Dark Moon Ritual

This is all my own writing, so please don't repost without my permission.

As this is April, and the full moon is sometimes referred to as Raven's Moon, I decided to create a Dark Moon esbat focusing on honoring the Raven, and divination. This circle is a little different than my regular Wiccan rituals, as it honors Raven rather than a God/dess. This circle is meant to be performed on a Dark Moon- the time when the moon is completely dark, before any sliver of moonlight begins to show. The dark moon lends itself to many introspective activities- this one is focused on divination. If possible, I also suggest the room be mostly dark if at all possible. Make sure that you have your divination tool(s) and a notebook or your BOS on the altar before you start.

Cast Circle
Seal Circle
Call Quarters

Evocation to Raven
Raven,
Creature of the black feathers,
Sacred bird of Bran,
Messenger of Odin,
Attendant to Lugh.
You who symbolize transformation and the great mysteries,
We praise and honor You.
We ask that You might share Your wisdom with us tonight, magickal one,
As we seek messages from the divine,
On this moonless night.

Statement of Purpose
Tonight we gather here to celebrate the dark moon. Divination is called for this night, and We have called upon Raven’s aid. In many cultures, Raven is known as the messenger, often carrying messages from the divine. Tonight, as we divine using our tools, we will ask Raven for her help in acquiring and interpreting the messages we receive.

Offering to Raven
Raven, we offer to you this gift of ______________ that you know that we hold you in the highest honor. (Can be grain, berries, or even eggs)

Blessing of Divinatory Tools
Dark Mother,
Wise Crone Goddess
Bless our circle and all within.
Aid us in tapping into our personal conduit to You, the divine.
Raven, ancient one,
aid us in interpreting the messages we receive on this dark moon.

Center of Ritual
Divination-make sure you note anything of import in your notebook or BOS.

Meditation
It’s nighttime. You find yourself standing outside of a very small cottage, in a garden of sweet smelling flowers. It’s so dark, it’s nearly impossible to see, as there is no moon in the sky- only a thousand twinkling stars. You gather yourself up and step close to the wooden door of the cottage. Open the door to the cottage and step into a warm, furnished room, lit by a small in the hearth. The room is small and takes up the entire floorplan of the cottage. You see what looks to be stairs going to a sort of basement toward the back of the room, and you cautiously approach them. There is no door, but you can see a brick room lit up beyond the stairs. Take the stairs down, and once you clear the floor of the cottage above, the stairs begin to curve around and traverse the perimeter of a round room. The walls are made of stone, and flickering candlelight washes over the brick. The sound of the footsteps echo around the circular room. Continue down the staircase until you can see a small circular pool of water on the floor of the room. As you step off of the last stair, you notice that the walls have candles placed here and there upon natural shelves carved from the rock. The pool of water in the floor looks almost like a mirror, and in it seems to be a white or pale blue light emanating from within its depths. Placed in front of the mirrored pool is a large luxurious looking cushion. Settle yourself on this cushion. Now, peer into the reflective pool. Focus on the symbols or words you received while you consulted your oracle and the pool may tell you their mystical relationship to you.

When you are through, take a few deep breaths, and remove yourself from the large pillow. Stand up and find the bottom of the steps where you came in. Begin climbing the stairs ahead of you. The candlelight still flickers over the bumpy texture of the walls and you can reach out and touch it as you climb the stairs one by one. Soon you reach the doorway into the cottage. The cottage is warm, making you realize how cool the previous room was. You see the front door and walk out of it, into the warm night. You are once again in the sweet-smelling garden, surrounded by comforting darkness, with the stars above as companions. You feel relaxed, renewed and know that you can return to the round room whenever you might need guidance during the darkness.

Cakes and Ale

Release of Raven
Majestic Raven!
You who inspire transformation and change
Messenger of the Gods
We thank you for your presence in our circle tonight
Blessed Be!

Quarter Releases
Open Circle