the darkness retreat into misty forms and colours, and the first rays of the sun break through bursting everything into subtle life? You cannot fail to notice the magical quality of these elemental moments. Such moments help you realize your connection with the night and the powers that you have within you; powers that can be unlocked through this experience reflected by the burst of light that comes at dawn.
SUNRISE
All kinds of rituals can benefit greatly by being performed during sunrise. It is an especially appropriate time for meditations, incantations and asking for specific blessings for new beginnings – for instance finding a new love, a new job or even a new direction in life. Sunrise is better celebrated outside or in some way connected with nature, such as sitting on your patio or balcony, or in front of an open window. Remember to face east, for the east sees the rising of the sun.
SUNSET
Sunset is an equally magical time. It is very common to feel a sudden and poignant sadness or disturbance in your energy/emotions as the light fades into darkness and the day is gone. If you are in a receptive mood, every sunset can be like a small death – the moment to render your accounts and become aware of how you have spent your energies. With the advent of electricity sunset has lost most of its impact. Overshadowed by the glare of artificial lights, the sun sets totally unobserved by the majority of people – unless you make a point of watching it.
Yet sunset is an important time, one of the best moments to feel inside and get to know yourself a little deeper. During times of confusion and stress it is a fruitful moment to contemplate or meditate on your problems; a time when you can view them from a different perspective. The power of the last rays of the sun will give you the energy to connect with the truth about whatever you are seeking answers to.
Midday and Midnight
When the sun is at its highest in the sky, this is the time to use its power in full. Use it for vigour, strength and health, and to give an extra burst of energy to any kind of psychic connection. The darkest hour, midnight, is for banishing magic or rituals. If there is anything your want to get rid of – an attitude, a habit, an idea, something that you wish to be gone from your life – midnight is the time to do it.
Moontime
For millions of years the moon – a bare spherical chunk of rock, solitary and unwavering – has circled the earth, turning its dark side towards us at the new moon and illuminating the night sky at the full moon.
It is well known that the influence of the moon is a very important element in the fluctuations of psychic energy. With the same power that the moon has to raise the tides of the sea, the moon plays upon human souls – especially women, who, since the beginning of time, have learned to recognize the ways and powers of the moon and how to use them. The gravitational force of the moon affects every point on the earth and therefore every human being, every animal, every plant and every atom on our planet.
The moon, in its feminine aspect, was often said to denote the four faces of woman. The waxing moon represented the face of a young maiden, the full moon was the face of a mother, the waning moon that of a wise grandmother and the dark unseen moon that of the witch or crone. Each indicated the way energies were being reflected in the world.
The dark face of the moon was seen as the potential that was hidden and waiting to come into expression, the waxing moon as that which was developing and coming into maturity, the full moon as the fully developed and mature, and the waning moon as the giving out and sharing of that which has been nurtured and developed. We then return to the dark moon and a period of rest and renewal before the cycle begins again.
THE CYCLE OF THE MOON
The moon takes 29½ days to orbit the earth, measured from new moon to new moon. During the course of a complete circuit, the two main impulses are the waxing and waning moon, while the few hours of the full and new moon are characterized by special forces that make its power stronger.
There are four cycles of the moon: the dark or new moon – 4 days (hag), full moon – 3 days (mother), waxing moon – 11 days (maiden), waning moon – 11 days (grandmother).
WAXING MOON
The moon is referred to as waxing in the phase when it first appears as a crescent to when it becomes full. As the moon grows it will exercise a magnetic pull on all things exposed to ‘her’ energy. It is a time for regenerating, absorbing and creating. It is the perfect time for a fertility ritual, or for psychic protection, or to set off on new avenues of the spirit such as creative projects and business proposals. It is also a good time to plant herbs and flowers.
During the 11 days of the waxing moon everything that you do to build up and strengthen the body is more effective than when the moon is on the wane. The body absorbs more readily, so restorative and strengthening remedies and methods are more effective at this time.
FULL MOON
The full moon is the high tide of psychic powers and can be helpful in all types of ritual and magic. When a special task needs to be completed or a difficult project dealt with, the great power of the full moon is helpful in giving you the energy to complete.
For some people the time of the full moon is a difficult one; they can become edgy and ill at ease, more sensitive and emotional. If you find the power of the moon makes you feel out of balance in any way, avoid performing rituals at this time. Try to understand why the moon affects you so deeply. Use this time to relax and meditate, and learn from these influences about your own powers. It may be that you have been in denial and will become comfortable with yourself and your own rhythms when you begin to examine them. Once you learn to ride the rhythms of the moon you will find that it becomes easier to adjust at this time.
Many people who work in the medical and security professions have told me that during a full moon their business is busier – more people are admitted to hospitals and more people commit crimes. My friend Ali, a midwife, has noticed that more babies are born during the full moon.
WANING MOON
During this period, when the moon goes from full to black, the moon is said to be waning. This is a time for undoing, for receding, for eliminating and separating. If you wish a peaceful ending to a love affair or business partnership, this is the moment to work on it. It is the time to let go of past experiences and undesired parts of your self. In the tradition of witchcraft this was the time to remove warts. In a modern capacity, this is the time to go on a weight-loss programme, to detox, to let go of overindulgence, drinking, drug taking and any other habit. The waning moon is also the ideal time to cut herbs and flowers.
In the past, witches were said to put curses on people during this phase of the moon which were called, appropriately, ‘wan-ions’.
THE DARK OR NEW MOON
This is an appropriate time to think over the month, to rest and and evaluate. The new moon is not usually suitable for performing any kind of magic or psychic work. However, some people find that they are more psychic during this phase and may wish to exercise their abilities.
Rituals to honour the power of the moon can be simple or complicated. They range from showing respect to the crescent moon when it
