The Dark Womb of Creation and Trust a New Moon Devotional
As the New Moon rises, we walk the Via Negativa releasing, making space, and the glory of seeking and revealing hidden wisdom.
Invocation
Holy One,
You who dwell in the silence before all beginnings,
You who cradle galaxies in hidden wombs of night,
draw us now into your mystery.
As the moon veils her face,
teach us to rest in the fertile darkness,
to trust the breaking down and the remaking,
to welcome the shadow as your gentle work.
Strip away what is unhelpful and untrue.
Hold us in your silence until we are ready to emerge
more whole, more compassionate, more just.
Here, in the dark womb of creation,
we surrender, we wait, and we hope.
Amen.
The Sacred Moment
Today, the new moon veils the sky, cloaking the heavens in silence and shadow. May we feel the call to surrender, to sacred unknowing, to the holy hush that dwells beneath words. In the deep darkness of the New Moon, we walk the path of the Via Negativa: the way of release, of letting fall what no longer serves, of listening for the presence hidden in absence. Our souls ache not for answers, but for peace within the questions, for a love that meets us in the void.
This is a moon to release, to empty, to rest.
Theme: The Dark Womb of Creation
Sometimes, when we enter the dark cloud of unknowing, we are passing into the dark womb of creation. It is like entering a cocoon or chrysalis where we break down into our constituent parts. In these shadows, we reform into something new, something beautiful. The pain we feel, the anxiety, the worry, and the doubt are not obstacles to avoid but guideposts that help us find our way through this holy work.
The trouble is that as a species; we build our chrysalis within. We rarely invite it to come upon us, and often we don’t even realize it is happening until we are already surrounded by it. We enter this womb at times of change and crisis, not once but again and again. Whenever a change is needed, we find ourselves in the womb to be born anew. Our task in these moments is to direct and focus these changes so that we emerge more whole, more compassionate, and more dedicated to justice.
We instinctively enter this state when we encounter profound psychic or emotional pain. Falling into the Via Negativa, we cocoon ourselves, shielding against the ache while we unconsciously begin to transform. Wisdom calls us to do this work with intention: to let go of what no longer serves us, to release thoughts that hold us back, and to trust the silence that remakes us. On this path of Creation Spirituality, we learn to let go and let be, but letting go is not passive. Sometimes it is the most courageous act we can take.
In this dark place, we must not take our eyes off the light. Journaling, meditation, and prayer become our companions. We seek answers, but wisdom tells us when we need answers and when we need change. Answers are important when we don't understand what is happening. Change is necessary when we question who we are and how we are living our lives. We are ever growing toward justice, compassion, and hope. These are the sun, the rain, and the soil that nourish us. So long as we focus on these elements, we will emerge in a new beautiful form.
The New Moon reminds us that absence is not emptiness. It is a fertile womb, holding space for the transformations yet to come.
Practice: Entering the Dark Womb of Creation
1. Preparation
Find a dark or dimly lit space. If possible, turn off all lights except a single candle or a small lamp, symbolizing the hidden light that still guides us. Place a journal and pen beside you.
2. Invocation
Begin with a simple prayer or breath:
“Holy Mystery, as the moon hides her face, let me rest in your hidden womb. Teach me to let go, to be unmade, and to be remade in your justice, compassion, and hope.”
3. Descent into Silence
Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Imagine yourself stepping into a cocoon, a womb woven of shadow and silence. Feel your body resting in this place, as though the darkness holds you gently.
As you sit, let the questions rise:
What pain or worry has wrapped itself around me?
What old thought, belief, or habit am I ready to let go of?
Do not force an answer. Simply notice what arises.
4. Journaling
Open your journal and write:
“What do I need to release in order to be reborn?”
“What light do I keep my eyes on as I pass through this dark womb?”
Let your words flow without judgment. This is not about finding clarity, but about letting your hidden self speak.
5. Offering and Release
When you are finished, place your hand over the page and whisper:
“I let go. I let be. I trust the silence that remakes me.”
If you wish, you may fold the page and set it aside, symbolizing placing your burdens into the womb to be transformed.
6. Closing
Return your attention to the small light in your space. Say aloud:
“Justice is my sun. Compassion is my rain. Hope is my soil. In these, I am reborn.”
Blow out the candle or close your eyes once more, sealing the practice in silence.
Closing Blessing
Holy Mystery,
you have held us in the silent womb of night.
You have unmade us and are remaking us still.
As we leave this darkness,
let us carry with us the courage to release,
the strength to change,
and the hope that blooms from your hidden light.
May justice be our sun,
compassion our rain,
and hope our soil,
that we may rise from this womb in beauty and truth.
In your silence, we are renewed.
In your mystery, we are born again.
Amen.