The New Moon is the time when the Moon and the Sun align or are conjunct, i.e. they are in the same sign by degree and minute. This happens once each calendar month, so that the New Moon moves through the twelve signs of the zodiac over the course of the year. Smudging with sage Generally speaking, the New Moon is a time to work on new beginnings, and rituals on new undertakings are often created to be performed just after the New Moon, when the waxing (growing) period starts

This is a spread I did on the last New Moon, coinciding with Samhain and also Day of the Dead. I considered this to be an auspicious time to honour my ancestors, but also to ask the cards for a message, or information, on my ancestral lineage. There are many different ways of doing such a spread, and equally different ways of asking questions – these variables are up to each practitioner to choose and alter as they see fit. You might also want to think what the word “ancestor