Cheat sheets for vibes, not rigid rules. 🌙✨
Moon phase correspondences are just:
“When I think of this phase of the Moon, what colors, feelings, tools, and types of magic go with it for me?”
They help you:
- Choose candles, herbs, crystals, and tarot cards
- Plan what kind of spell or ritual fits the phase
- Remember the emotional tone of each part of the lunar cycle
They are associations, not laws.
You’re allowed to change them, argue with them, or rewrite them completely.
Use this page as a starting map, not a prison.
1. Moon Phases at a Glance (Core Five)
We’ll use the five-phase structure this grimoire is built around:
| Phase | Symbol | Keywords | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| New | 🌑 | Seed, intention, fresh start | Setting intentions, quiet beginnings, visioning |
| Waxing | 🌒 | Growth, building, attraction | Taking steps, attraction spells, building habits |
| Full | 🌕 | Illumination, peak, amplification | Manifestation, charging tools, celebration, clarity |
| Waning | 🌖 | Release, clearing, protection | Banishing, cord-cutting, decluttering, warding |
| Dark | 🌑 | Rest, shadow, void, endings | Rest, reflection, gentle shadow work, spiritual reset |
You’ll notice we meet “New Moon” twice in a row in many calendars (Dark + New).
In this grimoire:
- Dark Moon = empty void, deep rest, “no light yet”
- New Moon = the first new seed, intention, “just starting to grow”
You can blur them together if that feels simpler.
2. Colors & Visual Vibes
These are common modern correspondences + how they feel:
| Phase | Colors | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| New | Black, deep indigo, dark blue | Void, potential, quiet, mystery |
| Waxing | Light green, soft gold, pale yellow, fresh white | Sprout, hope, gentle momentum |
| Full | Bright white, silver, gold, luminous blue | Spotlight, clarity, radiance |
| Waning | Deep green, brown, grey, smoky tones | Compost, release, falling leaves |
| Dark | Black, deep purple, midnight blue | Cave, womb, stillness, inner work |
Don’t stress if your brain goes:
- “New Moon feels navy, not black.”
- “Full Moon is lavender to me.”
Your associations are the ones that matter most.
3. Element & Tarot Flavor by Phase
Think of each phase as leaning toward certain elements & tarot vibes.
Elements
| Phase | Element Vibes |
|---|---|
| New | Earth + Spirit |
| Waxing | Fire + Air + a bit of Earth |
| Full | Water + Spirit + Fire |
| Waning | Earth + Air + Water |
| Dark | Water + Earth + Spirit |
You can use this to choose:
- Which elemental practices to favor
- What kind of energy to raise or soothe
Tarot Majors & Suits (Optional Layer)
Very optional, but fun:
| Phase | Tarot Majors (examples) | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| New | The Fool, The Star, The High Priestess | Pentacles (Earth) |
| Waxing | The Magician, Strength, The Chariot | Wands (Fire), Swords (Air) |
| Full | The Sun, The Moon, The World | Cups (Water) |
| Waning | Death, Justice, Temperance | Swords (cut), Pentacles (practical) |
| Dark | The Hermit, The Hanged Man, The Devil (shadow), The Moon reversed | Cups (deep), Major Arcana focus |
Again: seasoning, not required knowledge.
4. Magic Focus by Phase
Here’s a simple guide to what kind of spellwork fits each phase:
| Phase | Magic Focus |
|---|---|
| New | Intention-setting, calling in beginnings, road-opening, self-redefinition |
| Waxing | Attraction (love, opportunities, clients), skill-building, confidence, growth |
| Full | Manifestation boost, charging tools, glamour magic, divination, gratitude |
| Waning | Banishing, cord-cutting, habit-breaking, protection, cleansing |
| Dark | Rest rituals, shadow work, ancestor work (carefully), closure, dream work |
If your need doesn’t match the current phase, you can:
- Adjust the working to align with the phase
- Or do it anyway and trust that necessity > timing
No lunar police.
5. Herbs, Scents & Materials (Accessible Options)
Use what’s safe, affordable, and available to you. These are common, not mandatory.
| Phase | Herbs & Plants (examples) | Scents / Materials |
|---|---|---|
| New | Mugwort (vision), basil (beginnings), rosemary (clarity), seeds | Dark soil, new seeds, blank paper |
| Waxing | Mint (energy), cinnamon (success), thyme (courage), chamomile (steady growth) | Fresh leaves, sprouting plants, growing crystals |
| Full | Rose (love), jasmine (mystery), lavender (calm clarity), sunflower | Clear water, glass, mirrors, bright candles |
| Waning | Sage (clearing), rosemary (again), lemongrass (cut cords), garlic, bay | Smoke, brooms, salt, garbage bags, recycling bins |
| Dark | Poppy (sleep), valerian (rest), yarrow (protection), cypress | Heavy blankets, stones, closed journals, darkness |
If some herbs are unsafe for you (pets, allergies, meds), skip them. You can always:
- Work with photos, names written on paper, or the idea of an herb.
6. Crystals & Objects by Phase (Optional & Simple)
Absolutely not required, but if you like stones:
| Phase | Stones / Objects |
|---|---|
| New | Obsidian, onyx, labradorite, clear quartz |
| Waxing | Citrine, carnelian, green aventurine, pyrite |
| Full | Moonstone, selenite, clear quartz, opalite |
| Waning | Smoky quartz, black tourmaline, hematite |
| Dark | Obsidian, jet, lava stone, amethyst |
No crystals? No problem.
- Coins → Waxing + Full (abundance)
- Keys → New + Waxing (open roads)
- Brooms/sponges → Waning (clear it out)
- Blankets/pillows → Dark (rest)
- Journals/pens → any phase for reflection
7. Expanded Phases (If You Want to Get Fancy)
If you enjoy more nuance (you don’t have to), you can break the cycle into 8 phases:
| Phase | Symbol | Vibe / Focus |
|---|---|---|
| New | 🌑 | Seed, intention, inner yes |
| Waxing Crescent | 🌒 | First steps, fragile hope |
| First Quarter | 🌓 | Action, decisions, “are you committed?” |
| Waxing Gibbous | 🌔 | Refining, adjusting, nearly there |
| Full | 🌕 | Peak, illumination, celebration |
| Waning Gibbous | 🌖 | Gratitude, processing, sharing what you learned |
| Last Quarter | 🌗 | Cutting away, strong boundaries, “this has to change” |
| Waning Crescent | 🌘 | Going inward, winding down, preparation for rest |
You can absolutely ignore this and stick with the core 5-phase flow from your earlier pages.
Think of this section as “optional nerd mode.”
8. Personal Correspondences (The Most Important Part)
The tables above are common modern associations.
But your body, history, and land might say:
- “Full Moon feels anxious, not joyful.”
- “Waning is the calmest part for me.”
- “New Moons make me restless, not introspective.”
Those are your real correspondences.
Create a section in your grimoire:
“My Moon Phase Correspondences”
For each phase, explore:
New Moon – My Correspondences
- Colors I feel: ___________________________
- Emotions that tend to show up: ___________
- Best kind of magic for me: _______________
- What my body usually wants: _____________
- One image or symbol that fits: ___________
Repeat for:
- Waxing Moon
- Full Moon
- Waning Moon
- Dark Moon
You can add:
- Songs/playlists
- Scents you associate
- Places (e.g., New = my bed at 2 a.m., Full = the balcony, Waning = shower)
This becomes your real reference.
9. Cultural & Astrological Seasoning (Optional)
Some witches layer:
- Astrology – Full Moon in Aries feels different from Full Moon in Pisces
- Cultural correspondences – certain deities, holidays, or folk customs tied to specific moons (Harvest Moon, Wolf Moon, etc.)
Quick Witchful reminder:
- Some moon names & rituals are specific to particular cultures (including Indigenous nations) and aren’t just aesthetic.
- Appreciate, don’t appropriate: learn, credit, and don’t lift closed practices.
For astrology:
- You do not need to know the sign of every Moon.
- If you want to:
- Fire Moons (Aries, Leo, Sag) → more energetic, passionate focus
- Earth Moons (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) → practical, body, work, money
- Air Moons (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) → communication, ideas, relationships
- Water Moons (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) → emotions, intuition, healing
That’s extra flavor. Your magic still works without it.
10. Using Correspondences Without Overthinking
A few Witchful guidelines:
- Pick 1–2 correspondences per working, not 20.
- Example: Waning Moon + black candle + sweeping your room = more than enough.
- If you don’t have the “right” color/herb/crystal:
- Use what you have and name it for the purpose: “Tonight, this blue candle stands in for Waning Moon release energy.”
- Correspondences should reduce decision fatigue, not create it.
- If you’re stuck because you’re trying to pick the perfect herb, pause.
- Go back to: intention + one tool + one action.
- Your noticing matters more than the table.
- If the chart says “Full Moon = celebration” and you feel like crying?
- Then your personal correspondence that night is “Full Moon = emotional release,” and that’s valid.
- If the chart says “Full Moon = celebration” and you feel like crying?
11. Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet (Printable-Friendly)
You can prettify this later:
New Moon (🌑)
- Keywords: Seed, intention, beginning
- Colors: Black, indigo, deep blue
- Best for: Intentions, road-opening, quiet planning
Waxing Moon (🌒)
- Keywords: Growth, building, attraction
- Colors: Light green, gold, pale yellow
- Best for: Attraction, progress, habit-building
Full Moon (🌕)
- Keywords: Illumination, peak, amplification
- Colors: White, silver, luminous blue/gold
- Best for: Manifestation, charging, clarity, celebration
Waning Moon (🌖)
- Keywords: Release, clearing, protection
- Colors: Deep green, brown, smoky tones
- Best for: Banishing, decluttering, warding, cutting cords
Dark Moon (🌑)
- Keywords: Rest, shadow, void
- Colors: Black, deep purple, midnight blue
- Best for: Rest, reflection, gentle shadow work, endings
Add at the bottom:
“These are common correspondences.
My own experiences and body may offer different ones—
and those are welcome here.”
Moon phase correspondences are meant to make your magic easier, not “more correct.”
You’re not trying to pass a secret lunar exam.
You’re building a shared language between:
- you
- your body
- your magic
- and the Moon’s rhythm
As that relationship deepens, you’ll find your own correspondences emerging.