A Simple New Moon Ritual for Expectant and New Parents

It is the New Moon coming up this week, moving through Taurus. This brings with it stronger earthly influences. Taurus can help you reflect on your material world, your finances and comforts.

You could take some time to sit and reflect, to write down how you are feeling, and what you could do to be more comfortable materially and financially at the moment within your life, and within your pregnancy. Is everything in your world how you would like it to be? For many of us these areas of life, during this time of isolation, don't allow us many options for change, but perhaps Taurus will open a space for you to create a clearer a path of reflection for these areas of your life?

I don't want to suggest at all that you focus excessively on things that are too heavy. These times are hard for many and simplifying life seems the best way to manage this isolation/ lock down, including simplifying our minds to help reduce the risk of stress. Especially unnecessary stress which you do not need with a new baby or during pregnancy.

So, I would like to suggest that you use this time not to set any intentions for change but to learn to just 'be'.

There is so much support and help out there online now from medical experts, midwives, doulas. This almost became a blog on birth planning but I suddenly felt I wanted to come in with a gentler aproach for the new moon between all the other offerings out there. I'll do the birth plan at a later date, but for now I feel we all need simplicity.

Taurus's influence can suggest we 'Stop and smell the roses'as a friend of mine wrote on a moon meditation group today. These simple words really inspired me. In the current climate, we all have the time and space to do this right now, I mean really put this into action!

Pregnancy is an experience, a gift from nature. So what better way to spend this new moon, than with the earthly influence of Taurus with other gifts from nature? Potentially, you could turn this into a daily practise. I believe it is almost as important for our souls to be fed on the colours of nature as it is to eat a healthy meal. How much better do you feel after looking out to the vast landscape of the blue sea or the green leaves of the woods dappled with golden sunlight?

Wild Garlic and bluebells, Groombridge Sussex.

This is a small ritual to literally 'smell the roses' just as Taurus's earthly energy suggests.

If you are a new parent take your baby with you to do this, babys love watching plants and trees.

New Moon Ritual to literally 'smell the roses'.

Find a tree, a plant or bunch of flowers in your home or garden.
Sit by it.
Light a candle to set your sacred space.
Smudge yourself with a safe herb for your pregnancy (I wouldn't recommend white sage in pregnancy, but there are other safe herbs you can use. Gentle Sweetgrass, lavender, rosemary are some.)
Take a deep breath, and as you breath raise your arms and imagine your arms bringing your aura up and over to connect with the plant.
On your next breath in, bring your arms up and back towards you, bringing the plant energy to your space too, blending with your energies.
Notice the colours of the plant, as you inhale, breath in the colour. If there are flowers, breath in their colours too. Notice how your body feels as you breath these colours into your aura.
Next notice the scent, and breathe that in.
Notice how this plant feels, how does it make your feel?
Then offer your deepest gratitude to the plant.
On your next breath bring your energy back into your space, and imagine the plants energy secure with the plant, not blending with your's anymore.
Ground yourself by feeling the ground beneath you, you may want to stand up and stamp your feet heavily on the floor.
Blow out your candle, closing your sacred space.
Always go and get a drink of water after ritual and meditations to help you to ground.

Demonstrating connecting to my daughters Hawthorn in my garden.

This may not feel pregnancy related but in my mind, spending time in nature or with nature (if you are indoors) is an important part of birth preparation. This is a great way to clear your mind, focus you in the moment, remind you of your role within nature and connect to the spirit of nature around you and within you. Nature is everywhere. We are in a vast expanse of natural world, it continues to live around us and grows even amongst the harshest of places in towns and cities. If you can connect with nature, you can connect better with your own intuition. Connecting with your own intuition will help immensely within childbirth. Being with nature and surrendering to its power will help you surrender to and trust your body within childbirth too. Plus as I just said, being in nature helps you be more mindful, slows your mind, is great for relieving stress and boosting general well being.

New Moon Blessings!

I write a lunar astrology guide for expectant parents each month, if you would like to receive a guide relating to your own birth chart each month to augment your pregnancy journey then do get in touch. Ill look forward to hearing from you.