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If you’re working with the moon or have ever followed the moon you probably know at least two phases: the New Moon and the Full Moon. If you’ve been working with it for a while you might have even attuned to all eight phases: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter Moon, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter Moon, and Waning Crescent. And you might’ve connect with the names of each full moon – but did you know there’s a few more types of moons? Here’s a list of the moons you might not have started working with yet. If these don’t resonate with you or your lunar practices, don’t worry about it – but these special events might be something that you want to keep in your back pocket for a little extra boost when working with the moon.
If you want to start tracking the daily moon, check out this Free Printable Calendar of ALL the moons, astrological seasons, and sabbats for 2024: Check it out here
Blue Moon
There are two definitions of a Blue Moon.
- A full moon occurring twice in one calendar month (ex. Two full moons in August)
- A second full moon happening in the same sign as the previous full moon’s sign (ex. A full moon in Capricorn is followed by another full moon in Capricorn)
The second definition is much more rare and a lot more potent. When this happens (and it is happening in 2024!) we can use this time to amplify our magic created during the first full moon. Use the second full moon to double down on the gratitude, celebration, and surrendering practices you did during the first full moon. Use this time as an opportunity to connect deeper with the sign the moon is in – after all, the universe is giving us an opportunity to really connect with this archetype so let’s use the lesson while it’s here.
When there’s a second full moon in a calendar month, but it’s not in the same sign – not to worry. It’s still an exciting time to send gratitude for being able to work with two full moons in one month, but the spiritual impact of it won’t be as strong as a true blue moon.
Black Moon
The Black Moon is the opposite of a Blue Moon because instead of an extra full moon in one month, we’ll have an extra new moon.
And like the Blue Moon there are two definitions: two new moons in one calendar month or two back to back new moons in the same astrological sign.
When the new moons are in the same sign this is an opportunity to really double down on our original intentions from the first new moon. Keep going with what you started and take it further than you’d normally have the chance to under a typical moon cycle.
Eclipses
Eclipses, both Lunar and Solar, happen multiple times as year and will happen in the opposite sign. So if we have a lunar eclipse in Scorpio, about 6 months later we’d have a solar eclipse in Scorpio as well.
Lunar Eclipse Moon:
Lunar eclipses occur when Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the lunar surface. A lunar eclipse happens during a full moon and it can be used as a a way to supercharge the magic of the full moon. Some people might not like to work with eclipse energy but I’ve always found eclipse energy is one of my favorite times to connect with the moon and do special rituals. Follow your own intuition on whether you’d like to just be aware of the eclipse or if you’d like to actively work with the energy of the lunar eclipse.
Solar Eclipse Moon
As the opposite of a lunar eclipse, a solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light. A solar eclipse happens during a new moon and this is a time where we’re asked to reset in a big way to make way for fast moving changes. Like with the lunar eclipse, some people might not want to work with the eclipse energy, but again, I find this time to be extra powerful and as an easy way to tap into the portal of transformation available to us.
Dark Moon
The Dark Moon occurs when the moon is in the astrological sign just before the moon moves into the sign the New Moon will be in. So if the New Moon is going to be in Scorpio, the Dark Moon happens while the moon is in Libra the day(s) before it moves to Scorpio. This is a time to pause and acknowledge the cycle has ended. The New Moon marks the beginning, the Dark Moon marks the end. I find this time is best for really slowing down in your daily life as much as possible. I don’t work on rituals or spells during this time, it’s truly a time for stillness.
Void of Course
This is the period where the moon moves into the next sign and the Moon is not quite in the next sign. I don’t personally work with tracking void of course moons, instead I just take the moon by which sign it’ll be in for the majority of the day. If you do want to track down to this level, Void of Course is a time of waiting to take big actions or casting spells. It’s more about rest and self care. Take a break.
I hope this helped in your journey with moon magic! I would say these are more advanced concepts and if working with these types of moons feels overwhelming to you, I’d suggest you pop over to the Moon Magic 101 post and get started with the basics (there’s nothing wrong with basics, in fact, I think there’s more magic available when we make things simple because we’re more likely to keep up with it).
If you’re looking for information about using the moon to deepen your spiritual practices, check out our Moon Magic 101 workbook on Etsy.
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