The moon is our planet’s only natural satellite and its size is about a quarter of the Earth’s diameter. The moon takes about 27.3 days to revolve around Earth, traveling at an average distance of about 384,000 kilometers. During this Lunar Month, the moon waxes and wanes, from dark to full and back to dark again, in a cycle of birth, growth, transformation and death to rebirth. There are approx. 13 Lunar Months in a calendar (or Solar) year.
Moonrise takes place about 51 minutes later each day than the day before. The dark moon cannot be seen because the illuminated side faces away from the earth. This occurs when the Moon lines up between the Earth and the Sun.
As a general guide to moon rise times, use this traditional saying:
The New Moon rises at sunrise.
And the first quarter at noon.
The Full Moon rises at sunset.
And the last quarter at midnight.
If the Moon is already up in the sky in the evening, when the Sun goes down, then the Moon is waxing. Every night it will rise a little later in the day and look a little fuller. At Full Moon it will rise almost exactly when the Sun sets. In the northern hemisphere, the waxing moon begins as a crescent on the right hand side of the Moon’s face; in the southern hemisphere, the waxing crescent is illuminated on the left side.
Each phase of the moon brings with it a special energy for that lunar cycle. Everyone knows the moon affects the tides of the world’s oceans, and because our bodies are mostly fluid, these phases also affect us. Understanding these energies and the effect they have on us, can help you to connect with and use those energies in your magickal rituals, meditations and your daily life.
From time immemorial we have been under the spell of the Moon. Throughout the ages men and women from all cultures have recognized and paid homage to this shining orb in our skies. The mysterious pull she has on the Earth and Her children continues today ~ perhaps even more so now, as more people are turning from the manufactured reality of modern life and looking once again to nature for answers.
To explore the mysteries of the Moon and walk Her moonlit path, we must spend time with Her and open ourselves to the influences She has on our selves and the planet on which we live. We become aware of Her cycles, aware of our selves and how those cycles change us, through each of Her phases. Learn to listen to the rhythm of nature and the rhythm that beats within each of us; learn to synchronize those rhythms.
Explore ways of connecting to nature, choose methods that appeal to you, learn from others, and adapt your own ways. But remember ~ this is an experiential path, and reading all the books on the subject will only teach you from an intellectual point of view. Without participating yourself, you will never learn the true wisdoms of this sacred journey. The only way to know the truth is to experiment and experience for yourself the magick of walking the Silver Path.