No other celestial body resonates with magick quite like the moon. Our nearest neighbor in the heavens, the moon has been associated with divinity since the dawn of recorded history. Powerful goddesses of civilizations past captivated the minds of her followers and inspired ritual, incantation, worship, and magick. Specific lunar phases were identified with certain aspects of the goddess. Lunar imagery has been associated with Isis, Hathor, and Astarte in the Egyptian pantheon. To the Phoenicians, she was Ashtoreth; in Babylonia she was worshipped as Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven. In Sumer, the Queen of Heaven and Earth was Inanna. In classical Greece, she was Artemis. The Romans knew her as Diana. Rays of moonlight were known as Artemis’s arrows, and the children of Diana were believed to have been faeries born from moonlight. Artemis and Diana were huntresses, depicted with silver bows, both virginal and wild. Like Astarte, their association was with the crescent moon. Hecate, the ancient crone of wisdom, had her place low in the sky, associated with either the rising or setting moon when it appears largest to earthly observers. And Selene, who was often depicted driving a chariot of white horses across the sky, would watch over her beloved Endymion as he slept.
The moon governs the tides and affects all patterns of life. More babies are born within two days of the full moon than at any other time. Additionally, more babies are born at or just after high tide. Human beings have been documenting lunar activity as far back as 750 B.C.E. The oldest and most reliable astronomical observation was made by Babylonia astronomers who kept detailed records. It is likely that the recorded observation of the 721 B.C.E. lunar eclipse was significant in the eyes of the beholders. The fascination with the moon transcended earthly boundaries. It was the Greeks who discovered the moon’s reflective nature and that at any given time, only half of it could be seen.
The moon is an object of never-ending transformation. As the moon changes its position in relation to the sun, we are able to observe its phases. The lunar cycle is also connected to a woman’s menstrual cycle, as it takes twenty-eight and a quarter days for the moon to complete a phase of lunation cycles. Medieval herbalists were known to treasure moon lore. It was believed that flowering herbs planted under a full moon would yield twice as many blossoms as a plant sown under less auspicious circumstances.
Each phase of the moon brings with it specific energies that can be focused on in order to attune with the laws of nature, the movement of heavenly bodies, and their effects upon the sublunary world. The moon affects not only the waters and the tides; it also has a significant pull on our minds. Darkness must be acknowledged and confronted, and the moon is our instrument of understanding. When the moon is dark, before the first sliver of crescent appears in the sky, we acknowledge the energy of chaos, the frenetic charge before order. In the new moon, we glimpse hidden changes, the things that otherwise remain unseen. This is the time of new beginnings. When darkness is integrated, there are lessons to be learned and insight to be gained. This is the time of fulfillment and activity. It is not a time of illumination, for the moon shows us only reflected light; it has no light source of its own. Even in darkness, beauty and wholeness, completion and fulfillment, are understood and experienced by the natural magick practitioner. The first quarter moon is the time of coming forth, of germination and beginnings. The second quarter represents the continuum of development. Here, actions have already been set into motion, and the time of waxing has begun. The third quarter is a time of maturity, of fullness and completion, while the fourth quarter is the time for rest and introspection, disintegration and the promise of once again beginning anew.
In this lunar goddess meditation, you will be asked to face your dark side without fear, but with acceptance and understanding. You will follow the descent of the powerful moon goddesses of Mesopotamia whose myths still resonate to this day. This exercise is designed to strip away the ego, to concede personal identity and break down defenses until only love remains. It is a powerful journey to be used during initiatory rites or during major life changes or upheavals.
• Imagine yourself in a state of power and protection. You are embarking on a journey to an unknown psychic realm. You are regal and radiant, adorned with all the glorious trappings of prestige and accomplishment. Upon your head is a silver crown set with stars. You wear this as a symbol of the sovereignty of the high priestess. In daily life, you take on many different roles and responsibilities, not all of which come with emblems of recognition, but here in the psychic realm, you are recognized as powerful, and your crown announces you as a woman of power.
• You wear impressive earrings. Not only are they beautiful, but they also allow you a certain portal to divine intuition. You are gifted with the power of hearing beyond the natural world, able to glean messages and understanding from the unseen world. Around your neck is an amulet that radiates warmth. The love of your heart imbues this amulet, and you wear it proudly as an enduring symbol of your connection to the life-giving power of love. Upon each wrist, you wear a wide cuff bracelet. These are imbued with magick, allowing you to bend the forces of nature for the good of all beings. Around your waist is a jeweled girdle, a wide belt embroidered with metallic threads of silver and gold and set about with glittering gemstones of every color. You wear anklets with wings; their appearance is in alignment with their enchantment. Your winged feet allow you to move effortlessly according to your will. Finally, concealing your great beauty is a gossamer veil of unequaled power. This veil protects you and shields you so that you may walk between the worlds and return unharmed.
• On your journey, you come to a crossroads. You take the western path, and soon you come to a forbidding gate. Beyond the gate lies your desire, your reason for setting out on this journey. An insurmountable barrier has manifested between you and your greatest desire. Full of confidence and power, you knock on the gate until it trembles. You feel as though you could smash through it if you had to, but just as this feeling rises, a guardian appears. He allows you passage through the gate, but only if you surrender your crown.
• You think of all the times you have gone unrecognized, the sacrifices you have made, the times you were overlooked or ignored, and you hesitate. Relinquishing your crown means giving up the emblem of your achievements, so hard-won and so rarely acknowledged. It is difficult, but you must continue. You remove your crown from beneath your veil and lay the sparkling object at the feet of the gatekeeper.
• The doors swing open and you continue your descent. The road slopes downward, a declining plane into darkness. You notice a drop in temperature as you come to a second gate. Here you encounter another guardian who requires your earrings in exchange for passage. You pause. Your earrings give you the ability to hear beyond the mundane world. They are your link to your intuition. Understanding that your journey is more important than any personal effects, you slowly remove your earrings and offer them to the guardian of the gate. As soon as you do, the gates swing open, and you continue downward.
• Feeling somewhat ordinary and slightly dull, you take cautious steps forward and confront the third gate. The gatekeeper stops you and requires that you surrender your necklace. Your hands fly to your heart, protecting it. Hesitating, you feel the amulet pulsing with life, attuned to your own heartbeat. To remove it feels as if you are giving up the very warmth of your own heart. With a deep sigh, you unclasp the necklace and hand it to the guardian. Again, the mighty doors of the forbidding gate swing open.
• You are beginning to feel sorrowful and lost. With shaking steps you venture forward and find your journey impeded yet again. Another gate rises from the gathering darkness, the guardian of the gate barring you from proceeding unless you remove your bracelets. You cross your hands over your heart. Your bracelets contain powerful magic. To give them up is to become completely ordinary. Comforted by the fact that you still have your emblems of strength and protection, you slip the bracelets off of your wrists and listlessly drop them before the gatekeeper. As if engaged by an unseen key, the gates respond to your acquiescence, and you are permitted passage.
• Cold begins to bite your skin, and you wrap your arms around yourself as you determinedly step forward into what feels like a widening abyss. Looming in the darkness is another mysterious gate with a guardian blocking your way. In exchange for passage, he requires the jeweled girdle that encircles your waist. You are shivering and exhausted, and your strength is already leaving you. Weariness is setting in. So much has been demanded of you already; surely you must continue down this dark and mysterious path. You surrender your girdle, and with a terrifying groan, the gates allow you to silently pass through.
• Deeper into the dampness and blackness you wander, sliding your feet forward with hesitant steps until your toe hits something hard and cold. Barely able to see or hear, you push your foot forward again, as if you could nudge this obstacle from your path. It is immovable, and you can go no farther. Out of the darkness, the gatekeeper appears and offers you passage in exchange for your anklets. You pause, for without your winged feet, how will you return to the upper realms from which you descended? Remembering that you are still protected by your veil, you trust that no harm will come to you, and you crouch down to unclasp your anklets. Like tinkling bells, they make a musical sound as they drop upon the cold, wet stones beneath your feet. You hear the groan of the gate opening, and you slowly walk through into darkness.
• Your path takes a sudden drop. You feel as if you are being pulled down, and you shift your body, practically leaning backward as you proceed in the effort to remain upright. The path is slippery, and the decline is steep. You feel that you are on the verge of losing your balance and sliding into an abyss until you hit the seventh and final gate. Frustrated, you knock haphazardly, calling for the guardian in a broken voice. A figure emerges from the shadows. You cannot see who it is, but you demand passage in a shaking and thin voice. Your passage is granted in exchange for your veil. Angry and exasperated, you rip off your veil and throw it at the shadow. You have now given up everything. Every bit of magic, everything that set you apart and made you special is gone. You have nothing left. You are hurt, tired, and drained and bereft of any raiment or finery. You are alone and unremarkable. Suddenly, the gates swing open, and you feel yourself tumbling down, falling into darkness, unable to grasp anything until you land with a thud, deep within the void. You struggle to get to your feet. You cannot rise. You strain your eyes to see. There is nothing but the void. You cry out, and your voice is silenced. You writhe through the mud, trying to grasp on to something, a memory, anything. Like fleeting moonbeams obscured by dark clouds, your memories fog over and fade. You do not even know who you are or why you came this way in the first place. Abject and forsaken, you start to become one with the void. There is nothing but absence, and you surrender yourself to it.
• At the moment of your surrender you have the growing feeling that you are not alone. While you can barely acknowledge the existence of yourself, still you know that someone is here with you. A tingling warmth begins to creep into your core. It spreads outward to your extremities, animating every cell in your body. You experience it as a radiant balm, as if rivers of gold were flowing through your veins. You breathe it in, and it sends ripples of pleasure through your body. You may not know who you are, but you instantly recognize the unmistakable power and presence of love. Filled with a sense of comforting peace and tranquil joy, you shudder with delight, happy in your minimal existence, happy to be free of everything except this permeating pleasure. You feel as if you could stay here forever. The love encompasses the whole of your being, and you bless it. In a whisper, you speak your blessing aloud.
• The moment that you do this, your eyes engage, and even in the pitch blackness you are able to see perfectly. For each black, there is a deeper black, and the shapes and silhouettes of your surroundings manifest in sharp and unmistakable focus. Right beside you is your own true love, the reason you allowed yourself to become so defenseless. Before you is a dark and towering throne, shining like obsidian. Seated on the throne is the Queen of the Dead. You recognize her immediately. She is your sister. Ereshkigal. Persephone. Morrigan. You know her well. And perhaps for the first time, you face her fearlessly. She seems surprised, possibly even shocked. Her voice resonating through your body, you feel her speak these words:
“Sister, indeed you have conquered death. You allowed yourself to become abject and unknown. You have sacrificed every part of yourself, and still you have blessed me and thanked me. You descended to my realm and met my terms, surrendering all your magic and power, all your finery and attributes. You wallowed in mud, not even remembering your divine nature. And you truly learned that I am nothing to fear. You approached me with nothing but love, and this love I now return to you.”
• Suddenly, like an ocean wave crashing over you, you remember everything. You know exactly who you are and everything of which you are capable. You take your true love by the hand, and together you rise. Your strength returns, and you begin your ascent together. Your trappings of grandeur are returned to you, and you triumphantly emerge into the shimmering moonlight together, completely restored and free.
In the nineteenth-century book Aradia: Gospel of the Witches, the ritual of drawing down the moon is described. This sacred rite has remained popular and has its roots in natural magick, as it is best performed out of doors. It was considered common practice for mid-twentieth century witches to enact their rituals while skyclad. This practice also characterized modern magick as a bit scandalous. Combining the occult with the sensual was in alignment with the zeitgeist of the mid-twentieth century counterculture. Occult themes were interwoven in popular music, and there was renewed interest in occult societies. A major revival of witchcraft came about during this time, and the echoes of it are still resonating today.
In drawing down the moon, the priestess or witch becomes the embodiment of the lunar goddess. This practice is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, performed by the Thessalian witches who captured the imagination of many, including Lucius Apuleius, who wrote of their sorcery, enchantment, and mystery with an almost obsessive air. Thessaly cultivated an aura of magick that persisted for centuries and is believed to have had a significant impact on modern practice. Aradia was the daughter of Diana and is understood to be the first witch who taught the ritual of drawing down to the witches of earth. The ritual is best performed out of doors. Enacting the rite skyclad is a personal decision and not a requirement. Being skyclad is meant to represent freedom and autonomy. What follows is an adaptation of this centuries-old ritual.
• A glass bowl
• Spring water
• A mirror
• An invocation of your own creation
• A chant to honor the Moon Goddess
• Scrying
• A libation
• Crescent-shaped cakes, baked and consecrated by you or another coven member
• An offering of thanks
1. Pour the water into the bowl and using the mirror, reflect the light of the moon into the bowl. Invoke the goddess of the moon, choosing the aspect with which you most highly resonate and have the most scholarly knowledge or personal gnosis. Channel your own invocation extemporaneously or have one prepared in advance. Make your intention clear. You will need to craft the invocation with strong intention. Required in the invocation are the request for divine presence and the bestowal of wisdom from the deity to the witch or priestess.
2. Using the water in the bowl, scry and keep a watchful observance of natural manifestations such as the presence of animals or interactions of nature, including a gathering wind or some other such sign. When the manifestation is acknowledged and the divine presence is felt, pour a libation into the earth. This can be spring water or wine, representing a return to origin and communion with the goddess. Consume a portion of it, establishing the link between the moon, the witch, and the land. Then, eat the consecrated cakes and scatter the crumbs as an offering of thanks.
This recipe for consecrated crescent cakes is a powerful spell. It requires significant energy, a commitment to process, and a willingness of the practitioner to forgo certain conveniences in order to imbue the cakes with an energetic signature. These cakes will complement the ritual of drawing down the moon.
• 16 ounces of heavy cream
• 21/2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• A dash of salt
• 4 tablespoons of honey, divided evenly
1. Pour the heavy cream into a clean quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal the jar.
2. Vigorously shake the jar for 30–35 minutes. As you vigorously shake the jar, allow yourself to enter into a meditative state.
3. Set a steady rhythm to the shaking and align it with your breath. When you get into a flow, use a goddess chant to help you stay focused:
“Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna!”
4. After 30–35 minutes of vigorous shaking, the cream will separate into buttermilk and butter. Pour off the liquid into a 1 cup measure. Use a spatula to press the butter to the sides of the jar to extract the most buttermilk. Set the buttermilk and butter aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
6. Measure 2 tablespoons of the butter into a small glass bowl and set it on top of the warming oven to melt.
7. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir them together rhythmically in a sunwise circle.
8. Add 5–6 tablespoons of your freshly made butter.
9. Using 2 knives, one in each hand, move your hands in opposite directions to blend the butter with the dry ingredients. Rotate the bowl periodically. Meditate on the four directions and the cardinal elements as you do this. The mixture will resemble fine crumbs.
10. Stir in two tablespoons of honey with a wooden spoon.
11. Add the buttermilk and stir energetically, scraping the bottom of the bowl periodically.
12. The dough will be sticky. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
13. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. As you knead the dough, think of your reasons for enacting the drawing down the moon ritual and whisper them into the dough. Articulate what you hope to accomplish, insights you wish to gain, or blessing you hope to receive.
14. Press the dough flat with your hands to make it 1/2" high.
15. Lightly dust with flour a cup approximately 21/2" diameter (or use a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter) and cut 4 (or 5 if you can fit it) circles out of the dough.
16. Position the cup 1/3 of the way in from the edge of each circle and press again to make the crescent shape.
17. Gather up the scraps and knead them together.
18. Press the remaining dough to 1/2" thick and repeat the process for cutting the crescents.
19. Transfer the crescents to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They should be placed about 1" apart.
20. In the small glass bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey with the melted butter and stir together to blend thoroughly.
21. Using a small pastry brush, brush the tops of the crescent cakes with the butter and honey mixture.
22. Slide the baking sheet into the oven as you say this spell:
“By my hand a mix is made. By fire it is forever changed. Through this transformation of light and heat, the spell is bound and the work is complete. May it be pleasing to all who are called to partake of the magick and nourishment of my crescent cake. So mote it be.”
23. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden, usually no more than 13 minutes.
24. Remove the crescent cakes from the oven and brush them again with the remaining butter and honey mixture.
25. Share with your ritual companions.
The many steps involved in making these crescent cakes are important for the natural magick practitioner to experience. Yes, you could go out and purchase buttermilk and butter for the sake of convenience, but starting from scratch gives you a stronger connection to the spell. Remember, you are not just creating a snack; you are creating a magickal offering, and the more energy you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Take each step seriously as a way to interact with the natural world and put forth the time and effort to reap the benefits of the sacred work. The work is joyful. Sing and chant and move about as you create!
The art of scrying under the full moon is done to increase psychic abilities. Most practitioners of natural magick experience some form of psychic awareness in varying degrees. Like any other skill, cultivation and practice lead to an increase of abilities, particularly if you have a natural aptitude. Often, a level of psychic awareness manifests as a physical sensation, such as a tingling of the crown chakra. Other times, it can manifest as intuition, a subtle but firm “knowing” regarding details of a specific situation that has not been explicitly revealed.
The moon acts as an amplifier to the innate talent of the witch who seeks to develop her gifts. Additionally, there are tools of the craft that can be created to facilitate this process. Having the correct ritual tool is important, as it can impact the results.
1. To create a magick mirror for developing clairvoyance, you will need a round glass like those found in picture frames or from the face of a clock. You can find such items at flea markets or antique shops. On the night of the new moon, paint the convex side with a coat of black enamel. As the moon waxes, continue adding a layer each night until you have achieved an opaque surface. Allow it to dry thoroughly. When you have achieved sufficient coverage, the glass will become a reflective mirror.
2. Wait until the moon is full and then expose the glass to moonlight for as long as you are able. Afterward, wrap the glass in a dark, opaque cloth and keep it carefully stored, taking extra precaution never to expose it to sunlight. It is important that the mirror is never used for anything other than magick and that it is properly charged under the full moon a few times a year or before you intend to use it.
3. To scry with your magick mirror, place it before you on your altar. You can also make a stand for it or otherwise prop it up so that you can gaze into it comfortably. Use a white candle to illuminate your face and make sure this light is not directed at the mirror. Begin with an intention of what you hope to see. This may be something from the past, such as a past life, or something from the future, such as something that is about to come into being. Whatever your intention, focus on the mirror and relax and open your mind to the images that come to you. Do not attempt to censor or interpret the images. Just let them flow. After your scrying session, you can record your sensations, whether they are physical or intuitive, and look for symbolism and patterns. Take notes of your insights so that you are able to track your progress.
Other tools used for scrying are crystal balls, bowls of water, and even the reflection of the moon itself on the waves of the sea. However you intend to engage the moon, remember that it is by nature changing and reflective. Revelations will come in the subtlest of forms. Attune your senses to interpret things that may otherwise go easily overlooked. This is the power of Magicka Luna.
A lunar charm can augment the energy of the moon, allowing you an extra surge when you have need of it. The moon is mysterious and often associated with chaos and uncertainty. Creating a charm can provide a sense of grounding during turbulent times. State your purpose in creating your charm by the light of the moon. Some suggestions are:
• An aid to divination that mysteries may be revealed to the wearer or holder of the charm.
• An answer to a question that will become manifest while the charm is active.
• Clarity and insight into a confusing situation.
Once you have determined your purpose, gather your materials.
• White candles
• A cup of water
• Stick of incense
• A smooth, tumbled moonstone
• A polished silver coin or tiny mirror
• Artemisia or mugwort leaf, freshly gathered
• A silver thread embroidery floss to bind the charm
1. Work by the light of the moon, or if you are practicing indoors, at your altar alight with white candles. Let there be a cup of water and a stick of incense to represent the other elements. If you are practicing out of doors, you will not need these things. You will be surrounded by the elements and will feel their presence without the need of tools.
2. Place the moonstone on top of the coin or mirror. Wrap the artemisia leaf around them with the silver side facing out and begin binding them together with the embroidery floss, holding a “tail,” about a foot long, hanging free (for tying off at the end). Wind the thread around carefully, laying each thread beside the other, crossing over the center point, and moving around the circle so a weblike pattern begins to appear. As you wind the thread, speak your intent and purpose.
3. When you are satisfied, cut the thread, leaving a length of one foot. Bring the two long ends together and loop them around your finger. Feed the two ends through the loop, leaving the loop open. Put a needle through the open loop and use the needle to slide a knot down to the edge of the wrapped bundle. Remove the needle and tie off the ends. You can wear the charm around your neck, keep in it your pocket, or keep it on your altar. By the time the leaves are dry, the efficacy of the charm will manifest.
The phases of the moon beckon witches to gather. Full moons and new moons mark the passage of time outside of the Gregorian calendar. Following the cycles of lunation, becoming familiar with tidal patterns, and observing the rise and fall are ways to align your natural magick practice with lunar energy. All life on earth is dependent upon water, and all water is pulled by the gravitational force of the moon. The moon holds sway over our moods and our minds. If ever you have danced by the light of the moon and seen your own shadow fall across the land long after the sun has departed the sky, then you know how it feels to be attuned to the living goddess when magick is afoot. The lunation cycle is our best representation of the triple goddess; in the phases of the moon we see the maiden, mother, and crone. We are constantly reminded that the one and only constant is change, and that change is the very essence of magick.