 Fantasy: July 16, 2008 Issue [#2496] |
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It’s our closest celestial body, and its influence upon culture and folklore is probably more important than the sun’s. In fantasy writing the Moon is an important tool, because while it is a nightly constant it is also ever changing, and this adaptability has given rise to many different myths, traditions and superstitions. The natural phenomena associated with the Moon have enhanced its powerful mystic status, and in this newsletter I hope to feature some of her lesser known mythology.
The Sun’s warmth and power are obvious to virtually every life form on Earth. The Moon’s power is more subtle, and said to be more occult than the Sun’s. The Moon rules over growth, nature’s hidden processes, the dark and shadowed places on Earth and all fluid elements on our planter, such as the oceans. The ancients believed the Moon could draw upon the hidden secrets of the stars and constellations in our galaxy, filtering them down to Earth to enrich all life forces living here.
There are eight distinct phases to the moon: Dark/New Moon, Waxing Crescent Moon, First Quarter Moon, Waxing Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous Moon, Last Quarter Moon and Waning Crescent Moon. A variety of beliefs are associated with some of the phrases, and some of these could be applied to any storyline where the Moon features.
A New Moon on Saturday meant the next 20 days would be filled with wind and rain. Two New Moons in one month would be followed by a month of bad weather, while a New Moon on a Monday guaranteed excellent weather in the forthcoming month. If you catch sight of a New Moon, bow to her, and turn over the coins in your pocket – this will bring you a good deal of luck. An old English legend states that a death during a New Moon would be followed by three more deaths of family members.
Viewing a Crescent Moon over one’s right shoulder is considered lucky, but seeing it over the left shoulder is a sure sign that bad luck is on the way. The Crescent Moon was an important symbol in Eastern cultures and mythology, and is a symbol of the Islamic faith.
Anyone who moves to a new home during a Waning Moon will never go hungry. It is not considered a good idea to marry during the Waning Moon, and people born at this phase may face many challenges during life. Residents of Cornwall believed a son born during a Waning Moon meant the next child born to the family would be a girl.
A Full Moon on Friday the 13th makes the day even more unlucky than traditionally believed. In some parts of the world farmers still believe crops sown during a Full Moon will be ready for harvest a month earlier than those planted during the Waxing Moon. It is said anyone born during a Full Moon will have a blessed and comfortable life. Another ancient belief states that cats’ eyes open wider during a Full Moon than at any other of the moon’s phases.
** Image ID #1448673 Unavailable ** The Wolf Moon is the first full moon of the year; the full moon in January. This Native American name refers to the hungry wolf packs that congregate and howl outside their villages.
** Image ID #1448673 Unavailable ** The Wet Moon, also known as a Cheshire Moon, describes a crescent moon with its “horns” pointing up into the sky away from the horizon. This name originates in Hawaii, where the moon was thought to resemble a bowl holding water. The period when the Wet Moon appears corresponds with the astrological period for Aquarius.
** Image ID #1448673 Unavailable ** The Dry Moon is the exact opposite, with the crescent horns pointing down towards the horizon, resembling an emptied bowl.
** Image ID #1448673 Unavailable ** A Blue Moon appears once every three years, and refers to the thirteenth full moon in a year or the second full moon in a calendar month. This occurs because the differences between a calendar and a lunar month means 11 days are spare at the end of each lunar year. The timing of the festivals of Lent and Easter are dependent upon the full moon, and it is though the clergy in England would refer to the occasional blue moon as Betrayer Moon. And while the Blue Moon will appear blue with enough smoke or dust particles in the atmosphere, it has attracted much folklore and superstition. It was once believed the Blue Moon had a face and could speak to anything in its moonlight. Some cultures claim the person you are with during a Blue Moon is your soul mate.
** Image ID #1448673 Unavailable ** A Dark Moon is relatively rare, occurring in February. It is used to describe an invisible moon, which happens when the moon and sun are in conjunction. This period lasts up to three days, when the crescent of a new moon becomes visible. It’s not a commonly used term, but historical references clearly differentiate between a “Dark” and a “New” moon. In parts of England it was once thought a Dark Moon on Christmas Day meant the harvest would be good, while a waning moon signified a difficult year ahead.
** Image ID #1448673 Unavailable ** A Black Moon can occur when there is no full moon in a calendar month. It is a rare phenomenon, next due in February 2018 when January and March will each experience a Blue Moon.
Native American tribes kept track of the changing seasons by giving a specific name to each monthly full moon. Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. European settlers following this tradition added a few of their own names. Some of these names are still in use today:
January - Wolf Moon. Named for the howling wolf packs gathered outside villages in the January cold and snow. Also called the Old Moon, the Ice Moon or the Moon after Yule.
February - Full Snow Moon. Named for winter’s heaviest snow month, some tribes called this moon the Full Hunger Moon, because the harsh weather made hunting very difficult. The snow storms earned this moon the name Storm Moon.
March - Full Worm Moon. As warmer weather approaches, the ground begins to thaw. Earthworm casts appear, and so does the robin. Northern tribes named this moon Full Crow Moon, in honour of the cawing of the crows which indicated winter was over. Another name, the Full Crust Moon, describes the crusting appearance of the snow from the daily thaw and the nightly freeze.because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Tap Moon commemorated the beginning of the annual tapping of maple trees. Early settlers called the March moon the Lenten Moon, meaning the last full moon in winter. Other March full moon names: Chaste Moon and Sugar Moon.
April - Full Pink Moon. Named for the pink coloured wild ground phlox, one of the first flowers of spring. Other names for April’s full moon include the Seed Moon, Waking Moon, Full Sprouting Grass Moon and the Egg Moon. Coastal tribes named it the Full Fish Moon for the month the shad swam upstream to begin spawning.
May -Full Flower Moon. In this month flowers blossom in great abundance, hence the name for the full moon. Other names include the Milk Moon, Hare's Moo or the Full Corn Planting Moon.
June - Full Strawberry Moon. Named for the month during which strawberries are harvested, other names for this month's moon are Honey Moon, Hot Moon and Planting Moon. In European countries this moon was named the Rose Moon.
July - The Full Buck Moon. In July the deer’s new antlers emerge, covered in soft, velvety fur. The frequent thunderstorms of July earned the month another name; the Full Thunder Month. The Full Hay Moon is another name for the July full moon July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Other names for this month's Moon are the Mead Moon and the Full Hay Moon.
August - Full Sturgeon Moon. Fishing tribes named this moon because of the abundance of the sturgeon fish caught during August. Some tribes named the August moon the Full Red Moon, for the reddish appearance of the rising moon in any hazy air. Other names include the Green Corn Moon, Lightning Moon, Dog Moon and the Grain Moon.
September - Full Harvest Moon. Named for its proximity to the autumn equinox, this moon doesn’t always appear in September – once every three years it appears in October. Farmers can work late into the September nights by the light of this full moon, which is also called the Barley Moon and the Fruit Moon.
October - Full Hunter's Moon. The deer are fattened, and as the autumn leaves fall from the trees so it’s time for hunting. This might be the reason for the alternative name Travel Moon. Man’s prey is easy to see because the fields have been reaped and vegetation is thinning, hence the name Dying Grass Moon.
November - Full Beaver Moon. During this months beavers are busy preparing for their own winter. This moon is also called the Frosty Moon.
December - Full Cold Moon or Full Long Nights Moon. During this month winter’s grip takes firm hold in the longest and darkest nights of the year. The December moon has also been called the Moon Before Yule and the Oak Moon.
I have only touched on some of the minor folklore, beliefs and traditions associated with the Moon in this issue. Next month I will include some more moon facts and mythology about one of the most important influences upon cultures and countries from all across the world.
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faithjourney
That is amazing! As a Christian I have always been fascinated by the Tree of Life. I didn't realize it spanned across cultures and religion. It's amazing how much we have in common around the world. It reminds us of how we are ultimately linked together, both as humans and as part of this amazing world. Thanks for the great newsletter!
I also found the symbolism in all the cultures fascinating. And I do think all of us, despite our different cultures and locations, are linked. I am reminded of John Donne’s words “no man is an island”. I hate to see trees being cut down – it’s the thought that something that takes so many years (sometimes centuries) to grow can be killed by man in such a short time.
maryelle
I printed out this newsletter to share with my husband, he is into transcendentalism and will appreciate greatly appreciate it. Great newsletter!
Thank you! I hope your husband enjoyed it!
Lauriemariepea 
Thank you for yet another well-researched and informative newsletter. I've heard of the Tree of Life and was aware of the intrinsic symbolism for years, but you've shed light for me on the history and power of the image. I'm inspired, mulling and grinding those mental gears...
Well, knowing how well your mental gears do grind I look forward to seeing what ensues! Thanks for your support, LMP! 
emerin-liseli
Thanks for featuring my short story "The Origin" ! I really appreciated it. And this was a great newsletter - I never really thought about how pervasive Tree imagery is in Fantasy. I recently read a great series by Libba Bray that also featured a world with a sort of Tree of life.
I never realised how important the Tree of Life was until I moved to Turkey. I liked the way it is depicted in the film “The Fountain” – wonderful imagery.
JJ
In the mythology of a fantasy world from a video game I'm quite fond of, "Summoner 2", a "tree of life" is prominent:
"... In the sand she [Laharah, the creator] sowed the seed from which the Tree of Eleh grew. Aosi is the wind that blows through its branches.
"With blood, sand, and a branch of the tree, Laharah made the First Born... we are their children. With our eyes we see the wind...
"... A storm rose up and broke the Tree of Eleh... How to heal the broken tree?... Laharah sailed from Halassar to dream the silent mystery.
"... a child of the mark is born. Laharah. Queen and savior... she is the goddess reborn."
The 4 elements of magic in the game are sand, blood, tree and eye (all drawn from the above prophecy, an interesting idea), and it is revealed that there is no Laharah, just Creation (the Tree of Eleh) and Destruction (the storm that destroyed the tree). Aosi is like the blueprint of creation; if a tree is written in Aosi, then a tree comes into existence.
Wonderful references – this game sounds like one I’d be interested in playing. I have a great affinity for role playing games. Have you heard of “Arcanum”? That’s the one I’ve been playing for a few weeks now, and I love it. Your letter proves just how much of an inspiration a computer game can be! Thank you for sharing this information.
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