Overview

The most visible symbol of feminine energy in the solar system is the Moon. Because it reflects the light from the sun, the pale orb in the night sky has come to represent a woman's reflective nature, her internalized response to the world.

The Moon rules the Fourth House, the House of home and family and the energy of Cancer, which is the Sign of nurturing and mothering. Moon looks after the fluffing of every pillow and is no stranger to growing the vegetables for each pot of home-cooked soup.

Women wield the most powerful creative force -- the ability to give birth. Moving in cycles throughout history, women have alternately been worshipped for possessing such vital magic and then become suspect, flipping roles to become the reactive, ready-to-serve female of the patriarchal era.

If the Moon has been more identified in our contemporary cultural myths with the passive side of women, let us not forget that it also exerts tremendous power (not unlike women) as it controls the tides in the oceans and the cycles in women's bodies. It waves its magic wand over plant growth and is the comforting night light all over the planet. In some indigenous cultures, women refer to their menstrual cycles as their "Moon," and a woman's power at the time of the month when she bleeds is considered so great that all kinds of special conditions must be observed out of respect for that energy.

The Moon makes us feel slightly "lunatic" at times, yet its strong influence in the grounded areas of home and the garden show how much its cycle connects us to our place. Decorating, repairing and cleaning all reflect our sense of ourselves in the world. When we need a change, we often move things around in our home, clean out a closet or even move to a new house, city or country.

Moon goddess qualities have manifested as "maternal instinct" and "feminine know-how." Women have a mystique, a reputation for never being exactly like they appear, much like the Moon who changes size and shape in relation to the horizon nightly.

The Moon affects some women more strongly than others. Princess Diana, who shares the name of the Moon Goddess, experienced many critical life events during eclipses. Her response to the world was extremely internalized, inspiring her to work to improve living conditions for the impoverished and oppressed all across the globe. Click here to understand how she has come to represent the many roles of women.

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