Dark Moon Divination
The dark moon is usually said to be a time for divination and self-reflection. It’s certainly a period when energy leans toward intuition, deep feeling, and introspection. This is true when it’s literally the dark moon phase in the sky and also when the dark moon current is cycling through your life in a bigger way. Sometimes you may not feel up to performing spell work during the dark moon, but these vibrations are perfect for divination.
The dark moon phase is a good time to perform a reading for yourself to touch base with what is going on inside you. Since the dark moon pulls our shadow selves to the surface, readings done during this time, whether with tarot, scrying, or other oracles, tend to be especially informative and precise. Occasionally, they can cut to the truth of the matter and even feel a little harsh. While this is not always comfortable, it’s necessary, especially if you are considering casting spells that fall into the category of dark magick.
Before you begin practicing the divining techniques explained in this book, it’s important to understand that a key element of divination is achieving a heightened or meditative mental state. Here is a simple way to get into the correct mindset.
Sit comfortably in a place you will not be disturbed. Close your eyes.
Become aware of your physical body. Feel the clothing and air touching your skin. Notice your lungs filling with air as you breathe, and note the warm air exiting every time you exhale. What, if anything, is below your feet, and how does it feel? What sounds do you hear around you? This focus on the immediate present creates a mind space that excludes intrusive thoughts and worries.
Now focus on your breathing. Take five deep, slow breaths, and get used to how this feels. You will immediately notice your heart slowing down and muscles loosening.
Imagine a large tree in your mind. The tree has a complex root system under the ground that perfectly mirrors its branches, which reach up into the sky. The branches above reach up to spirit, and the roots below keep it grounded in the earthly plane. You are like this tree, grounded in the earthly plane yet open to the world of spirit in equal measure.
As you inhale, imagine roots shooting from your feet or the base of your spine into the earth. On your next breath, imagine branches reaching up out of the crown of your head.
With every breath, feel your branches and roots extending equally, reaching, growing, and expanding. Leaves sprout and uncurl on the branches, opening to the light to be filled with energy and messages from spirit. The roots thrive in darkness, burrowing their way to water and sustenance, anchoring you.
Hold this image for as long as feels comfortable or until your mind starts to wander.
Now you can perform your divination.
Scrying
One of the most popular types of divination is called scrying. Gazing into a crystal ball is the most well-known technique, but scrying can be performed in many ways, no crystal ball necessary.
Simply put, scrying is the act of gazing into a reflective surface, seeing pictures, and interpreting them to tell the future. However, since everyone is unique, we all experience scrying in slightly different ways, and unfortunately it isn’t as simple as passively staring at an object.
Being familiar with meditation is a must in order to receive messages through scrying. Trying to scry in a distracted mind state will only lead to frustration. In order for your mind to be open enough to receive information, images, or omens, you must be relaxed and receptive.
Scrying can be performed on any surface that is shiny and dark. A black bowl filled with water will work, as will a black mirror or large chunk of obsidian. You can purchase beautiful scrying mirrors or make your own.
Scrying is simple, in theory. You gaze at the reflective surface and relax. Let your vision go soft, do some deep breathing, and allow the messages to roll in. It sounds easy, but it’s not. It takes practice.
Scrying is typically believed to be visual, an assumption based on the crystal ball. But real scrying can be, and often is, much more like a full-on sensory experience. Communication can come through auditory means, clairsentience, and even taste. The act of gazing at an object is in fact just a way to focus your mind on one simple thing to the exclusion of all else, clearing and therefore opening your subconscious mind to spirit activity. In other words, gazing at a reflective surface aids your meditative state.
There are different ways to experience incoming information while scrying. Before performing the scrying exercise on the next page, be prepared for any of these types of experience:
Visual: Some people see actual pictures of things in front of their physical eyes. This is uncommon, but it does happen. It’s more typical to see clouds or mists of color in your field of vision, in which case pay attention to what the color represents to you in relation to your query. If you relax your eyes while gazing at your scrying object, you may see shapes, swirls, and other forms coming and going. Take note of them without judgment; you can interpret them later. Reflections on the shiny surface may move and look like objects as well.
Mental Images: You may receive a mental visual, which is a picture in your mind and not in front of your eyes. These images flash into your mind as if you’re imagining something. This can be moving or still pictures of people you know, places, or objects. These are often symbolic images that you will need to interpret later. If you’re having intrusive thoughts about your immediate person—your nose is itchy, you forgot to check the stove burner—you’re not relaxed enough. Those thoughts aren’t related to scrying.
Auditory: It may sound odd, but there have been times when I was so deep in meditation that I heard actual words said. I understood that this was coming from inside me, but it was very much like physically hearing words, like overhearing snatches of a conversation. If this happens, it’s important to remember the phrases you hear and write them down afterward. You may be somewhere you can hear the wind, birds, crickets, traffic, or other noises. Relax into the patterns and swells of the sounds and see if they morph into something else in your altered state.
Tactile: You may have actual physical feelings in and around your body, such as heat, prickles, or chills. Even a sense of pain or pressure in a certain part of your body may appear. This can be spirit attempting to tell you something pertaining to your question or just letting you know it is present.
Some tidbits that have come to me while scrying include a song I know suddenly coming into my mind, and later on when I look up the lyrics, they apply directly to my situation. Other times I’ll be shown a hallway or room with objects to look at in it. Another time I was inundated with snowy owls every time I scried and started seeing them literally everywhere I looked in waking life. You just never know what you’re going to see.
Scrying Step by Step
My preferred scrying method during the dark moon phase is to use a large black bowl or cauldron of water outdoors where it reflects the black night sky. You can invite the dark moon’s energy directly into the water to aid your visions.
On the night of the dark moon, find a secluded spot in which to scry. You can go outdoors or in a quiet, darkened room.
1. Place your black bowl or cauldron of water (or mirror, crystal ball, or obsidian) in front of you where you can comfortably gaze at it.
2. Perform the relaxation technique described on page 57.
3. Envision the blackness of the dark moon filling the water. It holds the liminal space between endings and beginnings, like the Crone’s cauldron. In darkness lie answers waiting to be born.
4. Relax your gaze and remain receptive and open. Pay attention to reflections on the surface of your scrying vessel along with sounds and sensations all around you. If you have a specific question, ask it now in your mind and see what comes to you in the forms mentioned earlier.
5. Write down what you saw, heard, and felt afterward. Not all the messages will be immediately understandable to you but may make sense later.
The more you practice, the more accurate your readings will become. At first it may seem like you’re receiving random thoughts, but with practice they will start to make sense and form patterns that you understand.
Junk Oracle
The dark moon is an ideal time for divination, but not everyone is keen on studying and memorizing systems such as tarot cards, and some may find them difficult to relate to on a personal level. In this case you can create your own oracle to consult. With a junk oracle there are no books to read, symbols to memorize, or layouts to learn. You don’t even have to buy anything. The junk oracle is, quite simply, a collection of random objects (often seen as “junk” by others) selected by you that you have associated with a feeling or meaning. The objects are kept in a pouch or bag. When you have a question, you take a handful of junk from the bag, cast it on a hard surface, and interpret the objects that you see. It’s very simple, yet the junk oracle is one of the most effective divination tools in my experience, due to its highly personalized nature. You get to choose each and every object in the oracle, and so you will know exactly how to interpret it.
The junk oracle is a good replacement for the bone oracle described later in this book if you do not wish to use animal parts in your divination.
You can put anything at all into your oracle—sticks, toys, coins, nails. The only real limit is size, since you will probably want to stick with small items that are easily handled.
First, you must choose the items for your oracle. This process can take as much or as little time as you choose. While you are out and about in your daily life, be mindful of how you feel, and take notice of small things around you. That is how you will find your oracle objects. For example, if you are taking a walk on a beautiful day and enjoying a peaceful moment, pick up a stone off the sidewalk. Add that to your oracle to represent contentedness. If you go out to lunch with a friend and have a really fun time, keep a token from that meal (like a piece of the paper napkin) to represent friendship. On a day you are feeling gloomy, keep a thread from the sweater you’re wearing. This item can later represent negativity when it pops up in a reading.
Almost any object connected to an emotion can be a symbol in an upcoming reading. You may also find objects that have no immediate mental associations but that call out to you at random. Once you’ve collected as many items as you want in your pouch, you are ready to consult your junk oracle.
Hold the bag in your hands and ask your question or state your issue while gently shaking the bag to stir up the contents. Then reach in with your eyes closed, grab a handful of “junk,” and drop it onto the table in front of you.
I like to read from the inside out meaning what has fallen mostly at the center of your work area is the most pertinent or “strong” energy, and what is farther from the center are outside factors that are affecting your question or issue.
What is at the center of the area? What items have fallen near each other? If there is the napkin that represented friendship and it is next to the string that meant depression, it could mean your friend needs you or even that the friendship is in trouble. If you pull out an old coin that represents prosperity, and near it is a paper clip from the office, it could mean a raise or promotion at work. As for the outer items, they represent contributing influences. If one is a child’s toy, it could mean family is factored into the issue. Like I said, interpreting the objects is entirely dependent on what they mean to you personally, and only you can honestly decipher what the oracle is telling you.
For a quick read on a situation, simply ask your question and pull one object out of the pouch at random for your answer.
Dream Interpretation
One of the most personal forms of divination is interpreting your own dreams. Dreams can be especially meaningful when you are experiencing the dark moon current in your life as you go through a transition of some kind, or you can intentionally encourage lucid dreams during the dark moon. The dark moon is a time when your dreams may be meaningful in terms of the active undercurrents in your life, things deep inside you that are stirring and affecting your waking life. If you dream journal for long enough—that is, write your dreams down every time you wake up—you may notice patterns that match the moon phases. For me, straightforward and literal dreams that apply to my mundane waking life usually occur around the full moon, when earthly matters are illuminated. During the dark moon, dreams can become stranger, darker, and even distressing as they turn my attention to inner issues. During the waxing and waning phases, I tend to transition between the two accordingly. While everyone is different, you may notice your own patterns when you start recording your dreams depending on how influenced by the lunar phases you are.
There are literally thousands of books available about dream interpretation, ranging from in-depth self-analysis to lists of meanings and definitions. I lean more toward ones that urge us to figure out the symbolism of our own dreams rather than offer concise lists. While these books are helpful for learning purposes, they can be somewhat limiting, as they’re very general. Dream interpretation is intensely personal. For example, say you dream about a snake. Maybe the books say a snake means rebirth, regeneration, and renewal, but all you can feel when you think about snakes is revulsion and terror. That’s because dreams are specific to the individual, and so are the symbols. A snake for you personally represents deep-seated fear, not renewal. While a book with definitions can be interesting and helpful, it’s a guide only and may not always work for you.
Dreams often reveal what is in your subconscious mind when you haven’t even admitted it to yourself yet, providing you with an opportunity for growth and self-actualization.
When we dream, I believe we’re directly linked to spirit, or the collective unconscious, in a way we aren’t when awake. Spirit can speak directly to us in our sleep to give us guidance. It does so in the most direct, personal way possible. Therefore, it will show you symbols that you know the meaning of, usually. There are exceptions. For example, let’s say you can’t understand why you keep dreaming about wolves, so you’re prompted to research their meaning, only to discover they make perfect sense to your situation. This was spirit directing you through your dreams. All that being said, the more you learn about animals and objects as symbols in the collective unconscious, the more spirit has to work with in terms of getting messages to you.
How to Interpret Symbols in Dreams
Dreams that you have during the dark moon may be especially telling in terms of your inner self and shadow work. Understanding what the symbols in dreams are meant to tell you is important. If you have a dream about an object or animal but you don’t make an association, take a pen and paper and make a mind map. Write the word in the middle of the page, and all around it, write down literally every single thought associated with it that comes to your mind. Don’t struggle with this; let the thoughts come without forcing them, even if they seem silly, random, or weird.
I’ll do one to illustrate. For several dark moon cycles in a row, I had dreams about zebras and had no idea why. At the time I was really struggling with my own social insecurities and anxiety issues while having to fit in with a specific group of my peers, and felt I was failing miserably because I was so different from them (maybe you can relate!). Specifically, I’m a very sensitive, intuitive person and I have a fear of being judged as “weird” because of it. I couldn’t figure out what a zebra could possibly have to do with this until I made a mind map. The mind map I made was extremely random, but I didn’t leave anything out, even though some things seemed silly. Here is what my mind map looked like:
In conclusion, I figured out that the zebra was telling me to be myself, that my uniqueness was what made me interesting and valuable, and that not blending in was okay. I was just like everyone else, but with a twist (my empathy and sensitivity).
As you can see, I even included a little shred of memory from childhood that comes up every time I think of “zebra,” just for a flash of a second, but that could be the very reason it showed up in a dream, to remind me of that experience and use it as a guide. Try this mind map trick next time you have a dream you can’t decipher and see where it leads you. Don’t leave out any details, memories, or thoughts even if they seem unrelated. Be completely present and acknowledge them all. Follow the thought to where it leads you next until it comes to a conclusion. You might be surprised!
Prophetic Dreams
Another type of dream you may have during the dark moon is a prophetic dream. Prophetic dreams warn you of something in the future. Some are very clear and concise, showing exactly what will happen. This has been noted by many people when someone they love is in an accident or passes away; the person appears in their dreams at the moment it happens. In my experience, prophetic dreams are nowhere near so direct; however, when they happen, I know it.
Once I was dating someone and I wasn’t sure whether or not I should move in with him. I had a dream where he was surrounded by dancing, smiling blonde women. Sounds like just an embarrassing dream about jealousy, right? When I told him about it, he was surprised for a minute and then confessed that he had actually been dating two other women at the same time as me, both blonde, and that he was still seeing both of them. Sometimes dreams show us things that are worth digging into before making a big life change!
Dark Moon Dream Ritual
Here is a simple bedtime ritual to encourage prophetic or insightful dreams. Perform this during the dark moon phase to gain guidance on deep inner issues.
materials
Tea made with herbs associated with psychic powers, such as rose, jasmine, or star anise. You can make your own loose tea or purchase tea bags of these flavors.
Square of black cloth large enough to hold the herbs and stones
Bowl of 1 tablespoon each dried mugwort, eyebright, and lavender
Amethyst
Moonstone
Selenite
String
Assemble these things ahead of time near your bed. Let the tea steep while you are in the bath.
Have a dark moon bath ritual, as outlined in Chapter 3, and go straight to your bed afterward.
Lay the black cloth out on your nightstand or carefully on your bed. Place the herbs in the center of it, and add the crystals. You will have invoked the feeling and power of the dark moon already in your bath. Hold your hands over the mixture and say:
Mysteries of the dark,
Spirits of dreams,
I invite you to come to me.
Show me your messages.
Guide me on my journey
Regarding (your question or issue).
Tie up the cloth securely with string and place it beneath your pillow.
Drink the tea and go to sleep. Don’t forget to write down what you dream and use the mind map technique if necessary.
Visits from the Dead
During the dark moon phase, I have noticed I frequently dream about people I know who have died. This could be because during this time, it’s said that the spirit world is closer and more accessible to us.
When you have lost someone you care about, it’s normal to dream about them, especially if they were close to you or the relationship you had with them was catalytic in your waking life. Sometimes this is felt to be a visit from their spirit, that they are coming to say hello from the afterlife, and it can leave you with a nice feeling, like you’ve seen them again. This doesn’t apply to night terrors or nightmares about their death. If you have recurring night terrors, it’s possible you should seek grief counseling or talk to someone you trust.
When someone who has passed away appears in a dream—not a nightmare —it is often just a gentle reminder that they still care about you. Think about the role they played in your dream: what they said, what they were doing, or the feeling they gave you. Are they trying to tell you something?
Some believe that this is a spirit reaching out from the afterlife to let you know that they are okay and to comfort you. If you keep dreaming of someone who passed from this life who was a negative influence while living, analyze the role they played in your dream. Were they there to symbolize something to you, perhaps past trauma that hasn’t been completely healed? They may also represent fears. If you do feel their spirit is intruding on your dreams, a banishing ritual may be in order.
Dark Moon Tarot Consultation
Whether tarot is an old friend of yours or a system you’re just learning, the dark moon is always a beneficial time to consult your cards. At this time, you may find yourself questioning deeper things or more self-focused subjects than usual. This is a good time to reflect on your inner self and personal growth, even addressing feelings that are uncomfortable.
This reading is what I call a reflection reading. It will draw your attention to what your current struggle is and what it is meant to teach you. Everything happens in your life for a reason, to encourage you to grow in spirit and mind. A situation that is difficult or unpleasant may exist to initiate important change. Other times, you may discover that your inner issues, such as negative self-talk or personal fears, are the cause of outer problems in the first place.
This is a simple four-card spread.
Shuffle your cards.
Phrase your query. For example, say, “What is my role in this situation?” or “What am I supposed to learn from this situation?”
Lay the cards out as shown here:
Card number 1 represents the current issue you are experiencing or the general tone of your life right now. This card shows your situation from the outside or as it appears on the surface.
Card number 2 represents you, the querent. It indicates your role in the situation and what part you’re playing.
Card number 3 is the most important card in the reading. It denotes your fears, triggers, or ingrained behaviors that are stirred up by this particular problem or even causing it. This card will sometimes show you a part of your personality you haven’t considered before or have chosen not to acknowledge. This card is all about you and what is causing your involvement in the situation, not anyone else. That’s not to say that you are at fault for a problem, but rather it suggests how your own deeper feelings may be contributing to the outcome. When you sort out your own role in an issue, you will be forced to grow and initiate change.
Card number 4 indicates how you are to grow from the experience. Challenges in life point to very specific lessons we are supposed to learn about ourselves. This card shows what growth is possible if you deal with the issues brought up by card number 3.
As you can see, this reading is very inwardly focused and isn’t meant to provide information or guidance about anyone outside of yourself. You can’t control other people, but you can and do make your own choices. This is a good reading to perform prior to cursing or hexing.
Augury
Augury is the act of interpreting signs from nature, usually in the form of birds or lightning. The Etruscans and Romans were known for practicing augury to determine what course of action the gods wanted them to take.
While many details have been lost in time, bits of information about this practice still remain. The Etruscans divided the sky into sixteen sections and received omens according to where lightning stuck within them. Romans observed the behavior of birds to gain information: for example, if the birds flew in from the left, it was considered a positive sign. Auguries were consulted to figure out whether or not someone should get married, to decide where to erect important buildings, and while planning strategies in war.1
You can practice a simple form of augury during your dark moon meditation or during the three days of the dark moon phase. Below is an explanation how to do this, which can be applied to all wildlife in your area, not just birds or lightning. Mine is a much less ritualized version than the Romans had, I’m sure, but the premise is the same.
Find a secluded, natural area, such as a park or backyard, in which you know that birds, chipmunks, squirrels, ducks, or other wildlife can be seen regularly. Sit comfortably facing the east and spend a moment aligning your mind with the four directions. Enter a meditative state as explained on page 57. Then ask your question aloud or in your mind and wait patiently.
Now it’s time to interpret the position of the animals. I’ll use birds as an example, but pay attention to any creatures you see, even insects. Two things are to be considered when consulting the auguries: the cardinal direction the animal is in and the behavior of the animal itself. Take note of where the birds are located. Are they perched all in one area, or are they calling across spaces to each other? A large number of birds all in one cardinal direction will be a very clear indication of the answer to your query, but if they’re scattered in several directions, there are multiple things influencing your situation. Here is a brief explanation of the cardinal directions to think about while consulting the auguries:
North: Stability, money, finance, business, the home, bills, practical matters
East: Communication, learning, wisdom, arguments, sending messages,
interactions with other people
South: Passions, drama, big changes, creation and destruction, life-changing events
West: Emotions, feelings, intuition, mental well-being
The second thing to note is the behavior of the birds. Is one of them calling out the loudest or acting agitated? Their behavior combined with the direction they’re in holds answers. A bird making lots of noise carries an important message. The birds in other directions may be calmer, which means their position and meaning is less urgent. Significant actions you may see include a bird eating prey or seeds, an adult bird teaching or feeding a smaller bird, fights, and mating rituals. These are actions that can be applied to your question. For example, if you’ve asked about your romantic relationship and you see birds fighting in the west, it means emotional turmoil. If you see a calm bird sitting in the north, it means stability. A loudly screeching bird in the east could mean a confrontation.
To take this divination one step further, you can perform it at night under the dark moon while being sensitive to the activity of nocturnal creatures. There are fewer visible animals at night than during the day, but their presence is especially telling in shadow work.
1. M. Horatius Piscinus, “On Auguries,” Societas Via Romana, accessed July 8, 2019, http://www.societasviaromana.net/Collegium_Religionis/augury.php.