Moon Goddesses

Rev. Susan O. Davis

Since the earliest recorded history, mankind has assigned human attributes to many items in nature. In particular the Sun and the Moon have been named and named again, labeled both male and female and claimed to have special duties and powers. The Moon has been almost always viewed as feminine since womens bodies respond to Lunar cycles and the moonlight always seems mysterious. Their aspects are as changeable as the faces of the Moon itself, and in many cultures the Moon has three Goddesses that share its three faces: Waxing (Maiden, youth and vitality), Full (Mother, nurture and protection), and Waning (Crone, age and wisdom). The Moon Goddesses were the guardians of the home and peacemakers. In Her bright aspects the Moon Goddess is the embodiment of the highest of human spiritual aspirations. She is the keeper of eternal knowledge, spiritual mysteries, sacred truths, the providers of inspiration and insight, nurture, healing, teaching and comfort. She is also a warrior Goddess who defends the helpless, is the champions of Witches and others who practice the ancient healing arts, and is the guardian of sacred love and the true heart. The Moon Goddess was responsible for the weather, fertility, love, laughter, wealth, success in the hunt and physical and mental health. In Her dark aspects She embodies all revenges, pains and terrors. She is portrayed as the mistress of sorceries and dark magicks, wreaker of revenge, instrument of Karma and attacker and destroyer. She is the bringer of plague, filth, disease, fear, nightmares and death. She is the punisher of men who harm those she protects, and is the judge of the worthiness of souls and the deliverer of divine justice. She is also often portrayed as a deceiver of men, and she who holds secrets and is untrustworthy or duplicitous, offering her support and favors in a whimsical way. Many of these aspects were created to explain away fearful things that occurred or to just have someone to blame, but the darker aspects were also often the only recourse for justice that women had available to them. As such, think of them not as good and bad aspects, but rather as passive and aggressive aspects of the same energy.

The most important Goddesses of many cultures were given the title of Moon Goddess and were considered to rule over the hearth and the home, womens arts, fertility, crops, rain, healing, and the success of hunting. Often the Moon Goddess was titled virgin, which in ancient times did not mean inexperienced in sex, but instead referred to any woman who lived independent of the support and control of a man. Many Goddesses are portrayed as disliking men, but this seems as much a reflection of the fear that men viewed independent women in as anything else. Like most things, the Moon Goddesses reflected the culture they were created by. In ancient Greece, Artemis known to the Romans as Diana, was the virgin huntress and Goddess of the woods who protected small children, women and wild animals. The 9 Fates were also aspects of the Moon who inspired all creative thought and artistic endeavors. Starting as a lioness goddess, Bast or Bastet was an Egyptian warrior goddess who could destroy. Around 1000 B.C., she took on the form to which she is commonly known, Cat Goddess, becoming the protector of the home and family. She is also the Goddess of love, joy and festivals. Prominent bright aspect Moon Goddesses are: the Irish Aine of Knockaine, the Arabian Allat and Al-Uzza, Ariadne of Crete, the Welsh Arianrhood and Blodeuwedd, the Babylonian Astarte, Bomu Rambi of West Africa/Zimbabwe, Brigit / Brighid / Bride (Ireland, Wales, Spain), the Welsh Cerridwen, Changing Woman of the Apaches, Danu of Ireland, the Norse Frigg / Frigga, Hathor of Egypt, the Hawaiian Hina, Ishtar / Inanna (of the Middle East, Asia), the Egyptian Isis, Ixchel of the Mayan culture, the Chinese Kuan Yin, Mama Quilla of the Incan culture, Mawu / Mawa in West Africa, Neit / Nit of Egypt, Nkosuano of Ghana, Norns / Wyrd of Norse, Germanic, and AngloSaxon cultures, Eostre / Ostara of Germanic culture, Samhain / Samen of Irish and Celtic culture, Saravasti of India, Spider Woman / Grandmother Spider in Native American culture, Tanit / Tanith in Carthage/Phoenecia, Wahini-Hai of Polynesian culture. Prominent dark aspect Moon Goddesses are: the Greek Circe, Grecian/Roman Hecate, the Norse Hel, the Indian Kali, Lilith of Hebrew and Sumerian culture, the Arabian Manat, Morrigan / The Morrigu in Wales, Ireland, Britain, the Greek Nemesis, the Egyptian Nepthys and Pasht, Scathach / Scath of Ireland, Scotland, and the Aztec Tlazolteotl.

Rev. Susan O. Davis