Astrology allows us to pinpoint the exact moment the Sun and Moon are conjunct: the New Moon! This time is linked to planting roots and seeds, and to setting intentions and making wishes.
But the Moon is dark. There is no light in the night sky.
When traditional societies spoke of the New Moon, they meant the time when a thin crescent became visible in the sky again. Which makes all kinds of sense: The Moon is new when the light returns.
What if setting intentions worked better as the Moon began to regain light?
The Moon, the fastest moving body we track in astrology, is a messenger. How can the Moon carry my messages if they’re unseen? How can my messages be received when there’s no light to carry them?
Astronomers have established that generally, the New Moon first becomes visible about 16 hours after the exact, astrological New Moon.
I recommend waiting a minimum of 16 hours after the New Moon before making wishes and setting intentions.
But wait! Sixteen hours after a New Moon, the Moon may not be visible in the sky. Perhaps light pollution hides the light. Perhaps I don’t have a view of the horizon. The Moon might be visible somewhere but not to me.
For me, the best window of time is 16 hours after the New Moon and before the Crescent Moon phase.
My current practice is to find an election chart during the time window and make my wishes at the time reflected in the chart.
Electional astrology is the practice of looking ahead in time for a configuration that is favorable for what you wish to accomplish.
Perhaps you’ve heard of people consulting an astrologer to help choose the best time for a wedding, or to open a business. This is electional astrology.
I’ve been studying electional astrology for over a year now. Choosing electional charts for each New Moon is one way for me to put my skills to practice as I continue to learn.
I will be sharing New Moon electional charts in my new newsletter. If you’re interested, please sign up! The link is HERE on the Home page.
Image adapted from Max Felner
https://unsplash.com/photos/_yrCYuCjMYo