Letting Go of What No Longer Serves Us: Creating Routine Around Individual Moon Phases
I’ve always loved New Years, the first day of school, moving to new places, and meeting new people. I never thought to stop and wonder why I love them so much, and why I love change as much as I do. I mean, why do I cut ties or resolve “bad blood” with people specifically around these moments? Why do I refresh my closet and try a new makeup routine or rearrange my room? While I do like change, the specific schedule that the moon cycle provides is what gets me so hooked on each individual moon phase and what they mean. I found myself particularly captivated by Waning gibbous.
So many people associate the moon with a plethora of symbols, meanings, and motifs. There is no right or wrong answer. When someone looks up at the night sky, whatever it is that they feel when they gaze up at the illuminated, silver light, standing out in a blanket of somber, is just. Whether they feel connection, balance, gratitude, or guidance, the moon is there to provide just that and more.
The moon moves through eight different phases. The new moon focuses particularly on “new beginnings,” but that doesn’t mean the other phases don’t touch on it. Waxing crescent focuses on growth, first quarter is commitment, waxing gibbous is adjustment, full moon is gratitude, last quarter is forgiveness, and waning crescent is for resting. Waning gibbous is the sixth phase in the cycle, following the full moon. It appears as less than a full moon, but more than a third quarter moon. It resembles the moon's transition back to its roots of darkness. The moon as a whole represents cycles and phases, but this specific phase speaks to people about letting go and starting over.
All my life, I had moons in my room. I had a moon-phase-shaped mirror, moon phase pillow, the moon Jellycat, and celestial bedding. But it wasn’t until the summer after I graduated that I actually began to learn what it meant: What each slightly different shape entailed, and why I was so drawn to them.
I’m four weeks into my freshman year of college. Freshman year of college is the ultimate point of new beginnings at this point in life. There are very few other times where I can say I’ve had this big of a shift in how I live my life and being on my own this much. I’m sure a lot of first year students feel this way. I’ve found that using a preexisting schedule can be extremely beneficial, such as the moon.
Using this cycle, I’ve cleansed myself and reimagined the life I want to be living compared to the life I actually am. I use each state of the moon for exactly what they’re meant for. Waning gibbous distinctly allows me to let go of what no longer serves me, make peace with what’s behind me, rid myself of negative thoughts, and look towards my future and everything that lies ahead of me. Though waning gibbous isn’t specifically aimed at “new beginnings”, all of these criteria are part of that process in my mind.
In an everchanging world that gives us little to no time to sit down, gather our thoughts, and be content with ourselves and what we carry with us, I encourage those seeking routine and a sense of constant to look up at a night sky or an early morning. Change is everywhere, and it can be really scary sometimes, but it can also be magnetic and beautiful. Freshman year is full of hard choices, self maintenance, and so many new faces and opportunities. It can be extremely difficult to understand what’s going on around us, and staying informed can be daunting in today’s world. Whether it be a higher power, a spiritual relic, the stars and their alignment, or anything else someone could think to rely on, I hope we can all find something that keeps us slightly at more of a sound mind in such a complicated time.
Sources:
Moon Phases Calendar - December 2025 | SpaceWeatherLive.com
COVER: Courtesy of Pinterest
About the author: P.K. is a freshman studying advertising and is also in her first term working for Align! In her free time, she enjoys writing, sipping / making coffee, being active, listening to Phoebe Bridgers, and attending Broadway musicals! She is always looking for someone to nerd out with over a cup of Joe while dissecting the Catcher in the Rye and whatever new music just dropped. You can find more of her work at peeksandpieces.wordpress.com and her instagram @pkrector!