Setting Intentions Defined
Be it Hoodoo, Witchcraft, Wicca or some other form of magic you’ll often hear the phrase “set your intention” or “setting your intentions” but what does this really mean? To me, it means making a firm decision about something that you want to be, do, or have and then going about being it, doing it, or having it. This usually means using tools such as the law of attraction, spell work, positive thinking, spiritual oils, affirmations, prayer, etc… One of the tools available to us for our use is Astrology. Astrology is a form of divination based on the movement and relative position of the Sun, Moon, and planets and the belief that they have an effect on human behavior and events. Astrologers use a variety of techniques to track and predict the currents of cosmic energy through our lives and how that energy will likely manifest. Some of these techniques include, but are not limited to, the use of solar progressions, lunar return charts, solar return charts, etc… Such charts are always read in relation to each individual’s natal, or birth chart. Houses Vs. Signs The planets are always moving and therefore the positions of the planets are constantly changing. Because your Natal Chart represents a fixed moment in time, the movement of the planets are read, or interpreted, against the backdrop of your Natal Chart. When a planet is said to be transiting, or moving through a sign, it is considered to be in that same sign for everyone. However, since everyone's Natal Chart is different, the position of the planet is read in relation to the house that sign occupies in the Natal Chart. House positions are determined by one’s Ascendant, or Rising Sign. The Ascendent is the sign that was coming up on the horizon at the time of birth and marks the beginning of the first house in an individual’s chart. For example, if Venus is transiting Taurus and you have Taurus in the 7th House in your Natal Chart, then Venus is said to be transiting the 7th house. Nonetheless, Taurus can be in any of the other 12 houses in another person's Natal Chart. As you can see, the position of the planet in the twelve houses of the zodiac can affect individuals in various ways. Obviously, however, there are a finite number of houses and so 1/12 of the world will have Venus transiting the same house.
The New Moon A new moon occurs when the sun and moon are said to be in conjunction, that is, they occupy the same degree of the same astrological sign at the same time. When the moon is new, this is a good time for beginning something. The house that the moon occupies at the exact moment of the New Moon will indicate the area of life for which you will have more energy and motivation to start making changes. To work with this current of energy on a personal level, you need to determine in what house in your astrological chart the New Moon will occur. For example, in May 2018 the New Moon occurred on the 15th at 4:47 AM PDT in the sign of Taurus. If we look at the birth chart of actor Chris Evans, we can determine that Taurus falls in the 7th house in his birth chart. We know this because his rising Sign is Scorpio () as evidenced by the slightly darker and thicker horizontal line pointing to Scorpio on the left side of the chart. Starting at Scorpio and counting counterclockwise we arrive at Taurus and determine that this represents the seventh house. Since the 7th house is associated with marriage, agreements and partnerships of all kinds (i.e. business or personal), the energy activated for Chris Evans during this New Moon surrounds relationships.
Type of Astrological Houses In astrology the houses are divided up in several ways, one such way is into groups of three called Angular, Succedent and Cadent. The type of house the New Moon falls will give you an indication of how the New Moon will be activated in your life. The Angular Houses (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th) are action oriented and are thought to be the most powerful and influential in a person’s life. A new moon occuring in any of the these houses will often work on the surface and in a public manner.
The Succedent Houses (2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th) are all about your security and what you need to feel and be secure. These houses are less powerful than the angular ones but more powerful than the cadent houses. A new moon occuring in any of them will require some investigation on your party to identify how to best take advantage of this placement.
The Cadent Houses (3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th) are the last houses in each quadrant and therefore are thought to be the least powerful of all the houses. A new moon in any of the cadent houses will require you to look deeper and more thoroughly than the new moon in the other houses in order to get the best results from your work.
New Moon Intentions Through the Houses House of Self- Aries. New Moon, new you! This is a good time to change your outer appearance in some way such as getting a new haircut or purchasing a new outfit. You may also want to try a new approach when dealing with others, especially if your current one hasn’t been so successful.
House of Money- Taurus. A new moon in the second house is a good time to set intentions to increase your income and to attract things of value such as purchasing a piece of art that will increase in value over time.
House of Communication & Travel- Gemini. A new moon in this sector is auspicious for opening up the lines of communication with another person or improving the manner in which you exchange or relate ideas and information to others. Start a book, research an article, write a letter, email, or text.
House of Home and Family- Cancer. When the new moon falls in your fourth house, your intentions should revolve around the home. This is a favorable placement for attracting a new home or apartment, cleansing your home, remodeling or re-arranging your space. This is also a good time for doing any work that will protect your loved ones and bring them closer together.
House of Love- Leo. A new moon in the love and creativity sector is auspicious for attracting a new lover, or starting a new creative project. It is also favorable for those wishing to conceive a child.
House of Work & Health- Virgo. A new moon in the sixth house is favorable for attracting or starting a new job as well as initiating a new health regime such as a diet or an exercise routine.
House of Relationships- Libra. When the new moon takes place in the area of your chart which rules over relationships, this is a good time to work on relationships of all kinds. Intentions center around attracting a partner in business or romance. It is also a good time to work towards improving existing relationships.
House of Mystery- Scorpio. A new moon in the eighth house is auspicious for setting intentions revolving around shared resources such as debit, taxes and inheritances. In practical terms this may translate to paying off credit cards, back taxes, etc… and building up your reserves to cover future expenses.
House of Knowledge- Sagittarius. When the new moon falls in your ninth house this is an auspicious time for attracting new knowledge and experiences that will expand your horizons. This is a good time to take a class or read a book about a subject of interest or plan a trip to a place you are interested about.
House of the Public- Capricorn. A new moon in the tenth house is favorable for improving your career and / or public image. Intentions can center around improving your visibility at work or raising your profile in general so that you get the recognition for your efforts that you deserve. House of Friends- Aquarius. When the new moon falls in the 10th house, friendships and associations are activated. This is a good time to network or join a group or cause of particular interest to you. It's not what you know, it’s who you know.
House of the Hidden- Pisces. A new moon in the 12th house is auspicious for setting intentions that center around escapism and nurturing of the self. Use this time to say no to anything or anyone that intrudes on your life and instead use that time to explore inner realms through meditation and ritual, divination, or journaling.
The Hoodoo Connection You may already be familiar with condition oils and their use in the Hoodoo Tradition. These are oils which have been designed to address a specific issue or bring about a specific condition. They usually have names like Follow Me Boy, Money Magnet, Psychic Vision, Crown of Success, etc… which describe their function. However, commercial spiritual retailers often offer Astrological Oils. These are spiritual oils formulated for the twelve signs of the zodiac as well as the ten planets. The oils which relate to the astrological signs
(Aries through Pisces) are often used to represent a person born under that sign or who possesses the qualities of that sign. Alternately, they may be used on doll babies, candles, petitions, etc… to pull in the energy of that sign. The planetary oils may also be used in the same manner for the energies and powers related to the planet in question. Generally speaking condition-oils are used in two ways. They are ‘anointing’ and ‘dressing.’ Anointing means to rub the oil on yourself, another individual, or even an animal. Dressing means to rub the oil on a candle, mojo bag, talisman, or other inanimate object. Having said that, Anointing and Dressing Oils can be used in a myriad of ways. They can be worn as a scent for spiritual purpose. They can be wiped onto the person whom one wishes to influence. They can be used to "dress" a candle, a mojo bag, or a talisman They can be added to bath salts. They can be used in a magickal lamp. They can be used in conjunction with other magical items to create a focal point for the work being done. Working the Root: A Practical Example Returning to our example above with the new moon occuring in Chris Evan’s seventh house. Let us say that Chris wants to attract someone who could be a long-term girlfriend or even a wife. Chris will want to do his work while the moon is still in Taurus and as close to the new moon as possible. For the purpose of this article, we will assume that Chris will be in the Pacific Time Zone on this day. Since the new moon on May 15th occurred at 4:47 am PDT, Chris might want to do his work at sunrise which occurred at 5:31 am. Since the 7th house is naturally ruled by Libra, which is ruled by Venus, Chris might want to work with Libra Oil and or Venus Oil. He may write all the qualities he is looking for in a girlfriend or wife on a piece of paper and dress this with the Libra Oil. He may even incorporate the symbol for Libra into his petition, representing his desire for a partner, drawing it in the four corners. Next he may take a red candle and mark it with his name and the symbol for Venus, the planet of love. Next, he will dress the candle with the Venus Oil. He will place his petition on his altar, face up, with the candle on top. Finally, he will light the candle and make his prayer or petition for a wife / girlfriend as the candle burns. This is just one example how Chris might best utilize the energy of the New Moon in his seventh house. Other options may include, fixing a mojo bag that incorporates herbs that resonate with Libra and Venus as well as other traditional curios and feeding it Venus oil each week. He may craft a doll baby which includes such herbs and curios as well as his list of qualities that he is seeking in a mate. He may perform one or more series of spiritual baths that includes the oils mentioned. Finally, he may even use a combination of any of these such as taking a spiritual bath before fixing the mojo bag and then bathing again each week on a Friday (the day associated with Venus) and feeding his mojo or working with a doll baby by the light of a fixed candle for the same purpose. Conclusion The New Moon is a powerful time to bring about positive change in your life. By determining what astrological house is activated by the monthly new moon, you can work with the current of energy acting in your life rather than struggling against the cosmic tides.
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