Moon Rhythms: Moon Journaling

The Moon and its cycles mirror the rhythms of life itself; ever-changing, moving from one phase to another, reminding us that everything in nature, including our own emotional landscape, is always changing, never constant.

Moon journaling is a gentle and grounding way to align ourselves with this natural rhythm. At its core, it’s the simple act of journaling in tune with the phases of the Moon, observing how our thoughts, emotions, and energy shift as the Moon waxes and wanes.

In Vedic wisdom, the Moon is closely linked to Manas, the mind. It is said to govern our thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. Just as the Moon changes through the month, so too do our moods and mental states. By journaling regularly with the Moon, we begin to notice these patterns, not to correct or judge them, but simply to witness them with awareness.

Even if you’re unsure about the Moon’s influence on your emotions, journaling in this way can help you observe how your inner world changes through the month. You may begin to see that anxiety, low energy, or inspiration tend to recur around the same phases. Over time, this awareness can help you respond to yourself with greater care and understanding.

You can also use this practice to set small intentions or goals for yourself and track them gently across the lunar month. Moon journaling can become a meaningful way to stay connected with your goals and your progress.

Getting Started

One doesn’t need much to begin: just a notebook, a pen and a lunar calendar.

A lunar calendar will help you track the Moon’s phase each day. You can use online tools like Drik Panchang or the lunar calendar from Almanac, or printed calendars like Kalnirnay or any other easily available around you, which mark Tithis (lunar days) clearly. Noting the phase each time you journal helps you connect your inner experience with the outer rhythm of the Moon.

You can start your practice on either the New Moon (Amāvasyā) or the Full Moon (Purṇimā). Both are significant points in the lunar cycle and offer different energies:

Amāvasyā invites introspection, quiet, and letting go. It is also associated with new beginnings and fresh starts, as the Moon begins to grow towards luminosity. If you start journaling on the New Moon, as the Moon waxes towards fullness, so too can your awareness about yourself and your surroundings.

Purnimā is a time of fullness, but it can also bring a sense of mental and emotional clutter. It’s a good time to notice what feels heavy or what you’re ready to release. Starting to journal on this day can help bring calmness to the mind, as the Moon begins to wane, supporting clarity and gentle reflection.

While daily journaling is ideal, you can also choose to write only on significant days in the lunar cycle, or even just twice a month – on the Full Moon and New Moon. You can journal whenever you feel the need, when your thoughts feel overwhelming, or when you simply need a moment of stillness.

Whenever you do journal, it helps to check and note the current phase of the Moon. Try to stay consistent over at least two or three lunar cycles and you’ll begin to notice your own patterns, and how and if they align with the Moon’s phases. This gives your practice shape and helps you notice patterns as they emerge.

Gentle Prompts to Begin

Here are a few simple prompts that can help one get started:

• What does the Moon look like today? What feeling does it bring up in me?
• What do I want to achieve for myself this month?
• How do I feel today: physically, mentally, emotionally?
• Was there a moment today that stayed with me? Why?
• Is there something I’m ready to let go of, or something I want to invite in?
• Where do I feel balanced? Where do I feel unsettled?

Over time, you may notice that your emotions are more active around the Full Moon, while the New Moon brings calm or introspection. The more you journal, the more familiar these cycles become, just like tides in your inner ocean. And thus, Moon journaling gives you a beautiful way to connect with yourself.

If this is something you’ve been curious about but haven’t yet started, now could be a meaningful time to begin. From July 16, we have entered the second half of the solar year, Dakshināyana. And this half of the year is characterised by the energy of the Moon. Therefore, this is a good time to start to see how our body and mind align with the Moon and its phases.

Whether you begin your practice of journaling on the next New Moon, Full Moon, or simply the next evening you pause to look up at the sky, let it be simple. This is not a method to master, but a small, quiet practice of attention and care for yourself.