Sisters Of The Dark Moon: 13 Rituals of the Dark Goddess [Paperback]

Gail Wood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2001

Everyone is familiar with the image of pagans performing rituals during the Full Moon. The Dark Moon (the night before the new Moon) is lesser known but equally as powerful. This book presents the thirteen Dark Moons of the year by the zodiac sign in which they fall, with instructions for rituals. Deepen your understanding of the Moon as the Goddess when you explore the intuitive and deep healing powers of the dark.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gail Wood has been a Witch and Wiccan priestess for more than twenty years, practicing a shamanic path celebrating the Dark Moon.  She is clergy, teacher, ritual leader, tarot reader and Reiki Master.  She teaches workshops and classes on alternative spiritualities, Wicca, tarot, ritual, shamanic journeywork, and Reiki.  She is the author of Rituals of the Dark Moon: 13 Lunar Rites for a Magical Path (Llewellyn, 2001); The Wild God:  Meditations and Rituals on the Sacred Masculine (Spilled Candy, 2006); and articles in a variety of pagan publications.  She is eagerly anticipating the publication of The Ecstatic Witch on shamanic Wicca from Weiser.   She is  High Priestess of the Coven of the Heron of the RavenMyst Circle.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction Sisters of the Dark Moon evolved from fifteen years of personal solitary practice of the religion of Wicca, the native European earth religion which includes healing, study, magic, craft, and transformation in its practices. Today a great deal of information is published about Wicca and its beliefs and practices; when I began there was very little. Even to this day, there is very little published about the Dark Moon and her energies. Sisters of the Dark Moon looks at the moon throughout the lunar year-thirteen moons, thirteen dark moons in which to examine the Dark Moon energy through the seasons and in each sign of the Zodiac. Wiccans believe in the energy of the moon as she courses through the sky on her visible personal journey. She cycles from fertile and light to complete and utter darkness. We feel the tides ebb and flow even in our bodies, which are nearly all water. We feel her pull us and push us. The energy of the moon becomes our personal journey as well. So, what does it mean when we read so little about the Dark Moon? Many writers make no distinction between the New Moon and the Dark Moon, but I believe there is a great deal of difference in the energy between New Moon and Dark Moon energies. This book is an exploration of that difference and what it means to us throughout the year and through the years of our lives. This exploration will take place in ritual. Ritual is a sacred activity that connects each one of us to the Divine, to both the immanent and external Sacred. When I began my journey into Wicca, it was like walking into a new land without a map and without direction. I began by noting the cycles of the moon and how I felt about them. The first full year, I celebrated the sun holidays and each Full Moon. I found out that the Universe is not only a safe place, but also a loving place. That was my initiation into Wicca. My celebrations were simple, unlike the rituals you will find in this book. It took me a long time to understand the nature of ritual and to have the confidence to write and do my own. I did not realize that rituals could be as simple or as elaborate as you choose. It is your own mindfulness and intent that makes a ritual sacred, not the "smells and bells" of an elaborate ritual, though those can be very effective. It slowly became apparent to me that while I celebrated the cycles of the moon, it was the Dark Moon that had the most meaning and that embraced me unlike all the other cycles. It was then that I realized that I was on a Dark Moon Path. I then began to explore what that meant. What you will read is what the Dark Moon and the Dark Moon Path means to me. There are no secrets on the Dark Moon Path, but there are mysteries. We will explore the mystery of the Dark Moon as we learn to feel her Dark Energy and not fear the Dark. I have always been drawn to the Dark. It is not that I am particularly gloomy in my outlook on life and it is not that I am fixated on the macabre, though I do enjoy scary movies and books. It is just that the Dark holds mystery out to me. The Dark embraces me and heals me. The sunlit spiral dances deosilin celebration of the sun, while the inward spiral of the Dark curls widdershins to explore the unknown part of what is. It is the unraveling of self and the rediscovery of self. It is dismemberment and re-memberment. Akin to the shamanic journey to the underworld, the journey of the Dark Moon strips us of our adornments and gives us back our own self as a brilliant jewel. The journey of the Dark Moon explores the unknown part of us so that we can weave and balance the sunlit and moonlit part of ourselves. It is important to understand that we are not trying to eradicate the Dark, but to be comfortable with it and to embrace it. Dark gives definition to the light. In the Dark, we dream. It is unknown and that is what is frightening about the Dark. The Dark contains parts of us that we have not yet accepted. Properly understood, the Dark is not dangerous and we are safe in the Dark. I can say this with confidence because I have been in the Dark. I am a forty-plus white woman who, along with my good friend Webweaver, emerged from a fundamental Christian experience that wounded us deeply. I refer to that time as being in a black hole of anger and despair. Webweaver calls it being divorced from God. The black hole statement was truer than I knew. We were in the Dark. And we healed in the Dark. I also know that Wicca and other pagan paths are not all "tra-la-la, we all love the Goddess," but a deep path that includes joy, sorrow, happiness, and travail. The Dark Moon Path is a path with heart. It is a path for your soul, your heart, your intellect, and your body. We will sing, meditate, dance into the Dark. There we will find not only healing but joy and love. When we find things that terrify us, we will learn to understand them. Then the Dark becomes not evil, but part of our psychic gifts and ourselves. I see the interplay of dark and light with my dogs. Bob is a golden retriever mix, a happy-go-lucky creature with a personal philosophy that I call "joie de Bobby," a play on the French expression for joy of life, joie de vivre. From his actions I know that Bob believes that...(Continues)

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (October 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738700959
• ISBN-13: 978-0738700953
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #614,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Dark: Less scary than you might think., October 14, 2001

By 

Kelly (Fantasy Literature) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sisters Of The Dark Moon: 13 Rituals of the Dark Goddess (Paperback)

*Sisters of the Dark Moon* is a lovingly and beautifully written book that can add something to almost any witch's ritual "repertoire". (It's very Wiccan-oriented, so if you're not into Wicca, you might not like the way the rituals are set up.) Gail Wood's love of the Dark Goddess and the Dark Moon is evident throughout the book; you can tell this is a path she herself has explored, found rewarding, and now wants to share with others. The book focuses on ritual and meditation; the rituals are simple enough that anyone can do them. You don't need any props except your mind and soul. Even if you just read your first Wicca book last week, there won't be anything to confuse you. And no matter how long you've been on the path, there will be something here for you. There are many resources in print and online with ritual outlines for the various Full Moons of the year; *Sisters* is especially welcome because the Dark Moon is often overlooked. Each ritual is based on the zodiac sign in which the Dark Moon falls, and is self-exploratory and uplifting. Wood compares the Dark to the attic where we keep things we don't think we need or value; these rituals help us find those hidden beauties within ourselves. In the end, Wood helps us with that difficult task, "Know thyself". All in all, a gentle and beautiful book, with something for everyone. The only thing that could have improved it would be a chart of the Dark Moons for the next several years, and the signs they fall into. For the dates of the Dark Moons, try any almanac or witches' calendar; to determine the astrological signs, I recommend Daniel Pharr's *Moon Wise*, a book about lunar astrology in general, and including a lunar ephemeris.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful journey into the dark...., October 10, 2001

By 

"clw3" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sisters Of The Dark Moon: 13 Rituals of the Dark Goddess (Paperback)

Gail Wood's ritual/meditation approach for each of these dark journeys is unique and inspiring. The dark can be a scary place to explore, but the insights I derived from this well constructed, supportive and nuturing work were truly "enlightening". I look forward to more works from this wonderful author who obviously has a positive connection to the dark.

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Serious Look at the Other Side, March 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sisters Of The Dark Moon: 13 Rituals of the Dark Goddess (Paperback)

For what it is, this book is excellent. It offers simple,
no-fancy-equipment-necessary exercises to get in touch with
the sometimes scary "off" periods of nature. I like that
it doesn't promise great mystical insights and tremendous
power. It's a real workbook for people serious about paying
attention to all aspects of the world.