We all know the Waxing Moon helps us grow our intentions and the Full Moon helps us manifest. But what does the Waning Moon do for us magically? The Waning Moon is a time when we release, banish, and decrease things in our lives. Learn the best magic to do on a Waning Moon and try a few of our Waning Moon Rituals and Spells.

What is Waning Moon Magic?

The Waning Moon is a powerful time during the month. Can’t tell if the moon is waning? If the dark side is on the right and the left side is illuminated, it’s a Waning Moon. Everyone loves a good Full Moon, but we often forget the power of a Waning Moon. Now’s the time embrace the magic of the Waning Moon! When the moon wanes, this means we see less and less of it until a new moon cycle begins again. When the moon is “shrinking”, any magic done to release, banish, lessen, bind, etc. is that much more potent.

Releasing Waning Moon Rituals

To release something means to let it go freely. Sometimes we hold onto things in our lives that no longer serve us. These things often hold us back from reaching our full potential. Old toxic relationships, buried emotions, failures, and bad habits are just a few things that should be released on a Waning Moon. Waning Moon Rituals for releasing include writing the thing on a piece of paper and burning it. Imbuing the intention into a black candle and burning it all the way down. Writing it on paper and releasing it in the wind on top of a hill/mountain. And cord cutting rituals are great for Waning Moon releasing.

Banishing Waning Moon Rituals

Sometimes we have to go beyond a releasing ritual and banish something from our lives. This is a more powerful way to kick something out of your life for good – to banish it from existence in your life. Banishing rituals include making a spell bottle or jar and sending it downstream OR leaving it at a crossroads far from home. Exorcism rituals to remove ghosts or unwanted spirits from the house are also banishing rituals AND should be done on a Waning Moon.

Binding and Reversal Spells on a Waning Moon

Other forms of magic to be done on a Waning Moon include bindings and reversals. This is a “gray” area of magic, but if you’re going to do it, you have your reasons. And if you can do it on the Waning Moon – this is best. Waning means to go backwards or decrease, so reversals on a Waning Moon are more powerful. Binding a situation or a person from doing harm involves using a photo or paper with the person’s name, folding it up in a packet or in a bag, then tying a red string around it 9 times while visualizing the person or situation bound from doing evil. Binding rituals are ancient and have been traced to Ancient Egypt!

Burnt Petition Releasing Ritual for the Waning Moon

If you have something in your life you just need to let go and put behind you, a releasing ritual on the Waning Moon is right for you. Here’s our burnt petition releasing ritual:

What You’ll Need:

• A firepit or fireplace
• A piece of parchment paper OR ripped brown paper bag and pen

How to do the Releasing Ritual:

1. On a Waning Moon, have a bonfire or start a fire in your fireplace. (always be careful and ask for help if you don’t know what you’re doing! SAFETY FIRST!)
2. Cleanse the paper and pen before use (you can smudge it or bury in salt, etc.) This removes any prior negative energies attached to the paper or pen.
3. Write your petition on the piece of paper (write the exact thing you want to release. For example, “I release the harmful habit of picking my cuticles”. Don’t write anything positive on the paper, because this is a release and you don’t want to release any positive intentions (for example, DON’T write, “I release my cuticle picking habit so that I can have nice nails.” Then you’ll be releasing having nice nails too and you don’t want to do that!)
4. Once you have your item written, fold the paper three times away from you.
5. Then throw the petition into the fire. While it burns, close your eyes and visualize the thing being burnt out of your life for good.
6. Open your eyes and gaze at the moon.
7. Take a cleansing bath OR smudge yourself after this ritual.

2nd Releasing Ritual: By Fire & Ash, Banish At Last

First, I want to remind you it’s best to release, banish, bind, etc. on a Waning Moon. I know there’s a ton of information in Pinterest and circulating FaceBook that tells people to release on a Full Moon. BUT truly a Waning Moon is for diminishing things in our lives. The Full Moon is for manifesting. Keep that in mind.

What You’ll Need:

• Piece of paper and pen
• Chili powder, cayenne powder, or red chili flakes: any of these 3 ingredients serve as a powerful banishing agent
• Firepit OR fireplace
• Small sachet or bag

What to Do:

1. Gather your materials.
2. Start your fire (safely, of course).
3. Clear your mind and focus solely on the thing or person you’re ready to release.
4. Write it down on the piece of paper then fold the paper away from you 3, 7 or 9 times.
5. Before throwing the paper in the fire, say “You no longer serve my greatest good, you hold me back from flying high. I banish your negativity from my life, By fire and ash I sever every tie.”
6. Throw the paper into the fire and breathe deeply. Know that it has been released from your life. Feel the baggage lifted from you.
7. Now take the chili powder/cayenne and throw it into the fire (be careful you don’t get this in anyone’s face OR touch your eyes after handling chili powder). This seals your intention and further banishes whatever you released.
8. When the fire’s out completely and cooled, take a small bag of ash and throw it into moving water OR bury it in the West where the sun sets on it forever.

General Reversal Spell for the Waning Moon

If you’re in the magical community OR do magic for a living, it’s wise to do a regular reversal ritual on each Waning Moon. Even if you might not see or recognize any “bad magic” thrown your way, a reversal spell will get rid of any evil eye or jealous vibes coming at you. This also works to reverse the magic back at someone if you k now for sure they’re sending magic to you! Just tailor the words in this waning moon ritual to meet your intentions.

What You’ll Need for this Waning Moon Reversal Spell:

• A cheap mirror (you can get these from the dollar store!)
• A black candle (one that burns quickly like spell or chime) and holder
• Lighter/matches
• Opaque bag (a bag you can’t see through but will hold ALL of the supplies)

How to do the Reversal Ritual:

1. Gather your supplies.
2. Cleanse your space by whatever means you prefer (smudging, spraying, etc.)
3. Cleanse your mirror too.
4. Then take your black candle and rub it in a downward motion from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. This action is cleansing your aura and pulling negative vibes off of you. Rub the candle over you and say “black magic, evil eye and negative vibes attach to this candle and be removed from me and mine.”
5. Once you’re done, cut the butt end off the candle and light it. Put it in the candle holder. Then set on top of the mirror. (Don’t dress the candle in oils or anything…you want to banish/reverse the energy not feed it!)
6. Then as it burns on the mirror (please always stay with your candles while they burn…SAFETY FIRST!), as it burns say “negative vibrations, black magic or the evil eye sent my way indirectly or by force is reversed and returned to its original source.”
7. Visualize the black candle burning away all those negative vibrations you pulled off of you and the mirror reflecting those energies back to their original source (whoever or whatever that might be). The thing is – the energy has to go somewhere and you want it far away from you!
8. Once the candle is burned down, gather the wax, candle holder, and mirror and bag it up in a solid cloth (one you can’t see through) and take it to a crossroads and leave it in the road to be ran over. OR throw it into running water. OR if you have no other option, take it to the opposite side of town and leave it at a dump.
9. Note – if you have to keep the candle holder you used OR the mirror, you’ll need to bury it in earth or salt for at least a full lunar cycle before using it again! I also recommend smudging them following digging them back up!

Simple Weight Loss Waning Moon Spell

A popular spell to do on the Waning Moon is a weight loss spell. All you need for this weight loss waning moon spell is you and the Waning Moon! Go outside and find the Waning Moon. Gaze at it, visualize what it looked like full and now see it as decreased in size. Pray to the Moon, “Oh wise and healthy Crone Moon, see me in my most purest form. Aid me in achieving my health goals and releasing the extra weight unfit for my body. So be it.” Pray this as many times as you’d like and feel the moon’s energy pulling the weight off of you! Follow up with drinking water, eating healthy options AND moving your body more!

MORE Moon Magic:

• Lunar Magick for Beginners
• 2 Dark Moon Rituals for Shadow Work and Past Lives
• Full Moon Magic and Rituals