One reason why I haven’t been consistent with my monthly new moon and full moon practice was the fact that I can be very anal about things.
Yeah. When I started working with the moon some years ago, I would make every new and full moon a ceremony.
It was a ceremony so I would tell myself it had to be perfect. I had to cleanse the space, choose crystals for the grid (imagine my anxiety when I realised my crystals where not cleansed and charged and that had to be prepared to!), arrange a grid and ideally also prepare a drink of some sort (cacao or other herbal medicine). I would tell myself I had to sit in meditation for ideally an hour to open my channels and get shit flowing.
Yeah, for real. Like life wasn’t stressful enough already and I hadn’t had too much shit to take care of already, right? Of course at times all this preparation and setting was wonderfully magic because it was flowing easily and I basically had the time and space to work on this entire set up. But most of the time I was frustrated coz I was lacking the time or energy to make it ‘perfect’. Life gets busy right? I am much more relaxed now.
If I have the tools available (those are frankly always on standby haha), I will cleanse the space using sage, lavender, palo santo, frankincense, copal or whatever incense is handy and feels right but if they’re out of reach, I know I can cleanse the space with intention. I’ll sit in meditation for however long I feel to do it at the time. I’ll put music on and I will simply sit with my notebook and write or doodle. Working with the moon and intention setting doesn’t have to be an overplanned and bombastic event.
artwork @merakilabbe
Working with the new moon or full moon is basically a monthly goal-setting session with yourself.
You can dress it up in as many esoteric accessories as you feel and there is nothing wrong with that if this is what serves you. But if the form of this whole situation outgrows the purpose of it - you may want to rethink it.
Or rather RE-FEEL it.
Ask yourself - what will feel best? Getting dressed up and playing your instruments to set the space? - Go for it!
Staying in your pyjama and doodling in your notebook ? - Go for it.
New Moon is a time of new beginnings. You may want to set some goals for the coming month or even a year (there is no right or wrong here). Just make sure your goals are realistic and they don’t freak you out. Baby steps. You can always set intention for the next step of the bigger plan at the next new moon. And release what doesn’t serve this intention at the time of the coming full moon.
This time I am making a tea, lighting a candle and eating pizza whilst I write things down in my notebook.
Make the process as organic or as structured as you please but make sure it feels good in the moment.
Remember it’s time you’re dedicating to yourself.
It’s your self care.
Don’t make it stressful and don’t be hard on yourself.
There’s too much of that in the world already.
Love you,
Joanna