Transformation, Ritual, and the New Moon

As much as I think of winter as a time of deep listening, and spring for setting intentions, every new moon offers us an opportunity to be honest with ourselves about what is tugging at our heartstrings, and honor the changes we would like to see come to fruition in our lives.

Maybe it’s a new cycle in a relationship where both partners bring greater awareness to stubborn patterns, more patience as a parent, greater freedom, or time for creativity, a new job, or better pay.

No matter what it is that we are longing for it is important to acknowledge our desires.  One great way to give voice to these aspirations is through a New Moon Ritual.

Perhaps the idea of creating a ritual to spur transformation in your life sounds too far fetched. I can understand that, but I also know from my undergraduate and graduate studies in Religion and Psychology that rituals are powerful.

The subconscious mind is intelligent, and non linear, it exists just below the surface. It governs our perception of reality and the majority of our decision making. The language of the subconscious, or the way it ‘thinks’ is metaphoric. What makes ritual so powerful is that it is a symbolic depiction of our desires. It unifies the conscious and unconscious mind around an idea or metaphor that is then put in to action.

 New Moon Ritual

1. Set aside some quiet time in your schedule, tonight, or over the next few days. The new moon is today, Friday January 24th, but we will still be in its effects as we move into next week.

 2. Make the intention to hear your hearts deepest desires. Does it feel like something is missing from your life right now? Is there an itch you haven’t been able to scratch? One thing, or several things you’d like to be different?

3. Put on a candle, and soft music if you’d like. Then listen within. It’s important to not judge what you hear. Try to listen to your heart from a space where everything is possible. Ignore the ”how will this happen ”, or ”this doesn't feel logical”, for now, and listen to what you are longing for.

4.Write it down. Again, without judgment write down your deepest desires. You may want to take the time to journal your thoughts into a notebook first. Try to get to the core of what you desire. You may know you want change in a particular area of your life- but try to be precise in articulating exactly what it is you are hoping for. Make a list of what you find.

5. Once you’ve gotten it all down on paper. Take some time to sit with it. Imagine traveling into the future. How does it feel once these changes you desire have already occurred? What is it like to be this version of yourself that already has what you want? How is it energetically different from how you’ve been feeling lately? Do you feel less stressed, happier, unburdened? Take a moment to breath that in. Practice feeling this new state in your body. Get to how it feels to have these changes already taken place. Feeling this state change in your body will help establish the road map from where you are to where you want to go in your subconscious mind.

6. Safely- burn your paper. Maybe not the whole notebook, but the page that lists your New Moon Intentions. Burning the paper helps to release our expectations.

Know that you are worthy and capable of all that you want to receive. Take the leap to believe, and immerse yourself in the magical opportunity that the New moon brings.