How to set New and Full Moon intentions

     Wondering how to set new and full moon intentions? If you’ve been following astrology for a while, then you know that new moons and full moons are great days for setting intentions and attracting your desires. However, what many in the astrology community aren’t talking about is HOW to set those intentions. 

     Don’t worry, Cosmic Cannibal’s got you covered. I’m gonna walk you through how to set new and full Moon intentions in five steps. But first, the basics. 

    What is a New Moon / Full Moon Intention?

     Simply put, an intention is an aim, a purpose, an action and/or a goal that you want to do or achieve. There are several different types of intentions, but usually when we’re talking about new / full moon intentions, we’re talking about a specific measurable goal you want to manifest in your life in the next 3-6 months. Now, you might be asking:

Cosmic, are New and Full Moons the only days to set intentions? 

     The answer to that question is simple: No! New and Full moons are not the only days you can set intentions. However, they are opportune days to set intentions. And that’s because on new moons and full Moons, the Sun and Moon are either conjunct or opposite one another. These two types of aspects have an energizing effect on your birth chart, and set the stage for an abundant harvest of manifested goals.

     In plain English, this means that on either a new or full moon, the Sun and Moon are aligning in a way that makes it beneficial for sowing seeds of intention in a specific area of your life. Astrological new/full moon intention setting is similar to the age-old gardening practice of Planting by the Moon. Confused? Don’t be! I’ve got a great article on New and Full Moons, which you can read here.

     So, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff:

How to Set New Moon and Full Moon Intentions

1. Pick The New / Full Moon Intention You Want To Set

     This might seem like an obvious step–and it is. Before you can set an intention, you have to first decide what it is that you want most and what you wish to attract and bring into your life.  

     Maybe that’s a new job, a new partnership or apartment, or maybe it’s something more abstract, like increased awareness or vibrancy. Whatever the case, it’s important that you know your desire before you decide to set a new / full moon intention for it. This is how you start your intention: “I WANT [your aim/goal]” or “I’M ATTRACTING [your aim/goal]”.

     Another tip: keep your Intention S.MA.R.T., which is an acronym that stands for: 

• Specific
• Measureable
• Actionable
• Relatable
• Time Bound

     Remember: an intention is an aim or a goal that you want to do or achieve. The more specific, measurable and actionable you can make your new/full Moon intention, and the more you can give yourself (and the universe) a deadline, the more likely you’ll manifest your desire. 

2. Note the theme of the New / Full Moon

     Each new moon and full moon occurs on one of the six astrological axes. These axes all have unique themes that you can use in your manifestation practice. A good way to find out the themes of any new or full moon is to read horoscopes. The best astrologers write about the themes of new and full moons in their horoscope articles. 

     These themes can be used to fuel your new / full moon intention. Let’s use the most recent Leo full moon as an example. The themes of the full moon were drama, courage, heart, passion and fixed purpose. An intention fueled by those full moon themes involves being courageous and passionate about your desires. This courage and passion drives your intention-setting practice! 

3. Find the New / Full Moon in your birth chart

     Just as there’s a theme to every new moon and full moon, these lunation are also activating specific houses in your birth chart. This means there are themes unique to your birth chart that can inform your new/full moon intention. 

     Let’s say the upcoming new moon is in your 4th House. The 4th house is the astrological house of family, foundations, homelife and domestic affairs. Knowing this, you can set a new moon intention to find a new apartment, get pregnant and start a family, or remodel your room.

     Traditionally, new moons are times of beginning, initiation and opportunity. Whereas full moons are days of fruition, closure and resolution. However, both lunations offer you chances to focus on the areas of life they are energizing. So, you’re better able to assess what you need/want to change or bring into your life. And when you know this, you can set more powerful intentions. 

4. Use Planetary Transits on the New / Full Moons

     New / full moons can activate longer planetary transits and personal cycles for you, helping you narrow down the time frame for manifesting your intention. So, staying aware of which planets are aspecting the moon and/or your birth chart is important when setting intentions.

     This is because planets aspecting a new / or full moon imbues that day with specific energies that can help or hinder your intention setting. For example, if a new moon is aspecting your natal Jupiter, then you can use the energies of Jupiter–optimism, luck, abundance, faith–to your advantage, and really tap into these energies within you when setting your intention. 

5. Journal / Visualize your New / Full Moon intentions

     This is the most important step in setting new / full moon intentions. When you write down what you want and visualize it happening, it is more likely to come true. However, writing down and visualizing your goals/desires on new and full moons is especially important for this reason: 

     In astrology, the Moon is the celestial body of emotions and imagination. During new and full moons, we’re better able to tune into our feelings and creative imagination. Being more in tune with our feelings and deeper imagination, we’re more likely to set emotionally-charged goals. The trick to attracting those emotionally-charged goals is writing them down! And always write your desire in first person: “I WANT [your goal]” or “I HAVE [your goal]” or “I AM ATTRACTING [your goal]”.

     So, there you have it. My personal Method for setting intentions on New and Full Moons. A quick side note: The majority of this information I’ve developed over the years as I’ve practiced astrology and new/full moon intention-setting for myself and client. However, I’ve also studied the ins and outs of new/full moon cycles in astrology from the book “The Art of Predictive Astrology” by Carol Rushman.* I highly recommend this book for those who wish to dive deeper into predictive astrology. 

*This is an Amazon affiliate link that supports this blog.

Want more astro-logic from Cosmic Cannibal? Sign up for my emailing list and get exclusive content straight to your inbox. Horoscopes, podcast episodes, exclusive promos–and more! And while you’re at it, check me out on YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram.