Waning Crescent ◖

In the sky

A thin crescent rises before dawn, fading towards the next new moon. Sometimes called the balsamic moon, this is the quietest stretch of the cycle, made for rest, reflection and recovery.

What does waning crescent mean?

Waning means shrinking, and a crescent is a sliver of Moon less than half lit. The waning crescent is the last phase of the cycle, the week between the last quarter and the next new moon, as the lit part narrows to nothing.

How to spot a waning crescent

• Look east before sunrise; it rises a few hours before the Sun, and later closer to dawn each day
• In the northern hemisphere the lit edge is on the left, curving like a C; in the southern hemisphere it is on the right
• In the last two or three days it is a thin thread low on the horizon, easily lost in the dawn glow
• As with the waxing crescent, you can often see earthshine faintly lighting the dark part

Waning or waxing crescent?

If you see a crescent before dawn in the east, it is waning. If you see it after sunset in the west, it is waxing. The two look like mirror images of each other.

Spiritual meaning: the balsamic moon

Astrologers often call this the balsamic moon, a name from Rudhyar that suggests a healing balm. It is the quietest stretch of the cycle, linked with rest, surrender and letting the old cycle close before a new one begins. Rather than starting anything, it is a time to recover, reflect on what the month taught you, and make space.

In the Hindu calendar

The waning crescent covers the last days of Krishna Paksha, the dark fortnight. Krishna Ekadashi, the eleventh day, is a fast day, and Chaturdashi, the fourteenth, is Masik Shivaratri, the monthly night of Shiva. The greatest of these, Maha Shivaratri, falls in February or March and is kept with an all-night vigil of meditation and chanting, on the last thin-crescent night before the new moon.

Bring it into your practice

Choose restorative practice, slow breathing and early nights. Rest now makes the next beginning easier.

A pose for this phase

Legs Up the Wall

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A practice for this phase

Supported rest yoga

A gentle, restorative practice for the quiet end of the cycle.

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Questions to sit with

• Looking back over this cycle, what am I taking with me?

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