Moon Altar Lunar Cycle Tracking Box

Create your own moon altar to stay in tune with the lunar cycles, remember to celebrate Esbats and make the most of the full moon.

This Esbat altar box is easy to DIY.   With a wood box, some paint and a little glitter (otherwise known as “fairy dust”), you have all you need to make your own.

A great project to teach little witchelets about the moon phases or for adults who want a concrete, tangible way to stay focused on the current moon phase.

Let’s get started.

How to use a moon phase altar.

If you’re not paying attention, it’s very easy to let the full moon or Esbats pass you by.  

This altar is unique in that it allows me to consciously track the current lunar phase, which reminds me to use the moon cycle to my advantage.

And not only to remember to celebrate the full moon!

For example, during the dark moon, focus on divination and dream work.

During the waxing phase, work on developing project ideas or moving things forward on a particular goal.

The waning moon is a great time to kick start a weight loss plan, eliminate negativity or let go of the past.

Why box altars?

I love a good box altar.  They’re easy to close up and store away under the bed or on a book shelf. 

And while I’m clear out of the broom closet at this point, I still like a little privacy from prying eyes with respect to my daily practice.

Box altars also make great gifts, as they are easy to wrap and fun to customize for your recipient.  This one could easily be personalized by incorporating your receiver’s lunar sign.

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You Will Need

-one unfinished wood cigar box

–spray paint in a deep blue or navy

–acrylic paint in white or pale blue

-craft glue and glitter (optional)

-some kind of indicator (I used a clear quartz crystal point)

-small screw driver

-fine-tipped paintbrush

Step 1

Remove the hardware with your screwdriver. 

You can, of course, tape up the brackets and hinges instead, but it is way easier to just take it off when using spray paint.  

Step 2

Spray paint your box deep blue.

I did the outside the same color, but that’s up to you.  There are many options here, including using a wood stain on the outside, which would be really lovely!  

Step 3

Using white chalk (or something that shows up on the dark background) and a circular object (I used the rim of a wine glass), trace a circle on the inside of the box where you want your moons to go.  This will be your guide for where to place the moons. 

Start by marking the circle at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, then 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, and finally, one mark in between each of your original 4 marks.  Marking your guides this way makes it so much easier to get the moons evenly spaced.

I did this on a white piece of paper so you can more easily see what I mean.

#1

#2

#3

Step 4

Using your guide marks and a smaller circle (like the lid of a pill bottle) trace your moons around the larger circle. 

Trace a full circle at 12 o’clock for the full moon, and a full circle at 6 o’clock for the new moon.

Of course, you only need to trace the circular part of the crescent, half and gibbous moons.  The inner side of those you can pretty easily freehand.  

Step 5

Once you’ve placed and trace your moons, all you need to do is fill them in.  For the dark moon at the bottom, just outline the circle with white.

I let a little of the blue show through on mine because I thought it made the moons look more dimensional.  

Step 5

Decorate.  

I added lettering that says “Moon Phases” and a metal moon that I took off of some Middle Eastern costume jewelry.

I also put little dots of glue everywhere and shook some glitter over them to make “stars.”

But you do you, girl.  Use what you have.

Step 6

To use, point your indicator at the current moon phase.

You can use almost anything as an indicator.  A crystal point, an old clock hand or even a wood coffee stirrer works fine.

Set the altar near a window where you can see the current moon phase, and rotate it accordingly to stay in tune with the lunar cycle.

Blessed be.