Make Sure You're Ready For The Next Dark Moon With These Expert Tips

If you're at all into the moon phases, you probably already know a bit about full moons, new moons, and how they affect us. But have you ever heard of the dark moon? Perhaps you've heard about it throughout pop culture, in songs or movies, as a dark and brooding time. Here's what this moon phase is all about—plus how to work with it.

The dark moon in India is associated with the goddess Kali, thought to be the most terrifying goddess. She is the goddess of time, doomsday, and death—which makes sense, given this phase is the last of the lunar cycle.

As the AstroTwins note, the lunar cycle is 29.5 days long, so the dark moon, then, occurs once within a lunar cycle, every 29.5 days. They're not particularly rare, or at least, not any rarer than any other moon phase. The waning crescent phase lasts about six days; however, the dark moon is thought to be the final moments of the waning crescent phase. So, depending on whether you were looking with a telescope or the naked eye, you could see (and potentially feel the effects of) the dark moon anywhere from one day to three days before the moon is new.

As far as how they both relate to the full moon, the dark moon is still holding on to the energy of the full moon that came prior, which would tie back to the previous new moon at the beginning of that cycle. And once the moon moves from waning crescent to new again, a brand-new cycle begins.

"You're kind of sleepy and cranky and don't have a whole lot to give," they add. New moons, for example, can feel inspiring and refreshing as if we've turned a new leaf, while full moons are a time of culmination that can feel very energizing and magnetic. Dark moons are far past all this, and by the end of the lunar month, many of us will just crave rest.

Speaking of rest, according to the twins, that's pretty much what you want to do around this time. Here's what they suggest for making the most of the dark moon:

The dark moon is a time to rest and relax, the twins say. You're probably going to need it! Around this time, "People are kind of cranky, and sometimes they need extra sleep," they add. Clear your calendar and allow yourself all the downtime you need.

Because this is the final phase of the lunar calendar, the twins say it's worthwhile to "clear away everything for the new moon that's coming." Do your favorite releasing ritual, from a tarot reading to shadow work to simply taking a purifying bath. Whatever you need to do to feel like your slate is clean, do it now.

"Clean your house, wash the bedding, mop the floor," the twins suggest. "With the new moon, you want to set the table for the month to begin; before you set the table, you have to wash and fold and clean and prepare," they explain. As you clean, however, they note to take it easy and slow.

According to the twins, less is more around this time. That said, here are a couple of things you'll want to avoid:

From a party to an event and even a big meeting, the twins say this is simply not the time. You (and many others) are going to feel drained, and anything that requires you to be "on" around this time is "just a no," they say.

The final nights of the lunar cycle are a time to "rest, clean up, and get closure," the twins say. If you're feeling exhausted, know you're probably not the only one. Allow yourself some downtime, try not to force productivity, and look forward to the start of a new lunar month to come.