The Ultimate Guide to New Moon Intention Setting

In our fast-paced, constantly-connected world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and forget to set aside time for reflection and intention setting. If you’re looking to reset yourself and create brand new intentions for the upcoming weeks, there’s no better time than during the New Moon. Here is your guide to New Moon intention setting…

Disclaimer: This post contains links to products I believe to be useful to the reader, from which I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to the reader.

What is an Intention?

Intention setting is all about aligning your mind with your heart and asking the Universe to manifest things for yourself that you really want.

Whilst goals are often focused on a specific outcome that you want to achieve, an intention is the general direction you want your life to go in, and it’s about the feeling or behaviour you want to endure during the process.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight, your intention might be to eat healthy or exercise regularly. If your goal is to manifest more cash, your intention might be to look out for new opportunities or to show up for work as if you’ve already got the new promotion.

Why set intentions at the New Moon?

The moon cycle isn’t absolutely necessary for intention setting, it can be done anytime. However, we’ve all seen the powerful effects the moon has on the planet Earth, so it makes sense that we can use the powers of the moon to strengthen our intentions to the Universe. 

So whilst it can be done anytime, I do encourage intention setting during the New Moon phase. Whilst the full moon is about letting go, the New Moon is all about growth, it represents the beginning of a brand new cycle. 

Recommended: A Full Moon Release Ritual for Letting Go

When does the New Moon occur?

The New Moon happens every 29.5 days, or about once a month. It is the first phase of the lunar cycle, when the moon is not visible in the sky. It occurs when the moon is between Earth and the sun, so that the side of the moon facing Earth is lit up by sunlight. 

How to Set Powerful New Moon Intentions

Setting intentions can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. You can simply write them out and job done. However, some people – myself included- believe that a New Moon intention setting ceremony or ritual can enhance their experience and help them feel more connected to themselves spirituality.

Below I have detailed out a step-by-step guide to a New Moon Intention setting ceremony.

1. Create a safe space 

Find a space that allows you to feel comfortable and clear of negative energy. Have with you anything you think might help you to feel grounded. For example, candles, incense or crystals that calm you. 

On the other hand you might want to head down to the beach with your headphones in and listen to calming music. 

Everyone is different. The key thing is that the space you’re in allows you to have a clear mind and that can be hard if you’re surrounded by noise or distractions. 

TIP: Try a 7-day burning candle, these are perfect for intention setting rituals.

2. Ground / Cleanse / Clear 

Before beginning your intention setting, do some breathwork or meditation, or some sort of grounding or clearing exercise to cleanse your energy, and to hit the reset button on your mind, body & soul. 

This can help to balance you and ground you before you begin. If you’re not familiar with a grounding exercise, try this simple breathing exercise:

Wherever you are, sit and close your eyes, place your hands on your heart and take a big deep breath in, a big big big one, expanding your belly, then exhale slowly. Breathe in through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. Do this for a few minutes until you begin to feel relaxed and refreshed. 

3. Express Gratitude

I believe gratitude to be the most powerful and life-changing tool that we as human beings have. It is literally installed into us at birth, ready to be unlocked.

Asking the Universe to provide you with everything you want is an ask, so it’s only right that you first be grateful for what you have already have. 

It’s up to you how you decide to express gratitude. I do so by writing a letter to the Universe, thanking her for everything she has allowed to come into my life thus far and asking her to grant me even more wonderful things.

You may want to add in more specific things you are grateful for, but here is an example of a Gratitude letter:

Dear Universe,

Thank you for all that you have provided me with and blessed me with. Thank you for protecting ___. Thank you for ___ and of course for ___. I am forever grateful for everything you do for me and my family. 

Please help me tune into my true potential, power and goodness as I embark on the upcoming weeks. Please help me to better my existence and bring love, happiness and wealth into my life. 

Peace, Love and so much Gratitude

[name]

4. Pull Cards for Guidance 

As the New Moon is a time of new beginnings, using oracle cards or tarot cards can help you gain clarity on what it is you’re calling in over the coming month, or what direction you’re going in. Here are my favourites to use:

• Moonology Oracle Cards
• Rebecca Campbell Starseed Oracle Cards
• Rebecca Campbell Rose Oracle Cards
• Traditional Tarot Deck

Additionally, using the manifesting powers of the New Moon combined with tarot or oracle cards can help you program them with your specific intentions for what you want to create or accomplish. 

Tarot and oracle cards can also be helpful in gaining insights into yourself and understanding your own personal journey. Therefore, using them for your New Moon intention setting ritual can help you to connect more deeply with yourself and obtain greater clarity about your life path.

5. Journal out your New Moon intentions

Don’t rush this part, the idea is to open your heart as well as your mind! As I mentioned earlier, this isn’t goal setting, we are asking the Universe to manifest our dreams and help us step into who we need to show up as. 

Here are some New Moon journal prompts to help you gain clarity on your New Moon intentions:

• Who do I desire to show up as this month? 
• What do I want to experience? 
• How do I want to feel?
• What am I calling in?

When writing your specific New Moon intentions, refrain from using “I want” or “I wish” or “Can I have…” You are manifesting, which means you are creating, and you should create from a place as if it already is in existence (because it is).

Instead, use “I am” or “I have” or as I discovered more recently and have started implementing “I am creating”, here are some New Moon intention setting examples…

• “I am opening myself up to…”
• “I am creating…”
• “I have determination within me to…”
• “I am opening myself up to receive….”
• “I am receiving…”
• “I am feeling…” 
• “I have…”
• “I am being guided to…”

If you really desire something but aren’t sure how you are going to get there, try using ‘opportunity’. So let’s say you desire to travel but you’re not sure how that’s going to happen. Remember, this isn’t goal setting, it’s intentions, so you might write: 

“I am creating opportunities that will allow me to explore” or “I am available for travel opportunities over the coming weeks” 

6. New Moon Intention Setting Visualizations

Visualization is such an incredible tool for manifestation. You can do this by simply closing your eyes, or through meditation or guided meditation. 

Visualize what it would feel like if these desires were already present in real-time each day. When you close your eyes and picture them, explore how it makes you feel in your body when you’re living out your dreams. 

TIP: It’s okay if self-doubt creeps in. I still have my inner voice pop up and say “you can’t feel that” or “that won’t happen”. If you find this happening, just pause and take a few seconds to get grounded and tell your self-doubt “I am capable”

7. Final New Moon Ritual Intention Setting Steps 

The final step of your New Moon intention setting ceremony/ritual is to let go and let the Universe work its magic. This is an important step in every manifestation process. 

How you do this, is up to you. Some put their intentions away and don’t look at them. Some put them under their pillow or leave them in their journal.

Other people burn them to signify the ‘letting go’ piece.

There is no right or wrong. You get to decide. 

Recommended: A Full Moon Release Ritual for Letting Go

Do you feel prepared for you New Moon intention setting ceremony? Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to manifesting your deepest desires.

Any New Moon intention setting steps you think I missed?