Black Moon Lilith

Black Moon Lilith is an astrological influence associated with the moon and which impacts our personal natal charts. But before we get into Black Moon Lilith, let’s discuss more about Lilith – the inspiration.

We all know the story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden, from the book of Genesis in the Bible. But there are rabbinic texts that indicate that Eve was not actually the first woman on Earth or in the Garden.

Ancient myths say that on the Sixth Day, after God had created the earth and all the flora and fauna, he then created a man and a woman – Adam and Lilith. Both were created from dust, both created equal. But upon their creation and entry into the Garden of Eden,  let’s just say there was a conflict between Lilith and her mate. Lilith did not believe she should be subservient to Adam. Very specifically, she did not agree that it was only acceptable for her to lie beneath her mate during intercourse, with him always on top. She wanted more power in the relationship – sexually and in all ways – and demanded that Adam treat her as his equal partner.

Well, Adam didn’t exactly like Lilith’s strong feminist stance and demanded that she obey him. He tried to force himself upon her. Lilith then shouted the unutterable name of God (a magical name that we are not permitted to know but which is often replaced with the tetragrammaton YHVH – the four-fold name of God that is acceptable for us to use). Lilith shouted the real name and fled from the Garden in anger. Seeking satisfaction and pleasure, she deserted Adam and the Garden and went to the Red Sea where she began copulating with demons – or possibly with Lucifer, a newly fallen angel at that time.

But Adam was lonely and upset, and he begged God to please bring her back and make her obey him. Jehovah then sent three angels (Sanvi, Sansanvi, and Semangelaf) to summon Lilith. They found her in a cave at the Red Sea, pregnant – expecting the first new life on earth. The angels tried to convince her to go back to Adam and the Garden, and threatened the life of her unborn child and all other children she might conceive if she did not abide, but Lilith was adamant, no – she was not going back there.

Feeling pity for poor lonely Adam, Jehovah waited until the first man was sleeping, took one of his ribs, and used it to form Eve. Upon waking, Adam saw this new woman and was very pleased and agreed to accept her as his mate. She was created for him, through him. It didn’t hurt that she was acquiescent in ways that Lilith had been argumentative and stubborn.

True to the angels’ curse, Lilith miscarried the child she was carrying, and every child she conceived from thereon. She then went to the Garden of Eden, inconsolable about her losses, and discovered that not only did Adam have a new woman, but they had successfully conceived children – healthy children – together.

So one day, Eve was alone in the Garden of Eden and a serpent came into the garden and began to coax her into eating the fruit of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Some theories are that the snake was the Devil, or Lucifer, but some theories suggest it was Lilith – that she was punishing Adam and Eve. The Zohar (a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah) describes Lilith as a Leviathan – half woman, half snake. Later, it was also Lilith rumored to have been the one to manipulate their son Cain into killing his brother Abel. Cain then joined Lilith in the dark side, where she has fed various myths of origin about vampires, werewolves, succubi and cannibals.

The myths about Lilith however are not exclusive to ancient Hebraic texts. She is also a figure in Iranian, Babylonian, Sumerian, Canaanite, Persian, Teutonic, Mexican, Greek, English, Asian and even Native American legends.

They say it is Lilith to blame when a woman miscarries, that she envies all women who are able to carry their children into life. Some claim that Lilith’s energetic daughters are sorceresses capable of stealing men’s power, especially as they sleep. That the Lilim daughters seduce and strangle their male victims in honor of their dark mother.

In the Kabbalah, Lilith is known as the Handmaid. The name Lilith in Hebrew means “screech owl” and the owl is Lilith’s sacred bird and messenger.

In the Zohar, not only is Lilith half human and half serpent, but she arose from an evil shell or husk               known as a Kelippah, created in the waning of the moon. In the beginning of time, the Sun and the Moon were equal and competitors. To end the competition, God diminished the Moon and gave it only dominion over the night. Lilith’s powers are at their peak when the Moon is bright. Lilith rules solstices and equinoxes and she is best associated with the zodiac sign of Scorpio.

The Dark Goddess is associated with sex, death, obsession, addiction, transformation, resurrection, magic, the occult and the taboo. She is considered the Queen of Prostitutes. But all these myths aside, Lilith’s message to all of us is ultimately one of discovering our inner strength, our divine feminine power (yes, even men have feminine – as well as masculine - powers) and confronting our shadow selves, so that we may transform and overcome our own darkness. Lilith requires us to face our fears of reproduction, of feminine power, and to explore the spiritual in our sexuality. Most profoundly, Lilith calls us to recognize our thresholds – the danger that we may cross the line into a darkness we cannot transcend. 

So, now that you know a little bit about the many myths of Lilith, the Dark Goddess, let’s talk about Black Moon Lilith.

Black Moon Lilith

Black Moon Lilith is one of the astrological influences you find in your Natal Chart. Some of the traditional sites for creating charts don’t include Black Moon Lilith information, so you can find it instead at https://astrolibrary.org/black-moon-lilith-calculator/?msclkid=fb1504dca8d311eca4e4a2173bb3d058

If you haven’t already, please go to that site and enter your date, time and location of birth so that you can find out which sign BML was in at the time you were born.

When each of us were born, the sky and the stars and the planets were in motion as they always are. At the very moment of your birth, they were each in particular positions that many of us view as highly influential over your life’s journey. We talked about the Akashic Records here a few weeks ago. I personally believe that each of us is born under a karmic contract, with certain life lessons that we will face and that will challenge us in order to help us evolve into more enlightened beings. I believe that your Natal Chart reflects the terms of that contract, so it benefits each of us to know more about what was happening in the Heavens when we entered this world.

Each of the twelve zodiac signs – from Aries in the spring at the start of the zodiacal year to Pisces at the end – rotate through the Sun approximately every 28 days.

Each of the twelve signs rotate through the Moon – our secondary luminary – every 2.5 days

Each of the twelve signs rotate through the other planets with varying frequencies and phases. Some of those planets will occasionally go ‘retrograde’ which means that they come closer to earth and therefore, slow their orbit and even appear to be moving backward if you were to look at them through a telescope. Planets in retrograde will often demonstrate different tendencies and patterns than when they are direct, or not retrograde. It can mean for some sensitivities or challenges when a planet is in retrograde.

But in addition to the planets, there are other celestial bodies that the signs rotate through and that can show up in a person’s Natal Chart. One of the more obscure ones is the mysterious Black Moon Lilith.

Black Moon Lilith marks the furthest point of the moon’s orbit around the earth. The moon rotates around the earth, absorbing light from the sun into her rock body, and then projecting that light at night in each hemisphere as the sun falls into the shadow of the Earth. The moon’s orbit is elliptical – not a circle and that orbit has two center points – the point in which the moon is closest to Earth and the point in which she is farthest from us. That point at any given moment in time is Black Moon Lilith. So BML isn’t a planet or an asteroid or any other solid space but rather, a moving point in space without a physical body, transverse from the Earth. Black Moon Lilith stays approximately nine months in each sign, making a revolution between them every eight years and nine months.

Black Moon Lilith indicative of its namesake, represents our most primitive urges and impulses, our repressed sexuality and the darkest parts of our psyche. She may also reveal hidden fantasies and fetishes. And as I noted before, Black Moon Lilith will force us to recognize our thresholds and the dangers that we might cross that personal line into a darkness we cannot transcend. So, like any other astrological influence, it is good to know what sign BML was in when you were born because you will know what you are repressing, what you are desiring, and what is hidden that can create danger for you particularly in areas of sexuality and secrecy. 

Sex is a very big part of Black Moon Lilith and what we can learn from this influence in our charts. Because Sex and Love are so powerfully linked, it is incumbent upon us to know this influence so that we can wisely navigate it in order to find fulfillment in our relationships that is respectful to ourselves and our partners.

One way to think of BML is that she is about the power, politics and psychology of our personal sexual desires and attitudes.

Sex is of course also part of reproduction, the act of conceiving a child. When one wants to change or control a culture or a people they do it through sex. BML can be associated with sexual deviancy, with taboos, but also with eugenics. BM Lilith can manifest as control over breeding in order to control population.

BML also rules our fantasies and fetishes. Now, that doesn’t mean that anyone has deviancy or power control issues in their BML natal reading. Learning your BML influence simply tells you what that lunar influence may be for you, and it is up to you to discover the meaning of it, what you can learn from that, and what you might wish to change.

• BML in Aries: Sensual, action-based, ready to give in to pleasure. A great debater and social justice warrior. Bright, direct in love, ardently passionate – sometimes to the point of scaring your partner away. Infidelity can be an issue as can cruelty. These folks learn about sex at early ages and there is a sense of voyeurism at play. Highly individualistic and easily bewitched, but incredibly bright and magnetic. Triggers: Be true to yourself and closely examine what provokes you.

• BML in Taurus: Here there is an eagerness to accumulate – it can be in possessions or in love. At its most extreme it can result in greed or poverty. Sex is very necessary, almost in excess. But you reveal your desires only to your most intimate partners. Impotence, frigidity, abstinence to a far degree are also perils here, which can lead to loneliness. Those curtailing tendencies could make your partner think you don’t love them enough, or to deny sex to you for failing to open up which could then make you look outside the relationship for the pleasures you require. Triggers: Watch how issues of money affect your relationships and sex life – remember that people aren’t possessions.

• BML in Gemini: Intelligent and sensitive, you are the sexual communicator. You might even seduce or provoke people through your words. A Don Juan affect, so it were. You tend to pick partners of status – people you want to show off to others. These BML Geminis might let their ethics fall in search of sex. Women in this category might become trophy wives or choose partners based on financial gain. You also tend to keep quiet about who you are dating. If you focus on appearances, your relationships will be superficial but if you give in to love, it can be very wild. Triggers: Decide whether you’re going to use your fine communication skills to show off or to support your personal relationships.

• BML in Cancer: Issues of Home and Family tend to prevail, including your past family ties. You love to be on a team or in a group, and you are highly imaginative. You have an active sexual fantasy life, but you tend toward jealousy. You want ownership over your partner instead of a spiritual union. Beware of marrying someone early on in an intimate relationship. This person is normally very shy and reserved in public, but in the bedroom it’s a very different matter. Many people in this category put off having children until later in life, and your wild fantasies – not rooted in reality - have a danger of making you more inhibited, and not more adventurous. Triggers: Closely examine your childhood to find the root causes of your fantasies, and ground yourself with a close and loving family dynamic.

• BML in Leo: Creative but driven toward social recognition, the Leo here in BML is centered on themselves. Narcissists. Beware of taking advantage of your partner and not understanding the emotion in your sex life. Deceit is also an issue, as is infidelity. When you are caught, you’ll possibly play the victim rather than admit your betrayal. You have a lot of wants and desires, but also a lot of internal conflicts. This sign can play the “because I said so” card in many aspects of their relationships. Triggers: Discover your own true identify, outside of how the world sees you. Develop your passions without seeking recognition from others.

• BML in Virgo: The sexual perfectionist, but sometimes indiscreet. You look for relationships that benefit you and boast about knowledge you don’t actually have. Valuing material security above your desires, your expectations are high – ideal and not realistic. When faced with less than perfect intimate partners, you might just choose to be alone but you’ll always regret not finding someone to share your life with. You might even become unhealthy in the process. There is a victim mentality, unless and until you choose to own your own body and self. You get visibly frustrated in life but fail to see that you’re the one who imposed those limits on yourself. Triggers: Is it fear of failure that leads to perfectionism even in work situations? It may be why you don’t feel connected to others.

• BML in Libra: Attractive and magnetic, but uncompromising. You often feel like you’re being asked too much of by your partner and others. Sex is your leading interest, as is physical beauty and other external factors. But you are energetic, even joyful in your sex life and highly aroused by scent. You also can be dramatic and ruthless, but it’s really just to hide your vulnerabilities. Watch out for cynicism! Triggers: Define clearly what you expect from others and what you plan to give in relationships. Choose partners who have inner beauty and harmony, not just great looks and social status.

• BML in Scorpio: The sexual mystery. You have great passion and skills of deduction, and have a transforming power over others either positively or negatively. You crave intensity and have since you were quite young. There was a sense of mystery or taboo even in your youth, possibly tied to family. You also tend to be somewhat extreme in sex, either craving eroticism or deliberating inhibiting it. Some leanings toward exhibitionism and even sadism. Triggers: Explore the mysteries that provoke your imagination and find a middle ground between the extremes. Yes, there is darkness in the world but you’ll do best when you seek beauty and harmony.

• BML in Sagittarius: Wild, adventurous and with a love of travel and culture – sex only adds to the development of your intellect and spiritual life. Watch out for becoming a player, or mixing love and money. You can get involved in legal matters or be at risk of slander by others, especially those vengeful for your infidelities. You love new things and ideas, and you think you pursue them innocently. Such as polyamory but it all gets murky in the end. Love isn’t always fair in love and war. Triggers: Pick your adventures wisely. You’re a non-comformist but seek fullness of experience and not just testing or experimenting.

• BML in Capricorn: Responsible, clear-headed and disciplined, but sometimes cold or demanding. BML can highlight where you are inhibited, and with Capricorn it is in developing the inner life (fantasies and fetishes for instance) at the cost of an external, social, harmonious life. You might reject sexuality altogether or become fixated on auto eroticism. But as you age, agape becomes a prevalent theme in life, finding a balance in love through friendship. Triggers: Don’t close yourself off. Learn to meet others halfway. Understand how you love and what role you serve with your tribe.

• BML in Aquarius: Freedom-seeking, highly individualized, you are independent but friendly to others. Or you’re a rebel without a cause. At times your sex drive is very high and other times when you are comfortably abstinent. Instinctive and sometimes predatory, you might have become sexual before you understood sensuality. This is the potential sex addict who refuses to limit their freedom. And there is no fear. You confuse friendship with sex and are very experimental. But you wind up doubting your emotions which leads to disappointment. Triggers: Learn what freedom means to you, but also develop a degree of respect for others. Be yourself in relationships and understand your own personality.

• BML in Pisces: The sexual mystic. Spiritually and creative curious, you love to explore the far range of knowledge available. But you tend to be secretive or self-pitying. You have a strong intuition but self-destructive tendencies. Emotionally clingy, you have a really hard time accepting a breakup. You might become threatening to anyone who dares reject you. Triggers: work on developing a spiritual life and find a way to combine your intuitive knowledge and your need to complete projects.

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