The Dark Moon is Rising || A Time of Reflection

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If you work with moon phases, you may be familiar with the term dark moon. This can depend, though, because some witches call it the new moon and skip over the dark moon. That’s fine – your practice is your own. I don’t tend to skip over the period of the dark moon, though, and I think it is important that you at least consider it in your practice.

What is a dark moon?



The dark moon is the period of time in the night sky when there is absolutely no moonlight. It is the time when my moon app on my phone says 0% illumination. It’s funny to me, though, that even my moon app calls it the new moon instead of the dark moon. Maybe the dark moon is just a witchcraft thing…who knows?

For me, the difference between the new moon and the dark moon is simple. The dark moon is when there is no moon in the sky at all. The night is dark and the stars are more visible. The new moon is that short period of time right after the dark moon and before the moon fully begins to wax – only a sliver of the moon becomes visible in the sky. Astronomically speaking, the new moon is the midpoint between the waxing and waning phases, which turns out to be the peak of the dark moon.

Dark Moon Energy

When I work with the phases of the moon – and I don’t always – I try to never do any sort of magick or spellwork during the dark moon. The dark moon is a time for reflection and rest. Even the course of nature needs to take a break every so often. We cannot expect the energy of the moon to always be available to us. She can’t go from new moon to waning moon to full moon to waxing moon to new moon and always have energy to spare. She needs a time of rest and reflection just like the rest of us.

The energy of the dark moon is not conducive to magickal working. She has turned her face away from us and given us a forced moment to rest and reflect. This reflection is an important part of my magickal and spiritual practice. If I am constantly moving, constantly going from one task to the next, constantly wondering what I can do to stay busy? Well, then I will miss the things that are going on around me on a smaller scale – and missing the smaller things can lead to missing the big picture.

What do you do, then?

Take some time this dark moon to reflect on your week, your month, or whatever your soul or God(s) is/are calling you to reflect on. Take some tiem for meditation and self-cleansing. I’ve gathered a few resources here for you to use – my own and others – that I think can be helpful during the dark moon.

Lady Althaea’s Dark Moon Meditation for Kids

Meditation is a means of quieting the conscious mind, allowing the subconscious to come forth and enabling us to connect with our Higher Self, as well as any Spirit Guides, and even our Gods. It can foster greater relaxation and helps in dealing with stress, even if only done for a few minutes.
Click here to go to their website.

The Seasonal Soul – Journal Prompts for the Dark Moon

It is a very beautiful & powerful practice to begin answering these questions with every Dark Moon. When you engage in this journaling practice monthly, you begin to see more clearly the path you’re walking in life. You can see what the focus is for you each month, the lessons you’re learning, and wisdom gained with each moon cycle.
Click here to go to their website.

Self-Compassion in Difficult Times – Guided Meditation


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