RealPagan- Paganism for the Real World

While doing a bit of looking at lunar phases, I came across something that I hadn't realized before.


Being a northern hemisphere gal my whole life, I tend to look at things from the viewpoint of the northern hemisphere--for sabbats, for astrological aspects, and so on.

 

Most people are familiar with the currently popular triple goddess symbol comprised of a waxing crescent, full moon, and waning crescent as follows:

)O(

 

Here in the northern hemisphere, that works out great. Check out the lunar calendar for the northern hemisphere for this month:

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/moon/phases_10_2011.htm

 

If you put, say, the moon from October 2, the moon from October 12, and the moon from October 23 next to each other, you'd get that )O( symbol.

 

But watch what happens when we move it to the southern hemisphere lunar calendar:

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/moon/phases_10_2011_S.htm

 

If you put those same dates next to each other, you get waxing-full-waning displayed as (O). 

 

This brings up some interesting theological questions, including does the triple goddess symbol have relevance if you're living in the southern hemisphere? I'd be curious to hear members from the southern hemisphere weigh in. 

 

I'm also curious if anyone else has thought about this...again, my northern hemisphereocentric views came in to play with this. It never occurred to me that it wouldn't work for other people. 

 

Any thoughts?

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Replies to This Discussion

This is very interesting ... I am in the northern Hemisphere but I used the ( 0 ) in a side walk we had poured last month .. I just didn't remember how it went and when I thought I done it wrong .. I felt it was right as I was making it in the wet concrete .. So Who is to say what it right and wrong and go with what ever your heart tells you to ..  Blessing Bella
I think if I lived in the Southern Hemisphere it wouldn't matter as much to me, I always thought of it as just a symbol. BUT I have to admit I am unaware of whether or not it is a symbol used ritually or if the changing of the symbol would somehow change magic/energy. I've just always viewed it in the same way I'd view a cross...a symbol of a belief and a religion but not a tool. Is it used as a tool for some?
Wow! Very interesting. Thanks so much for looking into this!

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