*Eleditor’s note: Astrology isn’t a religion. We’re not sure it’s a science, either. It’s magic, maybe. But, as with feng shui, say, things affect things. So as long as we don’t go blaming our problems on the stars, as long as we assume responsibility for our own actions…well, hell, a little auspicious coincidence and applicable wisdom can’t hurt. And so, with that grain of salt…enjoy!

Many of us pay attention to the moon when she is full, but we often ignore her when she appears as her darker lunar partner, the New Moon.

Why do we disregard this dark beauty?

Well, because she is a slightly more subtle beast. However, she is one that is equally as powerful as her glowing mate. Isn’t that the way with the understated ones!

The New Moon carries a particular magic with her, one that if we open to it, allows the opportunity to lean into our depth and lay the seeds of manifestation for our true desires—right in our own shadow.

Often, we can connect with our most authentic selves during her reign, understand our truths and take steps to begin living them.

This process first requires a letting go of the old.

We can begin welcoming the New Moon by creating space. Clean out those cupboards and cobwebs now!

At this time it is necessary to peer into the shadows, to recognise what is there, release what no longer serves us and remove it, to open to the coming light.

We will want to carry a metaphorical flashlight with us during the New Moon, one to shine into the very depth of our own soul.

The New Moon generates more negative ions than the full, which helps us to feel calmer while we decide on new goals. She allows us shadow time and acts as a temporary cocoon. It is the opposite experience of the anxiety we get when we are in too much light.

The New Moon gifts us a break to reflect and renew. It is a time to be inward. The amazing power of her is that as she offers this cradle for us, we will then feel naturally motivated to begin to move.

This is a time to invoke what we want into our life, new purpose, projects and agendas. It is also an auspicious time to attend to what we may have been avoiding—return that phone call, connect with those loved one, apply for that job and begin the process of stepping out into greater light.

In order to move forward and expand, we must lay a strong foundation for our next accomplishments to rest on.

The New Moon is a time to lay sturdy beams in our own foundation of self. What is it that we could do that would help us most move forward?

As we open up to the power of the New Moon, remember that what is occurring in nature right now is that the sun is lighting up the back side of the moon instead of the front. What is it in us that we normally don’t look at that could use some illuminating?

This is a great moment to start keeping a dream journal as our subconscious speaks to us through our dream state and can act as a powerful guide now. Recording our dreams is how we begin to remember them even more.

Here are a few more rituals we can practice to increase our connection to the New Moon and get the most out of her magic!

Candle meditation:

For the few days leading up to the New Moon and after, do a daily five minute meditation, where we sit quietly, light a candle and simply focus on our breathing.

The candle symbolises the coming light and the meditation helps us clear our mind and body. It is important to become certain of our purpose in life at this time, so we can achieve it when the moon starts to become full!

Create a vision board:

Begin collecting images from magazines, newspapers, notes from friends, quotes that remind us of our intentions and goals. Make a collage out of these and place it somewhere we will see regularly, possibly in front of our meditation spot! This will help to readily attract what we want.

List of desires:

Make a list of our deepest desires. They can be the grand ones, but also include the simpler ones. Allow ourselves to feel what it is we want and know we can have it. Place this list in a place we will regularly see it!

Next New Moon make sure to remake the list adding anything new we want and eliminating the things that already arrived.

Smudging:

Lighting sage is a traditional First Nations‘ practice to clear an area of old energies. On the night of the New Moon, I like to cleanse the circumference of my room by walking to all the corners with lit sage. I also smudge myself by starting at my feet and bringing the sage up and over my head and then back down behind me.

The New Moon’s power is in preparation, so imagine with these rituals that we are cutting old energetic ties we no longer need and drawing in those we do.

Welcome the gifts that the New Moon can bring by celebrating her darkness with the acknowledgement that it is the Moon Goddess readying us for something fresh.

Release, get clear, set intentions and then watch these manifestation become our new reality.

The New Moon is the feminine quality of visioning, allow her magic to help us transform.

~

Author: Sarah Norrad

Images: Pixabay/tangjiao990 ;  Flickr/WilB

Editor: Erin Lawson