Understanding our Moon Mother

A Mother’s Love The day I met my mother-in-law and my 7- and 6-year-old nieces for the first time changed my life forever. For nearly their whole lives, the girls had lived with their grandmother. Then, on that day, the younger of the two ran up to me, having just met me, she stretched out her tiny hand, took mine, smiled up at me, and asked, “Now that you’ve married my uncle, will you be my new mother?”

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Mother. A word I’d never truly understood until that moment. We grow up thinking we know what it means, until that instant you become one. I became her mother that day, when I looked into her eyes and knew she needed me. She needed me in a way that she needed no one else. It hit me like lightning that nothing else mattered but her. And I would sacrifice anything and everything to ensure her happiness and wellbeing, and so much more. So much deeper. Many years later I finally had the opportunity to give birth myself, and I can tell you, I felt the very same bolt of lightning for each of them when I looked into their tiny faces for the first time. It is a love that, as they say, “you will never understand until you have children of your own.”

There is one profound truth that unites us all, regardless of background or life circumstances: every single one of us began our journey in this world within our mother’s womb. Whether our birth mother fully embraced her role or another stepped in, our consciousness awakened while we were still intrinsically connected to her, continuously nourished by her, feeling what she felt, completely encompassed by her life force. It was during this time that our silent mind was formed—what we call the ‘sub’conscious. In many ways, this is our truest self, our first self, the being that existed before words, logic, and reason. Many studies have shown that as our brains develop in early childhood, they divide tasks and processes between the two hemispheres. The hemisphere that governs the left side of our body is primarily ruled by the ‘sub’conscious, this silent mind, your Lunar-self. This is where the brain-gut connection resides, where instinct and raw emotion originate. This is the source of that deep knowing, that inexplicable “I don’t know why, I just know” feeling. In today’s world, we often demonize, fight against, or completely ignore our Lunar-selves. This leads to many of us feeling unbalanced, as if there is a constant battle raging within. This side of you is where your deepest connections to others reside, reflecting that same intrinsic connection to your mother. Being disconnected from this aspect of yourself can lead to difficulty forming and maintaining meaningful bonds. It’s so much more than just emotions. Associated with water and the depths of consciousness, the energy of your Moon Mother is channeled through the Sacral Chakra. This is literally “the dwelling place of the self,” and the first part of our corporal form to develop in the womb. It's where we grew outward from our umbilical cord, our first connection to our mothers, and unsurprisingly, it’s the same place as our reproductive organs, linking generations in an unbreakable chain. This is the vital creative energy within us, and if blocked, it leads to feelings of stagnation, frustration, and an incurable loneliness. Hence, understanding and embracing your Moon sign, this way acknowledging your Moon Mother, is not just about knowing your emotions; it's about reconnecting with your truest self, fostering deeper relationships, and unleashing your creative potential. It’s about honoring the ancient wisdom that lives within you, the silent knowing that has always been there, guiding you from the depths of your being. Allow yourself to explore this inner world, and you may find the answers, connections, and creativity you’ve been searching for.

Recently, I sat with my mother, her hand in mine, my head resting on her shoulder. Having finished raising her children, she has begun the chapter of grandmotherhood and I have started seeking her advice with my now teenage daughter. As we sat together, she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “It doesn’t seem so long ago… I still remember you when you were a baby, and a little girl, and even when you were her age.” At that moment, I felt the chain of motherhood, which is beautifully symbolized by the Triple Goddess archetype. Three in one, this ancient symbol embodied in the waxing, waning, and full moon phases, beautifully illustrates the three stages of motherhood. First we see the Maiden, like the waxing moon she is full of potential, the potential mother. She is the adolescent girl-rebellious, proud, and brimming with her own ambition. Wild and free, she embodies the tension between her desire for independence and her fiercely protective nature as a daughter and sister. We all recognize this sisterly love, marked by its innocence and naive understanding of duty, devotion, and sacrifice. Next, we witness the majesty of the Great Mother, the stage where a woman is in the midst of raising her children. In this archetype we see that she is profoundly nurturing, endlessly caring, and serves as the unwavering emotional anchor of the home. She carried the Maiden’s protective fire into this phase, now prepared to go beyond what’s necessary, to sacrifice all for her babies. Like the full moon, the stage of the Great Mother is all-encompassing. A Great Mother pours all the light within her into her children, radiating grounded strength. She demonstrates her remarkable capability and resilience as she navigates the challenges of motherhood with grace and fortitude. She reminds us of her deep roots in the cycles of life and fertility found throughout nature. Finally, we find the Crone, the Grandmother, we embodies the profound wisdom accumulated over a lifetime. Having gracefully navigated the other stages of motherhood, she acts as a trusted mentor to the younger generations, offering sage advice and unwavering support. Through nurturing wisdom born from deep self-acceptance she guides us to find our own path. Reflecting the waning moon, the Crone often possesses a heightened connection to the spirit realm, intuitive insights, and the profound mysteries of life, death, and the enduring legacy we leave behind. I know that if I were to ask my mother to describe her love for her grandchildren, she would say, “You’ll never understand until you have grandchildren of your own,” just as she once said about her love for her children. And I’d believe her. Regardless of how old our mother is, or even if our mother isn’t the woman who gave us life, there is always something profound to be learned from her.

So, do you know your Moon sign as well as you know your Sun sign? If the answer is no, then you only know half of yourself. I know I fell into the trap of knowing my Sun and Ascendant signs before ever learning about my Moon sign, but your Moon sign literally rules the left side of your brain. Knowing it is far more important than knowing your Ascendant sign, and yet so many of us overlook it completely, then wonder why we feel like there is a battle inside us! You will never find balance until you fully embrace your first self, your Lunar-self. Embrace your Moon Mother, and she’ll show you the depths of your soul.