Everything in life comes in cycles – seasons, tides, and life/death. Your growth likely comes in peaks and waves with regression alongside your expansion. (Don’t worry, this is very normal!)

The moon is one of the most visible ways to observe the cycles in life. Every 29 or so days, it grows from nothing to a glowing beacon in the sky. This expansion is one of the reasons the moon has such a prominent place in religion and culture across the world.

The moon is a powerful tool to leverage in your manifestation process. Not only is it a visual reminder to check in with yourself, it’s also a way to feel more connected to nature and keep yourself grounded.

The moon has many phases, but to start, concentrate on the new and full moons. Since these points are the beginning and peak of the lunar cycle, they are the easiest to remember and build a habit around.

A note on manifestation. If you’ve made it this far in the blog post, you probably know about manifestation, but we’ll still take a moment to explain just in case. Manifestation is the process of a achieving a personal goal through intention setting, positive thinking, and belief that will happen. By setting your mind to something, you consciously and unconsciously take steps to make it a reality.

New moon manifestation

The new moon is the end and beginning of the lunar cycle. It’s a time of darkness, reflection, and planning for the days to come. This is the perfect time to think about what you need to prune from your life to achieve your goals and how you can make your dreams reality.

Darkness (or shadow work):

Shadow self is the part of our personality we repress. It appears when we feel threatened and makes us react in unexpected ways. To acknowledge this part of us may hurt our ego, so it’s important to practice self-compassion when doing shadow work. Use the new moon to start a dialogue with your shadow self and understand how your unconscious informs your behavior. The point isn’t to beat yourself up but strive for understanding on a deeper level.

  • Was there a time you had a stronger emotional reaction than you wanted? Have you ever done something out of fear or anger that you don’t understand? Recall this moment (if it isn’t too painful) and try to think of why you had such a strong reaction. Did the incident unconsciously remind you of something that happened previously? What emotion was beneath the fear or anger?
  • Try stream-of-consciousness journaling. Take out a page and write anything that comes to mind for five minutes. Be brutally honest. When you’re done, read over your entry. Does it reveal anything about how your mind works or how you approach the world?

Reflection:

  • In the days leading up to the full moon, journal about how you’ve been feeling, your successes, and what you’d like to achieve in the future.
  • Look over your past month in your calendar and take inventory of everything that’s occurred—good and bad.
  • This is a great time to do a body scan meditation to take a deeper look at where you might have been holding stress in your body.

Planning:

  • Take a few days to consider what you want to manifest. It could be a new job or a happier outlook. No matter what you want to call into your life, make it specific and be sure to write it down. It’s best to do this work following a meditation to clear your mind.
  • Once you’ve landed on your manifestations, take time to think about any blockages you have that you need to let go of in order to achieve this personal growth. (Remember the new moon is about darkness and death before growing into your full light.)

Full moon manifestation

The full moon is the apex of the lunar cycle. This is when your cup is filled to the brim, nearly overflowing. Harness this energy and focus on visualization, affirmations, and self-care.

Visualization

Whatever you decided to manifest, make it the center of your meditation. Close your eyes and envision yourself living a life in which you’ve already achieved your goal. What would it look like? How would you feel?

You can also find tangible ways to practice this. If you want to manifest a new job, write an acceptance letter as if you’ve already gotten an offer. If you want to manifest healthier relationships, write down what a day would look like once you’ve achieved this. The more you act like your goal has already been achieved, the more likely it is to occur.

Affirmation

Affirmations, short positive statements, are another powerful tool for the full moon. Write 2-3 statements that reflect what you’d like to manifest and say them to yourself each morning. Here are some examples:

  • I will find a job that makes me happy
  • I am kind and compassionate
  • I am loved and will find the love I seek
  • The universe is on my side

Self-care

Throughout this process, don’t forget to invest in self-care. Manifesting positive change takes time and energy, so take the time you need to commit yourself to visualization and affirmation exercises. Make sure you clear your mind to accept what you want to manifest. Get up and go for a walk. Find time to read. Sip your tea while listening to a great piece of music. Self-care doesn’t need to be extravagant.

Parting thoughts

To wrap up, we’re sharing part of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu’s poem, A Hymn to the Moon, which highlights the moon as a guide and confidant. May the moon be these things for you.

A Hymn to the Moon

Thou silver deity of secret night,
Direct my footsteps through the woodland shade;
Thou conscious witness of unknown delight,
The Lover’s guardian, and the Muse’s aid!

By thy pale beams I solitary rove,
To thee my tender grief confide;
Serenely sweet you gild the silent grove,
My friend, my goddess, and my guide.