New Moon – The Bouncy Kitty

As the year winds down, the palpable, universal energy feels like it’s picked up ten-fold. October’s New Moon fell on All Hallows Eve Eve, November’s New Moon comes tomorrow on the 29th as we’re clearing the air of Thanksgiving and it’s wonderful cast of visitors, while December’s New Moon falls right after Christmas on the 29th. Maybe – probably – it’s just me, but this year has felt different – it’s had a synchronistic air to it the entire time. That said, with the New Moon hanging over our head this evening – today marks the perfect time to get weave your witchy ways.

Coming from a pastime riddled with Tarot, rune stones, numerology and energy healing – it shouldn’t be that hard to understand that I live, eat, breathe and love in moon cycles. Though the moon cycles through it’s phases every 28.5 days, I find it incredibly beneficial to have a few reference guides just in case I don’t remember off the top of my head. For phone apps, I highly suggest Moon Phase in the Apple Store or if you’re online – you can always venture to Moon Giant for the latest and greatest in lunar happenings. Last, but certainly not least, let your thirst for knowledge lead you to the fountain of your minds youth: resource books. Load up on your literature and you’ll never have a dull day ahead of you; if you’re looking for a jumping off point, I would start with Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book (snag your 2017 copy meow). New Moons pose the perfect time to marinate on the last cycle, and set your intentions for the new one while Full Moons are excellent occasions to act on those intentions and make potential energy kinetic. As such, rituals surrounding the New Moon can be useful for grounding yourself and cleansing your spiritual space.

Amanda-7

Whenever the holidays rear their rasta colored head, an old quote always comes to mind: Everyone loves guests; some when they come, others when they leave. Because let’s not get it twisted – this year’s Thanksgiving festivities were fantastic! Danny and I both had family come into town for the holiday, my parents stayed with us for four nights and Danny – bless his heart – made pretty much all of our Thanksgiving feast. Now that the parental units are out of the house, we’ve finally realized just how tiring the holidays are when you’re actually adulting (also known as making a plan and following through with it). Now that our house is full of post-holiday herbs, it’s the perfect time to get my home cleanse on.

Materials

Twine – level up and get fancy with mutlicolored twine
Scissors
Fresh Herbs and Dried Flowers: Think Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Rosebuds

Amanda-9

It’s a pretty simple formula once you have all your supplies in place!

Take a helping handful of your herbs – feel free to mix and match, but make sure you’re heavier on the sage. Amanda-10

Grab the herbs by the base of the leaves and begin to wrap the twine from the base, up to the very top – it’s okay for the bundle to be a bit loose, because we’re going to wrap the twine back down one more time.
After you’ve wrapped your smudge stick, find a nice place to let it air dry and let it hang upside down if possible. In about three weeks, your sacred smudge stick full of your beautiful intentions will be ready – and just in time for the December New Moon, and the next influx of holiday visitors.

What are your favorite Holiday crafts? Let me know in the comments below!

Earlier this week, we gracefully glided through Summer and into Fall with Tuesday’s Autumnal Equinox and tonight, there’s yet another celestial transition as the moon silently shifts between phases and lands in Libra. On a celestial level, New Moons signify that the Sun and Moon are in the same Zodiac house; on a more personal note – they also mark pivotal moments and serve as catalysts for fresh starts and new beginnings. They’re the perfect time to finally attune your intentions and focus your energy on where it’s deserved in your life. Libra, the 7th symbol of the Zodiac and an air sign ruled by Venus – the Goddess of Love and Beauty, is characterized by two scales – a nod to balance and equilibrium. With the New Moon entering Libra, it’s a time for internal harmony and tranquility, as well as a time to focus on the relationships in our lives – whether they’re romantic, business partnerships or familial.

In the past, on Full Moon nights I’ve set out my crystals to absorb the energy from the moon’s rays – but tonight, instead of harnessing moon’s energy – I’ll be zeroing in on my own. As the New Moon dawns, it’s a chance to reflect over the past four weeks and rebuild, refresh and renew your dreams. On a personal level, I’ll be focusing my own energy on my intentions for the next month, diving into my soul and forging my own passionate path. Between my projects for Disney and my work for The DJ List, I’ve started to feel my own dreams take a backseat to the work others are placing in my hands. I have a wedding to plan, a few business plans to craft and websites to code – there’s so much to do, that I’ve skirted away from doing anything. More and more, I’ve felt the need to reevaluate my priorities and get back on track and this New Moon couldn’t have come at a better time.

Since part of the preparation of the New Moon is to hone in on intentions, to focus mine I’ll be getting my arts and crafts on – but you know, in an adult type of way (e.g. with beverage in hand!). You might think scrapbooking is a thing of the past, but it’s a wonderful way to conceptualize your dreams, plan your passions and forge forward where you didn’t think possible. If you’d like to take part – find a calming space in your residence and clear it of any mental clutter, and then craft an alter of your own for the evening. Grab a candle or some incense to cleanse the area and if you have any crystals or gems, this is the perfect time to harness their energies. This is all about what you aspire to be and the person you’re working so hard to become – so snag a journal and some pens, magazines + glue /tape, and have at it!