Wicca and many other pagan religions follow the cycle of the moon (Esbats) as well as the sun (Sabbats).
The Moon is of great importance to many Wiccans and Pagans. Its a symbol of the Goddess, and its energy has far-reaching effects on nature and on ourselves. Many Wiccans follow the moon phases when planning rituals and spells.
The Full Moon
The full moon is the point at which we can see an entire side of the moon. For many Wiccans and Pagans, this is a time to celebrate with an Esbat ritual. In many traditions, this is a good time to do rituals that greatly increase abilities or heal.
The Waning Moon
The waning moon is the period during which the moon goes from full to dark once again (wanes from Full to New). In many traditions of Wicca and Paganism, this time of the month is used to do “baneful” magic (reduce) — that which sends away, gets rid of or destroys things you no longer wish to be burdened by, banish harmful energies.
The New Moon (Dark Moon)
The new moon is sometimes tricky to work with because you can’t always see it during this phase – it will appear as a very faint crescent of silver low on the horizon, if you can see it at all.
The Waxing Moon
The waxing moon is the period during which the moon grows from dark (New to Full). It takes approximately fourteen days for this to happen. In many magical traditions, people use this time of the moon to perform “positive” magic — in other words, magic that draws things to you, or increases things, draw things to you.
Below are a list of the names of each Full Moon in the year, however there is much discrepancy between available sources. The names below include Wiccan sources as well as Native American traditions and the Farmer’s Almanac.
January ~ Cold Moon, Hunger Moon, Purification Moon, Wolf Moon, Quiet Moon, Snow Moon, Chaste Moon, Dusting Moon, Moon of Little Winter, Wulfmonath (Wolf Month)
February ~ Quickening Moon, Ice Moon, Storm Moon, Horning Moon, Hunger Moon, Wild Moon, Red & Cleansing Moon, Big Winter Moon, Solmonath (Sun or Mud Month)
March ~ Storm Moon, Seed Moon, Egg Moon, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Worm Moon, Lenting Moon, Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Moon of the Snowblind, Lentzinmanoth (Renewal Month), Hrethmonath (Fierce Month)
April ~ Wind Moon, Hare Moon, Seed Moon, Growing Moon, Planting/Planter’s Moon, Pink Moon, Budding Trees Moon, Green Grass Moon, Ostarmanoth / Eastermonath (Eostre Month)
May ~ Flower Moon, Hare Moon, Merry Moon, Dyad Moon, Bright Moon, Frogs Return Moon, Sproutkale, Planting Moon, Thrimilcmonath (Thrice-Milk Month), Winnemanoth (Joy Month)
June ~ Sun Moon, Strong Sun Moon, Mead Moon, Honey Moon, Lovers’s Moon, Moon of Horses, Aerra Litha (Before Lithia), Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Brachmanoth (Break Month), Seremonath (Dry Month)
July ~ Blessing Moon, Hay Moon, Wort Moon, Moon of Claiming, Moon of Blood (because of mosquitoes), Fallow Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Maedmonat (Meadow Month), Hewimanoth (Hay Month)
August ~ Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Dispute Moon, Harvest Moon, Weodmonath (Vegetation/Weed Month)
September ~ Harvest Moon, Wine Moon, Singing Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Haerfestmonath (Harvest Month), Witumanoth (Wood Month)
October ~ Blood Moon, Hunters Moon, Harvest Moon, Shedding Moon, Falling Leaf Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Moon of the Changing Season, Winterfelleth (Winter Coming), Windermanoth (Vintage Month), Winmonath (Wine Month)
November ~ Mourning Moon, Snow Moon, Dark Moon, Fog Moon, Beaver Moon, Mad Moon, Moon of Storms, Blotmonath (Sacrifice/Blood Month), Herbistmanoth (Harvest Month), Windmonath (Wind Month)
December ~ Long Nights Moon, Cold Moon, Oak Moon, Wolf Moon, Big Winter Moon, Aerra Geola (Month Before Yule), Wintermonat (Winter Month), Heilagmanoth (Holy Month)
Blue Moon – Two full moons in same month
Black Moon – Two dark moons in same month
Pagan’s Path – Full Moon Names
AngelFire – The Olde Way
Wicca – Celtic Connection
Farmers’ Almanac – Full Moon Names
Wise Witches Society – Full Moon Names
Months of the Year
© West Coast Pagan
West Coast Pagan 