It was only two weeks ago that we had the February full moon (aka the Snow Moon) and a lunar eclipse. You probably heard about it or perhaps glimpsed at the live feed of it on social media. You’ve also probably heard people blame the full moon for making rash decisions or crazy antics over the weekend, contributing it to the “lunar madness.” It’s no secret that humans have been fascinated by the moon and stars for some millennia, but few understand that the cycle of the moon has metaphysical properties that can attribute to daily life. Sunday, February 26^th, is the next new moon which is in the zodiac sign of Pisces and I’m here to explain what that means and how you can use it to manifest this year

The Meanings Behind the Phases:

The moon goes through a 29.5-day cycle starting with the new (when there is a tiny sliver of the moon), building up to the full moon and ending with the dark moon (when there is absolutely no moon). In between are phases called waxing gibbous (also called first quarter) and waning gibbous (also called third quarter). These phases have associations to certain types of energies and actions that can boost your productivity, your emotions, and more. Below is a list of the aspects:

New Moon- new energy, starting new projects, cleaning out old energy whether in a physical or mental space, freshening up self-care routines, letting go of what no longer serves you, setting intentions for the cycle; optimism, hope, faith

Waxing Gibbous- digging deep and putting in a lot of hard work, creativity, strength, growth and learning new things.

Full Moon- abundance, reaping the harvest of your good work, achievement, dreams, protection

Waning Gibbous- releasing, letting go of old ways or things, opening, and making space

Dark Moon- rest, peace, wisdom, divination

When the Moon is in a Zodiac Sign:

In astrological charts, the moon has been depicted moving through zodiac signs depending on the ruling hour, day, or month (like how you have a zodiac sign for your birth month). What I mean by “ruling” is that whichever hour the clock is currently in there is a zodiac sign associated to it. As the moon progresses through the cycle, so too does it progress through zodiac signs. The zodiac sign for the new moon always aligns with the zodiac sign designated for that month (i.e. the February 26^th new moon will be in Pisces for the birth month of March). To understand the metaphysical properties of a moon phase in a zodiac sign, simply look at the attributes of the sign and apply it to the meaning of the phase. For example, the February 26^th new moon is about cleansing, planning and organizing, and the new spark of a dream so when you combine it with attributes of Pisces then it will include elements, such as music, dream work, romance, water, and emotions. In total you have a new moon focusing on embracing emotions, improving your sleep, listening to new music, or trying new romantic endeavors.

There is also a solar eclipse this Sunday that can been seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

If you want more information on how to align with the moon and how to use her signs to help you manifest in your life, then I suggest these two books: Moonology: Working with the Magic of the Lunar Cycles by Yasmin Boland and Praise to the Moon: Magic & Myth of the Lunar Cycle by Elen Hawke. In my opinion, both are wonderful resources. The former is an up-to-date text that uses modern references and the tone is relaxed while the latter is formal and focuses more on the spiritual and magickal associations by including moon goddess lore and ritual work.