As the first phase of the lunar cycle, New Moons are a time of new beginnings – a time when anything is possible. During a New Moon – which occurs once, sometimes twice a month – the moon is positioned between the earth and the sun. The side of the moon illuminated by the sun faces away from the earth so we can't see it. It’s not that the moon is not there, it’s just not visible to us.

A couple of days after the New Moon, you’ll start to see a thin, crescent-shaped moon that will continue to get bigger over the next couple of weeks until it becomes full. It then wanes again until it completes a full lunar cycle becoming a New Moon again.

Tomorrow’s New Moon is in Aries, which is significant because Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, meaning this particular New Moon resets the astrological clock. This is one of the best times of the year to start whatever it is you’ve been wanting to do. Whether it’s starting a new company or project, or beginning house hunting or a job search, now is the time to take action! According to ForeverConscious.com, “the Universe is only going to be giving you this fiery, fresh start energy for a few weeks, so make the most of it by setting intentions and finding ways to upgrade and update your life. Whatever you start now will really begin to flourish in six months around the time of the corresponding Full Moon in Aries.”

Intention setting as part of the manifestation process is a great first step in taking action. But it’s important to understand that you can’t just make a wish list and expect your dreams to come true – you have to take steps in making those things happen.

Mike Dooley has a great analogy about the art of manifesting. He says to think of the manifestation process like the GPS in your car. You type in your end destination and don’t ever have to worry about how you’re going to get there – that is what the GPS is for. But in order to get there, you must put the car in drive. Same with manifesting – don’t worry about HOW you’re going to make your dreams come true. Write down the end goal and trust the Universe (your spiritual GPS) to take care of the “how,” but put the car in drive – take action, no matter how small of a step it may be.

A Simple Ritual for this Week’s New Moon

Manifesting with the New Moon is quite simple – just be sure to start as close to the time of the New Moon (in this case, Monday, March 27 at 10:57pm Eastern) or within the three days following for the best results. Below is a suggested way to use the moon to manifest, but there are also many resources available that give different variations of manifestation practices, some of which are included below in the Additional Reading section.

Steps to manifesting with the New Moon:

• Get a journal or piece of paper and find a quiet place to sit.
• Play some relaxing music and light a candle.
• Take a moment to practice gratitude for all the wonderful people and things that are already in your life. Write down the names of five people you’re grateful for and take a moment to send them love.
• Take a few deep, calming breaths to center yourself.
• Write down (or draw) your top 5-10 wishes/intentions. Writing is an important part of the manifestation process – it solidifies your thoughts and sets the Universe in motion.
• Read back through your wishes – and this is super important – visualize each one coming true. Put yourself in the moment when the wish comes true – how does it feel? Don’t just think it – feel it. I can’t stress how important this step is. Do you feel overcome with joy? Happiness? Do you have butterflies in your stomach or is your heart bursting with excitement? Hold on to that feeling during the manifestation process. As Yasmin Boland tells readers in her book Moonology, “The secret to making wishes or setting intentions is to ensure that they come from the heart, and that you feel them as if they’ve already happened.”
• Write an affirmation for your wish. For instance, if you are wishing for a new home, your affirmation might be, “I love my new home!” Affirmations should be written as if they’ve already happened and you are living out that dream.
• Think about each of your wishes and how you are going to take action (remember, Aries is all about taking action, so now is the perfect time to start). Back to the new home example – perhaps taking action means getting your finances in order or getting pre-approved for a loan. Maybe it’s decluttering your current home and preparing it for sale so you can move into your dream home. As noted in the GPS example above, you must take steps toward your goal. Just don’t get hung up on the “how.”
• Meditate for 10-15 minutes. Release all your wishes/intentions into the Universe. Most importantly, release any attachments to the specifics of your wish. The Universe might have something better in store for you. An easy way to release attachment is to say, think and believe that the Universe will deliver “This, or something better.”

Revisit your manifestation list during the next New Moon. What has happened during the past month to get you closer to your intentions? Are there additional steps you can take to go in the direction of your dreams? Do you need to revise your list or make any tweaks? Understand that manifestation doesn’t happen overnight – trust that when you release your intentions to the Universe, it is conspiring to make them happen, as long as they are for the greatest good of all involved.

Additional Reading

If you want to dive deeper into the art of manifesting or would like to learn more about this week’s New Moon in Aries, here are some additional resources to check out:

Recommended Books:

Moonology: Working with the Magic of Lunar Cycles

Manifesting Change: It Couldn’t Be Easier 

Recommended Articles:

Intuitive Astrology: March New Moon 2017

6 Ways to Harness the Power of Intention at the Aries New Moon

The 2017 Aries New Moon Wants You to Get Excited About Life

A Meditation for Manifesting our Dreams on this Powerful New Moon