I recall walking along Santa Monica beach on a warm summer night when I could still fit in size four jeans. I looked up at the sky and gasped–I had never seen a moon so bright or close. The massive glowing orb hung just above the ocean, its reflection slowly rippling with the tide. While sitting in the sand, admiring the twin moons, I felt a pull unlike anything I've experienced before. My eyes widened, and my breath slowed. I was entranced. This calling sparked a lifelong love of the mysterious satellite and unleashed a willingness in me to accept the inexplicable.
Since then, I often look up at the moon and wonder if it really influences us, mere humans. Or is its mystery its most potent draw? Countless civilizations across history have gazed up at the sky and reveled in the moon's breathtaking beauty, basking in her beams as she reflected the sun's rays down at us.
The full moonlight provided protection to night travelers, allowed farmers to continue harvesting through the night, and enabled Thoreau to take his nighttime strolls through the forest.
Whether you worship the moon, appreciate her, or never think about her, she's always there, keeping hold of us so we don't get too close to the sun and keeping time with our tides. And she'll still be here when humanity is but a speck in the tapestry of the Earth, still pulling, still passively watching.
Let's delve into how the moon has inspired and guided civilizations throughout history and whether there's any actual science behind the lunar cycles' influence over human behavior.
Moon worship throughout history
Here are some notable ancient civilizations and cultures known to have revered the moon:
Mesopotamia - The ancient Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians worshipped moon deities like Nanna/Sin and honored the moon as a symbol of wisdom. The crescent moon was their primary symbol.
Egypt - Several Egyptian moon gods existed, including Iah and Thoth. The cycles of the moon informed their lunar calendar system and architecture.
Greece - Many Greek goddesses were connected to the moon, such as Artemis, Hecate, and Selene who was the Titan goddess of the moon itself.
Rome - Luna was the Roman incarnation of the Greek moon goddess Selene and had an important temple on the Aventine Hill. Lunar motifs were common.
Celtic - Welsh and Irish mythologies revered female lunar deities. The Celts tracked moon phases as part of their spiritual cosmology.
Native American - Most tribes tracked lunar months with names reflecting nature and honored the moon's role in agriculture, feminine cycles, and rituals.
Aztec Empire - The moon goddess Coyolxauhqui was prominent, and their Great Temple in Tenochtitlan was aligned with the moon's motions.
Hinduism - Chandra is a Vedic deity associated with the moon and fertility. The moon represents the divine principle of beauty in Hinduism.
The moon and the Japanese
Coming from a Japanese background, I’m familiar with festivals celebrating the harvest moon and cute folklore about Moon Rabbit making mochi cakes up in the sky. However, the moon has deep cultural significance and mythology in Japanese history and folklore. Here are some examples:
• The moon deity Tsukuyomi originates in ancient Japanese Shinto beliefs as the god of the moon and brother to Amaterasu, the sun goddess.
• The lunar calendar was important for agricultural practices in Japan historically, especially rice cultivation cycles.
• The Japanese lunar calendar follows moon phases rather than months, with unique names for the current moon like Beautiful Moon, Harvest Moon, etc.
• Moon viewing or tsukimi is a traditional autumn festival celebrating the beauty of the bright harvest moon.
• Japanese legends tell of a mysterious Moon Rabbit that lives on the moon making mochi rice cakes. This rabbit in the moon is a popular folklore motif.
• The tides influenced by the moon, particularly unusual phenomena like sea swells, play into Japanese mythologies about dragons and the supernatural.
• Japanese Buddhism brought further symbolism of the moon representing enlightenment, as the moon reflects light rather than generating it on its own.
• Phases of the moon are thought to correspond to cycles of nature and human emotion reflected in Japanese poetry, art, and literature historically.
The Japanese Moon God, Tsukoyomi
Tsukuyomi is an important lunar deity in Japanese Shinto religion and mythology:
• According to Shinto belief, Tsukuyomi was born from the right eye of the creator deity Izanagi when he washed his face after escaping the underworld.
• Tsukuyomi was born alongside Amaterasu, the sun goddess birthed from Izanagi's left eye, and Susanoo, the storm deity from his nose.
• As siblings, Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu were meant to unite and become the ruling deities together.
• However, when Tsukuyomi killed the goddess of food, Uke Mochi, during a dinner party hosted by Amaterasu, she rejected him in disgust.
• This forever separated them, with Amaterasu ruling the heavens and Tsukuyomi exiled to rule the night and the moon.
• As the moon deity, Tsukuyomi was responsible for illuminating the darkness. He became associated with rituals, calendars, and intuition in contrast to Amaterasu's sun.
• Tsukuyomi remains an important Shinto god today, though is overshadowed by Amaterasu. He is still symbolic of moon energies and cycles in Japanese culture.
So the origins of the lunar deity Tsukuyomi stem from ancient Shinto tales of the brother sun and moon gods and their fractured relationship after Uke Mochi's murder.
The lunar cycle and agriculture: a farmer’s friend
There is a long history of farmers and gardeners planting and growing crops according to the phases of the moon:
• Ancient civilizations like the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans tracked lunar cycles and observed correlations with agriculture.
• Planting by the moon's phases was especially common through the Middle Ages in Europe among farmers and the community.
• The lunar planting theory suggests that the moon's gravitational pull impacts moisture in soil just as it does the tides.
• Therefore, some believe planting vegetables and crops that bear crops above ground should be done in the waxing, increasing moon phase.
• And plants that bear crops below ground are best planted in the waning, decreasing moon phase.
• This is because the pull of the waxing moon supposedly draws energy and moisture upward in plants, while the waning moon draws downward.
• Timing harvesting, pruning, grafting, and pest management by moon phases is also believed to improve results.
While there are skeptics, many farmers still consult lunar calendars today to guide their planting and farm tasks. Here are some places around the world where planting by the lunar calendar is still practiced by farmers and agricultural communities:
• Throughout Europe - In Germany, Austria, Romania, Latvia, and Lithuania many farmers still follow lunar planting guides. Some traditions trace back to Medieval times.
• Asia - Planting by moon phases continues in parts of China, Japan, Korea, and India. Ancient astrological systems like Zyotish advise on timing.
• South/Central America - Some indigenous traditions in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, and Peru reference lunar cycles for agriculture.
• North America - Amish, Old Order Mennonite, and some Native American communities in the US and Canada use lunar calendars for farming.
• Australia and New Zealand - Biodynamic and organic farmers often factor in moon phases and astrology for planting Down Under.
• Africa - Some roots of African tribal customs connect planting rituals and celebrations to lunar phases and knowledge.
While not universally endorsed today, lunar gardening continues to be passed down and practiced within many rural, agrarian, and indigenous communities globally. The moon's rhythms still guide planting for many. While scientific evidence is limited, generations of farmers have sworn by astrological crop planting guides based on observing results over time.
Silving and the harvest
Silving refers to the practice of harvesting plants by moonlight, often tied to pagan or witchcraft traditions. Some key details about silving:
• The term "silving" comes from an old word meaning "collection" or "harvesting" by moonlight.
• Traditional times for silving are during a full moon or waxing moon when moonlight is brightest.
• Plants like herbs, flowers, and vegetables may be harvested or picked under the full moon.
• Silving is done for magical or spiritual purposes, based on beliefs about the moon infusing the plants with energy.
• The harvested plants are thought to take on potent magical properties under the moonlight that can be used for medicine, rituals, and charms.
• Proper timing and intent while gathering the plants are considered key to successful silving.
• Similar folk practices exist across many cultures historically, like harvesting medicinal Chinese herbs under a full moon.
• Modern witches and pagans may still practice silving their garden herbs and flowers during peak moonlight for ritual ingredients.
What is moon charging?
Moon charging (also sometimes called moon water) is a practice in witchcraft and spirituality that involves harnessing the energy of the moon. Here's a quick explanation:
• It involves exposing crystals, water, or other objects to the light of the full moon (most potent) or any moonlight.
• This is done by placing the items outside or on a windowsill overnight while the moon is visible.
• The light from the moon infuses the objects with its energy. Different moon phases have different energetic properties that get transferred.
• Crystals are commonly charged under the full moon to amplify their power. The water absorbs the vibration and intention set into it.
• Charged water can be used for cleansing, spells, and rituals. Crystals boost their abilities.
• Moon charging connects the objects energetically to lunar cycles and mysticism. The moon's correspondence with emotions and intuition specifically gets channeled.
• Some also believe it magnifies the spiritual powers of items. Moonlight is seen as mystically influential.
Moon charging allows witches and spiritualists to harness the moon's unique energy for crystals, water, and other items through exposure and intention setting.
Moon phases and their significance in witchcraft
New Moon
• The moon is not visible, obscured by the sun's light
• Marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle
• Time for new beginnings, setting intentions, starting projects
Waxing Crescent
• First sliver of moon becomes visible
• Moon is increasing in light
• Energies amplify growth, creativity, confidence
First Quarter
• Half-illuminated moon
• Time for challenge and adjustment
• Good for motivation and perseverance spells
Waxing Gibbous
• Moon is over half full
• Light continues increasing
• Boost spells for expansion, abundance
Full Moon
• Moon is illuminated fully
• Most potent phase, the peak of the moon's energy
• Amplifies spells, rituals, and intentions of all kinds
Waning Gibbous
• Light begins decreasing
• Moon is still mostly visible
• Good for slowing down, mindfulness, editing
Last Quarter
• Half-illuminated moon
• Time for reflection, reassessment
• Well-suited for banishing spells
Waning Crescent
• Moon is decreasing in light
• Support releasing, cleansing, ending
• Shedding unwanted elements
What is the dark moon phase?
The dark moon phase refers to the period when the moon is not visible in the sky. Here are some key details:
• It occurs when the side of the moon facing Earth is not illuminated by the sun.
• This happens in between the waning crescent moon phase and the next new moon phase.
• During the dark moon, the moon rises and sets along with the sun, so the moon is only in the sky during daylight hours.
• Because sunlight doesn't reach the moon's surface that faces Earth at this point, the moon cannot be seen.
• The dark moon phase lasts about 2-3 days per lunar cycle.
• It signifies the completion of the moon's waning period and transition into a new lunar cycle.
• Dark moons are considered optimal for magic related to banishing, releasing, introspection, and new beginnings done in the symbolic darkness.
• Astrologically, the dark moon marks a time of renewal, inner reflection, and emotional calm between the busy full and new moon phases.
The dark moon is a brief but significant transitionary lunar phase marked by an invisible moon immediately before it reemerges anew.
Science of the moon and human behaviors
I was able to dig up a few scientific studies that explore the potential effects of the moon on human behavior and the environment, though research is still limited. Here are a few findings:
• Studies show a correlation between the full moon and increased sleep deprivation/melatonin suppression, though the exact mechanism is debated. (Smith et al 2005, Cajochen et al 2013, Cordi et al 2014.)
• Analysis suggests a very small correlation between the full moon and increased hospital admissions/epileptic seizures, potentially due to sleep disturbances. (Meta-analysis of 37 studies by Thessing et al. 1994, Chapell et al. 1999 study on seizures.)
• Research indicates the moon's gravitational pull impacts oscillation patterns in the Earth's atmosphere. This is referring to some research finding a correlation between the moon's gravitational pull and changes in atmospheric tides and oscillation patterns. (Zeredo et al. 2006.)
• Studies reveal lunar cycles influence zooplankton abundance and reproductive patterns in some marine species. (Studies by Neumann 1981, Grant et al 2009.)
• The lunar cycle is correlated with precipitation and rainfall patterns, likely due to the moon's effect on tropical tides and moisture transport. (Studies by Güdel et al 1997, Kotlia & Varikoden 2016.)
• Analysis of police records found a weak correlation between full moons and increased violence/crime rates. However, sample sizes were small. (In several studies with small samples like James et al. 1984, only 1-2% variance was explained.)
Unfortunately, no large-scale studies have shown clear evidence for effects on human behavior and health based solely on lunar cycles (Reviews like Rotton & Kelly 1985 analyzing hundred years of data find no conclusive correlation). So while some minor correlations have been found, overall, the scientific evidence for distinct moon effects on Earth systems and human affairs remains weak and inconclusive at this time.
So is the magic of the moon myth or science-backed?
While there is some scientific evidence that lunar phases affect animals and have influence over natural events, most of the moon’s power stems from cultural and spiritual lore. Even though there aren’t any studies that prove that moon magic is “real,” what matters most is how you cultivate your relationship with the moon, no matter how deep or shallow
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