Ahlquist - Moon magic: your complete guide to harnessing the mystical energy of the moon

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Do you feel a connection to natural spiritualitya sense of belonging to the universe and everything in it? Just as our ancestors relied on the heavens to inform and predict many aspects of lifenavigating, planting, the weather, hunting, personal relationships, and even fertilitywe, too, can incorporate the powerful energy of the universe in a positive way in modern-day life. The energy of the Moon in particular has a strong effect on human life. The various lunar phases influence our emotions and well-being in different ways. In Moon Magic , youll learn how to harness that power for manifesting your goals, finding emotional balance, and maintaining physical wellness.

You might say I have a special connection with the Moon. After all, I was named after the Moon Goddess, Diana! Though, I must admit that as a child, I didnt think the nighttime orb in our sky was anything special. As an adult, however, Ive become more and more aware of and fascinated by the influence that lunar forces play in our lives.

If we look to the skies, we can connect to our world in ways that we may never have thought of.

With so many electronics around us, we can forget how to interact with nature. Look up at the Moon... not down at a screen! Using the Moons power begins with understanding its potential. From new Moons, to eclipses, blood Moons, and the Supermoon, there are ample opportunities for the Moon to influence your emotions and thoughts. For example, a new Moon can bring change and new perspectives. Knowing when and how to use that power is key to effecting change in your life.

There are myriad ways you can interact with the Moon, such as:

MOON MEDITATIONS: Meditate according to the phases of the Moon. For example, the waning Moon phase is a time to release, banish, remove, or reduce. If there is something or someone you want less of, this is the time to meditate about it.

VISION BOARDS: If youre creative, try making a vision board during a waxing or full Moon phase, when youre more likely to see your photos and drawings turn into the events, things, and circumstances that you desire.

MOON ALTARS: Lets create a Moon altar with candles, crystals, and anything else with which you want to create a mood.

GARDENING: Try cultivating a lunar herb garden to satisfy your green thumb and access the Moons energy. (Did you know that throughout the second week of the lunar cycle, as the Moon is waxing and becomes full, leaf growth is accelerated due to extra exposure to the light of the Moon?)

COOKING: Use the lunar recipes I provide to make meals that are seasonal and lunar friendly. Nothing like fresh shrimp to cool you and your skywatcher friends in the summer. In fact, they look like little waxing Moons, dont they?

You are the captain of your own ship, so navigate using the Moon and see what amazing destinations you can reach!

The universe is made of energy. Different cultures call this energy different things, but the common understanding is that energy is the base of our existence. Our energy can increase or decrease, just like the visible light in the different phases of the Moon. That lunar effect is part of our way of life, whether we know it or not. The phases of the Moon repeat themselves approximately every 29.5 days, starting with a full Moon and continuing until the next full Moon. In this part, youll learn more about the Moon and how its energy changes in each phase.

Why Does the Moon Seem to Change Shape?

Ever wonder how the Moon shines, glows, and illuminates different amounts of light down on us? Well, the short answer is, it doesnt. The Moon doesnt have its own light. It reflects the light from the Sun, which makes for beautiful lunar views.

The movement of the Moon orbiting around the earth makes the Moon appear as if it is increasing (waxing) or decreasing (waning) in the sky. These changes are what we know as the phases of the Moon. The Moon is not really changing, but the amount of light we see from Earth is. As we journey through this book, I will refer to the phases as waxing (expanding) or waning (lessening).

Every noticeable phase of the Moon has its own special energy and influence. There are technically eight phases of the Moon: four primary phases and four intermediate phases.

THE FOUR PRIMARY PHASES OF THE MOON

1. New Moon (not the same as the dark Moon)

2. Waxing Moon

3. Full Moon

4. Waning Moon

THE INTERMEDIATE PHASES OF THE MOON

The following are the lesser-known phases of the Moon:

1. WAXING CRESCENT: After the dark Moon, still in the first quarter of a waning Moon, we see a crescent sliver of the Moonless than a half Moon.

2. WANING CRESCENT: The Moon is less than half illuminated and gets thinner every night, till it becomes a dark Moon, when illumination is completely gone.

3. WAXING GIBBOUS: After the waxing crescent and after the first quarter, the Moons size still appears to be increasing and is more than half full.

4. WANING GIBBOUS: After the full Moons maximum illumination, the light continually decreases. This is also called the third quarter.

In the spirit of simplicity, we will be focusing on the four primary phases. These are the cycles in which you will be able to spin your Moon magic or enhance your meditations. At the end of the primary phase explanations I have added a fifth phase: the dark Moon.

The New Moon

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: This is the primary first phase of the Moon and is sometimes identified as the crescent Moon. This is when the tiniest sliver of light appears in the sky. It looks like the right side of the letter D , or the right side of a parenthesis.

WHAT IT CAN SUPPORT IN YOUR LIFE: This phase supports the early stages of developing an idea, activity, or planning anything that promotes betterment in your future. It is a time of new beginnings, a great period to start new relationships of any kind. It is a starting point for exploring new opportunities. Why worry about the opportunities you missed when fresh prospects are coming toward you? You are basically planting seeds of thoughts that will bloom into goals and start to manifest in the near future. So get ready to find that special love, new career, or even that just-right new sofa!

Waxing Moon

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: The Moon appears to grow in size during this phase. It is on its journey to a full Moon.

WHAT IT CAN SUPPORT IN YOUR LIFE: At this stage, the Moon is gaining intensity. Therefore, it makes sense that this is a choice time to concentrate on amplifying things you already have, such as relationships you want to take to that next level. Dont forget your bank account. Would that be a good thing to enlarge? Business growth, perhaps? Its a good time to improve all types of communications as well. This is also a phase that promotes healing, which we will talk about later.