Self-Care For the New Moon

The moon is an important ally that helps us to embody and balance our Divine Feminine energies. When you align with the phases of the moon, you will naturally become more in tune with your feminine essence. The more sensitive and intuitive you become, the more you will feel the vast and strong energies surge with each moon phase.

Related Post: Self-Care for the Full Moon

The period around the new moon is a time for embracing newness in all forms. The new moon represents a fresh start and is a great time to go inwards, to create new ideas, set intentions, or dream about what it is that you really want in your life, at home, or in your career. Therefore, this is a great time to focus on manifesting your desires for the coming moon cycle!

As the night sky returns to darkness, we are reminded to consume less energy. Therefore, the new moon is less about action and more about rest, relaxation and recharging. This is necessary because the new moon tends to make people feel more emotional and tired, so the body and mind need extra quiet time. You might not feel like socializing or being around other people during this phase of the moon. This is not the time to stress yourself out with busy work, excessive going out or starting new projects, rather it is the time to plan and prepare yourself for what is to come.

Here are nine of my favorite self-care practices you can incorporate into your life in the days surrounding the new moon phase of each month.

Journaling Your Intentions

Manifestation is most potent during this phase of the moon. During this time, we're each being asked to go inwards and ask ourselves, "What is it that I truly want?" I have a moon journal that I write in once every quarter moon. If I get stuck in answering this question for myself, I usually draw an oracle or tarot card to help me focus on what it is that I can learn, let go of, or aim my attention on.

When setting intentions and goals, envision and picture all of the details of what you want and write it down. Ask yourself, "When I achieve this, what will it look like, taste like, sound like and feel like?" Get as specific as possible. Then, make sure you put your answers onto paper. We ground our wishes into this reality when we say them out loud and write them down. Writing or speaking our desires is always more powerful and intentional than just letting them float around in your mind space. If you care about something enough to write it down, then the Universe will pay attention and respond!

This is also a good time to start a vision board or dream board to help bring all of your intentions to life. You may also be feeling very practical at the start of each moon phase, so writing to-do lists, checklists or action plans can be helpful for when you're ready to get busy in the coming weeks.

Salt Baths and Energy Clearing

The new moon is a time of new beginnings. Therefore, it's a perfect time to clear your home, yourself and your crystals to prepare for a fresh start! When we create a regular practice out of smudging and cleansing with every new moon, then we are ensuring that our aura and home is thourougly cleared at least once a month! Here, you can learn 16 simple methods to clear your energy.

When smudging during the new moon, I take an 'out with the old, in with the new' approach. I create an intention by saying:

"Beloved and compassionate Spirits, please assist me in releasing any old, unwanted or harmful energies that are not in my highest Divine alignment. Please cleanse the energy in my body, my home and my Spirit to make way for new, fresh and pure energy. I command whatever is not for my highest good to leave now through the windows, doors, and cracks. Thank you."

I also encourage people to take a salt bath at least once a week, but especially during new moon. This simple practice helps to further cleanse and clear your auric field and encourages fresh, new energies to take hold. When doing a salt bath, make sure you use real, sea salt (not Epsom salt) as this is the best kind to use for energetic clearing. A cup or two of salt mixed with a warm bath can be very transforming. If you don't have time for a bath, then a foot soak or a good salt scrub can do the same job as long as your intention is to cleanse your aura of any unwanted energies.

Here's two of my favorite salt bath recipes for you to try: Lavender Eucalyptus Bath Salts and Detox Bath Recipe.

Quiet Time

The new moon is our reminder to slow down. If possible, try to lighten the load on your schedule and not plan excess events or activities for 2-3 days surrounding the new moon. You want to create space in your week for new energy to emerge. Be sure to schedule an hour or two of "self care time" into your calendar so that you remember to nurture yourself. By including it in your calendar, you're more likely to make your self care a priority.

You may notice that your body needs extra rest during this period. If you're able to, try to go to bed a little earlier than normal for a few days or give yourself permission to nap or lounge on the couch if time permits. Practice restorative yoga, meditate or spend quiet time in nature, as these are all going to help you to fill your cup back up. This is a time to be extra gentle with yourself!

I find that my Soul really needs to "tech detox" around the new moon. Too much technology and social media consumption can pull your energy out of alignment. Choosing to cut back on your screen time will allow you to restore your energy back into equilibrium.

New Moon Crystals

A good practice to remember is to clear your crystals during the new moon and charge them during the full moon. You should smudge them, rinse with water or bury your crystals in dirt or salt once a month to help clear them of unwanted or unhelpful energies.

During the new moon you can incorporate the following crystals into your self-care routines. For example, you can place them all around or inside of your New Moon Bath Ritual and can infuse your drinking water with them. I'd also recommend carrying one or more of the following crystals with you throughout the new moon week and sleeping with them under your pillow:

• Labradorite helps to enhance your intuition and inner guidance while increasing your communication with your Spirit Guides. It helps to bring more joy and positivity to your life.

• Moonstone supports healthy emotions by helping to calm the mind. This crystal assists with energetic shifts and encourages new beginnings.

• Amethyst helps to balance your mood by soothing anxious feelings that often arrive during the new moon. It can also help to clear and dissolve negativity.

• Fluorite assists you to connect with the higher guidance of your Angels and Spirit Guides. It also helps us in manifesting what is in our highest, Divine alignment and clears mental clutter.

• Turquoise is a beautiful stone that helps with exhaustion and promotes peace and calm. This a strong healing stone that can assist you in letting go of old hurts and traumas.