Moon Mysteries by Marian Matthews

Photo © Jade Ashcroft 2013

Even as a small child I was fascinated by the moon. I remember looking out of my bedroom window and peering to make sense of the markings which are visible, particularly on a full moon. Were they canals? Were they marks of a long gone civilization? It was long before the first moon landings and probes confirmed the view that the moon was an uninhabitable arid rock. Researching the significance of the moon, particularly looking at the role of the moon in magick and as a goddess  has turned out to be a personal voyage of discovery. Indeed I would go as far as to say my understanding of the big picture of our reality has been widened and new tantalizing  clues what is actually going on in the universe have been revealed to me.

Uninhabited it may be, but the moon has subsequently been found to have a profound affect on the affairs of humanity. The fact that the moon is worshiped as a goddess and used in magic rituals by some sectors of society is interesting enough. But the truth is that people, planets and all earthly beings are deeply affected by the cycles of the moon, at several interesting levels. How can this be? What forces and realities are operating here?

Moon Science 

Photo © Jade Ashcroft 2013

The moon is, in simple terms, Earth's satellite. It is a sphere 1/81th the mass of Earth and is somewhere around 400,000 km away from us. The Moon is in something called synchronous rotation with Earth, always showing the same face to us. It is the brightest object in the sky, apart from the sun. It is made of dark rock, its brightness is just reflected sun light.

Where did it come from? The Moon is thought to have formed nearly 4.5 billion years ago, not long after the Earth. Although there have been several hypotheses for its origin in the past, the current most widely accepted explanation is that the Moon was formed from the debris left over after an impact between Earth and a body the size of Mars, probably another small planet called Thea.

How does it affect us? Firstly, of course, it is a lantern, providing light at night throughout the planet.  On a purely scientific level the Moon's gravitational influence produces the ocean tides and the minute lengthening of our days as it almost imperceptibly moves away from us. It appears from Earth to go through phases, as the sun reflects different proportions of it as it moves through the sky. So the basic explanation is that the lunar phases are created by changing angles (relative positions) of the Earth, the Moon and the Sun, as the Moon orbits the Earth. Some people do believe that its power affects humanity in other ways, as the energies of the Moon interact with us. For instance, that at the time of the full Moon lunacy or Moon madness is more prevalent.

Beyond science Since ancient times these apparent changes and phases have made the Moon an important cultural influence on language, calenders, art and mythology. Some say that it us part of a matrix of energy that affects humanity, and its influence can be interpreted by skills such as  Astrology. The theory is that the whereabouts of the moon in the sky at your moment of birth can affect your characteristics and your life's path. Some people feel it goes deeper than that and worship the moon as a goddess and use its spirit in magic rituals.

Astrology and the moon. One of the interesting ways that the moon is supposed to affect humanity is in its use in astrology.

Western astrology uses the position of the sun, planets and other heavenly bodies at the time and date of your birth, to predict your characteristics and give you a star sign.(e.g. Taurus, Capricorn etc) In general terms, readings of the heavens on a daily basis for that sign can then be used to give on going guidance. Astrologically, the moon is said to show the characteristics of your subconscious mind and some say soul or spirit. It is also much concerned with emotions.

Chinese astrology is, of course, based on the cycles of the moon.

Both systems are not, as I once believed, to predict any fixed future, but seem to be set up – like a satellite navigation systems- to show us the way though life and point out any potential hazards or best paths in our lives.

Why should these systems work? At base we are nothing but beings made of atoms in combination. We are held together by the energies generated by these atoms. We are energy beings living in a world of energies, gravitational, electromagnetic and biochemical, to name just a few. We live in an energy matrix. On one level, our thoughts are nothing more than biochemical energy. The moon is the nearest heavenly body to us. Its gravitational energies are very strong. It is entirely logical that those energies will affect us. Astrology can be seen as a way of quantifying this effect.

The whole story? Could the moon affect our lives in this way? Energetically, for reasons stated above, it must have a effect on us all. Could this effect be quantified into the astrological systems? Or does the existence of astrology itself seem to hint at a bigger picture of reality?

There are also many people who view the moon as a Goddess or use the moon in magick.

Goddess Moon

The moon has been revered as a Goddess almost since the beginnings of time. She has had many names and been worshiped in many guises. She also has been and is extensively used to facilitate  Magick. (The extra K is used to distinguish it from stage magic etc).

Magick can be defined as an effort to make a change in ones, or other's life by using ones own personal energy and the energy of surrounding elements. This can be done by spells, ritual or intention. The question is, how is the moon, in any guise, able to facilitate or enhance this? The answer is, of course, depends on the real nature of the moon. Interestingly even within those using the moon, Pagans, Witches, Wiccans and others there are differences in understanding about the real nature of her and what process is actually going on.

Alternative views on the true nature of the moon.

Photo © Jade Ashcroft 2013

• As the Earth is seen as a sentient being (Gaia) who has merely clothed herself in planet form, so is the moon. She is here to help humanity.
• The moon represents a Goddess. The Goddesses were here before Christianity or Judaism, and are available to help humanity. They have been pushed out of mainstream consciousness but have always been there. Their power is rising again with the ascent of the feminine spirit. They are available to help when asked.
• The energies and electromagnetic flux of the moon are used to enhance spells or intentions. Every phase of the moon contains a certain energy. This energy affects us and everything on Earth. The moons visual phases just reflect the changing position of the moon and its position re the sun. These apparent phases merely signify the changing energy throughout the lunar cycle. The energies are here for our use but are themselves neutral. 

The above is just my synthesis of all the wonderful information that I have been privileged to receive. All of those aspects can be seen as manifestations of spirit helping us. The real questions arising, though, are where do these Goddesses themselves come from?  Did an intelligent designer of some sort created the system of sun or moon based astrology to help humanity? Do the quantified astrological effects just reflect the underlying physics or mathematical codes embedded in the creation of the universe either at random or by deliberate design? What big picture of the universe does all this indicate? What do you think?

Marian Matthews.

Author of "Aspects of Reality" 

Visit www.marianmatthews.com for more posts on a variety of spiritual subjects

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