The Moon Phases Explained

A Practical & Spiritual Guide to the Lunar Cycle

“I see the moon… the moon sees me… the moon sees somebody I’d like to see…”

Those are the first few lines in a lullaby (of sorts) that I remember as a staple of my childhood. A song that felt like it brought a bit of comfort knowing we’re all living under the nurturing eye of that same moon, no matter where we’re at on earth.

Even now, as I trek on small adventures to catch a glimpse of the full moon, I’m always heartened by the fact that most times there is at least one or two other people in my favorite spots doing just the same.

There is something about the pull of the sky - and the moon in particular - that we connect to. There is no denying it.

In this post, we’ll explore the moon phases and the energy of each. We’ll talk about how they align with our own lives and how we can incorporate them as tools to help us be more intentionally in rhythm with the world around us - and ourselves.

What are basics of the Moon Cycle?

From an Astronomical Stance

As we know, the Moon is the closest celestial body to Earth, which is why we can see so much of its detail with the naked eye - its craters, shadows, shifting shapes - it’s hard to not be fascinated by it. It’s also our easiest reminder that we’re living on a planet (ball of rock) moving (hurling) through space… that there’s a rhythm happening around us whether we’re paying attention or not. And because it’s so close, the Moon’s movement feels more personal and immediate than anything else in the sky.

Impact on Water & the Tides

We’ve come to understand that the Moon’s gravitational pull is what creates the tides. As it orbits Earth, the water responds - rising, falling, shifting in predictable patterns. It’s one of the simplest ways to see how something “out there” affects life “down here”. Biodynamic® farmers work with this same principle as they time their planting, pruning, and harvesting to align with the Moon’s phases and the water content within plants. When the Moon pulls, the moisture in the soil and sap responds too, just like the tides. And then there’s the fact that like the seas and like the plants, we are made of mostly water, too. So, there is of course an impact on us, too.

The Astrological Influence

Astrologically, the Moon rules the sign of Cancer - the archetype of nurturing, intuition, emotional tides, and home. It’s the sign that is most connected to what we’d consider “maternal energy”. The Moon represents how we experience our inner world: our needs, instincts, comfort, memories, and moods. The Moon is what we feel before we can make sense of it… and how we feel emotional security and safety. 

Its daily movement through the zodiac (changing signs every 2-2.5ish days) means our emotional landscape is always shifting, just like its light. This is one of the layers that becomes more intentional when it comes to working with the moon phases, because paying attention to the zodiac sign can offer additional insight into the energy (we’ll get into that in later posts).

So how do we take these understandings and incorporate them into our own lives?

What are The Phases of the Moon?

The lunar cycle is a repeating rhythm - waxing, peaking, waning/releasing, resting. Each phase comes with a different quality of energy. You can use it as a loose guide for intention-setting, creativity, rest, or action… without needing to follow anything rigidly or make it feel like you’re adding more to your to-do list.

New Moon

The sky is dark, and therefore the Moon looks like its hidden. Energetically, this is the quiet inhale before movement begins. It’s a time for starting fresh - setting intentions, clarifying desires, planting metaphorical (and literal) seeds. The energy is subtle, internal, and rooted in possibility rather than momentum. This phase supports reflecting on what you want to grow next, even if you’re not ready to take action yet.

First Quarter

This is the phase of tension and turning. The moon is on its quest to gain light and is half-lit, half-shadowed, and we often feel that same internal push. It’s the moment where intention meets resistance - the point in a cycle where you choose to either commit or adjust. This is a good time for taking practical steps, troubleshooting, and leaning into discomfort that signals growth. Aligned action is the keyword here.

Full Moon

The Moon is bright, round, and fully visible. This is the one that gets everyone out of the house to look at. Everything is illuminated - what’s working, what’s not, what’s been growing under the surface. Emotionally, this can feel heightened or clarifying. Ask any staff member in the emergency room about full moons and they’ll have stories.  Full Moons are natural checkpoints, times of culmination, celebration, or release. This is when things come to light, and when we see the results of what we set in motion earlier.

Last Quarter

Another half-lit Moon, but this time it’s decreasing (or waning). The energy shifts from building to letting go. We’re in the “trust the process” phase. This is the time for editing, clearing, simplifying, and integrating what you’ve learned. It’s a good time to break old habits, refine boundaries, or prune back anything that no longer supports the direction you’re headed.

Dark Moon / Void Moon

Just before the New Moon, the Moon returns to darkness (hence, Dark Moon). The energy here is restful, empty, and quiet - a natural exhale. Many people feel lower energy or a desire to withdraw during this phase (completely normal). It’s a space for release, reflection, and preparing the soil for what comes next. Think: endings, closure, deep rest.

There is also the “Void Moon” (or Void of Course Moon), which comes together more in an astrological sense. This is when the moon is shifting between the zodiac signs, making its last aspect in one before moving to the next, signifying a time of energetic delay, so it’s not necessarily a time to start things but rather reflect, pause, etc. 

Bringing It All Together

The Moon’s cycle is just one of the many rhythms we get to live alongside… another reminder that life is always shifting between beginnings, growth, fullness, release, and rest. We see the same pattern in the seasons, in our gardens, and in ourselves. The spark, expansion, shedding, and quiet - it's all mirrored up above.

But as always, you don’t have to follow the lunar phases perfectly or treat them like a rulebook. It’s more about noticing how you feel as the light changes… paying attention to where you’re being pulled forward and where you’re being asked to hold for a moment… soften, if you will. The Moon gives us a chance to pause inside the larger cycles we’re already moving through.

Full disclosure - I do not work with every moon, because life happens. While I do try to make the effort to work with the full and new moons each month, there are sometimes where it doesn’t happen and/or where the “work” might look different. Sometimes it’s more elaborate and sometimes it’s a simple moment in the car at a stoplight. But at the core, both of them help me pause and notice… both of them have intention - and that’s the important thing.

Ultimately, the Moon’s cycle is a simple, steady reminder: nothing stays the same, and nothing is meant to. There’s always a new beginning on the horizon, a place to take action, a moment of clarity, a season to release, and a quiet pause before it all begins again.

A Full Moon captured outside my city window.