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The Moon Book: Lunar Magic to Change Your Life
A guide to conscious living through the moon and her phases, incorporating intersectional feminist theory, wellness rituals, spellwork, and witchcraft for the modern seeker.
We all know the moon. We all have a relationship with it. The earliest people obeyed her orbit, timed their months and holidays and celebrations and agriculture to the moon; the echos of that system are still visible today, though the connection to the moon is often forgotten.
Sarah Faith Gottesdiener is the leader of a movement to remind us of that lineage, guiding our rhythms and our sleep, our energy and our emotions, reminding us of our humanity and our magic. In her self-published Many Moons Workbooks and Lunar Journals, as well as her sold-out classes, she has guided over 50,000 readers to a deeper relationship with the moon, and through it, with themselves.
This evergreen book will be an informative and comprehensive guide to lunar living, incorporating radical, self-empowering, and magical tools and resources for the beginner and experienced lunar-follower alike. Depending on where we are in our lives, depending on what we are feeling or what is happening around us, the moon allows us a space to invite ritual into our daily lives. This book will provide a framework on how to utilize the entire lunar cycle holistically, while offering ways for the reader to develop a personal relationship with their own cycles--energetic, personal, and emotional--through the lens of the moon's phases.
We all know the moon. We all have a relationship with it. The earliest people obeyed her orbit, timed their months and holidays and celebrations and agriculture to the moon; the echos of that system are still visible today, though the connection to the moon is often forgotten.
Sarah Faith Gottesdiener is the leader of a movement to remind us of that lineage, guiding our rhythms and our sleep, our energy and our emotions, reminding us of our humanity and our magic. In her self-published Many Moons Workbooks and Lunar Journals, as well as her sold-out classes, she has guided over 50,000 readers to a deeper relationship with the moon, and through it, with themselves.
This evergreen book will be an informative and comprehensive guide to lunar living, incorporating radical, self-empowering, and magical tools and resources for the beginner and experienced lunar-follower alike. Depending on where we are in our lives, depending on what we are feeling or what is happening around us, the moon allows us a space to invite ritual into our daily lives. This book will provide a framework on how to utilize the entire lunar cycle holistically, while offering ways for the reader to develop a personal relationship with their own cycles--energetic, personal, and emotional--through the lens of the moon's phases.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published December 8, 2020
240 people are currently reading
3777 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
November 5, 2020
You can find the full review on TheFatFeministWitch.com!
I loved this book! It is absolutely PACKED with information, and even as a seasoned pro, I found myself learning new things in every chapter. The lyrical prose was gorgeous. In some places it felt calming and in others it was like an inspirational call to action! There are no signs of the old gender binary that used to be common in books on working with the moon, and important issues like the effects of capitalism on our practices and lives come up multiple times. I really feel like I could recommend it to anybody.
I found the spells and rituals to be really easy to put together AND to personalize! The whole book is about making a moon magic practice that works for you, and the author even included some pagan concepts that they do not use, but realize many people find engaging and inspirational. I loved that.
My only complaint is that the beautiful prose became a little heavy in instances where the author was trying to describe a tarot spread or even the instructions for a spell. I describe it as the difference between a word problem and a simple formula, a word problem just takes longer to extract information from. But I wouldn't let this stop anyone.
I loved this book! It is absolutely PACKED with information, and even as a seasoned pro, I found myself learning new things in every chapter. The lyrical prose was gorgeous. In some places it felt calming and in others it was like an inspirational call to action! There are no signs of the old gender binary that used to be common in books on working with the moon, and important issues like the effects of capitalism on our practices and lives come up multiple times. I really feel like I could recommend it to anybody.
I found the spells and rituals to be really easy to put together AND to personalize! The whole book is about making a moon magic practice that works for you, and the author even included some pagan concepts that they do not use, but realize many people find engaging and inspirational. I loved that.
My only complaint is that the beautiful prose became a little heavy in instances where the author was trying to describe a tarot spread or even the instructions for a spell. I describe it as the difference between a word problem and a simple formula, a word problem just takes longer to extract information from. But I wouldn't let this stop anyone.
December 18, 2020
Meh. Informative information on the moon phases and how we are connected (moon, people, witches, etc.) The author was very descriptive and it was obvious she was very knowledgeable. Despite that, the somewhat text book writing style was off putting. It was wordy and slightly overwhelming, and because of that, I caught myself zoning out more times then I can count.
Nonetheless, there were key sections that kept me interested enough to complete this—Wheel of The Year holidays, the nine phases of the moon, working with seasons, moon spells/rituals, and ways to work with the moon.
November 4, 2020
This book had a lot of information packed inside. I loved the lyrical writing style the author used and made this nonfiction read flow smoothly. I do wish the format had been flipped and the info on each moon phase explained ahead of creating moon rituals. This would make a good “work book” for those who want to become more involved with following and understanding moon phases and understanding how that can benefit your life. It also includes information for rituals and spells for the people who wish to dive deeper into moon magic. However if that’s not your jam, those parts can easily be skipped over. Lots of good information.
September 30, 2020
I should state before I review further that this is a tad more in the new age bracket than I usually drift naturally, but the cover was gorgeous and my curiosity piqued.
With that said, there is a lot to like in this title. Gottesdiener speaks with a passion on the subject that's undeniable and brings a lot to the table. There are several introductory chapters that bring readers up to speed on a few related subtopics and potential branches of further study. The author maintains voice and clarity, though some of it can have the wired crossed a little easily. The book succeeded in having me look up moon phases around my birthday, and I had enjoyed the information I found out.
The only other major factor of note is that occasionally the clarity could be lost in some of the more... societal discussions. The author is very up front about the fact that their identity is tied in with these viewpoints, and I was glad to see that. I believe in many aspects the author and I agreed too much for me to let the aside bother me. However, I would be lying if I said that all of these seemed completely correct in their placement.
I can see this being an easy recommendation for those who have a burgeoning interest, or would like to flush out their library with a lunar specific title. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reading copy.
With that said, there is a lot to like in this title. Gottesdiener speaks with a passion on the subject that's undeniable and brings a lot to the table. There are several introductory chapters that bring readers up to speed on a few related subtopics and potential branches of further study. The author maintains voice and clarity, though some of it can have the wired crossed a little easily. The book succeeded in having me look up moon phases around my birthday, and I had enjoyed the information I found out.
The only other major factor of note is that occasionally the clarity could be lost in some of the more... societal discussions. The author is very up front about the fact that their identity is tied in with these viewpoints, and I was glad to see that. I believe in many aspects the author and I agreed too much for me to let the aside bother me. However, I would be lying if I said that all of these seemed completely correct in their placement.
I can see this being an easy recommendation for those who have a burgeoning interest, or would like to flush out their library with a lunar specific title. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reading copy.
December 22, 2020
Received an ARC.
Beautiful book, but just looking at the index and the references used... I knew I was up for a disappoint. Despite its quasi textbook appearance, it lacks a desire amount of images, charts, maps, symbols, etc, and the information is so very vague and basic. I love Beyonce & Frida like the next person, but they shouldn't have more reference time than actual content that should be in this book, and honestly, it just felt like someone trying too hard to be "cool & hip". It's also sad that the vast majority of the citations are within the the past 2 decades, some of which are to books equally basic.
Just stick to writing self-help books & stop milking kids who don't know any better and are looking into new belief systems.
All in all, this is a beautiful paperweight. Do not recommend.
Beautiful book, but just looking at the index and the references used... I knew I was up for a disappoint. Despite its quasi textbook appearance, it lacks a desire amount of images, charts, maps, symbols, etc, and the information is so very vague and basic. I love Beyonce & Frida like the next person, but they shouldn't have more reference time than actual content that should be in this book, and honestly, it just felt like someone trying too hard to be "cool & hip". It's also sad that the vast majority of the citations are within the the past 2 decades, some of which are to books equally basic.
Just stick to writing self-help books & stop milking kids who don't know any better and are looking into new belief systems.
All in all, this is a beautiful paperweight. Do not recommend.
December 31, 2020
This is an instant classic in the world of magic. It reads a bit like a textbook, which is both really helpful and sort of dry. I do appreciate the clarity of the instruction and the universality - anyone can follow this book, from long time practitioners to beginners. I am excited to follow this book as I dive deeper into lunar magic in the coming year.
February 13, 2021
I am clearly the target audience for this book so take my 5 stars with a grain of salt. If you're not one for ocassionally cheesy/self-serious, political, pagan, self help-heavy witchcraft, this might not be your thing. But i fuckin love it. So good, really beautifully designed, super calming and thought provoking and affirming.
June 12, 2022
- megan from phenakite recommended this to me & it’s a very dense spiritual guide to connect yourself to a physical/spiritual anchor like the moon
- light read that put me in a delightful trance about my fragile existence in the universe
- light read that put me in a delightful trance about my fragile existence in the universe
December 7, 2020
Sarah Faith Gottesdiener taught me everything I know and love about moon cycles and I wholeheartedly recommend her work!
A few years ago, she inspired me to start a new moon practice of reflection. The moon cycle is a wonderfully human-scaled rhythm to tune into. A daily or weekly reflection practice can feel like too much to do, while an annual reflection can feel too big. But taking time each month to reflect on my dreams and desires feels just right and it's become one of my favorite rituals.
A few years ago, she inspired me to start a new moon practice of reflection. The moon cycle is a wonderfully human-scaled rhythm to tune into. A daily or weekly reflection practice can feel like too much to do, while an annual reflection can feel too big. But taking time each month to reflect on my dreams and desires feels just right and it's become one of my favorite rituals.
March 3, 2021
By pg 2 she supports taking down white people. Very racist and leans towards wanting to genocide whites! Very disgusting if it was talking about any other group of people her life would be over.
July 5, 2023
I love a book that speaks to subverting the patriarchy, and what better way to support the patriarchy than to pay attention to the moon and all the ways that it demands our conscious awareness? Beautifully broken down into each phase of the moon, this gives amazing pointers on how to acknowledge and celebrate each phase. While not meant to be reaf cover to cover, it is full of great information and spells to do your best lunar work.
December 19, 2020
A decent overview of working with the moon and its phases. Some things to do and background information. Living in the cycles of the moon and ways to work with it.
Read
January 16, 2021“A book about the moon needs to be never-ending, spun out of holographic spiderwebs installed inside of a suspended orb carved out of selenite by hundreds of ravens. A book about the moon has to be approximately three thousand pages, made out of datura and motherwort, moonstone and silver. A book for the moon isn’t supposed to be a book at all. A twenty-nine-day opera unfurling over every continent, involving every earnest warbler who dares to dream—winged, hooved, or human—would be more fitting. A video of births and deaths and snakes shedding their skin and jasmine seeds unfurling under the earth and live footage of whales migrating, all spliced together on loop, projected on the dark ocean water at night, with plankton and manta rays rising up to meet the surface light in an underwater valley would be more appropriate.”
The above quote from the Epilogue of “The Moon Book” sums up what you need to know about this book: it’s poetic, mystical, and magical. From that quote alone you can probably already judge whether you want to read it or not.
“Woo-woo” magic books are a dime a dozen right now, and the market definitely feels glutted, but of course some books stand out. This one stands out to me not only because of the beautiful prose but also because, for a magical book, it’s also very grounded in reality. There is no spiritual bypassing going on in here—it’s not one of those “love and light” books that will make you feel guilty for “manifesting” your own oppression. Sarah Faith Gottesdiener shows awareness of real trauma and problems, and does not pretend that pulling tarot cards with the full moon will solve all societal problems. Rather, the spells, rituals, and practices of this book are presented as a way to step into your own power within your life.
Those who enjoyed this book would also probably like “A Sideways Look At Time” by Jay Griffiths— I’m considering pulling it out and re-reading it for new perspectives! Though very different stylistically, both books present a different way of looking at time and how we fit into time.
The above quote from the Epilogue of “The Moon Book” sums up what you need to know about this book: it’s poetic, mystical, and magical. From that quote alone you can probably already judge whether you want to read it or not.
“Woo-woo” magic books are a dime a dozen right now, and the market definitely feels glutted, but of course some books stand out. This one stands out to me not only because of the beautiful prose but also because, for a magical book, it’s also very grounded in reality. There is no spiritual bypassing going on in here—it’s not one of those “love and light” books that will make you feel guilty for “manifesting” your own oppression. Sarah Faith Gottesdiener shows awareness of real trauma and problems, and does not pretend that pulling tarot cards with the full moon will solve all societal problems. Rather, the spells, rituals, and practices of this book are presented as a way to step into your own power within your life.
Those who enjoyed this book would also probably like “A Sideways Look At Time” by Jay Griffiths— I’m considering pulling it out and re-reading it for new perspectives! Though very different stylistically, both books present a different way of looking at time and how we fit into time.
October 31, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I was SO EXCITED to read this book, as I am a longtime reader of Sarah Faith Gottesdiener's wisdom. I have been working with her lunar planners and guidebooks since 2018, and was thrilled to see that she was published an entire book about the moon that wasn't tied to a specific year. Although I am well versed in her moon theories and work, I still learned a ton from this book, and it's one I will return to again and again.
If you have any interest in developing yourself, your spiritual practice, or your relationship with the Moon, this book is for you! You do not need to identify as a witch to gain valuable insight from this book. If nothing else, you will leave this book feeling a sense of kindness toward yourself and your phases, and some tips and tools for how to work within the confines of your own energetic needs and boundaries.
If you have any interest in developing yourself, your spiritual practice, or your relationship with the Moon, this book is for you! You do not need to identify as a witch to gain valuable insight from this book. If nothing else, you will leave this book feeling a sense of kindness toward yourself and your phases, and some tips and tools for how to work within the confines of your own energetic needs and boundaries.
March 1, 2021
I have used Sarah's Many Moons planner as a journal and place for personal reflection and planning for a couple years now. I was tempted to purchase her beautiful, new Moon Book instead of my planner this year (budget!), but I opted for the planner... and ended up winning a copy of The Moon Book in a giveaway from her publisher. What a lucky surprise! I am impressed with Sarah's depth of knowledge about lunar traditions and how incredibly thorough she is. In my experience, books like this come in two forms: cheesy gift book style or old fashioned and a little cringe-y. Sarah's book is neither. It is beautiful enough to gift (but definitely not cheesy), and it's rich with contemporary perspectives, including a much-appreciated social justice orientation. I still need to spend more time with it, but I can tell it will be useful for years to come.
February 15, 2021
In this book, Gottesdeiner outlines an approach to lunar magic that is both practical and spiritual. This is the book version of the teachings that she offers in her Moonbeaming class, which I took last year and found to be extremely helpful. This process, which integrates traditional magical practices with straightforward, practical steps is extremely effective. I've found that I have applied it to both lunar and non-lunar processes, and have reflected on it many times as I move through my own journey.
I highly recommend this book, even to those who don't particularly gravitate toward alternate spirituality. If you're a person who wants to change things about their life and instill new habits, this is a great book for you.
I highly recommend this book, even to those who don't particularly gravitate toward alternate spirituality. If you're a person who wants to change things about their life and instill new habits, this is a great book for you.
December 13, 2021
I searched several booktores for books pertaining to living within the cycles of the moon. This one is the most well- written of the ones I saw. A lot of them are quite possibly for a younger generation. I loved the writing style and dips into personal anecdote. She also writes as I would expect a wiser adult would write. Some of the other moon books felt a little childish, to be honest.
The journal prompts and activities make this an active book. During the reccent eclipse I spent a few hours going through this book for a few nights and I feel I am certainly getting my money's worth. I look forward to going through each of the phases and have already highlighted many passages.
This may become a book I reference every month until the lessons become second nature.
The journal prompts and activities make this an active book. During the reccent eclipse I spent a few hours going through this book for a few nights and I feel I am certainly getting my money's worth. I look forward to going through each of the phases and have already highlighted many passages.
This may become a book I reference every month until the lessons become second nature.
November 7, 2020
While I love the information in the book, it can be super overwhelming. The text itself is.overly wordy and flowery which makes it hard to read.
December 21, 2020
I loved this book. I found it informative in many ways that I didn’t expect. It covers historical beginnings, different cultures and belief systems. The author is an excellent writer. In addition to origins, it provides step by step instructions on how to change your life by exploring your thoughts, intuition, goals, etc. in an easy to follow format. If you are serious about changing your life and are drawn to using the moon, tarot, etc to do so, I highly recommend this book. It could change your life!
April 16, 2021
This was long but I wish it was like 9 volumes, because there's so much that is just touched on here that can go deeper. I just read this over the course of a lunation and I'll pick this up when I'm ready to do something -- this was also while I was preparing to move so I'm a little loathe to mess with anything much more than I am already. Not too out there, very astute, and probably super effective as a tool for getting shit done because it emphasizes the fact that you do actually have to work on your spells for them to work for you. Oddly encouraging!
February 20, 2021
I have been working with Sarah Gottessdiener's planners and moon books for a number of years and much like that work, this book isn't one you just sit down with and read through and it's done. It's more of a work book where you tag pages you like and go back and read them. I read through the whole book and still am coming back to little snippets of good info. There are tarot spreads, journal prompts, and other beautiful modalities to work with.
December 21, 2020
This book is amazing. Well thought out and inclusive. This is great for anyone who wants to do more with the moon, no matter if you're a long term practicing witch or a beginner. Im gonna be re reading this next moon cycle as well (and probably the one after) as there's so many different suggestions for what to do and so much to explore.
January 15, 2021
I’ll be going back to this book as I continue tracking mood and moon. This is a thoughtful exploration of the moon, mythology and how it relates to you and your experience of life. Written in an inclusive and thoughtful way I’m now digging deep into Sumerian mythology based on the story of Inanna. A wonderful book.
September 15, 2021
An informative guide on moon phases, cultural traditions that coincide with the moon, and instructions for putting together your own rituals for each phase. Written lyrically yet personally, there is something for everyone to learn within these pages. This book is full of practical magic for understanding the moon and getting to know her.🌕
January 28, 2021
A cute book if you're just starting to find interest in following the moon cycles and all that entails.
September 1, 2022
If you've been looking to make the moon cycles a more central part of your spiritual/wellness routine, The Moon Book has a lot of practical guidance. Sarah Faith Gottesdiener walks you through the phases of the moon step by step, explaining the impact they may have on your plans, dreams, feelings, experiences.
She strongly encourages moon mapping--which makes the whole practice feel practical rather than theoretical. I moon-mapped/journaled my way through the last moon cycle and received some illuminating insights. This cycle I'm trying to incorporate more ritual (she offers rituals for each moon phase) and more journaling (she offers prompts for each phase as well). There are spells, correspondences, and other manner of witchy things included in the text as well.
All in all, a solid addition to my spiritual library (and practice).
She strongly encourages moon mapping--which makes the whole practice feel practical rather than theoretical. I moon-mapped/journaled my way through the last moon cycle and received some illuminating insights. This cycle I'm trying to incorporate more ritual (she offers rituals for each moon phase) and more journaling (she offers prompts for each phase as well). There are spells, correspondences, and other manner of witchy things included in the text as well.
All in all, a solid addition to my spiritual library (and practice).
August 31, 2021
This is a comprehensive guide to moon magic, from astrology to tarot to witchcraft and beyond, alongside scientific descriptions of the moon and lunar phenomena. It's laid out and illustrated gorgeously, and Sarah Faith Gottesdiener's prose is lovely while also conveying a lot of information. Even if you question some of the belief systems in this book, it's an excellent guide to mindfulness and finding your own cyclical self-care patterns. It's about twice as long word-wise as I feel it should be, especially with its large, coffee table book style. I think it would have worked a little better with less text and more imagery/graphs/pop-out boxes/quotes/etc. But overall, a very thorough (and feminist/anti-capitalist) reference text on the moon and all of her mysteries.
June 18, 2021
there was some good info in here, but I had a hard time getting through this book. A lot of sections were repetitive or even contradictory, and really only inspired me to track how I feel through the moon phases and then use it as a structure for goals. I found it rather glaring that every time the author enumerated widespread forms of structural inequity/oppression she did not include homophobia in the list, alongside racism, sexism, and transphobia, for example. I have no reason to think she is homophobic, but these sections struck me as very performative and inauthentic as a result of that omission.
January 30, 2023
I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book and I'll admit it's a bit more in the new age category than I normally read. I think this shaped how I looked at the book.
I was surprised that instead of charts and pictures this book is mostly blocks of text. While it felt more dense than I expected the content its self felt pretty high level. There's lots of information about the moon and suggestions of rituals and magic, but the whole thing reminded me of an instagram post or listicle instead of a guide. While I was hoping for something light and fun to read I feel like there wasn't anything about this that really grabbed me or stood out.
I was surprised that instead of charts and pictures this book is mostly blocks of text. While it felt more dense than I expected the content its self felt pretty high level. There's lots of information about the moon and suggestions of rituals and magic, but the whole thing reminded me of an instagram post or listicle instead of a guide. While I was hoping for something light and fun to read I feel like there wasn't anything about this that really grabbed me or stood out.
November 16, 2020
This book takes the moon cycle and turns it into a form of self-directed therapy. From walking us through each phase and how it might relate to our life at any given moment, to looking at how each phase fits together to build up to a goal in achievable measures. It's more directed toward those exploring ways to heal from experiences of inequality of all sorts, as seen through the lens of feminist spirituality. The witchcraft included is very mild and nondenominational in focus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews