Plant your seeds, trim your bangs, draw your bathwater and set your intentions, my babies: the New Moon is nigh.
As the name implies, the New Moon begins a fresh, month-long lunar cycle. The New Moon is followed by the two-week waxing phase, culminating in the brightest point of the cycle, the full moon, before waning back to darkness.
As anyone who’s ever played laser tag or had sex in a room with blackout curtains can tell you, darkness expands the imagination and our concept of what is possible. To that end, the New Moon is a celestial slate-cleaning, a summons to dream and an invitation to initiate.
New Moon in astrology
In terms of astrology, the New Moon always aligns with the zodiac sign the Sun is currently moving through. For example, when the Sun is in Scorpio from Oct. 23 to Nov. 21, the New Moon for that cycle will also be in Scorpio. Conversely, the Full Moon each month falls in the opposite zodiac sign; thus, if the Sun is in Scorpio, the Full Moon will be in Taurus. The cycle length between each sign’s respective New and Full moons is roughly six months.
New Moon practices and rituals
The energy we bring to the New Moon is the same energy we carry into the weeks ahead. Translation? Good vibes only, bro. Make a concerted effort to push out and away psychic vampires, naysayers and any lingering longing for exes. This is a time for imagining a future rather than examining the past. To quote a piece of wall art I saw at TJ Maxx: “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.”
Short-term goals set during the New Moon will build over the following two weeks as light gathers and the Moon waxes into fullness. Long-term intentions can be cast and cultivated over the course of the six months between the New Moon and its corresponding Full Moon.
The Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō celebrated the reaping of New Moon, writing:
“’Twas the new moon!
Since then I waited —
And lo! to-night!
[I have my reward!]”
The lessons of lunation are preparation and patience and — because you can’t have a fresh start with split ends — the day of the New Moon is ideal for scheduling a haircut. The days surrounding the New Moon are also an auspicious time to launch new business ventures, begin a workout regime or shoot your shot with a good-looking stranger.
Ready, set, intent
Just as demons must be called out by name and contracts made concrete by signatures, so too must our intentions be put to paper. Write down what you’re looking to call into your life over the next two weeks and what dreams and schemes you would like to make manifest over the course of the next six months. I like to add a little of my own blood to the ink, as it ties my vitality to the cause and makes me feel like Iggy Pop.
New Moon bath
A New Moon ritual bath is a perfect way to purify the body and clarify the mind. Salt licks us clean of debris, physical, spiritual and otherwise, so proceed by adding a generous shake of Himalayan salt to your bath water. Other options for soaking include dried flowers, essential oils and a heap of sugar to invite sweetness into your life. Light a candle before entering and take a moment to focus on what you would like to draw towards you in the weeks and months ahead. Now get in there ya filthy animal and feel your body supported and elevated by the element that it comes from, is made of. Let those blessed waters wash away any doubt and defeatist thinking. When you drain the tub imagine those limiting beliefs being carried away. Emerge empowered and grease up with a peppermint lotion to keep the feelings of freshness flowing.
Sex magic
The New Moon is perhaps the finest time to explore Sex Magic. Practitioners believe that the most potent space for spell casting, power collecting and desire manifesting is the moment of and before orgasm. Whether you get there with a little help from a friend or ideally, all by yourself baby, the key to success is to set a clear intention and conduct the entirety of your energy toward it. Results may vary, gratification guaranteed.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.