by A.C. Fisher Aldag
The second full moon during one calendar month is often called a Blue Moon, as in the saying “Once in a blue moon”. This occurs approximately every two to three years. The second new moon in a month is an even rarer event, and is sometimes called the “Black Moon” by astrologers. Under this definition, the last black moon was on August 30th, 2008. The next black moon is this month, on July 30th, 2011. After that, we must wait until March 30th, 2014 to experience another black moon.
Other definitions for a black moon is a month that has no full moon or new moon, which can only occur during the calendar month of February. This event only happens four or five times every century. The third new moon of a season that has four new moons is also sometimes called the black moon. For magickal purposes, we will stick with the second new moon in a month as the time of the Black Moon.
The new moon is when the moon has orbited directly between the Earth and the Sun, and is therefore hidden from view. It also rises and sets with the Sun, further obscuring its reflected light. The black moon is often even more difficult to see, as it may appear lower on the horizon. Some other names for this phenomenon are the Secret Moon, the Spinner’s Moon, and the Finder’s Moon. It is sometimes called the Dark Moon, not to be confused with “dark of the moon”, which is the day prior to the crescent moon’s appearance. The thin sliver of white may be visible low on the horizon at dawn and dusk, eastern or western respectively, if not blocked by trees or buildings. Or the night of the black moon may appear to have no moon at all.
The New Moon Esbat is often celebrated by Wiccans as a time of initiation, change, beginning projects and emerging refreshed from a period of rest. It is an optimal time for casting spells. The new moon often represents the youth or maiden phase of the Goddess. Some Witches use the time right before the new moon, called the dark moon, for invoking the crone aspect of the Goddess. This is a fine occasion for removing negative or harmful conditions, such as illness, addiction, or destructive habits, and ending unsuitable relationships. Hermetic orders suggest performing workings on the new moon that require a long-term magickal commitment, or embarking on a course of study. Initiatory orders sometimes perform rites of passage or degrees of mastery on the new moons. Ceremonial magickians likewise start new ventures and also use the power of the new moon for drawing away undesirable situations, bringing about justice, and exposing untruthful statements. The reflected light of the new moon offers the power of contemplation and inward, reflective thinking. It is an optimal time for divination and meditation.
These circumstances are doubly true for the black moon. It is like a super-charged new moon, with twice the power of this moon phase. Scrying (gazing into a bowl of water, dark mirror, or crystal for the purpose of divination or visions) will reward the seeker with important revelations. New projects begun on the second new moon of a month will be much more likely to succeed. Spellwork will be especially potent. Change will be extreme. Endings will be truly final, while initiations will be much more profound. For this reason, carefully consider the nature of the spells performed on the black moon, for whatever magick is done will be much more intense, and endings or beginnings will cause permanent alterations of life conditions. The Black Moon is a significant time for performing magick, including aspecting, using darker energies for banishing or personal transformation, and for involvement with the forces of chaos. We might begin to understand some of our complex emotions of anger, fear, jealousy or passion. Workings for justice are especially astute, so choose the wording of intentional communication very carefully. When using divination tools, be aware that your findings may contain harsh truths.
Other ceremonies appropriate for the black moon are saging and croning, entering into the phase of life that offers maturity, wisdom and an end to physical fertility. We may initiate a period of contemplation before taking action. The Black Moon is an optimal time to consider the cycle of life and death, birth and renewal, as death must occur to support life. We might meditate upon what is decaying within our own lives, what must be cast aside to begin anew. This is an opportunity to mentally and emotionally prepare for an important life transition such as moving house or changing our career. Or we might simply appreciate the quiet darkness of a moonless night as a time for rest, healing, and replenishment.
Plants which correspond with the black moon are those that have seeds on the inside, such as cucumbers, melons, and other cucurbits; nightshade and other soporific herbs, grapes and pale root crops such as turnips, leeks, onions, garlic and parsnips. A focus for plants is a seed underground, sprouting and emerging – also an appropriate metaphor for life situations. Animal totems include burrowing creatures such as the mole, vole, gopher, badger, fox, skunk, prairie dog, ferret, rabbit, underground dwelling snakes, and burrowing owls. Nocturnal predators have totemic value as well, such as the owl, bat, coyote, wolf, cat, nighthawk, whip-poor-will, and tree frog. The “Spinnner’s Moon” aspect can be aligned with the spider.
Tools which are appropriate for a black moon ritual include clothing that is black, dark blue, or dark grey, and wall hangings, table cloths and altar coverings in the same hues; black and white candles, a scrying mirror or dark glass, a “dark” crystal which may be smoky quartz, onyx, or a crystal ball on a dark cloth, or a scrying bowl filled with liquid; other divinations tools such as Tarot cards, Runes or a pendulum; a plate for offerings of grapes, root vegetables, dark wheat or rye bread, a chalice or cup filled with deep red wine such as burgundy, or red grape juice, and incenses containing sage, camphor, cedar, or Nag Champa, “Purification” and or “Queen of Night” incenses sold commercially. You may wish to use a feather for cleansing and smudging the sacred space, or you may wish to aspurge with water, and or sprinkle with salt. Anoint yourself with oil while mindfully preparing for ritual.
New Moon or Night Goddesses: Nyx, Diana, Kore, Persephone, Rhiannon, Rigatona, Nephthys, Devi, Ratri, Inanna, Hecate, Cerridwen, Hathor, Morrighu, Artemis, Juna, Sadarnuna, Techzistecatl, Nott. New Moon or Night Gods: Mani, Chandra, Sin, Konshu, Men, Erebos, Nox, Anubis.
Aspecting the “darker” forms of God and Goddess, or avataring them, may help us to fully understand those mysteries of chaos and creation. Many legends worldwide tell of the ultimate darkness that existed before the sun or stars were born, the blackness of night, like the inside of the womb. This darkness was formless, without any conception of up or down, material or physical structure. From this primordial darkness arose the stars, as light is birthed from darkness. From chaos came power and material from. The name of the Greek / Hellenic Goddess Nyx literally translates as “Not”, or nothingness. Her name is also associated with night, the space between the stars. From her void, from chaos, was formed the heavenly bodies, the Earth, and all material things.
Aspecting the darker Gods and Goddesses can help with physical and mental transformation, with manifesting or bringing force into form, and with a final ending of a phase of life or an entire period of time or epoch. From the ending we may initiate a beginning of a new period of time which is significant to us personally or important to our family, coworkers, or covenors. However, this work can be rather frightening. The magick user may have the sensation of falling, of spinning, of being without anchor. They might experience fearfulness at the ending of a familiar, comfortable situation. Even an adept may feel blinded or emotionally unbalanced. Mysteries might seem overwhelming. It is best to ground and center, and use an image to tie you to the material plane, such as a photograph or statue, or holding a power object in your hand, and gazing at it to remind you of your physical surroundings. You might set an alarm clock for an hour, so that its shrill sound returns you to the material plane. Afterward, you might wish to speak to a trusted friend about your experiences.
The Black Moon is a perfect time to initiate a project, to start something brand new that has never been done before, to create a new invention. You may begin something that is wild innovative, or be gifted with an idea or concept that has never before been contemplated. Call upon the infinite darkness that births all new things, the dark mother of hyper -creation. Envision the night as she gives birth to the sky and earth. Use that energy for transformation, for conception, for bringing force into form.
As mentioned previously, the Black Moon is also an auspicious time for scrying, for divining the future, for learning truths about life situations, for understanding the interplay of relationships. That which is hidden or occluded is likely to be revealed. You may be rewarded with a new comprehension of an event, or enjoy a wonderful surprise. Information may be divulged that is a great relief to the seeker. You may have a brilliant idea, or find a new way to pursue a goal. This might be why the Black Moon is also called the “Finder’s Moon”. Conversely, those who perform divination on the Black Moon might be in for a “rude awakening”, uncovering a painful but necessary truth. Those who discover some difficult life condition may use the energies of the second new moon to make informed decisions, to mourn, to accept, and to begin healing.
Caveat: As most advanced ceremonial magickians and witches understand, darker energies or “negative” powers – “negative” meaning to “negate” or to “nullify” – are not in and of themselves harmful. Those powers that might be considered hidden or dark may be very useful in knowing, in understanding, and thus removing disagreeable circumstances from our lives. We understand that there is death in life, life in death. Fear, anger, pain and other troublesome emotions might need to be faced. We may have to encounter our “shadow” selves, in order to discover sources of problems, conquer our own unpleasant feelings, address difficulties head on, and gain control of our destiny. Performing this type of magick may cause some short-term distress and emotional upheaval. We might need to end an unhealthy relationship, or cease a behavior that might be comfortable for us, but that ultimately causes long-term damage, such as smoking or overeating. We might wish to speak aloud, “This situation is bad for me. This situation is causing me pain and strife”, while naming the condition which is troublesome. If it is a person, you might state “(Name) is causing me problems. Without harming (Name) or impairing them, I end my destructive interaction with (Name).”
Once truths have been revealed and decisions made, a ritual might be performed for banishing, cleansing, and creating necessary change in your personal life. The best time to work this type of magick is at true midnight, the exact hour between sundown and sunrise, which may be determined by looking up these times online or in an almanac, and calculating the hours of darkness during the Black Moon night. You might write down things you wish to remove from your life and burn the paper, sending prayers and words of power aloft with the smoke. You could bury something representational of a bad habit, such as a cigarette. Name and release baleful conditions. Spread your arms wide, envision stress and problems leaving you, dissipating in the air. As you perform your ritual, allow yourself to feel negative emotions, to embrace and understand them. Write about your feelings in a journal, draw images that might not be “pretty” but are effective, scream aloud, punch a pillow, name something such as a ceramic vase “anger” or “sorrow” and break it, release your aggression in a way that is ultimately harmless.
After these rites have been completed, we must consciously make the decision to move onward. The Black Moon is also a time of planning, regeneration, growth, resurrection, and renewal. Revisit the image of the seed germinating beneath the ground. Light a single white candle. Meditate on the stars beginning to glow within the darkness. Mindfully speak the changes that you wish to occur. Call upon help from guides, ancestors or personal Deity. After performing a black moon ceremony, you may wish to change the altar cloth or wall hanging to a lighter, brighter color, and ritually cleanse yourself by taking a hot bath with herbs or a long refreshing shower. Envision animals giving birth, or the burrowing creatures emerging from their underground nests. Contemplate what occurs after the changes you have made.
You may not see immediate, overnight changes in your life circumstances. Instead, you might experience a gradual sense of well-being, power, and strength. People who caused you troubles might now avoid you, or gain a wonderful new job 3,000 miles away. Unhealthy emotions or cravings will occur less frequently, then taper off, then cease altogether. The Black Moon is on July 30th, so begin considering and preparing now for this powerful astronomical event. Blessings.