New Moon Releasing Ritual | January 2019

January’s wolf moon calls for cleansing and renewal as the new year begins. It’s time to make some changes and set yourself up for a successful new year, no matter what your endeavor will be. Want to double your business? Do it. Want to lose weight? Make it so. I’m here to teach you that you have the power within your to create your own reality and this is where we’ll start so pay attention, witch. The January new moon in Capricorn will be a highly influential moon just perfect for the start of something new as our ability to harness strength, determination and will is on fire. This is not a witch’s new year, ours started on October 31 but it’s a new year for everyone else and a perfect time to get rid of what doesn’t serve us anymore. Saturday makes it even better as the ruling plant is Saturn, which makes it best for releasing any bad habits, including relationships, and commit to personal goals. If you are ready to stop smoking or lose weight, today is the perfect day to set your intention and harness your energy to release, or for endings of any kind, really. The new and dark moon phases are optimal times to make possible new beginnings and a great time to plant the seeds of opportunity that will be harvested later. There are a few things to note, just since we just started this blog and I want to make sure I don’t leave anything out. It’s important first to know that there is no right way  to spellcraft. Sure there are properties of oil, herbs, candles and items, but if you don’t have the exact recipe, don’t let it stop you. Your crafting results is the manifestation of your intention and focus. The power is in you, not in the color of your candle. When in doubt, use a white candle, a clear quartz crystal and move on. It is important to perform a new moon ritual during the new moon and not a full one. One helps to push away and one helps to attract so keep that in mind. That being said, new moon can be a time to release, to make room for your new intention to take root. Not a full release like full moon, but we must make room for all things new. I wouldn’t deviate from your normal tradition here, it may effect your results as it’s hard to focus and harness your energy while doing something that you’re not used to. I always cast a circle and then draw a formation inside of it. A formation is a circle, square or triangle that will help you stay inside of your creation. You must open it and close it just as you do your circle if you have to leave, so think of it as your “sacred space” inside of your “sacred space.” I find formations that related to what I see in my head make my crafting more powerful but I will blog about casting your circle later and come back here and provide a link to the info for you. The direction you face is completely up to you. Honestly. You’ll hear some say to only face the east because that’s where the sun and moon rise, but really nature has given us more to work with here but if you just don’t know or can’t make up your mind, just face north. It’s the top for all things. I’ll also post about what direction to face for desired results, but just know that for this one we will face east, that corresponds with the element of air and will assist us in the creation of new beginnings. Trust me on this one. If you’re worried that I posted this spell too late for you (time zones and preparation time) no worries. The phase of the new moon actually starts the day before and lasts until the day after and is THE PERFECT TIME FOR 3 THINGS:

1. Discarding what no longer serves you, makes you happy or is getting in the way of your goals and dreams.
2. Giving thanks and showing gratitude for the positive things in your life and your accomplishments so that you can attract more of that good stuff.
3. Visualizing what you want to accomplish in the future and make it happen. What are your goals for 2019? Or maybe just January? Maybe just tomorrow? Write them down.

For this ritual, take some time to think about all 3 things and sit in quiet contemplation for just a few minutes. The minute you decide to do a spell is the minute your energy gets to work so take a few minutes to really think about what you’ll use this ritual for. I keep a checklist of all of the things I will need, and I will be sharing that with you, but for now, let’s just jot it down right quick. There is nothing worse than leaving your circle while you’re riding your frequency because you’ve forgotten something, so gather your tools and crafting supplies first and make sure you don’t forget anything. Here is an example of what I use. I write in how many or color and what not and then usually just circle the items under the tools section. I created a file and just print out copies when I need it.

Checklist: I use this for all of my crafting and it’s just an example. I have provided a list of what you will need for tonight’s ritual below.

1. Candles ___________ How Many     ____________ Color

2. Crystals ___________ Color

3. Herbs ___________ Name            _____________ Used For

4. Oils ___________ Name            _____________ Used For

5. Tools a. Altar cloth b. Athame c. Deities d. Elemental items (air, water, earth and fire) e. Moon water f. Fire bowl g. Smudge stuff (palo santo or sage) h. Mirror or crystal ball i. Incense j. Salt k. Matches l. Wand m. Paper and Pen n. Offering (wine and honey or candle feedings) o. Talisman or bell p. Crafting journal q. Oil to dress candle

What you will need: 1. Black or blue candle (blue is used for healing and black for banishing and either will work for this ritual). 2. Oil to dress candle 3. Smudge stick 4. Black string 5. Clear quartz crystal (point or cluster is fine – used to amplify your energy). 6. Fireproof bowl 7. A jar with a lid 8. Pen and paper 9. Scissors Oil Recipe: Use this recipe to make the oil used to dress your candle. It does’t have to be exact and you can mix it to your liking. 1. Carrier oil (I use sweet almond oil) 2. Clary sage: for protection and to remove bad spirits 3. Clove: to enhance wisdom and ward off negative thoughts 4. Geranium: helps to lift burdened spirits 5. Basil: to dispel fear as well as weakness Start with the carrier in a bottle and add each essential oil one drop at a time until you have a mixture that you like. Don’t go crazy because you can always add but you can’t subtract once you start. I use 1 part of each for balance. Now that you’ve got everything, this is how to perform the ritual. I won’t go into preparation (I like to take a purification bath and start meditation by opening and aligning my chakras) because casting your circle and formation along with altar set up, purification baths and other topics will be covered and linked from here once our blog gets rolling. If you’ve been crafting for a while, you’re already all set up, so let’s get to it. Before you begin, cast your circle clockwise. After your space is set up and you are inside and surrounded with white light, cast your formation. I chose to use a triangle for this because of the connection with body, mind and spirit since I’m making a change, releasing the old and beginning anew but you can use any formation you like. It’s up to you. Plus we all know that 3 is a magic number and what it relates to so let’s use that power. To seal the formation, simply recite “This triangle is cast with energy that is wise, bring forth the power and let it rise.” You can actually say anything you want here, so if you want to edit it. You’re just asking that the energy rise and your power comes up for the ritual. 1. Write down your intention and read it aloud 3 times. If you want to stop smoking, write it down. Lose weight? Write it. Your affirmation is read within your formation and circle before you begin your spell. Here is a little inspiration on what and how to write it:

On this day, I chose to let go of what holds me back,, effects my health or serenity in a negative way and I do this without the suggestion of anyone else. The time has come to say goodbye to __________________________. I’ve learned what I was meant to learn and am ready to move on as the moon provides with the strength and courage I need tonight and my higher power witnesses as I release this addiction.

I said addiction here because this is what I wrote when I cast this very spell to quit smoking. It worked and is still working months later, by the way. You are basically writing down an affirmation of what your intention is and that you are releasing the bad boyfriend, habit, job or even friendship that no longer servers you and that you want to remove from your life. Get creative but be precise. Always ask or state what you mean directly and leave no wiggle room here. You want to be precise because you want your results to be precise. Place this piece of paper in the bottom of the fire proof bowl. 2. Light your smudge stick and pass the letter of intent through it. 3. Dress your candle with the oil. On the top rub a circle clockwise to start something new and spread from the center of the candle out  since we’re getting rid of what does’t serve us and pushing it away. 4. Light and place in the fire proof bowl. 5. Take your black string or cord and tie it into a knot. The knot is what you are releasing so think about the unhappiness or heartache this knot has caused you, hence the reason to unite and release. 6. Take the scissors and cut the string so that one piece has the knot and the other doesn’t. Don’t cut the knot itself. 7. As you cut, visualize what you are pushing away and watch it retreat. Feel how good it will feel when this situation, habit or person is out of your life. Feel it and be thankful as if it has already happened, because it WILL happen. 8. Light the piece of string that still has the knot with the candle and drop into the bowl and let it burn. 9. Say the following incantation while it burns:

I am strong more every hour, My will is growing as is my power, Take this plight, it now unbound, I am released, my burden unwound. So mote it be.

10. Burn the letter of intention in the bowl with the string and the incantation if you wrote it down. 11. Ring the bell 3 times. 12. Place spell remains (ashes and feedings if you added any) and put into a jar with a lid. 13. Release your formation and or circle and go bury that jar in the back yard forever.

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About Willow

Willow is a solitary, eclectic "quantum" witch who teaches others how to create a new reality with moon phase manifestation, tarot, crystals, sigls and her craft.

She can be found in her group for higher frequency beings at Lunares Alchimia and on her Facebook page.