So you want to work with the new moon to align your life? Here's your beginner's guide to creating a new moon practice alone or in community with one or more women.
This is a hot topic because women are remembering that the moon calendar is important, particularly for us, even though most of the world relies on the sun calendar split up into 365 days and 12 months.
As a masculine dominated society, we have come to focus on a calendar system that is more like men. Men are like the sun which rises and sets the same way every day. And, because of this men thrive on discipline, consistency, and the sun calendar.
Women are quite different. We thrive more by being in our natural flow, being guided by our feelings, being fluid. And syncing with the moon allows for and is a reminder of our ever-changing nature.
Both women and the moon operate in 28 day cycles. Women operate in 28 day cycles as part of our menstral cycle. The moon waxes and wanes every 28 days. Like women who are different hormonally in each day of our cycle, the moon too changes daily. At the new moon, the sky is dark in the moon's waxing time. As the light around the moon illuminates, it gradually becomes more and more visible in the sky. At its halfway point in the cycle, the moon is fully illuminated and in its brightest glory in the sky (much like how a healthy woman feels during ovulation.) Then the moon wanes, meaning it begins to move toward darkness again in the opposite direction (see the image below). If you live in a city, you may have never noticed this about the moon. If you live or have visited country or rural settings, you often become very in tune with where the moon is at each night.
Given our connection with the moon, women have used the new moon as a sacred time to go inward since ancient times. The new moon is a fresh beginning, a new creation cycle, and a time to be dark and fallow like the moon to tune into our inner guidance. Different from other phases of the moon cycle, this is meant to be our most inward time, the time to surrender and receive wisdom on the cycle ahead.
If you're feeling called, a new moon ritual can be a powerful opportunity for you to align your life by tuning into where you are, where you've grown, and where you'd like to go. There are many creative ways to honor the new moon as a sacred time. If you're new to following the moon cycle, here is a simple 4-step guide to a new moon ritual:
1. Opening
Mark the opening of your ritual in a sacred way that helps you become present and centered, like: meditating, saying a prayer, or playing a meaningful song. Here are samples for each:
Try my 3 minute Heart Meditation available on the Insight Timer app.
A simple opening prayer could be: "I open during this sacred time to commune with my heart, my higher self, and my wisdom guides to receive insight and wisdom to align my life."
You might try this a new moon song with a new moon mantra "I surrender. I receive." written and performed by my friend Jennifer Alexander, also available on Apple Music).
Each of these can also be used in a group format.
2. Tuning In
Next you want to take time and space to go inward and tune into your heart, your wisdom, and where you are going. If doing your ritual alone, a great practice is to journal about your desires and what you're sensing inside about direction. If you are in a community setting, rather than writing, you can speak outloud to the group. When you do this with one or more person, it is important to share in a feminine way. This means you speak and others only listen deeply. No one is waiting to give advice. When others interrupt you with advice, it can distract your wisdom flow.
To support the flow of your wisdom, if you are with others, you might ask them to share reflections. To receive a reflection from someone is like looking in a mirror - you receive back what you shared - not more than that, no advice. A reflection from another person helps you feel heard. It is very healing for women who for centuries have been plagued by patriarchy and by men telling us what to do! A reflection can also include deep listening that shares what a listener heard beyond your words - like your deeper values or commitments. The reflector wants to be careful not to get into their own views but rather to truly be there for the person sharing; and as a person receiving reflections you can feel free to stop someone if you notice them giving advice and remind them to stay connected to your sharing only.
If you are in a group, you'll move through giving each person a chance to share uninterrupted. If speaking in this way is new to you (only one person at a time without others injecting thoughts, ideas, advice, comments) you might use what is called a "talking piece." This is any object that feels sacred to at least one person in the gathering, and the guideline is that only the person holding the talking piece can speak. At the end of sharing, you can say clearly "I am complete" and if you'd like reflections, you can let the others know and pass the piece to anyone who shares reflections with you.
3. Setting Intentions
After taking the time to tune in by journaling or sharing, you can ask yourself or inside the group: "all that said, now what are my intentions for the moon cycle (28 days) ahead?" And trust whatever flows - it may help to close your eyes to really listen to your answers within. You might hear goals, ways you desire to grow, something you want to let go, a spiritual practice to support you. Do not try to direct whatever comes up from your mind. Rather, trust your heart and your intuition. You may enjoy writing your intentions down so when you come to the full moon or next moon cycle you can check in on how your intentions are unfolding.
For an extra boost of wisdom, you might pull an oracle card asking for guidance in moving forward during the moon cycle. You can get an oracle card here and now from my digital Feminine Genius Oracle Deck, or if you'd like your very own new deck I recommend the Wise Women Oracle Deck recently created by my client Lindsay Mayuga.
4. Closing
Just like you opened in a sacred way, you can close in a special way to seal in the magic of your sacred time. You might use a simple statement like: "I give thanks for this sacred time, seal in the wisdom, and surrender to the unfolding for my highest expression." This marks the completion of your ritual so that you might return to your everyday expression.
If you try out the ritual, feel free to drop me a note and let me know about your experience. And know that the magic is enhanced as you turn this into a regular ritual for yourself to celebrate your growth and tune into what is ahead. Your very first step to regularly holding a new moon ritual begins by marking your calendar. Here is a sample moon calendar for the year 2023. Knowing the dates, you can set aside a sacred hour to be alone for your ritual or ask one or several friends to join you!
About the Author
Hi I'm Gina Marotta, and I can help you step into your higher calling. My unique body of work is about "feminine genius" which includes bringing your innate talent + feminine energy (spirituality, creativity, intuition, feelings, and fluidity) into a career focus that changes people's lives for the better. I serve from extensive study in the divine feminine, as well as 20+ years experience as a leader in multiple industries. I have worked professionally as a lawyer, a nonprofit managing director, and an entrepreneur; and I bring all that experience and wisdom to you. You will find me quoted and interviewed often as a career expert in media outlets like Thrive Global, The Huffington Post, American Bar Association Magazine, Barron's Next Magazine, and WGN Radio. And you can enjoy spiritual practices with me on the Insight Timer Meditation app.