The Goddess of the Moon in the beliefs of different peoples is a reflection of the ancient lunar cult, related to fertility. Worshiping the lunar goddess was designed to ensure a good harvest, the birth of a healthy child. Women of various ethnic groups turned to the Moon for performing magical rites and practices, which were included in the history under the name of the lunar mysteries.
Greek goddess of the moon
The daughter of the glorified titans of Teil and Hyperion, the moon goddess in Greek mythology - Selena, personified the Greeks' moonlight. All natural phenomena are cyclical. On the change of the day, in the person of the goddess Gemery, the celestial vault lit up with the silent, reflective light of Selena, riding out on her silver chariot drawn by horses. Beautiful, but pale and sad is the face of Selena. The Greeks worshiped her as the goddess of tides, fertility. Selena is connected with the subconscious of a person - the ancient Greek priestesses appealed to her through dreams for advice on important issues.
In Hellenic (Greek) tradition, there were deities who migrated from other cultures. One such figure is the goddess of the moon, her name is Hecate, gloomy and mysterious. She possessed three bodies and controlled past, present and future this power was given by Zeus himself. Faces of the Moon Goddess:
- Daytime Hecate - the image of a mature, wise woman, patronizing people in forensic investigations, military actions, obtaining different knowledge.
- Night Hecate - cooking potions and poisons. Manages night hunting. The goddess of the dark moon is portrayed with a pack of red-eyed dogs running among the graves, in the snake's hair, and the face is beautiful and terrible at the same time. Patronizes murderers, scammers and lovers.
- Heavenly Hecat - the embodiment of spirituality, the image of a virgin young virgin. In this incarnation helps philosophers and scientists. Accompanies the souls of the dead on their way to the light.
The Goddess of the Moon from the Romans
The lunar cult of ancient Rome was similar to the Greek, and in the initial stage of worship the Roman goddess of the Moon, and was called - the Moon. Later, the Romans began to call her Diana, and in some provinces Trivia. On the surviving frescoes, Diana is depicted in a moon-colored tunic, with beautiful flowing hair, a spear or bow in her hands. The Goddess of the Moon Diana in the representation of people performed the functions:
- protection and protection of nature;
- obstetrics;
- the goddess of the moon and the hunt;
- patronage of the slaves and the poor;
- mistress of intersections and roads.
Interesting Facts:
- In honor of the goddess of the moon, the satellite of the planet Earth-Moon is named;
- Diana - asteroid 78 bears the name of the brilliant goddess of the Romans.
The Goddess of the Moon by the Slavs
The mother of all living things was the Slavic goddess of the moon - Divya, personifying light in the night. It was created by the supreme god Rod, in order to illuminate people's way in the night, when according to the beliefs of the Slavs, evil spirits are walking around, dark forces. Divya was depicted with a golden shining crown on her head, which manifested itself in the sky in the form of a moon. The goddess protected people during sleep, and sent bright colored dreams . Diwia's wife was Dy (Div) - together they personified the daily cycle: day and night.
Goddess of the Moon in Egypt
The cult of lunar gods among the Egyptians was considered paramount, in their view the moon influenced the fertility of the earth more than the sun. The moon was worshiped in the face of Bastet , Nut, Hathor, but the most magnificent was the Egyptian goddess of the moon - Isis, who lives on the star Sirius. The ancient magical cult of this goddess existed for a very long time and migrated to the esoteric circles of medieval Europe. Attributes of Isis:
- the curl of hair in the hair - the symbol of the moon, which affects the plants;
- a ball on the head, lying on a wreath of flowers - the universe;
- snakes - the magical power of the moon and its path through the sky;
- ears of wheat in the hair - a gift to mankind of the first grains and knowledge of the cultivation of fields;
- a bucket in the left hand - spilling the Nile;
- The musical instrument of the sisters in the right hand - creates vibrations for repelling the evil forces;
- embroidered with stars mantle and tunic, shimmering with moon shades - a symbol of the sky;
- a crescent moon in the field of the heart spreads rays to the earth for fertility.
Functions inherent in Isis:
- protection of pregnant and parturient women;
- patronage of travelers and sailors;
- The discoverer and priestess of magical practices;
- protects all life.
Goddess of the Moon by Indians
The goddesses of the moon from different peoples have a similar face and are endowed with the same powers. In some countries, the deity of the moon has a male hypostasis. India is a country with a huge pantheon of gods and a different plane of essences. Soma is the ancient god of the moon in Hinduism. Under the second name is known as Chandra. He is subject to time, people's minds and the whole universe. Soma is the source of the vitality of all beings, patronizes the northeast. In the images, Chandra appears as a deity with a copper skin color, sitting in a lotus flower on a chariot drawn by white horses or antelopes.
Chinese goddess of the moon
The original and more ancient name of the moon goddess in China is Changxi, which was later replaced by Chan E. The Chinese are very fond of telling the legend of this beautiful goddess. Very long time, when the Earth was under the scorching action of ten suns, the vegetation began to perish, the rivers dried up, and people died of thirst and hunger. They prayed, the survivors and heard their pleas, the arrow Hou I. The great hero with arrows shot down 9 suns, but left one, ordering him to hide for the night. Thus appeared day and night.
The emperor of the Celestial Empire awarded the arrow with the elixir of immortality. Hou I gave it to his beloved wife, Chan E. In the absence of her husband, Peng Meng burst into the house and wanted to take the elixir, but Chan E drank the medicine so it did not get to the robber. The wind picked up the light Chiang E and took to the sky in the Lunar Palace. Hou And very grieved, but once saw the face of his wife on the moon and realized that she became a moon goddess. Interesting Facts:
- The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is considered the day of Chan E. On this day people bring in a gift, put on the tables various fruits.
- The symbol of the goddess is the hare to Yutu. According to the legend, the animal offered itself as a sacrifice, for which Heavenly lord placed the eared in the Lunar palace with Chan E, so that she would not be so lonely. A hare in a mortar pours cinnamon for potions.
The servants of the moon goddess Changxi celebrate the lunar mystery every autumn. Lunar myths tell us that in the sands of the Great Desert there is a mountain of the Sun and the Moon, where, according to the beliefs, they come and go, each luminary in its turn. Goddess of the Moon Changxi, is the oldest, mentioned in mythological sources, the lunar deity of the Chinese. Wang-shu (a character about which little is known) carries Changxi through the sky in a chariot, illuminating the way of late travelers in the night. The moon goddess often appears in the form of a three-toad toad.
The moon goddess of the Japanese
The ministers of the moon goddess in Japan are Shintoists who preach the Shinto religion, which has survived to the present day unchanged. This is the "way of the gods" or a camouflage in the elements, spirits of nature, different deities. One such kami is the moon goddess Tsukiyomo in Japan, who most often appears in the male hypostasis and is called Tsukiyomi-no-kami (the spirit that calls the moon). Functions of the goddess / god of the moon:
- dominates the tides;
- knows the lunar calendar;
- patronizes the sea travelers;
The Goddess of the Moon from the Scandinavians
The gods and goddesses of the Moon are very revered by different peoples. The moon always attracted people with its mysterious and gentle light. Looking at the Scandinavian Moon, you can see a wagon driven by the moon god Mani, in which he carries two children, Biel (later became indirectly personify the goddess of the moon and time) and Hughes. Scandinavians saw in the Moon a reflection of the male principle, and in the Sun - a female one.
The legend of the northern tradition tells of the appearance of the lunar god. One created the Sun and the Moon from the fire of Muspelhane. The gods have become thoughtful, who will carry the stars in the sky. One heard how on earth, a man named Mundilfari brags that his children daughter Sol (Sun) and son Mani (Moon), surpassed the beauty of the heavenly creations created by the gods. One punished the proud father and sent his children to the sky to serve the people. Since then, Mani carries the moon across the sky, and after him chasing the wolf Hachi, who is trying to swallow the luminary.
Goddess of the Moon in the Gauls
The ancient Gauls preached the cult of the Great Mother Goddess, meeting under different names. The Gallic goddess of the Moon is known by the name of Corey, in her honor were erected temples in which only female priestesses could serve. Men worshiped the solar gods. Moon goddess Corey patronized such phenomena as:
- a bountiful harvest;
- the birth of healthy children;
- healing of female and mental ailments .
Goddess of the Aztec Moon
In the ancient beliefs of the Aztecs, the moon goddess and night, and also the Milky Way - Koyolshauki - the daughter of the goddess Coatlicue and the sword of volcanic magma. According to legend, she tried to kill her mother when she got pregnant from the hummingbird feathers, but Huitzilopochtli jumped out of the womb of Coatlicue in a frightening combat garment and killed Koyolshauki by chopping off his head, which he threw high into the skies. So the moon goddess appeared. The Aztecs believed that the Kojolshawki had the ability to:
- inflict great damage to a person (damage his mind);
- to control the star gods of Witznaun;
- to help in military operations.
Goddess of the Moon by the Celts
Ancient Celts noticed a similarity between the cycle of the moon: growth, fullness, decline with the cycle of development of a woman. The Great Goddess, so revered by the Celts, was also a lunar goddess in 3 hypostases: Virgo, Mother and the Old Woman. The fourth form of the goddess, the Enchantress, was known only to initiates in the cult of the Moon. The Celtic goddess of the moon in different periods personified the lunar phases:
- New Moon is the time of the face of the Temptress. Magic rituals. Give people the ability to clairvoyance.
- The Growing Moon is Virgo. Symbolizes the beginning, growth, youth.
- Full Moon - Mother. Maturity, strength, pregnancy, fertility, sexuality .
- Waning Moon - Old Woman. Withering, peace, wisdom, death as the end of the cycle.