quartz is excellent because of its gentle, loving energy. Carnelian is quite good because it has a gentle fire. Soil is a representation of what we plant our goals into.
WAXING MOON
The waxing moon is a time of energizing the projects that you alreay have and the new ones that you have begun. It is also a time of healing and self-healing, and protection of yourself and your environment.
Plant
Pine is a good plant for the waxing moon, because it�s traditionally a tree that has to do with emotions, growth and support. Honeysuckle is good because of its prosperous energies. Sandalwood is good for its meditative and deepening energies. Holly is great for its evergreen qualities. It is strong, it lasts, and it has red berries. It is a balance of newness and renewness. It symbolizes constant growth, and growth within growth.
Animal
The deer is especially good for the waxing moon time. The deer holds the energies. It is a good totem to call on to keep you on track with your projects.
Working dogs, such as collies and Saint Bernards are good totems because they represent industriousness and the joy of achievement. Bobcats are quite fierce and also small. They have kitten qualities, along with big cat quality. They represent the balance of energy needed during the waxing moon.
Human
This is a time for more structured spiritual rituals. Perhaps pull out books of set rituals, or write them and follow them.
Mineral
Carnelian is also good during the waxing moon, especially darker shades where the vibration moves from peach and yellow into orange and red.
Jasper is good because it can help you pull down the building moon energy to earth, into your own daily life. Rutilated quartz has gold-colored inclusions, which are very active and stimulate growth.
FULL MOON
The full moon is a time for celebration. Celebration of the energies you want in your life, celebrate the energies you already have in your life, celebrate growth achieved, and honor energies.
Plant
Oak is one of the greatest plant totems for the full moon because it is a great tree of strength and wisdom. Ash trees are also good for life/source energies. Evergreens are good for eternal strengths.
Animal
Full moon is a good time for tuning into mythic and symbolic animals such as dragons, gryphons, and unicorns. The white owl is very powerful as a symbolic representation of the Goddess energies.
Human
Celebrate the successful completion of projects even if they are not completed in your life- yet. Express gratitude to self, nature, and to spirit. Accept gratefully where you are on your path to power.
Mineral
Clear crystals can be used to amplify and empower rituals, ceremonies, and magical projects. Milky white quartz provides a more gentile source of power and also represents the healing white light. Moonstone in any shade symbolizes inner vision, psychic and spiritual receptivity. It may be charged during the full moon to provide empowerment throughout the entire lunar cycle.
WANING MOON
The waning moon is a time for releasing, banishing, and purging things in your life that obstruct your path.
Plant
Mandrake is very good for the waning moon because it is a root herb. It connects with deep magnetic energies, and you can put a lot into it.
Garlic is also good because it absorbs negative energies quite well. Cedar is good for purification of negative energies.
Animal
Ravens have a bad reputation in some traditions, but they are great messengers of spirit and psychic knowledge. The wolf is a very good protector and teacher of wisdom while you are doing the purification.
Human
Earth journeys are best at this time, because you feel the connection to the earth deepen as the moon weakens in intensity. This is also a good time for deeply personal rituals that are not shared, and come from you alone.
Mineral
Obsidian or Apache tears are good for carrying because they help absorb negative energies that you are banishing, and allow you to focus. Soil and marble are quite good now because they pull on energies of the earth, which is more pronounced during the waning moon.
DARK OF THE MOON
Dark of the moon is when the moon has no energies in relation to the earth. This is just before it turns to a new moon, within a few hours. It is not a good time to begin relationships with a totem, or try any new projects. It is a good time to go into that deep spiritual place within, and ask for the deepest kind of shamanic connections and renewal that you can achieve on the path.
Back