Have you heard of a Moon Bowl? I first heard about this from Maia Toll almost ten years ago, and immediately fell in love with the concept. Pictured above is my first moon bowl.
The Moon Bowl concept is simple. The moon is not always visible, due to either its phase, physical obstructions or cloudy skies. The Moon Bowl provides a visual representation of the Moon Cycle in your home or workspace.
You can start this practice at any time in the moon’s cycle.
Start your Moon Bowl
Choose a favourite bowl of any size or shape and bless it / consecrate it for use on your altar. Collect 15 small items such as pebbles, crystals, stones, pony beads, pieces of paper (whatever calls to you).
I began my first Moon Bowl at the new moon, with an empty bowl to represent the dark New Moon and 15 small crystals to represent each of the days in the waxing moon phase. My moon bowl is crescent shaped, but you can use any preferred design. Instead of crystals, you could use pebbles, beads, buttons, coffee beans, pieces of paper… whatever calls to you. Some of my friends use red stones to indicate their menstrual flow.
- Your empty bowl represents the New Moon. On the day of the New Moon, add one item to the bowl, and repeat that every day during the Waxing Phase of the Moon.
- When you have all 15 items in the bowl, you have reached the Full Moon.
- On the next day, the beginning of the Waning Phase, remove one item each day, until you have reached the Dark/New Moon and the bowl will be empty again.
Pictured below is my moon bowl on my altars, at various stages of the lunar month.
Glancing at your bowl and the number of stones shows how close you are to the full or new moon. With my crescent shaped bowl, I position it in the waxing view at the New Moon. At the Full Moon, I turn it to the other direction, to reflect the shape of the waning moon in the Northern Hemisphere, and start removing items until it is empty again at the next New Moon.
I keep my Moon Bowl on my altar, and have switched up the daily ritual over time. As I select my stone for the day, I take some time to hold it in my receiving hand and reflect on the day, its energies, and what I wish to manifest or accomplish that day.
The lunar cycle is usually 29.5 days, not 30, and can be irregular, so you may have to adapt this a little.
Other Options
Start with a Full Bowl
Place your moon bowl on a plate, as pictured below, and start the month by filling the bowl with your 15 stones. Each day, remove a stone from the bowl and place on the edge of your plate to show how many days have passed, and how many remain until the full moon. At the full moon, begin to move a stone back into the bowl until the new moon.
Get Creative
I came across an outdoor “moon bowl” on Instagram, posted a few years ago by @shan_hooks_for_tea.
Shannon described her bowl as “29 moon stones (not moonstones) to track her phases (and my cycle). I am keeping this calendar outside so I can grab a rock on my way out the door. And so the stones absorb all the energies they can get (wind, rain, sun, and all of the faces of grandmother moon). “
I love that this method combines tracking the moon and tracking your menstrual cycle.
I’d love to see your moon bowls! If you are a member of our private Facebook group, the Wise Woman Bean Gealach Circle, post it there!