Solitary New Moon Ritual:

Items needed:

   * cedar or sage smudging wand
   * white candle
   * bell
   * athame

Cast the circle:

Use the smudging wand to purify the space as you move around the circle.

Invocation to the Goddess:

Ring bell with your arms in the Goddess position (arms in a V above your head). Say these, or similar, words:

   Great Hecate
   Queen of the Underworld
   Protectress of all Wicca
   It is my will on this night of the new moon
   to overcome my shadows
   and bring about change
   I invite you to my circle to assist and protect me in my rite.

Invocation to the God:

Hold your athame with your hands in the God position (crossed over your chest) Say these, or similar, words:

   Great Anubis,
   God of Protection
   It is my will on this night of the new moon
   to overcome my shadows
   to bring about change
   I invite you to my circle
   to assist me and protect me in my rite.

Statement of intent:

Say these, or similar, words:

   Dark is the night as I reach this turning point
   Here is a time of death, yet a time of rebirth.
   Endings and beginnings
   Ebbings and flowings
   A journey done and a journey yet to start.
   As the wheel turns, I see birth, death and rebirth
   and I know that every end is a beginning.

Meditation:

Remember a time in your life when you were miserable, depressed and felt like you couldn't go on. Let the painful memories overtake you, feeling yourself weaken and become frightened. Put yourself back in that pain-filled time in your life. As you meditate on that time, sink down the floor and curl up in an embryonic position. You are completely obsessed by pain and depression. The shadows around you lengthen and darkness spreads.

Then arise!

Light your white candle and hold it high overhead. Say these, or similar, words:

   In darkness, there is light!
   I feel energy and life returning to me!
   I feel my heartbeat strong
   I feel the power of the universe and the power of the Goddess and
   God within me.

Pass the candle over your body, tuning in completely with the light, feeling its power heal and protect you. Allow its rays to completely penetrate your being, healing and cleansing you. As you are doing this, chant

Let the light cast out all darkness

Cakes and Ale or The Simple Feast

Thank the God and Goddess for their presence

Close the circle.

After the New Moon ends and that first crescent appears, then the healing lunar cycle begins all over again. Most acute diseases do not last a full lunar cycle. The information in this article is only intended to be an educational tool, not a prescription. It is always wise to consult with your health care provider when experiencing any illness or discomfort. Awareness of the rhythms of nature can assist you and your health care provider in determining the best course of treatment at any given time. Naturally, some conditions will require that you apply therapies that don't necessarily "fit" with the phase of the Moon.