Setting your intentions for release in Jan 2022

full moon release journalling prompts
  • Ali

I can hardly believe we are already witnessing a full moon at the start of 2022. The year is already running away with us and so many of us are yet to set intentions for the year or are still holding onto past beliefs, hurts or limited thinking that is really not helpful in a year that is resonating with love. It’s time to let go and release all that is no longer serving you and a full moon is a perfect time to align your energy and thinking and let go.

 

The Full Moon in January 2022 is a Wolf Moon and gets its name from the ancients who would have heard packs of wolves howling at this time of year due to lack of food in the cold winters.

Each full moon is given a specific name relating to the time of year, harvest, temperature or growing conditions. It’s obvious when you think about it as the moon was a way to count the days and a powerful guiding force.

 Full moons dates for 2022

Note: These full moon calendar dates are for the UK. Full moons occur at different times depending on your location, do your own online research for the exact time and date of the Full moon in your country…

  • January – Wolf moon or Old moon/Ice moon 17 Jan
  • February – Snowy moon or Hunger moon 16 Feb
  • March – Worm moon or Lenten moon 18 March
  • April – Pink moon or Egg moon 16 April
  • May – Flower moon or Corn planting moon 16 May
  • June – Strawberry moon or Rose moon 14 June – This is also a super moon
  • July – Thunder moon or Buck moon 13 July – This is also a super moon
  • August – Sturgeon moon or corn moon 12 August
  • September  - Harvest moon or Barley moon 10 September
  • October – Hunters moon or Travel moon 9 October
  • November – Beaver moon or Frost moon 8  November
  • December – Cold moon or Moon before Yule 8 December

 

The full moon can happen at any time of the day or night. While we often think of a moon at night you can often see it quite clearly in the day time too. The reason we get a full moon in daytime is the exact time of a full moon is calculated when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth to the sun and so the near side of the moon is illuminated by the sun’s light.

The full moon represents a clearing and release so it’s a perfect time to let go and especially potent at the beginning of a year as it can help set our intention for the year ahead. We think of the new moon representing the beginning of a new cycle so it’s a great time to set intentions and manifest too but don’t forget you can release or set intentions at any time of the year. This first full moon of 2022 falls in the intuitive, sensitive sign of Cancer. Cancer is represented by the crab, and reminds us of the importance of feeling at home within ourselves. If you’ve been struggling with finding your voice in 2022 or have carried over limited thinking from 2021 this is a great time to let it go.

 

January Full Moon Ritual

What you’ll need

Smudge, crystal or Holy Water to cleanse yourself and your space

Pen and paper

Candle and matches

Bowl of water

Soothing music

To begin

Press play on your music of choice and settle into the space you have created for yourself.

 

Start by smudging yourself and your space to cleanse yourself to drive away negative energy and restore balance to you and your surrounds. 

 

Light your candle and call in your higher self to be with you as you journal and let go

 

Take 3 to 5 deep cleansing breaths breathing in for a count of 3 – 5 and out for a count of 3 to 5. Think about releasing any negative energy, thoughts or beliefs as you breathe out allowing them to be absorbed by mother earth.

 

Pick up your pen and paper and start to journal.  Write as many things as you can think of that you would like to let go of from your life – start with 10 things and keep writing until you run out of ideas. You may find a theme coming through and that one element of release leads to more and more that are aligned with the same theme.

 

If you are wondering where to start you may like to use these ideas as prompts to help you release. After each thought write or say I choose to release this now…

 

  • I would like to release control of…
  • One fear I have is …
  • I give away my power when….
  • One of the ways I find myself playing small is
  • I fear…
  • I forgive myself for…
  • One area I carry tension is ….
  • I feel powerless when….
  • I feel anxious about…
  • I feel ashamed of …

 

Once you have finished your journaling you can complete your release by burning the paper. This can be done by setting light to it (be careful it may burn very fast so have a bowl of water ready. You do not need to burn the whole page just setting light to a corner is enough to allow for release), or put into into a fire or woodburner. Alternatively you can bury the page if you have access to an open space.

 

Sit quietly and reflect on how you feel. Allow any emotions to rise without focussing on them directly. Take 3 – 5 deep cleansing breaths, again breathing in for a count of 3 – 5  and out for a count of 3 to 5.

 

If possible go outside under the moonlight or stand at a window and look up to the moon allowing her to let go of all the thoughts and feelings you want to release.

 

If this exercise has been helpful or you would like to know how you can work with me in the future read more about my work here