The most notable moon symbolism is the symbolism of femininity. Where the sun represents male qualities and male energy, the moon stands for the opposite of that. It’s like the yin and yang, where one is not viable without the other.
The moon also represents cyclical patterns. During the night, watching the moon can be a mesmerizing thing. When it’s big and round, we get charmed by its grandiose appearance. Other times when it’s only partly visible, we almost tend to forget about it. It follows a cycle that keeps repeating itself, which symbolizes all-natural cycles that happen on our planet (and to us).
The moon also dictates our emotions and the happenings on Earth, such as the tides of the ocean. It influences the way animals behave and how we behave to an extent. That’s why the moon is such a powerful symbol of influence and even subtlety.
Other symbols of the moon include darkness, mystery, emotion, renewal, time, and transition. Let’s take a closer look at each symbolism of the moon.
[lwptoc]
Moon Symbolism & Meanings
Here’s what the moon represents.
1. Natural Cycle
The moon is always changing, depending on what time we’re in. Every day, we see the moon differently because of its position relative to the Earth and the Sun. That’s why the moon is sometimes more illuminated, while other days, it’s barely visible.
Just like the moon, everything in life has its own cycle. We as humans wake up every morning, go to work, and go to sleep at the end of the day. This never-ending cycle is what keeps us “ticking”. Take, for example, the ocean cycles, outlined in our ocean symbolism article.
The moon phases also represent growth and decline. When we’re young, we grow up and we’re full of energy until we reach our peak – signified by the brightness of the full moon. But when we get older, this energy is gone and we’re not as strong as we used to be. It’s the same cycle as the moon.
2. Femininity
The sun represents male energy, while the moon represents feminine energy. It’s like the yin and yang. Normally, we connect the moon to the feminine qualities of our character, such as passion and delicacy.
This polar difference between the moon and the sun is displayed in the characters of each. The sun is hot and bright, while the moon is cold and not as bright as the sun. They represent the polar differences, which is why we sometimes connect the moon to the yin, while the sun is the yang.
See Also: Sun Metaphors
3. Subconscious
We’re asleep at night, and we don’t know exactly what’s happening around us. The night is full of secrets and mysteries, which we can connect to our subconscious thoughts.
And the moon does its “job” behind the scenes when we sleep. When the moon is full, it’s believed to have a strong effect on everything living on Earth. Sometimes, we’re moody or especially nervous because of this.
4. Influence
The moon influences us in ways that we are not even aware of. Without knowing, we might be affected by the moon’s phases. It is said that when the moon is full, humans tend to be especially active, or irritated, or overly emotional.
On others, it can have the reverse effects. The full moon might make them sleepy and angry, even. It also has clear effects on how animals behave, who become more active when the moon is out.
As such, the moon has effects on us and everything around us. It also controls the tides of the ocean, making it a powerful yet somewhat hidden influence on planet Earth.
5. Darkness
The moon is out during the night, so we also connect it to darkness. When it’s not completely lighted up, the nights are darker and for that reason, they might seem even scarier. So even if the moon is bright sometimes, it’s a symbol of darkness.
That’s also partly because it’s the polar opposite of the sun. The latter is much brighter than the moon, so it seems like the moon is pale compared to the sun.
Also, we tend to connect the moon to the darker side of our character. This part of us remains hidden, just like the moon that comes out during the night.
See Also: Morning Star Symbolism
6. Mystery
There’s an element of mystery when we think about the moon and the stars. After all, the night is somewhat mysterious and we don’t know exactly what happens outside as we’re asleep. Night time is a time for vampires, for example!
The moon is a mysterious entity. Or at least, it was until about 50 years ago. For the significant portion of humanity, though, the moon was an unexplored entity, even though it seemed relatively close to us.
Interestingly, it was not until 1609 that human beings started to take a closer interest in the moon itself. It was Galileo Galilei who was one of the first luminaries to start exploring the moon closely. He was the first one to observe it with a telescope closely and discover it had valleys and mountains, just like planet Earth has.
7. Emotion
It’s often said that the moon drives our emotions and that we’re closely affected by the moon’s size. When the moon is high and shiny, it’s believed that it has a strong impact on how we feel and behave.
It brings out strong emotions from us, whether it is in terms of romance or even aggression. It’s certainly clearly visible with animals, especially the ones that are active at night. They tend to be the most active when the moon is at its highest and its brightest, which goes to show that it has strong effects on their feelings, too.
8. Renewal
The night is time to renew ourselves, which is also the time when the moon comes up. When the moon is out, we’re asleep and recovering from the day we’ve had. This makes the moon a sign of renewal.
Another way we can connect the moon to renewal is through the moon’s phases. Eventually, the moon will become full again, even if it’s not very bright at one point.
9. Eternity
The moon has always been there, somewhere on the horizon, even if human beings didn’t know exactly what it is. It seemed mysterious and interesting for people for thousands of years, even though it was only recently that we landed on it.
It’s been around far longer than humanity itself, too. The moon was created around 4.5 billion years ago, while humanity has lasted only for about 200.000 years altogether!
The 4 Meanings of Moon in Dreams
Have you recently dreamt about the moon? Here is what that could mean for you.
10. Flying to the Moon
If you’re flying to the moon, this could have two meanings for you. The first one is that you’re “flying” away from your responsibilities, which could happen if your job is taking a serious toll on you and your current life situation.
The other potential meaning is that you’re striving for more freedom in your life. If you feel somewhat limited in one of your areas in life, then this could represent exactly what you’re looking for.
11. Reaching Out and Touching the Moon
This dream of reaching out to the moon and stars is symbolic for people who are perfectionists and always look for more, no matter the situation. Just be careful not to go too far, though.
Another potential meaning of this dream is that you’re not happy with your life situation and that you want more. The moon represents your dream, your ideal life scenario, which might not be happening for you in your real life.
12. Moon Exploding
If the moon has exploded in your dreams, it means you’re doing something in your life that seems impractical to you. Eventually, what you’re doing right now will one day “explode” and result in serious damage to you and the people close to you.
Alternatively, this might also represent your current negative feelings about your situation. If you feel like everything is about to blow in your life, then this sort of dream is exactly what you might experience.
13. Dreaming of a Bright Moon
Dreaming of a bright moon, on the other hand, is a positive thing. It means that you’re currently happy with your life and that things are looking bright at the moment. It also represents a bright future for you and your family.
If you experience this, then it’s a sign that you should keep enjoying life as you have been so far. It’s also a sign that everything will go well in the future, especially if you have an idea that you’re not too sure about.
Final Thoughts
The moon represents feminine qualities and a natural cycle that occurs when the moon goes through its phases. Moon symbolism is seen in almost everything on planet Earth – our lives also follow this cycle.
It’s interesting to explore the meaning of the moon in dreams – in some cases, it represents something that needs to change in your life. However, it can also be symbolic of your good situation and it is thought to bring you luck for the future.
I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.