The new moon is your monthly invitation to begin again. Once every 29.5 days, the moon goes completely dark, and for a few quiet nights the sky offers you a blank page. What you write on it, what you dream, intend and commit to in that darkness, becomes the seed of everything that grows over the next month.
I fell in love with living by the moon years ago, long before it was trendy. At first it was simply a reason to light a candle and clean my house. Over time, it became the steady rhythm I came back to no matter what was happening in my life. Through seasons of building a business, seasons of motherhood, and seasons when I had to start over completely and rebuild my life from scratch, the new moon was always there, endlessly reminding me that every ending makes room for a beginning.
That's what I want for you. Not a pretty ritual you try once and forget. A rhythm you can return to every single month, one that helps you slow down, get honest about what you want, and become the woman who can receive it.
In this guide, I'll walk you through what the new moon really is, how it connects to our feminine cycles, and how to move through your everyday life, your love, your work, your home and your hardest seasons, with the new moon as your guide. Then we'll go step by step through a complete new moon ritual, how to prepare your home, how to set intentions that actually work, plus journal prompts, affirmations, body practices, and guidance for every zodiac sign.
So whether you're brand new to moon rituals or you've been manifesting for years, pour yourself a cup of tea. Let's begin in the dark, where all beautiful things begin.
What Is the New Moon, and Why Does It Matter?
The new moon happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. The side of the moon facing us receives no sunlight, so it disappears from the night sky. In astrology, this means the Sun and Moon are in the same sign at the same degree, a moment of union that marks the start of a brand-new lunar cycle.
I love that image. The Sun represents your identity, your will and your conscious self. The Moon represents your emotions, your intuition and your inner world. At the new moon, they meet. What you want and how you feel come into alignment, which is exactly why this is the most powerful time of the month to set intentions.
The magic of the dark
We live in a culture that worships the light. We celebrate visibility, productivity, results and being seen. But nothing in nature begins in the light. Seeds germinate underground. Babies grow in the womb. Ideas form in the quiet before we ever speak them.
The new moon honors that sacred darkness. It's the pause before the inhale. It's the moment when nothing is visible yet, but everything is possible.
What the new moon is for
The new moon is not a time for hustle or pushing. It's a time for:
Visioning what you want to experience over the next month (and beyond)
Setting intentions that are clear, heartfelt and specific
Planting seeds through small, meaningful first steps
Resetting your energy, your home and your mindset
Listening to your intuition about what's truly next
Think of the new moon as a monthly New Year's Day, minus the pressure. Twelve or thirteen fresh starts a year, each one carrying the flavor of the zodiac sign it lands in.
The New Moon and the Feminine: Why Women Feel It So Deeply
Women have always had a special relationship with the moon. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have linked the moon to the feminine: to fertility, intuition, the tides of emotion, and the cycles that move through our bodies and lives. The roughly month-long length of the lunar cycle is part of why so many traditions saw the moon as a mirror of the female body.
Whether or not you still have a menstrual cycle, you are a cyclical being. Your energy, creativity, confidence and need for rest naturally rise and fall. The problem is that most of us were taught to live on a straight line. Same output every day. Same energy every week. Always on, always available, always producing.
Living by the moon gives you permission to stop doing that.
Your inner winter
Many women who work with their cycles describe the new moon as an inner winter. It's the most inward, quiet, reflective phase. Energy is low, intuition is high, and the body asks for rest. If you've ever felt tired, tender or unusually introspective around the new moon, you're not imagining it. You're being invited to pause.
Honoring that pause is one of the most radical things a modern woman can do. When you rest at the new moon, you aren't falling behind. You're gathering the energy you'll need to rise with the waxing light.
A note for my sisters over 40
If you're in perimenopause, menopause or beyond, the moon can become your new rhythm. When your body's monthly cycle changes or ends, many women feel unanchored. The lunar cycle offers a gentle replacement: a monthly time to rest, reflect and reset that has nothing to do with your age or your hormones. It's simply there, every month, waiting for you.
Related: 8 ways to activate your divine goddess energy
How the New Moon Fits Into the Lunar Cycle
The new moon is the starting point of a cycle that takes about 29.5 days. Understanding the full cycle helps you see that your new moon intention isn't a one-night wish. It's a seed you'll tend all month long.
The most powerful way to manifest with the moon is to treat the new moon and the full moon as partners. You plant at the new moon, and about two weeks later, the full moon shows you what's growing and what needs to be released.
How to Move Through the New Moon Week: A Day-by-Day Rhythm
The new moon isn't a single night. It's a small season of its own, about a week long, that starts in the darkness and ends as the first sliver of light appears. When you treat it as a gentle week-long rhythm instead of a one-night event, you stop rushing your intentions and start actually living them.
Here's the rhythm I follow every month.
Three days before: slow the pace
As the moon wanes to nothing, start pulling back. Say no to the extra plans. Leave a little more white space in your calendar. This is when you begin your dark moon release (more on that below): clearing your space, finishing loose ends and noticing what's ready to go.
You may feel more tired, more emotional or more inward-looking. That's not a problem to fix. It's your body syncing with the quietest part of the cycle.
The day before: clear and complete
This is your reset day. Wash your sheets. Clean out the fridge. Clear your desk. Write your release list and let it go. Take a long shower or bath and imagine the last month rinsing away. Go to bed early.
New moon day: dream and decide
This is the most potent day of the cycle for intention setting. Keep your schedule as light as life allows. Spend time alone, even if it's just twenty minutes in the car before you walk into the house. In the evening, do your new moon ritual (I'll walk you through mine step by step below) and set one to three intentions.
This is a day for receiving, not pushing. Don't launch the big thing, make the big announcement or force the hard conversation today. Plant the seed and let it rest in the dark.
Days one through three after: take the first step
The energy begins to shift from receptive to active. This is when you take your first aligned action: the email, the phone call, the sign-up, the first workout, the first page. Small and real beats big and imaginary.
Keep your intentions somewhere you'll see them every day, and read them in the morning before you check your phone.
When the first crescent appears: say thank you
About two or three days after the new moon, the first thin crescent appears in the western sky just after sunset. Many traditions consider this a beautiful moment to make a wish. Step outside, find her, and silently say thank you, as if what you asked for is already on its way. Then carry that feeling into the rest of the month.
Living the New Moon in Every Area of Your Life
The new moon isn't only for candles and journals. Its energy of rest, reset and beginning can shape how you move through your whole life. Here's how I bring it into each area.
In love and relationships
The new moon is a beautiful time to get honest about what you want in love, whether you're single, dating, married or healing from a breakup. Instead of focusing on a specific person, focus on how you want to feel and how you want to be treated. Write down the qualities of the love you're calling in, and the ways you're ready to show up differently yourself.
If you're partnered, try a simple new moon ritual together: each of you shares one thing you're grateful for in the relationship and one thing you'd love to create together this month. It's a small, sweet way to keep beginning again with each other.
In money and abundance
Think of the new moon as your monthly money date. Open your accounts. Look at what came in and what went out, without shame. Clean out your wallet and organize your bills. Then set one financial intention: a savings goal, a debt to pay down, a price to raise, a new income stream to explore.
Money responds to attention. When you look at it lovingly once a month, you build a relationship with it, and that relationship changes everything.
In your work and business
The new moon is perfect for planning, not pushing. Use it to map out the month ahead, brainstorm ideas, clean up your workspace and decide what your one big focus will be. Save the launches, pitches and big announcements for the waxing moon in the days and weeks after, when the energy naturally builds toward visibility.
If you run your own business, try aligning your content and offers with the lunar cycle: plan at the new moon, create during the waxing moon, launch near the full moon, and rest and review as it wanes.
In your home
Your home is the container for your life, and the new moon is the perfect time to reset it. One drawer, one closet, one shelf at a time. Swap your sheets, open the windows, bring in fresh flowers and light a candle in the room where you spend the most time. When your space feels fresh, you feel fresh.
In motherhood and family
As a mom, I know how hard it can be to carve out time for yourself. The new moon reminds me that I can't pour from an empty cup. Even fifteen quiet minutes after the kids are in bed counts.
You can also share the moon with your little ones. Show them the moon phases, step outside to look for the first crescent together, or have each person in the family share one wish for the month at dinner. Children love ritual, and you're teaching them that every month brings a new chance to begin.
In friendships and community
The new moon is a lovely time to notice who fills your cup and who drains it. Reach out to a friend you've been missing. Gently create space from a relationship that keeps leaving you depleted. Or gather a few girlfriends for a new moon circle with tea, journals and candles. There is real magic in women setting intentions together.
When You Don't Feel Like It: The New Moon in Hard Seasons
Some months, you'll feel inspired and ready to dream. Other months, you'll be grieving, exhausted, overwhelmed or simply getting through. I want to speak to you in those months too, because that's when the new moon can matter most.
You don't have to feel hopeful to begin again
There were new moons in my own life when I had no idea what I wanted. When everything I'd planned had fallen apart and I was simply trying to put one foot in front of the other. On those nights, I didn't write big intentions. I wrote one sentence: "I am willing to be shown the way."
That counts. Willingness is a seed too.
Shrink the ritual to fit your life
If you're in a hard season, let your ritual be small. Light one candle. Take three deep breaths. Write one word for how you want to feel this month: rested, safe, steady, hopeful. That's enough. The moon doesn't measure your effort. She simply offers you the opening.
Let the new moon be about care, not achievement
In hard seasons, your intentions might be about survival and softness rather than growth and goals. "I'm drinking more water." "I'm asking for help." "I'm going to bed by ten." "I'm letting myself cry when I need to." These are sacred intentions. Caring for yourself when life is hard is one of the most powerful things you will ever manifest.
Remember that the light always returns
This is the deepest lesson the moon has taught me. Every single month, she disappears completely. And every single month, without fail, she comes back. If you're in your own dark moon right now, please hold on to that. Your light is coming back too.
And if you're carrying something that feels too heavy to hold alone, please reach out to a therapist, counselor or someone you trust. Asking for support is one of the bravest beginnings there is.
How to Find the New Moon Each Month (and What to Know About Eclipses)
You don't need to memorize an astrology calendar to live by the moon. A few simple habits will keep you in rhythm all year.
Use a moon phase app or calendar. Most astrology apps, and even many weather apps, show the moon phase and the sign it's in. Look up the year's new moons each January and add them to your planner or phone calendar with a reminder two days ahead.
Look up at the sky. When the moon is a thin crescent in the early morning before sunrise, the new moon is only a few days away.
Know the sign pattern. The new moon always falls in the same sign as the Sun. So the new moon that lands during Aries season (roughly late March to mid-April) is in Aries, the one during Taurus season is in Taurus, and so on around the zodiac. Once you know whose season it is, you know the new moon's sign.
Notice your body. Over time, many women start to feel the new moon coming before they check the date: a dip in energy, a pull inward, a longing to clear things out.
What about eclipses?
A few times a year, a new moon lines up so precisely with the Sun and Earth that it becomes a solar eclipse. Astrologers often describe eclipses as new moons turned all the way up. They tend to bring sudden turning points, unexpected doors opening, and changes that feel fated.
Because eclipse energy is so unpredictable, many astrologers suggest keeping eclipse rituals simple. Rather than trying to force a specific outcome, set an intention to be open to the path that's truly meant for you, and let the universe surprise you. Rest more around eclipse dates, avoid making rushed decisions, and pay attention to what shows up in the weeks that follow.
Before the New Moon: The Dark Moon Release
The days right before the new moon are what many call the dark moon. This is the part of the cycle most people skip, and I believe it's the secret to new moon rituals that actually work.
Here's why. You can't plant a garden in soil that's still full of last season's roots. If you set new intentions while you're still carrying old disappointments, old resentments and old clutter, those intentions have nowhere to grow. The dark moon is when you clear the ground.
Three things to do in the dark moon days
Finish or release what's lingering. Look at your to-do list, your inbox and your commitments. Complete what can be completed, and consciously let go of what you're no longer going to do. Unfinished business drains energy.
Write a release list. Grab a piece of paper and write down everything you're ready to leave behind. Habits, fears, beliefs, situations, even specific thoughts you're tired of thinking. Then burn it safely, tear it up, or bury it.
Rest more than you think you need to. Go to bed early. Cancel the plan you didn't really want. Take a bath instead of a workout. The dark moon is a deep exhale, and your nervous system will thank you for it.
When you arrive at the new moon having already let go, your intentions feel lighter, clearer and so much more possible.
A Step-by-Step New Moon Ritual (The One I Come Back to Every Month)
This is the full ritual I do myself. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and you can do it the night of the new moon or within about two days after. Don't worry about the exact minute of the new moon. Your presence matters far more than perfect timing.
What you'll need: a candle (white for clarity, or a color that matches your intention), your journal and a beautiful pen, a glass of water, a crystal or two, and something fresh like a flower, a sprig of rosemary or a small plant.
Prepare your space. Tidy the room where you'll do your ritual. Open a window for a few minutes to let fresh air in. Dim the lights and put your phone on do not disturb.
Cleanse your energy. Take a shower or bath first if you can, imagining the water rinsing away the past month. Then light incense, palo santo or a cleansing candle, and let the scent move through the room.
Ground yourself. Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor. Close your eyes and take ten slow breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. With each exhale, let your shoulders drop a little more.
Light your candle with intention. As you light it, say out loud: "I welcome this new beginning. I am open to receiving what is meant for me."
Reflect on the last cycle. Before you look ahead, look back. Write down what you're proud of from the last month, what you learned, and what you're grateful for. Gratitude is the soil that new intentions grow in.
Feel into your desire. Close your eyes again and ask: what does my heart truly want right now? Not what you think you should want, or what would impress people. What would make you feel alive? Let the answer come as a feeling first.
Write your intentions. Write one to three intentions in the present tense, as if they're already true. (I'll show you exactly how in the manifestation section below.)
Choose one aligned action. For each intention, write one small step you'll take in the next 48 hours. This is how you tell the universe you're serious.
Speak it out loud. Read your intentions aloud, slowly, with feeling. Your voice carries energy, and hearing yourself claim your desires changes something inside you.
Seal the ritual. Drink your glass of water as a symbol of taking these intentions into your body. Thank the moon, your guides, or simply yourself for showing up. Blow out or snuff the candle (or let it burn safely while you stay nearby).
Keep your journal page somewhere you'll see it. You'll return to it at the full moon, about two weeks from now.
Preparing Your Home for the New Moon
There is nothing I love more than freshening up my space for a new moon. Your home holds energy, and when it's cluttered and stagnant, your intentions feel cluttered and stagnant too. A new moon home reset doesn't have to take all day. It just has to be intentional.
Slow down and get centered in your sanctuary
Before you clean a single thing, sit down in your sanctuary or a quiet reading corner. Take a few deep breaths and ask yourself what you want to feel in your home this month: calm, joy, romance, focus, abundance. Let that feeling guide everything you do next.
Clean out stagnant spaces, by intention
Cleansing makes room for new things. Even if you're not in the mood, remind yourself that every drawer you clear is space you're creating for something better. Focus your reset on the area of life you want to grow:
Health and wellness: Clean out your fridge and fill a pitcher of water with berries or citrus so you're more likely to hydrate.
Mindset: Toss old mail, wipe your counters with a citrus cleanser, and organize your junk drawer.
Confidence: Clear out your closet. Donate clothes that carry old, stagnant energy and make room for a new look and a new you.
Finances: Clean out your wallet, your planner, your files and your bill-paying area. Organize your purse.
Career: Clear your desk and home office, and create one new system for your work. My guide on how to feng shui your home office walks you through it.
If you want a deeper reset, I teach how to reset your home and your life inside my High Vibe Home workshop.
Bring in new blooms
Fresh flowers or a new plant always signify a new start for me. I especially love placing an orchid in the wealth corner of your home, the far-left back corner as you stand at your front door. Watching something new bloom through the lunar cycle is a beautiful daily reminder of what you're growing.
Cleanse your crystals and create an altar
The new moon is the perfect time to cleanse your crystals. Since there's no moonlight on the new moon itself, you can cleanse them with sound, smoke, or by resting them on a bed of salt, then set them on your windowsill to charge as the moon grows. Then set up a small spiritual altar with:
A white candle for clarity
Crystals like clear quartz, moonstone or labradorite
Your written intention or affirmation
Fresh flowers or herbs
Anything that symbolizes a new beginning for you
Ignite your fresh start with fire
In feng shui, the fire element activates energy and intention. Each time I light a candle during the new moon cycle, I say a mantra or affirmation for something I want to manifest. Really mean it when you say it. You can also do a palo santo cleansing ritual through your home, moving clockwise from your front door through each room.
You can also do a sage/palo santo burning and cleansing ritual. It will have a beautiful effect in your home refresh for the new moon. I always love getting into these beautiful rituals.
Inside the Manifestation Queen Membership, we do monthly New Moon meditations and breathwork live together — and they are transformative. Breathwork or Guided Meditation
How to Set New Moon Intentions That Actually Work
Here's the big sister truth I wish someone had told me sooner: most intentions don't fail because the universe isn't listening. They fail because they're vague, they're coming from fear, or we write them down and never think about them again.
Manifestation isn't just about what you want. It's about who you're becoming. These are the principles that have made the biggest difference for me and the women I mentor.
1. Choose fewer, deeper intentions
It's tempting to write a list of twenty wishes. Resist. One to three intentions gives your energy somewhere to focus. Ask yourself: if only one thing changed this month, what would make the biggest difference in how I feel?
2. Write from your heart, not your head
Your mind will try to write what's sensible or impressive. Your heart knows what you actually want. If writing an intention doesn't make you feel a little flutter of excitement (or even a little nervous), dig deeper. Joy and desire are the fuel.
3. Write it like a story, in the present tense
Don't just list goals. Write a scene as if it's already happening. How does it feel? Where are you? Who are you with?
Instead of: "I want more money." Try: "I'm sitting at my kitchen table on a Sunday morning, coffee in hand, reviewing my business numbers, and I feel calm and proud because I'm earning more than I ever have doing work I love."
The more sensory detail you include, the more real it feels to your nervous system.
4. Focus on the feeling
If you're not sure exactly what you want, start with how you want to feel. Safe. Free. Adored. Abundant. Rested. Then ask what would create that feeling. Sometimes the universe has a better route to your feeling than the one you'd have picked.
5. Release the limiting belief underneath
Every desire comes with a quiet "but." I want to start my business, but I'm not good enough. I want love, but I always get hurt. Write down the "but," then burn or tear up the paper to symbolically clear the fear and make room for belief.
6. Visualize daily
Spend five minutes each morning visualizing your intention as already real. Feel it in your body. Let yourself get emotional. The universe responds to vibration, not just words.
7. Speak it out loud
Don't underestimate the power of your voice. Say your intentions with confidence, and for a self-worth boost, say them while looking in the mirror.
8. Take aligned action
Intentions without action are just wishes. Every new moon intention needs at least one small, real step within 48 hours. Send the email. Book the appointment. Open the savings account. Action is how you prove to yourself that you believe it's possible.
9. Check in at the full moon
About two weeks after the new moon, reread your intentions. What's already shifting? What's resisting? What do you need to release? This check-in is what turns a one-time ritual into a monthly practice of growth.
If you want to go even deeper, my list of the 12 best manifestation books is full of the teachers who shaped how I manifest.
New Moon Journal Prompts
Choose one or two prompts from each group, or work through one group per new moon. Write until you get past the polite answer and into the honest one.
Reflecting on the last cycle
What did the last month teach me about myself?
What am I most proud of, even if no one else noticed?
What drained my energy, and what am I ready to stop doing?
Getting clear on desire
What am I ready to call into my life right now?
If I fully trusted myself, what would I do next?
What would I want if I knew I couldn't fail and no one would judge me?
Which area of my life is most ready for a fresh start?
Uncovering what's in the way
What's been holding me back, really?
What belief about myself would I have to let go of to receive what I want?
Where am I waiting for permission that I can give myself?
Becoming her
Who is the woman who already has what I'm calling in?
How does she spend her mornings? What does she no longer tolerate?
What is one thing she would do this week that I can do too?
New Moon Affirmations
Pick one affirmation to anchor you for the whole lunar cycle. Write it somewhere you'll see it every day, like your bathroom mirror, your phone lock screen or the first page of your planner, and repeat it morning and night.
I am a powerful magnet for aligned opportunities.
I trust the timing of my life.
Everything I desire is already on its way to me.
I begin again with grace, as many times as I need to.
I am allowed to want more, and I am worthy of receiving it.
What is meant for me cannot miss me.
I plant my intentions with love and tend them with patience.
I release what was, and I welcome what's becoming.
My dreams are seeds, and I am the gardener.
I am becoming the woman who already has it all.
Body and Embodiment Rituals for the New Moon
The new moon isn't only mental or spiritual. It's deeply physical. Your body needs to feel safe enough to hold your next-level desires. If your nervous system is anxious and depleted, it will quietly resist the very things you're calling in, because anything new can feel like a threat.
These practices help your body catch up to your intentions.
Move your body intentionally
Try yin yoga, intuitive dance, or a slow walk under the dark night sky. As you move, ask your body: what do you need to release? What do you need more of? Then listen without judgment.
Breathwork or guided meditation
Connect your breath to your intention. A simple practice: breathe in for four counts while silently saying your intention, hold for four, and breathe out for six while letting go of any tension. Repeat for five minutes. A short guided new moon meditation can also help you ground, clear your energy and receive intuitive downloads.
Nourish yourself like the woman you're becoming
On the night of the new moon, cook something warm and nourishing, eat slowly, and set the table beautifully even if you're eating alone. Treating your body with care is an act of self-worth, and self-worth is the foundation of everything you manifest.
Create a ritual bath
Add Epsom salt, a few drops of an essential oil you love, and fresh herbs or petals to a warm bath. As you soak, picture the past month dissolving into the water. Before you get out, place your hands on your heart and repeat your new moon intention three times.
Rest without guilt
Sometimes the most powerful new moon ritual is a long night of sleep. If your body is asking for rest, give it rest. Your intentions will still be there in the morning, and you'll meet them with so much more energy.
What to Do When the New Moon Is in Each Zodiac Sign
Every new moon carries the flavor of the sign it lands in. Think of it like the weather: the new moon is always a time for beginnings, but an Aries new moon feels like a bright spring morning, while a Scorpio new moon feels like a candlelit night in November. When you set intentions that match the sign's energy, you're working with the current instead of swimming against it.
The new moon falls in each sign during that sign's season, so you'll meet each one about once a year. Below, I've grouped them by element, because each element shares a deeper theme:
Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) are for courage, creativity and expansion.
Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) are for building, nourishing and grounding.
Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) are for ideas, connection and communication.
Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) are for emotion, intuition and healing.
For each sign, you'll find the energy of that new moon, what to focus your intentions on, what to do, a journal prompt, an affirmation, and the colors and crystals that support it.
New Moon in Aries (during Aries season, late March to mid-April)
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, so this is the new moon of pure beginnings. It arrives with the first warm days of spring, full of fire, courage and impatience in the best possible way. This is the moon that says stop waiting until you feel ready and simply start.
Focus your intentions on: courage, independence, starting something new, leading your own life, physical energy.
What to do:
Start the thing you've been putting off. Not all of it, just the first step.
Write a confidence letter to yourself as if you've already accomplished your big goal, then light a red candle and read it aloud.
Move your body in a way that makes you feel strong: a brisk walk, a dance class, lifting weights.
Clear your entryway and front door, the place where new energy enters your home.
Journal prompt: Where in my life am I waiting for permission, and what would I do if I gave it to myself today?
Affirmation: I am brave enough to begin.
Colors and crystals: red and bright orange; carnelian, red jasper, clear quartz.
New Moon in Leo (during Leo season, late July to late August)
Leo is ruled by the Sun, and its new moon is warm, radiant and generous. It lands in the heart of summer, when everything is in full bloom, and it invites you to bloom too. This is the moon of being seen, of creativity, of joy and of loving yourself out loud.
Focus your intentions on: confidence, visibility, creativity, romance, play, self-expression.
What to do:
Do a glow-up activation in front of the mirror: dance, pose and speak your affirmations until you smile.
Share something you've been hiding: your art, your writing, your business idea, your real opinion.
Plan something purely for joy, like a date night, a day trip or a creative afternoon.
Refresh the most visible spaces in your home with flowers, gold accents and warm light.
Journal prompt: If I wasn't afraid of being too much, how would I show up in the world?
Affirmation: I was made to shine, and I give myself permission to be seen.
Colors and crystals: gold, sunflower yellow and warm orange; citrine, sunstone, tiger's eye.
New Moon in Sagittarius (during Sagittarius season, late November to late December)
Sagittarius is the adventurer and philosopher of the zodiac. Its new moon arrives as the year winds down, lifting our spirits with optimism and faith. It asks you to dream bigger, believe more boldly and say yes to the life that's calling you.
Focus your intentions on: travel, learning, faith, freedom, expansion, big-picture dreams.
What to do:
Create a future self map, a visual roadmap of where you want to be in twelve months. Light a yellow or purple candle and place it where you'll see it often.
Sign up for the class, book the trip or buy the book you've been eyeing.
Spend time outdoors and let your mind wander.
Clear out bookshelves and travel spaces, and make room for new adventures.
Journal prompt: What would my life look like if I trusted that the universe is always conspiring in my favor?
Affirmation: My life is expanding in beautiful and unexpected ways.
Colors and crystals: royal purple, deep blue and turquoise; turquoise, lapis lazuli, amethyst.
New Moon in Taurus (during Taurus season, late April to mid-May)
Taurus is ruled by Venus, and its new moon is lush, sensual and grounded, arriving when spring is at its most beautiful. It asks what you value, what you believe you're worth, and how much pleasure and abundance you're allowing yourself to receive.
Focus your intentions on: money, self-worth, beauty, comfort, your body, stability.
What to do:
Create a luxury vision board of the lifestyle you desire. My vision board ideas will help you get started.
Have a money date: review your finances lovingly and set one abundance goal.
Indulge your senses with a beautiful meal, fresh flowers, a new candle or soft linens.
Activate the wealth corner of your home with a healthy plant or an orchid.
Journal prompt: What would I allow myself to have if I truly believed I was worthy of it?
Affirmation: I am worthy of beauty, pleasure and abundance.
Colors and crystals: emerald green, blush pink and cream; rose quartz, emerald, green aventurine.
New Moon in Virgo (during Virgo season, late August to mid-September)
Virgo is the sign of devotion, health and refinement. Its new moon lands as summer ends and the back-to-school energy kicks in, the perfect moment to reset your routines and get your life in order. It reminds you that small, consistent rituals create big change.
Focus your intentions on: health, habits, organization, service, work routines.
What to do:
Clean one space in your home with full intention, saying aloud: "As I create space around me, I create clarity within me."
Design a simple morning or evening routine you can actually keep.
Book the appointment you've been avoiding, whether it's the doctor, the dentist or the financial planner.
Reorganize your pantry, fridge or medicine cabinet.
Journal prompt: Which one daily habit would change my life the most if I committed to it this month?
Affirmation: I care for my life with devotion, one small ritual at a time.
Colors and crystals: sage green, soft taupe and navy; amazonite, moss agate, fluorite.
New Moon in Capricorn (during Capricorn season, late December to mid-January)
Capricorn, my own sign, is the builder of the zodiac. Its new moon often lands right around the turn of the calendar year, which makes it the perfect moment to set intentions that will carry you through the next twelve months. Capricorn asks you to stop wishing and start laying foundations for a life that lasts.
Focus your intentions on: career, long-term goals, discipline, legacy, structure, reputation.
What to do:
Write three big goals on separate pieces of paper. Under each one, write the very first action step, and take one of them within 48 hours.
Set up your planner or calendar for the months ahead.
Clean and organize your home office or desk. My guide on how to feng shui your home office walks you through it.
Reach out to a mentor or someone whose path you admire.
Journal prompt: What do I want to have built one year from now, and who do I need to become to build it?
Affirmation: I am building a life I'm proud of, one steady step at a time.
Colors and crystals: charcoal, deep brown and black; garnet, onyx, smoky quartz.
New Moon in Gemini (during Gemini season, late May to mid-June)
Gemini is curious, social and quick-witted. Its new moon arrives as summer begins, lighting up your mind and your voice. It's ideal for anything involving words, learning, ideas and connection.
Focus your intentions on: communication, writing, learning, networking, social life, mental clarity.
What to do:
Free-write for ten minutes without stopping about everything you want, then read your favorite lines aloud.
Start the blog, newsletter, podcast or journal you've been thinking about.
Have the honest conversation you've been rehearsing in your head.
Clean out your inbox, unsubscribe from what you don't read, and clear your phone's camera roll.
Journal prompt: What story am I ready to tell, and who needs to hear it?
Affirmation: My voice matters, and I express myself with clarity and ease.
Colors and crystals: soft yellow, mint and white; citrine, agate, blue lace agate.
New Moon in Libra (during Libra season, late September to mid-October)
Libra is ruled by Venus and devoted to love, beauty and balance. Its new moon arrives in early autumn, inviting you to restore harmony in your relationships, your home and yourself.
Focus your intentions on: love, partnership, beauty, balance, harmony, style.
What to do:
Create a love altar with roses, rose quartz and a written intention for the relationship you desire, with yourself or someone else. My guide to feng shui for love pairs beautifully with this ritual.
Refresh your bedroom with fresh sheets, pairs of objects and soft lighting.
Mend a relationship that needs care, or gently release one that's out of balance.
Treat yourself to a beauty ritual: a facial, a new fragrance, a fresh manicure.
Journal prompt: Where in my life am I giving more than I'm receiving, and how can I restore balance?
Affirmation: I attract love, harmony and beauty into every part of my life.
Colors and crystals: blush pink, lavender and soft blue; rose quartz, jade, kunzite.
New Moon in Aquarius (during Aquarius season, late January to mid-February)
Aquarius is visionary, independent and community-minded. Its new moon arrives in the depth of winter with a jolt of fresh, future-focused energy. It invites you to think differently, break free from old expectations and dream about the world you want to help create.
Focus your intentions on: innovation, freedom, friendship, community, your unique purpose.
What to do:
Write a manifesto for the life and the world you want to live in, then share one part of it with a friend.
Join or start a community, like a book club, a mastermind or a new moon circle.
Try something completely new that your usual self wouldn't do.
Rearrange a room in your home just to see it with fresh eyes.
Journal prompt: What makes me different, and how could that difference be my greatest gift?
Affirmation: I honor what makes me unique, and I use it to light the way for others.
Colors and crystals: electric blue, silver and violet; amethyst, aquamarine, labradorite.
New Moon in Cancer (during Cancer season, late June to mid-July)
Cancer is ruled by the Moon herself, which makes this one of the most emotional and nurturing new moons of the year. It arrives in early summer and turns your attention home: to family, to safety, and to the tender parts of you that need care.
Focus your intentions on: home, family, emotional healing, self-care, motherhood, feeling safe.
What to do:
Wrap yourself in a soft blanket, sip warm tea, and write a love letter to your younger self. Place it under your pillow overnight.
Cook a family recipe or a comforting meal and eat it slowly.
Create a cozy corner in your home that feels like a hug.
Call your mother, grandmother or a woman who mothered you, or honor her memory.
Journal prompt: What does my inner child need from me right now that she never got?
Affirmation: I am safe, I am held, and I give myself the care I deserve.
Colors and crystals: silver, pearl white and soft blue; moonstone, pearl, selenite.
New Moon in Scorpio (during Scorpio season, late October to mid-November)
Scorpio is the sign of death, rebirth and power. Its new moon arrives as the leaves fall and the nights grow long, and it is one of the most intense and transformative of the year. This is a portal for shedding old identities and reclaiming your strength. For a much deeper dive, read my feminine guide to Scorpio season.
Focus your intentions on: transformation, healing, intimacy, personal power, breaking patterns, shared finances.
What to do:
Write down something you're ready to let go of. Burn it safely in a fireproof bowl and say: "I release this with love. I reclaim my power."
Journal on the prompt below and write honestly, without editing.
Clean out the hidden places in your home: under the bed, the back of the closet, the junk drawer.
Do a cord-cutting meditation to release energetic ties that still drain you.
Journal prompt: What version of me is ready to die so the real me can be born?
Affirmation: I release what was, and I rise more powerful than before.
Colors and crystals: black, burgundy and deep plum; obsidian, black tourmaline, garnet.
New Moon in Pisces (during Pisces season, late February to mid-March)
Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, the most spiritual, intuitive and dreamy of them all. Its new moon dissolves boundaries and opens you to inspiration, imagination and divine guidance. Because it closes the zodiac year, it's also a beautiful time for surrender and completion before Aries begins the cycle again.
Focus your intentions on: intuition, spirituality, rest, creativity, compassion, dreams.
What to do:
Write your intention on a small piece of paper and place it under your pillow. Keep a journal on your nightstand and record your dreams as soon as you wake.
Take a long ritual bath with salt and dried flowers.
Spend time near water: the ocean, a lake, even a quiet walk in the rain.
Begin a simple daily spiritual practice, like five minutes of meditation or prayer.
Journal prompt: If I trusted that I was being guided, what would I stop worrying about?
Affirmation: I trust my intuition, and I am always divinely guided.
Colors and crystals: sea green, lavender and soft aqua; amethyst, aquamarine, moonstone.
Go deeper with your birth chart
You can personalize every new moon even further by finding which house of your birth chart it lands in. That house shows the area of your life where the reset is landing most strongly. For example, a new moon in your second house points to money, while one in your seventh house points to relationships. If you'd love to understand your own chart, I offer a Rose Quartz birth chart reading.
Common New Moon Mistakes (and What to Do Instead)
I've made every one of these myself, so please hear this with love.
Writing a wish list and walking away. An intention you never revisit is just a hope. Reread it daily, or at least at the full moon.
Setting intentions from scarcity. "I need money so I'm not broke" carries the energy of fear. "I'm creating financial freedom and ease" carries the energy of possibility.
Trying to control the how. Be clear on what you want and how you want to feel, then stay open to how it arrives. It often shows up in a way you never would have planned.
Skipping the release. New intentions need empty space. Always let something go before you call something in.
Waiting for the perfect moment. You don't need the exact minute, the right crystals or a picture-perfect altar. Two days after the new moon still counts. Showing up imperfectly beats not showing up at all.
Forgetting the action. The moon sets the energy, but you still have to take the step. Every intention deserves one real action within 48 hours.
Making it another thing to be perfect at. If your ritual starts to feel like a chore, simplify. A candle, one honest page in your journal and a deep breath is enough.
New Moon FAQ
What should you do on a new moon? On a new moon, rest, reflect on the last month, clear your space, and set one to three heartfelt intentions for the month ahead. Follow each intention with one small action within 48 hours.
How often is there a new moon? A new moon happens about every 29.5 days, so there is roughly one each month and, every couple of years, two in the same month. Each one falls in a different zodiac sign, moving through all twelve over the course of a year.
How long does new moon energy last? Most people work with new moon energy from the day of the new moon to about two or three days after. The intentions you set carry through the whole lunar cycle, until the next new moon about 29.5 days later.
Do I have to do my ritual at the exact time of the new moon? No. Anytime on the day of the new moon or within the following two days works beautifully. Your intention and presence matter more than precise timing.
What is the difference between the new moon and the full moon? The new moon is for beginnings: setting intentions and planting seeds. The full moon, about two weeks later, is for culmination and release: celebrating what has grown and letting go of what's no longer serving you.
What should you not do on a new moon? Avoid overcommitting, pushing yourself to exhaustion, or making intentions from fear. The new moon is a time for rest and receptivity rather than hustle.
What crystals are best for the new moon? Clear quartz for clarity, moonstone for intuition and new beginnings, labradorite for transformation, and black tourmaline for grounding and protection are all lovely new moon companions.
Can I manifest on a new moon if I'm a beginner? Absolutely. All you need is a quiet moment, a pen and an honest heart. Start with one intention and one action, and build from there each month.
Manifest With Me Every New Moon Inside Manifestation Queen
You can absolutely do every ritual in this guide on your own. But there is something different about manifesting in community. When a circle of women gathers under the same moon with the same devotion, the energy multiplies. You feel held, witnessed and supported, and you stop doing this alone.
That's why I created Manifestation Queen, my signature monthly membership for women who are ready to create a magical, abundant life by syncing with lunar energy.
Every new moon, we gather live for:
Deep, guided intention setting
New moon breathwork or meditation
Ritual guidance based on that month's zodiac energy
Journaling, oracle cards and real transformation
You'll also get a monthly manifestation workbook, manifestation trainings and rituals, and a community of high-vibe women who will cheer you on.
Join Manifestation Queen here and manifest with us live at the next new moon.
The Moon Is Listening
The new moon doesn't ask you to be perfect. It asks you to be present. To pause long enough to hear what your heart wants. To be brave enough to write it down. And to trust that what's meant for you is already finding its way to you.
You can begin again this month. And next month. And every month after that, for the rest of your life. That's the gift of living by the moon. There is always another beginning.
So light the candle. Write the page. Take the step. The moon is listening.
With love, Ashlina
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