If you love working with lunar energy, you’ll know that New Moons are the perfect time for setting intentions and bringing in energy, but did you know that you could use your Tarot deck to guide your New Moons ritual?
If you’re familiar with working with the phases or cycles of the moon, and you keep a regular moon practice, you’ll know that the lunations of each month are great for either manifesting energy during the New Moon or releasing energy during the Full Moon. Introducing your Tarot deck into this practice can help you dig deeper, make a stronger connection to your intuition and achieve more. Posing a question or two to your deck, and pulling cards for a simple spread can help you maximise your ritual.
The following post explores how you can use your Tarot deck to guide your New Moon ritual and set your manifestation on the road to success.
Want to get serious about your New Moon rituals? Download my free 2020 Moon Calendar.
What is a new moon ritual?
Before diving in, let’s unpack what a moon ritual is. On average, each month brings two lunations; the New Moon and Full Moon. Sometimes, there are exceptions to this such as either a second New or Full Moon per month, but generally, each month has one of both.
During the time of the Moon, the energy is fresh, it’s brand new. The vat is empty, the cycle is just beginning. Over the course of the month, this energy of the New Moon will grow until the time of the Full Moon where the energy peaks and then starts to dissipate.
At the start of the New Moon, when this energy is brand new and full of potential, we’re met with an ideal time to begin setting intentions, bringing energy in and manifesting that which we seek into our lives.
We can use the lunar energy available to us from the universe to set our hopes, dreams and desires in place. This energy takes roughly six months to cultivate in totality, with the manifestation revealing itself in the Full Moon of the same sign.
For example, your intention set on New Moon in Taurus on the 23rd of April 2020 will come to fruition at the time of the Full Moon in Taurus, six months later, on the 31st of October 2020. If you need to keep track of all of these dates and things, get yourself a free 2020 Moon Calendar.
It is a good idea to use the energies of the zodiac sign highlighted at the time to fuel your manifestations. For example:
- When there is an Aries New Moon, when there is boundless potential and incredible energy, set an intention to start a new project or reignite your energy.
- When there is a Libra New Moon, use this relationship, justice and balance focused energy to find harmony in your connections with others.
During the New Moon, it’s a great idea to keep a specific practice. This practice is often referred to as a ‘ritual’. Not only does this help you get into the habit of working with energy, but it also helps you stay accountable to your spiritual practice.
Keeping a dedicated New Moon practice or ritual will help you really honour the energy of the time. Depending on your energy, you may feel an energy shift quite significantly.
Typically, a good New Moon ritual consists of setting an intention. All you really need is to sit quietly and connect with the energy of Source or your Higher Self and visualise what you want to manifest. Lighting candles or crystals can help to create the space. If you want to really create a wonderful practice around this, consider doing the following:
- Mediate. Begin your ritual with a meditation. This can be as long or as short as you like. Taking a few conscious breaths will help you centre, quieten your mind and close whatever chapter of your day that’s just ended. Slowing down your nervous system will help your energy move more freely. You’ll also be less likely to get distracted.
- Write. The art of writing is incredibly special, especially for a New Moon manifestation ritual. Physically taking pen to paper helps bring your intangible thought forms into the physical plane. Seeing something written down also makes you more accountable to it. You could take a few minutes to free write or journal, or simply write down your intentions. To make this even more special, write a letter to your Higher Self, Source, your angels, your guides or whichever energy you’re connected to. Personify this energy, address it by name. Tell it what you want, and how you’re prepared to show up for your desires.
- Repeat a mantra or affirmation. Once you have written down your intentions, repeat a mantra or set of affirmations. Make sure your mantra or affirmations link to your intention. For example, if your intention is to start a project, create a mantra or affirmation that says something along the lines of, “I have the energy to begin. I am confident in my abilities and skills. I am ready to take the first step.” Repeating these mantras and affirmations will align your vibration to the energy of that which you’re trying to create.
- Visualise. Take a few moments to visualise your intention for manifestation coming true. This is quite a significant step of the process as it will help prepare your subconscious mind to receive that which you wish for.
Another great tool to add to your New Moon ritual is Tarot!
Using Tarot cards in a New Moon ritual
The Tarot is an incredibly useful and fun to use divination tool. This 78-card deck uses vivid imagery and deep symbolism to convey concepts, messages and energy. New Tarot users may find these visuals overwhelming; it’s important to let one’s innate guidance and intuition speak through a spread.
Are you looking for more information on the Tarot? Read this post: Introduction to the Tarot.
I love pulling Tarot cards at random. I don’t have a specific Tarot practice, such as pulling a card once a day or doing a reading once a week. Instead, I sort of just flow with the cards and will pull a few when they call to me. My favourite spreads are the Celtic Cross Spread and the Three Card Spread.
I created this spread to help me at the time of the New Moon. I’m making more of an effort to bring cards into my monthly moon practices as I feel that it really helps to round off a ritual.
I wanted more clarity on my manifestation so that I can get a bit more energy around where I was at the time of the New Moon, also how to refine my intention, and to get a bit of cosmic guidance in thinking about my manifestation in a new way.
My New Moon Tarot card spread
After I write down my intentions, I like pulling this simple card New Moon Manifestation Spread. Here are the card placements:
Here is a breakdown of the placements:
- Where I am now
- What has passed
- What holds me back
- Where I am going
- What energy is available to me
- A message or inspiration
Before you begin shuffling your deck, take a few deep breaths to centre yourself. Connect with your intention and visualise your manifestation coming true. Then, begin shuffling. While you’re shuffling the cards, think of your intention and ask for any blocks, signs or messages of encouragement and clarity to come to you. Pay attention to any cards that may jump out while you are shuffling.
Place the cards before you in the order mentioned above. Once all cards are placed, note any first light bulb thoughts, ideas or flashes of inspiration. Consider writing these down. Major Arcana cards will play a larger role than Minor Arcana cards, so place a bit more weight on those.
While I am writing this, it is the night of the 2nd of April 2020. It is currently the New Moon in Taurus. I’ve used this energy to manifest more financial security and money. I also want to use the energy of Taurus, which is slow, steady-paced and restful, so that I can bring more ease, calm and relaxation into my life. I am a crazy workaholic and have a lot of fire energy in me. Since rest and relaxation don’t come easily to me, to avoid burnout and overwhelm, I’m manifesting some Taurean chill.
Need a recap on Taurus vibes? Read this: Zodiac Signs: Taurus Symbolism & Personality
As I pulled the New Moon Tarot Spread, the following cards appeared:
- Where I am now – Queen of Swords
- What has passed – Nine of Swords (Reversed)
- What holds me back – Ten of Swords
- Where I am going – Five of Wands
- What energy is available to me – Page of Wands
- A message or inspiration – King of Pentacles
Interpreting my Tarot spread
Where I am. The Queen of Swords lets me know that I’m in a good place, using my skills to think swiftly, writing lots and working well. This Queen may also be another female in my life, perhaps a client that I’m working with, also in the communications and media space.
What has passed is anxiety, overwhelm, restless nights. A few weeks prior, South Africa headed in a very intense lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also, the economy began crashing. One of my clients has experienced an immense financial downturn, which has an effect on me. Anxieties have been running high, and it’s no surprise to me that the Nine of Swords, the ‘worry card’ came in.
What holds me back is really dark thoughts of being backstabbed, being taken for granted, general self-sabotaging. This card, the Ten of Swords, ironically, links to back pain. I have scoliosis and had a spinal fusion many years ago, so I always think this card is a big sign that if I carry on, I’ll get injured by my own hand.
What’s ahead is some competition. The Five of Wands indicates some fighting for position, but not aggressive fighting, more of fighting with understanding and respect. This makes some sense due to my career; there may be some collaborations with creatives, working together in some way.
The energy that’s available to me comes from the Page of Wands. This energy is creative, expressive and adventurous. It could be a bit all-over-the-show with too many ideas, but never the less, I welcome this sort of energy at this time!
And one last message, which I love, comes from the King of Pentacles. This guy knows money. I set my intentions for this New Moon to bring in rest and more financial security. With King of Pentacles, I couldn’t have asked for a better final message or word of inspiration to end this reading.
I love using Tarot cards in my New Moon rituals. I’m pretty A-type, so I make a note of the date in my journal so that I can come back to the New Moon intentions once the Full Moon finally rolls around.
The spread I’ve offered above is something that works for me. I didn’t find it in a book or online. I created it based on the few key insights I wanted to gain as I begin a new six-month cycle of calling in, cultivating and expressing energy. Feel free to use this spread. I hope it brings you some high vibes!
At the time of writing, the next New Moon is coming up on the 22nd of May in the sign of Gemini. Make sure you’ve got your Tarot cards and Moon Calendar ready!
Do you use Tarot cards in your rituals? What other cool practices do you have in your Moon Rituals? Let me know in the comments below!