As you might have heard by now, the first black moon since 2014 will rise this Friday night. As ominous as it sounds, the black moon is just another term for the second new moon in a calendar month. The term "new moon" describes the phase during the lunar cycle when the moon isn't really visible in the sky. So, the black moon signals two very dark nights this September — and some great stargazing. But, for those of you seeking another way to connect with the moon, Friday will give you a chance to do just that.
While you might think that the black moon has extra-special meaning due to its spooky name, it's really only special in that it happens twice, giving you two opportunities to celebrate the new moon. The new moon is associated with personal growth in Paganism. Because the new moon is essentially invisible to the naked eye, this phase represents the moon's moment of rebirth: It must darken completely before waxing to fullness once again.
With that in mind, many take this as an opportunity to reset. Whether you wish to give something a second chance or to start completely anew, the new moon is a great time to reflect upon making these types of changes in your life. It could be a major shift (like a big move or proposal) or a minor adjustment to how you already live.
So, this Friday's black moon offers the rare chance to experience all of this twice, when it once again imbues your choices with optimism and faith. More than anything, its energy encourages you to trust yourself.
With all this said, there are those within Paganism who don't really observe the black moon at all. This is a matter of personal beliefs. If you've always felt compelled to set intentions for your life's progress during the full moon, you may not feel as strong a connection during the new moon. But, if you've never felt prepared to reflect much around the full moon, here's your chance see if the new moon is more your speed.
In addition to those who don't do anything in particular for the black moon, there are also people who believe it's actually a sign of the end of days. As you might have guessed, that's not true. In fact, just about all of us have lived through multiple black moons already. They actually come around approximately every two and a half years, so they aren't nearly as rare as some might make them out to be.
In conversations about the moon, superstitions will often abound. Like we said, it comes down to your own interpretation. But, we feel confident in our interpretation, which is that after this Friday's intention-setting, you'll feel a new sense of preparedness to take on the world.