February kicks off with New Moon on the first day of the month. (For those of us in Hawaii/West Coast, it starts the evening of 1/31.)
In addition to this month's New Moon Day being the start of a new Lunar Cycle, it also brings the start of the Lunar New Year, and hosts Saint Brigid’s Day! A divine trio of celebrations, indeed
Curious about Saint Brigid's Day? It is a Gaelic traditional festival - also known as Imbolc. It marks the beginning of spring, and for Christians, it is the feast day of Saint Brigid. It is held on February 1, which is about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, and ends the evening of 2/2/22 - a Twosday!
As with many pagan holidays, Imbolc was taken over and Christianised in Ireland as the feast day of St. Brigid. She is the foremost female Irish Saint and a version of the universal goddess, Brigid. Legends portrayed the Christian saint as a formidable woman with the power to influence kings, and worshippers prayed to her to intercede on their behalf with God.
Molly and I are sure to talk more about this on our Spill The Tea Show on 2/1/22.
Ok, back to my New Moon ritual this month.
Overall, I am being called to use the energies of this New Moon to clear out and refresh my spaces! I started my ritual over the weekend - clearing out trinkets and housewares that needed a new home. I also started to remove items in my dressing room from my previous life as a corporate executive and started prepping them to sell on Poshmark. I already feel lighter and the new margin the clearing has created is ready for what’s next.
Want to join in? Here are steps to inspire and guide you:
1.) Brew a pot of peppermint tea, put on some comfy clothing or a goddess gown, and turn on music that brings you joy and/or inspires you to sing along at the top of your lungs! One of my go-to playlists is The Indigo Girls Essentials on Apple Music. (https://apple.co/3gayBJd)
2.) Walk around your home and start removing items that no longer serve you or your household. I chose a few key places to focus on - my dressing room, the kitchen, and the linen closet. I also grabbed items wherever I was that I was ready to let go!
Put it all in one big pile so you can celebrate your achievement AND prepare for the next step.
3.) Light incense or an (ethically sourced) Palo Santo stick. Now, it’s time to thank those items for the role they played in your life and cover them with blessings to take to their new homes. You can say a prayer or use this:
My clutter is cleared.
What no longer serves me is gone.
My space is refreshed.
It’s time to step into a new dawn.
I welcome the energy and the high vibes.
And bless each item as it begins its new life.
4.) Find a quiet, cozy spot, grab your journal and a pen, and write out a few things you would like to accomplish in the month ahead. It could be feeling more at peace, launching or finishing a project, or sharing more time with friends. You get the idea.
Here are two journal prompts to use:
How can I expand my mind to see things in a new way?
How can I clear away self-limiting beliefs and self-doubts in order to make way for new opportunities?
5.) When you’re done, prepare a hot, salty bubble bath to soak in and cleanse yourself from any negative energy collected during the day! If you have any Moon Water left from the last Full Moon, go ahead and add that to your bathwater. Be sure to intentionally stir the water clockwise while envisioning what you want the month ahead to look like! Read your list of intentions out loud and focus on the feelings you will feel when you accomplish/experience them.
If you are not a “bathlete” - a nice, hot shower will work. Be intentional about washing and rinsing each part of your body.
Voilà!
Keep the cleansing and purging going over the next 11 days!
If you have already done your decluttering for the year, consider taking inventory of your self-talk and clear out the negative cobwebs covering your internal dialogue. Treat yourself to some time to quiet your mind and do some extra mediation and yoga sessions.
Be still and know you are worthy.
Happy New Moon, Beloved.
xxoo