The Daily Moon
I was recently asked how I personally plan with the moon and thought that would be an ideal blog topic. When I started working with the moon, I started slow and added layers as I learned more. If you are looking to work with the moon without learning astrology, then you can just pick the bits you want to use or work with me.
This week's blog starts with a rough overview of how I work with the moon and then goes into more detail about each layer.
I would start by tracking your mood, emotions and energy levels on a daily basis. This doesn’t have to be in great detail unless you want it to be. It can be as simple as happy/sad frustrated/stressed energised/tired. It would also be helpful to note which sign and phase the moon is in. Do this for at least three months and see if you can notice any patterns. Is there a particular point in the moon's lunar cycle where you always feel tired or energised? Is there a sign that you always feel happy or exhausted in?
Next, I would start setting goals and reviewing progress on the New Moon. Start big, what do you want to achieve in the next 12 months? How can you break that down into 6 month chunks? Now break that down further into 3 months, then 1 month which is your lunar cycle. Once you have your goals for the 4 week lunar cycle, you can break that down into weekly and daily tasks.
For me, at the start of each week, I brain dump all the tasks I need to do in Asana. I have tasks that I do on a weekly basis set up on repeat in there. I then look to see what the moon will be doing that week. Are we in the waxing phase so my focus will be on growth and productivity, or are we in the waning phase where I want to clear clutter?
Then I look for any void moons and schedule time off then. I use void moons for hobbies, days out and cleaning, depending on the time of year, phase and how I’m feeling. Sometimes I will work, especially if the moon is traveling through my 4th or 12th house in the same week. If I choose to work, then I assign easy tasks, things I do every day, research tasks or continue with things I’ve already started.
I will then assign my tasks each day based on the daily moon. For this, I look at the sign the moon is in and the element of that sign. The moon stays in each sign for two and a bit days and while this energy is the same for everyone, it will affect people differently depending on the house that the moon is in.
I track the moon through my chart, I have a Google calendar on my phone and I write it down in my planner. I use this to plan rest days, fun days, cleaning days and as an additional layer to the daily moon for tasks.
Throughout the lunar cycle, the moon will wax and wane. On a New Moon, set your intentions for the next four weeks. As the moon starts to grow in the Waxing Crescent Phase, start taking action on those intentions. At the First Quarter Moon take a moment to look at how things are going, what challenges are currently coming up? During the Gibbous Phase, we continue moving forward building momentum and excitement. The Full Moon ends the waxing part of the cycle and begins the waning part. We celebrate our progress and start removing the things that are hindering us. The Disseminating Phase is when we can fall into a slump, so do more of the things that make you happy. The Third Quarter Moon is when we review our progress and decide what isn’t working that we are done with. The Balsamic Phase is then the self-care part of the cycle where we rest, continue to create space and start thinking about the next cycle.
At the New Moon, we recommit to our goals, set our new intentions and adjust the plan if necessary. You can read more about working with the lunar cycle here.
While the moon travels around the Earth, waxing and waning, she is also moving through the zodiac and interacting with the other planets. There are times when the moon goes quiet, choosing not to talk to the other planets. These periods are known as a Void Of Course Moon, and you can read more about that here.
Essentially, it is not advised to start anything new or make any big or important decisions during a void moon. Instead, it is better to just take the time to relax and chill out. If you can’t take the time off, then sticking to your normal tasks but working slower, double-checking things and taking extra breaks is advised.
Once you know the overall energy of the moon for the week (from the phase) and have blocked out any void moons for downtime (which is optional), you will want to look at the sign the daily moon will be in to assign your tasks for the week.
The four elements are a good starting point to give you a structured flow to work within. The Fire Moons (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius) are good for starting new things, creative projects, and will give us a boost of energy. The Earth Moons that follow (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) are good for deep focus, big tasks and anything you can batch. Next comes the Air Moons (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius) which are good for smaller tasks, catching up and socialising. The Water Moons (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) are ideal for self-care, resting and working at a slower pace.
We can then look at the traits of each sign to see which tasks will flow with them. I’m sure you are aware that some days doing certain tasks feels like you are trying to push water uphill, while on other days that task is so easy you wonder what the problem was. This could well be the moon's influence at work. For a breakdown of the signs (and the elements) read this blog.
The final layer in working with the moon to plan your week is to look at your personal chart. In Moonology, we use the whole house system which assigns one house per sign and is the easiest way to track the moon. Once you know your Rising Sign, you can easily work out which sign rules which house. If you don’t know your Rising Sign, you can use your Sun Sign instead.
Your Rising Sign will rule your 1st house, and then the signs will follow in their normal order for each house. For example, if you are an Aries Rising, then Aries rules your 1st house, Taurus your 2nd, Gemini your 3rd, Cancer your 4th and so on.
Here is a quick overview of the 12 houses;
Your appearance, how you come across in the world
Cash, property and possessions
Communication, how you express yourself and learn, and also short trips
Home and family, where you come from and where feels like home
The fun house includes romance, pleasure, creativity and children
This is where life takes over, this is your daily routines and health
The love zone covers your most important one-to-one relationships. Your partner, your ex, and also any open enemies
Sex and Money
Travel, adventure, legal matters, the great comic quest to understand life
Your professional life, your reputation and the mark you leave on the world, your career and ambitions
Your networks, your friends, groups that you belong to and also the house of what you wish for
The deepest, darkest and most mysterious part of your chart. Your fears and your spirituality
You can find a more detailed breakdown of the houses here.
Whenever the moon is in my 12th house, I block that day out for me. If it happens to fall on a weekend or school holiday, it does become slightly more tricky as I have my daughter to work around. But a couple of hours in the bath with a book tends to do the trick. I do find if I don’t take time while the moon is in my 12th house to rest, then I’m tired and irritable when the moon moves into my 1st house. And if I have rested, then I’m ready for anything on 1st house moon days.
The 4th and 8th houses are also ideal rest times. I would just like to point out that when I say “rest” I don’t mean go for a nap or zone out on the sofa. I mean, you can do that if you like. I mean, taking a break from work and doing something for yourself. What gives you energy? That is resting. The point is to make sure you are taking time for yourself and that you are not always “on”. If you feel energised by going for a run, then do that on your rest days. If cleaning your house gets you motivated to work, do that on your rest days.
The whole point of working with the moon is to tune into your own energy levels and take care of yourself. This will look different to everyone. And it won’t always go to plan. Some things will need to be planned based on other people's schedules, which might clash with your moon needs. It’s up to you how you deal with that.
Working with the daily moon also doesn’t have to be an all-day event. Maybe you want to take 20 minutes for some self-care based on the sign the moon is in and will spend the rest of the day doing what you want. Maybe you will use the moon to design your work day or just your downtime. You just need to find what works for you.
I hope you have found this week's blog helpful, I know it contains a lot of information and links to previous blogs with more details. If working with the moon is something you are interested in, without having to learn astrology, then why not start by signing up for my weekly email? It’s free and contains not only an overview of the moon’s energy for the week but also breaks down the days by sign and phase and includes tips on self-care, business, personal life and productivity. Click the button below for more information.
