The moon cycles through different phases, astrological signs, and energies every month. When you notice those energy waves and work with them you can activate your spiritual connection in a deeper way. The moon can put you in harmony and balance in a gentle yet powerful way. The energetic role of the moon is to help you look inward, reflect, plan, and grow. Using a lunar calendar can help you plan your self-care and bring a deep spiritual practice to your life.
Moon phases play a role in spiritual connection
The moon exerts a powerful pull on the earth. Just by following its orbit around the earth, the gravity of the moon pulls on the oceans and creates the tides. And that same force affects us too. Just ask any paramedic or frontline worker, and they will tell you that things get busy around the full moon.
Even on a biological (and sciencey level), it makes sense why we are affected by the light of the moon. At the times of the full moon, it was likely safer for our ancestors at night. You can see if there’s a lion outside your door when you get up to pee! And in the new moon, it’s dark, and so we’re naturally drawn inward to stay put and hunker down and rest more.
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Exploring the Spiritual Benefits of Following a Lunar Calendar
Throughout many cultures in the world, the best times for different activities of the lunar cycle have been tracked. And they are remarkably similar from Asia to Europe, which is so amazing to me. There are good times for planting, travelling, resting, and even cutting your hair! And, of course, there are optimal times for expanding your intuition, spiritual connection, and reflection.
Just like certain tide conditions make it easier for ships to leave the harbour, you can follow the lunar cycle to plan out your self-care for days when it flows with the current of the energy of nature. Of course, having a daily meditation or spiritual practice is best, but there are some times when it is much easier to connect. By following the moon calendar, you can find the times when you may want to schedule more time to rest and heal.
How to use the Moon Calendar for Reflection, Planning and Manifestation
Where to begin? The moon cycles rapidly through its phases and signs; every couple of days, the energy shifts. Each day brings a different flavour to the energy that you are swimming in. Lunar calendars are filled to the brim with information, so it can sometimes be overwhelming when you’re starting to work with the moon.
That is why I’ve colour-coded the days and phases with the chakra colours in the LunaHolistic Moon Calendar. That lets you see at a glance what energy the Moon is in. This allows me to quickly check what self-care to favour each day. I just pay attention to the chakra that corresponds to the colour of each day, and then I spend time on restorative activities for that chakra energy.
Because the moon cycles through different energy every day, you get many opportunities to tend to all aspects of your well-being. The energy favours certain tasks, and that energetic environment helps you clear your energy field of anything you no longer need. This process helps you to remain steady in your own well-being while everything is shifting rapidly in the world.
Start with the full moon!
The first place I recommend starting is to notice the full moon, which typically at falls on lunar day 15. Just simply being aware of when the moon is full puts you in harmony with nature. This is important, especially if you live in a busy city with electric lights. We can easily lose touch with the cycle of nature. It is easy to miss the influence of the moon even though we are still affected by it.
Just noting the day of the full moon and then looking in the sky for the moon on that day is a meditation all on its own.
The light of the full moon is actually a reflection of the Sun. And so, the full moon helps us to reflect. The moon has been traditionally connected to the feminine Yin principle of nature. And it’s energetic role is to help us look inward at the internal motivations and areas of growth and healing inside ourselves. The full moon can be a powerful time when we feel its strong pull like a magnet, helping us to clear out old mental patterns and bringing the darkness to the light so we can deeply heal from the inside out.
The full moon illuminates what is hidden and what we hide from ourselves. This can create a bit of chaotic energy. The literal root of the word lunacy comes from the Latin luna for moon and the temporary craziness that happens around the full moon. Even the Ancients noticed the moon’s ability to draw out what is concealed.
Because of this power, it is the best time of the month to stay home and meditate! Things are looney out there anyway. Often you’ll see people reacting with extremes at the full moon, either with heightened joviality and wanting to party or with agitation and irritation. You might see this behaviour in others or notice it in yourself. Either way, it is an awesome time to connect to your spiritual practice.
Self-care ideas for the full moon
A simple meditation practice is to find a spot where you can sit comfortably and see the moon. Connect for a few moments, looking at the moon and feeling it reflect back your own gaze. Then close your eyes and breathe slowly. Imagine that the moonlight is cleansing you. It has the gentle power to lift away anything heavy that is clogging you up and blocking your light. When you are connected in this way, it can lift the strain of the lunar month before. You can let the moon fill you with all the light and energy you need.
The wisdom of the moon is powerful, loving, and kind. It can show you the lessons your soul is meant to learn and help you clear karmic ties and patterns. It helps you to release the negative loops of behaviour that aren’t serving your highest good. It brings you into interior alignment with your essence and your life force.
Imagine that the moon is a great spiritual teacher. You can ‘listen’ to its power of illumination and guidance. Just let the light shine straight into your heart and allow it to give you all the love, comfort, and guidance you need to go forward on your path.
Free-Writing on the Full Moon Meditation
Right after your meditation, you can spend a few moments journalling. Just set a timer for 5 minutes and begin free-writing. Don’t cross anything out; don’t worry about grammar or punctuation; just let your pen flow over the page, carrying your ideas with it. Reflect on the past month and what you learned. What experiences did you have? And what was the overall lesson or areas of growth that will help you move forward into the next cycle?
The energy of the full moon can stir up a bunch of issues, but it only does so so you can heal. When you take opportunities to note the moon cycle, to pause, meditate, and heal, then your experience of the full moon becomes one of great joy and celebration.
I recommend starting with the full moon in your practice because it’s easy to spot in the sky and can often explain some of the turbulence you might see or feel as you journey on your path. If nothing else, you’ll know you’ll need extra meditation on those days just so you can get through traffic!
The most powerful moon phase – New Moon
One of the best moments in the lunar cycle to connect spiritually is actually on the new moon, lunar day 1. While the full moon brings the hidden to the light, the new moon is our opportunity to bring light to the darkness. It is one of the best times to do healing because your ability to get to the root of the issue is enhanced by the depths of the night.
Perhaps we have our ancestors to thank for that strong pull inward at the new moon. I imagine them in a cave or dwelling, gathered around a fire in silence or comfortable conversation or sharing stories with healing messages. The lesson of the new moon is one of hope and fresh starts. It teaches us that no matter how dark the times are, you can always feel the presence of the moon, even if you can’t see it. It is always there, and the return of the light is assured as a natural part of the cycle of life.
The New moon connects us to the timelessness and eternal nature of our being. It is a moment between breaths and a pause from the outer, racing, and chasing of external things. It is a time of internal connection and tending to the home environment. It is a good time to be still and present.
Self-care ideas on the New Moon
This is the best time of the month to sit in silence and meditate. Simply set a timer and noticed the sensations in your body. Breathe a sigh of relief. Notice any physical tension and let it go with a breath of relief, the way you breathe when you set down a heavy backpack or weight.
Keep breathing in relief until your body and mind settle. Your breath will settle into a soft and subtle pattern. If thoughts arise, take another sigh of relief and let it all go. Almost as if all your worries, struggles, concerns, and old memories are releasing right into the sparkling depths of the night sky. Releasing everything to the organizing intelligence of the Universe. Sit in this way for as long as you are comfortable.
After this meditation, you might find yourself drawn to tidying your home, restful hobbies, or making simple meals. Notice where you need nurturing and take care of yourself. Give yourself space and time to catch your breath.
Setting a New Moon Intention
It is a wonderful moment in the lunar cycle to set a manifesting or healing intention. The previous cycle brought you many things, some wanted and some not. Notice what you liked and what you didn’t. What aspects of yourself would you like to heal? And when it heals, what would that look like? How will you feel when everything is resolved?
Setting intentions is something we go over extensively in our Reiki courses and is also discussed in my book, The Secret Art of Happiness. I encourage you to check out those resources if you want to delve into how to set an intention. In general, though, an intention is a positive statement. It’s just about you and is stated in the present tense. It’s about how you will feel when everything you want is fully manifested. It can be as simple as feeling peaceful, calm, and happy.
The new moon helps you set intentions because it is a time when infinite possibilities exist all in one moment. Is the time of the lunar month that helps us to align with the infinite potential inside of us. A moment where you can cast your ‘vote’, essentially, into the sea of infinity and know that energy is heard and answered. Things don’t feel so stuck around the new moons, and there is a great wave of energy that helps you bring about great healing and manifestation.
Time for self-healing on a deep level
The new moon can be easy to miss because you literally can’t see the moon in the sky on those days. Note the day of the moon on the moon calendar and give yourself some time for self-care, nurturing, and stillness on that day. Self-healing with Reiki is also wonderful on the new moon, or you can also book a Reiki session and get some help connecting to the infinite flow of energy that is alive during the new moon.
Other Lunar Days filled with Spiritual Opportunities
Once you have incorporated a full moon and new moon meditation and self-care moment into your spiritual practice for a few months, you can begin adding in other days of the lunar cycle. While every day is the best for meditation or Reiki, you might find certain days are easier to connect to the spiritual vibe.
There are certain days of the lunar month that might give you especially deep meditation experiences or insights. You might find some days are easier to activate your chakras and boost your aura, your energy field, and increase to your spiritual connection.
These are a few of the days that you might find particularly useful to note as you go through the lunar month.
Lunar Day 1
The first lunar day of the month generally falls on the new moon. This is an important day. Do not miss your spiritual practice. Traditional symbols for this day include light, lamps, and candles. It’s a day when your creative thinking is activated, and everything seems holy and magical. It is a day when you can truly connect to the infinite and unlimited nature of the universe, where you can deeply know that thoughts are indeed things. With your thoughts, you can create the world, just as the Buddha said.
It’s also a day when forgiveness will come easily. You can connect to the flow of Grace that will help you transcend any lingering resentments. It’s a good day to leave behind anything that has been dragging you down in the previous month. Start fresh.
It is not, however, a great day for group events; it is much better to experience the first day of the lunar month in solitude. This allows you to connect deeply to your soul. Begin planning, brainstorming, and connecting to the flow of ideas straight from the universe. Dream about what you would like to implement in the coming month.
While it is a great day for planning, is not the best day for taking action. It’s a good day for dreaming things into existence, but don’t start them yet; the time for action will come later.
The chakra closest associated with day one of the lunar cycle is the third eye. The third eye chakra helps you with your intuition, planning, and pattern recognition. It helps you find your guidance and interpret the wisdom of the universe.
Lunar Day 5
Lunar day 5 generally falls around the crescent moon, when you can first start to see the sliver of light returning in the sky. This day has increased energy compared to the new moon. You’ll begin to focus on your plans and take action on your goals. It will be much easier on this day to connect to a sense of dedication, a feeling of comfortable duty and being dedicated to your beliefs and ideals. It is a positive and overall lucky day. And it’s a good day to be creatively active, meaning that you take action on the dreams that you set on day one. Traditional symbols of day 5 are the unicorn and the bear.
The energy of the lunar cycle is still very fresh and new, so it is a good time to be mindful of what’s happening in your mouth. This includes what you are eating and other ways of consuming, including television and social media. Pay attention to how you use your words. Remember that you’re still fresh from that creative potential of the new moon, and your words have the ability to manifest. So it’s important to keep your speech very positive in this early phase of the moon cycle.
The chakras that are connected to lunar day 5 are the third eye chakra and the throat chakra. The throat chakra helps you with communication, listening, getting your message out in the world and understanding what others are sharing with you.
Lunar Day 11
Lunar day 11 falls just around the time of the gibbous moon when the moon is almost full but not quite. It is the most powerful day of the whole month. It is connected to Spiritual Awakening. It is a wonderful day to practice mindfulness and to be aware of the energy that you are creating.
Finish everything you start today. It is better not to begin something that you cannot finish in one day. The energy is strong and pulls you into a state of connection with the Universe. It is important to avoid overworking. It is traditionally associated with Kundalini, the energy in yoga that is coiled at the base of your spine and is involved in the spiritual awakening process.
It is connected with the symbolism of the Dragon, Crown, and Labyrinth. Energetically, it is connected to the aura, the energy container that surrounds your whole body and is supported by the strength of all of your chakras. And so it is a good time to focus on being in your own bubble. Maybe have a bath, smudge, or cleanse your aura. Try boosting your chakras overall with a chakra meditation. It’s also an awesome day to practice Reiki or receive a Reiki session.
Lunar Day 15
Moon day 15 falls on or near the full moon. While it is a powerful day that can energize you, it is actually the best day to exercise self-control and discipline. Be mindful and careful with your choices, and show prudence in your actions. Important business should wait. This is mainly due to the erratic nature that can happen around the time of the full moon; it’s usually best to pause.
It’s a high-energy day, and the best way to serve your overall intentions is actually to reflect and be still. Your meditations will be especially powerful in it these days, so even if it’s just for a few moments just sit and be still.
Day 15 is a wonderful day to focus on self healing and your aura mainly because the energy is high and at times people can be a little bit high energy. Which can be a lot for sensitive people or people who take on emotions or energies of others easily. So it’s a great day to suit up in your Reiki hazmat suit or to focus on boosting up your bubble. Put energy and light around you before you leave your house. Traditional symbols associated with the lunar day 15 are the Snake, Jackal, and Fire Serpent.
Lunar Day 19
Day 19 falls around the disseminating moon phase of the lunar cycle, immediately after the moon has been full. It is connected to your understanding and application of your individual potential and creativity. It is one of the best days to focus on cleansing, clearing, and putting yourself to your best service. Focus on your true spiritual work, purpose, and mission.
The energy is still strong on this day and so it’s important to be aware of illusions and temptations that may pull you off your path. Be cautious of new ideas and make sure you’re checking into your deep wisdom inside your heart or your belly before you take any new actions. You want to make sure whatever you do today is aligned with your life purpose.
Because you want to make sure you are in alignment today, make sure you take frequent breaks to cleanse your energy field, to pray, and meditate.
Traditional symbols of day 19 are the Spider and the Net. The chakras associated with moon day 19 are the third eye chakra and the solar plexus chakra. The solar plexus chakra helps us with empowerment. It helps us identify who we are, what we want, and how to create the life we want to live. When the solar plexus is balanced, there’s a perfect “live and let live” energy. It’s a frequency where you can shine in all of your brightness, not holding anything of yourself back from the world.
Lunar Day 20
Lunar Day 20 is also during the disseminating moon phase of the lunar cycle. It is a great day of spiritual transformation and revelation. It helps you become clear on your life purpose. There’s a great energy of support for making decisions coming from the soul and overcoming any doubts about your path forward.
Stay focussed on the most important goal and work steadily towards it. It’s a day when you might find yourself feeling very social and open and wanting to connect with others in a spiritual community. It’s an awesome day for teamwork.
The traditional symbol for lunar day 20 is the Eagle, one of the most potent and powerful spiritual guides. The moon day 20 is connected to the heart chakra and the crown chakra. The heart chakra helps you with compassion, connection, love, and self-love. It helps you to cultivate a deep humanitarian kindness that you can share with the world. The crown chakra helps you connect to your infinite self, your spirituality, and deep states of meditation and well-being.
Lunar Day 21
Lunar day 21 also falls during the disseminating moon phase of the lunar cycle. Traditional symbols of moon day 21 include Horses, Herds, Chariot, and Temple. This day is all about energy and movement, feeling free to move forward on your life purpose and goals. It is the day when you can connect easily to your courage.
You’ll find a powerful connection with your intuition on day 21. It helps you feel renewed on your journey through life. It’s a wonderful day for group activities, meetings, connecting with friends, and travel. It’s an especially hopeful day and one where you want to take an active role in life. You’ll find it easy to feel productive today and a day when you want to get outside and move. The 21st lunar day is connected to the crown chakra.
Lunar Day 25
Moon Day 25 falls during the balsamic moon phase of the lunar cycle, just before the new moon. In the balsamic moon, the moon looks like a reverse crescent in the sky. This phase of the moon and the following lunar days from day 25 to 28 are all about slowing down and reflecting on all of the activity that was created during the full moon.
Day 25 connects us with contemplation, passivity, and solitude. It is a wonderful day for prayer and reflection, to contemplate where you’ve been and where you want to go. This is the phase where you will want to finish up everything that was begun during the new moon. It is a time to look back at the intention that you sent during the new moon. What easy tasks could you complete in the next 4 days?
It’s a day of sensitivity, imagination, and great wisdom. The feminine energy is the strongest today, which means that you let things come to you. You open up and receive. Allow others to help. The traditional symbols of day 25 are the Turtle, Urn, and Sink. Day 25 is connected to the third eye chakra.
Lunar Day 26
Lunar Day 26 falls in the balsamic moon phase. It can be a rather difficult day, full of tests and arguments. This is why it is best to lay low, take care of what is necessary, and do your routine work. It is a wonderful day to retreat into silence to reflect and become still.
Read spiritual texts and books that connect you to learning, growth, and spiritual healing. Try to read something inspiring and uplifting on Day 26.
Even though you might be tested today, do your best to practice what you preach! Be humble, reasonable, and rational, even if everyone else isn’t. The traditional symbols connected to Day 26 are the Swamp and Toad, which gives you an idea of the kind of day you’re stepping into! Lunar Day 26 is also connected to the crown chakra.
Lunar Day 27
Day 27 occurs during the balsamic moon phase. It is a magical day where you can connect to secret knowledge and your deep intuition. Your prayers are most powerful and become real on this day.
It is a wonderful day to begin planning for the nearest future. It’s a good time to think about what you might want to create in the next moon phase, but it is not yet time to start new things. If you can, wait until the next cycle to begin anything important. This phase is all about finishing things up.
It’s a great day to focus on teamwork, building things together, and learning about the world and the people around you. It is a day of wisdom. Traditional symbols associated with lunar day 27 are the Trident, Wand, Ship, and Anchor. The 27th is also connected to the crown chakra.
Lunar Day 28
Moon Day 28 is a favourite! This is the day when all your chakras open, and everything gets very clear. It is easy to reflect upon all of what you learned this month with great compassion. It helps you really understand higher truths. Spiritual concepts can integrate deeply within you.
It is awesome for meditation. You connect with the unity of all elements and chakras, your true being, and the interconnection of all things. It’s a wonderful day to gather insight into the transformation of your consciousness. It is a very good day to focus on meditation, maybe doing some Reiki, and clearing your chakras. Traditional symbols of lunar day 28 are the Lotus, Lily, and Edelweiss. The 28th is connected to the aura and the balancing of all of the chakras.
Lunar Day 30
Day 30 happens immediately before the new Moon. It doesn’t happen every month due to the cycles of the solar days and lunar days intersecting. Sometimes it’s only a few hours long. Because of this, it’s super special when it happens. It is a wonderful day to complete everything and to let everything go that you no longer need. It’s a great time for rest and moderation. It’s time for self-care, not a time for new plans.
It is just the time for love, peace, forgiveness, and acceptance. It is connected to the heart chakra and the aura. And because of this it’s a wonderful time to spend some time in self-love and self-care activities. Maybe get your favourite piece of rose quartz and just cuddle it! The traditional symbol connected to Moon Day 30 is the Golden Swan; pretty magical I’d say!
Moon Signs for Spiritual Connection
Just as the sun cycles through the zodiac and spends about a month in each astrological sign, the moon also spends time in each sign. The moon is in each sign for only a couple of days, so it’s always in a different frequency throughout the month.
Each sign has its own area of specialty and can bring a different frequency and energy to the day. This energy can combine with the phase of the moon to create a unique signature for each day. All moon signs can help us connect spiritually and enhance our well-being. But here are a few signs that I pay extra attention to to boost my spiritual practice.
Moon in Cancer
When the moon is in Cancer, its native sign, we become sensitive to our inner world. It is a wonderful time to turn inward and reflect on all of the beauty that we’ve experienced. Do not rush anywhere, but linger in comfort. Take joy in every moment and fully experience everything with deep gratitude. The moon sign Cancer helps us activate our imagination. We become sensitive, protective and tenacious. It is a very good time to stay inside as you become exquisitely sensitive to what’s happening in your inner world. This makes it a wonderful time to meditate and reflect.
Moon in Scorpio
The energy of Scorpio is often quick, sensitive, and sometimes irritable. The energy supports you in self-analysis and expressing your emotions. Scorpio often is a deeply sensitive and intuitive sign. Deeply spiritual, Moon in Scorpio helps us with our self-improvement. it is a motivating influence that keeps us lively and striving for our better nature. We can bring the best of ourselves to the world with the help of this energy.
It is also a great time to rest and let your brain reset. Commune with nature and the divine within you.
Moon in Pisces
Pisces brings a dreamy, ethereal quality to almost everything it touches. It is connected to romance, intuition, and mysticism. When the moon is in Pisces, we get an opportunity to tap into deep kindness and compassion. We gain a deeper understanding of what’s hidden. You get connected to the habit of Deep Looking and Deep Listening that is advised in Buddhism as a way of having deeper compassion for others. It is also a wonderful time to experience art, beauty, poetry, and music.
The benefits and importance of connecting spiritually to the moon cycle
With the moon’s power to activate so much spiritual energy within us, it is an awesome resource to awaken and deepen our practice. You can find out what the day will bring by checking the LunaHolistic Moon Calendar here. There is a handy reference guide at the back of the calendar to help you quickly look up what chakra energy and lunar day it is.
In upcoming articles, I’ll also cover how to use the moon to manifest and how to work with the creative energy that can become unleashed during special times of the lunar cycle. Working with the moon is ultimately all about getting daily and monthly reminders to take care of yourself. Because when your energy is filled up, you can create magic in your life and in the world.
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Your blog on the moon calendar and the non-secular connection are honestly captivating! It superbly illustrates the profound relationship between the moon phases and our religious journey. Your insights furnish a fresh viewpoint on harnessing the lunar energies for internal boom and connection. Thank you for sharing such enlightening content.
Excellent post on the spiritual connection with the moon! Your insights into the moon calendar and its impact are both informative and inspiring. Thanks for such a thoughtful and enlightening read!