Since we’ve been discussing dreams extensively lately, with the new moon on the horizon and a lovely group ritual approaching, I wanted to introduce this dark moon dream ritual and tarot spread to all of you.
First of all, the term ‘dark moon’ describes the last visible crescent of a waning Moon. This phase typically lasts between 1.5 to 3.5 days, depending on the Moon’s position in relation to the Earth’s orbit. In modern astronomy, the ‘new moon’ occurs at the midpoint of this dark phase when the moon and sun are aligned closely. Therefore, it’s advisable to perform the following ritual and reading on the day preceding the new moon.
[Photo by Johannes Plenio]
Dark Moon Dream Ritual
Here is a straightforward bedtime ritual designed to encourage meaningful and insightful dreams, particularly during the dark moon phase. This ritual can provide guidance on profound inner matters and is accessible for anyone interested in exploring their dreams.
Ingredients
- Tea made with herbs associated with enhancing psychic abilities, such as rose, jasmine, or star anise. You can either prepare your own loose tea blend or purchase tea bags with these flavours.
- A square piece of black cloth, large enough to contain the herbs and crystals.
- A bowl containing one tablespoon each of dried mugwort, eyebright, and lavender.
- An amethyst, moonstone, and selenite.
- A length of string.
- (Optional) An offering to the dark moon.
Also, see “Notes on Ingredients” at the bottom for more alternatives to those above.
[Photo by Miti]
Instructions
Gather all the necessary materials and place them near your bed.
Begin steeping the tea while you take a relaxing bath.
If you’re looking for inspiration for the ideal dark moon bath, consider incorporating sea or Epsom salt along with a few drops of essential oils like frankincense, rosemary, or peppermint. These essential oils can be diluted in a carrier oil such as jojoba or olive oil.
Lay the black cloth out on your nightstand or carefully on your bed. In the centre of the cloth, place the mixture of dried mugwort, eyebright, and lavender. Add the crystals to this arrangement. As you do this, visualise and invoke the energy and essence of the dark moon.
Hold your hands over the mixture and say:
O enigmatic shroud of night,
Ethereal guardians of dreams,
I extend my invitation to your realm.
Reveal unto me your cryptic missives,
Become my compass on this ethereal voyage,
I seek enlightenment on [your question or issue].
Alternatively, if you choose to make a humble offering to the dark moon, you can follow these steps and recite this version instead
O Dark Moon, I willingly offer [your offering] unto you,
In profound recognition of your boundless might.
On this night, let our energies entwine,
Through the sacred union of [your offering] and shadow.
In exchange for my devotion, bestow upon me,
[State your desired blessing or intention here],
So be it.
Securely tie the cloth with the string, forming a small bundle. Now, gently tuck this bundle beneath your pillow. Voilà, you’ve crafted a dream pillow!
Savour the tea you prepared earlier, utilising this moment for contemplation, meditation, or even engaging in the tarot reading mentioned below. Afterwards, prepare yourself for a restful night’s sleep.
Don’t forget to keep a journal or notebook within easy reach by your bedside to record your dreams upon waking. If necessary, you can employ the mind map technique to effectively organise and decipher the symbolism embedded within your dreams. For additional guidance on this technique, consider exploring the following resources:
[Photo by Jen Theodore]
Dark Moon Tarot Spread
During the dark moon, you may be delving into deeper, more self-focused questions than usual. It’s an ideal moment for introspection, contemplating your inner self, and addressing even the most uncomfortable emotions.
This reading serves as an excellent complement to the preceding ritual and is refreshingly straightforward. It employs a four-card spread, specifically crafted for self-reflection. This intuitive reading aims to illuminate your present challenges and the wisdom they carry. Frequently, it unveils the intricate ways in which inner struggles, such as negative self-perception or personal fears, find expression as external obstacles.
To initiate your tarot reading, it’s essential to formulate a meaningful question. For example, you can inquire, “What role do I play in this situation?” or “What wisdom am I meant to gain from this experience?” Crafting a clear and introspective question sets the stage for a profound exploration of your inner self.
Card 1: Current Situation
This card serves as a window into your present circumstances, offering insights into the overall atmosphere of your life at this very moment. It provides a glimpse of external aspects or the surface appearance of your situation.
Card 2: The Querent (You)
Card 2 is a reflection of yourself, the seeker of answers. It symbolises your unique role in the situation and the contribution you make. This card sheds light on how you fit into the broader narrative.
Card 3: Deep-Seated Patterns
Among the four cards, Card 3 holds the utmost significance. It peels back the layers to reveal your hidden fears, triggers, or ingrained behaviours. These elements may be stirred by the issue at hand or could even be contributing to it. Card 3 occasionally uncovers facets of your personality that you might not have previously acknowledged. It functions as a mirror, reflecting your inner self and its influence on the situation.
Importantly, this card doesn’t assign blame but emphasises the role of your deeper emotions and tendencies in shaping the outcome. Recognising your part in an issue can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation.
Card 4: Potential for Growth
Card 4 offers a glimpse into the potential for personal development that arises from your experiences. Life’s challenges often carry specific lessons about ourselves. This card unveils the growth opportunities available to you when you address the issues highlighted by Card 3.
This tarot reading focuses primarily on your inner world and personal development. It does not aim to provide guidance or insights into external factors or the actions of others. While you may not have control over external circumstances, you possess the power to make choices and decisions that shape your own journey. Therefore, reading can be a valuable tool for introspection, fostering self-awareness, and promoting personal growth.
[Photo by Conscious Design]
Notes on Ingredients
- Amethyst: Enhances intuition, protects from nightmares, and promotes stability.
- Eyebright: Boosts psychic abilities, aids memory and rationality, fosters a positive outlook during challenging times, and reveals truths.
- Jasmine: Used in divination, associated with spiritual love, soulmates, wealth, sleep, prophetic dreams, and innovative ideas.
- Lavender: Linked to love, protection, healing, sleep, purification, peace, chastity, and assisting in overcoming depression.
- Moonstone: Balances emotions, supports women’s health, enhances psychic abilities, and aids in dream work.
- Mugwort: Associated with lust and fertility, prevents backaches, acts as an anti-disease agent, counters “madness,” strengthens divination, aids in tool consecration, facilitates astral travel, promotes prophetic dreams, and cleanses magic mirrors and crystal balls.
- Rose: Used in love-related divination and for fostering lasting relationships.
- Selenite: Clears stagnant energy, promotes joy, and offers protection.
- Star Anise: Enhances psychic awareness and abilities.
Alternative Herbs and Their Associations
- Anise Seed: Known for warding off the evil eye, stimulating psychic abilities, and preventing nightmares.
- Cat Whiskers: Used to remain undetected during shamanic journeys, astral work, psychic endeavours, veil work, and similar practices.
- Cinnamon: Associated with success, healing, protection, luck, prosperity, money attraction, stimulation of psychic powers, protection against drowning, and scrying.
- Citron: Used for healing and enhancing psychic powers.
- Corn (or Corn Oil): Known for protection, divination, and attracting luck.
- Dandelion Root: Used for sleep protection, divination, and summoning.
- Evening Primrose (or Evening Primrose Oil): Associated with love, attracting woodland spirits, desirability, glamour magic, clarity, and psychic abilities.
- Fig: Known for divination, fertility, and love.
- Flax Seed: Used for financial matters, healing, and enhancing divination accuracy.
- Honeysuckle: Associated with money, success, quick abundance, persuasiveness, confidence, improved intuition, and heightened psychic abilities.
- Lemon Balm: Used for love, success, healing, psychic development, and aiding in healing mental and nervous disorders.
- Lemon Grass: Known for psychic cleansing and enhancing lust.
- Lotus Flower: Associated with psychic opening and spiritual growth.
- Moonflower: Used for divination and dream work. (Warning: Its leaves can be used in death curses, and its vine for baneful binding.)
- Myrrh: Known for spiritual opening, meditation, healing, raising psychic vibration, concentration, and activating talismans, charms, and magical tools.
- Pomegranate (or Pomegranate Oil): Used for divination, wishes, wealth, fertility, and love.
- Tea Leaves: Associated with divination tools, courage, and strength. (Warning: Can be used to conceal the truth.)
- Wisteria: Known for psychic opening, overcoming obstacles, and attracting prosperity. (Warning: Its vines can be used in various forms of binding.)
These alternative herbs provide a range of options to customise your ritual, but it’s essential to exercise caution, especially when considering their potential baneful uses.
There’s the more formal ritual writing and explaining (because I pull out a thesaurus and do about 20 rereads and edits), the enthusiastic rambling about my interests, and the more casual chatting.
but I’m still not sure about calling myself a folk witch… 
but maybe that’s something to explore for this week’s challenge!
I just wanted to say that in the short time you’ve been here I have learned so much from reading your posts they are all very intriguing you have such a profound way of explaining things and your one of the most influential witches I’ve met on this sight. It has been a real honor to learn as much as I have from you and I’m so glad you found your way to this coven. 
Thank you so much.
. I will adapt your tarot spread for a rune spread though, so I’ve plonked it in my grim as I think this will be nice. Thanks for sharing this. Very beautiful 
I think you’re going about things a great way just for you - training wheels are great, after all!
