You average wall calendar divides the moon’s cycle into four equal phases called the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, and fourth quarter. It would be remarkably nifty if these four quarters  matched the waxing full-waning-dark classification that the layperson observes by looking up into the night sky, but it isn’t so. The four quarters are each seven days long and as you probably know by observation, the full moon doesn’t last a week-long, nor does the dark moon.

The first quarter begins with the dark moon. The sun, moon, and the earth are all lined up during the beginning of the lunar cycle. This is a terrific time to launch new projects or undertakings, because the sun’s energy is traveling along the same energy paths as the moon’s energy, giving you a two-for-one zip to your magick. The moon rises in the early morning and sets around sunset, rising and setting a bit later each day. This is why you don’t see the moon for about three days; it’s keeping the same hours and position that the sun is keeping. When  the moon reaches a point where it’s setting slightly  later than the sun, it can be seen as a luminous slim crescent hanging low in the western sky for a few minutes after the sun goes down.  The first quarter is a good time to work on issues involving children, animals, plants and motivation.

The second quarter begins halfway between the dark moon and the full moon. The moon is seen as a half circle, which rise around mid-day and sets around twelve at night. The second quarter is excellent for expansion, patience, peace, family and harmony.

The third quarter begins with the full moon, rising at sunset and setting at dawn,  The full moon is ideal for powering those ventures you started at the dark moon and for almost everything knowledge, love, money, protection, dreams and psychic powers. Two days after a full moon is when the moon appears to begin waning. This begins a time of decrease; where you can prune away old and outgrown thoughts and  habits and discard what is no longer benefiting you. Use this energy for health and healing (as in banishing illness), protection, difficult decision and easing stress.

The fourth quarter begins halfway between the full moon and the dark moon. The moon rises just after midnight and sets around noon. This energy is good for justice, endings, separation, and limiting action or expansion.

These quarters aren’t absolute, of course; the moon moves through them all sequentially, occupying a lightly different position each day.