New Moon or Dark Moon

The Moon is a beautiful mystery that signifies wisdom, intuition, illusion and spiritual connection. She has many phases that have a powerful effect on our lives here on Earth. One thing that has always puzzled me is why the darkest phase of all, when the Moon vanishes completely from our night sky, is called the New Moon?

The actual New Moon occurs when the first sliver of the Waxing Crescent appears in the sky. And in many traditions this still counts as the New Moon. But by many the darkest phase, when the Moon isn't illuminated at all, is considered the New Moon. How come?

Over the centuries people no longer lived with the Earth and the Moon and their cycles, they lost the understanding of the rhythm of life, death and rebirth. They began to fear death and the dark and everything associated with it, even the name of a Moon phase.

The Dark Moon phase is the balsamic, nurturing phase of the dark Mother, the Crone. It's her powerful wisdom that is talking to us in our sleep during this phase, her strength, intuition and guidance leading us along.

The Dark Moon phase is an extremely powerful time when our psychic and spiritual energies are heightened. This phase pulls us inward, into tending to ourselves and grieving what we have lost and what we have survived.

This phase asks us to look into the void, into the unknown and find the truth that is hidden in the darkness. Darkness that holds so much wisdom, strength and power. Darkness that is a womb-like container, holding us, so we can rest, recuperate and heal.

It is a time to honour our wounds with prayers, to lay flowers at the altar of our losses and our victories, to nurture ourselves with compassion and kindness.

To be able to make new plans, to plant new seeds during the time of the New Moon, we need to let the old die, lay it to rest and grieve it. For this we need time and nourishing darkness.

Personally, I love the Dark Moon, this liminal space, where we are held in the arms of the Crone. I find it my most powerful time of the month, where I am able to see things much more clearly and can expand into the unknown, fully surrendering to Her rhythm.

How do You celebrate this time? Do you do anything special? Please do comment and let me know.

Image StockSnap from Pixabay