5 Reasons Doing A New Moon Ritual Each Month Can Make Women Happier And More Content

Whether you believe in astrology and the significance of zodiac signs or not, there’s no denying the influence that the moon has on our world. That's why many women who want to find happiness practice new moon rituals together — where they gather to celebrate the moon's cycle — as a way to harness this lunar energy.

While the most obvious effect is on the tides, there are so many other examples of the moon's impact on our lives: Hospital delivery rooms gear up for a baby boom when there is a full moon, and savvy farmers follow its rhythms to plot the best times for sowing and reaping.

In fact, the Farmer’s Almanac celebrates its 200th anniversary this year! Among many other fun facts, it’s filled with moon-based predictions on everything from the best days to stop smoking and when to fish! There must be something to all that lunar stuff if the Almanac has survived this long, right?

And is it any wonder since human bodies are made of mostly water that you're inexorably tied to her rhythms, as well? Those born under the water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) can be especially sensitive to her gentle — and sometimes not so gentle — pull, but they're not the only ones who feel the power of the moon's cycles.

New moons can be wonderful opportunities to focus, reflect, and create, using those “inner” energies of the lunation.

On the new moon, the sun and moon are closest together in the sky, with the Earth wiggling in between them, and the moon seems to disappear as it moves into the shadow of our own planet. This phase corresponds to growth and all new beginnings. Your vessel is empty, waiting to be refilled.

Full moons, on the other hand, occur when the sun and moon are opposite each other in the sky and the moon is reflecting all of the sun's light. We give birth to plans made and projects started since the new moon, nurturing them to fulfillment and perfect realization. It is our time of greatest vitality and creativity.

Regardless of what spiritual “tribe” you identify with today, all of your ancestors, at some point in history, gathered around fires to mark the cycles of the moon and the passage of seasons. And of course, if you’re a woman, you have the added connection that you’re a cycling creature and have been gathering together under the moon for millennia.

The full moon may have more romantic lore woven around it, but it's also easy to gravitate toward the deep, dark time of the new moon when you’re naturally drawn to go within, focus on what you’re leaving behind and begin to plant seeds for the ideas, plans, and actions you want to grow over the coming weeks, as the moon itself waxes toward full again.

Each month in your new moon rituals, you should focus on a different theme (derived from the zodiac sign that the new moon is in) to celebrate your connection to the lunar cycles, to the Earth, and to each other through movement, song, personal sharing, and magical play.

New moon rituals, especially when practiced with communities of other women, can be both a nurturing and empowering experience. They have the potential to transform all areas of your life, as well.

Here are 5 ways practicing your own new moon ritual can make you feel more content and help you find happiness in your life:

1. Your connection with nature will help soothe you.

New moon rituals re-connect you to the cycles of the seasons, as well as the moon. One way to acknowledge that connection with Mother Earth is to begin by invoking the four elements — that is, inviting the elements of fire, water, earth, and air to "join you" in your new moon ritual.

When you think of a place in the world that’s sacred to you, you'll probably describe some natural environment —a favorite beach, a cabin on the mountains, sitting under a tree in the park. Each of these natural environments represents one or more of the four elements.

Acknowledging fire, water, air, and earth through the invocation in your new moon ritual is merely recognizing that importance and creating a symbolic connection to the natural world around you, which is something everyone yearns for.

2. You'll learn to honor yourself.

Do you know anyone who loves their body unabashedly? Society does a masterful job of making you hyper-critical of your beautiful vessels. Take this pill, buy this cream, do this exercise to reach your ideal weight/make your skin smoother/firm those flabby muscles.

The moon cycles offer you an opportunity to specifically and positively focus on your bodies several times a year, particularly on the “earthy” moons: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.

But in every new moon circle, you should always move in some way: singing, dancing, or even doing simple yoga poses. You might feel self-conscious about dancing or being so free when you first start your new moon ritual, so if you do, simply close your eyes.

You'll start to appreciate the ways you can move and feel and will be able to let your body do what it wants and what it feels natural doing. Over time, you'll come to embrace this freedom and appreciate the body you have, regardless of what you feel it's lacking.

3. You achieve a “liminal” state.

So, what is that? Limen, according to Merriam-Webster.com, means “threshold,” and in this case, it refers to the shift that occurs when you step away from your day-to-day lives and enter sacred space.

It could be evoked by simply walking into a church or temple, or by intentionally creating a sacred space in a moon circle, anywhere, anytime, and making the commitment to be fully present there.

Have you ever experienced that internal “exhale” when you’re able to leave behind the busy, chaotic state of your life and take a moment — or several — to just be? That’s liminal space, and time spent there can be truly healing and keep you calm during times of stress in your personal life.

4. You'll gain a sense of community.

There’s another wonderful word for this deep-felt sense: communitas. Coined originally by anthropologist Victor Turner in the 1960s, it refers to the state where you feel connected to those who join in with you on this new moon ritual.

There's a deep connection that’s created when a group of women, many of them strangers to each other, come together in sacred space with a common intention to listen and speak from the heart. Tears flow, anger rages, laughter erupts, fears are acknowledged and faced, and hugs are exchanged spontaneously in a way that is both galvanizing and nurturing.

This new moon ritual community becomes a place where you will feel comfortable sharing, too. It's a safe space where you can share in your lives together and build a sense of camaraderie.

5. You'll shift your perspective on things.

At it’s most basic level, this shift can simply be from having a crummy day, to returning home feeling more grounded and peaceful. After a new moon ritual, many women say, “I had such a tough day, I almost didn’t come tonight. And now I feel so well-nurtured and recharged.”

On a deeper level, setting a powerful intention in a new moon circle can create lasting change in the days and weeks to come. It can help you overcome childhood traumas, build friendships, and motivate you to make positive changes in your life.

A new moon ritual with an amazing community of people supporting you can make you feel better about yourself and your opportunities. You can use its powerful influence to re-balance your life, work, and relationships, as well as re-energize your mind, body, and spirit.

Sometimes the process is empowering, sometimes nurturing, or playful or raw and vulnerable. But ultimately, you'll be led to a place of profound healing and contentment.

Life and relationship coach, Deborah Roth, M.A., is also a counseling astrologer and interfaith minister. She leads women’s new moon circles and full moon tele-meditations every month and loves designing creative, meaningful rituals for individuals and couples to re-energize mind, body, and spirit, and enhance their relationships. Email her at Deborah@SpiritedLiving.com to schedule an introductory coaching session.