Darkness, mystery, magic, introspection, healing.
These are just some of the many deep themes associated with the Black Moon, a rare lunar event that happens when there are two new moons in a calendar month instead of one.
To give you an overview of its energy, here are some keywords associated with the Black Moon:
Spiritual Wanderer Course:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ "I started the Spiritual Wanderers Course a short while ago and for the first time in twelve years I have started to experience love, acceptance and compassion for myself and within myself. Thank you so much." – Vivienne S.
- Rest
- Magic
- Silence
- Secrets
- Mystery
- Alchemy
- Release
- Potential
- Intuition
- Fertile void
- Shadow work
- Introspection
- The Unseen
- Intention Setting
- Unconscious Mind
- Emotional renewal
- Endings & beginnings
In this article, I’ll share with you how to make the most of this Black Moon energy, including some soul work practices, journaling prompts, and more.
To start living aligned with the moon cycles, see my Moon Alchemy Journal – it has complete moon phase diagrams, 100+ prompts for every moon cycle, psychological and spiritual practices for each moon phase, and more! Plus, as one reviewer has shared, “It has beautiful production values and is a joy to work with.” Check it out!
Table of contents
What is the Black Moon?
The Black Moon occurs in a few different ways:
- It appears as the second new moon in one calendar month. (Occurring once every 29 months.)
- It appears as an extra new moon in a season – a season being comprised of three months, where there are four new moons instead of the typical three. (Occurring roughly every 33 months.)
Black Moons can also, even more rarely, occur when there is an absence of a new moon or full moon in February (typically this happens about every 19 years).
Black Moon Spiritual Meaning & Symbolism
Symbolically, the Black Moon is a time of outer and therefore inner darkness, where we have the opportunity to contemplate our lives and decisions, inwardly gaze, and practice some radical self-honesty.
Spiritually, the Black Moon offers us the opportunity to do some supercharged shadow work, self-reflection, intention setting, and emotional release.
The Black Moon asks us to reflect on questions such as “What parts of my life are out of alignment with my deeper needs?” “How is my shadow self pulling the strings behind the scenes?” and “What emotions do I need to feel and release to start a new cycle?”
Shadow & Light Membership:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ "Straight from the very first weekly email, this has been mind-blowingly powerful, the synchronicity and the on-vibe contents resonate uncannily with my soul’s current challenges." – Marie
On an energetic level, the Black Moon is said to amplify the energy of the New Moon, offering us the powerful opportunity to start a new chapter in life aligned with our soul’s deeper needs.
In summary, the Black Moon invites us to:
- Start a new chapter (and close old doors)
- Contemplate our lives and decisions
- Gaze inwards and introspect
- Practice radical self-honesty and shadow work
- Feel and release emotional baggage
- Set soul-aligned intentions
Some inner seekers and spiritual practitioners choose to focus on dream work, shamanic journeying, meditation, ritual cleansing, and other practices at this time to awaken intuition and gain special insight for the month ahead.
How the Black Moon Feels Emotionally
To some sensitive folk, the Black Moon is a period of time where there is an urge to retreat, go inwards, and spend more time in silence and solitude.
Others may feel internally murky, quiet, or lacking in energy. While some may experience stronger dreams and sharper self-insights (that may pack a punch, as if an old Crone had whispered the harsh truth in your ears).
Whatever the case, see whatever emotions or inner experiences that arise as doorways and opportunities to insight, wisdom, and healing.
How to Work With the Black Moon (5 Practices)
Here are some potent ways to work with this year’s Black Moon energy:
1. Do Some “Night Scrying” to Gain Intuitive Insight
As I wrote in my scrying article, “Scrying is about revealing the unseen through the use of our inborn second sight.” It involves using a blank or reflective surface (like a mirror or pool of water) to reveal inner truths and intuitive revelations.
The night sky, devoid of any light source from the moon, offers us the perfect chance to “scry” for unconscious insights and sparks of wisdom.
Night scrying can also be seen as a form of open-eyed contemplation or meditation. Get comfy and as you watch the sky, notice what thoughts arise, then let them go.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this article to you, so you can come back to it later!
Your information will never be shared.
This practice works best when the night sky is empty of clouds – although some people find that clouds add extra “texture” and meaning to the experience.
2. Meditate With a Black Stone or Candle
If your soul work practice verges on the more esoteric side of things, you may like to use a black stone, such as black obsidian, onyx, or tourmaline to meditate with. Reflect on the metaphysical meaning of the stone and seek to internalize its energy.
Alternatively, a black candle can help your mind to set a symbolic intention to work with your shadow self, allowing difficult emotions or thoughts that you’ve avoided during the month to arise, be witnessed, felt, and then released.
You could also create a small altar with a black stone (my favorite is shungite) and a black candle, along with a written intention for the month to ground and make the energy visible.
3. Energy Release and Banishment Ritual
What type of energy hygiene ritual do you have in place? This is a question my then-therapist asked me a few years ago. I realized that I had none!
If you’re not in the habit of regularly clearing your body, heart, and mind of old stagnant energy, the Black Moon is the perfect time to do so.
It’s common for sensitive folk to carry a lot of energetic baggage, especially from others. If you’re an empathic soul who tends to be over-giving of your time and life force, taking on others’ issues unnecessarily, you may need to “banish” what is not yours.
Some Black Moon ritual ideas include the following:
- Taking an intentional shower or bath on the night of the Black Moon and visualizing all the energy that isn’t yours, as well as old emotional baggage, being purified by the water. Feel it slide off your skin and exit your energy field. (Use epsom or black salt if you have any on hand.)
- Doing a fire release ritual, where you write down whatever trouble is plaguing you, and watching it burn to ash in a fire-safe container.
- Do a cord-cutting ritual where you sense whatever unhealthy bonds or ties you have with a person or situation being severed by a blade of light.
4. Working With Your Unconscious Mind to Set New Intentions
The Black Moon is a ‘supercharged’ New Moon, meaning that it is ideal for harnessing the momentum needed to open new doors and start a fresh chapter in life.
As the darkness of the Black Moon is associated with the unconscious mind, now is the time to start working with this unseen part of your psyche.
A few paths you could take include, firstly, dream incubation, where you focus on your new life intention before bed (when your conscious mind is in a ‘liminal’ and more open state). Then notice what dreams arise.
The second method is through creating a piece of art to signify the new intention you have. Some people on the more occult spectrum even choose to work with sigils.
5. Shadow Work Journaling and Exploration
The darkness of the Black Moon night sky symbolizes that dark place within ourselves that we often avoid, repress, and deny: our Shadow Selves.
Now is an ideal time to go inwards and examine all the creepy crawly dimensions of your personality that make you cringe such as (1) your self-sabotaging patterns, (2) the painful emotions you hide, (3) the secrets you keep from yourself or others, and (4) the unhealthy dynamics in your relationships that you contribute to.
I have created many guides on the Shadow Self in the past. Here are a few sample questions that you might like to ask yourself:
Spiritual Awakening Bundle:
Find your spiritual purpose. Deepen your self-understanding. Learn to embrace who you are. Let us show you how …
- What quality within you do you have the most trouble accepting?
- What might you be in denial about right now?
- What parts of yourself do you hide away from other people? Why?
You can find more shadow work journaling ideas in my Shadow Work Prompts post, and if you like pulling cards, you may like to supplement that with my Tarot Shadow Work article.
Go Deeper into the Power of the Moon
Want to follow the cycles of the moon and integrate them into your daily life and healing path? I’ve created the Moon Alchemy Journal to help you do just that.
The Moon Alchemy Journal integrates ancient lunar symbolism with modern psychological and spiritual exploration, helping sensitive and introspective souls practice the art of inner alchemy each month.
Unlike traditional moon journals, this beautifully crafted resource uses the moon’s eight phases as a framework for deeper inner work and shadow illumination.
Features include:
- 100+ thought-provoking journaling prompts corresponding to the eight lunar phases plus a special section for the lunar eclipse
- Complete moon phase diagrams for northern and southern hemispheres
- Psychological archetypes and recommended spiritual practices for each moon phase
- 20+ tarot/oracle spreads to deepen and amplify your intuitive insights
- Two formats: Fully editable (full color version) and printable (low-ink version) PDF format
Learn to live in alignment with the moon’s cycles, harness its power, alchemize your shadows, and reconnect with your deeper Self.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “A beautifully presented Moon Journal, it has provided me with much inspiration and guidance.” – Caro
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The Moon Alchemy Journal has so much content – really helpful questions for reflection and exploration. It has beautiful production values and is a joy to work with.” – Nadine R.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I can tell that they really put their heart and soul into creating their products.” – Alberta
In the words of mystical poet Rumi,
A new moon teaches gradualness
and deliberation and how one gives birth
to oneself slowly. Patience with small details
makes perfect a large work, like the universe.
May this Black Moon help you to birth a renewed version of yourself.
Tell me, what shadow part or inner pattern do you feel called to examine within yourself during this Black Moon? Let me know below!
If you need more help, we offer 3 powerful ways to guide you on your inner journey:
1. The Spiritual Wanderer Course: Feeling lost or uncertain about your path and purpose in life? Gain clarity and focus by learning about the five archetypes of awakening within you. Discover your deeper path and purpose using our in-depth psychospiritual map. Includes 3+ hours of audio-visual content, workbooks, meditations, and a premium test.
2. Shadow & Light Membership: Seeking ongoing support for your spiritual journey? Receive weekly intuitive guidance and learn to embrace your whole self, including your shadow side. Deepen your self-love and receive personal support from us.
3. The Alchemical Soul Work Workbook: This powerful psychospiritual tool helps you turn inner blockages into breakthroughs using the ancient wisdom of spiritual alchemy. Through guided prompts and deep self-reflection, you’ll gain clarity, dissolve emotional pain, and reconnect with your Soul’s wisdom. Transform confusion into clarity. Live a more authentic, ensouled life.
I have full moon rituals I have done for years. Cleansing of crystals and stones and dream catchers. Anything that holds sentiment gets bathed under the moon. Some moons call for more things to be placed outside. I’ve always just followed instinct. Listening to inner self maybe? Taking everybody out is lots of trips. Sometimes not everybody needs a moon cleanse This Black moon called for them all! Then all my Moon Stones wanted to go with me (ride in my pockets)
I had the urge to ask my spiritual guides to connect with my ancestors. I was able to have conversations with them. Shared regrets and memories of good times. Your Dark Night of the Soul prompts helped me face these conversations I had with them. And was finally able to ask for forgiveness and to ask for them to be guides in my life journey. I am thankful for the knowledge and wisdom that you share here with us. I do feel so alone at times because I am so very intuitive, sensitive and tuned in to the Universe. Your kindness in sharing knowledge has made a difference in my life! Thanks, peace and love to you both
This Black Moon in Virgo sparked my serendipitous discovery of the gender umbrella terms lunarian (with micro-labels Selenian and Artemisian) and demifemme, which both really resonate with me. Yay, unlocked insight!
Nice one, Katie. :)
Hello Luna and Sol, actually ive been struggling with a problem lately. I have always want to ask my mom about when we will make our identity cards. Its important for me to know when exactly, because making identity card triggered inner child very much. My inner drive for my life purpose is blocked because identity cards. So to unblock it, I have to know the exact month to make inner child safe to be able to do my life purpose again.
But I cant bring myself to speak up. I cant speak about it to mom for almost a month now. The last time I asked abt it, she got upset at me and said its not my business to care about such thing. That last time, I thought I would finally have it clear. But it turned out that when my mom is cold, her words are not true it’s emotionally charged. I regretted asking it when she was cold. So this time I want to clarify the exact month again at when mom is warm.
My mom is cold to me because I have got dissociated. However when I have integrated parts back, my mom is warm to me.
The universe forced my mom to be cold to me when I have got dissociated because so that I have to practice being grounded and wont let myself get dissociated.
But It made me trauma to think to have to ask abt it for again. I have to find the right timing which is when my mom is warm to me, that’s when her words are true.
So can you help me with asking my mom?
You asked this in a previous article, Lupin. There is limited advice I can offer here. But I am not sure what “identity cards” means – feel free to clarify.
Thanks for such a contemplative imagery of the black moon phase, it is thought-provoking indeed and I never knew there was such a phenomenon.
I’m glad you enjoyed the imagery, Haytam. :) Every article is written and designed start to finish by me, so it’s great to hear you enjoyed this piece.
Watching the Moon here in QLD has become a glorious nighttime habit. Especially when it arises in the early evening. As our dwelling faces North, we first glimpse the light streaming in through the bathroom upper window. It’s a full Moon from the East, it has the capacity to light up the whole street in silver blue light, which defines the whole forms as clear as daylight. In the Summer weather, the sun departs, leaving an amber rose glow in the early evening, while later on, the Moon arises emblazoned with fullness in cadmium yellow and amber glow. It’s so delightful and full, like a large, oversized cheddar cheese on steroids. You feel like eating it or at least partaking of its joyful presence layer upon layer. So often I take Screen Hot photo shots with my mobile and bring my phone to display my creativity with my darling wife. So the Moon, watching in all its phases, acts as a medium of joy and relaxation at this time.
“It’s so delightful and full, like a large, oversized cheddar cheese on steroids.” – love this description of the moon John 😂 You paint a cozy picture – I love it! Over where I live, the moon’s silver reflection on the ocean in the early morning is quite surreal – like a Van Gogh painting in motion. Of course, the Black Moon can’t be witnessed from the earth, making it extra mysterious. But all other moon phases can be witnessed on the mirror that is the ocean.
I havent been able to express myself about this topic before. Although i find working with the moon energy topic very intriguing, I also find myself struggling with finding a way to consistently work with the energy of the moon.
I have a hard time tapping in to the energy of the moon in general,(i assume due to ongoing health challenges) for example, the changes you notice during full moons. They should be the easiest one to notice.
This might be one of the topics where I am prone to that feeling that ‘you have to do’ it in a certain way, and ‘you have to do’ every moon phase xyz… or otherwise….
While actually, when i think about it, there is no ‘otherwise’. I am making my own rules.
Just like journaling, there are no rules.
This has been a struggle for me to the point of ‘paralysis’ let’s say. That I don’t engage with the whole topic at all. While I still find it intresting.
I do like the low effort/no pressure moon related reflecting content. For example my selfcare journal has extra space for reflecting during new and full moons. And I already ordered the 2026 agenda that has some space for moon related extra’s every month to fill in. Looking forward to start using that.
It might not be fully related to your article, excuses for that. Sometimes expressing myself helps sort things out on the inside.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge 🙏🏼
Thanks for sharing, Eveline. Following the moon’s cycles isn’t a “have to” or “must” – it’s something you feel called to or not. I don’t always have the time to do lengthy journaling or rituals being a mother now to a baby, for instance. But I do enjoy sitting and contemplating the moon when I have a few moment, from time to time. As you say, “I am making my own rules.” You can absolutely make this as low-effort as you want. ;)
Yesterday, on August 23rd, I “gambled” my old life away. I say gambled because I can see I had very little choice and from the choices I had to pick from they were quite bad. Shouldn’t have done anything.
After the fact I felt a kind of release, because I am a different creature, almost lifeless, desireless, completely new and foreign to this world, and yesterday the old me was ground to dust.
I didn’t know there were Black Moons. It was interesting to find out after it happened.
Thank you for the post!
Sounds like a powerful death and rebirth, Val. What an intriguing correlation – I’m not surprised!
I’m not in to Balance. You can’t have 50/50! Its equilibrium that is needed. And equilibrium will balance…
Sometimes balance is possible, but it is fleeting (as we are imperfect humans). I like the word and idea of ‘equilibrium’ though :)
I’ve always known this moon to be a Blue moon!!! The old saying, “Once in a Blue moon.”
As someone who experienced gaslighting, bullying, and rejection throughout my youth, and who is now going through a period of self-discovery and rediscovery, I tend to distance myself emotionally and socially from other people. This emotional liberation and desire to follow my own path can end up leading to excessive individualism, which, theoretically, would not be freedom in itself, but rather a shackle to the circumstances of the past. It would be, in this case, a distancing from the remnants of everything I have been through, and, in this case, it would be a new prison. Excessive self-confidence and courage can also make me arrogant and a little aggressive. Therefore, when you find your center, your inner sun, be sure to maintain balance so that excess does not burn you out and lack does not take away your shine.
As the Buddha taught, the middle path. ;)
Thanks for sharing, Hans