On Her Silver Rays: A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magic

by Frances Billinghurst

The moon and witchcraft go hand in hand. Lady Lunar has long been both a guide and a companion, a sign by which we mark time, all the while she gently aids us in our explorations into the self and magical workings. She is a reflection of not only the sun's light but also the endless cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. The ebbing and flowing energy of the moon influences our thoughts and emotions. Many people believe that this energy can also bring change and enhance our own lives, through knowing when and how to use it. On Her Silver A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick is a collection of science, myth, poetry, and ritual. It will guide you through working with the different phases of the moon in order to gain a better sense of wellbeing. Discover how best to harness the lunar energies for healing and emotional strength, as well as physical and mental wellness. Deepen your connection with Lady Lunar through making your own ‘moon water', prayer beads, incense and anointing oils. Through the keeping of a lunar diary, learn how to effectively manifest and release with the endless changing energies of the moon. Create your own unique moon names regardless of where you live. When you are ready to take your moon magick deeper, this book will guide you through the differing astrological signs, cosmic events, including Blue and Black Moons, as well as working with both solar and lunar eclipses, and even how to make your own Kamea of the Moon. More than just another book about working with the moon, On Her Silver A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick is an informative guide to developing a deep ultimate connection with our night time companion.

256 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2023

About the author

With an interest in mythology, metaphysics and the occult arts spanning over 30 years, Frances is a prolific writer, having contributed to numerous magzines and anthologies around the world.

She is the author of "Dancing the Sacred Wheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats", "In Her Sacred Name: Writings on the Divine Feminine." and editor of "Call of the God: An Anthology Exploring the Divine Masculine within Modern Paganism", "A Witch's Circle: A Practical Guide to the Art Magical" and "A Little Book of Wicca" (all published through TDM Publishing).

"Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms" is the first to be published by Moon Books in March 2021, with "Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life" released in August 2021.

Frances is an initiated witch, trained in Hermetic (ceremonial) magick and the qabalah, with an interest in other magical arts. She regularly runs workshops on an assortment of metaphysical and occult subjects, more of which can be found on her writer's blog: https://francesbillinghurst.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Heather K Veitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Her Silver Ray is a compact book which takes the reader on a journey to meet and work with the Moon, both spiritually and magically. It covers moon phases, moon magic, spells and rituals, astrological information, and correspondences, as well as some of the science around the moon. Various lunar deities (gods and goddesses) are also included, as are meditations, and I appreciated the inclusion of the dark moon phase in particular.

As the author is Australian, this book also contains information about working in the Southern Hemisphere, which is often overlooked in favour of books based around the Northern. All in all, a good guide for those interested in connecting with and working with lunar magic.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Moon Books, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great guide for those just starting out on their journey and more experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their connection to the moon. Billinghurst did an amazing job of compiling the information and making it easy to read and accessible. You get to learn more about the moon, humanity's history with it, and the connection it has to us and our magic. You can pick up during any lunar phase, and begin the meditations and rituals presented in that section of the book without losing anything, or waiting for the cycle to begin all over. Highly recommend, whether you're looking to get in touch with your witchy side for the first time, or simply want to deepen your connection with the moon!

[Laura Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly comprehensive guide to all of the different esoteric facets of the moon. There is something here for everyone: no matter how much you think you already know, you will learn something new from this well-researched book.

The book covers astrology, journaling, project planning, rituals, correspondences, mythology and magic. It contains everything you need for becoming more aligned with the moon. I recommend this for anyone who is interested in deepening their work with ‘Lady Lunar’.

With thanks to Netgalley and Moon Books for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Diane Mendenhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley. I found the book interesting. It has some good basics about lunar appreciation. The information on the Kamea of the moon was new to me and I'm going to experiment with that. The meditation prompts on the different phases of the moon were very helpful. I also liked the history of the lunar gods/goddesses.

If you are interested in the moon and learning more about different areas, this book is interesting. This is one of the more complete books on lunar lore and magic.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a great resource for not only beginners but also those that have previous knowledge. It provides great guides for many areas that someone can delve into throughout each lunar cycle and can enhance your workings for magical tools, journaling and rituals. After my initial full read I have been focussing on each cycle and continue to learn something new each time.
A great addition to anyone’s esoteric library.

[Destiny Bridwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I picked out this book to read because I have this obsession with the moon and what it has meant to people through out time and its magick properties as well. There is a lot of myth and lore in this book. I like the journal exercises and even the recipe for Lunar cakes. It was a wonderful reference guide about the moon and it is magickal history. It was enjoyable for me to read and looks back to as needed.

[Books Tea Magic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a great guide to the Moon, and this one is full of her gorgeous phases with prayers and rituals for each one, Plus it lays out the moon in each zodiac sign with helpful correspondences and key words. A fantastic lunar resource for beginners and Moon aficionados alike. Chock full of cosmic goodness.✨♥️🌙

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-copy of this book for review.

This is a very comprehensive, well written and well researched book on the moon. It is packed full of information to help the reader understand how to work with all phases of the moon. An excellent resource.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Moon child and this book fascinated me as it's full of different lores, food for thought and reflection.
I loved how it is organised and the style of writing
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Ann Dudzinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The terms “Moon magic” and “lunar living” have gotten to be as trendy as “manifestation”. That’s not necessarily a negative, but it can lead to an outpouring of information by people who might not be that well informed but want to jump on the bandwagon. I don’t find a lot of value in trendy.

That is not the case with this book. I picked it up to review despite already owning several guides to working with the moon because I’m somewhat familiar with the author’s other work and she resonates with me. I was not disappointed and I’ll probably repeat this later: On Her Silver Rays is the most complete guide I’ve yet come across and ought to be in your library if you really want to understand how to work with the moon.

This book goes well beyond correspondences for each full moon (which tends to be the lunar phase most books focus on). The author covers, in depth, each phase of the moon and how best to work with each one, including rituals and magical workings that can actually be done (i.e., they don’t require arcane ingredients). There’s also space given to the Dark Moon, my personal favorite time of the month and an often overlooked phase. The author dedicates a chapter to lunar phenomenon (including astrological significance when the moon moves through each sign), as well as a chapter each on moon magic, lunar correspondences, and a wrap-up of information not covered elsewhere, including recipes for lunar cakes that I am most definitely going to try. If there’s a topic that you want to delve into more, the resources section is brimming with further areas of study.

As I said earlier, this may be the only resource on working with the moon you’ll need whether you just want to understand more about her rhythms or you’re already a lunar practitioner who wants more knowledge of the science behind lunar phenomenon or to incorporate new rituals into your practice.

5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and John Hunt Publishing Ltd./Moon Books for providing the ARC ebook. I’ve left my review honestly and voluntarily.