A simple practice during the Dark Moon phase will offer some pretty incredible returns. Luckily, you don’t always have to take weeks or months, or years to integrate. But I’ve also learned that there is much wisdom in doing nothing at all. Even after years of tuning into the rhythm of the earth and tapping into my own unique energy cycles, taking time off to integrate makes me antsy. It took me years of healing and folk magic practices to understand what “integration” really felt like. As a recovering workaholic, I know how scary it can be to slow down… but it’s also critical to the integration process. The Importance of IntegrationĬonstant movement and “doing” instead of “being” is a trauma response and addiction on par with using food, TV, sex, alcohol, or drugs to avoid the “Dark Moon” phases of our lives. Think of this more like a flow, a dance of energy a practice in connecting to Gaia and to the nourishing, pure potential of the darkness. You can absolutely communicate with Spirit, with earth energy, with your guides, etc., but do attempt to do so without the frantic need to know the answers. Let the sacred Now (the present moment) make itself known, and surrender all need to know your next steps or the “whys” and “what ifs” of the past. Dark Moon energy doesn’t feel like work or forcing reflection into journal entries or lists of accomplishments. Pay attention to daydreams, synchronicities, and the playfulness of any messages or intuitive hits. Instead, it’s an ideal time to let your mind wander. This is NOT a time to rush into planning the next cycle, frantically coming up with a whole new set of goals and manifestations. The Dark Moon is a sacred pause, where we’re meant to absorb and integrate everything that happened in the previous moon cycle. It’s a transitional space where we’re left to dream or tap into visions, allowing them to come organically instead of insisting that the future make itself known.

Working with the Dark Moon is working in the unknown and with the many mysteries of the Void. When in doubt, start feeling into Dark Moon energy 2-3 days before the New Moon. Is it pretty dark up there? No moon or just a ghostly outline of the moon? That’s the time to practice your Dark Moon rituals. You don’t need to know the exact point that the moon reaches 0% illumination -you can simply look up at the sky. But first… When Should You Observe the Dark Moon? Don’t worry, we’ll get more into the “how” of this in a second. The Dark Moon is all about embracing the Void. This is exactly why I’ve never felt comfortable “manifesting” on what most people designate the New Moon.īecause the Dark Moon isn’t for manifesting, or honestly, even thinking about the future. Zero percent illumination is technically the Dark Moon, and the New Moon is when the moon begins to show the very first sliver of illumination in the sky. Boom: zero illumination and a new moon cycle begins, right? Well, close… The New Moon is most often defined as the date and time that the moon is at 0% illumination.

But I think you’ll agree with me in saying the two are very different after you feel out the distinct energies. Some may argue that the New Moon and the Dark Moon are the same thing. Marking the first day of a new lunar cycle, the New Moon is a time to plant the seeds of your desires and ask for guidance for the weeks ahead. You might already know that the New Moon represents new beginnings. I’ll go over the basics in this post and add a couple of simple Dark Moon practices at the end. If you’ve ever felt the same way, like moon work or moon magic simply doesn’t work for you, I suggest that you start working with the Dark Moon more and see how you feel. It wasn’t until I started taking a more holistic approach to the energy of the moon’s many phases that I started to actually see some traction in my healing, spellwork, and goals.Īnd that might be because one phase that almost always gets overlooked in modern moon magic and manifestation is the Dark Moon phase. I’m going to be honest with you, this approach has never worked for me. I’d furiously write down everything I wanted, roll the paper into a scroll, set it on my altar, and wait. At the beginning of my healing journey, I’d go to moon ceremonies and read up on monthly New Moon rituals, ready to bring all of my desires earthside. New Moon Manifesting never felt right to me.

Dark moon phase