New Moon.

Today, or tonight, I should say, we have the phase of the Dark or New Moon.
I am kinda split into two, as I really love the concept of a Triple Goddess, Three forms of Her.
However, when looking at the moonphases, you see that there aren't enough faces or phases of the Goddess, as there are basically four stages of the Moon: waxing, Full, waning, and Dark/New.
I read in a book about four faces of the Goddess, the Light Maiden (Waxing), the Mother (Full), the Dark Maiden (Waning), and the Crone (Dark). I am not sure how I feel about this, I so far have only worked with the Triple and not the Fourfold Goddess... However, in the book The Mists Of Avalon (highly recommending it), there are also four faces of Her in the beginning; the three known forms, and a fourth form, one "that we should hope we're never going to meet", one that's hidden, unknown, and whatnot.
However, to me, the Dark Moon is definitely the Crone, the Wisewoman, the Grandmother.
The Dark Moon is basically when the Earth Mother and the Moon Goddess are finally reunited and merge into one as the shadow of the Earth meets the surface of the moon. It's a time when you should if possible reduce your magickal working to the minimum, no active magick, only meditation and general prayers. However, if you desire and need wisdom and knowledge, you can scry or ask the Dark Mother or Crone for help. I'd recommend "darker" scrying techniques, such as a scrying mirror, a black bowl of water, bones or maybe runes. The New Moon also means stagnation as well as the chance for new beginnings and new opportunities. If any spells are to be done that call on growing or increasing or drawing something near, you should start at the last of three days of the Dark Moon so that they have half of the moon's cycle to grow and develop.
Animals I connect to the Dark Moon are Ravens, Bats, Spiders and Cats. Herbs I'd recommend are (poisonous! Dont eat them or keep them around freely at your place! Danger of being poisoned!) Yew, Belladonna, Hemlock, Henbane, Aconite, and Thornapple. Mushrooms, as well, as they prefer to grow in dark places, such as shadows and dark, deep woods. Goddesses of the Dark Moon are Cerridwen, the Cailleach, Hekate, Kali, Durgha, the Morrighan and Nyx.
What I might do tonight or tomorrow night is a meditation to Cerridwen.
Dark Moon and Crone blessings to you :) xx