Effects of the Moon ·
New Moon Intention List: Journal Prompts and How to Write It
A new moon intention list needs only a notebook, a pen and some quiet time. It starts with a few questions you ask yourself; each intention is written as a present-tense sentence in positive wording, with one concrete step to take this week. Writing intentions is an awareness practice and promises no result.
Hello dear friends. For me, the new moon is a symbol of opening a new page. Writing an intention list is the simplest way to do it. You do not need anything special: a notebook, a pen and a little quiet time are enough. 🌑
While the moon is not visible in the sky, I turn inward a little. It is like a seed newly dropped into the soil: from outside nothing seems to happen, while inside everything is getting ready. I look at what I want to make room for in the four weeks ahead. What would you like to grow in your life this month?
The first new moon of 2027 is on 7 January, in Capricorn, at 23:24 Turkey time (20:24 UTC). You can use the prompts in this post that evening, and at every new moon after it.
What do you need before you begin?
Before you begin, it is enough to give yourself a quiet moment. You can put your phone aside and take a few deep breaths. If you like, you can light a candle and sit in a corner you love; I suggest keeping the burning candle where you can see it. Opening the window a little to let the night air in is lovely too. None of this is a condition of the ritual. These are only lovely ways to mark the time you give yourself.
Which journal prompts work for a new moon?
Let these new moon journal prompts start from the place closest to your heart. You do not have to answer them all; choose the ones that touch you:
- What would I like to see more of in myself this month?
- What would I like to give less energy to?
- What made me happiest in recent weeks, and how can I have more of it?
- What have I been postponing that I truly care about?
- How can I show myself kindness this month?
How do you turn an intention into a sentence?
When you turn an intention into a sentence, I suggest the present tense and positive language. Instead of “I will not get stressed”, for example, “I give myself breathing breaks during the day.” The sentence should be yours, and it should mean something to you when you read it. If you have written a sentence you find hard to believe, you can soften it a little. When your heart says yes, you have found the right sentence.
How do you connect an intention with a step?
Connecting an intention with a step carries it into daily life. An intention is a direction; a small step in that direction is like placing the seed in the soil. Next to each intention, you can write one concrete step you can take this week. Next to “I spend more time with my body”, for example: “A half-hour walk on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.”
How many intentions should you write?
There is no fixed number. A short list is easier to follow; three to five intentions are often enough. You can reread your list through the month, change it or shorten it. An intention list is not a contract; it is a notebook that changes with you. Writing intentions is an awareness practice, and it does not promise any result.
About two weeks later, at the full moon, it is a lovely rhythm to look at the list again: what has grown, and what would I like to let go of? Watching the moon grow reminds me to turn back to my intentions. I share a post for each new moon and full moon here on the blog, and the videos on my YouTube channel.
If you would like to do this together in nature, you are welcome at the New Moon and Full Moon Meditation workshops at Şifa Köyü, our organic farm in Şile on the Black Sea coast of Istanbul. Setting an intention side by side, in the middle of nature, is a feeling of its own. On workshop days you can spend time on the farm and shop from the produce we grow from heirloom seeds, which holds EU-approved organic farming certification. Write to us for the dates. You can also look at the cleansing and intention practice I prepared for the new year, through the link below.
Which intention came to your heart first at this new moon? I would be very happy if you shared one sentence from your list with me. May your new page fill with light. ✨
New Moon and Full Moon Meditation workshops →
New year cleansing and intention practice →
Şifa Köyü shop: handmade candles (in Turkish) →
Frequently asked questions
Do I need anything special for a new moon intention list?
No. A notebook, a pen and some quiet time are enough. A candle or music is optional.
How many intentions should I write?
There is no fixed number. A few intentions that truly touch you are easier to follow than a long list.
Can I change my list later?
Yes. Your intention list can change with you; you can reread and update it through the month.
Does writing intentions promise a result?
No. It is an awareness and journaling practice, not a promise of results. Linking each intention to a concrete step makes it easier to carry into daily life.
Do I have to write my list at the exact time of the new moon?
No. You can do it on the day of the new moon or in the following few days, whenever suits you.
When is the first new moon of 2027?
On 7 January 2027 at 23:24 Turkey time (20:24 UTC), in Capricorn.