Happy New Moon! Key 2019 Dates to Set Intentions for a Stellar New Year

Hello my Sage Friends! Happy New Year to you. As you know from past blog posts, we at Sacred Land Sage honor a new year for as long as we can with as many meaningful rituals as possible. This means that we set our intentions and conduct a series of rituals to Manifest a new and eventful year over several weeks instead of celebrating on only a single day of the year, like Jan 1^st.

Why celebrate a New Year over several weeks? I’ve talked about the basis here and here. In a nutshell, the reason I offer this post yearly, is:

1) I believe we need more meaningful ritual in our lives;

2) Goals and resolutions “stick” best when we think about them for 30-60 days, and;

3) Taking our time to create rituals that honor our life and where we are, reduces stress and can be downright fun!

I see it every year, stressed clients and friends bemoaning around January 1: ”my review of 2018 is taking me longer, since so much happened’, or ‘I need more time to update my business plan’, or ‘what do I do about those pesky 2018 negatives that followed me into 2019- I feel so anxious about them’.

So I share here the timing that works for me, and I joyfully give you permission to DO YOUR OWN THING!  The advice I give everyone is that basically, January 1 is an artificial construct by a guy named Pope Gregory from around ce 1582.  And, Yes, while our work, projects, or others fiscal deadlines may revolve around this Gregorian date of Jan 1, your personal life and business do not need to; you can follow your own timelines and key dates!

I recommend that we all give ourselves some breathing room regarding the needed time to transition from one year to another; let go of the cultural norms and expectations around January 1. Take the time you need to celebrate YOU, honor your life, your progress, your needs and changes. This is all the basis of your new year’s intentions (better than resolutions) and should not be rushed. Consider this a New Year Season filled with rituals between 2 moons, for the next 10 months.

A suggested timeline for New Year rituals can be anywhere from Dec. 21 Equinox to Mar 20 Solstice. So basically now through spring.  Feel better?

I do admit celebrating the threshold of a new year on a single day can be a fun way to include family, friends, and work mates, in a symbolic au revoir to a year.  But most people need personal rituals too. And running a business requires added downtime to review, take stock, and then more time to put changes in place. Let’s face it, the holidays are generally too stressful to start doing this any earlier, and our holiday breaks seem to be shrinking.  So if you need more time to mentally and spiritually prepare for a new year- we suggest a look at other traditions who honor rituals over weeks, and between key dates.

Alternate New Year timelines include: First, the Wheel of the Year the seasonal calendar marked by Solstices and Equinoxes, where the Winter Solstice, Dec. 21 celebrates Yule and the longest night before the changing seasons that will invite more light; Imbolc and Spring Equinox dates offer more time to attune yourself and rituals with changes in the Earth and growing seasons.  And second, my personal favorite:

The Lunar New Year: for most of the world’s population in the East, a New year is Soli-Lunar-based from long-lived ancient practices linked to the agrarian calendar and seasons. A new year for most Asian Countries, like Chinese New Year or Tibetan Losar, begins the day after the new moon (after Jan 21- Feb 20).  The element of waiting to celebrate change, after the earth begins its winter thaw and before spring, makes so much sense to us and is highly appealing to us as sage planters and growers.

So here at Sacred Land sage, we recommend honoring this important time of year- a New Year-  over at least 4 weeks, with three distinct cycles involving: Releasing the old, Setting new aims/ intentions, and Manifesting new outcomes– all created to honor your life, and timed with Lunar events, specifically, the New moons of Jan., Feb., & March. Such timing only adds power and gravitas to your saging ceremony!

Lunar- Solar Power. As well, during these three months, beyond the basic lunar changes, we have seasonal events, super moons, and Lunar and Solar eclipses- all of which serve to magnify or augment your intentions and practices.  This is such a powerful time!  To time your rituals with the position of the Earth with the Sun (equinoxes & solstices), and the cycles of the changing Moon (new, full, and waxing/waning) simply says that ‘the universe has your back’: we all get a lot more help when timing our work with the pull and push of celestial bodies in the skies above. We all know how the moon affects our ocean tides, our bodies, activities, and our moods. To pay attention to seasonal and lunar events is to me, where the science meets the magic; in our smudge bowl where we can pair up the connections we can’t see (Heaven/ Spirit/ Energy) with those we can (the sage in our smudge bowls), all swirling together with the breath of our Intention.

Key dates for the 2019 New Year season:  PST, San Francisco

Setting Intentions/ Goals/ Resolutions/ Aims/ Planting ideas

New Moons:

Jan 5 – Jan 6 (starts 5:28p) PST: New Moon, the first of 2019

Feb 4 (1:03p) PST  Lunar New Year begins on Feb 5 (Losar 2/5-2/7)

Mar 6 (8:03a) PST

Creating conditions for our Intentions to germinate and sprout (The First Quarter moons) through the growth, augmenting, and expansion into fruition (the Full Moon):

Waxing Moon through the Full Moon

Jan 6- Jan 20 Full Moon

Feb 5- Feb 19 Full Moon

Mar 7- Mar 20 Full Moon

Time for Introspection/ Review/ Release of the old, outdated, and negative. Cleaning House literally and figuratively; simplifying to create space for the new. Times of release during waning cycles start after the full moon through the 3rd quarter moon, up to the New Moon again.

Waning moon cycle

Jan 21-Feb 3

Feb 20- Mar 5

Mar 21

For many, the few days before the full moon are important times for ceremonies about manifestation: of our  intentions, of abundance, and favorable circumstances.  Many will time spellwork and ceremonies in the days before the moon’s most abundant fullness, stopping promptly when the sun and moon are in perfect and opposite alignment. This is personal and depends on your beliefs and wishes of course.  Of note: we have not one, but two Super moons at the start of 2019!

Full Moons & Solstice:

Jan 20 (9:16p) PST  Super Moon, Full Lunar Eclipse

Feb 19 (7:53a) PST  Super Moon

Mar 20 (6:42p) PST Spring Equinox

I will add more posts with new ritual suggestions in coming weeks. For now, for specific rituals and sacred plants for your New Year’s rituals this post.

Thank you for reading! May your 2019 be filled with Blessings of Joy, Health, and Abundance!!!