New Moon & Eclipse

Sun in Sagittarius, Moon in Sagittarius with a total solar eclipse. Intensity and hard endings with an optimistic promise of hope. While the eclipse is not visible for all of us, we definitely feel its push and pull.

Usually I post a ritual guide for every new and full moon. This one is different. So many of my friends and clients have been wrestling with feeling overwhelmed and unworthy. In this state, no one needs another task to invoke fear of failure. Instead, my only guidance for this new moon and eclipse is to allow. 

What does it mean to allow? How do we do it?

From the outside, when we allow, it can look as if we aren’t doing anything at all. This is particularly true in an energetic or spiritual sense. When we allow in the wisdom and lessons offered to us through life and the Universe, we do not fight against them, we don’t question them or curse them, we don’t run from them. Ideally, we sit in stillness and observe the energy flowing through our beings and our reaction to it. This is easier said than done. The act of sitting in stillness and allowing takes practice and self-care. This is an excellent opportunity for both.

Give yourself as much quiet time as you can on Monday. Clear your schedule, move your calls. Wear comfortable clothes. If you need to clear clutter or do any cleaning to feel relaxed in your space, try to get that done on Sunday. It may not look like it, but allowing takes a lot of energy, so try to provide yourself everything you need in advance.

Have you ever had a headache with no ibuprofen in the house? When you have to just lie down and drink water and sort of wait for it to pass? That is kind of what this allowance is like, but for emotional and energetic waves.

There is no pill to take to lessen the impact of this eclipse. And you wouldn’t want to! The lessons eclipses bring, though they may be exhausting or painful in the moment, are extremely valuable. Another reason to allow them to flow through at their own pace.

Have a notebook and pen handy to jot down any thoughts or emotions that come through. They may not seem relevant in the moment, but they could provide great insight when you reflect on them later.

Whatever you usually do to reset and recharge will put you in the allowance zone. Meditation, taking a long bath, going for a run, sitting and staring into space, making a puzzle, coloring, listening to music. It’s different for all of us. If you begin to feel agitated or emotionally heavy, close your eyes and breathe through it, letting the sensation pass through.

A few witch tips to promote allowance:

Herbs: chamomile and lavender. These are calming and soothing and will help to alleviate tension and anxiety. Drink them in tea, wear as a fragrance, soak in them in a bath, whatever works. And speaking of baths…

Salt: salt is the master clearing agent of your pantry. I recommend pouring a LOT of sea salt or epsom salts in a hot bath to draw out anything this eclipse is trying to help you release.

Crystals: green calcite, selenite, lepidolite, rose quartz, and amethyst are all wonderful individually or in combination. Green calcite and lepidolite are excellent for easing stress and worry, selenite for energetic cleansing, rose quartz for heart opening and healing, and amethyst for purification and protection.

Tarot cards: You can draw a card asking what the Universe invites you to focus on or you can pull the Death card and The Star from your deck for inspiration. They are the centerpiece of my reading for the eclipse and a lovely combination for release and hope.