Kimberly Sherman-Cook - In the Shadow of 13 Moons: Embracing Lunar Energy for Self-Healing and Transformation

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

In the Shadow of 13 Moons: Embracing Lunar Energy for Self-Healing and Transformation 2010 by Kimberly Sherman-Cook.

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First e-book edition 2010

E-book ISBN: 9780738723143

Cover art: Photodisc (for moon), Photographers Choice/PunchStock (for tree)

Cover design by Ellen Dahl

Editing by Sharon Leah

Interior art by the Llewellyn art department

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Contents

Part 1: Working within the Darkness: The Dark-moon Esbat

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Part 2: Finding Your Inner Darkness

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Part 3: Further Explorations of the Dark Moon

Appendix A:

Appendix B:

Appendix C:

Appendix D:

I would like to share with the readers of this book that what you are reading would have never been possible without my ever-supportive husband, my parents who have always encouraged me to be me, Amy for her gracious friendship and helping me keep my feet grounded, the coven that entrusted me to take them on journeys untold, Rachel at The Garden of One for her intuitive mysticism and safe haven, and Christopher Penczak for giving me the grace and encouragement to bring the final version you are reading to life.

I was a child of no more than seven when I saw the moon above the ocean tide slowly eclipsed by the sun, turning it black as the night. When the sun had swallowed the last of the moons light, there was a moment in which the whole world seemed to stop. The beach was a monochromatic color and the sky radiated with the strangest light I had ever seen. All around me an eerie hush was interrupted by only the sound of ocean waves.

That night on the beach is when magick first happened for me. Although I did not understand the mechanics of an eclipse, I remember feeling a little frightened. I was not afraid because of what was happening, but because somewhere deep in my consciousness I was aware of the moons power. I watched that night until the eclipse was over and the moon was once again pure white light over the foaming ocean. From that point forward the moon has held a power over me like nothing ever had before; the moon and I became partners.

I am amazed that such a moment remains as clear as the day it happened. That moment absorbed me completely and I was transformed; it helped to define who I was to become as an adult and an occult practitioner.

As so many others have, I suffered some strong blows during my tumultuous childhood and adolescent years, and that is when my journey into darkness began. In my late teens, I sought the help of conventional medicine. It served me well, but it left some problems unaided. This was because, at the time, practitioners of conventional medicine did not understand my religious preferences and could not help me integrate what I was learning in therapy with my spiritual path. Some even believed that my religious preferences were part of my psychological trauma. I knew better, and once again I enlisted the aid of the moon on my journey to deeper healing.

I spent a lot of time journaling, watching patterns and cycles in my life, and reading occult texts; and I began to realize there is more to the moon than meets the eye. My need for spiritual healing was greater than what I could get from therapy, so I began to put things together on my own, working to heal on the inside what conventional therapy could not. The moon has been my teacher and my solace when nothing else could comfort me. She has guided, encouraged, and embraced me, even when I could not find the strength or wisdom to do so for myself. The moon has never failed to fascinate me.

In my teens, when I began to study the occult and put together a healing system for myself, I was surprised to find that the yearnings I had felt for years had very real roots in magick. I continued my studies in the occult and the healing modalities of the occult. As a college student studying psychology and literature, I learning that what I thought was a simple childs enchantment had deeper ramifications than I once fathomed.

It is because of the moons energies, her teachings, and her mysteries that I was able to heal from my traumas and grow to become the woman I am today. As I continued on and deepened my studies of the Craft, my own craft of healing became stronger and clearer. Slowly, I began to teach to other people the method I had developed for myself.

In the Shadow of 13 Moons is an introduction to pathworking techniques that harness the power of the dark moon for the purpose of positive personal transformation. This book takes you on a step-by-step journey through the art of dark-moon ritual workings. You will explore how to use the energy of the dark moon and how to effectively connect with the dark archetype.

There are thirteen full-moon cycles, and there are thirteen cycles in the wheel of the dark moon. The dark moon is not to be confused with the new moon, although, you will work with both. The dark moon and new moon are two separate entities and energies.