November’s Witch’s Moon: Harnessing the Power of the Waning Moon for Release and Renewal

The light of the moon grows thinner in November. The air turns cool and still, and the night seems to breathe with an ancient rhythm, slow, deliberate, full of whispers. This is the time of the waning moon, the Witch’s Moon, when the world exhales and the unseen tides of magic pull inward. After the revelry of Samhain and Día de Muertos, this lunar phase invites stillness, reflection, and release.

In the waning moon, energy naturally declines. The waxing moon builds power, the full moon radiates it, but the waning moon dissolves it. For witches, brujas, and healers, this period is not a time of loss, but of refinement. It is the sacred pause between cycles, when all that is unnecessary begins to fall away, clearing space for renewal.

November’s Witch’s Moon is a teacher of endings, boundaries, and inner truth.

The Spiritual Current of the Waning Moon

In traditional witchcraft and folk magic, the waning moon is associated with banishment, protection, cleansing, and shadow work. It is the phase for unbinding, for breaking unhealthy ties, dissolving negative habits, and releasing attachments to old energies or relationships.

The ancients understood that the moon’s decline mirrors the cycle of the earth and the soul. Just as trees shed their leaves, the spirit too must let go of what no longer nourishes it. The waning moon helps the practitioner focus inward, recognizing what needs to be released so that healing can take root.

In Mesoamerican and European traditions alike, the darkening moon is also a time to honor the ancestors. The thinning of its light is not an omen of absence but of descent, a reminder that wisdom lives in the depths. When the moon fades, the inner vision grows clearer.

This is the perfect phase for spiritual cleansing, protection magic, cord cutting, and introspection. It is also a time to rest, to recharge, and to let silence do its sacred work.

Tools and Herbs for Waning Moon Work

Working with the waning moon requires tools that ground and clarify. These ingredients help release, cleanse, and soothe while aligning with the moon’s descending current:

• Rue (Ruda): For banishment, protection, and breaking the evil eye.

• Rosemary: For clarity, purification, and renewal.

• Black salt: To absorb negativity and sever unwanted energetic cords.

• Sage or Copal: To cleanse the space and clear lingering energy.

• Obsidian or Smoky Quartz: Stones that anchor the spirit during shadow work.

• A black or dark blue candle: To embody the waning moon’s mystery.

These tools mirror the moon’s quiet strength, not the brightness of manifestation, but the wisdom of release.

Ritual: Releasing Under the Witch’s Moon

This simple yet powerful ritual can be performed on any night during the waning phase. It helps dissolve emotional weight, cleanse spiritual residue, and strengthen personal boundaries.

You’ll need:

• 1 black candle

• 1 small bowl of salt water

• A piece of paper and pen

• Copal or sage incense

• Optional: an obsidian or smoky quartz stone

Steps:

1. Begin by cleansing your space with the incense smoke, moving counterclockwise around your altar or room. As you do, say aloud: “As the moon wanes, so too do all energies that no longer serve me.”

2. Sit before your altar or in a quiet space. Light the black candle and gaze at the flame. Allow thoughts and emotions to surface without judgment.

3. On the piece of paper, write down what you wish to release, habits, fears, relationships, or energies that feel heavy or stagnant. Be honest and specific.

4. Fold the paper three times away from you, symbolizing banishment. Place it beneath the bowl of salt water.

5. Say:“With the moon’s fading light, I release what binds me.With the element of water, I cleanse and restore balance.”

6. Sit in meditation for a few minutes, breathing deeply. Visualize the moon above, its light waning, drawing away the heaviness within you. Feel the release.

7. When ready, extinguish the candle and pour the salt water (and paper) into the earth or down the drain, letting the water carry away all that has been released.

If you use obsidian or smoky quartz, hold it during meditation to absorb remaining tension. Cleanse the stone afterward with incense smoke.

The Waning Moon and Shadow Work

November’s darkness invites self-exploration. Shadow work, the process of confronting hidden emotions, fears, or patterns, is most powerful under the waning moon. This is when the inner self reveals truths often hidden beneath the bright light of the full moon.

Use this time to journal about what you’re releasing. Ask questions such as:

• What am I holding onto out of fear?

• What lessons do my challenges carry?

• How can I honor the parts of myself I have ignored?

The waning moon is not cruel; it is compassionate. It strips away illusions, revealing what is authentic. Through this work, the witch learns to move forward lighter, freer, and more attuned to spiritual truth.

Ritual Bath for Renewal

After performing release rituals, a spiritual bath helps seal the energy shift.

You’ll need:

• A handful of Epsom or sea salt

• Dried rosemary and rue

• A few drops of Florida Water or essential oil of lavender

Add all ingredients to warm bathwater. As you soak, visualize the moon above you, waning but calm. Whisper:“With every breath, I let go. With every drop, I am reborn.”

Allow the water to wash away the emotional residue of what has been released. When finished, drain the tub, imagining the old energy flowing away.

Reflection

The waning moon is a mirror, not of loss, but of wisdom. In its fading light lies the promise of renewal. Each phase teaches a sacred lesson, and this one teaches the art of surrender.

When the moon darkens in November, she invites rest and stillness. She reminds that not every moment must be full or bright; there is magic in the quiet. The Witch’s Moon is not empty; it is fertile soil for new dreams.

As you close your ritual, step outside and look to the sky. Even when the moon is nearly gone, her pull remains. Feel it within, the slow, steady rhythm of release.

Whisper a final blessing: “I honor the moon in all her forms. I release, I renew, I rise.”

Let November’s Witch’s Moon guide the spirit through its natural descent into peace, preparing the soul for the coming light of winter’s rebirth.