Long
ago, according to legend, there was a giant named Mundilfari who was called the
Turner of Time. His children Sunna, Mani, and Sinthgunt became the deities of
Sun, Moon, and Twilight. An ancient giantess, Nott, joined the House of Mundilfari
and became the goddess of Night, the herald of Mani. Nott's son Daeg (by a red
elf named Delling) became the god of Day, Sunna's herald. Mundilfari's family
and House gives us our sense of Time, every day of our lives.
In the more northerly parts
of Scandinavia, around the summer solstice, the light doesn't completely fade
from the sky. Friends who've traveled there at that time report that they felt
happy, almost euphoric, and that the native Scandinavians seemed to react with
equal energy. On the other hand, around the winter solstice, the dark doesn't
completely leave either. Melancholia, depression, substance abuse, and violence
may all increase then. Some Scandinavians install banks of full spectrum
lighting in their homes to counteract the loss of light.
This
Sun/Moon connection is glimpsed in the Norse myth about a mortal man of our
world whose name was Mundilfari. He fathered a son and a daughter who were so
lovely that he called the boy Moon and the girl Sun. Angered by this hubris,
the chief Norse God, Odin, and the Gods known as Aesir, stole the children and
assigned them to guide the chariots of the Sun and the Moon through the sky.
The boy was to lead the Moon, and the girl was to follow, leading the Sun.
Wolves would hotly pursue both of them, the wolf Hati chasing the Moon, and the
wolf Skoll chasing the Sun. In the beginning of Ragnarok-the period during
which the doom of the Gods and the destruction of life on Midgard (Earth) would
take place-the wolves would catch the Sun and Moon and devour them.
Mani,
the Moon God, is quieter and more reflective; he has been known to wander off
course in order to watch over people and is especially fond of the humans of
Midgard. One of his major tales has him rescuing children and taking them to
Asgard. He has a compassionate heart, and is struck by seeing those in need,
especially children who are being abused, and he is often prayed to in order to
protect specific children. He is known to have rescued two children, Bil and
Hjuki, snatching them up from the earth and sending them to live in Asgard.
(Their names seem to be the foundation of the "Jack and Jill" rhyme.)
He is also a God of calendars, mathematics, and other rational thought that
requires counting and numbers. He plays a flute as he walks, and is those who
work with Mani say that his moon-cart is pulled not by horses, but by large
dogs.
To begin with Mani, the
facts, as we know them, are few. Basically, Mani is the personification of the
moon; He is a God of the moon. He steers the moon on its course, determining
the time of its waxing and waning. As the moon reflects the light of the Sun,
so Mani can be said to, in His ever-subtle way, reflect the light and might of
Sunna’s power, which is not to say He has none of His own.
Mani
doesn’t travel alone; He has two companions on His nightly journey: a girl
named Bil and a boy named Hjuki. These children are brother and sister and once
had a very cruel father. Mani observed them being mistreated and came to steal
them away. They now accompany and assist Him on His nightly journey. Our moon
God is also pursued by a wolf, Hati, who makes sure that He doesn’t stray from
His assigned course. According to the shared UPG (unverified personal gnosis)
of many in the community, there is some likelihood of this for Mani truly likes
humanity and likes to watch over those He cares for, even if only from afar.
Many of us conjectured that His personality changes somewhat with the moon
phase.
Hati
has the difficult job of keeping the moon punctually on course. Of course,
according to the surviving lore, at Ragnarok, the wolf will capture the moon
and devour Him, plunging the night into unbroken darkness.
Gifts of Mani:
Sleep. Good dreams. Prophetic dreams. Healing. Blessings on travelers.
Protection of children and the mentally ill.
Symbols: anything
shaped like the moon or with the moon on it, hour glasses, old watch, knots,
musical scores, beaded necklaces, mirrors
Colors:
blues, silver, black, purple/lavender, pale white.
Rune:
Dagaz, Ehwaz
Stones:
moonstone, labradorite, selenite, quartz, amethyst.
Food and drink:
Sambuca, cookies (especially ones with marshmallow or odd shapes), angel food
cake, water, peppermint flavored sweets.
Other Offerings:
jasmine, night-blooming flowers, highly aromatic flowers, any volunteer work or
donations that benefit abused children or the mentally ill.
Things not to do: harm or abuse a child in any way; mock
the mentally ill.
Hail to Mani, sliver of silver,
glimpsed in this luminal time
as the light of day is dawning (or waning).
You who rise with your sister
and follow Her to your silver-gold home.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings just beginning.
Hail to Mani, brilliant sickle of the sky.
glimpsed in this luminal time
as the light of day is dawning (or waning).
You who rise with your sister
and follow Her to your silver-gold home.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings just beginning.
Hail to Mani, brilliant sickle of the sky.
Hail to Mani, silver crescent,
beautiful jewel of the morning (or evening),
hanging in the cerulean sky.
You who grow greater each rising,
and later each day, heavy with light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings growing.
Hail to Mani, brilliant sickle of the sky.
beautiful jewel of the morning (or evening),
hanging in the cerulean sky.
You who grow greater each rising,
and later each day, heavy with light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings growing.
Hail to Mani, brilliant sickle of the sky.
Hail to Mani, now half full,
half of the day and half of the night,
God of the spaces in-between.
You who are highest as the day wanes,
Half in light and half in dark,
On this night (or day) of all nights,
Look down on me with blessings budding.
Hail to Mani, half-full light of the sky.
half of the day and half of the night,
God of the spaces in-between.
You who are highest as the day wanes,
Half in light and half in dark,
On this night (or day) of all nights,
Look down on me with blessings budding.
Hail to Mani, half-full light of the sky.
Hail to Mani, beaming silver,
growing great in the darkness,
shining among the stars.
You who grow greater each rising,
and later each day, heavy with light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings blooming.
Hail to Mani, gleaming globe of the sky.
growing great in the darkness,
shining among the stars.
You who grow greater each rising,
and later each day, heavy with light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings blooming.
Hail to Mani, gleaming globe of the sky.
Hail to Mani, shimmering silver,
flooding the dark night
with white light blazing brilliant.
You who appear in the evening,
whole and holy on the horizon.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings full and finished.
Hail to Mani, perfect pearl of the sky.
flooding the dark night
with white light blazing brilliant.
You who appear in the evening,
whole and holy on the horizon.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me with blessings full and finished.
Hail to Mani, perfect pearl of the sky.
Hail to Mani, beaming silver,
great globe in the darkness,
shining among the stars.
You who leave lesser each setting,
and later each day, shedding your light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me as troubles wane.
Hail to Mani, gleaming globe of the sky.
Hail to Mani, now half empty,
half of the day and half of the night,
God of the spaces in-between.
You who are highest as the day dawns,
Half in light and half in dark,
On this night (or day) of all nights,
Look down on me as troubles decline.
Hail to Mani, half-empty light of the sky.
half of the day and half of the night,
God of the spaces in-between.
You who are highest as the day dawns,
Half in light and half in dark,
On this night (or day) of all nights,
Look down on me as troubles decline.
Hail to Mani, half-empty light of the sky.
Hail to Mani, silver crescent,
beautiful jewel of the morning (or evening),
hanging in the cerulean sky.
You who leave lesser each setting,
and later each day, shedding your light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me as troubles fade.
Hail to Mani, brilliant sickle of the sky.
beautiful jewel of the morning (or evening),
hanging in the cerulean sky.
You who leave lesser each setting,
and later each day, shedding your light.
On this night (or day) of all nights,
look down on me as troubles fade.
Hail to Mani, brilliant sickle of the sky.
m Dark
of the Moon m
Hail to Mani, hiding your face,
secret silver disk of the day,
lost in your sister’s golden glow.
You who are dark and distant,
living in the sun’s great light,
On this day (or night) of all days,
look down on me with blessings waiting.
Hail to Mani, silent wanderer in the sky.
secret silver disk of the day,
lost in your sister’s golden glow.
You who are dark and distant,
living in the sun’s great light,
On this day (or night) of all days,
look down on me with blessings waiting.
Hail to Mani, silent wanderer in the sky.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/heathenatheart/2015/06/a-prayer-to-mani-god-of-the-moon/
https://www.forrestastrology.com/resources/articles/norse-mythology/36-solar-deities-in-norse-mythology
