The Moon:

How did it form?

It is proposed that the moon formed during a collision with earth and another smaller planet the size of mars. The debris from this impact collected in an orbit around the warm the create the moon.

Myths and legends surrounding the moon:

Chang’e (China)

Famous Chinese myth about a woman who lives on the moon. There are different variations of this myth.

The basis of the story is her and her husband were immortal who were made mortal due to bad behaviour. They tried to become immortal again by taking a pill, but Chang’e got greedy and took too much pill which caused them to float up to the moon where she remained forever.

She is the subject of chinese poetry and a reason for celebrating the chinese moon festival each autumn

2. Moon Rabbit (China/Korea/Japan)

This myth crosses a variety of different cultures. The moon rabbit/jade rabbit who is the companion that Chang’s allowed to have with her on the moon.

However, it is also a symbol that shows up in myths about the moon in Korea and in Japan.

3. Selene/Luna (Greek and Roman)

These are the names of the Moon Goddess in Greek and Roman mythology, respectively. In the myths associated with these goddesses, the goddess is paired with the god of the sun (Helios in Greek mythology, Sol in Roman mythology). He travels throughout the day, and she takes over the journey at night. She is typically considered to be a passionate goddess who takes many lovers and who represents the desire associated with the moon.

4. Tecciztecatl (Aztec)

Not all of the deities associated with the moon are goddesses. This is an example of a male god that is associated with the moon. What is interesting about the myths surrounding him are how many of the same symbols from different moon myths are found in the stories about him. Although he was an Aztec god, there are associations with the Asian cultures (he was a rabbit, for example, associating him with the aforementioned Moon Rabbit) and even associations with modern-day moon myths like the story of the “man on the moon.”

5. Anningan (Inuit)

The Inuit people of northern regions like Alaska and Greenland have a rather horrifying myth about the moon. They believe that Anningan (also called Igaluk or Aningaaq), the Moon God, raped his sister, the Sun Goddess. Worse, they believe that he is still trying to chase her down to possess her. That’s why he follows her in the sky every day. The waxing and waning of the moon is explained as Anningan chasing her until he is starving and then disappearing for a bit to hunt for food to have the energy to come back to chase her again.

6. Mawu (Africa)

A much happier couple-based story about the moon is this myth from Africa which says that Mawu is a moon good who is forever linked in unity with the sun goddess Liza. It is believed that lunar and solar eclipses are related to the lovemaking times of the celestial couple. This myth is clearly about the power of the moon, the sun, the sky and love and desire.

7. Soma (Hindu)

This is a Hindu god that is associated with the moon. It’s interesting because of the fact that there are several additional symbols that we see here that are commonly associated with the moon. In Hindu art, Soma is sometimes an embryo and sometimes a bull. Fertility is frequently associated with the moon. The bull is also a symbol that has shown up as related to the moon across cultures. The main thing about Soma though is its link with the moon as an elixir. Soma is the name of a drink said to be consumed by the Gods. Interestingly, the moon rabbit who lives on the moon with Chang’e in the Chinese myth is also an elixir-making symbol.

8. Rona (New Zealand)

This is a story that comes from the Maori tribe in New Zealand. The story is about a young woman named Rona who displeased the moon so the moon seized her and took her away. In the myth, she grabs on to a tree and drags it with her to the moon. It is believed by some that the tree is said to represent fertility, further linking the moon with this symbol.

9. Ixchel (Mayan)

The Mayan people have several stories about different moon goddesses. One goddess frequently associated with the moon is Ixchel who is associated with the moon because she is a fertility goddess. However, it is believed that she may actually be the “grandmother of the moon” and represent aging and the drying up of fertility in old age so she is most commonly linked with the waxing of the moon and not the moon at all times.

10. Werewolves

One of the creatures that we often see depicted in movie myths and legends is the werewolf. This creature is, of course, affiliated with the full moon. Typically it is believed that these are creatures that have human form but that morph into wolf-like (typically violent) creatures when the full moon is in the sky. Some legends state that if you get bitten by a werewolf, you will also become one during the full moon. In other tales, the only way to kill a werewolf is with a bullet made of silver. There are many different variations on this because of all of the books and movies that have been made about werewolves.

 

 

 

The moon is a feminine symbol, universally representing the rhythm of time as it embodies the cycle. The phases of the moon symbolize immortality and eternity, enlightenment or the dar k side of Nature herself. It might reflect inner knowledge, or the phases of man’s condition on earth, since it controls the tides, the rains, the waters, and the seasons. It is the middle ground between the light of the sun and the darkness of night, and thus often represents the realm between the conscious and the unconscious. In astrology, the moon is a symbol of the soul, and in the horoscope it determines the subject’s capacity for reflection and adaptation. It also provides analogy for the stages of human development: the new moon is infancy, the crescent is youth and adolescence, the full moon is maturity and pregnancy, and the waning moon represents the decline of life, sleep.

The full moon has been associated with strange or insane behavior, including suicide, sleepwalking and violence. The lunar theory, otherwise known as the lunar effect, is the idea that there’s some correlation between mooncycles and human behavior.

Lunacy linked to the moon – Lunacy and lunatic stem from luna, the Latin word for moon. It is believed that people were more likely to show erratic behavior during a full moon.

A publication on the National Criminal Justice Reference Service titled lunar effect- biological tides and human emotions, shows extensive analyses of data on human behavior. Lunar astronomy accurately indicated that the repression of the moon’s gravitational influence brings about social tension, disharmony and bizarre results.

Another study looked at data over a 5-year period from police records in Florida, which showed an increase in cases of homicide and aggravated assault around full moons. 

The moon could affect our sleep patterns

Roughly three years ago, a study definitively showed that the moon’s phases affect human sleep.

In most of the sleep studies, research participants were not aware of the moon phase or time cues.

The largest full moon since 1948 is set to make an appearance in November 2016, however, biological clock researcher at the Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Dr. Tobias Kaiser doesn’t think that will make much of a difference when it comes to sleep.

“The difference between a new moon and a full moon is much bigger than the difference between a full moon and a super full moon. So the really strong effects are present all the time,” Kaiser said.

Supermoon causes baby boom

The biggest supermoon will appear in November, and it could cause a baby boom.

Researchers followed 1,000 births in a hospital in Kyoto, Japan, where the mothers were not induced. Their study showed more babies were born when the moon was the closest to Earth, when the gravitational pull is the strongest.

According to theories that persist to this day, full moons cause a moon-induced baby boom.

The moon could be regulating menstrual cycles

“An effect of the moon on the menstrual cycle is controversial: Some studies show it, some refute it,” Kaiser said.

 

https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/lunar-legends-a-trail-of-myths-and-stories-from-around-the-world/story-kwMclxPg6Lsmbbjm0j3zAO.html

https://www.history.com/news/7-unusual-myths-and-theories-about-the-moon

https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/myth-moon-phases-menstruation

https://crystalvisions.net.au/blogs/an-introduction-to-crystal-grids/a-basic-guide-to-cleansing-your-crystals-with-the-power-of-the-moon