to make meaningful changes in your life and engage with yourself on a deeper level, create your own unique new moon routine.
a new moon is an excellent way to check in on yourself and consider what changes you want to make. Over time, doing a new moon ritual every month will help you gain new experiences, make changes, and manifest new things in your life.
for almost a decade, I’ve been using the moon cycles to set goals and release old habits. i use the new moon and full moon in particular to evaluate how i’m feeling and what i’d like to improve, do, or see more of. the new moon is particularly conducive to introspection, reflection on the previous month, re-centering, and setting new goals in order to become more balanced with our daily lives.
intentions are different from expectations in that they are about how you want to act and go through your day. goals are more abstract, while objectives are about how you want to feel and move through your day. to set our goals, i believe it is important to set aside time and space to gain insight and clarity. rituals are a lovely way to pamper yourself while still giving yourself time to listen to your instincts and find out what you want.
what’s the point of starting a new moon ritual?
consider the new moon in the black sky (find out the exact date and time here): the moon is perfectly aligned with the sun and isn’t apparent in the sky. this is the cycle’s celestial blank canvas. the moon will continue to rise in steady increments from today until it reaches fullness, then wane back down to dusk, then fresh.
the moon is our compass, assisting us in expanding and contracting in a steady pattern. you’re told to check in with yourself, your instincts, and your goal if you see or hear about it.
doing something that is both unique and relaxed for you is the secret to making your own routine. it will pull you out of the moment if you’re doing something that doesn’t feel right, or if you find yourself flipping through your phone for half the time to read directions âĢĶ just trust your intuition and do what feels normal. you want to build a beautiful room that looks like it belongs to you.
a ceremony may consist of a few easy steps and a few tools (more on that later). it’s something you can concentrate on to get you back to the current moment.
it’s all in the balance
have as many or as few options as you’d like to find a balance that sounds good for you. incorporating the four elements earth, air, fire, and water is a good place to proceed.
earth is a planet a herb, feather, rock, salt, crystals, or stones may all be used.
it’s all in the air it may be incense, jazz, or essential oils diffused.
Fire a lamp, candy, or anything with bright colors such as red, green, purple, or gold may all be used.
the element of water it might be water or something that reminds you of the sea, such as a coral.
if you want to keep it plain, a candle may be used to represent the four elements (solid wax represents earth, air flickers the flame, molten wax represents water, and fire is self-explanatory). experiment to see what you want, or take the temperature of the day to determine what you want. if the new moon falls in a water sign, for example, you should pay special attention to that part.
stay in the moment and don’t overthink what you’re “supposed” to do; instead, trust your instincts and do what feels good at the time. you can make it as straightforward or as complex as you want.
the fundamentals of ritual
- a comfortable and peaceful place to relax
- you will have about 20 minutes to yourself
- (it’s probably overkill to say this, but it’s important!)
- a notebook and a pad
- Nourishment. get something easy and filling for yourself. that can be a cup of tea, hot chocolate, a large glass of wine, or a fast, plant-based meal.
add-ons are optional
- Cleansing plants like rosemary, mugwort, cedarwood, palo santo, or sage (I recommend making your own dried herb bundles or buy them from Mountain Rose Herbs — which sources herbs responsibly)
- candles (for a basic candle magic rite, see below)
- Crystals
- Essential oils/Incense
- Music to set the mood
- tarot cards are a type of deck
- epsom salts in a hot bath
here’s how i work:
choose a time that works for you
if necessary, on the evening of the new moon on the next day. choose a day when you will be alone and unaffected for at least 20 minutes.
prepare the time
switch on the music that makes you happy (i like to make my own new moon playlists or go with an artist i’m feeling at the time). prepare a warm drink or snack and light several candles and a salt lamp for a low-lit ambiance.
gather your diary, any crystals you’re dealing with, and/or a tarot or oracle deck you’re using.
make yourself at home and relax down
to cleanse the room, burn rosemary, mugwort, a bay leaf, or your favorite herb, and/or use an essential oil spray. i like to wash my hands before sitting on the sofa with my favorite blanket on my lap and a bottle of water or tea nearby.
meditation is a technique for calming the mind
Close your eyes and take a deep breath. For at least 10 seconds, focus on the air, allowing emotions to come and go, and just stay with yourself for a few minutes. consider the dark skies and how you’d like to rise with the moon in the coming month.
Ask & write it out
questions to ponder: how am i really feeling? what am i still working on from the previous cycle? what has changed in me in the last month? what did i discover? what piques my interest at the moment? what am i seeing as a roadblock? what is it that i am hankering for right now? what am i really in need of at this point in my life? what would be the overarching focus of this cycle?
keep a record of the comments. writing, particularly with a pen and paper, is a magical experience in and of itself. it allows our minds to filter information in a different way than just thought.
Check in on your tarot decks, if you have them, or read your monthly tarotscope if you need a little guidance looking deeper into what’s coming up for you.
Based on how you’re feeling and any new thoughts you’ve had, you should set an goal for the month ahead. don’t worry if nothing comes up for you during everything ritual; this is absolutely natural.
sleep on it and return the next day or two to fix your goal as it comes to you naturally.
there’s something magical about candles
If you want to get down with some witchy thing, try this simple candle magic set up:
- place a white candle in a little bowl of water together with a touch of sea salt or sand (the wick and top of the candle should be safely above the bath, of course). it should be lit.
- in one little sheet of paper, write what you’re letting go of, and on the other, write what you’d like to grow.
- set them on fire one at a time, and dip them into the water until they’re almost burnt out/you’re worried about burning your eyes.
- take a deep breath and hold the candle burning until the ritual is complete.
ground to a powder
enjoying a snack or drink, relaxing outdoors, or taking a bath are all good ways to relax.
hot chocolate made from oat milk
cacao, oat milk, and reishi mushrooms are combined in this simple and soothing hot chocolate.
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reishi, also known as the queen healer mushroom or the longevity mushroom, is believed to help with stress relief, mental health, and the body-mind-spirit bond.
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this take on hot chocolate is the perfect partner for digging deep into practical habits and goal building, thanks to the addition of heart-opening cacao. cacao is said to assist in the connection to the higher self, the alignment between masculine and feminine powers, and the improvement of objective comprehension.
- 1 to 1 1/2 cup hot oat milk (or other milk)
- 1 heaped tablespoon cacao powder or ceremonial cacao*
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or 1 day
- 1/2 teaspoon reishi mushroom powder
- a pinch of kosher salt
- in a blender, combine the hot milk and the remaining ingredients and mix on high until smooth and frothy. Serve hot.
*cacao laboratory creates my favorite ritual cacao blends, which come in four flavors that equate to the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.