Every 29.5 days the Full Moon rises, bringing the peak of the lunar cycle and creating a perfect opportunity for self-discovery journaling. Full Moon Journaling is taking the time to reflect in your journal on the night of the Full Moon – a time of revelation, facing hard truths, and self-reflection for the month.
Recording the progress of your dreams, goals, and intentions with Full Moon Journaling Prompts is a very powerful practice. As each Full Moon passes you will have a record of your thoughts, what helped you accomplish your goals, and what held you back that you need to avoid in the future.
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You will find that similar themes happen time and time again in your life, even in a month, you will see a pattern of habits that you can learn from to help you move forward in a major way.
On every Full Moon, I make time, and most importantly, take the time for this writing exercise and Full Moon Journaling practice. This is the only Full Moon Ritual that I practice every month. Creating space for myself in this way allows me to slow down and give myself space to practice kindness and compassion for myself. It’s hard for me most days to not feel guilty and allow myself to take time away from work or my daily & nightly schedule, for self-care and personal growth practices like journaling under the Full Moon.
How Do the Moon Phases Affect Our Physical & Emotional Cycles
While the moon is circling around us on Earth, moving in and out of the eight moon phases from our view down here on the ground, our minds travel through different phases as well. Our bodies, minds, spirits, mental health, and emotions go through a similar cycle that we can learn from as we look to the moon’s journey through the sky for guidance. As the moon phases change, we can see the themes associated with each phase reflected to us in nature as the seasons change through the year, and even as our hormones (both male and female) change in the span of a month.
Journaling about the separate themes that correspond with each moon phase every lunar month is a powerful way to understand the depths of our psyche and connect the dots to find answers that have previously evaded us. Full Moon Journal questions give us the ability to understand our bodies and the innate, natural, even primal, connection we have to nature and the moon.
I believe that journaling can improve our mental health, and personal growth, foster our Spirituality, and help us to achieve our dreams, goals, and intentions. And I know that this can do the same for you.
Revisit each Full Moon Journal Prompt every Full Moon, or choose one that perks your ears and tugs at your soul in the moment. Once you feel that tug on your heart, you’ll know that it is the right self-discovery writing prompt for you at that particular moment.
How To Start A Moon Journal
Some believe that we should separate our spiritual lives from our “mundane” daily lives when it comes to our day planners and journals. I am not one of those people. Your journal and daily planner should be a reflection of your life as a whole. All you need to get started journaling with the moon is a blank notebook and a pen.
I also believe that we should work to integrate the pieces of ourselves instead of segmenting our lives into part and parcel. We should move towards a more integrated and harmonious existence with our innermost true selves, our soul, our inner child, and our spirit.
It’s important that you are intentional about when you choose to journal. Pick a time during the night when you can focus your thoughts and introspections. When setting intentions for your future be sure that your mind is clear. You don’t want to cloud those good intentions with negativity so that they don’t become muddled by current conflicts. I find making myself a cup of my favorite tea and sitting by a window where I can see the moon helps me to focus on what I need to release and what I want to accomplish.
Here are some of my favorite leather-bound journals and leather covers that are perfect for your Full Moon Journal that I know you will love too.
- Leather Journal Notebook Gift Set With Luxury Pen
- Refillable Leather Journal Writing Notebook
- Handmade Vintage Leather Journal Diary
- Moonster Antique Handmade Leather Journal Writing Notebook
- Celestial Journal
- Obsidian Journal
- Gilded Rosettes Journal
- The Wild Unknown Journal
How To Journal During The Full Moon
Allow the energy of the Full Moon to guide you through your journaling experience. Allow yourself to explore those aspects of yourself that you typically avoid because you don’t have time, energy or desire to. Journaling is the time you thought you didn’t have to be introspective. That introspection will help guide you as you work to improve your life. Embracing perceived flaws becomes a pathway to release and profound personal development during this lunar spectacle.
Take a moment to contemplate your journey since the last Full Moon. Often, in our human nature, we tend to lean towards fatalism and negativity, struggling to see the bigger picture. However, celebrating your progress and accomplishments fosters a transformative perspective. By jotting down your achievements, you create a tangible record that makes tasks seem less overwhelming and instills a positive mindset. Your outlook shapes how you navigate the world, and acknowledging wins while setting intentions paves the way for a more optimistic journey, propelling you forward in both your spiritual and physical endeavors.
Enter the Full Moon phase with a sense of celebration and reflection. Let the alluring emotional energy of this lunar cycle inspire you to pause and gaze at the stars, appreciating the beauty before your eyes. Express gratitude for the progress made and lessons learned, and gracefully release what no longer serves you. This is your moment to revel in the abundance that has crossed your path so far. This celestial phase isn’t just about looking up at the sky; it’s about looking within and celebrating the journey you’re on.
Themes To Journal About During The Full Moon
The Full Moon represents our dreams, goals, and intentions finally bearing fruit and physically manifesting. At this time the moon had reached the fullness of her cycle and the height of the light she shines on us. Likewise, you are reaching the fulfillment of your goals beaming with the bright light of pride and accomplishment. This is the time when the intentions you set back at the New Moon come into existence.
In North America, Native Americans gave each Full Moon a name that focused on nature and the significance of the time of year. Each Full Moon heightens different senses, emotions, and aspects of life. When journaling, consider those and try to align your intentions with those themes.
January – Wolf Moon
As the first moon of the year, the Wolf Moon is a time for renewal and is said to bring heightened intuition and spiritual growth. When journaling this month, try to focus on ways to make beneficial changes to your life. Themes: Blooming, Growth
February – Snow Moon
The Snow Moon, aptly named as it arrives at the height of winter, brings in ample amounts of snow. This moon is believed to provide strength, courage, and guidance. Themes: Enlightenment, Clarity, Achievement
March – Worm Moon
This moon marks the beginning of the transition from winter to spring. The earth is beginning to thaw and usher in the start of growth for nature. Try to focus on ideas for renewal and growth of your own. It’s a time of optimism for what the future may hold. Themes: Manifestation, Bearing Fruit
April – Pink Moon
The Pink Moon represents renewal and rebirth. Think of using this time to grow creatively and romantically. It is the start of spring and the time for taking on new exciting challenges. Use this time of great energy to renew your commitment to old goals that you’ve let languish or open yourself up to the possibility of new love. Themes: Birth, Romance, Blooming, Peak Creativity, Fertility
May – Flower Moon
May’s Flower Moon represents the peak of springs blooming. At this point in the year, everything is in full bloom with nature teeming with new life. Use the newness of the season to spark your creative flow and think of ways to bring those dreams and goals you set to fruition. Themes: Manifestation, Culmination, Cultivation
June – Strawberry Moon
Known as such because it arrives around the time of the Algonquin strawberry harvest, the Strawberry Moon is thought to be a time of love and abundance. Think of the Full Moon as a time to celebrate all that you have accomplished this year and open yourself up to accepting the beauty and power that nature has to offer. Themes: Romance, Love, Sexuality, Impulse, Emotions
July – Buck Moon
The Buck Moon is a time for moving forward with your goals, dreams, and desires. Use the increase in strength and determination to power through roadblocks that have been holding you back. The electric energy of the Buck Moon will help you to make progress as you work to complete major or long-term goals that you’ve set for yourself. Themes: Strength, Intensity, Unbridledness
August – Sturgeon Moon
The August Moon brings with it the power of abundance and good luck. Named the Sturgeon Moon because this is the time of year that Native Americans caught the most sturgeon in the Great Lakes, this is a time to manifest movement in your professional and financial life. Themes: Abundance, Luck, Celebration
September – Harvest Moon
The Harvest Moon appears around the Fall Equinox. This is the time when farmers gather their crops that have grown through the warm, fruitful days of the spring and summer to provide for the coming winter months. The harvest moon is the perfect time for reflection, looking back on how far you’ve come, and giving thanks for all that you have. Themes: Gratefulness, Fullness, Celebration
October – Hunter’s Moon
The Hunter’s Moon coincides with the final harvest festival of the year, Samhain. It’s also believed to be the best time of year for hunters as they go out to gather meat before the winter season settles in. It is also the time of year when different cultures celebrate All Hallows Eve, Halloween, and the Day of the Dead. At this time of year, the veil between the living and the dead is believed to be at its thinnest, opening the possibility of reconnection and honoring the past. Themes: Reconnection, Cleansing, Transformation
November – Beaver Moon
The Beaver Moon is the ideal time for manifestation and completing goals. As the end of the approaches, now is the time to kick into gear to close out any goals you haven’t completed. It’s also a good time to do some deep self-reflection as your intuition is heightened and recognize any bad or negative energy you are holding on to and release it. Themes: Hyper-sensitivity, Culmination, Manifestation
December – Cold Moon
December is the last month of the year, so naturally, it is a time for reflection and introspection. Take this time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished this year, where you failed, and what you learned from both. In that reflection find peace in where you are and how far you’ve come on your journey to creating a better you. December also brings Yule (Winter Solstice) and Christmas celebrations. It is a time to gather with family and friends as winter begins and the calendar year comes to an end. Themes: Celebration, Culmination, Reflection, Introspection, Togetherness
The moon is our celestial guide to becoming wholly ourselves. Each month it waxes and wanes, going from darkness to light as it progresses through the lunar cycle. Its gentle progression can be mimicked and provide guidance as we move through our own lives. Stepping out of the shadows of fear and self-doubt can be a hard, daunting task, but if we are intentional with our actions and about the journey, it can be the most rewarding process. Self-discovery journaling is a tool to help us along the way. It keeps us accountable and allows us to be honest about where we are, where we want to go, and how we can get there.
You are learning what you are capable of and testing the limits. Doing work to improve your mind, body, and spirit isn’t an easy task, which is why most people shy away from it. By committing to Full Moon Journaling, you are putting your ideas out into the universe in hopes that they come to fruition. You are letting go of what has held you back from striving and achieving long-held goals and you are manifesting your dreams and your purpose.
| Month | Name | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| January | Wolf Moon | Blooming, Growth |
| February | Snow Moon | Enlightenment, Clarity, Achievement |
| March | Worm Moon | Manifestation, Bearing Fruit |
| April | Pink Moon | Birth, Romance, Blooming, Peak Creativity, Fertility |
| May | Flower Moon | Manifestation, Culmination, Cultivation |
| June | Strawberry Moon | Romance, Love, Sexuality, Impulse, Emotions |
| July | Buck Moon | Strength, Intensity, Unbridledness |
| August | Sturgeon Moon | Abundance, Luck, Celebration |
| September | Harvest Moon | Gratefulness, Fullness, Celebration |
| October | Hunter’s Moon | Reconnection, Cleansing, Transformation |
| November | Beaver Moon | Hyper-sensitivity, Culmination, Manifestation |
| December | Cold Moon | Celebration, Culmination, Reflection, Introspection, Togetherness |
16 Powerful Self-Discovery Journaling Prompts To Ask Yourself On Each Full Moon:
✦ What significant thing happened 14 days ago on the last New Moon? What did you experience? What was happening in your life? What had just begun two weeks ago?
✦ Are you going through any of these themes again right now? Have you moved forward and grown from these experiences or are you stuck in a place of stasis, lacking the ability to transform and grow?
✦ Take a hard look at your current situation and ask: Do you need to abandon your goals and start over? You might need to start over with a different point of view on the same situation, or with a completely different intention.
✦ How has your journey since the New Moon panned out? Where has this lunar cycle taken you?
✦ What growth have you experienced in the last 14 days? The last month? The last quarter? And the last year so far?
✦ What do you want to accomplish before the next New Moon in 14 days and before the next Full Moon in 28 days?
✦ What are 3 Actionable Steps you can take today to make your dreams, goals, and intentions come true?
✦ Are you on the right path to achieving your dreams, goals, and intentions?
✦ Have you been intentional about reaching your goals? What more could you do to help yourself on this journey?
✦ What have you discovered about yourself on this journey that you didn’t know before?
✦ When you envision your future, what scares you? What surprises you? What do you look most forward to?
✦ Is there anything holding you back from committing fully to this journey?
✦ Have you confronted any of your fears on this journey? What was that confrontation like? What did you learn?
✦ How has this journey opened your mind emotionally and spiritually?
✦ What have you learned to be grateful for in your life?
✦ Are there any moments from the last month that stick out as favorites? Why?
Why You Should Set Goals On The Full Moon
Taking time to set goals and intentions puts you on the journey to self-discovery. The purpose of self-discovery journaling is to help you create new habits for self-improvement. Big goals are scary, and new habits are created through repetition. By setting incremental goals each month, you work toward completing the task and also setting new habits that will become part of your character that you will continue as you move through life.
The cycle of the Moon has clear stages to help you track your progress and trigger reflection. During the New Moon, you set goals for the new lunar cycle. The Full Moon is the time to reflect on those goals and see where you are succeeding and where you are failing. During the Full Moon, it’s time to adjust those New Moon goals or throw them out and start again.
The Full Moon is also a time to show yourself a little grace. We can learn patience through journaling in alignment with the moon phases as we follow the themes associated with each moon phase while it travels across the sky. We all ebb and flow, and wax and wane just like the moon in our lives, especially when it comes to embarking on the road to achieving our hopes and dreams.
Why People Fail To Reach Their Goals
People often falter in reaching their goals due to the natural ebb and flow of motivation and enthusiasm that accompanies new endeavors. That initial surge of energy propels us forward, filled with excitement and determination. Yet, as time passes, that fervor tends to wane, leading to a slowdown and a gradual decrease in momentum. It’s a cycle that repeats itself, irrespective of how motivated we initially feel about making a change in our lives. This pattern of excitement, peak achievement, and subsequent diminishment is a universal experience whenever we embark on something new, whether it’s adopting a habit, pursuing a dream, setting an intention, or aiming for an achievable milestone.
Full moon journaling is an anchor in this cyclical journey towards our goals. Just like the phases of the moon wax and wane, our motivation and enthusiasm for our objectives can follow a similar pattern. During the full moon, when emotions are heightened and clarity is abundant, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on this cycle. By journaling during this phase, we can capture the highs and lows of our journey, acknowledging the moments of peak excitement and understanding the times when our motivation diminishes. This practice enables us to embrace the natural rhythms of our efforts, helping us realign our intentions, celebrate our progress, and reignite our enthusiasm when it starts to dwindle. Ultimately, through consistent reflection and intention-setting during the full moon, we learn to navigate these cycles with grace, understanding, and renewed vigor toward our goals.
This repetitive cycle that we all go through can be attributed to the length of our attention span, the difficulty level of the goal, the time it will take to accomplish the goal, and our bandwidth to work toward the finish line. This cycle even links back to our need for immediate gratification.
If you want to play into that need for immediate gratification, change how you think about your dreams, goals, and intentions. Find the path forward to achieving your dreams by writing better goals, check out my article about writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals and Writing better goals to manage stress & reduce anxiety to take control of your life. You can also download a lunar wheel moon wheel calendar in the form below!
The cycle of excitement, fullness, and diminishing can also be seen in the themes reflected to us every month as the moon moves through the night sky into each of the 8 moon phases. And it doesn’t stop there, this exact journey of building, fullness, and diminishing occurs on a larger annual cycle too (but that is a post for another day).
Full Moon Goal Setting Ritual: The Mid-Month Progress Review
Now that the Full Moon is upon you, it is time to review your goals and celebrate. Let everything from your journey come to you and inspire you, lessons, achievements, and everything that has brought you this far.
Sit with yourself and think about your hopes and dreams. Culminate. Let realizations come to you. How has your journey since the New Moon gone? Where has this lunar cycle taken you?
Upon observing the moon – remember you might not always be able to see the moon – first record your feelings and any emotions that come up while gazing up at the moon and contemplating the journey to achieving your dreams, goals, and intentions. Then think to yourself or say one of the three declarations about your goal out loud:
During the Full Moon take the time to focus on these aspects of your Personal Growth and Spirituality:
- fulfillment
- consummation
- illumination
- completion
- harvest
- celebration
- abundance
If you are on track with your goals
“I move ahead with my intention now”
If something is holding you back:
“I don’t need ______ anymore, and make space for _______ (goal/intention).”
If you need to abandon your goal:
“I accept that my intention was not the best at this time. I release it, and course correct to move my progress forward again.”
“I release the things that no longer serve me and that prevent me from manifesting my intention. I am ______”
“I release (what no longer serves you)”
Or say the “I am” affirmation mantra from the New Moon Self Discovery Journaling Exercise out loud, with confidence, as if it has already come to pass and is solidified in your life.
“I am ______ (goal/intention”
“I have ______ (goal/intention”
Then record the declaration you chose in your journal along with everything from your journey so far that has inspired you, lessons learned, achievements, and everything that has brought you this far on the way towards achieving your dream, goal, or intention.
More Self-Discovery Journaling Exercises For Each Moon Phase
Make This Practice More Magical & Indulgent With Tarot
You can make this Full Moon Journaling Ritual more special, magical, and indulgent with the use of tarot decks or oracle decks. Try using the tarot cards to give you ideas on what you might want to focus on for the Full Moon, New Moon, or for the rest of this lunar cycle. If you want to try tarot click here.
Speaking of feeling more magical, when the Full Harvest Moon is near, I start to feel deliciously indulgent and magical. I think it’s just that time of year when the air is crisp, the nights cool down and lengthen. The Harvest Full Moon signals to me that it’s time to look inward for some Shadow Work Journaling Exercises and to look upward to the brightness and fullness of the moon and celebrate her with a Harvest Moon Ritual.
Along with these journal prompts for the Full Moon, I also like to practice a bit of scent magic self-care with a Full Moon Tea Ritual. This Full Moon tea ritual is one of my favorite passive rituals to perform for a bit of everyday magic (even when it’s not Full Moon).
You can use this lunar journaling method, Full Moon journal prompts, and Full Moon Goal Setting Ritual as tools to keep yourself on track toward your goal. I have found that it’s easier to have a plan and a schedule on which to think and focus my intentions. And I know it will help you too. This practice helps you know where you are in your journey, and what to look for, and keeps you thinking about your end goal, which makes you take subconscious steps towards it without you even knowing.
It all boils down to keeping your goals top of mind and Writing better goals to manage stress & reduce anxiety to take control of your life (a.k.a.: S.M.A.R.T. Goals) so you keep going for them.
Too often I have felt like I am stuck in stasis and unable to move forward and grow, or feel like I’m never getting anywhere in life. But I have realized that when I am feeling this way, it’s a trigger and signal for me to stop, and reflect. By recording my thoughts, frustrations, dreams, goals, and intentions, I can look back and see the actual record of my progress and personal growth as an individual. I can see that my self-worth is tied to myself, not a collective. If I am taking steps to grow myself then I am on the right track. I have had to stop allowing “Keeping Up With The Joneses” and the collective society to judge my self-worth. I can see that change is happening and that I am growing. Self-worth is about the self and can only be measured by the self. It’s all about the self, not anyone else or a collective of any kind.
Take some time to focus on yourself this Full Moon and ask yourself these journal questions.
