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.

New Moon Bath Ritual

For me, taking a bath is always a good idea, but especially during the new moon. As you're pouring your bath, touch the water with your hands and charge it with your intentions and prayers. A new moon bath should focus on consciously releasing toxic and unnecessary energy, nurturing yourself, and recharging your mind and Spirit. You can also use your new moon bath to help prepare you for new goals and projects. I like to set the mood by dimming the lights, lighting some candles, and infusing my bath with crystals and relaxing music.

I also add 2-3 of my favorite bath time ingredients to the water for extra nourishment and self-care. Here's some amazing ingredients to utilize during the new moon.

Sea Salt to clear negative energies from your aura so you can let go of the old and create the new.
Bentonite Clay helps to detox the body and mind.
Honey is great for hydrating and softening skin. It also reminds us to savor the sweetness of slowing down.
Whole milk is often used in rituals to symbolize nourishment and fulfillment. It's known to soothe skin and promote healthy aging.
Essential oils are always a necessity for any of my baths! Add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oils to your bath or choose from the oils listed below.
Dried rosebuds or lavender can help to open our hearts, raise our frequency and calm our emotions. Plus, they smell divine!

I created this milk and honey bath ritual to nurture and recharge your body and Soul during the new moon. These two recipes would also be perfect to create during the new moon: Lavender Milk Bath or Detox Bath Recipe.

Essential Oils

Aromatherapy can assist you in balancing the heightened emotions and sensitivity you may be experiencing during the new moon. Essential oils can also encourage new beginnings and personal growth while helping you to anchor the Divine feminine qualities of the moon into your body.

Diffuse a combination of essential oils in your living and working spaces. You can intuitively mix 2 or 3 of the oils below in your diffusers or try this New Moon Diffuser Blend. You can also add these oils to your bath water and body lotion:

Rosemary for purification, healing, mental clarity and protection.
Lavender for emotional balance, calming and serenity.
Ylang Ylang for intuition, freedom, and joy.
Peppermint to remove mental blockages and heaviness.
Sandalwood for spiritual devotion and to remove distractions.
Vetiver to feel more grounded, centered and present.
Cinnamon Bark to remove fears and foster self-acceptance.
Cypress to release control and be more trusting, flowing and adaptable.
Patchouli to inspire body connection and overall balance.
Rose for healing wounds and embracing Divine love and compassion.

Each morning when I get out of the shower, I create an aromatic dressing with two or three of the above oils and lovingly anoint my whole body with self-love, compassion and intentions for the day. During the new moon, I consciously choose to work with oils that will nourish, recharge and support me. Here's two personal perfumes that I like to work with during this time: Surrender and Let Go Roller Blend and Divine Feminine Roller Recipe.

Tarot Spread

During this moon phase, your psychic senses, dreams and intuition are heightened. By slowing down during this time, you allow yourself to hear the whispers of the Other Worldly beings and Spirit Guides that are walking with you. You may find that it's easier to practice enhancing your intuitive abilities during the new moon period.

This is also a powerful time to work with your divination tools such as oracle cards, tarot cards, and pendulums. A simple Google search will bring up dozens of amazing ideas and spreads to ask your cards during the new moon.

Another technique that I love is to pull a single card once every quarter moon phase. This will help give you an outlook and focus on the upcoming seven days. Here's an example of how this might look:

New Moon - What are my intentions for the upcoming cycle? What new beginnings are awaiting me?
First Quarter, Waxing Moon - Where should I be focusing my energy and attention on this week? What new and exciting energies am I welcoming in this week?
Full Moon - What do I need to do to overcome blockages that prevent me from manifesting my desires? What achievements can I celebrate right now?
Third Quarter, Waning Moon - What am I releasing in my life? What do I need to let go of in order to move forward?

Release Ritual

The new moon period is also a time for death, rebirth and new beginnings. New seeds can't sprout when you're still holding on to density and old energies that no longer serve their purpose in your life. This release ritual comes from my Raise Your Vibration eBook and is perfect to do during the new moon:

To start, write a list of your burdens, anxieties, stresses and fears. Take note of anything that is weighing you down or causing you worry. Write down anything that you're wanting to release or let go of onto a piece of paper.

Next, go outside and dig a small hole in the ground. Call in your Spirit Helpers and Angels. Then, read your list out loud or in your mind, then rip up your paper into tiny pieces. Burry the pieces in the soil and pray that the Earth and your Spirit Allies help you to transmute these denser energies. Feel your burdens being released into the Earth and transformed by her healing power.

If the weather isn't cooperating, you can also perform the release ritual by setting your paper on fire and watching it burn to ashes. Once the ashes have cooled, you can dispose of them outdoors and let the wind take them away. You can continue to repeat this release ritual every new moon or whenever you feel called.

New Moon Tea Ceremony

There are some incredible new moon tea blends that can be used during this period to enhance your intuition, support your growth and provide the ultimate nourishment for your self care. I love working with nurturing herbs such as chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm during the new moon. You can make teas out of these or add them to your bath rituals.

Below is a DIY new moon tea recipe that is easy to make. It's super decadent and nurturing. It's just what the Soul needs during the new moon. As you make a new moon tea, be sure to infuse and bless it with your prayers and intentions for the upcoming cycle.