The intense energy of this lunar phase is an opportunity to reset and recalibrate your goals.
By Serena Poon, CN, CHC, CHN
You are your own best healer, I am often telling my clients. It’s true. There are so many resources available to us in the universe that facilitate rejuvenation and self-care through nutrition, intention and alignment.
The new moon, in particular, is a tremendous opportunity to explore the power within by harnessing and aligning with its energy. You may not realize it, but our bodies and spirits remain connected to this energy. It’s just that, at times, that connection can become weakened.
As you know, in my practice, I guide clients to places of greater wellbeing and lasting longevity through reclaiming this energy. I’m not just talking about a mental reset, but a physical, emotional, and spiritual realignment. The new moon is one of the most supportive moments to gently realign your internal state with the natural world.
And this particular new moon arrives just after the Strawberry Moon, which is a full moon that brings sweetness, softness, and ripening. The Strawberry Moon isn’t named for its color, but for the harvest season it represents. Still, energetically, it invites us into a time of emotional manifestation, where what’s been growing quietly fully reveals itself.
While the full moon is the brightest phase, the new moon is the darkest. As we enter this darkness, we have a chance to connect with a stillness that is often missing from our lives. In that quiet, we find space to introduce new intentions, clear old energy, and tune in to truer goals.
Let’s talk about how we can work with this moment wholistically, through nourishment, ritual, stillness, and energy alignment.
Energy First
The new moon is a symbolic reset point. It’s a time for reflection, recalibration, and setting new intentions, especially for your energy body.
In Reiki, we work with the unseen layers of the body: emotional, energetic, spiritual. During the new moon, the body is more receptive. The chakras are more open to subtle shifts. And because the sky is dark, you are invited to reflect on your current state.
I recommend working with Reiki energy, breathwork, or guided meditation to tune into your intentions. Ask your body: How am I doing? Are there things I am ready to relinquish? Am I open to new ideas, new pathways, new visions of myself?
Crystal Energy
I often recommend moonstone, rose quartz, and clear quartz during new moon energy work. These crystals help with finding emotional clarity, opening the heart, and amplifying your intentions. Hold the crystals in your hands during meditation, place them on your altar, or wear them as a reminder of what you are calling in.
Rose quartz, especially, carries a frequency that complements the emotional softness of the recent Strawberry Moon. It helps you reconnect to your own sweetness, especially if you’ve been in a season of stress, burnout, or over extension.
Eating the Rainbow
In my Culinary Alchemy® program, I explain how each food has a frequency. What you eat either supports your clarity or clouds it. This is why we eat the rainbow, especially around the new moon, when your body is naturally recalibrating. Each color of plant food corresponds to an energy center in the body, from grounding red beets to heart-opening greens to deep purple brain-supporting berries.
Also, hydrate deeply. I say this often, but it’s especially important during energetic transitions. Water cleanses the body and it carries energy and emotion. Use this new moon phase to reset your hydration routine. Start your morning with warm water and lemon, and sip slowly throughout the day. Add trace minerals or a pinch of sea salt if your energy feels low.
Consider plant-forward meals like steamed veggies, vibrant salads, soups, grounding root vegetables, and herbal teas. This simple nourishment is a gift. It takes the burden off digestion, so that more of your energy is used for integration.
Movement and Stillness
As many of you know, I feel structured workouts are not the only path to wellness. Movement should be intuitive. The goal is flow, not force.
During the new moon, I recommend movement that brings awareness to your body but doesn’t overstimulate the nervous system. That might look like a walk at dusk, or gentle stretching for 30 minutes, incorporating breathwork. Restorative yoga is another option. Even dancing to music that makes you feel soft, free.
This is about reconnecting with your uninhibited self and with your intuition. Trust that your body knows how to move, and that sometimes, stillness is a way to reach the same place.
A Simple New Moon Ritual
If you’d like to try a more structured approach, create a new moon ritual. You don’t need a literal altar or hours of time. Just a candle (or palo santo, sage or all three!), a journal, and water. A simple ritual can be powerful. Let this one anchor you. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just honest.
- Set the space. Light a candle or burn palo santo to clear out old stagnant energy or sage to invite new energy in. Sit somewhere comfortable with a journal and a glass of water or herbal tea. Hold a crystal if that feels right.
- Tune in. Inhale slowly, pause, then exhale through your mouth slowly, feeling the release. Repeat 10 times.
- Journaling. Ask yourself these questions and listen to your answers:
What am I ready to release from the last cycle?
What would be nourishing to focus on now?
Where does my energy feel depleted or ready to grow? - Close with gratitude. Write down one thing you’re thankful for from the last moon cycle, 28 days before, no matter what it is or its significance.
- Hydrate intentionally. Take a drink of water and, in your mind’s eye, envision the water infusing your entire body with your chosen intention.
By the way, you don’t need a long ritual for it to hold significance. Even two minutes of presence can be powerful. Light a candle, take a few deep breaths, or write down one thing you’re ready to let go of. This work isn’t about how elaborate the ritual is. It’s about how honest and intentional you are in the moment.
Right Now
This new moon, arriving just after the beauty of the Strawberry Moon, carries both the quiet and the sweetness of summer’s turning point. Let yourself soften into it; be guided by the rhythms that your body has always known, even if you have temporarily lost touch with them
Your healing doesn’t require control. It requires connection. The new moon will remind you to pause, nourish, trust your body, and remember the subtle power of your own energy. Because you were meant to align with that energy every single day.
xo – Serena
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I have to believe in astrology or lunar cycles for this to work?
A. No. You don’t have to believe in anything in particular to benefit from the pause the new moon offers. It’s simply a natural moment in time when things quiet down. Whether or not you follow moon phases, you’ll often notice your body and mind asking for stillness around this time. You don’t need a belief system to rest, reflect, or reconnect with yourself. That’s available to everyone.
Q: I feel disconnected from my intuition. Can I still work with this energy?
A. Yes and in fact, this is a beautiful time to begin. The new moon is quiet. It’s not asking you to “do,” it’s inviting you to listen. Intuition isn’t something you have to force. It comes back when you give yourself space and soften your focus. Start by asking gentle questions and noticing how your body feels when you do.
Q: Are there any foods I should avoid during the new moon?
A. Nothing is strictly off-limits, but I do encourage foods that support clarity and ease. This isn’t the time for heavy, overly processed meals that can cloud your energy or weigh you down. Think simple: vegetables, nourishing broths, whole grains, fresh herbs, warm teas. Give your digestion a rest so your energy can be used for integration, not effort.
Q: Do the effects of the new moon only last one night?
A. Not at all. The energy of the new moon usually lingers for about 2–3 days. You have time. There’s no pressure to “do it right” or complete your intentions in a narrow window. Let it unfold over a few days. You’ll likely notice when the energy begins to shift and your focus becomes clearer.
Q: Can I do a new moon ritual with a friend or does it need to be private?
A. You can absolutely share this experience. Doing a ritual with someone else—whether in person or virtually—can be incredibly powerful, especially if you trust one another. Just make sure it stays rooted in sincerity. Keep it simple, grounded, and meaningful. The connection you create can amplify the energy.
Q: I’ve been feeling burnt out. Is this a good time to rest or should I focus on setting goals?
A. Both. The magic of the new moon is that it makes space for reflection and intention. If you’re feeling burnt out, rest is the most important thing you can give yourself right now. From that place of restoration, your next steps will become clearer.
