Moon Magic and the Waxing Moon

Did you know you can do workings outside of the Full Moon and the New Moon? Yes, you can. So many witches focus on the Full and New Moons that they forget that the other phases are for more than just space filler on a t-shirt.

The days between the New Moon and Full Moon is called the Waxing Moon. The Waxing Moon is when the moon is getting brighter as it moves closer to the Full Moon. When you go out at night and look up at the moon, you will notice a faint sliver of a moon right after the New Moon. Over the next two weeks, you can see the moon getting fuller and brighter. For the first week that the moon is in Waxing, it will look like a crescent with a shadow on the left. It is called Waxing because it is increasing in size. Think of it as when you wax something it gets brighter and shinier, just like the moon does over the coming days until the Full Moon.

So, what is the Waxing Moon good for? This is a time of growing and planning. Think about what you want to bring into your life or what you feel needs healing. Set your intentions towards those things. Suggested workings for this phase of the moon are grounding yourself so you can heal and grow, start new projects that will help you grow into your ideal life, set up your budget and do money magic, look into your health and make changes to become healthier, plan for your future, start making steps to grow your family if you wish, and look into starting a new career. This is the time to start working towards your goals, it is time to make those decisions that need to be made.

The Waxing Moon can be divided into three sections: Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, and Waxing Gibbous. The Waxing Crescent is when the moon is more dark than light. Traditionally, this is the time to set your intentions, state your goals, start making moves toward those goals, and do activities like making vision boards or plan maps. The First Quarter is when the moon is half light and half dark; usually about a week after the New Moon and a week before the Full Moon. It is the time to commit to your plan, do activities that help you believe in yourself. The final section is the Waxing Gibbous. The is the time when the moon is more of the moon lit than dark, but it’s not a Full Moon yet. This is the time when you magically re-affirm your goals, double check that you are still on track, and put in the work to achieve your goals.

Self-care is very important during this phase of the moon. Be careful not to get caught up in the “hustle” mentality, that need to keep working towards our goal until we reach it, and rest is for then our goals are accomplished. This is a good way to wear yourself out and to lose focus on the goals. Self-care allows us to relax, refocus, re-calibrate, reenergize, and take care of ourselves mentally, spiritually, and physically. It is better to take a rest, than to get to your goal and be burned out and unable to enjoy your success. Or even, get to what you think is your goal and find out that you lost sight of your goal and accomplished something you didn’t want. So, take care of yourself during this period. Recommended self-care can include affirmations, journaling, meditation, relaxing baths, exercise, and eating healthy.

If you enjoy making and using Moon Water, waxing moon moon water is excellent for workings focused on growth, planning, action making, creativity, and healing. Just sit your water out under the waxing moonlight and allow it to absorb the moon’s energy. Use it like you would any moon water where you would need the energies of the waxing moon. My favorite uses for waxing moon water are placing it on my alter when I do healing spells, commit to a plan of action, or to rinse my brushes when I paint on vision boards.

The deities that are associated with the waxing moon are Artimis (she even wears a crescent moon Epona, Branwen, Isis, all Maiden Goddesses, the Virgin Mary, Diana, Lakshmi, Iris, Ishtar, Ceres, Pomona, Ix Chel (Mayan goddess of the waxing moon). There are gods associated with the moon such as Jhuki if the Norse and Thoth of the Egyptians. These deities are often associated with fertility, youth, knowledge, and growth.

In addition to using the crystals associated with your intentions, the following crystals add energy to Waxing Moon magic: celestine, galena, malachite, fluorite, carnelian, citrine, rainbow moonstone, emerald, clear quartz, pyrite, and howlite. The traditional oils, incense and herbs for this moon phase are: rosemary, sandalwood, bergamot, sweet orange, jasmine, myrrh, blue lotus, carnation, yarrow, and thyme.

Every phase of the moon is magical and has an energy. As you learn to utilize the different phases of the moon, you will expand your magical capabilities. The Waxing Moon is a time to planting the seeds and nurturing your soul's garden.