Let's get one thing straight: I'm not against New Year's plans. It's just that I found something better. There is an almost sacred symbolism built into the New Year's party and I agree with that. It is a time for renewal, a time to review, reflect and prioritize the coming year. The problem is, we have a full year ahead of us, which means it takes a year to make a change, and it takes a lot less than that to forget that promise.
Maybe everything went well with your latest plans. If that's true, you might want to stop reading. If not, join me, because this is not an article about plans. You won't feel like a failure, but I promise you, if you follow these suggestions, you'll have a better chance of creating real change!
Thanks to yoga, I discovered the Full Moon and New Moon rhythm as an alternative to New Year's plans and when I started, I asked myself, “Why haven't I done this my whole life?”. It seems so sensible! It also fits in with my understanding of human behavior change and how my training as a clinical psychologist fits with my training and practice as a yogini.
New Moon manifestations and Full Moon reflections have changed my life, and by observing my patients, I have seen that it works for yogis and non-yogis alike. Suffice it to say that this approach is not unique to yoga. In many cultures, the New Moon and Full Moon periods are sacred times for rituals, ceremonies, and the setting of intentions and goals.
Here are some suggestions on how to start your own New Moon manifestation practice. Some examples are from my personal approach and a little extra information about the symbolism of this process.
plan ahead
First, schedule the next year according to the New Moon and Full Moon. I like to use both (as I will explain further, I use the New Moon to set new intentions and plans. And, the Full Moon to reflect on my life), but you can simply use one or the other to reflect on both in the past month and make decisions for the following month.
New Moon: New Beginning
The new moon is about new beginnings.
In terms of symbolism, at this time, the moon is located directly between the Sun and Earth, which means that we can only see the side of it that is not lit by the Sun. As on New Year's Eve, there is a sense of curiosity and wonder about what will happen next. There is a sense of hope filled with possibilities for this next phase of life. It's time to regenerate and restore yourself.
Questions and Reflections
- What comes next?
- What is my intention for the next month?
Pick one or two changes and don't forget to keep your goals objective.
After the new moon we enter the “crescent moon”. During this time, it receives more light so that after two weeks it becomes a full moon.
Full Moon: Meditate
The full moon is about reflection, introspection and celebration. It is a time to take stock, observe, evaluate and gain perspective.
Symbolically, when the moon is full, there is nowhere to hide. We have to face it!
It's a time to face anything that's been on the run for a long time, but it's also a time to celebrate. We celebrate the fullness of our lives and it takes time to discover that.
Questions and Reflections
- What I've been doing?
- What is not serving me?
- What can I discard?
- What is the greatest example of all this?
After the full moon we enter the “waning moon”, which appears smaller and smaller until the cycle starts again.
Tuning
For me, this approach works on many levels – it tunes me and guides me so that my life becomes an ongoing process of change and evolution.
This process also attunes me to the rhythms of nature. It's a reminder that these rhythms are old and organic. I also remember diving in and honoring other natural rhythms: day and night. In the words of my yoga teacher Shiva Rea:
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New Year is a time for reflection and plans. And, you can work on it in many different ways. The good thing about the Moon's manifestations is that the interval between each of the phases is shorter compared to New Year's plans that take 365 days, so you can more closely analyze your advances and your new desires. Like the Moon, we must renew ourselves from the earthly perspective, since from the perspective of the universe we are always full.
Happy New Year!
