A new moon ritual is one of my favorite ways to set new intentions for the month and manifest magic with the universe.
In this blog post, I'll be sharing a simple yet transformative new moon ritual that you can do every month.
The energy of the moon
The rhythms of the moon has long been known to have an affect on not only our planet (the ocean tides respond to the moon twice a day) but also on us as well, especially women.
We're mostly made of water so it's no surprise that we are also affected by the gravitational pull of the moon. Before technology and artificial lighting, the new moon was the time when women would have their monthly bleed. They would focus their energy inwards as it was a time of reflection and rest. It was also the time when women were considered most in touch with their intuition and the spirit realm.
Today, in our fast paced world that caters to the energy of men, women are expected to keep the same tempo all month long. But our bodies don't; they still follow a cycle just like the moon does.
Did you know that every woman's cycle follows a pattern with the moon? Even if you're "irregular". I found that I will bleed on the full moon, skip the next one, and bleed next on the following new moon. I just think it's amazing the way we women are especially connected with the moon.
Sister, your blood is sacred. Your blood is righteous. Your blood is magic. The choice is yours to honor and revere the embodiment of the sacred feminine that lives within you. - Wild Woman Sisterhood
What do you do during a new moon ritual?
When the sky is dark and the moon cannot be seen, this is a natural and perfect time to rest, reflect, and plan. It is not a time of action. I LOVE doing self-care and mindset work with the moon phases, because it touches on all aspects of self-care and manifestation. Rest, reflection, planning, following your intuition, inspired action, celebrating, releasing, and returning to a state of rest once again.
The moon's energy is our constant reminder to stay in touch with ourselves. To remember to step out of this busy world and reflect as well as listen to our true gut feelings. Constant action is not productive or healthy.
As women, one of our unique powers lies within connecting with our intuition, putting feeling into our intentions, and then taking inspired, joyful action towards it.
Women are magical in my opinion. And the moon is your reminder of that. You're connected to the moon and I invite you to flow with her feminine energy to keep your own body and soul in balance.
Here is my favorite new moon ritual–a ceremony for clarity, connection with self and intention setting.
1. Prepare sacred space
To begin, I always like to make sure my sacred space/altar is clean and inviting. I dust it, clear it off, throw away anything in the drawers.
I gather anything I'll be using. Usually that means a pen and the moon ritual sheets, or you can use a journal or notebook.
2. Take a ritual bath
Water symbolically washes away the old. I love to run a bath and fill it with detoxifying bath salts. Plain epsom salt is what I use (I put around 2 cups in my bath water). The epsom salt pulls the impurities from your body and helps to clear your energetic field.
I like to dim the lights and relax there for around 20 minutes. I love playing beautiful music to just really help myself step from this world into the quiet world of the new moon.
Envision the water taking away any negative energy you've been holding onto. Submerge yourself and be still. Clean your slate mentally and energetically for the new month.
3. Ground yourself
Next I go to my sacred space and ground myself. An easy way to ground yourself is by having all four of nature's elements present in your space.
Crystals represent earth, candle represents fire, incense smoke represents wind and a bowl of water with sea salt in it can represent the ocean. Having these elements around me is instantly grounding and brings about a very spiritual feel.
You can place crystals out that you're drawn to (moonstone is an excellent crystal for new beginnings, as is labradorite and amazonite), and light a candle and some incense if you'd like. I love using selenite for pretty much all of my moon rituals.
Close your eyes and just start with taking some deep, recentering breaths. Let your breath go all the way down into your womb area. Feel the ground beneath your feet and know that you're connected to mother earth. Feel yourself coming into alignment.
Visualize a warm, white light around yourself or your space if you'd like.
4. Energetically clear yourself and your space
Once I've done this, I will energetically clear my space. I love palo santo sticks to clear the energy surrounding myself and my items. You can also use sage if you prefer. I just love the woodsy, earthy scent of palo santo.
So I will light a palo santo stick and wave the stick around myself in circular motions and then around my space and any items I want to energetically clear, like my oracle cards.
5. Journal
Once you feel grounded and connected, a great way to continue the cleanse and create a fresh slate is to journal. Release what's been on your mind. Don't worry about what you're writing, just write and let it flow out of you. You're clearing your heart and mind so that you have a truly fresh start for the next four weeks.
How have you been feeling? What's been on your mind? Write about what you'd love to experience next. What sort of intentions, desires or visions do you have for your life?
6. Write down your intentions
Once you've cleared your mind and thought about what you want to create/manifest, write down your intentions. You can do this for the next 4 week lunar cycle or for longer.
Be specific when writing down your intentions of what you want to manifest. The clearer you are, the easier it is for the Universe/your subconscious mind to begin creating it. The easier you can conjure up how you want to feel around this intention, the better you'll be able to energetically attract it to you.
7. Receive divine guidance
This is probably one of my favorite parts of any moon ritual. After I set my intentions, I pull oracle cards for spiritual guidance. You can check out my favorite decks here.
Whether you believe in a higher power, spirit guides, angels, or simply your subconscious mind, oracle and tarot cards are a beautiful way to receive divine guidance. You ask for guidance, general or specific, and allow your intuition to shuffle the cards until you feel done, and then pull a card/cards that you're drawn to.
I always write down the messages I receive from my cards because it's really helpful and interesting to look back on. This is the spread I use from the moon ritual sheets:
- Where am I presently?
- Let go of this
- What energy is abundant for me during this new moon cycle?
- Focus on this regarding my intentions
- Message from the Universe
8. Visualize
Next, lay down on your bed and close your eyes. Listen to music or a meditation if it helps you concentrate. Visualize in your mind's eye your intentions already manifested.
Let yourself go and really allow your imagination to see this picture crystal clear. It should be so clear that you actually begin feeling the emotions of your intentions already completed.
For example, this coming new moon I'm going to set an intention for my husband to have a successful season at work (he wants this as well so we are co-creating it together). I want to experience him coming home excited and not stressed.
I'm going to visualize him and I giddy over the phone talking about exciting news, about us going out to dinner to celebrate, of us practically jumping up and down because everything is going so well.
Whatever it is, see and feel it in its end state. And then I'll finish it by thinking "This or something better."
"Today is a great day to manifest the shit out of some abundance." - Unknown
Closing
Fold your paper with your intentions up and place it somewhere safe. Take it out and read over it every night, visualizing your intentions and feeling them completed.
The main point of a new moon ritual is rest, reflection, planning, and getting in touch with yourself. Know that our whole universe is made up of energy and that you have the power to create beautiful things in your life. You're more magical than you've been led to believe and you have unseen forces waiting at your beck and call.
I hope you enjoyed reading this new moon ritual; you can check out my other moon rituals here:
- Waxing Moon Ritual for Clarity & Inspiration
- Full Moon Ritual for Releasing & Celebration
- Waning Moon Ritual for Letting Go & Making Space
To receive weekly inspiration in your inbox, you can sign up for the Self-Care Sunday emails.
With love,
Jessica
Jessica Dimas is the creator of Manifesting Magic with the Moon, a holistic self-care ritual bundle.
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Genevieve
Thank you so much for this post. I don't know how I found you, or you found me on Instagram, but it's funny how I've been subconsciously searching for this direction and all of a sudden here you are in my feed- directing me. I bought the self care bundle and I am excited to go through all of its content. I'm going to prepare for this new moon rising with your recommendations this week- I can't contain my excitement!!!! Thank you again and to the universe for visiting my path. Love & light ?✨
Jessica Dimas
I love divine timing!! Thank you for your purchase, I hope you enjoy the self-care bundle. I'm almost finished creating a bundle which will aide in moon rituals, hoping to finish it and release it very soon 🙂 Thanks again for your comment and feedback, I appreciate it! <3
Ava Deleree
Wow thank you so much! I'm just a baby witch so i don't have oracle cards yet. I use playing cards as tarot cards lol.
Jessica Dimas
You know, any cards could be made into oracle or tarot cards! 🙂 Everything around you holds a message, so playing cards are just fine! <3
Janah
I am SO excited to try this! Amazing tips! Thank you so much for this post and many others - I'm a first time commenter, but I've been following your blog for a while now. I am always so appreciative of your advice. You've really helped me on my own spiritual journey!
Sending love to you Jessica!
Janah | http://www.littlelifechanger.com
Jessica Dimas
Hi Janah, welcome and thank you for commenting! It's always nice to hear feedback and I'm really happy you've enjoyed my blog posts. Wishing you a magical New Moon this week! 🙂
courtney jo
I love this so much. I’ve been wanting to learn about and get more into the lunar cycle and this routine is perfect. I also recently purchased your sacred self care for mom’s bundle (finally ?) so i cannot wait to get even more in touch with myself ?
Jessica Dimas
Hi Courtney! So happy to hear you got the self-care bundle, I hope you enjoy it and that it helps you with getting even more in touch with yourself. Have a magical New Moon this week! <3
Janice OKane
Excellent, excellent post! Perfect timing and a much needed read for me. Thank you Jessica!
Jessica Dimas
Thank you so much Janice, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope you have a magical New Moon ritual this week <3
Louise
I'm slowly getting back into magic and rituals, after years of being out of touch with that part of me, so I may not follow everything from this ritual but I'll take it as awseome inspiration, so thank you very much for sharing it!!
Jessica Dimas
Hi Louise, that's exciting that you're slowly getting back into magic and rituals and I'm glad my post provided some inspiration. I hope you enjoy the New Moon this week! <3
Amber
Hi jessica,
I am new to your blog but I love your posts! I did have a question about when to perform these rituals? If I missed I do apologize... but any help would be much appreciated!!
Jessica Dimas
Hi Amber! You can perform them anytime within a 3 day window. So a day before the New Moon, the day of and the day after. Of course closest to the time of the New Moon is when the energy is at it's peak but really I do mine anytime within that window.
Becky
Hi there!
I’m wondering what the best time of day would be to start this process. I’m a bit confused as for instance this morning at 630ish am the new Moon is now in Virgo, so would last night be the time to do the ritual or tonight? Would you do the ritual the day prior if the new Moon would come to be during your sleep or wait until it is officially the new Moon that specific night? Thanks so much!!
Becky
Jessica Dimas
It really doesn't matter when you do it. Usually when the new moon is in the morning, I would do the ritual the night before. Whichever night is closest to the new or full moon is how I do it.
Jane
But can it be done during the day? In my country lately the new moon is in the morning too.
Jessica Dimas
Yes, time of day doesn't matter at all, but you can also do it in the evening on the same day or the next if that works better for your schedule. I usually always do mine in the evening even if the moon peaks during the day.
Stephanie
This is my first time honoring the new moon this way. It has become more and more apparent to me lately that I have been living my life to be available in case some one else needs me (mind you I am not even a parent!!), instead of living and doing things for myself.. Since acknowledging this I have been on the search for more self-care and awareness and connection, which led me to you. This has been such an insightful experience and I am eager to do more with the moon cycles and just more time on reflection.
Jessica Dimas
I'm so happy you found the blog and have become aware of a pattern that hasn't been serving you. I've been on a similar discovery path and it's very freeing when you start to live for yourself, especially when I realized that I could do it drama-free 🙂 Lots of luck to you and I hope to see you back on the blog.
Shama
How beautiful! I love the way you describe the ritual. Would you have the same effect if you do it during the day instead on the evening of the new moon?
Jessica Dimas
Absolutely, honestly the timing doesn't play that important of a role, in my opinion. Your intentions and energy behind it are the magic.
aileen
I truly love this so much this is seriously something i look forward in doing with the new upcoming moon, this is something to look forward to help not only my mental state but also my anxiety with all the different elements around me this is something that is co-creative and a great way to staying grounded and practicing, a dream in real life.
Jenny
I just love the message of our blood as women is sacred. I have had a hard time with learning to love my menstrual cycle and this just really spoke to me today! You are so right that our unique powers lies within connecting with our intuition, putting feeling into our intentions, and then taking inspired, joyful action towards it. I am all about setting intentions on the New Moon and Journaling my way through it with action steps to achieve my goal. This is one of my favorite New Moon Rituals.
Jessica Dimas
Thank you, Jenny! And yes, my mindset was completely shifted by viewing our cycles in this way. I love thinking about how we naturally flow with moon <3
Lauren
I had never heard of the full moon, skip, new moon schedule period but that is exactly what I has happened to me. It’s exciting to hear I’m simply in tune with the moon. Thank you for this wonderful piece.
Jessica Dimas
Isn't it so cool? I'm glad you enjoyed the article, thanks for your comment 🙂
Jessica Dimas
Me either, Lauren! It IS super cool to see that every single woman is truly in tune with the moon in her own unique way.