Moon Phases, Lunar Calendar — 'Native Circles' Birchwood Wheel

A stunning calendar print of an original pen drawing by artist Emily Robyn Archer on high-quality recycled paper mounted onto a circular Birchwood board.

This wheel is for the moon-gazers; the ones eager to connect with the ever-changing moon in their own lives. 

The lunar cycle is one of the most captivating natural cycles — and it's a great one to follow with little ones. The phases of the moon affect us all — the pull of the moon and sun cause our great ocean tides to draw in and out, fruit picked during a full moon is juiciest, and many believe the moon affects our mood, behaviour and energy. Use this calendar to follow the changing phases of the moon and create a ritual of spending time gazing at the night sky to appreciate our closest friend in space.  

Take a closer look:

Hello, Moon — you'll find her gleaming at the centre of this piece, her bright side illuminated just like we see from Earth. Encircling the moon is a ring of script — pieces of wisdom about the moon and its cultural past and meanings. Bordering the print are the 29.5 phases of the moon as it evolves from full to half to black and back again. When the moon is waxing, it’s becoming full, and waning means it's becoming black or invisible. 

Learn from the moon phases

• New Moon: set intentions 
  
  When the moon is new, it's not visible in the sky. These dark nights are a wonderful time to catch the stars and constellations without the lunar glare. Each new moon marks a new beginning and invites you to take some time to set intentions.
  
  
• Waxing Cresent Moon: plan and prepare
  
  When the moon hangs like a sliver of fingernail in the sky, its curve following that of a capital D, we call this a waxing crescent moon. When you see a waxing crescent, the lunar cycle has just begun. This is a great time to begin a new project or set an intention and watch it grow along with the moon.
  
  
• Waxing Half Moon: take action
  
  When the moon appears like a cake cut straight down the middle, and with its curved edge following that of a capital D in the sky, we call this a waxing half moon. We're a quarter of the way through the lunar month now. This is the time to put your intentions and planning into action.
  
  
• Waxing Gibbous Moon: refine and reach
  
  Now the moon looks almost full, but there's a sliver of shadow on the left side. There are another 4 days to go before the full moon, and another precious few days of rising energy to refine your work and use this momentum to reach your goals.
  
  
• Full Moon: Celebrate wins (and release losses)
  
  The full moon shine brings a heightened sense of awareness and energy. Its white light bathes everything. Gather fruits now to get the juiciest pickings. Celebrate what’s gone well and let go of things that didn’t work out.
  
  
• Waning Gibbous Moon: harvest benefits
  
  The moon still looks almost full, but there's a sliver of shadow on the right side. Reflect on how things have manifested for you and harvest the benefits.
  
  
• Waning Half Moon: release
  
  We are now three-quarters around the complete lunar cycle, and the moon looks more like a backwards capital D. It’s time to release expectations and control, and let things be as they are.
  
  
• Waning Crescent Moon: rest and reflect
  
  The moon hangs again as a sliver of a fingernail in the sky. It looks like the letter C now, which lets you know it’s waning and moving toward a black or new moon in a few days. This is the perfect time to rest and reflect on your intentions.