Neolithic Shamanism: Spirit Work in the Norse Tradition - Raven Kaldera 2012

New Moon
The Silver World: Moon

The New Moon is the dark time when the Moon is underground, waiting to be reborn. This is the most difficult time to touch the lunar spirit, so our exercise will reflect that distance. The New Moon is also the time of beginnings and potential, when the Moon is at his most childlike—both wide-eyed and wondering at the amazements of the world, and easily hurt by disappointment. If you work with lunar energy at this time, expect to feel the stirrings of enthusiasm that may or may not be grounded in practical reality, and wild dreams of strange beginnings.

Exercise: Moon Burial

Find a round mirror in a frame or a round picture frame with glass over the front. Paint the mirror or the picture back with high-gloss black paint. Wrap the mirror in a dark cloth and go out on the New Moon to dig a hole at least a foot deep. Before you bury the mirror, place a seed into the hole—preferably the seed of a tree that you would like to grow in that spot—and then fill the hole most of the way, place in the mirror, and fill it in the rest of the way. The seed can be from any tree, but certain trees are specifically lunar in nature, such as the willow and eucalyptus, and especially the aspen, which is the tree dedicated to the Nordic Moon god. After covering the mirror with earth, say the following prayer:

Silver spirit, beneath the soil

You rest and gather hidden light,

And sprout like seed, and leaf and grow

A silver tree in darkest night.

Then you wait two weeks until the Full Moon and dig up the mirror. Do not go too deep and disturb the seed. If it grows into a tree, that is a good omen; dedicate it to the Moon and tie white ribbons and lunar ornaments to it when it is big enough. If it does not sprout, the mirror will still work. Clean the dark mirror carefully, recan it with mug-wort smoke (see the Green World chapter to learn about mugwort and recaning), and in two weeks, when the Moon is new again, sit in a dark room and lay the mirror flat on a table. Light candles and place them around its edge, then sit and stare into it and ask the Moon to give you wisdom or the answer to a question. Let your eyes unfocus, but keep them on the mirror. When you suddenly get the urge to focus them, do it and take note of whatever image flashes on the mirror’s surface. This is your message from the Moon.

The Moon has seen everything, every moment of human folly tumbling by in the passage of days, weeks, years, and eons. He is ancient, though you might not know it from his presence. He has a fascination with numbers, counting, time, and patterns, and he sees more than many might realize. He is a truly gifted diviner, and maybe, just maybe, he will whisper some of his wisdom to you.