New moon tarot spread

What this spread is

Modern tradition links the new moon with beginnings: the Moon is not yet visible in the sky, and this “empty” day is a good time to devote to whatever you want to start. The Moon doesn’t influence events or grant wishes, but the date on the calendar is a good reminder to stop and think about where you are heading. The date of the next new moon is easy to find in any astronomical calendar.

The spread has three positions. The first is what you can release: a habit, an anxiety or an expectation that no longer helps. The second is the intention, that is, what you want to grow over the next four weeks. The third is the first step, small and concrete, so that the intention doesn’t remain just words. A month later, at the next new moon, look at your notes and see what has changed.

What each position means

1. What I let go. A habit, an anxiety or an expectation it is time to say goodbye to. Not a person and not a relationship, but something that depends on you.
2. What I want to grow. An intention for the lunar cycle: a quality, a project or a state you want to nurture over the next four weeks.
3. First step. One small action for the coming days. The more concrete, the better: “sign up,” “write,” “put the phone away at 10 p.m.”

Which questions it suits

• What should I release in this lunar cycle?
• What intention should I set for the new moon?
• Where should I start this new month?
• I want a gentle ritual for the start of a cycle.
• How do I return to something I’ve long been putting off?

What this spread won’t show

The new moon spread doesn’t promise that a wish will come true and doesn’t predict events, money, health or relationships. The Moon is just a nice point on the calendar, and the changes are made by you. Don’t use the “What I let go” position to decide whom to remove from your life: such decisions aren’t made by cards.

A short example

Question: What should I take with me into the new lunar cycle?

• What I let go: Four of Cups, the habit of brushing off new offers.
• What I want to grow: Ace of Pentacles, a practical project with a tangible result.
• First step: Page of Pentacles, start learning: one lesson, one page, one attempt.

Putting it together: a cycle about no longer waiting for the perfect moment. The Four of Cups asks you to notice the opportunities already nearby, the Ace of Pentacles to give one of them a real form, and the Page of Pentacles advises starting with a modest step of learning. The intention for the month: “one hour a week on something new.” The spread gives no promise of a result.

The example is made up: it shows how the positions are read, not what will “come up” for you.

How to read the spread

• Do the spread on the day of the new moon or within the next two days: look up the date in any astronomical calendar.
• Write down the intention in one sentence in the present tense, for example: “Every week I…” It is easier to remember that way.
• The first step should fit into 15–30 minutes. If it is bigger, break it into several.
• At the next new moon reread your notes: what worked, what didn’t, and whether you want to continue with the same intention.

Who lays out the cards in the bot

In the bot, the spread is laid out by Iris, an artificial intelligence rather than a human tarot reader. We don’t hide it. She interprets exactly the cards that came up, in light of your question and the positions of this spread. It is entertainment and a reason to reflect, not a forecast or advice on health, money or legal matters.

See also

• Monthly tarot spread: week by week
• Weekly tarot spread
• Card of the day
• All tarot spreads
• Tarot card meanings