Feeling and Healing in the Dark of the Moon
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We all know the shifting shapes and different phases of the Moon as it travels through the sky every month -- from the sickle-shape of the Crescent Moon to the full round dinner plate magnificence of the Full Moon.
Those of us deeply aligned with the metaphysical world often wait deliberately for the arrival of the New Moon every month before we begin new projects -- to let the right kind of support and energy assemble.
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But there is a special time -- a special kind of energy -- that arrives every month in the 4 or 5 days surrounding the arrival of each sign’s New Moon. This time is known as the Dark of the Moon -- when the final thin curve of light has disappeared from the left side of the Moon’s surface and before the razor thin edge of the next New Moon appears again on the right.
As the very name of this phase describes, in the Dark of the Moon the Moon’s surface is totally black -- and the Moon itself is invisible. From its position of near-total alignment with The Sun, it is lost in The Sun’s mighty glare -- and from this position, no reflection that we here on Earth can see is possible. It’s all focused on what we call the dark side of the moon.
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The Dark of the Moon begins about 2 1/2 days before the New Moon officially arrives -- the point at which The Sun and The Moon occupy the same degree and minute of arc in the sky and in the circle of the Zodiac -- and it lasts for about day and a half after. The phases of The Moon all mean something special in folklore and the language of Astrology -- The New Moon, The Full Moon and, of course, The Dark of the Moon.
For most Astrologers, the Dark of the Moon ends at the moment of the Sun / Moon conjunction -- the official start of the New Moon itself. For others in the practice of earth-based religions, the Dark of the Moon lasts exactly as long as it says ... while the Moon itself is not visible, until the first thin slice of light appears in the sky on the right.
Some sacred practitioners even watch the sky to assess the condition of the Moon and announce the New Moon’s arrival. The Dark of the Moon ends for them when this anticipated first light appears -- and there’s no argument possible that the Dark Moon Time is finally past.
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The New Moon is a time of initiative, new awakenings, new beginnings. The Dark of the Moon is a time of cleansing, clearing out, incubation, contemplation -- and rest.
In the Dark of the Moon, it’s time to go inward. Take stock of your emotional landscape -- and the state of your psyche. Meditate. Rest. Take care of yourself. Find your center. Repair what is injured or exhausted. Do what you need to do to heal.
The Dark of the Moon is a time of recovery and recuperation -- physical and mental, psychological, emotional. It’s a time to consider again who you are, what you want and where you’re planning to go next. It’s a time rich with invisible potential -- and to make use of it is a gift to yourself.
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Contemplation and reflection play a huge part in the inner work that takes place in The Dark of the Moon. It’s a time to set intentions. Listen to your inner voices. Pay attention to your fantasies and dreams. Visualize. Journey. Talk to yourself. Write in your journal. Set intentions. Ask questions.
Most of all -- pay attention to the messages that reply to you. Synchronicities have special power and meaning during the Dark of the Moon.
The Dark of the Moon is a time of amazing intuition, wisdom and fertility. Possibilities of all kinds lurk in the shadows -- and you can invite them cordially into your life -- so choose wisely.
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There’s a special mystique and power in play during The Dark of the Moon. You can feel it in the swirls of psychic energy moving and shifting from one place to another. Mostly it pulls you inward -- toward the center of your being, where you can hear your own truth and the quiet whispers of Spirit.
During The Dark of the Moon, close your eyes, sit quietly and just listen. Arrange this special ritual several times a day. Deep feelings can find their way to the surface. Messages you’ve refused to hear -- or that couldn’t get through in the day’s clamor -- may finally find a voice. Creative visions and goals may finally come together. You can strengthen your sense of yourself and your purpose -- and be ready to step out confident and strong when the time is right.
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There is a feeling of dormancy associated with The Dark of the Moon -- an atmosphere of death and resurrection. You may need time alone. You may want extra sleep. Plan quiet, routine, relaxing activities. Eat properly. Do rituals designed to strengthen your spirit and your connection to Spirit. Prepare for new beginnings with joy, gratitude and anticipation.
Above all, be open. There is power in this energy -- more available and abundant than usual. It is part of the psychic landscape we all share, and you can make part of it yours. Let yourself feel. Let yourself heal. Be aware of the injuries and sorrows that are ready to be put to rest -- and release the hold they’ve had on you. Your part is to be willing to release them as well.
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The changes that can happen at The Dark of the Moon can be significant, meaningful and profound. It can be a time when you are psychologically and spiritually reborn. As such, give yourself time to process the experience. Its importance may not come to you all at once. Give yourself room -- and permission -- to take it all in and merge it together at your own pace.
For some, this is not an easy or comfortable process. There’s a temptation to rush it, to take short-cuts or to end it before everything is totally finished. Surrendering to the experience and letting it happen in its own time and in its own way may take some extra indulgence from the people around you ... and some extra patience from you yourself.
But there’s a wholeness that comes at the end of this journey. And the new person you meet there can make this worthwhile.
Note: We’re in the Dark of the Moon today, tomorrow and possibly part of the day after. (It depends on how you yourself want to measure the time.) The next New Moon -- the New Moon in Gemini -- arrives Wednesday, June 13th at 7:48 PM UTC. To be sure, watch the early evening sky right around sunset on Thursday. If you see a thin light of the New Moon’s arrival in the west, you’ll know you’ve reached the right time.
If you've always known there was more to Astrology than Sun Sign material and the three line daily horoscope in the newspaper, climb aboard and follow this blog. You'll find a world of wisdom detailing how you were designed to work with life ... and why you are the way you are -- all in quick-to-read, easy-to-digest-and-remember, written-in-plain-English essays that offer plenty of food for thought.
Little by little, I'm doing a set of articles that talks about all the elements in your horoscope and what they have to say about you. If you "know something" about Astrology -- or know something about your chart placements, that will help you get more from this material.
If you don't ... well, this is one place you can learn. We all have to start somewhere ... because we aren't born knowing this stuff. Meanwhile, if you've never seen your horoscope ... and don't have a clue how to work with it, maybe it's time to find out. There are lots of "chart services" on the internet -- some of whom produce decent, readable charts "for free" and some are so awful and confusing that even I can't read them easily -- and I've worked with charts for decades.
One extremely user-friendly chart site is here: AstroLabe. I recommend them if you want a simple, easy-to-read chart. I think they even give a reasonable little interpretive reading of your horoscope as part of the package. You'll need to know your birth information -- day, month, year, time and geographical place. Without all that your chart will have limited accuracy.
Or, if you want to get serious and really talk about this, upvote this post and start a conversation in the comments section sometime in the next six days from the time of publication. We'll go from there depending on what you want to know.
Questions about any of this? -- Upvote this post and talk to me in comments. It's a terrific way to build value for yourself and the community ... and it will give me ideas of what to write about in future posts. Believe me there is lots to say about the way The Sun, The Moon -- and all the other elements in a horoscope, all the other components of Astrology -- work together to interpret you and your story -- and what it all means to the person you've become.
Although sometimes the background pictures in our visual essays support the topic and text, they don't always. Sometimes the connection is clear. Sometimes it's symbolic and subtle. Sometimes, there's no connection at all.
The scenes depict landscapes and natural features, buildings and wildlife. They were chosen because they show something lovely or interesting ... or simply because the photo appealed to me.
Our spectacular and remarkable planet is changing at astonishing speed. Rarely are these changes for the better. Few people seem to know ... or care ... or have the will and power to do anything about this. It may not be long before the world humans have known and lived in for centuries is forever lost. We certainly won't be able to make repairs as fast as we destroyed it.
So a few years ago I began collecting pictures of the way things were ... and still are for now, a record of the beauty we have while it is still ours to love and honor.
The photos here are part of that collection, with sincere thanks to the artists who saw these moments ... and with their cameras ... preserved them. All of us at Enchanted Spirit are profoundly grateful to them for their generosity and skill ... and for the added grace, depth and dimension their art brings to ours.
Original images used under this Creative Commons license or this Creative Commons license and modified by added text.
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what a grrreat post = thank you... sweet grandmother moon pulses her radiance out creating the ebb and flow of life with us here on our earth walk... brightest blessings and happy new moon to you... i love 'be'ing a lunatic! x (((o)))
There's a bunch of us who feel the same way. Thank you kindly for stopping by.
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Yay!! You're back!! @apanamamama