How to Honor the New Moon & Waxing Moon
In my last blog post, I spoke about honoring the Full and Waning Moon phases, so in this one, let’s explore the New & Waxing Moons!
When working with moon phases, we are called to pay attention to our feelings and emotions, the tug of our hearts, wombs, bodies and soul. Lunar energy has its own rhythm, which is not honored in our capitalist, patriarchal systems.
Like the Moon, we too are meant to ebb and flow, to rest and renew, to allow changes in our energy levels and productivity, our social habits and our perception. We can be multi-faceted. We can be moody, change our minds and hearts. We can have varying levels of energy. Yet we live in a world that often demands constant productivity, consistency, extraverted energy and sociability.
The New to Waxing Moon happens over a 2-week period before the Full Moon arrives in its bright beauty. This phase is one of planting, building, creating, and increase. This is a preferred energy by our social standards, making it often an easier energy to surf than the waning moon. However the New Moon itself can be challenging, or a mixed bag as the Full Moon often is.
The New Moon is a when the slate is wiped clean and a new cycle begins. The last cycle has ended and we have cleared some space for something new to be planted, or have a gem of wisdom to take with us into this next new cycle.
Sometimes the New Moon feels heavy, empty or challenging emotionally, as we may still be releasing the end of the last cycle and clearing space for the new. We may feel low energy, and people tend to hermit a bit still during this phase. This is all well and good, as it is important to honor your body and psyche’s needs at this time. Often we need some empty space in our schedule to process, and to allow ourselves to dream, and receive the new spark or seed to be planted into our new cycle.
There is often enthusiastic anticipation of this new beginning energy, and folks can’t wait to jump on manifesting their desires for this phase! I find it valuable however to allow for some pause around the New Moon for at least the first day or two to actually tune into your deepest self and needs, to allow the next cycle’s seeds of inspiration to rise up into awareness from within.
Planting seeds of intention may take several days or up to a week. It can take a while to feel a clear sense of what you desire and want to cultivate and grow. So, no need to rush into manifesting on the exact New Moon! Take your time to feel into what wants to come into being and build it gradually as the light increases.
New Moon Vibes
Keywords for the New Moon:
Rest
Dream
Renew
Begin
Open
Possibility
Receive
Inspiration
Hope
Excitement
Intention
Plant
Plan
Brainstorm
Experiment
Try
Seek
The New Moon is the transition between the archetype of an Elder and a Newborn, so in a sense it is like we can see the world with fresh eyes again around the New Moon. We can welcome a shift in perspective, one that holds both the wisdom of the last cycle and new hope and inspiration for the next.
This is the time to try something new, experiment, and be open to possibilities. Not everything we desire or plan at this time will be worth cultivating or make it to the Full Moon. However, at the New Moon, we can entertain possibilities and enjoy exploring and experimenting, so that at the 1st Quarter phase, one week later, we can narrow our focus and take action on something more specific, or in a specific way.
We may wish to plant a variety of seeds and see what takes until we can home in on what feels best or seems to be working. This is the time to experiment and be open!
Sometime around the New Moon, even if I’m not feeling particularly energetic, I find it helpful to get out for a walk, spend time in nature or somehow expose myself to inspiration, new ideas, and energies. If I just go out in public anywhere in the city, I often come across something- whether its hearing live music playing, having an interesting conversation with a store clerk, seeing a beautiful mural or a tree in the park, there’s always something that acts as a catalyst for my new intentions.
To honor the New Moon, I would suggest opening yourself to possibilities! Once the hermit phase is over, just get out and open to receive new inspiration. You can also do this through reading a book, or taking in media or entertainment of some kind. A seed will find its way to take root.
Ways to honor the New Moon:
Rest and pause so you can sense and feel what new energy is emerging
Putter, do simple daily tasks that allow your mind to wander and dream
Allow yourself to receive- take in nourishment for mind, body, heart and soul
Explore a subject you’re interested in online
Seek entertainment- ie) scroll on social media, see a play, watch a new show or movie
Get out for a walk
Have a conversation with a friend or a stranger
Seek out art, beauty, new scenery
Spend time in Nature
Practice openness and curiosity
Seek a shift in perspective
Write down desires and dreams- no matter how unrealistic or fantastical they seem
Envision your dream- create a vision board, begin to gather inspo, seek out resources
Brainstorm
Make a loose plan- know it can be refined and modified later
Write positive affirmations for yourself
Write down inspiring quotes
Seek out people who are doing what you want to be doing
Explore your options and don’t be afraid to experiment or try something new
Waxing Moon Energy- Build, nourish, prepare, create!
The Waxing Moon includes the Crescent Moon, First Quarter Moon and Gibbous Moon phases, which flow from one to the other up until the Full Moon, the peak of energy.
The waxing phases are about building, preparation and creation. They involve planting a seed of intention and nurturing that seed with actions and tending to see the result 2 weeks later at the Full Moon.
These phases are suitable for increasing, growth, and building something up, rather than releasing, letting go or breaking something down. Both energies can take place at once, as nature isn’t all or nothing! Often both things are happening at the same time, but the focus is on the building and growing aspect, as energies are rising to support growth, like in spring.
The Crescent Moon phase comes a few days after the New Moon, where we explored potential and dreamed. We may feel very vulnerable or hesitant during this phase, as we step out into the unknown (think the Fool card in Tarot), but we have to start somewhere. There is room to experiment here and focus on inspiration and positive potential as we embark on our journey forward. This phase asks us to summon our courage, take a little step out of our comfort zone. It can also be a gathering phase, in which we build up our resources in order to reach a goal.
The First Quarter Moon comes next, and here is a ‘crisis point’ similar to the 3rd Quarter Waning Moon, but it is more about how our external reality bumps up against our goals and hopes. We often need to take a bolder action of some kind. We may need to contend with an obstacle, internal or external, and adjust our course forward a bit. We may need to shift our expectations or take a different approach than we originally thought. It’s normal here to make a change, take a concrete action or meet an obstacle that actually helps us forward.
Finally, the Gibbous Moon phase leads us into the Full Moon. Here, the energy tide is high and building up to a crescendo. We may feel some pressure building up, to perfect our creation or reach our goal. This can be a busy time, as we prepare, focus and perfect what we are doing. There is also a bit of surrender needed here, as there is a lot of energy pushing us forward without us having to paddle the boat too much, as we’re already engaged and building something. The energy will find its way, we just may want to adjust the channel for its release into the best form we can.
What we plant, nurture, tend and manifest in the Waxing cycle may be something simple like trying a new class, implementing a new health routine, creating an altar, learning a new subject, nurturing a friendship or relationship, or it could be a career move, house or apartment hunt, or creative endeavor. It can also be about our inner work and healing, where we implement a new thinking habit, self-perception, healing modality, medicine or embrace a new attitude towards our life.
As we reach the Full Moon phase, it doesn’t mean the whole thing has to be done and figured out! Some manifestations take many moon cycles to manifest. Each one is a step along the way.
Once we come to the Full Moon, we can assess the peak culmination and the journey we took to get there. We then go on to integrate, process and release what we no longer need as the Moon wanes. What is meant to stay will stay, to be worked on some more in the next cycle, and what’s meant to leave will leave, if it proved not to support our purpose or goal. Read more about the Full and Waning Moons here.
What are you planting, nurturing, or building right now? A new sense of self? A creative project? A career goal or domestic goal?
Eclipses:
Currently we are building towards a Lunar Eclipse- thus what we are building or working towards is likely nothing entirely new, but an outgrowth of the challenges and turning points of March 2025, and September 2024. It may be feeling intense, as it is an extra powerful moon cycle. Lunar Eclipses are like extra powerful Full Moons that bring more long-lasting culminations, endings, accomplishments and changes than regular Full Moons. You can read more about eclipses and how to navigate them here and here.
How do you honor the New & Waxing Moon phases?
Share in the comments!
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