by Daniel Giamario | Nov 24, 2024 |
Before I get to the so-called “Black Moon”, there are two other noteworthy events this week.
Mercury Retrograde
The big news of the week is, of course, Mercury’s retrograde. The station is on Monday, November 25, at 6:42PM PST at 22Sagittarius39. This retrograde timeframe is about 20 days long, ending with the station direct on December 15 at 6Sagittarius24. Mercury is fast disappearing from the evening sky, to pass between Earth and Sun to then rise in the East, which ends the 109-day Leo Overstory and begins a 113-day Sagittarius Overstory. All in all, Mercury will spend 42 days in Sagittarius.
Thrice, Mercury will align with Antares, the heart of the Scorpion constellation: November 10, December 8 and December 22. Antares, among many other connotations, is the doorway pointing to Galactic Center. Mercury reaches Galactic Center on January 5, 2025.
Mercury in Sagittarius is a right brain / intuitive Fire archetype for perception, communication, and cognition, very capable of thinking beyond the confines of linear rationality. During the retrograde phase, the primary synodic archetypal overstory is shapeshifting from Leo to Sagittarius. This is a time for greater internal inquiry, with less urgency to rashly and impetuously speak out without thinking it over first, if at all. Use Mercury boldly for inner exploration, or else, expect irrational results!
Moon Occults Spica
The waning Moon in Libra occults Spica before dawn on Wednesday morning, November 27, visible in much of the Americas. On the US East Coast this occurs around 5:40AM, and around 4:30 CST. The graze-line runs from Southeastern-most Texas into New Mexico. Spica, at about 24Libra, is particularly important to me, as it’s my rising star and most personal in my life’s journey.
Spica is located in the center of the body of the Priestess Constellation. Many know her as the most sacred star of the Sacred Feminine. As I have written about previously, Spica is also the stellar stand-in for Venus, and each year she undergoes a journey similar to the one that Venus undergoes in her 584-day cycle. Spica rose from the underworld around November 1. Certainly, the Moon in exact alignment with Spica magnifies her emergence, opening a portal that includes her many sacrifices as well as her most magnificent essence. The occultation, which can be as long as 90 minutes, could be imagined as a magnified recapitulation of her underworld sojourn, and her emergence after the Moon finishes her pass, a double symbol of her rebirth!
The “Black Moon”
The New Moon at 9Sagittarius33 on Saturday, November 30, is now being called a “Black Moon”, because it’s said to be the second of two New Moons in the secular calendar month. However, in more western longitudes, it doesn’t occur until the early morning hours of December 1. As you will see, the term has no astronomical or astrological significance.
It apparently first appeared in 2016, but I just recently heard of it for the first time and find it’s emergence and popularization most interesting to note in these days of color coding – such as Red Pill, Blue Pill, Green Pill, our school’s use of Gold Pill, and, of course, the Black Pill!
The past few years have also seen the proliferation of Blue Moons and Blood Moons. Yet, when it comes to “Black Moons”, I cannot help but think of Blackrock and Blackstone, the companies running the global financial system. Some alternative views refer to “Black Goo” and the notorious “Black Cube”.
The so-called “Black Moon” is not to be confused with a Dark Moon, the three days surrounding a New Moon, when no Moon is visible. Our school has continuously used the term “Dark Moon” for the ceremonial and sacred days surrounding a New Moon, a tremendously creative time for seeding the future. Hence, personally, I question the use of the designation “Black Moon”.
For your reference, I am excerpting parts of what is out there on Wikipedia and also on the Time and Date website. I have highlighted the view of TOTAMS in colored bold italics:
“Month with two new moons
One use of the term is for the occurrence of a second new moon in a calendar month. This is analogous to the by-month definition of a blue moon as the second full moon in a month. For example, February is too short for a second new moon to occur. This event occurs about every 29 months.
The assignment of a calendar date to a new moon, and in which month a second new moon occurs, depends on the time zone.
Season with four new moons
Another use of the term is for the third new moon in a season that has four new moons. This is analogous to the Farmers’ Almanac definition of a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons. A season lasts about three months and usually has three new moons. This event occurs about every 33 months.
There is no dependency on time zones in this definition as the seasons are tied to the winter solstice.
As with the case of two new moons in a month, whether a black moon by this definition occurs depends on the time zone.
Month without a new moon
Another use of the term is for the absence of the new moon in a calendar month. This can occur only in February; it happens about every 19 years. When February is without new moon, then the preceding December or January and the following March or April will have two new moons.
In Paganism
In some aspects of paganism, particularly amongst Wiccans, the black moon is considered to be a special time when any rituals, spells, or other workings are considered to be more powerful and effective. Others believe rituals or workings should not be conducted at these times.
Criticism of terminology
- The term black moon is not formally established in astronomy and is used at best in the popularization of astronomy.
- There is no single definition of the term black moon.
- The new moon itself cannot be observed.
- The lack of a new or full moon in February can only be assigned to the month, not to any particular date; as such, this is also not observable.
- The event of a black moon is an artifact of how the Gregorian calendar or the seasons map onto lunations. There is no physical or geometric difference between a black moon and other instances of a new moon.”