The new moon in Aries is cardinal fire: all about new beginnings. And that new beginning starts with our internal worlds, in the fire of our spirits.

This release-and-receive altar is the waning moon ritual I will focus on this week until the new moon in Aries this Friday, April 17.

The altar is set up in a west-facing direction, honoring the element of fire and transformation.

The lower tarot cards each represent an aspect or a situation to be released. This is actually a form of shadow work. It’s important to remember that we cannot banish our shadow. We cannot eliminate triggers. But we can hold the space they need and instead of “banish,” release the unconscious grip. Bypassing is not the goal here.

This is where the honor part of the ritual comes in. We can honor what certain situations taught us, how coping mechanisms once kept us safe. If the aspect feels too heavy to actually honor, then we can hold space that it is nonetheless a part of our story. And our story matters. The honoring, recognizing, and holding space are the magical elements that open the doors to letting go.

This will also be a journaling exercise to focus on each aspect/situation: what is being honored, what is being released, what direction is next.

The upper tarot cards and small crystals/trinkets above them represent where energy is going after release.

On the night of the new moon in Aries, I will light the altar candles and let them burn until they fully extinguish, burn the “honor” and “release” notes along with some unbundled pieces of sage. Bury the ashes into the earth. Then, I will gather the upper tarot cards and the elements on the altar directly above them, place them in a “receive” or “beckon” bag, and hang it in a tree outside until the next full moon.

During the next full moon, I plan to take the “receive” elements from the bag and charge them under moonlight. Then, I can carry little pieces with me when I need extra support/reminders.

Helpful New Moon Altar tips:

Crystals to include:

• Black moonstone for the new moon (any moonstone variation is ok)
• Black tourmaline or obsidian for protection
• Clear quartz to purify and/or amplify
• Any black stone

Other elemental ideas to include:

• Grounding elements such as petrified wood or even just a fallen twig from outside
• Cleansing elements such as sage or palo santo (can be actual pieces or essential oils)
• Incorporate something to represent each element (fire, air, water, earth) OR focus on the element of the sign the moon is in
• A piece of nature or a flower: when the ritual is complete, you can place this element outside to return it to the earth
• Choose a candle that you can fully burn until the flame extinguishes
• Incorporate colors that resonate with the sign or phase the moon is in

Include anything that you intuitively think of while building the altar. You know what it means.

A chaos witch knows that magic is intuitive and always comes from within. You make the rules. The above is nothing more than suggestion and hopefully inspiration. Feel free to pick and choose, take and leave what you will. Make it your own. Make it that much more powerful.