Lunar Light

This is the first article on a series of Lunar Magick or Magick of the Moon. In Witchcraft, the energy of the moon is basically restricted in the lunar light aspect, but in the series, we are going to expand this very basic knowledge to other aspects too. As Hekate is the Goddess of the Moon and the Goddess of Magick, I think that all of Her devotees should know -if not practice, this type of magick, which is considered ancient and Hermetic.

The lunar light cycle is a circle of the relationship between the Sun and the Moon. There are four phases in this cycle: the first quartet, the full moon, the last quarter and the Dark Moon. The lunar cycle takes 29 and a half days to complete. In Astrology, when a planet is away from the Sun, it has more power, thus when the Moon is in opposition with the Sun, the Moon is more powerful, because its light is in its full.

The Phases

The first phase begins with a conjunction (Sun and Moon are next to each other) of the Sun and the Moon. The Moon is not visible. We say that it is the Dark Moon (for Magick) or New Moon (for Astrology). Gradually, the Moon increases the distance from the Sun, growing in light till the first quarter where half of the Moon shines with its light, yet the other half is dark. The Moon is waxing and it is an appropriate phase for magick regarding growth and increasing.

The second quarter follows, where half of the Moon which is dark will reveal its light in the Full Moon. At that point, the Moon is away of the Sun (opposition) at its most powerful position and that’s why we say that the Full Moon is appropriate for the Esbat celebration, initiation ceremonies, marriage rituals etc. Also, it is appropriate for many kinds of good magick, increasing, healing, empowering, divination, charging tools, oracular work…

The third phase starts from the day after the Full Moon until the last quarter. The Moon gradually loses its light as it comes/returns closer to the Sun. In the last quarter, the Moon is half dark, just like in the first quarter. The Moon becomes weak as it loses its lumination and we say that this time is good for cutting off things, banishing, removing negativity, binding etc. The Moon is waning.

In the fourth phase, the Moon is coming close to the Sun, reducing, even more, its light and the waning effect is more powerful. The Sun and the Moon approach conjunction, which is complete during the Dark Moon, where the Moon is invisible. This is time for strong purification, banishings, divination, controlled mediation, bindings or just a period of rest.

Moon cycle

Moon and Temperaments

During the lunar cycle, the Moon changes its energy, that's why there is a phase for each kind of work. 

The Moon is naturally cold and moist, but this changes through the lunar cycle. In the first phase, from dark Moon to the first quarter it gradually becomes hot and moist incorporating the sanguine temperament. In the second phase, from the first quarter to the Full Moon, it becomes hot and dry, incorporating the choleric temperament. In the third phase, from Full Moon to the last quarter it becomes cold and dry, incorporating the melancholic temperament. In the last phase, from the last quarter to the Dark Moon it becomes cold and moist, incorporating the phlegmatic temperament.

Those temperaments are useful for specific rituals we have to plan then in the appropriate phase.

Moon Power

The Moon is a planet for ancient Astrology and as all planets, there is a scoring point for the Moon and the zodiac sign where the Moon is positioned. To see that, we need to see an Astrological Chart and interpret the Moon on that sign. We should also check the power of the Moon from its score. For those who don't know how to find the scoring points they should study the planetary dignities from an Astrology book. Basically, we see the rulership (if the Moon is located in Cancer), exaltation (Moon located in Taurus), Triplicities (Moon in Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn gives a nocturnal triplicity, Moon in Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces gives a mixed triplicity). We also have to check the decans (10-20 degrees of Taurus, 20-30 degrees of Cancer, 0-10 degrees in Libra, 10-20 degrees in Sagittarius, 20-30 degrees in Aquarius). Then we have to look at the debilities. For detriment, we have Moon in Capricorn and for fall, we have Moon in Scorpio. Let's see the scoring points. For rulership, we have 5 points, for exaltation 4 points, for triplicity we have 3 points, for decans we have 1 point. For fall we have -4 points and for detriment, we have -5 points. In a chart, if the planet is close to 5 points, it is considered very strong. If it has zero points it is considered weak. If it has less than zero points, we don't operate. We except to have more than 1 point to operate. We can say that if we have rulership or exaltation, then we have ideal conditions to operate.

Useful Links

Astrodienst Astro.com to see the astrological chart or the Moon positioning

Moon giant to see the current lunar phase

 

Image 1 licence: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Image 2 licence:  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

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