Creative Moon: Writing Prompts for the Moon Cycles

I think of creativity as a flow—an energy that lives in my body. When there’s resistance—when there’s something I’m trying not to deal with or when I’m exhausted, the flow slows to a dribble. That usually means I need to take a time out to rest and process. Creation and generation are nourished by times of quiet and rest.

I’ve found that working with the moon cycles is a particularly helpful way to connect with the natural rhythms of my body, my mind, and the natural environment. It helps me tap into the flow when flow is available and reminds me that it’s okay to slow down when it isn’t. The energy always returns again—usually at full force if I’ve taken the time to rest.

The moon phases mean different things traditionally, and they have different energies associated with them. Every week I teach a yoga class called Lunar Phase Flow where we move our bodies in a way that reflects the energy of the moon phase of that night. It’s been remarkable to see how frequently everyone is on the same page. For example, the new moon is quieter and softer, more introverted, and this is when I see my students wanting to move more slowly, taking rest more often, and closing their eyes. This is traditionally a time for planting seeds and setting intentions, for making plans, but not necessarily to take action.

Waxing and waning moons have their own energies, too. Waxing moons are creative, a time for movement and action. This is when I see my students feeling steadier, stronger, ready to learn and take on challenges. Not all the things we try come to fruition, of course, but that’s okay, they can become like compost that will be nourishing to the next cycle. The waning moon, on the other hand, is about cleaning up, editing, rearranging, culling, and clearing space. Waxing moons are about creating the mess—waning moons are about refining the mess into something we can share.

One of my favourite ways to boost my creative flow is through free writing. Freewriting means letting your pen run across the page without thinking, planning, editing, fixing, or crossing out. You write down whatever’s on your mind—it’s almost like letting your pen move faster than your mind can get in your way. The key is to let it be messy and terrible and just go with the flow of it without self-judgment. Prompts can be helpful here. You can use the prompts as general themes, or start each sentence with the phrase of the prompt and see what comes up. Try these:

New moon: “I want…”

Full Moon: “I release…”

Waxing moon (anytime between new and full): “If I were free…”

Waning moon (anytime between full and new): “I feel…”