Essential Oils and Lunar Phases

Subtle properties of plants complement the forces of the moon and together they guide and galvanize your intentions. Here are essential oils you can use with the energy of the Waning Moon and support your spiritual and personal growth intentions.

Essential Oils for the Waning Moon Phase

Using subtle aromatherapy and energetic or vibrational attributes of essential oils on the mind, body, and spirit can support the intentions of Waning Moon and any associated rituals. These essential oils and blends can be diffused during the lunar phase or added directly to a moon ritual, ceremony, or celebration.

Blending With the Energy of the Waning Moon

Like the Full Moon that precedes it, the Waning Moon is about reflection, letting go and releasing. Both phases are about release but while the Full Moon is about action and definitive endings, the Waning Moon embodies the longer process of change and adjustment to change.

For example, the Full Moon is about submitting a job resignation letter, while the Waning Moon is about clearing out old stuck energy and sticky resistance as well as taking additional actions to overcome obstacles and limitations.

Energy Shifts Through the Waning Moon

Many people believe that as the moon wanes and shrinks from a sphere to a crescent, and eventually disappears into the New Moon, its force and influence diminish or become more subtle. When in the crescent phase, the quality of its energy alters and matches up with that of the New Moon.

Following this logic, the Full Moon is the most powerful and dramatic time to let go or definitively end something. As the moon wanes, the effect is progressively more and more gentle and less powerful or dramatic. The quality is more about reflecting, planning, and aligning oneself to let go. Ultimately, its focus turns to creating a space for something new that can be initiated on the New Moon.

Mental and Emotional Adjustment to Change

Adjusting to significant life changes or unexpected ones can bring up feelings of grief and anxiety. It’s likely that a number of limiting beliefs will rear their ugly heads and hold you back. They can keep you from doing what you want or need to next.

During the Waning Moon, one aims to identify blockages and constraints to letting go. This process often requires courage, strength, and conviction.

Clearing and releasing these limiting beliefs opens your perspective to what new things you can bring into your life related to this change.

In this way, the Waning Moon is closely aligned with mental and emotional adjustments such as releasing limiting beliefs, relinquishing feelings of anger or resentment, disentangling yourself from a co-dependent relationship, or assessing whether you need to seek assistance, counseling, or guidance to help with a matter you’re unable to adequately address on your own.

Unfortunately, the outcome of change is uncertain, and this uncertainty can also create some apprehension, insecurity, and anxiety. Where a decision is particularly difficult or courageous, it can entail fear and may require fortitude and confidence to persevere.

Alternatively, change or release can also be associated with removing oneself from negative situations and influences, and in this case, can be filled with hope, excitement, and a feeling of liberation and accomplishment.

Finally, because the Waning Moon energy is a time for reflection and opening space for something new, it’s also a kind of preparation period. It can prepare you for the New Moon when new ideas and plans are initiated.

Waning Moon Essential Oils

Presented here is a list of essential oils that blend with and reinforce the qualities of Waning Moon energy.

Anise seed (Pimpinella anisum)
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerula)
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Frankincense (Bowellia cateri)
Galbanum (Ferula glabaniflua)
Hyssop (Hyssopus oficinalis)
Jasmine (Jasinum grandiflorum)
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
Marjoram (Origanum marjorana)
Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)
Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium)
Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Tangerine (Citrus reticulata blanco)
Tea tree (Melaleuca alternafolia)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Attributes of Waning Moon Essential Oils

Reflection, Introspection, Self-Examation, And Self Relization

Some essential oils that are helpful with reflection, introspection, self-examination, and self-realization are bay laurel, blue lotus, Utah juniper, marjoram, petitgrain, and blue gum eucalyptus.

Bay laurel instills self-trust and promotes intuition and psychic awareness. Blue lotus is used by many sagas, shamans, and meditators for introspection and enhancing vision and perspective.

Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma utahensis) helps one speak his/her truth.

Mastic and anise seed are two essential oils that are open to energetic and spiritual guidance.

Essential Oils For Release and Letting Go

Many of the essential oils that are useful for the full moon are also useful for the waning moon. This is because both moons are about the release. Taken as a group, the following essential oils support transitions on a number of different levels: mental, emotional, and energetic or spiritual.

Galbanum and hyssop are excellent essential oils for shedding old ideas, beliefs, and behaviors.

Marjoram, myrtle, and petitgrain help one overcome destructive, obsessive, and addictive habits. Tea tree releases dysfunctional or toxic resistance, even that which is harbored in the cellular memory.

Eucalyptus transmutes karmic energy and yarrow helps to reorganize subtle energies that have been disrupted through the process of release and change.

It’s worth noting that while on a physical level, change oftentimes appears instantaneous, on an emotional and subtle (energetic) level it will have been unfolding long before physical manifestation or actions.

Overcoming Resistance With Essential Oils

Two essential oils that help overcome resistance to change and create ease in transitions and reduce the fear and irritability that sometimes accompanies change are jasmine and frankincense. Jasmine is the quintessential essential oil for openness, optimism, and enthusiasm.

Lime facilitates the release of fearful emotions and even those deep in the cellular memory.

Cypress is cleansing and grounding and creates a constructive atmosphere for evaluating choices. It’s particularly helpful with difficult or painful transitions because it instills inner strength and confidence, calms the mind and emotions, and reduces anxiety. Marjoram also promotes confidence and courage.

Finding Optimism In Transitions

Citruses, in general, are uplifting and instill optimism. For example, orange and tangerine are both uplifting and optimistic. They bring emotional vitality to transitions. Tangerine allows one to realize change without a great amount of anxiety, drama, or trauma. Orange helps one detach from drama, expel negativity, and feel confident and courageous. It releases negativity and draws in positive energy.

Essential Oils For Clearing Energy

The energy clearing practices and essential oils energy clearing can also be used for waning moon releases because letting go involves clearing, even when the release is gradual and unfolding.

Using A Waning Moon Essential Oil or Blend

How one uses a Waning Moon blend of essential oils varies with beliefs and spiritual practices.

No matter your spiritual perspective, good quality essential oils, blends, or dried herbs of the same plant or botanical species can be added to the ceremonies to focus and intensify the power. Pay attention to the recommended dilution for a particular application.

Note that it’s important to know the botanical name of the plant species because you want the specific healing properties of that species in particular.

Diffusing Waning Moon Essential Oils

Dried herbs can be burnt along with traditional smudging herbs or sticks. Essential oils should not be burnt. They can be diffused using a proper essential oil diffuser.

Diffuser oil can be added to any ceremonial space. Just a few drops of the oil or blend of oils will be sufficient. Less is more.

If you prefer, you can work with aromatherapy without ritual or ceremony. You simply set an intention for the Waning Moon phase and use the diffuser oils during the phase.

The blend can be diffused a couple of days before the lunar phase begins for preparation and a couple of days after for continuity.

Inhaling Blends

Personal Inhalers provide an easy, convenient way to carry the blend with you over a few days during the lunar phase of choice. The supportive scent can be inhaled wherever desired.

Ritual Baths

Essential oils can be added to ritual baths. Baths are often the ritual of choice with the moon because of the intrinsic relationship between the moon and water. However, be sure to use these wonderfully powerful natural substances safely.

To do so, choose the right essential oils, use only a few drops, and use a dispersant to assure that the oils and water mix or emulsify. For more detailed instructions, see my blog post on using essential oils in the bath.

Other Lunar Rituals

With or without a full moon ceremony, always set a clear positive intention. You can write the intention down and place it in a special place. If you practice some form of energy healing such as Reiki, add Reiki Healing Energy. Give healing to an intention box, under a crystal grid, or in some other special box or dish. It doesn’t matter where you place the intention as long as you treat the space as a special place (or a sacred place) and give it a special or designated purpose.

For Further Assistance Navigating Change During the Waning Moon, See:

Updated March 19, 2023

Updated January 2, 2024

Integrated Coaching and Energy Healing

Essential Oils and Lunar Phases – The Waning Moon