While the full moon gets a lot of attention when it comes to witchy things, I find the new moon to be my favorite for manifestation. Truly if you think about it, the absence of the moon (in shadow) allows you to start from scratch. To make whatever you wish to come into fruition. While the full moon is the totality, the new moon is the becoming. The new moon provides a clean slate, the phoenix rising from the ashes. Use this time to know what you want to pull into your life, what you want to create, what you want to manifest. Each day as the moon grows to fullness, your energy can harness the moons pull to bring that desire into reality.
As you start to connect and work with the phases of the moon you will connect to an inherent time rhythm that is universal and natural. Use the new moon to bring forth what you need, the full moon to express gratitude and the waning moon to release what does not serve you. Go spend time with the moon each eve, even if covered by clouds, it is still there in the phase it should be. There are no tricks, it is a manifestation of truth. Connect to the phases of the moon and you connect to time beyond the constructs of human kind.