The Dark Moon is a particularly good time to rid oneself of bad habits, to release what is no longer beneficial and to cleanse oneself of the past. The Dark moon occurs 3 1/2 days BEFORE the New Moon.
1. Before your ceremony it is nice if possible to cleanse oneself physically and psychically by taking a shower or bath and imagining divine light traveling throughout your body and grounding into the earth. I like to draw a circle with salt in which to create my sacred space, particularly with a dark moon ritual. Your sacred space whether inside or outside, needs to be a place you feel safe and secure. Smudge or purify this area with sage, or spritz with water that has an essential oil like sage or cedar added to it or imagine a tornado of white light cleansing this area and clearing all negative energies Create an alter, if there is not already one here, that includes the four elements: fire, earth, air and water. Your altar should be visually attractive and hold spiritual meaning for you, it can be as simple or complex as you like. Have your sacred tools and instruments placed here. ** If it is not possible to physically create an altar you can also create one in your imagination. 2. Invitation: Invite in the protectors of place, (this is also in some traditions the four directions, north, south east and west.) Invite in your guardian angels, spirit guides and personal protectors as well as the God or Goddess you most strongly identify with. 3. Grounding: Take a moment to imagine yourself as a tree of light creating a shimmering bridge between heaven and earth. Sense your roots deeply grounded in Mother Earth. 4. Request: The Wisdoms beings of Love to guide your thoughts and intentions in this ceremony. 5. Raise the sacred energy within your circle by either drumming, ringing bells, chanting, reciting mantra, dancing, prostrations to the Buddha, Goddess, toning, etc. 6. Request the Release and Removal of Obstacles: Again ask the Wisdoms beings to guide this ceremony and to remove all obstacles and karmic debts, of person ( negative people) , place (having offended the devic or protector realms) or things (health, wealth or circumstances.) Speak aloud what it is you want to release from your life. Be specific and always phrase your request for the highest good of everyone involved. Ask to cut whatever cords or ties that are creating a negative condition. If this is with an individual, steel* scissors or a steel knife can be used to cut the invisible cords tied to the charkas. Ask that this be done for the highest good and visualize the cords and obstacles traveling into light. Imagine yourself filled and surrounded with light, love, compassion and well-being. See all aspects of your life and inner being in light. Ask to become enlightened in this lifetime. Sit in this vision of enlightenment, breathe into this vision for as long as you like. Feel the feelings of well being this vision instills. *Steel and iron have important magical qualities for release & transformation rituals. 7. Visualize your aspirations. Affirm them for the highest good. 8. Gratitude: State what you are grateful for in your life. Allow yourself to feel your gratitude. Thank the Deity and Light beings for their support. 9. Dedication of Merit: This is where you ask that this ritual be of benefit for all beings.** For example: A Buddhist Prayer for this is: Throughout my many lives and until this moment, whatever virtue I have accomplished including the merit generated by this ceremony and all that I will ever attain, this I offer for the well being of all sentient beings. May sickness, war, famine and suffering be diminished for all beings, while their wisdom and compassion increase in this and every future life. May I clearly perceive all experiences to be insubstantial as to be dream fabric in the night and instantly awaken to perceive the pure wisdom display in the arising of every phenomena. May I quick attain enlightenment in order to work ceaselessly for the liberation of all sentient beings. (**I personally think it is very important to have a sense of how this ritual is able to help others through you.) 10. Close the Circle and Release the Protectors and/or Four Directions: Again thank your Deity, your guardians, the light and wisdom beings for their presence. Feel gratitude for their support and presence in your life. I then take my sacred knife or drum or tool appropriate and walked my circle counter clockwise to release the energy.
