So the new moon in Scorpio today is apparently heavily associated with the water element, so it seems fitting that the ritual I chose to help me release the old and set new intentions for this month is one that links to bathing.
I’ve read around, and there’s a lot of negativity associated with dark passion, aggression (even violence), debauchery and spite around a new moon falling in Scorpio. I’m choosing to reframe that and asking you to look at the shadow aspects of yourself (those ‘negatives’ you prefer to turn away from or hide from others) and how they manifest in your attitudes & behaviours, so that you can release those with this ritual and welcome in what you need. It is not about turning your back on any part of yourself, those darker parts of our nature are often protective and useful – anger can be righteous and lead us to defend ourselves or others, fear can help us following a path to our detriment, doubt can encourage us to question our motives and actions more deeply to ensure we act in alignment with our deepest truths…
So what I am asking you to release is the negativity of your shadows, to let them reveal their gold so that you can set intentions to bring into your world what you really need. What is holding you back, for example is your shadow prompting you to reconsider how to achieve your goals, or ae you falling into old patterns of procrastination?
Grab your journal, sit quietly and tune into your breath and listen to what your mind and your heart are saying. What messages do you hear when you take the time to hear them? Scribble furiously or consider the flow of your thoughts & emotions and distil them into a few tidy lines, whatever works for you. Keep your ponderings on hand.
Gather your supplies:
- Jar with lid
- Pink Himalayan Rock Salt or Sea Salt
- Your favourite essential oil(s)
- Dried flower petals (if you have them)
- Oil (olive oil, coconut, almond or any base oil that suits your skin)
- Incense, smudging sage or palo santo
Set an area to work – clear your space and prepare your supplies. Light a candle if you have one, use your incense or smudge stick to cleanse yourself and the space in which you are working.
You can choose whether to open a circle for your ritual, call on your spirit guide, or simply sit quietly for a moment to prepare yourself. Take a gift tag or a sheet of paper and from your journalling, write an intention for your ritual:
“At this new moon, I release ……………………………….. and I welcome ……………………………….. ”
Set the tag aside, or fold the paper and set it aside.
Exact quantities will depend on the size of the container you have chosen to fill.
You want a mixture that is soft and oily but not sloppy, with substance enough to use as a skin scrub. Pour in the salt, add your oil until you have a consistency that feels good between your fingers. Choose your essential oils to create a scent that will lift your spirits, soothe your mind or feel sensual, it is up to you. Add any complementary dried flowers petals. Mix it all up and close the container. Tie your intention tag around the container, or place your folded paper under the jar.
The ritual I read (here) suggested also using crystals to reinforce your intentions. I chose Rose Quartz for it’s qualities of protection, enhancing love & compassion, and Aqua Aura for abundance.
Place your scrub mix, intentions and crystals (if you’re using them) aside overnight – this will let the oils infuse into the oil & salt.
The following day, and any day during the next couple of weeks, you can use the salt scrub when you bathe or shower.
The idea is that by shedding your old skin cells, you are physically representing the release, transformation and rebirth that we are invited to experience at the time of the new moon.
As you wash away the scrub from your skin and see the old water drain from your bathtub or shower, allow yourself to visualise it cleansing you of what you chose to release. Enjoy the softness of your freshly scrubbed skin as a physical sign of renewal, welcome the opportunity to shed another layer and embrace the new you. Remember your intention, or state it allowed, and let the lingering scent of your chosen oils remind you of your intentions in the coming hours & days.
LucidYogaLucy 