reading time: 9 min
You're probably aware of the larger lunar cycle that we can witness in the night sky every single month: waxing moon, full moon, waning moon, and new moon. Perhaps you are one of those people who can tell it's a full moon by their restless sleep at that time.
But what if I told you that there's a lot more to the rhythms of the moon and the stars than just those four phases each month? (or eight phases, if you divert the two transition phases into waxing gibbous, first quarter or half moon, waxing crescent, as well as waning crescent, third quarter or half moon, and waning gibbous.)
In fact, as the moon travels through the sky each night, it passes through the 12 zodiac signs during its approximately 29-day orbit around the Earth, remaining in each sign for about 2.5 days. You can check which sign the moon is currently in using this online Almanac or the Lunarly website. As I'm publishing this, it's the tenth of May 2026, and the waning moon is in Aquarius at the moment and will move into Pisces later this evening.
What does that mean though?
Each of the zodiac signs has a certain energy to it, being associated with one of the four elements (fire, earth, air, water), as well as with a plant part (fruit, root, flower, leaf), a food component (protein, salt, fat, carbohydrates), a part of the human body, and a certain quality (warm, cool, light, wet). Depending on what zodiac sign the moon is currently residing in - and depending on the moon phase - , we are influenced by a particular astrological energy or impulse.
In this blogpost, I will introduce the effects of the lunar cycle in conjunction with the zodiac signs, as well as share how I personally work with these energies. (And I'll do my best to keep it as simple and comprehensible as possible!)
The Moon Phases and their Qualities
NEW MOON (1 day)
A time of new beginning. This is a great day for fasting (juice fasting, fruit fasting, media fasting ...) and detoxifying. You can use this time for - literally or metaphorically - planting new seeds, setting intentions and goals, starting new habits or dropping bad ones.
WAXING MOON (2 weeks)
A time of gathering strength and building up. Rest, recover, nourish yourself. Nutrients and other substances are absorbed more easily by the body, so pay attention to what you consume. Avoid surgery, if possible, as healing takes longer. You can use this time to slow down, journal, tend to your plants, and perhaps do some form of meditative creative activity.
FULL MOON (1 day)
A time of pausing. Another great day for fasting to give your body a break. Avoid alcohol and other harmful substances. Avoid surgery and vaccination, if possible. You can use this time to collect healing herbs, be present, enjoy time in nature, and embrace the energy of abundance.
WANING MOON (2 weeks)
A time of being active and putting your built-up energy to good use. Wounds heal faster during this phase, and the effects of sugar and alcohol are not as harmful because the body's ability to detoxify is strong. This is a good time for scheduled operations. You can use this time to move, remove, cleanse, and work on more demanding projects.
The Zodiac Signs and their Qualities
ARIES
Element: Fire
Food Component: Protein
Plant Part: Fruit
Body Part: Head, Eyes, Nose
Quality: Warm
TAURUS
Plant Part: Fruit
Body Part: Head, Eyes, Nose
Quality: Warm
TAURUS
Element: Earth
Food Component: Salt
Plant Part: Root
Body Part: Throat, Jaw, Ears
Quality: Cool
Plant Part: Root
Body Part: Throat, Jaw, Ears
Quality: Cool
GEMINI
Element: Air
Food Component: Fat
Plant Part: Flower
Body Part: Shoulders, Arms, Lungs
Quality: Light
Plant Part: Flower
Body Part: Shoulders, Arms, Lungs
Quality: Light
CANCER
Element: Water
Food Component: Carbohydrate
Plant Part: Leaf
Body Part: Stomach, Liver, Gall Bladder
Quality: Wet
Plant Part: Leaf
Body Part: Stomach, Liver, Gall Bladder
Quality: Wet
LEO
Element: Fire
Food Component: Protein
Plant Part: Fruit
Body Part: Heart, Circulatory System
Quality: Warm
Plant Part: Fruit
Body Part: Heart, Circulatory System
Quality: Warm
VIRGO
Element: Earth
Food Component: Salt
Plant Part: Root
Body Part: Digestive Organs, Nerves
Quality: Cool
Plant Part: Root
Body Part: Digestive Organs, Nerves
Quality: Cool
LIBRA
Element: Air
Food Component: Fat
Plant Part: Flower
Body Part: Kidneys, Bladder, Hips
Quality: Light
Plant Part: Flower
Body Part: Kidneys, Bladder, Hips
Quality: Light
SCORPIO
Element: Water
Food Component: Carbohydrate
Plant Part: Leaf
Body Part: Genitals
Quality: Wet
Plant Part: Leaf
Body Part: Genitals
Quality: Wet
SAGITTARIUS
Element: Fire
Food Component: Protein
Plant Part: Fruit
Body Part: Thighs, Pelvis, Veins
Quality: Warm
Body Part: Thighs, Pelvis, Veins
Quality: Warm
CAPRICORN
Element: Earth
Food Component: Salt
Plant Part: Root
Body Part: Skin, Bones, Knees
Quality: Cool
Plant Part: Root
Body Part: Skin, Bones, Knees
Quality: Cool
AQUARIUS
Element: Air
Food Component: Fat
Plant Part: Flower
Body Part: Calves, Veins
Quality: Light
Plant Part: Flower
Body Part: Calves, Veins
Quality: Light
PISCES
Element: Water
Food Component: Carbohydrate
Plant Part: Leaf
Body Part: Feet, Ankles
Quality: Wet
Now, I know that's a lot of information to take in and make sense of! So in this last segment of today's blogpost I will share various examples of exactly how I make use of these different energies and impulses.
Plant Part: Leaf
Body Part: Feet, Ankles
Quality: Wet
Let's take Sagittarius as an example to illustrate how you can utilize this information on the zodiac qualities. So: On the 2-3 days the moon spends in the sign of Sagittarius each month, the predominant element is fire. We are likely to feel high-spirited and enthusiastic during this time (though usually not as strongly as with the other two fire signs, Aries and Leo, which have a more fervent energy). We run the risk of going overboard, especially in terms of physical activities. Since the associated body parts of Sagittarius are thighs, pelvis, and veins, - meaning they are more susceptible to any treatments -, it would be a particularly bad idea to go on a long hike untrained during this time, unless you want to risk ending up with convulsed thigh muscles or sciatica. The food component of Sagittarius is protein, meaning that proteins can be absorbed more effectively by our bodies on these days. Depending on whether you have a deficiency or an excess of this nutrient, your body will "stomach" either more or less of it at this time. Since the sign is also associated with the plant part fruit, the same applies to eating fruits. In terms of gardening, any type of plant care for fruit vegetables, berries or fruit trees would be favourable at this time. The overall quality of the day is warm and dry, meaning that the air temperature is usually perceived as warmer than the same temperature on a Capricorn day for instance (Capricorn = Earth, cool).
Now, I know that's a lot of information to take in and make sense of! So in this last segment of today's blogpost I will share various examples of exactly how I make use of these different energies and impulses.
How I live by and honor the Celestial Cycles
WANING MOON
I use this time of releasing and cleansing for:
- doing the laundry, or the majority of my laundry (best on Water days = Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio)
- decluttering
- deep cleaning my home
- window cleaning (best on Air days = Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, or Fire days = Aries, Leo and Sagittarius)
- weeding
- preserving
- oil pulling (best on Capricorn days as well as on Fat days = Gemini, Libra and Aquarius)
- removing body hair (best on Capricorn, Taurus or Aries; avoid Leo, especially during waxing moon!)
- any sort of cleanse or fast
- dry brushing or any sort of detoxifying and invigorating massage
- removing body hair (best on Capricorn, Taurus or Aries; avoid Leo, especially during waxing moon!)
- any sort of cleanse or fast
- dry brushing or any sort of detoxifying and invigorating massage
- tackling challenging projects
WAXING MOON
I use this time of growing and drawing strength for:
- taking my supplements (as the body can absorb them more easily during this phase)
- making an effort to include wild herbs in my diet
- limiting the amount of sugar (or at least trying to, haha!)
- sowing and planting (with the exception of root vegetables)
WAXING MOON
I use this time of growing and drawing strength for:
- taking my supplements (as the body can absorb them more easily during this phase)
- making an effort to include wild herbs in my diet
- limiting the amount of sugar (or at least trying to, haha!)
- sowing and planting (with the exception of root vegetables)
- nourishing and strengthening massages, such as the Ayurvedic oil massage
- using nourishing and hydrating lotions and oils to take care of my skin
- using nourishing and hydrating lotions and oils to take care of my skin
- hair treatments, such as herb-infused oil or rice water
- planning less appointments and activities, and allowing more unstructured time at home for reading and resting
Of course, I will still clean my home and do some laundry during the waxing moon, and of course, I will still eat chocolate during that phase as well, but I won't do it as excessively as I might during the waning moon. It's just that my focus shifts depending on which phase the moon is currently in.
NEW MOON & FULL MOON
I use these two days of change each month for slowing down and fasting / eating less. If the full moon or new moon happens before noon, I will do my fasting the day before that. If it happens after noon, I will do it the day of.
For my "fasting", I usually eat a couple of organic apples for breakfast. Any other type of fruit, or even a smoothie with no added sugars, also works. For lunch I have some sort of vegetable soup or stew. For dinner I prepare myself a big salad with some nuts and seeds and a delicious vinaigrette dressing. On these "fasting" days I make sure to drink lots of water and maybe unsweetened herbal tea. This eases the burden on my digestive system and helps it work more effortlessly and effectively.
I also like to celebrate the magical turning points of full moon and new moon by doing a cacao ceremony (on the days I'm not fasting), journaling, meditating, or whatever else feels right at that time.
IN GENERAL
All this talk about constellations, body parts, food components and qualities may sound super complicated to you right now, but once you get the hang of it, it really isn't!
In general, it's all about knowing about the worst timing for your endeavour - and avoiding it. Once you've got that down, you might want to look for the best timing, but that's more like the cherry on top.
For example, when I am scheduling an appointment to get my teeth professionally cleaned, I aim for a time during waning moon (since it's an cleansing activity) and make sure to avoid the days when the moon is in Taurus (since the jaw is very sensible during that time, see above). Ideally, I will make my appointment on a Capricorn day, which is great for removing dental calculus. But any other day during waning moon, except Taurus days, are fine as well.
When washing my hair, I do my best to avoid Water days (especially Cancer and Pisces, but also Scorpio), as I don't want my hair to become dull and brittle.
I always cut my hair when the moon is in Leo (great for hair growth), or alternatively in Virgo (great for curls). Cut during a waxing moon, your hair will grow faster. Cut during a waning moon, your hair will grow slowly, but thickly. Again, avoid Water days (Cancer, Pisces, Scorpio).
I never water my indoor plants on Air days (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), when the risk of plant pests is highest. Instead, I've trained my plants to be watered almost exclusively on Water days (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio). This works very well most of the time. During hot summers, I also water on other days of the month, but still try to skip Air days.
Actually, there will probably be a Part 2 to this at some point where I go into more detail on how to garden by the lunar rhythms because that's something I've started doing more intensely this year ...
Now you might still be thinking:
This sounds very rigid and complicated! But it doesn't have to be.
Living by the constellations is not about abiding by strict rules and becoming a little lunar robot. On the contrary, it's about cultivating a connection to the natural rhythms and strengthening your own sensibility to those impulses. To me, knowing which phase and sign the moon is in makes me feel more aware of and in sync with nature and her cycles. It also helps me to structure my month, and to turn even a relatively boring task like weeding into an enjoyable ritual just by knowing that I'm utilizing the favorable energy of the waning moon in Capricorn :)
And over time you might be able to sense that the moon is in a certain zodiac sign without having to check the lunar calendar. For example, I can usually tell when the moon is in Leo or Aries because I usually feel like I have an endless amount of energy. And yes, I'm also one of those people who are tossing and turning in the nights leading up to a full moon.
I have been living by the moon and the stars for about 5 or 6 years now, and of course I didn't pay attention to everything all at once. I think I started by watering my plants, doing the laundry, and washing my hair according to the lunar calendar, and that was it.
There's no need to do everything in tune with the moon, from clipping your nails to polishing your shoes!
For example, when baking bread, it would be best to favour Air days (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) or Fire days (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), and to avoid Water days (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio). However, it's already elaborate enough for me to plan my 24-hour sourdough bread baking schedule, so I usually don't pay attention to the lunar calendar on top of that.
However, if you are planning to do something important, or if you have a one-time event coming up - such as weaning your baby or getting a dental implant or planting a tree - , then looking for the best time in terms of the lunar rhythms, or at least avoiding the worst time, would be a good idea.
So as with all things - see what works for you, and leave the rest.
Sources:
The Power of Timing: Living in Harmony with Natural and Lunar Cycles by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe (2013, originally published in Germany in 1991).
Moon Time: The Art of Harmony with Nature and Lunar Cycles by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe (2005, originally published in Germany in 1993).
Nature’s Daily Guide: The Influence of the Lunar Cycle by Edith Stadig (2018, originally published in Germany in 2011)
The postcard pictured in the second photograph was created by my dear friend Zoe, a talented storyteller and artist. I call it "The Moon Hare".
- planning less appointments and activities, and allowing more unstructured time at home for reading and resting
Of course, I will still clean my home and do some laundry during the waxing moon, and of course, I will still eat chocolate during that phase as well, but I won't do it as excessively as I might during the waning moon. It's just that my focus shifts depending on which phase the moon is currently in.
NEW MOON & FULL MOON
I use these two days of change each month for slowing down and fasting / eating less. If the full moon or new moon happens before noon, I will do my fasting the day before that. If it happens after noon, I will do it the day of.
For my "fasting", I usually eat a couple of organic apples for breakfast. Any other type of fruit, or even a smoothie with no added sugars, also works. For lunch I have some sort of vegetable soup or stew. For dinner I prepare myself a big salad with some nuts and seeds and a delicious vinaigrette dressing. On these "fasting" days I make sure to drink lots of water and maybe unsweetened herbal tea. This eases the burden on my digestive system and helps it work more effortlessly and effectively.
I also like to celebrate the magical turning points of full moon and new moon by doing a cacao ceremony (on the days I'm not fasting), journaling, meditating, or whatever else feels right at that time.
IN GENERAL
All this talk about constellations, body parts, food components and qualities may sound super complicated to you right now, but once you get the hang of it, it really isn't!
In general, it's all about knowing about the worst timing for your endeavour - and avoiding it. Once you've got that down, you might want to look for the best timing, but that's more like the cherry on top.
For example, when I am scheduling an appointment to get my teeth professionally cleaned, I aim for a time during waning moon (since it's an cleansing activity) and make sure to avoid the days when the moon is in Taurus (since the jaw is very sensible during that time, see above). Ideally, I will make my appointment on a Capricorn day, which is great for removing dental calculus. But any other day during waning moon, except Taurus days, are fine as well.
When washing my hair, I do my best to avoid Water days (especially Cancer and Pisces, but also Scorpio), as I don't want my hair to become dull and brittle.
I always cut my hair when the moon is in Leo (great for hair growth), or alternatively in Virgo (great for curls). Cut during a waxing moon, your hair will grow faster. Cut during a waning moon, your hair will grow slowly, but thickly. Again, avoid Water days (Cancer, Pisces, Scorpio).
I never water my indoor plants on Air days (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), when the risk of plant pests is highest. Instead, I've trained my plants to be watered almost exclusively on Water days (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio). This works very well most of the time. During hot summers, I also water on other days of the month, but still try to skip Air days.
Actually, there will probably be a Part 2 to this at some point where I go into more detail on how to garden by the lunar rhythms because that's something I've started doing more intensely this year ...
Now you might still be thinking:
This sounds very rigid and complicated! But it doesn't have to be.
Living by the constellations is not about abiding by strict rules and becoming a little lunar robot. On the contrary, it's about cultivating a connection to the natural rhythms and strengthening your own sensibility to those impulses. To me, knowing which phase and sign the moon is in makes me feel more aware of and in sync with nature and her cycles. It also helps me to structure my month, and to turn even a relatively boring task like weeding into an enjoyable ritual just by knowing that I'm utilizing the favorable energy of the waning moon in Capricorn :)
And over time you might be able to sense that the moon is in a certain zodiac sign without having to check the lunar calendar. For example, I can usually tell when the moon is in Leo or Aries because I usually feel like I have an endless amount of energy. And yes, I'm also one of those people who are tossing and turning in the nights leading up to a full moon.
I have been living by the moon and the stars for about 5 or 6 years now, and of course I didn't pay attention to everything all at once. I think I started by watering my plants, doing the laundry, and washing my hair according to the lunar calendar, and that was it.
There's no need to do everything in tune with the moon, from clipping your nails to polishing your shoes!
For example, when baking bread, it would be best to favour Air days (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) or Fire days (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), and to avoid Water days (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio). However, it's already elaborate enough for me to plan my 24-hour sourdough bread baking schedule, so I usually don't pay attention to the lunar calendar on top of that.
However, if you are planning to do something important, or if you have a one-time event coming up - such as weaning your baby or getting a dental implant or planting a tree - , then looking for the best time in terms of the lunar rhythms, or at least avoiding the worst time, would be a good idea.
So as with all things - see what works for you, and leave the rest.
Sources:
The Power of Timing: Living in Harmony with Natural and Lunar Cycles by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe (2013, originally published in Germany in 1991).
Moon Time: The Art of Harmony with Nature and Lunar Cycles by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe (2005, originally published in Germany in 1993).
Nature’s Daily Guide: The Influence of the Lunar Cycle by Edith Stadig (2018, originally published in Germany in 2011)
The postcard pictured in the second photograph was created by my dear friend Zoe, a talented storyteller and artist. I call it "The Moon Hare".
I recommend checking out some of my other blogposts on related topics:
 |
| Everyday Rituals - Finding Magic in the Mundane |
 |
| Living By The Planets |
 |
| Understanding & Syncing Your Monthly Cycle |
♥
Maisy
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