The Unheard Voice

To illustrate the themes of this month's New Moon meditation, let's begin with a short story:

A young witch was visited in the night by two crones who moved as weightlessly through the air as mist. The crones motioned and bid her "Join us, Sister!" and the young witch found that she could. The Moon was full and seemed somehow closer than usual. By this light they gathered in the sky where one crone, gleaming as the Moon herself, spoke truth: "this Moon marks a path to new life." The other crone looked on and nodded in agreement. The first continued, "Enter. Meet the light and live anew."

Young though she was, our witch was not unwise and she was certainly no stranger to the Moon. This reflection did not seem as familiar as it should and she felt great fear when she gazed at it. Meeting fear with curiosity, she turned to the silent crone. "Well met, Sister. How would you describe this Moon?" Long she seemed to ponder and when she moved to speak, no sound emerged. Instead, the Moon's glow seemed to cast a shadow upon her and her voice went unheard.

For a fortnight the young witch met her visitors in the air, attending closely as the gleaming witch's appearance shifted each night, as did her arguments and her tone: from gentle invitation to harsh admonishment to threatening demand to desperate plea. Her silent Sister never indicated disagreement, but could neither be heard to agree. At last, two weeks from their first meeting, when the Moon was untouched by the Sun's light, a new – yet undeniably very old – voice rang out with a bell's crisp clarity. "Well met, Sister!"

She continued, eager to share her thoughts at last, "The full truth of the Moon cannot be heard in a single night by those who have not first attended its fullness. Trust not gleaming words nor quick explanations in important matters. Even true words can conceal deceit in what is kept unheard." She reached out to the young witch, extending the bristled end of a worn besom. "Hold this end of my besom as I cling to the other. I shall enter the dark portal and emerge again. Then, if you like, I will hold the besom while you do the same."

Though still afraid of this mysterious hole in the sky, the young witch consented, recognizing her Sister's wisdom. Having seen the crone emerge unharmed, the young witch held firm to the besom handle and followed her Elder Sister's example. Within there was indeed all that had been promised and far more, but without the besom's tether, to witness it would have cost her memory. Along the besom's length she climbed, emerging again to find the same New Moon, though a lifetime had just passed within.

The young witch and her wise Sister in the sky spoke often and at length thereafter on the mysteries of the Moon, no longer silenced to each other even by the Sun's light.

At a time when we can easily summon all the world's greatest discoveries – but also every overexcited novice's grand but under-informed notions – selecting a reliable source of information can be challenging. Discernment demands careful attention and reflection over time. Those who have invested that time may be an invaluable resource, but we can't always hear the most informed and helpful voices over all the noise. Furthermore, some may reserve their thoughts for those who have demonstrated a sustained presence over time.

In the spirit of the New Moon, I invite you to join me in a meditation inviting wisdom. Whether you experience a flood of sudden insight or only silence, I encourage you to revisit the meditation each New Moon. Wisdom will come.

Materials
Mirror: I recommend using a black mirror or minimizing the light in your meditation space. Alternatively, having a clear view of the night sky allows the New Moon to serve as your black mirror.

Setup
Select a safe, private place where you can comfortably sit or lie down with a clear view of your chosen mirror.

Peek ahead at the Declaration of Purpose. Decide what you intend to offer along with your invitation of wisdom. It could be your presence, your thoughts, your time – you'll certainly be sacrificing all these by participating in the meditation – but you may also dedicate particular acts of generosity or cleverness completed prior to the meditation, perhaps drawing the attention of a source of wisdom more given to such qualities themself.

Opening
Vocalize an audible hum while visualizing a sphere of light taking shape around your ritual space.

Declaration of Purpose
"I come to offer ... and to invite the wisdom of darkness and silence."

Offering
Direct your offering to the black mirror. Visualize the efforts, the energy, you dedicated in your Declaration condensed into a mist that you blow towards your mirror. Breathing steadily, continue exhaling your offering to the mirror, allowing your thoughts to come and go without resistance, for at least six exhalations.

The Hollow Temple
On your offering's final exhale, pause before inhaling again. Focus your attention on the gap between breaths. Breathe in, and out again. Pause and contemplate before repeating. Holding fast to the feeling you find between breaths, breathe in and out again six times, now filling the gaps before each inhale with a silent invitation. Set aside this empty space for the wisdom you seek, so it will have an appealing and well kept place to make its home.

Closing
Rest your eyes on the mirror and take three slow, deep breaths, exhaling swiftly between each inhalation.
Vocalize an audible hum, gradually decreasing in volume as you visualize the sphere surrounding your ritual space dissipating.

Though you breathe in Darkness, you do not breathe alone.