The Magick of Moon Water

A versatile ingredient, lunar energy in a bottle, and one of the first ingredients many new witches pick up: moon water.

In a message, Alycia Brouette requested "a lesson/tutorial on moon water. What is it, what is it good/used for, how to make it, new moon vs full moon etc." So that's what we'll be covering today:

• What is Moon Water

• Harnessing the Energy of the Lunar Cycles

• How to Make Moon Water

• Moon Water Uses

If you prefer video format, here you go. Otherwise, keep scrolling...

What is Moon Water

Moon water is water that has been allowed to sit in the light of the moon in order to be charged by its energy. In most cases, when someone is talking about moon water, they mean full moon water. Admittedly, full moon water is the most versatile. However, as each phase contains energy of different associations, you can create moon water at any point during the ~29.5-day cycle.

Keep in mind, while the use of moon water is popular in witchcraft and Pagan circles, not everyone feels an affinity to the moon. There is no requirement to incorporate the moon or lunar energy into your magick or practice at all.

Harnessing the Energy of the Lunar Cycles

As mentioned already, each lunar cycle lasts approximately 29.5 days, going from new moon to new moon. It very much mimics that cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that we see both in nature and in our own lives on both the small and larger scales. Just consider the solar cycle that we celebrate throughout the year: each sabbat is celebrating a different phase of that.

While the sun has sabbats, the moon as esbats: the major days of the lunar cycle. For a more detailed description on the cycles of the moon, check out my video on the topic here. Otherwise, you can scroll down for the highlights.

New Moon

The moon at this point is mostly covered in shadow, although not entirely gone from the sky as a small sliver can still be seen. The terms "new moon" and "dark moon" are often used interchangeably, which can cause some confusion. The new moon falls immediately after the dark moon--a time when, you guessed it, the moon is entirely dark--when that tiny sliver is detectable.

The new moon represents/can be used for:

• New beginnings

• Transition, change, transformation

• Manifestation

• Growth

• Fertility

• Abundance

When breaking down specifics of moon associations, the final four listed are more commonly linked to the waxing moon, the several days following the new moon when it is growing in size. For the sake of charging water, however, new moon water can be used for these purposes especially as the moon is technically already waxing at the new moon.

Full Moon

As I'm sure I don't need to explain to you fine folks, the full moon is when the entire moon is lit up and visible. The reason the full moon and water charged under the full moon is so versatile is because the full moon, while having its own specific correspondences, is also something of a magick-booster. Performing spells during the full moon or incorporating full moon water to any spell or ritual just gives them a little extra oomph.

The full moon represents/can be used for:

• Heightened psychic awareness

• Amplification of magick

• Revelation or discovery

• Endings (a good time to finish off a project or multi-day spell)

• Decreasing

• Banishing

• Releasing

• Cleansing

• Healing (when looking to rid yourself of something or decrease symptoms)

The same caveat I already mentioned applies here. Looking at specifics, the final five associations are linked to the waning moon, the period when it is diminishing in light and size after the full moon. But for the sake of singling out one night to charge your water, full moon water will work great for those intentions.

Dark Moon

As I previously stated, this is often spoken of interchangeably with the new moon, but this is the three-day period when the entire moon is covered in shadow.

The dark moon represents/can be used for:

• Death

• Letting go

• Breaking down blockages and roadblocks

• Making plans and contemplating changes (but hold off on pulling the trigger until the new moon)

• Banishing

• Cleansing

• Curses, hexes, jinxes, bindings

• Keeping secrets or hiding something

As a bonus, I also did a video on the associations of the blue moon here:

How to Make Moon Water

Fill a lidded container with water - It is generally recommended that you use glass but plastic will work as well, so long as it is a clear bottle or jar. (Some practitioners say you should only ever use non-colored glass but I have been using a blue bottle for my full moon water for years without issue.) If you intend on ingesting the water, I recommend you use distilled water for this purpose.

Set the container outside overnight during your chosen moon phase - Fully outdoors is preferable, but if that is not possible, a window ledge is fine. If temperatures drop below freezing where you are, I suggest you use a plastic container, and know that it is fine if it freezes and you thaw it later.

Bring it in before the sun rises - This is preferable, however, on the times I have overslept and didn't bring it in until the sun was already coming over the horizon, I felt that the energy was not gone but only diminished. So bring it in as soon as you can, but there's no need to toss the whole thing and wait until the next moon if you forgot or hit snooze on your alarm clock.

Store out of direct sunlight - Completely obscured from daylight is best, but if that's not doable, just place it where direct sunlight won't touch it.

Repeat the process every cycle - The energy that the moon instilled your water with will begin to fade over time, so it is recommended that you make a fresh batch every cycle.

Moon Water Uses

Oh boy. For both of our sakes, let me just give you one long list to scroll through for ideas because the uses for moon water are numerous and your imagination is the limit. In no particular order...

• Anoint candles or other ingredients

• Anoint written intentions

• Water your plants

• Cleanse your tools

• Add to a ritual bath

• Add to your pool or hot tub

• Use to make tea or coffee

• Make ice cubes

• So long as it's distilled, it can really be used to replace basic water in any kind of cooking

• Add to your pet's water bowl

• Use it for water scrying

• Make a spray or wash to cleanse your home/self

• Wash your face/hands with it before or after ritual

• Activate sigils

• Make a magickal ink for writing your intentions or in your Book of Shadows

• Anoint your third eye

• Before a manicure, paint it on your nails and allow to dry

• Drink a glass of it after any magick work to replenish your energy

• Add to your clothing steamer or iron

• Make rose water

• Add a few drops to your water-based skincare products

• Wash the lenses of your glasses

• Add to your aromatherapy diffuser

• Dip a finger in it and draw protective sigils, symbols, or runes on your windows, doors, or walls

• Add it to your humidifier

• Sprinkle or spray it on the ground/floor to mark the perimeter of your sacred space

• Incorporate it into your craft work like watercolors, sculpting, or really any arts or crafts that require water use

• If you like to age your Book of Shadows pages by soaking them in coffee or tea, use it to make that coffee or tea

• Use it for floating candles

• Place a bowl out as an offering to Spirit

• Dab or spray full moon water onto your pillow to encourage psychic dreams

• Fill a water balloon with full moon water, freeze it, cut away the balloon, and use it as a (temporary) scrying orb

• If you're so inclined, use it for your bong water

• Finally, anoint everything! Want more money? Anoint your wallet with new moon water. Want to get rid of debt? Anoint your bills with dark moon water. Anything you want to manifest in your life, find a symbol for it and anoint it with full moon water.

• Just about anything else you can think of...

What is your favorite use for moon water? Tell me in the comments below!