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Episode 125: Moon Cycles pt. 4
439 Plays2 months ago
Welcome back, witches! In this episode, we dive into the transformative energy of the Last Quarter Moon and the Waning Gibbous Moon, exploring how these phases guide us through reflection, release, and renewal. So get in, losers, we’re harnessing the moon's wisdom to close old chapters and prepare for new beginnings!
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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
References:
- The Farmer’s Almanac- Moon Phase Calendar for 2024. https://www.almanac.com/astronomy/moon/calendar
- Byrd, Deborah. What is a Last Quarter Moon. (2023) Earth Sky. https://earthsky.org/moon-phases/last-quarter/
- Crowwing, Luna. Moon Phases in Paganism. (2024). The Busy Pagan. https://thebusypagan.com/learn/moon-phases-in-paganism/
- Lycett, Emma. The Last Quarter Moon- Energy, Symbolism, & Correspondences. (2024). Mystical Moon Rituals. https://www.mysticalmoonrituals.com/post/what-does-the-last-quarter-moon-mean
- Slow North (2024). Moon Magic: A Guide to Living in the Moment with the Moon’s Phases. Slow North. https://www.slownorth.com/blogs/journal/moon-phase-ritual-guide
- That Very Night. (n.d.). That Very Night. https://thatverynight.com/waning-gibbous-moon-spiritual-meaning/
- Hoodwitch (2024). Moon Phase Correspondences. Hoodwitch. https://www.thehoodwitch.com/8-phases-of-the-moon
Universe Unriddled (2024). Moon Mythology & Folklore: Lunar Legends. Universe Unriddled. https://universeunriddled.com/post/moon-phase-mythology-and-folklore/
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to 'Get In, Loser' Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult, but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In, Loser. We're doing witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey. Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the craft.
Conclusion of Moon Cycles Series
00:00:15
Speaker
So get in witches for the final installment of our moon cycle series, finishing up with the last quarter and the waning gibbous.
The Honey Wichette and Book Club
00:00:47
Speaker
Have you started reading The Honey Wichette now? I started it and I love it so far. I'm only like a couple of chapters in, but I already like it. And so for our listeners, if you are not a supercast subscriber or you don't pay attention to our Instagram, which shame on you, this month for our supercast subscribers, we are reading for our Get A Loser, we're doing witchcraft book club, The Honey Witch. And that was a cute little story. And I love it. It's a book with a very pretty cover. see Yeah. It would have been an impulse buy for me.
00:01:22
Speaker
If I saw that book in person, I would have been like, and that goes in my cart. Yes. Which is what I did with the Witch of 10 Mountain. And that book turned out to be really fucking good. Oh my God. That book was so fucking good. Yeah. Yes. That, which, yeah, reminds me, I need to like buy the physical coffee. Oh, um that one stays on my shelf. It's so beautiful. I'll read that again for sure. I loved it so much. I love a like a multi perspective, like multi timeline, multi perspective.
00:01:52
Speaker
I feel like a lot of books do like multiple point of views all the time, but not a lot of them do separate timeline point of views all tied together. And I loved that about this book. I did too. And I didn't think that it would be something that I would like, but I loved it. And I love, like I'm sitting here thinking about other books that we've read just like not on the podcast, but just yeah books that we've read for fun.
00:02:18
Speaker
And it would be really nice if instead of having like, okay, we have this book from this perspective, this book from this perspective, this book from like centuries ago. What if we like did something like that for the whole series yeah and we got yeah like introduced to everybody at once and it was, you know, I just think that's such a cool way of doing it.
00:02:37
Speaker
I feel like the From Blood and Ash series would have been a good opportunity for that to happen. That's exactly what I was thinking of. Yeah, because like you have like, you know, the From Blood and Ash with like Poppy, all like you have that whole series. And then it's like, also these are the sequel, but it's like the backstory of how things got to this point. And it's like, you could have just done it that way. We could have done multiple time or not timelines, but years, you know, throughout like how we got to this point.
00:03:07
Speaker
Yes, and I think it would have helped me not forget things as much because yeah by the time the prequel essentially was released, Yeah, it was like, I was already what three or four books
Narrative Structures in Book Series
00:03:20
Speaker
in? Yeah. So I was like, wait a second. I don't even remember that, like random obscure thing that they alluded to in the first book that ties back to this. I don't remember that. Yeah. so Yeah. Anyway, that is definitely one that that would have benefited, I think, from just being a single series in multiple years.
00:03:41
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. Because it worked like this, especially this author, what was it, Paulette Kennedy, I think, writing The Witch of Ten Mountains, she did such a seamless job of writing about the different time periods, because I think it was like what, every 50 years or something like that? Yes. So all the differences and the changes that happen within, you know, the small little mountain town, but also like the people without it being so disconnected.
00:04:09
Speaker
Yeah. So that maybe that's hard for an author, I don't know. Maybe. Or maybe it's like, they're not even thinking that far ahead whenever they're writing that first book. Yeah, then they get this idea. yeah And they're like, actually, let's make this whole fucking world. And I love that. Yeah. Yeah. a Tin Mountain was really well done.
00:04:28
Speaker
So yeah, but we're not talking about books. This isn't a book um book club episode. It's not. We thought we were talking about books today.
Waning Gibbous: Gratitude and Release
00:04:38
Speaker
ah Well, I guess we're going to talk about the moon again. Again. Surprise, surprise.
00:04:49
Speaker
But this is our last episode in the moon cycle series. So if you have been hating all these episodes, it's over. but There's a light at the end of the tunnel for you. Yeah, why did you make the moon? She's not weird. She is. She is. So we're talking about the waning gibbous and the last quarter moon, this episode. Yeah. So I guess I'll go ahead and kick it off with the waning gibbous. So the waning gibbous is the moon that follows the full moon and represents the beginning of a transition back to darkness. And I'm just going to pause real fast and be like, so sorry if you can hear the fucking jets.
00:05:27
Speaker
you know, America. But also disclaimer, if you listen to last week's episode, we're recording this five minutes later. So there is likely to be dogs. but There's likely to be dogs and they laugh their minds today. We're adding a jet plane. Because freedom flies, right? yeah um I'm gonna need them to go ahead and pack it in for the night because it's podcast time. Anyway, as I was saying, the waning gibbous during this actual lunar phase is when we see the moon start to shrink, aka a the lunar disk. So the thing that we see in the sky that is illuminated is starting to shrink. And it goes from, so the waning gibbous is essentially when the moon is at 99.9% full, the part that we see to
00:06:18
Speaker
50.1%. The illumination appears to decrease on the right side and more than half of the illuminated disk that we see of the moon is still visible, but it's smaller than the full moon. So it's like a little bit less than the full moon.
00:06:33
Speaker
Basically, this is the phase tied to letting go of what no longer serves you and giving thanks for what you have and what you've learned. Cue Gizmo, losing his mind. He is very excited about the moon today. He is.
Banishing Spells and Rituals
00:06:46
Speaker
The energy with this moon involves inner reflection, retrospection, and releasing. So going into some of the lore and symbolism and, you know, it is hard finding lore and symbolism. You mentioned this last week, but it is very helpful. So the fact that I found some I can't even believe it, honestly. And it was like a last minute thing. And I was just like, oh, well, there it is. there I've been looking for this for days. Honestly, I think I also found some for this episode and I was very excited about it. yeah and This lunar phase symbolizes a time of gratitude, release, and introspection. So basically what I said two seconds ago.
00:07:26
Speaker
Additionally, in a more spiritual sense, this is the time for generosity and enthusiasm, and before this lunar phase, for the last two weeks, the goal has been on achieving your goals. During this lunar phase, you might want to engage in humanitarian work, or give back to others, or even share in the fruits of your hard work with those around you.
00:07:44
Speaker
This is a time to release old patterns or habits, reflect on lessons learned, and express gratitude. And in releasing, for some of us this might include releasing intentions that don't fully align with our purpose or what we truly want. So this is a time to really engage in shadow work and journaling, to be able to decide if the intentions we are manifesting are for us.
00:08:05
Speaker
or if it's time to release those to make way for better things. This is the time to get rid of bad habits and any negative thinking that has been holding you back. This is the time to focus on effective communication with those around us as well. So think about Mercury whenever it's not retrograde, like think about it when it's direct. All about effective communication. So some cultural and regional beliefs that I found and European folklore. It's often associated with the crone aspect of the triple goddess representing wisdom, endings, and the waning phase of life and of the moon itself.
00:08:35
Speaker
It's a time to honor older women, wisdom, and the natural cycle of life and death. And for indigenous Americans, some tribes viewed the waning gibbous moon as a time for healing rituals, especially for ailments involved in letting go of negative energy or illnesses associated with cleansing and releasing.
00:08:54
Speaker
And in some African and Afro-Caribbean traditions, it's considered a perfect time for protective rituals and banishing spells and for spiritual cleansing to remove obstacles and negative energy. And I also found something related to superstitions and omens as well. So um seeing the waning gibbous could in some cultures be linked to foretelling the end of a project, relationship, or phase of life. It can also be seen as a sign of closure and preparation for new beginnings and There's also some belief that during the waning gibbous, there are certain protective measures made like or talismans that if they're made to warn off negative energy or evil spirits, they're more ah effective and potent when they're applied during the waning gibbous. So something to keep in mind if you're wanting to do protective work.
00:09:44
Speaker
So using the waning gibbous in your practice incorporates things like relaxation. So doing more deep breathing exercises again with yoga, but instead of the more active and strengthening poses that we saw in last week's episode, this is a perfect time to engage in more of those restorative styles and poses.
00:10:03
Speaker
decluttering your space, journaling, and focusing on what you want to release are also perfect ways to incorporate the waning gibbous into your
Crystals and Self-Reflection in Waning Gibbous
00:10:11
Speaker
practice. And so going a little bit into releasing and letting go, as I've mentioned a couple of times already this episode, for the waning gibbous, banishing spells or, you know,
00:10:23
Speaker
spells that banish negativity, bad habits, toxic relationships are great to do during this lunar cycle and it really helps you to focus on what needs to be released to create growth.
00:10:36
Speaker
also cord cutting spells. And it's said to conduct these rituals on or around the waning gibbous to release energetic ties to people or situations or even past experiences that no longer serve your highest good. Also cleansing rituals. So use this time to cleanse your space and however you practice, whether that be with Palo Santo, Sage, Incense, Bells, Clapping, Florida Water, whatever the hell speaks to you. And this will help to remove any stagnant or negative energy. And it's more potent to do this during this time.
00:11:06
Speaker
And then for reflection and introspection, as I've mentioned already, This is the perfect time of the month for meditation. So focusing on the past lunar cycle, what you've learned, how you've grown, what you need to release, all of those things. Also journaling and allowing this time to process thoughts and emotions, finding thoughts and feelings of gratitude. And I was reading about dream work as well. Apparently during this time, this is a great time to pay attention to your dreams as this lunar phase is easier for you to tap into your unconscious mind to receive messages. So I thought that was intriguing.
00:11:39
Speaker
Yeah, that's interesting. Yeah. And then for gratitude practices, this can be like participating in rituals that give thanks. So lighting a candle just into like with the intention of setting gratitude. And this could even be like writing a gratitude list and performing a gratitude ritual, like whatever that means to you.
00:12:01
Speaker
Or you could make offerings to any of the deities that you work with, um would be a great way to practice gratitude during this lunar phase. And then going into some of the correspondences. So the crystals would be rose quartz, and this symbolizes love and compassion. This crystal will also allow you to slow down and practice some self-love and acceptance. Because Mo also loves rose quartz, because you guys couldn't tell. Yeah, because you couldn't tell. He's obsessed with rose quartz. He's going to tell you all about it.
00:12:30
Speaker
um amethyst for spiritual insight and protection, black tourmaline for grounding and banishing, smoky quartz for detoxification and release of emotional baggage, and lapidolite for calming and emotional balance. The colors associated with the waning gibbous are black for protection and banishing, purple for spiritual insight and reflection, gray for neutrality and balance, and silver for intuition and lunar energy.
00:12:58
Speaker
And the scent associated with the waning gibbous is lavender and cedar. Both of these are good for grounding and calming and allow for reflection and release, and sage for cleansing and protection, rosemary for clarity and for memory, and eucalyptus for healing and releasing negative energy.
00:13:16
Speaker
And as far as foods go, around this time of the lunar cycle, comfort foods such as stews, soups, or anything that brings you peace and are nourishing and grounding are great to consume. Herbal teas like chamomile and lavender or peppermint, and this helps to calm the body and mind and to help with introspection. And chamomile lavender is just a great blend, period. It is. It's beautiful and it tastes delicious. Smells amazing.
00:13:43
Speaker
um Fruits as well, so like apples and pears, and this symbolizes the harvest and gratitude, so and interesting there. And then lastly, just a few more, I promise I'm almost done. um The tarot card associated with this lunar phase is the tower. The theme is reassessment. Offerings are grains or rice.
00:14:04
Speaker
The goddess's name for this moon is Hecatea's moon. The goddess energy is Earth goddesses. And the pagan holiday associated with this lunar phase is Lomis. I never know with that one.
00:14:18
Speaker
Like Lunasad is more traditional, right? And then Lamis is the Christian culture. Yeah, which is like where they changed it for Christianity. so And I know a lot of people use Lamis, so i like I kind of go back and forth, but I'm like, hmm, Lunasad. Right. so So I am now going to talk about the last quarter moon, and then I swear we're done with the moon for a little bit at least.
Last Quarter Moon: Letting Go
00:14:46
Speaker
So the last quarter moon is sometimes also referred to as the third quarter moon, since at this time in the moon cycle, the moon has traveled three quarters of the way through its orbit, leaving it with just one phase to go. Though in terms of the moon cycles that we tend to follow, this is the last quarter moon.
00:15:05
Speaker
So, Luna Crowing of the Busy Pagan, which I talked about a little bit last week, describes the last quarter moon as the halfway home moon, stating that it's similar to a Sunday afternoon. The weekend is on its way out, yet not quite ready to hand the baton over to Monday.
00:15:23
Speaker
This phase of the moon cycle happens about a week after the full moon and during this cycle we are able to see that half of the moon's surface is lit. In the northern hemisphere it's the left side that's lit while in the southern hemisphere it's the right side.
00:15:40
Speaker
The moon is said to be at the west quadrature during this phase, which means that it's 90 degrees west of the sun when being viewed from the earth. In terms of its rising and setting times, the last quarter moon will rise near the east around midnight. It will reach its highest point in the sky around sunrise, and it will set near the west around noon. So, and like I said earlier, I was excited because I found a little bit of lore about this phase of the moon.
00:16:06
Speaker
Yes. I know. so It's been so hard. Lore has been so hard if it's not like a full moon. and who so It really has. I thought there would be more. Right? Same. I was like, man, and there's got to be so much lore surrounding the moon, like the different phases. No. If you're a full moon, there's a shit ton. ah So the last quarter moon has held a significant place throughout various cultures around the world. And as we've discussed throughout this series, many ancient civilizations observed and worked with the lunar cycles, tying specific meanings or even rituals to the various phases of the moon, including the last quarter moon. So ancient Greek mythology suggests that the last quarter moon was associated with the goddess Hecate, and during this phase, it was common practice to leave offerings to Hecate at crossroads as a way to seek her guidance and protection.
00:16:58
Speaker
Celtic tradition saw this phase as a time for banishing negativity and releasing those things that no longer serve your highest good. They practiced rituals that involved burning herbs and casting spells that facilitated the process of letting go and making space for new beginnings.
00:17:14
Speaker
I also read that in Native American cultures, the last quarter moon was often referred to as the waning gibbous moon, and and they associated it with themes of gratitude, reflection and compilations. And many native tribes were said to hold ceremonies during this phase where they gave thanks for the blessings of the previous cycle and they would prepare for the new upcoming cycle. In Chinese folklore,
00:17:43
Speaker
The last quarter moon is sometimes referred to as the lotus moon or the peony moon. And it's believed to be an auspicious time for completing projects, paying debts, and tying up loose ends before the start of a new lunar cycle. And while I did find lore, that's it. So it's not very much. But I was just excited for a little bit, because I don't think I've had lore since the very first episode. Yes.
00:18:10
Speaker
So how to use this phase of the moon in your magical practice? The theme for the last quarter moon is to forgive and to let go. Cleanse and make room for new beginnings. And this means to let go of the habits that bind you or do you harm. Release those things which no longer serve your personal growth and health and to balance this transition. Weed off the negative stagnant and bad while making room for the positive forward moving energies. Rituals for this cycle would be simply letting go, decluttering and forgiveness.
00:18:43
Speaker
And in terms of the astrological perspective, this moon phase is a time of reevaluation and adjustments, encouraging us to assess our progress, to let go of what's not working, and to make necessary changes to align with our goals and intentions.
00:18:59
Speaker
This phase in particular is often associated with Libra and Capricorn, emphasizing the importance of balance, responsibility, and structure. In modern spiritual practices, this phase of the moon is recognized as a powerful time for release and transformation. It is often used as a time to perform rituals or meditations that help you let go of limiting beliefs negative patterns or unhealthy attachments. And practices that are specific to the way the Wiccan community works with this phase of the moon are by using this phase as a time for self-reflection. So with that being said, the last quarter moon is a time of forgiveness, letting go of all the things that have been bothering you or that no longer matter. And this phase allows you to like start with a clean slate and make room for new beginnings.
00:19:50
Speaker
This is also a great time to work through any obstacles that you might have encountered while working on your goals throughout the moon's cycle that we, you know, we've talked about previously, like setting those goals and intentions and reassessing them and, you know, moving like always having forward moving progress. So this is just a time to like work through any obstacles that might have come up. You can harness the moon's energy to work spells that aim to boost you through your hurdles.
00:20:19
Speaker
and don't give into the temptation to give up on those goals. You should also make the best of this phase of the moon's energy to smooth out any wrinkles in the transitions that you're working on within yourself. The work we do during the last quarter moon and the week leading up to the new moon should set us up for starting a new cycle, feeling refreshed and ready to manifest.
Rituals for Last Quarter Moon
00:20:41
Speaker
So some correspondences are the colors are silver, white, blue, and black.
00:20:48
Speaker
Plants are lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, valerian, sage. There was no foods and spices found for this one because, again, the correspondences are so inconsistent with the moon phases.
00:21:00
Speaker
Crystals are black obsidian, black tourmaline, snowflake obsidian, smoky quartz, and amethyst. Yoga poses are twisted chair pose, revolve crescent lunge, seated forward bend, puppy pose, and supported bridge pose. Aromatherapy would be frankincense, mer, vetiver,
00:21:22
Speaker
bergamot and lemon. The element tied to this phase of the moon is water and that's all the correspondences I could find because when we had last week's episode my brain was like, oh I'm gonna go look at the hood witch and then I was like oh yeah we're doing this five minutes later so no I'm not. And then I found on the busy pagan these like three rituals for the last quarter moon. So the first one is for letting go. She says to use this time to release any negativity or things that you have been holding on to that really just no longer serve you. This phase of the moon is ideal for that as I've already mentioned.
00:22:01
Speaker
For decluttering, this is the perfect time to clean both your physical and your spiritual space, making room for new beginnings. And she also notes that for this in particular, the last quarter moon is perfect for purifying. And then the last one she has is for forgiveness. She suggests that you write a letter of forgiveness to yourself and or to others.
00:22:22
Speaker
and then safely burn or release it. The energy of the last quarter moon supports the process of forgiveness and moving on. And lastly, this phase of the moon is a perfect time for practicing a little bit of self-care. So you should allow yourself to engage in some calming activities like maybe just reading a book, taking a nice relaxing bath, or even just spending some quiet time out in nature. Ooh, I love that. Yes.
00:22:50
Speaker
We love a good self-care day. so we Especially when that includes a nice hot bath and maybe reading a book. It's my favorite. But
Series Wrap-up and Teaser for Next Episode
00:22:59
Speaker
that's it. That concludes our moon cycles episodes. And Gizmo is sad about that. so Yeah, he's going to continue to bark because of how sad he is. so
00:23:18
Speaker
That's it for this episode of Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. You can find our source material for this episode linked in the show notes. If you love this episode, we would be forever thankful if you leave us a five-star review on wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you really love the show and want more Get In Loser content, check out our Supercast link provided in the show notes or search the Supercast website for Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft.
00:23:41
Speaker
There you can purchase a membership to our podcast and obtain exclusives like Giddin episodes early, shoutouts on the show, access to our Ask Me Anything forum, our monthly newsletter, a promo code for merchandise, and more. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at GiddinWitches or email us at we'redoingwitchcraft at gmail dot.com. Join us next week for another deity episode, this time focusing on Japanese deities. Until then, blessed be witches.