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Moon journalling

New Moon and Full Moon Journal Prompts

The moon gives you two natural pauses a month: one to begin something, one to look back. You do not need to believe in astrology to find that rhythm useful.

By Rosa van Kuyk, founder of aligned · 30 October 2026 · 7 min read

The lunar cycle takes about 29 and a half days, from one new moon to the next. The new moon, when the moon is almost invisible, has long been treated as a time for beginnings. The full moon, about two weeks later, is the bright midpoint, often used for reflection and letting go.

Whatever you believe about the moon itself, a fortnightly check in is a good habit. It is frequent enough to notice change and spaced enough that it never becomes a chore.

An honest note before the prompts

There is no good scientific evidence that the moon changes your mood, sleep or behaviour in a way you can rely on. Studies have looked for years and the results are weak or inconsistent. The value of moon journalling is in the regular pause, not in lunar power. If the symbolism helps you show up, wonderful. If not, treat the dates as two free reminders a month.

New moon journal prompts

Use these in the day or two around the new moon. The theme is beginnings: what you want, and the smallest step towards it.

  1. What would I like more of over the next four weeks?
  2. What is one small thing I can start this week?
  3. What am I ready to try, even if I might not be good at it yet?
  4. If this month went well, what would I be telling a friend at the end of it?
  5. What do I want to feel more often?
  6. What habit, person or place gives me energy, and how can I make room for it?
  7. What is one question I would like to be able to answer by the full moon?
  8. What am I no longer willing to put off?
  9. Write one sentence that sums up what I want from this cycle.
  10. What support would make this easier, and who could I ask?

Full moon journal prompts

Use these around the full moon. The theme is looking back: what has come to light in the past fortnight, and what you are ready to let go of.

  1. What has happened since the new moon that I want to remember?
  2. What surprised me in the past two weeks?
  3. What went better than I expected?
  4. What is weighing on me that I could put down?
  5. What did I say yes to that I wish I had not?
  6. Where did I feel most like myself this fortnight?
  7. What have I learnt about what I need?
  8. Who or what am I grateful for right now?
  9. What is one thing I can stop doing before the next new moon?
  10. If I could tell my new moon self one thing, what would it be?

A simple monthly moon ritual

Nothing elaborate. Ten minutes twice a month is enough.

  • New moon: answer two or three of the new moon prompts. Finish with one sentence of intention for the month.
  • Full moon: read your new moon entry first, then answer two or three full moon prompts. Note what moved and what did not.
  • Next new moon: read both entries before you write. This is where the value is: you start seeing what repeats from month to month.

Light a candle, make a cup of tea, sit outside if you can see the moon. Rituals stick when they feel like a small pleasure rather than homework.

Prompts for the in-between phases

If you want to write more often, the quarter moons make natural midpoints.

First quarter (about a week after the new moon)

  1. What is getting in the way of my intention?
  2. What has been easier than I expected?
  3. What do I need to adjust?

Last quarter (about a week after the full moon)

  1. What can I finish or tidy up before the new moon?
  2. What do I want to carry into next month, and what can stay behind?
  3. How rested do I feel, honestly?

The moon and your menstrual cycle

The lunar cycle and the average menstrual cycle are similar lengths, which is why the two are often linked. There is no good evidence that periods sync with the moon. If you track both, keep them as two separate lenses: the moon as a calendar for reflection, your cycle as information about your body. Our guide to journalling through your cycle has prompts for each phase, and for the good days in between there are our gratitude journal prompts.

Moon journalling in Aligned

Aligned's Phases page shows you today's moon phase, next to your cycle phase if you track it, so the new moon and full moon are hard to miss. Astrology is optional context, never the point. What matters is that Aligned remembers what you write, so your monthly look back is one place instead of a stack of notebooks. Writing in Aligned is free, and so is a short recap of your month, every month, and your first journal report. Premium adds Patterns and deeper reports that read across everything you have written and show you what keeps coming up.

Try it in Aligned

A journal that remembers what lifted you.

Sign up to start writing

Free to write, with a short recap of your month, every month. Works in your browser and on iPhone.

Common questions

What should I write on a new moon?

Write about beginnings: what you would like more of this month, one small step you can start this week, and a single sentence that sums up what you want from the coming cycle.

What should I write on a full moon?

Look back over the past fortnight: what you want to remember, what surprised you, what went better than expected and what you are ready to let go of.

Does the moon affect your mood?

There is no good scientific evidence that it does in a reliable way. Moon journalling is useful because it gives you a regular pause twice a month, not because of the moon itself.

How often is there a new moon?

About every 29 and a half days. The full moon falls roughly two weeks after each new moon.

Do periods sync with the moon?

There is no good evidence that they do. The two cycles are similar lengths, which is why they are often linked, but tracking them separately gives you clearer information.