The Dark Moon and the New Moon are two different things, although in most books and calendars, only the New Moon is indicated.
The night of the month where the moon is entirely dark is actually the “Dark Moon” (which is called the “new moon” on most calendars) and the first night where the moon is illuminated again is the “New Moon.”
A lot of people believe that you shouldn’t do magic or energy work at all on the Dark Moon, and that’s okay if you’re more comfortable that way. But this time is optimal for doing internal work, doing things you wish to keep secret, or for doing things that are especially intimate (not necessarily sexy, but meaning extraordinarily personal).
In any case, even if you aren’t comfortable using magic or energy at this time, it’s a good reminder to check in and see how you are doing – how is your body feeling, how is your mind feeling, how is your heart feeling, how is your spirit feeling? Are you disappointed? Are you satisfied? Has anything been especially bothering you lately? Take time to take care of you, get some good rest, and when the moon returns, you can return as well, freshly renewed.
It’s important to honor these times of shadow or turning inward – we all need time to rest and rejuvenate, and the moon can remind us to do that.
