One reason Paganism has caught the imagination of so many people is its recognition of the female side of divinity. Although on the abstract theological level the Judaeo-Christian God most of us grew up with is beyond gender, in His everyday manifestations He has been exclusively male. And now a religion comes along that claims that the divine is at least equally female. The concept has been transformative for many women and not a few men.
Neo-Pagans revere a multitude of female deities. The one that is most worshipped by Wiccans is the Goddess, the Mother of All. She is just what her title says; the mother of phenomena, living or not, and mother in all its meanings. She is the giver of birth, the nourisher, the teacher, and the one who disciplines. Many Neo-Pagans see the other Goddesses worshipped throughout the world as her different faces, and so she is simply called "the Goddess." Others choose to see other Goddesses as existent but in some sense lesser, while still others do not even worship an overreaching Goddess. (Trying to pin down Paganism is like trying to herd cats.) Wiccans, though, who form a majority of Neo-Pagans, worship a Goddess in some form. This chapter will therefore by mostly directed at them.
Although "Mother Earth" is one of her most common titles, the moon is equally her symbol, and Wiccans give it special reverence. She shines down on everyone in the world, always changing, always the same. Even when she cannot be seen her presence is felt. Even when apparently gone she sends us blessings and teaching. As Queen of the Night, she is the guardian of secrets. Because of the connection between the lengths of the menstrual cycle and the lunar cycle she is the patroness of women's mysteries. She rules the seas and our bodies in the tides. And her affect on lovers is well known.
As she changes above, the moon shows us the different faces of the Goddess. When the moon is waxing, she is the Maiden. She is the young and developing woman, the dancer and singer. When the moon is full, she is the Mother. It is she who holds us safe in her arms, and on whom we can call for help. And when she is dark, she is the Crone. She is the wise woman who teaches us her wisdom; she holds nothing back if we have the strength to learn it, but it is she who will call us to her in the end.
The moon taught people to measure time. Day and night are a flickering of light, and the year passes slowly, but the moon is our clock in the sky. The word "month" obviously is related to "moon," and the roots of words for measurement, though not related, are similar. The earliest measurements that have been discovered are scratches on bone and stone that may have recorded the moon's phases.
It is the Dark Moon and the Full Moon that are most commonly celebrated by Wiccans, the opposing points of Mother and Crone, the cusps on which the changes take place. The return of the moon is also a fitting day for celebration, though. She has not died, she has been changed, and life goes on. Indeed, this is a monthly reminder that life continues, even after seeming death.
It is for this reason that some say it was the moon's cycle that taught us about rebirth. It is certain that it holds deep mysteries: of change without death, of growth, of womanhood. Knowledge of these comes with maturity and practice. They are taught in covens and the women's lodges, and are granted to those who meditate on the moon. In their fullness they are not dealt with easily in a family context.
But very young children can follow the moon's phases. They can be taught their names, shapes, and times of rising. They can also add to this knowledge with ritual awareness.
The mysteries of the changing of the moon will come to children in time. They are taught by myth, example, ritual and experience. The family ritual, though, should be less heavy-handed. It is enough to observe three of the moon's points: the dark, the return, and the full. Time and the Goddess will do the rest.
Since the Bible forbids kissing one's hand to the moon (Job 31:26-7) it's a pretty good bet this was a Pagan custom. Form the horned hand (see figure 7) with your main hand, by making a fist and extending your index and little fingers. Kiss it, and then extend your arm towards the moon so you can see the moon cradled between the horns. Greet the moon this way each night when you see her for the first time, especially on the New Moon.
Figure 7
Decorations: Mirrors, crystals, white and silver ribbons. Or make a moon hanging: braid three ribbons or cords together. Use white, silver, and light blue, or white, light blue, and dark blue, or white, red, and black. These last three are used by some Pagans to symbolize the three phases of the moon. Braid only part of it and leave the rest hanging. Attach the braid end to the back of a round mirror, a silver metal disk, or a wooden disk painted silver, and hang it on the wall.
These rituals require a Moon candle. This is a large white or silver candle, preferably unscented. Keep it in your shrine, a companion to your sun candle. On moon festivals put it on the table. Its base may be decorated. Designs may be cut into it with a hot knife.
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