Need A Reset? The Best Time Is During The Next New Moon, According To Astrologers
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
Everyone knows that things get a little messy during a full moon. But with a cycle of 29.5 days, and eight unique phases, have you ever stopped to think about how the other phases of the moon may affect you? Like the mysterious antithesis to the full moon, perhaps? Yeah, I’m talking about the new moon.
While the full moon tends to bring intense vibes, the new moon is all about reset, rest, and relaxation. This is a time to concentrate on manifestation and bringing all things positive your way.
So light a candle, grab your notebook, and throw together your favorite refreshing beverage—it's time to unpack the meaning behind the new moon, and how you can use its energy to live your best life.
Meet the Experts: Julia Halina Hadas is a witch, cocktail mixologist, and author of The Modern Witchcraft Book of Astrology. Jessica Lanyadoo is a humanistic astrologer and author of Astrology for Real Relationships. Lisa Stardust is a New York-based astrologer, tarot card reader, and author of The Love Deck: 70 Cards to Ignite Attraction, Passion, and Romance.
What is a new moon?
Scientifically speaking, the new moon is when the moon is at a zero-degree alignment with the sun. During this precise timeframe, the moon is not reflecting sunlight and is therefore invisible here on Earth—typically, for a period of three or so days.
From an astrological perspective, the new moon rises and sets with the sun, and therefore “is in the same [zodiac] sign that the sun is in,” explains Julia Halina Hadas, a witch, cocktail mixologist, and author of The Modern Witchcraft Book of Astrology.
This is an exact contrast to the full moon—when the moon finds itself in the opposite sign of the sun.
What is the meaning of a new moon?
“It is the start of a cycle,” explains Jessica Lanyadoo, a humanistic astrologer and author of Astrology for Real Relationships. “It is when our feelings (the moon) and our will (the sun) are aligned.” The new moon is generally considered a time of reset—a period to both realign and start fresh. And, because the new moon will always be in the same sign as the sun, the general energy in the air will line up with the characteristics of that specific sign.
Each phase of the moon has its own meaning and energy, which interplays with the new moon energy. For instance, the next phase is the waxing crescent, which visually looks like a tiny sliver in the sky. It carries forward any work you do during the new moon: It's a time for growth, setting intentions, and asking yourself what it is you want to bring into your life, says Hadas—it represents “those first steps [of a cycle], a sense of limitless possibility.”
After is the waxing gibbous, which is when the results of your manifestation during the new moon will begin to appear. Hadas notes, however, that although this phase falls just before the full moon, there is still an opportunity to further refine your goals and put the finishing touches on the plans you've been making throughout the waxing cycle.
Later is the full moon, a.k.a., a period to focus on releasing what is no longer serving you, and bringing in the positive, explains Hadas. There's also energy and momentum that builds between the new moon and full moon—so you might begin to see the result of your new moon intentions by the time the full moon comes around.
Generally speaking, because the waning part of the lunar cycle is when the moon is lessening in light, this is a great time for forgiveness and letting go. “In order to allow things into your life, you have to have space,” says Hadas. “If you don't release, there is no way to achieve your goals.”
Next is the waning gibbous phase, which is all about gratitude. During the waning gibbous, you may choose to share appreciation for the results you've noticed from the previous lunar cycle, says Hadas. Lastly, the waning crescent, which is the final phase before the new moon, when the last little sliver of light can be seen in the sky. This phase is about ending and surrendering, says Hadas. “It's like snuffing out a candle. What do you want to release?”
What To Do During a New Moon
There are a number of ways to harness the energy and power of a new moon through various rituals, according to our experts. “Some people will focus on rest and relaxation as a reset,” Hadas explains, while others may use this time to "bring their intentions and desires into the world—to grow things alongside the growth of the moon.” How you utilize this reset, is up to you, but here are a few suggestions:
1. Take a healing bath.
Use epsom salt or fresh flowers to cleanse your energy, says Lisa Stardust, a New York-based astrologer, tarot card reader, and author of The Love Deck: 70 Cards to Ignite Attraction, Passion, and Romance. "The moon is associated with nurturing and our emotional nature," she says, so this is a great time for self-care and rest, especially since water can be healing. Plus, "since the moon controls the water, it's in the tides, taking a bath or going for a night swim or day swim is really important," she adds.
2. Make a vision board.
Create a literal vision of "everything that you want to bring into your life with your current aspirations," Stardust says. You can make it electronically using your computer or phone, or go old-fashioned and cut clips out of magazines and use printed photos. You might want to include sayings that motivate you and photos of what you want your life to look like, for example.
3. Journal.
"Journaling is a really big part of setting intentions that we can achieve through manifestation," Stardust says. After you write them down, keep track of them throughout the month during pivotal points. “I personally will sit down and set my monthly goals,” adds Hadas. Maybe you're going for a big job promotion, so you write about it in your journal. A few weeks after you've brought it up with your boss, check in again with them about it so you can keep that conversation going.
4. Try something new.
Remember, a new moon is literally a new beginning. "You can really kind of clear the slate and really just start fresh," Stardust says. Maybe you've always wanted to learn to box, so you finally sign up for a boxing class, or you get a totally new haircut. Heck, you can even start meditating more consistently. "It's important for us to connect to our body, mind, spirit, and heart during all of these lunations, because that way we can feel connected and grounded to the earth, and then we can really focus on bringing what we want to fruition," she adds.
What to Avoid During a New Moon
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end," Stardust says. So, even though new moons are a time where things are beginning again, it also mean that things are ending too. While there isn't really a specific wrong or right thing to do during new moons, Stardust advises not picking up a project that might have been on the back burner for a few months—instead, save that for a retrograde.
Are there any other important lunar events to know?
Although there are only eight phases of the moon, there are other lunar phenomena—specifically pertaining to the new moon—to keep an eye on. For example, there's the dark moon, notes Hadas. Although this is not a phase all witches, astrologers, or spiritual folks will observe, it is the period when you can't necessarily see the moon in the sky anymore, but it is not yet at that zero-degree alignment associated with the new moon. “Because it's dark and it's that period of being in limbo, it’s great for transformation and shadow work before we rebirth our energy with the new moon,” says Hadas.
A solar eclipse, which occurs around twice a year, can also only take place during a new moon. Both solar and lunar eclipses are incredibly powerful, and often linked to chaos. A new moon during a solar eclipse can therefore create the most dramatic changes in your lunar life throughout the year, notes Hadas.
All in all, the new moon is just another way to connect or reconnect to yourself and discover what it really is you want in life. “Every astrological myth, body, idea has something to offer us either on a magical level or a spiritual and healing level,” Hadas says. “Astrology helps bring in more balance. Wherever you’re at in your life, take a moment to reflect on what themes the energy of a sign offers you that you can tap into.”
When are the new moons of 2024?
As I said, each new moon falls within a specific astrological sign and they all have different themes, which can help you focus on something different during each month. Here's the new moon schedule for 2024, and some themes to guide you during that time, per Stardust:
New Moon in Capricorn – Thursday, January 11 – working towards your goals and planning for the future
New Moon in Aquarius – Friday, February 9 – freedom, innovation, scientific advancements, community
New Moon in Pisces – Sunday, March 10 – embracing intuition, deciphering fact from fiction, listening to dreams
New Moon Solar Eclipse in Aries – Monday, April 8 – intense, unpredictable energy, a drive for success, confrontation
New Moon in Taurus – Tuesday, May 7 – commitment, growing, connecting with others, sensual indulgence, creativity
New Moon in Gemini – Thursday, June 6 – expressing feelings, talking about emotions, planning, multitasking
New Moon in Cancer – Friday, July 5 – discovering what's nurturing and what to protect yourself from
New Moon in Leo – Sunday, August 4 – embracing creativity, being dramatic and theatrical, passionate, and loyal
New Moon in Virgo – Monday, September 2 – using analytical thinking to understand matters deeper
New Moon Solar Eclipse in Libra – Wednesday, October 2 – deciding what and who to partner with, how to find balance
New Moon in Scorpio – Friday, November 1 – setting boundaries, transformative energy, evolving
New Moon in Sagittarius – Sunday, December 1 – embracing and expanding philosophy, culture, information, and education, also arguing
New Moon in Capricorn – Monday, December 30 – developing ourselves or business strategies, working towards a goal, reflection and contemplating, assessing your current path and future
Remember, the new moon is a time to reset, so make sure you focus on using it to empower yourself and live your best life.
You Might Also Like
