PolarfatePhase 6 of 8
Sharing · Gratitude · Easing off
Moon phase
Waning gibbous moon
After the full moon the light starts to shrink from the other side. The waning gibbous moon rises after sunset, later each evening, and is often still up in the west after sunrise.
The next waning gibbous follows the full moon on .
In the sky
In the Northern Hemisphere it's now the left side that stays bright while the right side darkens. Because the Moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, this is the phase many people notice on early-morning walks rather than in the evening.
Look for it in the west after sunrise. In the days after full, the Moon is still above the horizon when the day begins, pale against the blue. At night, because it rises a few hours after dark, it's often the moon you see low in the east at bedtime.
Its light still fills the night, but a little less each day: about a week after full, the Moon is back to half lit at last quarter.
In tradition
In the eight-phase system the astrologer Dane Rudhyar described in the twentieth century, this is the disseminating moon: the phase for sharing what you've learned. Others put it more simply, as a time to give thanks and pass things on.
It's also read as an easing-off point. The push of the waxing half is over, and the waning half invites you to slow down and sort through what the cycle brought. Some moon-journaling practices use it for a gratitude list, a gentle counterpart to the intentions written at the new moon.
Things to notice
- Notice what you've learned this month that someone else might use.
- Notice where you could do a little less.
- Notice what's waiting to be finished rather than started.
A question to sit with
Who helped you this month, and have you told them?
For entertainment and reflection.