Dark Moon Spell: Working with the Shadow

Descending further into autumn, we begin to meet the darkness and shadow with more immediacy. The morning time and evening alike begin to encroach upon the daylight hours with greater fervor, and the sun itself seems to revel in the embrace of the seasonal darkness, comfortably retreating further into the night. Nature once again hints at the magical work and actions to explore during this opportune time of the year. The veil is thin, spirits abound, and the work of going inwards makes itself known. 

Shadow is only made possible by a direct source of light. In knowing this, we can easily understand that there is no reason to fear it. Even if the light is far away or imperceptible, we can trust that it exists within, just as shadow does. There is no one part of us that is worth favoring over another, because we are born - and pass into the next realm - as entirely worthy beings. Acknowledging our shadow selves is an essential part of self-care. To only care for one part of us is incomplete and unfair. We should not accept the offer of love from others if they only want the shiny parts. In the same way, we must not do this harm to ourselves either. Our shadow beings are here to offer valuable lessons and insights, often rooting us deeper into our spirit. Our intuition first buds in the cover of shadow, and blooms forth into all realms of dark and light alike. To develop our intuition, we must excavate the wisdom offered to us from beyond the veil in the land of shadows. 

What exactly is our shadow, and why does it sometimes frighten us? Like the moon, we too have dual energies. As CG Jung says, ““How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also If I am to be whole.”Our shadows are our well worn paths, our histories, and our need for boundaries. They are our inner voices of blunt wisdom that we may be inconvenienced by. Those which rock the boat. At times, our shadow makes itself obvious through being triggered. Our past selves, ancestors, and choices made as multi-faceted beings live in shadow. To ignore these aspects of ourselves often leads to confusion and a sense of emptiness. What waits for us there are gifts of all kinds - bitter medicines and rare night blooms alike. Shadow is boundless, making room for us to heal our emotional wounds without any limitations of space or time. The greatest offering of shadow is the ability to understand ourselves in whole new ways, tip our hat to what has been, and acknowledge the pain and beauty which has brought us here with reverence and respect.

Dark Moon Spell: Seeds of Shadow

The Dark Moon is a time to release and make space for the glowing embers of a new self. At this time, we honor the dark void, the keeper of all possibilities and potential. Even if you are unable to practice this spell, simply give yourself a brief moment to hold gratitude for your shadow being. These aspects which frighten us, such as our anger, fear, mistrust, or abandonment are each deserving of our attention. It's the acknowledgement of our pain that allows it to be understood and soothed in our own time.

The Dark Moon itself understands and embodies the nature of duality, making it an ideal teacher to us as we magically connect and work with these energies. We've offered you this spell for this dark moon - a perfect time to connect with shadow, and with self through radical transparency, self-love and honesty. Your shadow is a beautiful and important part of you, and always will be. 

You will need: 

1. 1 piece of paper

2. 1 potted plant or outside space

3. 10 seeds such as black sesame, poppy, or sunflower

On your piece of paper, write out a list of 10 lessons you've learned from your shadow self. Reflect on moments from the past that impacted you sharply, have caused emotional barbs, resentments, hurts or sensations of loose ends. Acknowledge these memories and moments, illustrate how they have made you feel, and uproot the lesson offered from each which you can carry with you into the future and grow from as the moon waxes full again and onwards. For each written reflection, bury one of your seeds into the soil. These can be in a houseplant, or outside. Sit with these seeds as they are offered back to the web of energy shared by us all. As you do this, regard the space in the sky where the moon would be. Marvel at the stars if they are visible, and consider the bright vibrancy within your own being. 

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