The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel written by C.S. Lewis. It is the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. The story revolves around four siblings - Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy - who are sent to live in the countryside during World War II. While exploring their new house, Lucy stumbles upon a magical wardrobe that serves as a gateway to the enchanting world of Narnia.
As with any ritual, new moon or otherwise, your intention really is the most important part. Whether you want a new moon ritual for love, manifestation, money—whatever it may be—your intention holds the key. Any of the aforementioned rituals can be personalized and tweaked for the intention you're working with.
Thank them for their support, their guidance, and for helping you get your intentions in motion, and find gratitude in knowing that you are divinely supported. Whether you ask them about what goal you should be working toward, what s standing in your way, or how to direct your focus, the cards can give you some valuable insights.
While exploring their new house, Lucy stumbles upon a magical wardrobe that serves as a gateway to the enchanting world of Narnia. As she steps through the wardrobe, she finds herself in a snowy land where animals talk and mythical creatures exist. Lucy is soon introduced to a kind and majestic lion named Aslan, who is regarded as the true ruler of Narnia.
New moon magic
Create your own personalized New Moon ritual to make positive changes in your life and connect with yourself on a deeper level.
A New Moon is a great time to check in with yourself and take stock of what changes you’d like to make. The practice of doing a New Moon ritual every month over the long term can bring new perspectives, progress, and manifestations into your life.
I’ve been working with the moon cycles for almost a decade to set intentions and clear away old patterns. I specifically use the New Moon and the Full Moon to assess how I’m feeling and what I’d like to change, do, or experience more of. The New Moon is especially good for turning inward, reflecting on the past month, re-centering, and setting new intentions to feel more aligned in our everyday life.
Intentions are different than goals, where goals tend to be more external, intentions are about how you want to feel and move through your everyday. In order to set our intentions, I think it’s important to make time and space to get perspective and clarity. Rituals are a beautiful way to do something nice for yourself and take some quiet time to listen to your intuition and figure out what you need.
Why create a new moon ritual?
Think about the New Moon in the dark sky (find out the exact date and time of the New Moon here) — the moon is exactly aligned with the sun and isn’t visible in the sky. This is our cosmic blank slate for the cycle. From today, the moon will begin to grow in steady increments until it’s completely full, then wane back down again to dark, then new again.
The moon is our guide in helping us expand and go inward in a reliable rhythm. Whenever you see it or think about it, you’re reminded to check back in with yourself, your intuition, and your intention.
The key to creating your own ritual is to find something that feels both special and comfortable for you. If you’re doing something that doesn’t feel genuine or you find yourself scrolling through your phone to read instructions for half the time, it can take you out of the moment — so trust your instincts and do what feels natural. You’re aiming to create a magical space, but one that feels in your wheelhouse.
A ritual should include a few simple steps and a tool or two (more on that below). It’s something that can be focused on as a way to ground you in the present moment.
Balance it out
Find a balance that feels right for you by including as many or as few tools as you’d like. An easy starting point is to incorporate the four elements — earth, air, fire, water.
Earth can be a plant, leaf, flower, salt, crystals, or stones.
Air can be incense, music, diffused essential oils.
Fire can be a candle, spices, or something with bright colors like red, orange, yellow or gold.
Water can be, well, water or something that evokes the sea like a shell.
If you want to keep it simple, using a candle can actually cover all four elements (solid wax is earth, air flickers the flame, melted wax is water, and the fire is self-explanatory). Experiment and see what feels good to you, or take the temperature of the day and assess what you need. If the New Moon is in a water sign, for example, you may want to put more focus on that element.
Stay in the moment and don’t think too much about what you’re “supposed to” do — just follow your gut and do what feels right at that time. It can be as simple or elaborate as you choose.
The Ritual Basics
- Comfy and quiet spot to sit
- About 20 minutes to yourself
- Your breath (maybe overkill to mention, but important!)
- Notebook + pen
- Nourishment. Make yourself something simple and nourishing. That can be a tea, hot chocolate (see below for a recipe), big glass of water, or an easy, plant-filled meal to eat afterward.
Optional add-ons
- Cleansing plants like rosemary, mugwort, cedarwood, palo santo, or sage (I recommend making your own dried herb bundles or buy them from Mountain Rose Herbs — which sources herbs responsibly)
- Candles (see below for a simple candle magic ritual)
- Crystals
- Essential oils/Incense
- Mood music
- Tarot cards
- Hot bath with epsom salts
Here’s what I do:
Pick a time
The evening of the new moon or the one after, if possible. Pick a time when you can be alone and undisturbed for about 20 minutes.
Set up the space
Turn on some music that makes you feel good (I love making a New Moon playlists for myself, or going with an artist I’m feeling in the moment). Light some candles and a salt lamp for low-lit ambiance and prepare a warm drink or food.
Gather your notebook, a crystal or two you’re working with, and/or a tarot or oracle deck.
Freshen and settle in
Burn rosemary, mugwort, a bay leaf or your favorite herb to cleanse the space and/or use an essential oil spray for the same purpose. I like to wash my hands and sit down on the couch with my coziest blanket on my lap and a large glass of water or some tea nearby.
Meditation
Close your eyes and breathe. Focus on the breath for at least 10 counts, letting thoughts come and go and just sit with yourself for a few minutes. Start to envision the dark sky and how you might like to grow with the moon over the next month.
Ask & write it out
Questions to ask: How am I feeling right now? What am I still resolving from this last cycle? How did I change in the last month? What did I learn? What feels exciting for me at this time? What feels blocked for me? What is the thing I’m most yearning for at this moment? What do I need most at this phase in my life? What will be my guiding theme this cycle?
Journal your responses. Writing, especially with pen and paper, is magic on it’s own. It helps our brains process things differently than just thinking alone.
If you need a little help digging deeper into what’s showing up for you, check in with your tarot cards if you have them (see the New Moon Tarot Spread below), or read your monthly tarotscope.
From there, you can set an intention for the month ahead based on how you’re feeling and any major thoughts you’ve had. If nothing is clearly coming up for you during this ritual, DON’T WORRY. That’s completely normal.
Sleep on it and come back to set your intention the next day or two when it comes to you naturally.
Candle magic
If you want to get down with some witchy sh*t, try this simple candle magic set up:
- Place a white candle in a small bowl of water with a pinch of sea salt or sand (the wick and top of the candle should, of course, be comfortably above the water). Light it.
- Take two small pieces of paper and write what you’re letting go of on one and what you’d like to cultivate on the other.
- Set them on fire one at a time and dunk into the water once it’s nearly burned out/you’re in danger of burning your fingers.
- Take a deep breath and keep the candle lit until you’ve finished your ritual.
Ground down
By enjoying a snack or meal, sitting outside, or taking a bath.
Once you are clear on your intention, write it down. Keep writing it until you feel energized, excited and maybe a bit scared after reading it. You’ll know when it’s right – you will feel it in your body.
Lucy's siblings eventually discover Narnia as well and together they embark on a journey to aid Aslan in his struggle against the White Witch, Jadis, who has plunged Narnia into a state of perpetual winter. The siblings become entangled in a battle between good and evil as they encounter various creatures and allies in their quest to defeat the White Witch and restore harmony to Narnia. Throughout their adventure, the siblings learn important lessons about bravery, loyalty, sacrifice, and the power of belief. Alongside the fantastical elements, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe also carry themes of Christian allegory, with Aslan symbolizing Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for humanity. As the novel progresses, the characters face difficult choices and grapple with temptation, leading to personal growth and transformations. The climactic battle between Aslan and the forces of the White Witch ultimately leads to the defeat of evil and the renewal of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a timeless tale that captivates readers of all ages. It takes them on a thrilling adventure through a magical world while exploring themes of faith, redemption, and the triumph of good over evil..
Reviews for "The Impact of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" on Popular Culture"
1. Jane - 2/5 stars - I just couldn't get into "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." The storyline felt quite dull and predictable. I felt like I was reading the same adventure story that has been done countless times before. The characters were also quite one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to connect with them. Overall, I was disappointed with this classic and didn't find it as enchanting as others claim it to be.
2. Mark - 3/5 stars - "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" had an interesting premise, but it fell short of my expectations. The world-building seemed incomplete, leaving me with numerous unanswered questions about the magic and how it operated in the story. Additionally, I found the writing style to be overly simplistic, which made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the narrative. While I appreciate the themes of courage and redemption, I felt that they were not explored in depth enough to leave a lasting impact on me as a reader.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I found "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" to be quite overrated. The plot was slow-moving, and the pacing felt off. I struggled to maintain my interest throughout the book, as it lacked the excitement and tension I had anticipated. The religious undertones were also too heavy-handed for my liking, distracting from the primary fantasy elements. Overall, I found this book to be quite a disappointment and would not recommend it to others looking for an engaging fantasy read.