LUNAR INFLUENCE
The average notion of the Moon’s action is that it affects the tides and
lunatics. Beyond this the popular encyclopedia does not go, and the
average man himself is not observant of anything in Nature except the
way of his fellow-man.
A little study, however, will show that the Moon, while influencing the
tides, affects also all fluidic life on the globe. It appreciably
affects the sap-cells of plants and trees. It exerts a direct influence
on blood pressure in the animal body, and consequently affects the brain
and nervous system of human beings, and excites a variety of passions
and impulses which are but remotely connected with the lunar orb itself.
It may even be a fact that on account of the observed influence of the
Moon upon the physical system of man, the ancients said that it ruled
“the populace,” and made of it a common significator of public affairs.
For it must be remembered that the belief in lunar influence in mundane
affairs, ordinarily presumed to be of human origination and under human
control, was prevalent before the days of printing and encyclopædic
knowledge, possibly before the art of writing was invented, and men then
depended entirely on their powers of observation for whatever knowledge
they had. As many of the ancient astronomical statements will show,
their powers of observation were almost the equal of our scientific
instruments. Thus Dr. Pouchet rightly says: “Hipparchus and Ptolemy had
no instruments to scrutinize the heavens with. The astronomers of the
Renaissance, such as Regiomontanus, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Kepler,
were scarcely more favoured, and yet how many immortal discoveries do we
owe to them! They seem with their lynx eyes to have seen or divined
everything!”
They observed not only the courses of the stars and planets as well as
those of the luminaries, but what is of more human interest, they
watched the effects that these bodies had upon the course of human
events and upon nations and persons. That the Moon influenced the
weather was the logical deduction from the fact of its influence upon
the waters of the earth. For obviously the Moon must not only be
water-lifter, but also a cloud-lifter, and its effects upon the
atmosphere itself must be in proportion to the saturation point of the
air from hour to hour according to the incidence of its rays. Only when
all meteorological methods have failed to indicate the kind of weather
we are likely to have, to predict the kind of summer we shall have, or
even to explain such as we have, then men throw about for new ideas, and
frequently manage to seize upon old ones. This of the Moon’s influence
on the weather is one such.
I have this following note of intelligence from the _Daily Mail_ of the
14th August last: “The tides follow the Moon; local weather conditions
are indisputably affected by the tides. Scientific meteorologists no
doubt laugh the belief to scorn, but observers who are not scientific
can produce sufficient data to prove that a change of weather coinciding
with a change of the Moon is usually lasting.” The _Daily Mail_ is
right. But unfortunately the theory of the Moon’s influence on the
weather has been badly distorted since the learned and observant Dr.
Clark took the matter in hand and formulated a theory based on
observations conducted over a very long period.
His theory goes to show that the Moon does not act directly upon the
weather, but by a tidal action upon the Earth’s atmospheric envelope,
which accordingly depends upon the time of the Moon’s syzygies and
quadratures. It is this time-factor that has been overlooked and
neglected. Reduced to a single sentence, the lunar theory may be stated
as follows:—The nearer to midnight any phase of the Moon may occur, the
finer will be the weather during the ensuing week, and consequently the
nearer to midday it may occur, the more humid will be the weather. The
barometer which shows the atmospheric pressure at a mean altitude will
consequently be affected in terms of the above statements, and as it
ranges from 28° to 30° over these islands, we may also indicate the
state of the barometer from the Moon’s phases. For it will be seen that,
so long as there is but moderate wind, the barometer will answer to the
Moon’s phases in harmony with the weather. Very strong winds without
rainfall will affect the barometer and register a fall. I have
endeavoured to embody the whole of this theory of the Moon’s action on
the weather in a single diagram.
[Illustration: Figure 26.]
In attempting to account for a very wet summer in the year 1912, and a
record downfall of rain in the month of August, I shall have to refer to
the times of the phases of the Moon since the solstice. Here are the
dates and times, taken from the Ephemeris of Greenwich.
June 21. First Quarter 8.39 p.m. Fair.
” 29. Full Moon 1.34 p.m. Wet. Stormy.
July 7. Last Quarter 4.47 p.m. Unsettled.
” 14. New Moon 1.13 p.m. Wet. Stormy.
” 21. First Quarter 5.18 a.m. Change.
” 29. Full Moon 4.28 a.m. Change.
Aug. 6. Last Quarter 4.18 a.m. Change.
” 12. New Moon 7.58 p.m. Change to Fair.
” 19. First Quarter 4.57 p.m. Unsettled.
” 29. Full Moon 7.59 p.m. Change to Fair.
Here there are indications of plenty of variable and changeable weather,
with splashes of very wet and stormy weather, and just a suspicion of
fair in the whole period.
But this class of observation does not help us much, for there are other
factors in the cosmos beside the Moon, which, although nearest the earth
and exerting much influence of its own kind upon mundane things, is not
a very considerable factor when regarded in its cosmic relations to
other great bodies in the system. The idea that the Moon is the only
body capable of affecting the weather is hardly to be sustained by
reference to the facts. It is thoroughly well established that the
phases of any of the planets, that is to say, their conjunctions,
oppositions and quadratures with the Sun, as seen from the Earth, are
accompanied by marked effects upon the weather. Dr. Clark’s theory seems
to suggest that fine weather follows the Moon, or at all events that the
weather will be finest in those places whereat the Moon is nearest the
meridian at the time of one of its phases. There is a great deal to be
said for this theory if we distinguish between the syzygies and
quadratures.
But if the Moon has any action on the Earth’s atmosphere, the planets
also must exert an appreciable effect, and it may lead to some
well-established theory if we include the positions of certain of the
planets at the quadratures and syzygies. In such case it is reasonable
to presume that those planets which are near the meridian and horizon at
the times of the equinoxes and solstices are likely to give us some
indication of the probable weather during the following season, and
similarly, such as are near these angles at the syzygy may show the
modifications likely to occur during the ensuing month. A series of
observations such as these would probably lead to the association of
certain features of the weather with the various planets. Astrologers
have already completed their observations, but that should not prevent
an independent series of observations being made by those who wish to
come to independent conclusions in the matter, and the subject is one
that deserves attention at the hands of scientific men.
But lunar action does not begin and end with its effects on the weather.
There are other and even more important effects to be noted, and
although they are more recondite in their nature, and not so well
grounded in reasons which would appeal to any but Occultists, they
nevertheless deserve attention. One of these is the effect of the Moon
in human affairs. We can all appreciate the effects that the Moon has on
the waters, for we can see the rise and fall of the tides, but that more
subtle influence that the luminary has upon the finer states of matter
in and about the earth is not so readily appreciated. But it will be
found none the less a fact if put to the test.
What we may call the tidal point is that point midway between the Sun
and Moon at any time. Suppose it to be a new moon to-day, at the hour of
noon. The Sun and Moon will then come to the meridian at the same time
that they are conjoined in the same longitude. To-morrow they will be
about 12° apart when they come to the meridian, and the next day they
will be 24° apart. Now as one degree passes the meridian every four
minutes, the daily difference of Tide-time will be (12 × 4)/2, or 24
minutes. Local conditions affect the time at which high tide occurs, and
also the effect of the joint action of the Sun and Moon will take time
to produce. Consequently we do not see that the tides exactly
synchronize with the transit of the Tide-point.
But there is a great difference between ether and water, and between
mind and matter. What we know as the Astral Tide occurs exactly at the
time of the transit of the Tide-point, and this fact is of the highest
importance to those who would avail themselves of celestial influences
and take that tide at the flood which “leads to fortune.” There is an
old adage which says: Who takes the Tide takes all. If, therefore, we
take the difference in longitude between the Sun and Moon at any time,
which distance is called the Moon’s elongation, and divide this by two,
we shall obtain a point which passes the meridian at a time represented
by this quantity multiplied by four minutes, before or after the Sun’s
transit of the meridian, according as the Moon is increasing or
decreasing in light. Thus, I would find the time of the Astral Tide on
the 21st August, 1912.
Moon increasing in light, _i. e._ going to the Full.
Sun’s longitude at noon, Leo 28° 2´.
Moon’s longitude at noon, Sagittarius, 18° 33´.
Distance between them, 110° 33´.
Half this equals 55° 15½´.
Multiply by four—221m. 2s., or 2h. 41m. 2s.
Diurnal elongation of Moon, 11° 8´, or 28´ per hour.
This for 3 hrs. 41 min. 2 sec. amounts to about 1° 42´, which multiplied
by four gives 6 min. 48 sec., and this added to the above first time of
Tide, brings us to 3 hrs. 47 min. 50 sec., which is the time after the
meridian transit of the Sun at which the Astral Tide will occur.
Reference to the almanac will show that on the 21st August the Sun
passes the meridian at about four minutes after noon, and therefore the
Greenwich mean time of the Astral Tide will be 3.52 p.m.
Now if you would float an idea, of whatever nature, let it go out upon
the full tide, not when the tide is flowing in, and not when it is going
out, but at the point of time when the tide is at the full and about to
turn. But reflect that what you send out will come back to you laden
with its burden of consequence. It is important, therefore, that the
nature of your flotation should be scrutinized.
Astrologers the world over have always considered that the Moon exerts a
great influence over human generation. We know that it plays a most
important part in the normal functions of the human body, more
especially as affecting the blood pressure. This may be the reason for
its marked influence upon persons in certain forms of insanity. In my
_Manual of Astrology_ I have shown beyond all doubt that it exerts a
powerful influence in the matter of sex, and also that there is an
astronomical relation between the Moon’s motion and the process of
generation culminating in birth. The ancients have said that the various
months of parturition are under the successive influence of the planets,
Saturn, Jupiter, etc., thus—
1st month under Saturn: Plasmic basis.
2nd month under Jupiter: Amnionic development.
3rd month under Mars: Limbal growth.
4th month under Sun: Quickening.
5th month under Venus: Sex distinction.
6th month under Mercury: Brain development.
7th month under Moon: Precocious birth.
8th month under Saturn: Abortive birth.
9th month under Jupiter: Normal birth.
Swedenborg has said that all children come from the Moon. There is a
Greek legend which associates Selene and Selinon, confounding the Moon
with the parsley plant, and old women to-day tell their inquisitive
grandchildren that they were brought from the parsley bed. In the Greek
Mysteries the soul passes through the sphere of the Moon in its descent
to the Earth, taking upon itself a silver vestment, which is the astral
or lunar body, as distinguished from the imperishable solar body proper
to the incarnating ego.
The Hindus, as has been shown elsewhere, make all their astrological
calculations from the place of the Moon, and the horoscope of birth is
converted into terms of the Moon’s position at the moment of that event.
Also they reckon the periodic effects from the same position. It is
therefore obvious that the astrologer at all events has not overlooked
the enormous influence that this orb is believed to exert upon mundane
affairs and human life. As we have seen, the ancients, with whom these
beliefs arose, were keen observers of natural operations, and depended
entirely on their unaided and unprejudiced observations for whatever
knowledge they possessed. They regarded the Moon as the purveyor or
carrier of astral influence. Life and energy were generated from the
Sun, the vital centre of our system. This life was modified by
reflection of rays from the various planets, which transmitted the Sun’s
rays to this Earth in altered electrical and magnetic conditions, and
the Moon, circling round the Earth at great velocity, collected and
distributed these influences upon our nether sphere. The notion is at
least cosmical and coherent. If it also be true it is of the utmost
importance to us as terrestrials.
The Moon, then, in Cosmic Symbolism represents the element of functional
variability, and is the symbol of Change, of ebb and flow, of increase
and decrease, of rise and fall. It is associated with the human soul
subject to _samsara_, or the law of cyclic rebirth. It is the Mercabah
or vehicle by which the light and heat of the Sun is distributed, the
Great Conveyancer and the Universal Purveyor of celestial influences.
Like the human soul it is subject to phases, now waxing and now waning,
and sometimes suffering eclipse, having no light of its own but deriving
all from the Universal Sun.
It has two aspects, a nether and a higher. That which is above
represents the side that, at the time of conjunction, is turned towards
the Sun, and the lower is that which is always towards the Earth. When
the Moon-Soul is between the Sun and Earth it is in correct cosmic
relations, but when the Earth interposes its dark orb, there is an
ascendancy of the material over the human, and the spiritual light is in
danger of being shut out. The Moon-body suffers death, like the physical
body, but it persists after the death of the physical, and may endure
for upwards of one hundred and twenty years, according to its inherent
vitality.
It may be regarded as the Purgatorial vestment in which the Human Soul
manifests until its liberation to the Spiritual world. One of the
initiations teaches that this same Moon-Body may, without suffering
dissolution, be again carried to earth and incarnated. But this is not
the normal case, as those who have witnessed the dissolution of the
Moon-Body well know. As a cosmic symbol the Moon is replete with the
deepest mysteries concerning the birth, evolution, and dissolution of
all that is commonly called human. Its influence in mundane affairs
gains an additional signification from this fact.