The Lunar

The Lunar is the most complex and contradictory of the three Domains. It stands between Solar and Stellar, as the middle point between them; and simultaneously acts in contrast to the Solar. For this reason, it is often best understood in terms of what it is not, instead of what it is.

The Lunar governs what it is to be “unusual” for your time and place. Our lore spans both Pagan and Christian, both ancient and modern, and standards have changed greatly. In general, however, the Moon can be summed up by the myriad meanings of the term “not natural“. The light has been reflected, but strangely.

But the Lunar's meanings are the broadest because it rules the ways between the Solar and Stellar, and of course those paths are many indeed.

Not natural, as in, opposed to the natural world

Where the Solar is the natural world, the Lunar is artificial – it governs things that are manmade. This includes contemporary ideas like factories, computers, machines, robots, as well as historic ones: works of craft, including the forge or the loom. In some cases, the latter might be seen as Solar activities – performed as part of the community – so a keynote of Lunar craft is that it is selfish in nature, propelled by curiosity, ambition, will or desire.

Not natural, as in, beyond what can easily be understood

(“That’s not natural for the likes of us, Sam my lad”)

The Lunar is also intellectual, as opposed to the physical, so particularly governs works of the mind: writing and speech, science, alchemy, astronomy, medicine. Don’t pigeonhole the Lunar as all Right-Brain, because it also governs the arts – as they are works of both mind and hand. Note a certain ambivalence here – in Landcraft, we recognise some artists as skilled, precice technicians, just as we recognise some scientists with a poet’s heart and creative genius. In all cases, these are things made and controlled by man, outside the natural order.

As part of this, the Lunar is most associated with magic – especially magic which is forbidden in your time and place, or magic which uses unnatural means. The division between religion vs magic, or natural magic vs magic magic, are complex topics we shall discuss elsewhere; for now, think about the gods specifically of magic, such as Thoth, Hecate, Freja, and the character of witches and wizards as a guideline. Every religion has the ability to create supernatural effects, but whereas the application of holy water from a church is socially-sanctioned, and thus solar, “magic”, talking with the fae-folk or observing the stars or hexing milk to make it curdle are the category of “lunar” magic, magic which is not socially sanctioned, and is regarded as either neutral or malign.

As a category, think about how these skills were often understood as magical – for example, writing and speech in Kemeticism and Judaism; medicine and cunning folk; abortionists and witches; scientists and heretics; craftsmen and the creators of magical artifacts; and so on.

Not natural, as in, not physical

As part of the world of thought, concepts like ideologies, ethics, morality, politics are Lunar in nature. The Moon is powerfully neutral, dangerously curious, and amoral. And so, under the Moon, we do not give too much thought to whether these ideologies are good or bad – concepts like “a good man” or “the perfect society” are the province of the Sun. The Moon just wants to take stuff apart to figure out how it works, and then optimise for its own satisfaction.

Another way to understand the Moon’s neutrality is as abstraction. When we think of the Tarot card Justice, or the traditional Pagan correspondences of sword/air, we are thinking of something Lunar – something perfect, something outside of the real world, something abstracted. However, the practical application of justice is often ruled by the Sun. After all, justice is carried out in the context of a community, tradition and culture; it is associated with symbols of earthly authority, like written laws or judges or kings; and above all, justice is concerned with the doing of right and wrong. “How ought we be just?” is a Solar question. Applying ideals without thought to their consequences – over-adherence to the letter of the law, for example – is in the Lunar sphere, whereby it can be associated with cruelty.

It is important to add here that judgement is a generally Lunar thing. For to identify something as Lunar involves an act of judgement: inside/outside, natural/unnatural, lawful/chaotic, ordinary/otherwordly and so forth. Judgement implies the intellect, and the making of decisions, and the application of knowledge. More than any other Domain, the Lunar carries within it the expectation that things will be sorted, categorised, and labelled as good or bad, helpful or harmful. The Lunar refers to and explores that process. Uncoupled from tradition or morality, it embodies the taking of various perspectives. In fact, another way one might make this clear is that while justice is Solar, judgement is Lunar.

Not natural, as in, outside the normal and ordained order of things

The Moon’s nature is change, so in the mortal world it tends to govern scientist researchers, activists and rebels, artists with a bold new vision and so forth. By change, we mean not the natural lives and deaths of men and trees and years, but the interruption of something new onto the scene – the ability to make something new. The Moon tempts hard-working dairymaids away from their work to dream of luxury and dancing; drives folk heroes to make the common people ungovernable, refuses to follow unjust laws, goes on strike, says no, won’t bow for the Queen, becomes a consciencious objector, robs the rich, gives to the poor, blasphemes, elopes to Gretna Green, has no children, stops going to Church, and so forth. Children are naturally Lunar. They ask questions of the world and of what is happening to them, and if they do not like it, will scream their refusal.

As the Moon is ambivalent, this tendency can be both celebrated and to be feared. The world needs rebels, people outside of their own time, with the moon’s vision and drive, who challenge establishment and tradition. At the same time, the Moon is the breakdown of food chains, the chaos of societal breakdown, the lawless horror which follows war, against which we have created societys and structures. The Lunar is the unorthodox, the perverse, the unlawful

Although the Moon is not of the body, it often governs characteristics of luxury and decadence. This is because self-denial, physical hardship and strength, and moderation are generally praised by societies of all kinds. The Sun is the senses and the sensory, whereas the Moon is sensual, sensuous. Similarly, while the imagination and dreaming are primarily Stellar, the Moon can govern it at times, for imagining something new is essential to so many Lunar happenings.

Not natural, as in, not one of us.

The Lunar is the outskirts, but not truly outside. We often imagine Fencraft from the perspective of an isolated little village in the wilderness. Lunar things are on the fringes of the forest. The witch, for example, who is not fully welcomed by those inside the walls; the mage, who seeks knowledge man one ought to possess; the fae folk, living close-by to man, but not always in harmony. The Moon is amoral, and does not judge; but often represents an act of judgement – who is inside, who is out. It represents those who are culturally out-of-the-grain. I often understand both queerness and neurodivergence as Lunar, for example – not because these are objectively unnatural, but because the moon protects the outcasts, and empowers us to seek alternative moralities. The Moon is associated with “bad things” by society, and thus represents the empowerment of reclaiming such things for ourselves – hence the call to beneficial selfishness in Satanism, to pleasure and power in Witchcraft, to knowledge in Luciferianism, to self-acceptance in homosexuality, to celebrating the divine feminine in Feminist Goddess circles, to protecting the common folk in Aradian craft, and so forth. It is the call to be ungovernable, to be individual, to be original, to be your self. It is to be queer in the sense of peculiar or eccentric.

To be your self often means to be alone. The Moon governs that which is solitary as opposed to communal and collective, what is private as opposed to public.

“Never stray off the path”

Not natural, as in, unusual or otherworldly

The Lunar can express the unnatural to mean “no longer really human”. In the previous section, this was interpreted as “not normal, like we are”. But it can also imply a special or unusualness, compared to those around them; something a little otherworldly (but not uncanny), proximity to Godlike qualities, surpassing perfection, an air of magic, something of the fae about them.

In Tolkien, the elves possess a certain quality analogous to Catholic notions of grace: and for this reason, they are unusually wise, fair of face, and strong of limb. We would consider them Lunar in our system, in contrast to Men and Hobbits. In the tales of Arthur, strange nameless damosels coming to court, carrying doomed swords or calling knights out to quest, are Lunar. Fae folk are not human, but have human-like qualities: unusual beauty, uncommon talent at music, capable of “inhuman” cruelty and indifference, or simply existing with a different sense of time.

There are many ways to be outside of the norm. In stories about warriors, those who are wise are often Lunar – they are outside of the dominant values of their society because they are not mighty in war. In Christian-influenced lore, those with great holiness and virtue are often Lunar in contrast with ordinary, worldly people – because they are removed from worldliness; a figure such as Sir Lancelot of the Lake is not the greatest fighter because he is the strongest or most practiced, but because an otherworldly (religious) virtue strengthens him. Qualities such as compassion, patience, forgiveness and mercy are often associated with the Lunar, because accomplishing them requires an unusual clarity of purpose and inner wisdom. It may be those with great foresight, clarity of perception or understanding. If you meditate, you may have experienced these Lunar characteristics at times; but sometimes, one meets someone who is overflowing with them. Additional characteristics from this strand include stillness, peace/inner peace and certainty, and we can see how they interrelate with other concepts, such as certainty and rebellion; stillness as opposed to the motions of Solar time; and the peace which comes from being one’s true self.

Lunar practices include tai chi and meditation, because these grant us stillness and awareness of our own needs. Tai chi in particular refers to a state called shen, which I have heard described as like a sleeping cat – perfectly relaxed – but ready to strike at any moment in any direction. Inner stillness grants us readiness to move in any direction at need.

Not natural, as in, not simple and virtuous

Lunar otherworliness is often not comfortable to be around. Saintliness can be extremely annoying, as can those overly guided by their cleverness, and frankly when stood next to great beauty and skill, one can just feel bad. One longs to be around some ordinary Solar blokes, with all their flaws and imperfections and human-like qualities. When offered an otherworldly fairy wine, one may find it has a certain insubstantialness, and long for a rustic bread you’ve baked with your own hands. Imagine the roguish smith’s apprentice who lives next door to you, and then imagine the fairy prince of the stream within the wildwood. Both may well be attractive and strong in body. But…there’s a distinctly different quality of beauty and strength to each. And of course, a mainstay of horror is creatures which are “not quite human any more”.

So here too, we see the Moon’s ambivalence. It’s seeming virtue is not uncomplicated. Admiration is often tempered by an unspoken “…and yet”. There’s a sense perhaps of having cheated, as in someone who wields a magic sword and mighty lineage being perhaps a lesser warrior than an ordinary person who has trained for all it is worth. Its footsoldiers grumbling “more of your tricks, sorceror” to the King’s councillor, under their breath; and Samwise Gamgee finding the elf-kingdom Rivendell marvellous, and yet still longing to go home to the homely Shire - or Boromir feeling existentially bad vibrations in the witchlike Lothlorien.

The Lunar is exemplified by fairies and witches, because in our lore, we see them expressing this kind of “unvirtuousness”. The Moon encourages us to take what is ours and enjoy it, and reject false morality. Wearing a glamour is not “false” beauty – or, in a more everyday model, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a lot of make-up. This is in contrast to the Solar virtues of naturalness and worldliness, which values genuine, “natural” beauty”. Similarly, a witch casting a spell for fortune, instead of earning her money; or hexing someone whom she simply dislikes, outside of any human justice system, outside any notion of justice. It’s the little voice of your mother saying “you won’t enjoy things as much if you steal them, than if you save up.” Within the value system of the Moon, your mother is, of course, wrong: a wine that has been stolen or created out of nothing by fairy magic is as good as the wine is excellent.

As suggested in previous sections, the Lunar can explore a celebration of the “unvirtuous” – reclaiming ideas like selfishness or laziness or pleasure in a beneficial way. But also, to its furthest extent – the Lunar helps one to be selfish in ways which truly have no redeeming value, or even do harm to others.

And the rest

Lunar entities can often be identified by their associations with pools, light, the stars, metal By extention, it is often associated with clarity, coldness, cleanliness and freshness. In Landcraft, we see the Lunar as active, and the Solar as passive or acted-upon. That which is Solar lives within the world – powerfully so – whereas the Lunar, one can step outside of it and have agency. Lunar is an inherently Skyish Domain, unrooted and able to move, where the Solar tends towards the inherently Landish - fixed, heavy and immobile.

Stepping outside of the world can mean, as we have shown, a lot of different things. The key thing to remember is that Lunar is outside of the world but still in relation to it. A great musician is not objectively all that stranger from someone of average skill. Galileo is odd for his time, but is employing skills of reason which we all have. Queer people may be persecuted, but it’s not that much of a leap in an objective sense to love your own gender as another. A witch on the outskirts of a community is still in that community. It’s something everyday, seen from an odd angle or an unusual approach. Keep this distinct from the high strangeness, which we will discuss under the Star.

Key Texts

Lunar is so much more about an approach, behavior or ideology than fixed things. Texts are hard to recommend. After all, there is no shortage of “one man against the system” films. And unlike the Stellar, the Lunar does not really evoke a particular ideosyncratic state which I wish to communicate with you.

Be Ungovernable

There is no real shortage of biographies and biopics out there on ahead-of-their-time figures fighting for change. We’re especially fond of Galileo (who is one of the Solar-Lunar archetypes), Robin Hood, and any British revolt against the masters, especially those such as the mass trespass at Kinder Scout or the Battle of the Beanfield, which related to land rights. I hope to fill this out more in time, but there is a long interrelationship between rebellion and the land itself. For example, the Arts and Crafts movement, which combined idealised pastoral and medievalism with socialist experiments; or the use of heroic figures like Owain Glyndwr or Robin Hood by campaigners. But if the aim is to inspire yourself with Lunar virtues, and learn how to become more Lunar, then one must choose one’s own heroes.

Traditional Witchcraft

Watch some folk horror, and see how many Solar/Lunar binaries you can find. Establishment vs fringe, church vs pagan, normal vs unnatural, insider vs ousider and so on. The VVitch is very good, as is the classic Wicker Man. Seek out other films with depictions of witches in them, especially of a folk horror sort, in which the figure of the witch is portrayed as a threatening Other to rational society (but often, quite a glamorous and inspiring one!). Read both witch and fairy-lore: an excellent way to learn how the emotional characteristics of the Lunar relate to outsiderliness.

Otherworldly figures

Not all media with a witch or a fairy is Lunar. The otherworldly figures of the Lunar exist in contrast to other figures in the narrative. The depiction of the elves in Tolkien (both books and films) is one example. Another would be Merlin and Morgana in Excalibur, in contrast to the mortal warriors and queens.

Summary

Against the grain

forbidden, unnatural, unorthodox, perverse, the peculiar, the unlawful, ungovernable, sinful (ie luxury and decadence), outside nature

Outsider

Solitary, hermit, private, on the fringes; outside of the norm; outside of the dominant values of their society; removed from worldliness; outcasts; culturally out-of-the-grain.

Originality and independence

change, new ideas, vision, imagination, dream, questions, researchers, rebels, avant-garde, independence, ahead of their time, original, the self

Otherworldly

fairies, elves; those who have transcended in some way such as a monk or saint, perfect to an unnatural extent; not quite human; human-like; unnaturally beautiful, strong, wise etc as an intrinsic characteristic (not, for example, gained through hard work)

Intellectual and the world of ideas

writing and speech, science, alchemy, astronomy, medicine, art and skill, magic. Neutral, ideologies, ethics, morality, politics, amorality, abstraction, taking multiple perspectives, judgement, experimentation, ambition

Not natural

artificial, manmade; factories, computers, machines, robots, works of craft; inorganic; nature forced, dominated, or put to use; under man’s active control

Emotions

selfish, curiosity, ambition, will, desire, drive, cruelty, control, active, mastery, turning a “wrong” emotion into a virtue or strength, single-minded strength of emotion, but also having the emotions balanced and mastered, self-control

The essence of the self

clarity of purpose; inner wisdom; stillness; certainty; perfection; complete in itself; self-knowledge; self-mastery; direction; clear judgement; the decision; saying no; saying yes

Magic

witches and wizards, forbidden knowledge; mastery and control, using and directing, power; breaking the laws of nature, society or religion; “cheating” to win, winning

Directions

Solar and Stellar relate to the body and the natural world, getting lost in sensations and emotions. In contrast, the Lunar is rather more dispassionate, measured, and balanced.

Where Lunar-and-Stellar meet, we see our capacity to reach into the world of dreams and the unconsciousness, to dare strange magics and extreme wildernesses and live to tell the tale.

Where Solar-and-Lunar meet, our capacity to step back and reflect on our selves and our society, either proposing alternatives or choosing to live separate and apart.

In both, the Lunar uses its power to separate, discriminate, make paths and connections, clarify and essentialise. One can be lost in the mundane world, and separated from the spiritual and the seeking; and on the other side, one can become consumed by the magic and lose one’s self, control and understanding. To balance these is the role of the Lunar.

Its opposite extreme – the Solar-Stellar – embodies, in contrast, complete self-loss within the cycles of the world, so that one might become the wind or the beasts, to fall in love with the irrational, to be infinitely open. Knowing what is you and what is not you; saying no; establishing clear boundaries, and making clear-headed decisions from within them: these are Lunar gifts.

Lunar is often used as the opposite to the Solar, in binaries such as public/private, communal/solitary, selfless/selfish, insider/outsider. As an archetypal image, the little village community is Solar – and the witch living on the outskirts of the village is Lunar.

Lunar is used as a 'second Sun' opposite the Stellar for the brave and foolish: magicians, witches with dangerous specialisms, mountain-climbers and deep sea divers who are defined by their independence, skill, cunning and desire to plumb the Stellar for its rewards. Unlike inhabitants of the Solar village, who distance the Stellar at all costs, those who dwell in the Lunar take on the risk of being nearby and welcoming it in.