Rosh Chodesh ~ New Moon Rituals
Rosh Chodesh ~ New Moon Rituals
“ “What is this new song? It is the moon”(Zohar 1:123b). ”
The first mitzvah (commandment/connection) that the Jewish people received was to sanctify the new moon. “This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months” (Exodus 12:2). This mitzvah radically shifted the perspective of the world. At the time, the Egyptians worshipped the sun. The sun is always steadily burning the same. ‘Sun mentality’ is when we perceive our lives as stuck and limited. It says in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Our habits and relationship dynamics repeat; we cycle through the same issues through our lifetime(s). Worshipping the sun means there is no chance to break out of our constrictions.
“Worshipping the sun means there is no chance to break out of our constrictions.”
Moon Reality
However, kabbalistic wisdom gives us hope. The Zohar tells us that although there is nothing new under the sun, there IS a chance for newness under the moon. “What is this new song? It is the moon”(Zohar 1:123b). This is one of the reasons why the Jewish people sanctify the moon, and Am Yisrael (the nation of Israel) is often compared to the moon . Moon reality recognizes possibilities, even when we don’t see them.
Rosh Chodesh, translated as “the head of the new moon/month”, invites us to begin anew. We have a chance to rid ourselves of stuckness and negativity. The new moon is also an auspicious time to set intentions to step into our higher selves. Just like farmers plant seeds on the new moon, we, too, plant “spiritual” seeds. We become seeds of infinite potential; letting our old self go and our new self emerge. The new moon allows us to tune into different phases of our own being. The moon waxes and wanes from diminishment into fullness. We also cycle through our own spaces of smallness and humility, and then into our full light!
In Yogic thought, the new moon is related to the end of the exhalation and the ‘apana’. The “apana” is a downward and outward energy. The earth has a stronger magnetic pull, guiding us to slow down and ground. The new moon is also known as the “dark moon”. With so much artificial lights shining from our screens and information flooding in through our eyes, the dark moon encourages us to restore and reset our vision. It’s a time to tune into our inner ‘eye’ that is not reliant on external stimulation.
“Just like farmers plant seeds on the new moon, we, too, plant “spiritual” seeds. We become seeds of infinite potential; letting our old self go and our new self emerge.”
Ways to honor Rosh Chodesh:
Practice extending your exhales, following your awareness all the way out.
Meditate on, ‘what got in the way this past month from achieving my goals and living as my higher self?’ Let go and release negativity or stuckness through breath-work, yoga, massage, prayer, journaling, art, or meditation.
Ask yourself, ‘What seeds do I want to carry into the new month?’ Envision a word, a phrase, or an image to capture your seed of intention. Write your intentions down, say them to a friend or partner, or create art to express them. Here is a guided meditation for setting intentions.
Join or create a Rosh Chodesh circle of women to learn Torah about the inner-teachings of the month, say Tehillim(psalms), create art, and share insights and stories.
Purify your eyes with a break from screens and outside information, leaving the external world and tuning into your inner knowingness.
Allow yourself to move through the day at a slower pace, giving yourself time for introspection. Below is a gentle new moon yoga flow to delve inwards.
