DARK MOON INTROSPECTIVE ESBAT RITUAL

Time: Night when sky is dark, OR to run through exact time of moon’s newness
Place: Indoors or outdoors

• All usual circle materials
• Bowl to place libations in
• Black candle
• Red wine, milk, red tea, or red-colored juice in a goblet
• Crescent cakes or cookies resembling the moon
• Any new-moon appropriate food
• Journal
• Copy of The Charge of the Crone or any Goddess-oriented tract or poem
• Green apple
• Bowl of water or scrying glass
• Cauldron
• Pen and paper

Setup:

Wear dark clothes with silver jewelry; suggested is a crown of white flowers, fake or real, as body decoration. Anoint yourself with oil of a type that is sacred to the Goddess.

Place all items on altar in a pleasing fashion, with the candle on the pentacle and the cauldron behind it, and the scrying materials, apple, cakes, and other food off to the side for later. Cast the circle as normal.

Meditate for a long while before invoking the God and the Goddess. Envision the Goddess in Her wise Crone aspect, because it is always there no matter what aspect is currently manifesting in the wheel of the year. Invoke Her and light the black candle, and allow the blackness of the night sky to infuse your body, relishing the taste of the night.

Read The Charge of the Crone or other inspiring material. Greet Her and try to draw Her presence more firmly into yourself so that Her new moon energy can be lent to your efforts.

Take up the pen and paper, and scrawl some questions, problems, or other things that are going to need some thinking or guidance. Tear them off of the larger sheet as you write them, catch them on fire with the flame of the black candle, and place them into the cauldron, in the Goddess’s hands. Ponder each problem as you watch it burn; the Goddess inside you will help you with new insight. If you have only one problem or question that is all right.

When you are finished, put the paper, pen, and cauldron aside, move the black candle off of the pentacle, and replace with your scrying glass, scrying mirror, or bowl of scrying water. Wait for water to stop moving if you’re using the latter. Engage in scrying, using your tools or your hands to bring out and solidify the images. Try to get insight into your problems or the future, and when finished, have your journal handy to write down anything gleaned.

Take up wine or red juice and toast the Goddess, thanking Her for Her help. Drink of it and then pour your libation. Then cut the apple in half, separating the stem from the bottom, and observe the seed star. Bite from both halves of the apple (left first), acknowledging your acceptance of both halves of reality: Light and dark, female and male, life and death. Meditate on death itself for a time if desired, since this is the best time for it. Then commence with your feast, being sure to give the libation bowl a portion of all food. Release the circle and bury the contents outside later.