La Luna

BY CHIM LI YEN

The moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite. It is associated with the female aspect which is receptive, passive and fertile. For millennia, the moon has been seen as a symbol of the goddess and its light considered magical. This powerful association with the feminine is seen in mythology as well as in science. A sidereal month – the 27.3 days it takes for the Moon to form a complete orbit around the Earth – coincides with the female ovulation cycle of 28 days. The shifting gravity created by the orbit of the Moon is the primary cause of ebb and flow of the ocean tides.

The ancients observed the moon as a timetable for planting and harvesting with success. The moon was believed to rule life and death. People living near the ocean were convinced that a baby could only be born on an incoming tide and a person couldn’t die until the tide went out. Birth at full moon meant a full and charmed life.

The Polynesians called the Creator Hina which means ‘Moon’ and the Lakota Indians called the Moon ‘The Old Woman Who Never Dies’. Most cultures have their own folktales to tell about the Moon. A charming Chinese legend speaks of the man in the Moon who secures the destiny of lovers by uniting them with an invisible silken cord which he ties around their waist. At the time they are destined to meet and fall in love, he draws the cords together.

Working with the Moon and her phases are a way of optimising the natural cyclical nature of dark and light. The characteristics attributed to the different phases of the moon reflect our own inner process.  We draw from the energy of the Goddess as represented in her various forms of Maiden, Mother and Crone and see these in manifest form as New, Full and Dark Moons. 

Moon Phase Basics

New Moon – The Maiden

The New Moon is a time of beginnings and growth. New projects, goals and behavioural patterns are all supported when given focus during this time.

The New Moon embodies the Goddess as the Maiden. It is the beginning of the cycle of increased flow and dynamics. The New Moon is full, fertile and ripe with creativity. It allows nature to take its course directed towards a goal of productive manifestation. The yearning and desire inherent in the Maiden will attract to her that which she desires most. With the right intention, your thoughts will be set into motion during this phase and blossom with the waxing of the Moon.

Best time for  

- Initiation of new projects

- Rebirths, fresh starts

- Blessing and energising ongoing projects

- Healing (the beginning of the next breath)

The Waxing Moon is the time between the New Moon and the Full Moon. It provides a crescendo or build-up of energies towards the Full Moon.  The energy from this cycle is best used in magnetising what you want towards you. It is a good time to nurture new projects and expand any current efforts.

Full Moon - The Mother

The Full Moon is the peak and the product of all efforts that begun at the New Moon. It embodies the energies of the Goddess as the Mother. She is the giver of life, the nurturer and the guardian that ensures that life will be fruitful. The expansive light of the Full Moon shines upon all so the dynamics of ebb and flow are at their most potent. It ensures the highest possible outcome for all that it touches because the energy of the Full Moon make things happen.

The powerful energies during the Full Moon can disrupt the regular state of sensitive individuals. There are many ways of how people experience the Full Moon –fluctuation in energy levels, mood swings, elation, feeling more passionate and aggressive than usual, etc.

Best time for

- Celebrating the fruition of a goal

- Strengthening a relationship or situation

- Divination or meditation

The Waning Moon is the time between the Full Moon and the Dark Moon. The waning of the moon from peak of Full Moon allows for release and diminishing of energetic effect. It is time for letting go, cleansing, clearing negative energies and for completion.

The 3 days prior to the next New Moon is known as the Dark Moon phase. The Chinese calendar marks the Dark Moon as the 1^st of the month. It is the optimal time for release, cutting away old ties and inner preparation. 

The Dark Moon embodies the hidden nature. If we embrace our hidden nature in the fullness of the dark, what lays beneath the surface can be transformed. This is the Goddess as the Crone. She holds nothing back. She invites you to look at the truth of your own reflection and demands that you release what no longer serves you.

This is a time for culling, pruning and preparing for the upcoming New Moon where new beginnings can occur with a greater understanding of the process that ensures success.

Best time for:

- Introspection, uncovering what holds you back in life

- Releasing something negative – a habit, a relationship, etc

- Healing and removal of blockages