Setting intentions at the New Moon is a really powerful way to align our own creative cycles with the larger cycles of nature. We’re all working to a rhythm, whether we’re really aware of it (and consciously participating in it) or not: We create and we destroy, we express and we retreat, we rise and we fall. It’s natural, its how we were born to be, and how we move through each day, week, month and year of our lives.
The lunar cycle offers an ideal rhythm to align with, completing every 29-ish days, (and for most women, our bodies innately know and honour this cycle already).
Understanding the Moon Cycle
The Moon also presents the perfect visual reminder to us, in the skies above, so we know we’re never alone in our efforts. At New Moon, she is invisible to us: dark, retreating, her light turned away from the world, suggesting to us that we do the same. And by Full Moon, she is shining bright, lighting up the night and energizing the world simply by being! Her example is so clear, and I bet you’ve spent nights tossing and turning under a Full Moon, finding it impossible to get to sleep!
There really is no beginning, the lunar cycle has a rhythm which doesn’t stop, but it can be useful to start here, at the New Moon.
It’s a time for imagining, for dreaming and wondering and pondering all of the people, places, things, experiences and changes you could make to transform your life into its best possible version. There are no limits at the New Moon. It is not about logical thinking or practical steps (yet…!) as it’s a deeply mysterious and feminine time. So let yourself dissolve into your dreams and let feelings and images rise up to the surface.
The First Step In The Creation Cycle…
When you have an idea of what you want to create with the cycle (and it could be something tiny, or it could be huge shift in the direction of your life!) then it’s can be a really powerful practice, to create a small ritual and set a conscious intention. This is basically a statement, a commitment and a promise to yourself and the Universe, that you will bring your creation to life. It’s also a request for support. You are saying clearly to the Divine Consciousness, that you’re open to all the help you can get!
Setting an intention is almost like lighting a match in the darkness. It’s the first act in the creative process and sets the scene for what follows, so it’s incredibly important to do it well, AND to call in as much energetic and cosmic support as you can!
Here are my top 10 tips for setting New Moon intentions that really work…
1. Be clear with what you want
This is probably the most important tip of all, so if you forget everything, at least remember this! If you are unclear, confusing or vague with your intention, you’ll get results that are unclear, confusing and vague. The Universe will respond to exactly what you are giving out.
2. Write your intentions down
It’s proven that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them. And in this instance, when they’re being sprinkled with a little New Moon magic, their potency will increase even more! But in concrete terms, externalizing your dreams by expressing them in writing begins the process of transforming them from ideas, to reality. You are setting the wheels of manifestation in motion. And this list will come in really, really handy later on, when you can use it as a starting point for making positive affirmations to keep up creative momentum.
3. Create a ritual using the elements
Air, fire, water and earth all have their vital parts to play when it comes to bringing new ideas and intentions into being. But the elements stand for SO much more than just their material nature – they each have particular energetic qualities that we need to call on when we’re creating anew. So honoring each element by including it in a simple New Moon ritual is a sure fire way to give your intentions an extra boost.
4. Create a New Moon talisman
A talisman is a small, power-charged object. It can be anything you like, but a crystal, a pebble, a piece of jewelry, a woven bracelet or anything that you can put in a pocket or hold onto is ideal.
When you set your intentions at the New Moon, simply hold your chosen object, cupped in your hands or up against your heart, and send your wishes into it, as though you are charging up a battery. Know that you are infusing it with the strong, creative potency of the Moon phase, and whenever you need to be reminded of, and supported in your goals over the next month, you can draw on its magical New Moon power.
5. Invoke your spirit guides or angels
This is a really important one to remember, because the reality is that we live in a free-will universe, so unless we actually ask, benevolent spirits cannot enter into our lives and offer their assistance. So when you set intentions at the New Moon, ask for the energetic support of your guides, for the duration of the cycle.
6. Invite your Friends!
Performing any kind of ritual in the company of friends will always amplify its potency. When you share your dreams, desires and intentions with other people, your vision is shared, and it will begin to take root in their lives as well as yours, manifesting so much faster, and more solidly, than if you kept it to yourself.
7. Enjoy!
Have fun with your New Moon intentions by creating a ritual that you enjoy, and that keeps your vibration high. If you love music, play music! If you have a favorite tea, then make yourself a cup to drink while you’re making magic! Don’t think that setting intentions needs to be a solemn affair – the more you align your ritual with the things that make you happy, the more your life will begin to align with your intentions!
8. Let go of the “whens” and the “hows”.
At the New Moon, you don’t need to know how your intention will come to life, or when it is going to happen. Your only concern right now is “what” you want. If you get too wrapped up in how things are going to happen, and what the timeline needs to look like, you will quickly start to place limits on what think you are capable of and your intentions will begin to look very small!
The path towards what we want can be unexpected, and the Universe can surprise us, so let it be revealed just as it needs to.
9. Trust.
Following on from the last point, trust is a vital ingredient when setting intentions. Set them wholeheartedly, believe you are being listened to and guided and trust that you will be given what you are asking for (or better!)
10. Follow the signs
Your dreams require your participation.
Setting intentions is only the beginning, so it’s vital over the next month (and beyond!) to follow the signs and remain open to the clues and the breadcrumb trail that is being left for you! Be willing to change the way you think about things, and be willing to change the way you do them too, because for your intentions to materialize, you will have to join in as the world re-shapes and re-models itself around you!
What are your intentions for the New Moon? What are your favorite ways to use New Moon energy to set intentions and sow seeds for the future?
Comment and share with us some of your magic below!
