The Dark Moon Esbat

People avoid those sensitive, difficult topics in life too often. We all strive for order, harmony, cosmos and forget that cosmos does not exist without the contrast of chaos, that harmony could not be recognized without disharmony or order without disorder. It is because of this that I write about the upcoming dark moon (September 13, 2015).

Dark or New Moon?

In scientific vocabulary, the term "dark moon" cannot be found. It isn't all that common in the English language actually. However, the term "new moon" is familiar to most people. The new moon is a generally accepted lunar phase which is usually defined as an astronomical phenomenon in which the Sun and Moon are located close to each other. The Sun then prevents the Moon from being visible from the Earth. Technically speaking, the Sun and Moon are conjunct in the sky during the dark moon. But, the problem here is that the new moon is often equated with and includes the lunar phase called the first quarter (when the Moon is "growing" and resembles a crescent as seen from the Earth). Of course, this makes the terminology quite confusing.

The new moon is clearly defined in the English language as that period in which the Moon is absolutely invisible from the Earth because the Sun then casts its shadow on it. In the few days that follow, when the Moon is in its first quarter, it has an entirely different name - the waxing crescent moon.

In order to avoid any obscurities, in Paganism, at least that which has grown out of English-speaking countries, the term "dark moon" has become widely accepted to refer to this period when the Moon isn't visible in the sky. Dissimilarly, the term "new moon" is used solely to refer to the crescent moon (which is also called Diana's crescent since the Moon in this period is connected to the divine figure of the Maiden, and the goddess Diana is known in mythology practically as the archetype of the maiden/virgin). So, by using the phrase dark moon, any ambivalence is avoided.

Basically, the notion of the dark moon is more a Pagan term than it is an astronomical one and it refers exclusively to that time when it is not possible to see the Moon from the Earth. The night of the celebration of the dark moon is called an Esbat, as is the celebration of any other lunar phase, but just to clarify that the celebration at hand is that of precisely this lunar phase, we will be talking about the dark moon Esbat.

The Meaning of the Dark Moon in Paganism

In Paganism, the Moon is generally connected to the Goddess and the Sun to the God. Since the days of old, the Moon has been connected to women and female mysteries, partially because the lunar cycle and the menstrual cycle are approximately equal in length (the lunar cycle lasts 29.5 days on average and the menstrual cycle, though it varies from woman to women, about 28 days).

In its cycle, the Moon goes through several visible phases - the first quarter, full Moon and the last quarter. During the first and last quarter it has a crescent shape and as it grows, it takes on the shape of a half-moon. The final, invisible phase is (using scientific terms) that of the new moon, or the dark moon as we Pagans would call it. In Paganism, each of these phases is connected to a certain aspect of the Goddess. The first quarter, when the Moon is at the beginning of its cycle, it is connected to the figure of the Maiden which is still young and inexperienced, but shows great potential. The full moon is connected to the Mother aspect, symbolizes her life experience, maturity, reaching her full physical potential and inevitably reminds one of a pregnant belly. The last quarter is connected to the Crone phase who is physically exhausted but makes up for this with her wisdom and full life. Each life has a beginning and and end, just as the lunar cycle does. The end of life, death, is represented by the invisible lunar phase, that is the dark moon. In Paganism, this short period of time is mystical because it is not represented by any "constant" aspect of the Goddess. Rather, it is connected to the Dark Goddess who represents everything hidden us and embodies the chaotic and destructive forces of the universe. In Wicca and similar Pagan denominations, one can usually hear about the Triple Goddess (the Maiden, Mother and Crone), whereas this final aspect is rarely mentioned and often is not incorporated into the Goddess' iconography.

Hrefngast - Hecate

To a person who encounters the notions of the dark moon and the Dark Goddess for the first time, they will surely sound dark, mysterious and simply put bad. Perhaps it is because of misunderstood phrases such as these that negative stereotypes of Paganism and similar spiritual paths have evolved. But, it is necessary to understand the philosophy behind them very well before one labels them as negative. In Paganism, these phrases to refer to that darker part of life which people do not want to pay attention to because it is as it is. It is a part of human nature to gravitate towards beauty, harmony and order (cosmos) and avoid everything that seems bad, chaotic, that we do not know, or perhaps are not able to know just yet (i.e. the unknown). But, as I emphasized at the beginning of this post, cosmos (order) does not exist without chaos (disorder), the day cannot exist without the night just as light does not exist without darkness. Both are two halves of the same whole.

On their spiritual path, Pagans aspire towards wholeness and consequently acknowledge both the light and dark sides of life. We do not believe that we have to avoid the dark sides just because they are dark, because they seem bad, or arouse fear in us. It is necessary to get better acquainted with them in order to know how to cope with them. Although it is extremely important to emphasize that this does not mean that we welcome them into our lives with widespread arms. Human nature is the stronger force here. Of course, we do not wish to invite any negativity into our or other peoples' lives or do any harm to ourselves or others. But, we are aware that life has its good and bad moments, that it is sometimes necessary to face the facts which may hurt us momentarily, but will aid us in our growth and development in the long run. Respectively, in our spiritual path, we accept the darker sides of life as something completely natural or not fully dark. After all, no matter how dark the night, morning always comes, right? Hence, we look at death as just another natural, integral part of life (for those that believe in reincarnation, this is just another step in the birth-death-rebirth cycle). We try to react to the challenges and problems in our lives as if they are all obstacles which can be overcome and to whose solutions we can arrive through facing facts, our own emotions, our subconscious and so on. Every such confrontation is difficult in its own way, but brings necessary insight.

TALONABRAXAS - Night
of the Moon

When one sees the Dark Goddess as a figure that represents all of the above mentioned, she stops being something to be afraid of and starts being something that is necessary and sometimes even welcome in order for us to develop as human beings in a mundane and spiritual way.

The time of the dark moon is therefore a time of worshiping the Dark Goddess and recognizing the darker sides of life. This is mainly done through meditations, introspection, asking key (often difficult) questions in order to reach necessary insight. I would like to emphasize, and this is purely a personal opinion, that insight cannot be anything but necessary. That is to say, I do not believe that a piece of insight can come at the wrong time. If something is perceived willingly (emphasis on willingly because I believe that another person's will should not manipulate ours and that such manipulation mainly has only negative consequences), then the person at hand must surely have been ready for this. They could not have comprehended this, or even have thought in this direction were they not ready.

Some believe that the dark moon is not an appropriate time to do magic because, as the Moon is not visible, its power is at its lowest. In contrast to the dark moon, the full moon represents the peak of the Moon's strength. However, this way of thinking is not equally logical for everyone. If one sees the lunar phases as equally worthy phases which correspond to equally important aspects of the Goddess, then neither lunar phase is more ore less potent than another. It's simply a matter of a change in the type of potency. For example, during the first quarter (the waxing phase) of the Moon, it is appropriate to perform magic that will invite good things into our lives. The full moon is the peak of the waxing period so relatively similar magic will be performed during it. During the last quarter (the waning phase), the appropriate kind of magic is that which drives away harmful forces from our lives. The dark moon, as the symbolical end do this waning period of the Moon, has its own energy and is appropriate for a specific type of work which is similar to that done during the last quarter. What I am referring to is that type of magic which focuses on destroying unwanted things in our lives and driving away negativity (be it in the form of relationships, traits, habits, fears and so on), and logically apotropaic and defensive magic. Some also use this time to strengthen their magical and psychic abilities and for certain types of divination. The latter is based on the belief that the full and dark moon are contrary to one another in terms of their energy (cosmic forces being at their peak during the full moon and chaotic ones during the dark moon), but that they have on thing in common. That is to say, they are both transitional points in the lunar cycle. Because of this, it is said that both nights are situated in a moment beyond time. These transitional periods are known in folklore as times when the veil between worlds is thinnest, which makes it easier to come into contact with divine forces, our ancestors etc. during this period than others. Divination is more potent then because of the same reason. Of course, depending on what you wish to find out, you will choose both the method of divination and the appropriate time. So you probably won't ask any types of questions on the night of a dark moon, but rather those that correspond to its chaotic nature.

When devotional practice is at hand, it is usually thought that evoking i.e. calling upon the Dark Goddess is much more desirable than invoking her (as in inviting into a person) considering her nature. Her extreme intensity can be too much for one person to handle, but when all this energy is shared among a group of people, or when one comes into indirect contact with it, it's as if the body determines on its own how much of this energy it is capable of soaking in at that moment. Some will prefer working in a group because of this, while others will prefer to work alone given that the insights one has tend to be personal in nature. After all, everyone will experience the energy of the dark moon in their own way.

Although dark moon Esbats are not typical Pagan celebrations; they aren't filled with dancing, celebrations, general merriment and so on, they are celebrated in their own way which has its own charm and practical value. These periods are useful for recognizing the hidden parts of the world and our own personalities. But of course, in moderate doses.

Given that the night of the dark moon is approaching as I write this post, I can only wish you a pleasurable Esbat and much productive work! I hope that you will be able to apply the information you read in this post during this or any other upcoming Esbat.

Until next time. Yours,
Witch's Cat

Esbats

Since the full moon appears every month, I thought it would be nice to write about something that is so normal to us but often take for granted precisely because of this. This is my way of drawing your attention to this important "character" in Wicca who is celebrated in a ritual we call the Esbat. People often forget about the little things in life and I am no exception. I often find myself forgetting to prepare for a Sabbat/Esbat ritual in time because of profane obligations and then end up doing everything in a hurry in order to get it all ready in time. 

The word "Esbat" itself (read /'ezbəθ/) is a name for the celebration of the full moon even though this terms is beginning to be used more and more often for basically any coven gathering. Etymologically, this word comes from the French phrase s'esbattre, which means "to have fun". The term itself is quite new (it is thought to have been introduced by Margaret Murray) and it is often used in a formal context. You will often hear the term "circle" being used in stead because it is a slightly less formal name for this celebration. While the word "circle" can refer to any coven gathering (and is a more appropriate term than the word "Esbat" in this context), an Esbat, in a narrower sense, refers only to the celebrations of the full moon. 

Namely, in addition to the eight Sabbats, there are also twelve to thirteen full moons per year which are celebrated. Even though we usually think of a full moon celebration, in modern times, the Esbat has become an appropriate name for any coven gathering be it for a full moon or not. Some people will use this term even for celebrations of the new moon (which is also known among Pagans as the dark moon). If you are a Solitary, then you can practice whatever you want and when you want since you don't depend on anyone else whereas working in a coven restricts you in this sense. For any celebration to work in a coven, the members have to be in sync, be able to understand each other and know how other members work. It is important for all of them to be in harmony! It is for this reason that regular meetings are recommended so that this bond doesn't break, but rather restore itself, or even better, strengthen! Think of a coven as a band; the more often a band has practices, the more synchronous they will be. A coven can be connected to a band on many levels but mainly because both of them produce magickal effects of their own kind :)

Why during the full moon?

Artemis/Diana,
the Greco-Roman
 goddess of hunting,
birth, the moon etc. and
the protector of young
girls. Notice the crown
of the moon on her head

This is a very logical question that you may be asking yourself at this moment. Why not meet on any other night of the month or one a specific day of the week? This has simply become a tradition now, but just like any every other tradition, this one also has its roots.

The first reason why the full moon was chosen was because of its connection to the Goddess and her symbols. You are familiar with the fact that the moon is the symbol of the Goddess and that the sun symbolizes the God. The moon is a symbol of female energy which has its phases just like every woman passes through her phases in regard to the menstrual cycle. It is also connected to water (the way it affects the tides) and water is again connected to emotions which fall under the category of "womanlike". The moon is at its energetic peak when it is full, when it shines the brightest. Have you ever taken a walk and stared at the full moon? Maybe you felt its power and protection in those moments. If you haven't, then you should try it :) this can be a ritual by itself. Try to meditate while looking at the moon or think up an exercise of your own. But undoubtedly, this energy is the reason why magickal works are most often done during a full moon or at least as close to it as possible (note: it's better to do a ritual before a full moon than after i.e. during the waxing moon when the energy is rising).

Chang'e, the Chinese
goddess of the moon

The second reason is of a practical nature. In the past (and especially during the Burning Times) when Witches had to gather in some secret place, they usually did this in the shelter of the night and its darkness, which is logical if you don't want to be seen, right? And if they had to search for other people and their way to the meeting place, they needed some light to guide them. Remember that there were no electric lights or street lamps back then, so they took advantage of the full moon as the brightest source of light they had. The moon led them and lit their path! Now just try to imagine yourself walking through a cornfield with the full moon shining just above you. You may feel lonely and afraid in the dark but as soon as you see at least a spark of light, you feel much safer. This is what it's like for most people. Light is what gives us security and there is no better consolation in the night than the full moon!

What is done on an Esbat?

The Esbat can basically look however you want it to look. Even though celebrations of any kind are done on the Sabbats, no one can really stop you from celebrating on the Esbats. You can celebrate an accomplishment, the future, the past or simply something that makes you happy! Then again, you don't even have to celebrate at all. You can decide to ask for something and try to energize that wish through magickal works. A lot of people will do some divination work on the Esbats because of the amount of energy that is present. You can also use this large quantity of energy for consecration, initiations, self-initiations, healing and much more. And if you are working in a group, these gatherings can be used for teaching, sharing experiences, arranging something or discussing certain problems and dilemmas.

I already mentioned that the word "Esbat" comes from a French word which means "to have fun", but these meetings primarily serve the religious purpose of celebrating the gods and giving thanks for what we have and also an opportunity for asking for something that we would like to have/do, or even better - something that we actually need (we do have to be careful what we wish for, after all). Though, we cannot leave out the celebration part. Even though a celebration of the gods should be a festivity on its own, people often sing, dance and play various instruments to get the mood up even more. Some will even choose to play games in the circle, which is a great way for coven members to strengthen their relationships and learn some new customs.

The Esbat Ritual 

This ritual begins and ends just like any other. It begins with the Opening Ritual and the Great Rite and then ends with the Closing Ritual. In these links, you can see that I mention the traditional order in which the Sabbat/Esbat ritual is performed, but I came to the conclusion that it would be nice to elaborate a bit more on this :)

I won't give examples of invocations and greetings because I will leave that to you. As I have said about a hundred times up to now, the ritual is more personal when you write it yourself. I tend to improvise my Esbat rituals because I believe that improvised words come from the heart and because you can be more relaxed (you don't have to look at papers/books all the time and be worried if you got something wrong).

So, as you can see, according to the classical ritual form, things go in this order:

1. Preparing the ritual space and altar
2. Cleansing the water with salt
3. Opening the circle
4. Marking the circle with your athamé and the Elements as well as visualizing its protection
5. Invoking the Elements
6. Invoking the Goddess and God (Drawing down the Moon, the Fivefold Kiss, the Charge of the Goddess, the God invocation) and the Great Rite
7. Dancing the Witches' Rune
8. The Sabbat/Esbat Ritual
9. Cakes and wine (if you didn't already eat and drink during the Great Rite)
10. Thanking the Goddess and God
11. Dismissing the Elements
12. Visualizing the decreasing protection of the circle
13. Closing the circle with your athamé

This celebration marks the center point of the ritual, the part towards which all the energy is directed. The Witches' Rune is there to get the energy up as much as possible before any work that will follow in the Sabbat and/or Esbat ritual.

I usually choose to drink milk during my Esbat ritual because of its connection to mother's milk and therefore with fertility and the Goddess. My quarter candles are always silver since silver and white are the colors of the full moon.

So, after you have done the above steps, you are ready to do the actual Esbat ritual. This is the right time to show gratitude for what you have and express any wishes. You can talk to yourself, out loud or even write what you want to say on a piece of paper and burn it (some believe that your message is than carried to the gods with the smoke that floats to the heavens, but others will choose to do this only when they want to get rid of something bad). By the way, if you wish for something, don't expect a miracle. For example, if you want a new TV, first really think about whether you really need it or not. If you really don't, then consider it to be a luxury. Be aware of your wishes and your reasons for having them and don't forget to think rationally. Your old TV won't suddenly turn into a fifty-inch TV with an LCD screen. It is more likely that you will get a new business opportunity which will enable you to earn more and afford this kind of TV. All you have to do is know how to make the best out of a situation.

After you have meditated on your wishes and given thanks, it is time for the cakes and wine. If you have done the Great Rite, both should already be consecrated but no necessarily consumed. In case you prefer to eat after you have finished the Sabbat/Esbat ritual like me, then you should first consecrate the drinks and food with your athamé or wand while saying appropriate words of blessing (don't be afraid to make them up yourselves). Before consuming anything, don't forget to give a toast to the gods :) after all, they are present in this whole story! Leave a bit of food and drink aside in the libation dish so you can later empty its contents on the earth from which all of your food and drink came from in the first place.

While you eat and drink, you can think about any magickal work or divination that may follow. I can't say much here because it really does all depend on you. I will write separate posts about magick and divination techniques, but until then, keep in mind that this part isn't obligatory. If you have nothing to ask for, feel free to rest a bit longer and then simply start closing the circle. :)

What to do on a new moon?

When the moon isn't visible at all in the sky, then it is called a new moon or perhaps even better as a dark moon if you are using Pagan terminology. This is the ideal time of the month to get rid of things that you don't need. Simply throw physical things away, write something down that you want to get rid of (not a physical object but rather some sort of illness, bad habit etc.) and burn this paper as a part of your Esbat ritual (remember that Esbats nowadays include new moon rituals). Magick that includes getting rid of something, solving certain things etc. is done at this time. Decide for yourselves what you want to achieve (do you want to gain something or remove it?) and see which moon phase is more appropriate for doing this. Also, the same rule applies as to the full moon ritual. It is better to do the ritual slightly before the full moon or on the night of a full moon and if you want to do a new moon ritual then it's best to do it before the new moon (i.e. during the waning moon) or ideally on the night of a new moon. Simple :)

Of course, you mustn't forget that the new moon is energetically the same as the full moon. Change the invocation slightly and pay attention to the words you use. Adapt the ritual to the darkness that prevails in nature at that time. Also, be aware that day always follows night and so this new moon will pass, and with it the darkness. In its place the full moon will come and light our paths.

I wish you the best of luck with your Esbat ritual :) in case you don't have anything special to celebrate, I sincerely hope that many wonderful things will happen and give you something to celebrate and to smile about :D

Yours truly,

Witch's Cat