The triple moon symbol, consisting of three moons or crescents, has become popular in modern paganism and witchcraft. But what does this mysterious symbol actually mean? Tracing its history reveals some intriguing interpretations related to the divine feminine that still resonate today.
First appearing historically in Roman iconography, the triple moon has been associated with various lunar goddesses, such as Diana, Hekate, or Selene. It represents the three phases of the moon–waxing, full, and waning–symbolizing a goddess’s triadic nature encompassing maiden, mother, and crone. The triplicity echoes lunar cycles, with the waxing crescent symbolizing a young virgin brimming with new potential.
Meaning and History of the Triple Moon Symbol
The triple moon first emerged in Roman iconography where it was strongly associated with lunar goddesses like Diana or Selene. In Latin, the word “triformis” means three forms, referring to the triadic nature of a triple moon goddess who encompassed the maiden, mother, and crone stages in a woman’s life.
The Romans syncretized many goddesses together across their vast empire. So Diana, Hekate, Selene and others shared domain over moonlight, magic, witchcraft, wilderness, and childbirth. That lineage continued evolving through the ages with Celtic goddesses like Brigid incorporating the triplicity.
Triple Goddess Archetype
In neopagan Wicca, the enduring Triple Goddess archetype retains core Roman meaning, with focus on embodied sacred femininity. The waxing maiden represents growth, beginnings, enthusiasm, expansion–youthful feminine energy brimming with vitality and purpose. She discovers first crushes, leaving home, career and adventures with an eye toward future family.
The full mother signifies ripeness, power, fruition, fertility, high point transitioning from waxing maidenhood to waning cronedom. The Great Mother governs creativity, nurturing, mysteries of life, death and spirit. She celebrates lineage, traditions, community while guiding youth.
Finally, the waning crone moon depicts inner wisdom and radical creativity as she retreats inward. Having passed through maiden and mother stages, the crone now rules dreams, shadows and the subconscious realms. Her respected authority comes from experience as matriarch, mentor and healer to guide new generations.
Matriarchal Cultures and Goddess Worship
Early pagan cultures were largely matriarchal, centered on goddess veneration and female authority over society, lineage and property. Triple moon iconography arose within that context exalting the divine feminine. The paranoid witch hunts targeting women reflected rising patriarchy seeking control over female sexuality, reproduction, finances, land, politics and bodies.
As global domination spread, slaughtering indigenous shamans and banning goddess traditions, triple moon rituals went underground to survive. But the symbol’s recent resurgence hints at archetypal potency still touching the collective psyche’s yearning for female leadership and balance with the sacred masculine.
Interpretations of the Triple Moon Symbol
Today, the enduring triple moon remains popular in goddess spirituality and neopagan faiths like Wicca. But interpretations vary across different contexts, ranging from lunar cycles to metaphors on feminine stages of life and even triune deity concepts.
Lunar Cycles
In astrology, astronomy and various moon goddess cults, the prominent interpretation links it to complete lunar cycles. The waxing crescent appears around a new moon, the full moon peaks halfway through, and the waning crescent signals the closing phase before renewal.
Those moon stages convey different energetic properties. Dark moons represent contemplation, new beginnings and planting seeds. Full moons signify harvests, action, extroversion and manifestation powered by the lunar peak’s reflected sunlight. Finally, closing crescents facilitate release, shedding outdated elements before another renewal.
Women’s Life Stages and Seasons
The triple moon also tracks feminine stages through life’s seasons. Spring’s waxing maiden brims with youthful hope while the full mother matures into summer’s ripeness. The crone finds autumnal fulfillment in elder wisdom and fellowshipping with ancestors throughout winter’s death-like restoration toward rebirth.
Those moon phases convey different feminine energies and purposes while inherently interconnecting. Youth is wasted without guidance from mothers and crones. Young blood must respectfully help empower elders fulfilling their dharmic roles.
Triune Deity or Triple Aspect Goddess
In ancient mythologies, triune deities or triple entities commonly appear, like Greek Hekate depicted in triple form. Mythologist Karl Kerenyi noted parallels with Near Eastern and Greek triune goddess motifs. Philosophically, triplicity echoes other three-fold constructs like beginning, middle and end or birth, life and death.
In that vein, contemporary occultist Israel Regardie interpreted the motifs as symbolizing core aspects within a greater goddess whole, like facets on a diamond. Together they form a dynamic triple goddess, each aspect forever flowing fluidly into the next throughout herFull Article
The triple moon symbol, consisting of three moons or crescents, has become popular in modern paganism and witchcraft. But what does this mysterious symbol actually mean? Tracing its history reveals some intriguing interpretations related to the divine feminine that still resonate today.
First appearing historically in Roman iconography, the triple moon has been associated with various lunar goddesses, such as Diana, Hekate, or Selene. It represents the three phases of the moon–waxing, full, and waning–symbolizing a goddess’s triadic nature encompassing maiden, mother, and crone. The triplicity echoes lunar cycles, with the waxing crescent symbolizing a young virgin brimming with new potential.
Meaning and History of the Triple Moon Symbol
The triple moon first emerged in Roman iconography where it was strongly associated with lunar goddesses like Diana or Selene. In Latin, the word “triformis” means three forms, referring to the triadic nature of a triple moon goddess who encompassed the maiden, mother, and crone stages in a woman’s life.
The Romans syncretized many goddesses together across their vast empire. So Diana, Hekate, Selene and others shared domain over moonlight, magic, witchcraft, wilderness, and childbirth. That lineage continued evolving through the ages with Celtic goddesses like Brigid incorporating the triplicity.
Triple Goddess Archetype
In neopagan Wicca, the enduring Triple Goddess archetype retains core Roman meaning, with focus on embodied sacred femininity. The waxing maiden represents growth, beginnings, enthusiasm, expansion–youthful feminine energy brimming with vitality and purpose. She discovers first crushes, leaving home, career and adventures with an eye toward future family.
The full mother signifies ripeness, power, fruition, fertility, high point transitioning from waxing maidenhood to waning cronedom. The Great Mother governs creativity, nurturing, mysteries of life, death and spirit. She celebrates lineage, traditions, community while guiding youth.
Finally, the waning crone moon depicts inner wisdom and radical creativity as she retreats inward. Having passed through maiden and mother stages, the crone now rules dreams, shadows and the subconscious realms. Her respected authority comes from experience as matriarch, mentor and healer to guide new generations.
Matriarchal Cultures and Goddess Worship
Early pagan cultures were largely matriarchal, centered on goddess veneration and female authority over society, lineage and property. Triple moon iconography arose within that context exalting the divine feminine. The paranoid witch hunts targeting women reflected rising patriarchy seeking control over female sexuality, reproduction, finances, land, politics and bodies.
As global domination spread, slaughtering indigenous shamans and banning goddess traditions, triple moon rituals went underground to survive. But the symbol’s recent resurgence hints at archetypal potency still touching the collective psyche’s yearning for female leadership and balance with the sacred masculine.
Interpretations of the Triple Moon Symbol
Today, the enduring triple moon remains popular in goddess spirituality and neopagan faiths like Wicca. But interpretations vary across different contexts, ranging from lunar cycles to metaphors on feminine stages of life and even triune deity concepts.
Lunar Cycles
In astrology, astronomy and various moon goddess cults, the prominent interpretation links it to complete lunar cycles. The waxing crescent appears around a new moon, the full moon peaks halfway through, and the waning crescent signals the closing phase before renewal.
Those moon stages convey different energetic properties. Dark moons represent contemplation, new beginnings and planting seeds. Full moons signify harvests, action, extroversion and manifestation powered by the lunar peak’s reflected sunlight. Finally, closing crescents facilitate release, shedding outdated elements before another renewal.
Women’s Life Stages and Seasons
The triple moon also tracks feminine stages through life’s seasons. Spring’s waxing maiden brims with youthful hope while the full mother matures into summer’s ripeness. The crone finds autumnal fulfillment in elder wisdom and fellowshipping with ancestors throughout winter’s death-like restoration toward rebirth.
Those moon phases convey different feminine energies and purposes while inherently interconnecting. Youth is wasted without guidance from mothers and crones. Young blood must respectfully help empower elders fulfilling their dharmic roles.
Triune Deity or Triple Aspect Goddess
In ancient mythologies, triune deities or triple entities commonly appear, like Greek Hekate depicted in triple form. Mythologist Karl Kerenyi noted parallels with Near Eastern and Greek triune goddess motifs. Philosophically, triplicity echoes other three-fold constructs like beginning, middle and end or birth, life and death.
In that vein, contemporary occultist Israel Regardie interpreted the motifs as symbolizing core aspects within a greater goddess whole, like facets on a diamond. Together they form a dynamic triple goddess, each aspect forever flowing fluidly into the next throughout her infinite lifetime reflecting the true timelessness of feminine spirit.
Using the Triple Moon Symbol Today
The triple moon continues trending today in New Age spirituality, Wicca, witchcraft, and feminist circles. Its once esoteric mythology now permeates mainstream pop culture.
Jewelry and Home Decor
Crescent moon motifs already flooded boutiques, tattoos, trinkets, apparel, and jewelry as a stylish icon celebrating mystique of lunar cycles. Adding the triple moon multiplies mystical meaning. Spot it anywhere from pendants, rings, necklaces, bracelets to home goods like wall hangings, candles, displays, bedding, mugs, stickers and more to help normalize goddess spirituality through its ubiquity.
Magick and Ritual Symbolism
In witchcraft and Wicca, it retains important symbolic meaning in rituals and spellcraft. Witches track moon cycles carefully when working magick, tapping into lunar energy through Esbat gatherings. The triple moon imagery focuses intention on lunar deities, feminine power, cycles, change, inner wisdom, seasons, nature’s rhythms and the underworld unconscious realms.
Rituals evoking the Triple Goddess enhance access to sacred knowledge and authority rooted in matriarchal lineages honored from antiquity but often appropriated or corrupted over time by restrictive patriarchal agendas.
The Goddess movement and feminism helped the triple moon icon proliferate, tied to reclaiming feminine power historically repressed by patriarchal structures. The stereotype of crones as wizened elders versus youthful maidens highlights distorted modern cultural attitudes overvaluing superficial qualities while undervaluing inner wisdom.
But the enduring magic behind the triple moon seems to lie in those meaningful lunar rhythms celebrating the power of perpetual change and cyclic renewal that nature and the divine feminine innately understand.
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