When the moon shows cold and slender,
Stand beneath her starved light,
Wearing only white and silver,
say,to wet her appetite,
I make my vow to fast until,
this crescent moon shines round and full,
While she waxes let me wane
I must lose, that she may gain
While she grows, take silver wine
Silver wine,silver milk
And bread like snow, or linen fine,
And fish as clear as ice or silk,
But only these and less of all,
Than you would wish, to feed her well.

In many spiritual traditions, the Moon represents the feminine aspect of creation and, hence, the Goddess.
In Wicca, the Full Moon ritual is called an Esbat and represents a time of the month for special magickal workings and worship.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, there are 28.5 days in a lunar cycle, the time it takes to go from Full Moon to Full Moon.
An interesting side note to consider is the probability that the lunar cycle has changed over years because the moon has drifted further out of orbit. In other words, in ancient times, in the time of the dinosaurs, the moon appeared larger to the viewer than it does now and the moon that we see appears larger than the image that future generations will see.

As we are already familiar with, our current calendar has twelve months. In all reality, the lunar calendar has thirteen months!
An interesting result of this discrepancy between the Christian calendar and the lunar calendar is the fact that the number 13 is considered unlucky in our present culture by many. Of course, there are other theories as to why thirteen is considered unlucky.
One holds to the belief in numerology, which would express the belief in this fashion: 6 (devil) + 7 (god)= evil

Another phenomenon in nature (and a natural result of there being only twelve months on the Christian calendar) is what is called the Blue Moon.

The Blue Moon is the second Full Moon within one calendar month on the Christian calendar. Because of its comparative scarcity, we have the expression "once in a blue moon."


Full Moons are important to Wiccans. One reason for this fact (other than the moon's representation of the Goddess) is that different types of magicks can be done more easily at this time. Some of the magicks that can be done at this time are:

*Invoking
*Charging
*Blessing
*Spells of protection or healing
*Manifestation
*Fertility
*Giving stuff
*Cleansing
*Scrying
*Healing
*Divination
*Invoking moon goddess
*New projects


On the New Moon, other types of workings can be done. Some of these are:

*New beginnings
*Transformation
*Garden magick!!!! Plant those seeds!
*Healing where you want to remove something
*Lessening
*Banishment
*New projects
*New wishes
*Working on oneself and study (introspection)
*New careers and relationships
*Things that take a while to grow and mature


The Dark of the Moon is a more foreboding time to many. It is the time just before the New Moon, when the world is at its physical darkest.
Coming three days before the New Moon, it is the turning point, the time where things get harder before they turn.
For some, it is not a time to play around with magick.

This leads to a question. Can one do magick during the Dark Moon???
Some might say, "Yes, depending on what you are doing it for."
Others will say, "Yeah, but tis heavy stuff."
Another school of thought goes that one should "prefer not ... unless emergency."
Of course, there are those who prefer to rest on the Dark Moon and to study.
There is the opinion, too, that one can use the Dark Moon for transformation and to change old situations into positive situations. This can be an appropriate time to cleanse oneself, to rid one's self of negative habits by magick and ritual.


What types of Magick should you do during the Waning Moon?
Remember that waning means decreasing. As such, you may want to do work that involves shrinking an area of your life down to smaller proportions or actually getting rid of something in your life.

*Ending things
*Banishing
*Releasing
*End to negativity
*Lessening magic
*Letting go
*Any thing you want to get rid of or quit
*Finishing
*Repelling
*Healing
*Binding


What types of Magick should you do during the Waxing Moon?

*Gaining positive energy
*Protection
*Growing magick
*Giving rather than lessening
*Magick to increase
*Drawing towards
*Things you want to bring to you
*Healing
*Prosperity
*Gaining
*Beginnings
*Growth
*Charging
*Drawing things to you
*Creating
*Work on what you want to come and make it happen


You may notice that protection comes up as a popular type of work. This is a natural thing to happen in that different types of protection may be done with the moon phases.
In other words, during a waning moon, you may do a spell or a ritual for protection by focusing on the problem or danger lessening and loosing its strength and hold over you.
During the waxing moon, such a spell or ritual could focus on your strength and/or resources increasing with the moon, thus making you stronger and safer.


A major part of most rituals is called Drawing Down the Moon.
It is traditionally thought of by many as the work or right of the High Priestess or of a female member of a coven.
What is meant by Drawing Down the Moon?

*Drawing energy from the moon to your circle
*Bringing the Goddess into yourself
*Pull the Goddess energy into you on a full moon
*Recharging...
*Drawing moon power and energy into yourself and becoming the Goddess
*Bring the energy of the moon down into oneself
*Attuning to the Goddess
*Resonate with the Goddess and fill up with Her energy
*Invoke the Goddess into yourself
*Become the Goddess
*You bath yourself in Her LIGHT and draw in the energy from Her through it
*To invite the Goddess to dwell within you for a time


Can Men Draw Down the Moon?
OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone is equal so that you can experience Her glory and power. We all have a female/male side and Drawing Down the Moon can help men resonate, to visualize the moon/sun and pull it down through their athame and into their selves or other people.

For those who are new to Wicca, How do YOU go about Drawing Down the Moon?
"I do it outdoors."
"Stand there in the moonlight, awed, and just feel the presence."
"Picture the moon in your mind and see it come down to you filling you up with a feeling of love and peace."
"Nothing fancy...just kinda get "lost" in the moon."
"I hold my staff in my receiving hand, point it at the moon, and just `accept."
"I 'see' Her energy stream down to me and enter me."
"Picture self filled with silvery light."

How do you know if you are doing it right?
"I see the power and light pour down into and around me."
"One night I left work, looked at the moon, drove home, got out of my car, looked up again, and the moon had a huge ring around it, kind of like a rainbow, amazing! Most beautiful thing I've ever seen, actually told the moon that."
"One casts a circle and draws Divine energy onto ourselves. If it works, it's right."
"If you can physically and spiritually feel it."
"The less congruent you are, the better its working."
"There is no right way. Whatever fills you up with peace love and warmth."


Ideally, one can do rituals at any time of the month and does not need a moon to do one with.
Rituals can be done at Full Moon, New Moon, Dark of the Moon, or even in the daytime under the Sun.