The Black Moon and Magick

What is a Black Moon? A black moon is when you have two New Moons in a month the way a Blue Moon is two full Moons in a month.

A seasonal Blue Moon is when there's an extra full moon in a season. And Seasonal Black Moon is when you have an extra New Moon in a season.

This August has a Seasonal Black moon on August 22nd and August 23rd.

What use is black moonlight in magick?

1. Black Moonlight (actually shadow) is useful for de-hexing, removing minor curses, hexes, or the evil eye.

2. Under Black Moonlight is the perfect time to cast counter-spells ore remove spells. This is the time for lifting spells or charms you don't want anymore, or ending things. Spells for ending relationships, or to end troubling thoughts- this is when to cast them, it's a time for ending things, change.

3. You can make a (unfortunately volatile) moon water, only really useful for warding and de-hexing. It can be used for removing minor curses and amplify certain spells such as counter-curses, justice spells, spells to end things like bad relationships, or bad memories haunting you. Similarly you can charge crystals and stones or amulets with the power of black moonlight (shadow) including pentacle wards against werewolves or similar entities.

4. Black Moon Water can be used as a blood substitute during a binding ritual to make a pet familiar or even a human familiar (Must have consent if you intend to claim a human familiar!) The night of a black moon is also the perfect time to ritualistically claim and create your familiar (Pet or human). (Again I remind you, that human familiars must be claimed with consent. It's meant to be an eternal transformation, to be claimed and kept by another magical praticitioner).

5. Black Moonlight (and black moon water) can weaken a werewolf. During the black moon a werewolf will be at their most human and weakest and at their least wolf-like. If you intend to try to "cure" werewolfism (and there are a few spells for it) this is the time to cast it.

During a Black Moon werewolves and those who feel a kinship to wolves may feel something similar to extreme fatigue or even flu-like symptoms. Witches who practice Moon based magicks may experience similar symptoms or even a sense of their power waning. Don't be alarmed. This is only temporary. Take it easy and sleep it off. When the moon light returns you will be fine.

6. Black Moons are when most moon based magicks can be undone, countered, or even just temporarily break. (Some may re-activate when the moon is again visible).

7. Spells to do with shadows or shadow work will be extra potent during a Black Moon. It is also a good time for cloaking spells, invisibility or aversion spells too.

8. Black Moon nights are ideal for Oneiromancy (dream based magick) or dream walking. It is a night to show appreciation to Phobetor AKA Ikalus (or Icalus, not to be confused with Icarus) the Oneiro of Nightmares. Appreciating him could lead to the reward of inspiration for horror writing, art, or Gothic poetry. Morpheus (giver of dreams that are true or at least symbolically true) also can be shown appreciation on a Black Moon night though being a shaper of forms Morpheus tends to seem to have a preference for nights with moonlight. it's Phobetor who usually works with shadows. Phantasos (giver of fantasy) can be shown appreciation during the waxing or full moon.

9. If you want to be scary, face your fears, or conquer your fears, the black moon is the time to do it. Show respect to Phoebetor, weaver of nightmares for aid in such matters during the Black Moon. Wander a meadow or forest and / or dance in the shadows in his honor.

10. Black Moons are ruled over by the Queen (Crone) aspect of the Triple Goddess. It's a time to ask for justice or to appreciate the wise sage aspect of The Triple Goddess. Her sigil is the right facing crescent of the triple moon sigil.

You can leave an offering to her and perhaps an offering to Phobetor (God of Nightmares) during the Black Moon, depending on your needs. If you need justice or wish to show appreciation to the Triple Goddess, that is for the Crone. If you want inspiration while writing a scary story or a Halloween display, or just something decidedly Gothic- the one you want is Phobetor.

11. Ghostly activity or shadow person activity might increase during a Black Moon. Your best defense if out and you sense something watching you or following you is to head for running water. Most of these entities of wandering spirits will not cross running water. If you have a Jack-o-lantern (even an artificial one) it can work as a protection ward against wandering spirits.

12. Black Moonlight is the time for secrets or anything secretive where even The Moon won't watch you.

13. A Seasonal Black Moon indicates that something big is ending. And that also means something new can begin.