Hello, and happy January, my friends! With the new calendar year, we start a new cycle of moon phases. This month, we have the first New Moon of the calendar year on January 18th – a New Moon in Capricorn! Let’s take a moment to explore what a New Moon is, how the sign of Capricorn affects the energy of this New Moon, and different spells, rituals, and meditations you can do to connect with and harness this energy.
Depending on your time zone, the New Moon will be on 2026-01-18T19:51:00Z. Find the exact time of this month’s New Moon here: Moon Calendar from Astro-Seek.
What Is A New Moon?
Astronomically speaking, a New Moon is the period of time when the moon is at 0% illumination. The Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of the Earth. This causes Earth’s shadow to fully cover the Moon leaving the night sky in darkness.
There are several different beliefs regarding the New Moon and witchcraft. Some witches believe this is the time to start new projects. Others believe it is a time of rest and recovery where no magic should be done.
What does a new moon symbolize? This is a time of introspection, self-analysis and reflection. An opportunity for a fresh start and a New You. - New Moon Rituals (Spells8)
The Sign Of Capricorn 
In astrology, Capricorn is a Cardinal Earth sign ruled by Saturn. Capricorn is an ambitious sign ruled by practicality and social responsibility. Through this ambition, Capricorn is also a sign of structure. Rules must be followed and logic rules stronger than emotion. This detachment from emotion may be seen as a sign of weakness, causing Capricorn to seem aloof and uncaring to those they meet. However, those closest to a Capricorn must realize that the unemotional appearance of Capricorn can be caused by a desire to appear strong and in control.
Magick for the Capricorn New Moon 
All together, this New Moon will be a great time to set intentions for the year ahead. Capricorn is full of determination and ambition! This is great energy to pair with a New Moon for setting intentions for the entire year – make a plan and then get things done!
In general, the New Moon is a wonderful time to plant the seeds you want to grow for the month. You will see the fruits of your labors from these seeds close to the Full Moon as long as you put in the work – Capricorn is all about hard work, of course!
Activities For The Capricorn New Moon
As I mentioned previously, the Capricorn New Moon is really suited to self-reflection and magick surrounding the subjects of career, personal development, and release. Below, you will find a small collection of ideas for this Capricorn New Moon to help you get started!
Plant Seeds Of Intention
The ground may be hard and frozen here in the Northern Hemisphere, but we can go within and begin planting seeds of intention for the coming month. Whether you are looking to start a new business or release the negativity that is holding you back. This guided meditation can help you plant those seeds for your future.
Cleanse And Refresh
Stagnation can set in easily, no matter what season you’re in. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s really cold, and we are in the thick of winter. The houses are shut up and our heaters are turned on. Energy can settle in these spaces, and New Moons are a wonderful opportunity for us to open the windows just for a moment and cleanse our space of the energy that has settled there. Consider cleansing your space or your home during this new moon. It will help give you a refresh and set the stage for progress in the coming month.
Explore Cleansing Spells And Rituals → Spiritual Cleanses | Spells8
Cut Ties And Move On
New moons are a great time to start fresh in multiple aspects of your life. If you have a bad habit or a negative person that keeps hanging around, you might benefit from a cord-cutting ritual. These aren’t to be done lightly, but they may help for pesky situations where you feel like you are out of options. Consider a cord-cutting ritual to help cut ties and get rid of some baggage that might be holding you back. You might be surprised at how light you will feel after letting it all go!
Write A Letter To Your Future Self
If you need a bit of accountability in your life, writing a letter to your future self is the way to go! Write a letter to your future self expressing gratitude for everything you want to accomplish as if you have already accomplished them! For example, if you set the intention to not miss a day of work, write your letter expressing gratitude for doing such a great job making it to work every single day.
After you have written your letter, seal it and tuck it away someplace safe. Then, revisit it on the next New Moon to track your progress! Make it a bit more magickal by creating a special sigil to draw on the letter or envelope!
Remember, the energy of the New Moon isn’t just for the one day that it reaches its peak. Personally, I give myself a three-day window for the New Moon: the day before, the day of, and the day after. This works well for my practice and it may work for yours, too!
Do you plan to work with this New Moon? What are your favorite ways to work with a New Moon?
Let’s hear about it!
to set intentions and do these rituals - and maybe even some extra cleaning. 
I like the 3 day window especially since the NM falls on a Monday in Australia. Im having pork shanks with roasted root vegetable medley on Sunday night, day before since Monday is a work day. Perform rituals on the Monday and reflect on the Tuesday. 
