The Waning Gibbous and Third Quarter Moon: Let go, Reflect, and Rest.

The Waning Gibbous and Third Quarter Moon: Time to Let Go, Rest, Reflect

The full moon gets the glamour, but the next phases of the moon are equally beautiful and potent.

A third quarter moon, also known as the last quarter moon or waning gibbous moon, is the sixth phase of the eight phase lunar cycle: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. If you have been following along with the previous blog posts, you know we are now moving through the back half of the cycle, the waning, introspective, wintering half.

If we were to give this phase a feeling, it would be the long exhale after a full, busy day. The brightness of the full moon begins to decrease as the light slowly fades, and with it comes a natural pull toward inward reflection. These next phases of the moon are not action phases, they are rest and review phases. 

If we were to liken these moon phases to phases of a female’s monthly menstrual cycle, I would say they are the Luteal phase in which a woman’s hormones downward shift, making you more internalized lower energy and beginning to need rest. Then moves into the menstrual phase, which is the bleeding phase. And in ancestral traditions, women would gather in a red tent and tend to each other. Women that are bleeding are meant to be fully resting, while they are shedding (releasing), their inner lining. That which our bodies have built all month long, are letting go of what will not serve us for moving forward. Just like these latter half of the moon phases give us time to rest, deeply reflect and continue to shed what no longer serves us in our lives. Whether that be relationships, ideas, limiting beliefs, old narratives etc. 

During this phase you may also notice a strong desire to evaluate past decisions. Old memories or unresolved feelings may resurface, not to punish you, but because this phase creates the perfect conditions for honest self reflections. And emotions can run high. 

This is also a powerful time to look back over the past month and really honor how far you have come. Recognizing how you have grown. What did you do this cycle that you are proud of? Where did you show up for yourself, even imperfectly? Give yourself credit before you give yourself critique.

And on that note, one of thel gifts this moon offers is the opportunity for forgiveness. Something shifts energetically during this phase, and you may find it becomes easier to release the pain and fear that keeps you tethered to wounds, resentments and suffering. Whether that forgiveness is for someone else or for yourself, this is the moon that supports it. Not the forced kind of forgiveness, but the kind that comes when you are finally tired of carrying it.

Also, a loving reminder that intentional moon work is not passive observation. Everything you release and process during the waning phase creates space. That space is exactly where your new moon intentions will land. Skip this phase and your new moon goals are trying to grow in soil that is still full of last season's roots.

So sit with this moon. Move your body slowly. Journal and let yourself feel what comes up without rushing to fix it. Letting go does not always happen all at once, and that is okay. What matters is that you are willing.

Waning Gibbous and Third Quarter Ritual: The Letter You Never Sent

Bring: Journal or loose paper, a pen, and a candle. Optional: a small fireproof bowl or dish, and a lighter. If burning is not accessible to you, that is okay. There is an alternative below. Optional for vibes: Incense, a low and slow playlist, crystals of your choosing.

Dim the lights and light your candle. Sit somewhere comfortable where you will not be interrupted. Take a few minutes to settle in with a connected breath, one continuous flow in and out, no pause at the top or the bottom. Let your nervous system soften before you begin.

When you feel ready, take your journal or a loose piece of paper and write a letter. This letter can be to a person you are ready to forgive, including yourself. It can be to an old version of you that made decisions you have been hard on yourself about. It can be to a situation, a relationship, or even a feeling you are ready to release. Write honestly and without editing yourself. This is not for anyone else to read. Let it be messy, let it be emotional, let it be real.

When you have said everything that needs to be said, close the letter with these words, or something like them: I release you with love. You no longer have a place in my body, my energy, or my future. I am choosing to put down what I have been carrying.

If you are able to safely burn the letter, do so in your fireproof bowl, watching the smoke carry it away. If burning is not an option, tear it up slowly and with intention, placing the pieces in the trash outside of your home.. The physical act of removing it from your space matters.

Sit for a few quiet moments after. Breathe. Notice how your body feels. Place one hand on your heart and acknowledge yourself for doing this work, because it is not small work.

Close with gratitude for yourself, for your willingness, and for the moon supporting you through it.

If you are new to ritual, and would like some guidance, Jamie Roth hosts both in-person (West Lafayatte, Indiana), and virtual Intuitive Healing Sessions. They are tailored to your needs and can include being led in a ritual for moon work, cord cutting, and more. You can schedule a special price First Client Session and begin your journey by visiting the shared links.