The new moon is absolutely one of my favorite times of the month simply for the energy it brings. It represents new beginnings, fresh starts…anything you want.
In this article, I’m going to share what the new moon represents, a new moon calendar & ongoing schedule, a ritual for the new moon and lastly, tools to help you celebrate, cleanse and focus with the new moon.
What is a new moon?
The new moon marks the beginning of the lunar cycle, which is why it carries the energy of new things to come. It’s a time when the sun, moon and Earth are all in alignment, and why the moon appears dark to us.
It represents the seed of manifestation: all of our desires and intentions are in this seed, still unseen but existing just below the surface.
The new moon is not a time of action, but a time of dreaming and planning for what you want to bring forth into your life.
Phases of the lunar cycle
- New Moon
- Waxing Crescent
- First Quarter
- Waxing Gibbous
- Full Moon
- Waning Gibbous
- Third Quarter
- Waning Crescent
- Dark Moon
2020 New Moon Calendar
I follow the new moon dates with my moon calendar, which you can access with that link if you’d like a calendar you can print out. I keep mine in my moon binder.
When the new moon occurs
I’ve touched on it a bit already, but the new moon typically occurs once a month (sometimes twice).
The new moon crosses the sky with the sun during the day. It’s actually between the earth and sun when it’s in this stage of its orbit, which is why we generally can’t see it.
Why & how to track the new moon
Tracking the moon is actually really beneficial when it comes to understanding your own energy and holistic self-care needs.
The lunar cycle is 29.5 days long. An easy way to begin tracking the moon, especially in relation to your own energy, is to simply look out your window and begin noticing what’s goin’ on up in the sky.
You can keep a simple log or find a moon tracking app that helps you do this, and quickly jot down in your log how you’re feeling each day of the lunar cycle.
You’ll begin to notice patterns in yourself where you’re more active some weeks and more withdrawn on others. If you’re a woman, you’ll really notice the alignment with your energy and the moon, even if you don’t menstruate.
Women’s hormones fluctuate like the moon, and it can be incredibly enlightening to lean into this connection with the moon.
New moon intentions & ritual
This is my favorite part of the new moon: cleansing away the old and setting new intentions.
Here is the simple new moon ritual that I do, with variations here and there depending on how I’m feeling and what I’m most needing that month.
De-clutter & prepare your space
I can’t do any ritual in a messy space. It keeps my mind cluttered and I never feel like I can fully connect.
I do all of my moon rituals in my bedroom, so I simply make sure my room is picked up and feels good. I do most of my main cleaning during the waning moon, so this is usually a pretty quick task.
Make sure your meditation space/sacred space/altar is cleared and ready to go.
Wash away the old & recharge
Water resets us in so many ways and is extremely healing. I love to take a warm bath with around two cups of epsom salt to help clear and recharge my energetic field.
You can put a crystal in the bath with you as well (check to make sure your specific chosen crystal can be put in water) to enhance the energy of your bath water.
Try to do nothing while you’re in the bath. Don’t read, listen to music or look at your phone. Just be. There is something so incredibly resetting, recentering and healing about a silent bath.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a bathtub…I usually end up taking a shower and everything that you do in the bath can be applied to the shower. It’s all about your intentions and quieting the mind.
Clear your energy
You’ve cleared your body and mind’s energy field, now it’s time to clear the field around your meditation space or altar. You can do this with smoke, such as palo santo or sage, or you can use sound, such as bells, clapping or singing bowls.
I personally love to use palo santo, incense and a brass singing bowl. The scent and sound are both so relaxing–you can instantly feel a shift in the energy.
Journal for clarity
I think it’s so important to do a sort of mind dump before you set new intentions. Get the past month with it’s charged thoughts and emotions out on the paper so they can be released and your mind cleared.
I use my moon ritual sheets for this on the journal page, but you can simply use a journal. Think about how you’ve been feeling and what you’re ready to release and bring in.
Set new intentions
Time for the fun part: deciding and declaring what it is you want to bring forth from the energetic realm of thoughts into the physical.
Like the new moon, you can’t see these dreams of yours in the physical, but they very much exist for the simple reason that you want them. They are right beneath the soil, and the light of your consciousness is their water that will help them grow and break through the surface.
I suggest only coming up with one to three intentions for the month. More than that can get a little crazy, but if you’re having fun and aren’t super attached, you could easily write a list full of intentions that could manifest.
Think about your chosen intention/s. How would it make you feel? What would it look like? Write it down.
Meditate and visualize
To finalize your new moon ritual, lay down somewhere comfortable and quiet to meditate on your intention/s. Pick one scene to replay in your mind that represents your intention in its manifested form.
For example, if your intention is a new job, a scene that you could replay with clarity and feeling would be being congratulated by a partner/parent/friend. Feel their embrace and excitement for you.
Over the course of the month, replay this vision over and over again. The magic is when it begins to feel real–when this happens, energy begins to move very quickly and you’ll begin seeing signs of it manifesting into your reality.
Now, your intention may not manifest the first month, which is fine and normal. During your next new moon ritual, you’ll take note of any blocks that came up for you during the month so that they can be released. Each month, you get closer and closer.
This is the cycle. Things grow every month and you get more crystal clear on what it is you want. Things manifest in the amount of time it takes for us to line up with and believe in the reality of our intention.
Products to help you celebrate, cleanse & focus
I’m an introvert who loves being at home, so one of my favorite ways to collect tools that I use in my moon rituals has been through subscription boxes.
They’re perfect because they come once a month, are curated with a new theme, and can easily be incorporated into your new moon ritual. Here are some boxes I really like for new moon energy:
For personal growth
I love the CoachCrate box because they choose a new area of growth every month to focus on. They send workbooks, books, and also spiritual self-care items.
You can use the spiritual self-care items for the bath and clearing/adorning your space, and their themed workbooks are perfect to use during a new moon ritual for a new area of growth to focus on.
For holistic self-care
TheraBox is my favorite for self-care because they incorporate quality tools with therapeutic activities. The whole intention of the box is to rewire your mind for more joy and less stress.
Their self-care items would take a new moon bath to the next level, and their activity sheets would be an excellent way to start off the new lunar month with a clear, joyful mindset.
For moon rituals & tools
Hands down, The Witches Moon is one of the most detailed, well-put-together witchy boxes out there. They basically send you an entire ritual in a lovingly crafted box.
The great thing about this box is that it’s very elemental, meaning the items they send are focused on the current energy of the Earth. They also include an absolutely gorgeous, transformative ritual in every box.
This box is worth every penny.
For entrepreneurs
If you’re an entrepreneur or just goal-driven in general, Sparkle Hustle Grow would be a perfect box to receive monthly for new moon energy intention setting.
While the new moon is not about hustling (inspired action comes with the waxing moon), it is about dreaming and planning your month ahead. This box will get you inspired and pumped up for manifesting your intentions, and help with all the planning aspects.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this article and found something to take away with you.
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With love,
Jessica
Jessica Dimas is the creator of Manifesting Magic with the Moon, a holistic self-care ritual bundle.
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Kate says
Thank you so much, Jessica! I’ve just started this journey and it brings me so much excitement. Sometimes I find it really hard to keep my mind on high vibrations (I used to spend hours and hours floating in my desperate thoughts), but your Moon Ritual Worksheet Bundle is my great helper 💕
Jessica Dimas says
I’m so happy to hear that, Kate. I’m excited for you and this journey you’re on, it’s life-changing!