What's the hype about New Moons

Our Moon circles the Earth approximately once a month, and it does it in a way that it appears to remain still to us observers from Earth. The Moon is tidally locked to the Earth. This means that the same side of the moon is facing the Earth at all times. As the Moon and Earth move around the Sun, the Moon is lit differently by the Sun, some times getting all the light from the Sun, when she is aligned with Sun and Earth but in the opposite side of the Sun, this is when we have a Full Moon- in this case there's no interference between Earth and Sun; then some times, then the Moon is reflecting no light to us, because it is in between the Earth and the Sun that's when we have a New Moon and our nights feel darker because there's no Sun light reflected from the Moon onto the Earth.

In addition, the gravitational force of our Moon causes the oceans to bulge outwards on both sides of the planet. The Moon pulls the water towards itself, changing different water bodies of the planet throughout the day. "This means any given area of Earth will experience a high tide (caused by this bulge) every 12 hours and 25 minutes." The pull from the gravitational force of the Moon affect all bodies of water.

Consider this: we are made of at least 70% water. So as the Moon is moving around the Earth and together they move around the Sun, the moon is affecting the water in us, in our bodies, in different ways, affecting our energy. Water represents the emotions, so as the waters are being affected, so are our emotions.

The Full Moon indicates completion, the New Moon indicates beginning, and this beginning happens after the "death" of the visual moon. These apparent changes of the moon, remind us how life in this planet is affected by constant changes, how after every death there's always a constant rebirth. This is why New Moons are referred to as a sign for HOPE, it is a perpetual second change that we get, a powerful and simple teaching that not only everything is subject to change, that we are subjected to phases, and that we are always being reborn into new opportunities.

The New Moon phase is like a clean slate or like an empty container, a time to reset, to re-organize, and to reaffirm, or even a time to let go of what didn't work.

I find this to be a time for powerful reflection, a self study about what didn't work since the last full moon, what can be changed? what can we take away, or what can we add into this new opportunity to go into a new cycle. The invitation is a profound one, it is an invitation to evaluate your, shadows, to gain new perspectives, to clean the slate and start anew, an invitation to evaluate your intentions and your goals: which are coming to completion? Which were not given energy and you may need to reaffirm or adjust?

Meditation is a powerful tool to bring awareness into our lives and New Moons are, too, a powerful time for meditation.

New Moon also relates to the womb, that "empty" and "dark" place where the creation of life takes place within a woman's body. This is why New Moons are popular for women's healing circle.

These are some of the practices you can perform during a new moon, and using one or all of them you can come up with your own ritual.

Light an incense...Smudge your space, and yourself with the intention of clearing the old. You may use Sage, Copal, Sandalwood, Mugwort or other cleansing herbs.

Light a candle to represent bringing light into darkness. The hope and the trust that Light always triumphs over darkness.

Let go of the old: what's not supporting your path and the path of your people? What can you forgive and forget?

Assess yourself: What are the aspect of your self that need too improve? What aspects of your personality may need to be reviewed, and how can you transform?

Write a powerful intention about this and commit to work on it for the next cycle.

Review your intentions, and write a new set of intentions.

\When writing intentions, write them in the present tense as if they are already happening. Write this with gratitude in your heart, and bring in some happiness to it. As an example, instead of writing "I want to be happy", write "I AM HAPPY!"

Remember, it is in giving that you receive, use this powerful time to write intentions for your people too and for the world: there's power in group prayer and group intentions and why not, just in case, write for a more peaceful, harmonious time on Earth FOR ALL!

Ultimately, intention is what's most important. You may just light an incense and sit in reflection checking with yourself and your life and that's as powerful when you are fully present in this exercise. Or you may join a group of like minded people, or if you are a woman, you may find a women's circle: Willing to come together to create space for the healing needed to happen for all involved is powerful!

I wish you a soothing passage into the new cycle.

AleMa