THE DARK MOON

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The dark phase of the moon, not to be confused with the dark side, occurs every month in the three days preceding the new moon; during these days the crescent moon dissolves in the dark disappearing from our sight and, since the light we see emanating is reflected sunlight, in a sense the dark phase represents the real manifestation of the moon.

Each month, in the days of the dark moon, the ancients of the different continents experienced both fear and amazement: the dark phase represented everything that they could not see with their eyes or understand with their mind. From ancient times to patriarchal times, the dark moon symbolizes divination, enlightenment and healing powers. As the centuries passed when the moon was no longer worshiped as a goddess, the mysteries of the dark phase became permeated with terror and evil.

The dark moon takes us to the world below, but it also makes transformation possible. Today the dark side in the moon of our psyche has become the seat of our individual salvation. It is in fact through the descent into the unconscious that we can discover the secrets for rebirth, secrets that are often diametrically opposed to the point of view of our consciousness (of what we are aware of).

The dark moon has the power to destroy or heal and regenerate depending on our ability to understand its meaning.

In the seasonal cycle, the dark phase of the moon reveals itself as winter, bringing life into the warm, dark and protective underground to rest and dream of its rebirth.

The phase of the dark moon is also the month before our birthday; are the days of the menstrual cycle and the period after menopause. The last phase of the dark moon is old age, when the body weakens and disease occurs.

Sooner or later we enter the waning phase of our life and in these periods of descent we have the opportunity to fertilize and sprout the seeds of our rebirth.

The purpose of the dark phase is to focus on the inner dimension of the body and mind. If we do not resist and surrender, we can tap into the intrinsic essence of the dark moon to heal and regenerate. Opposing resistance to the internal movements of our psyche generates suffering, anxiety, conflict, tension, fear.  

We go through a dark phase every time we have a personal loss and a period of breakdown and pain, such as when we face the end of a relationship, a job, a belief system, family, identity, responsibility, environment in which we live or an addiction, or every time we are confronted with the loss of what has given our life structure and identity.

The phase of the dark moon represents the transition between the old that is no longer there and the new that is not there yet and, however disorienting and disorienting it may be, it is a moment that must be welcomed because it is precisely in that total absence of references. that healing takes place.

During the dark period, everything that has exhausted its reserve of life energy leaves the structure that contained it. Matter breaks down, dissolves, and is absorbed into the formless state of non-being, in the same way that the universe is sucked into black holes.

These forms or structures can be part of our personal or societal life or relate to our relationships, beliefs and identities. In the dark phase the essence of these forms is purified, abstracted, re-energized and destined for an idea that will become the new form, born at the moment of regeneration.

The transformative process destroys the old patterns of thought and behavior that bind us. Old ideas and corresponding structures that no longer have a creative function or that block our growth must be eliminated. Pain and distress can result from the release of vital energy from useless forms or non-productive psychological patterns, but this energy is what will nourish us and enable us to move forward towards new growth. The end result may not be evident until we clarify and implement our new vision and this often takes some time.

In this process it is inevitable that we are confronted with the terror of the unknown which keeps us stuck in fear. Our images of darkness will need to be changed. It is a courageous gesture to accept our being in its entirety by challenging the misogynistic conditioning of a society that fears the immense and dark unknown. Understanding the Dark Goddess will help us develop a night vision with which we can discover a way to cross the darkness and know that it is the place of our rebirth.

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Demetra George, The Mysteries of the Dark Moon, Ed Venexia, 2016

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