The man in the Moon.

I have a friend who loves looking at the moon. I think a great many people enjoy looking up and seeing it there. I wonder how many people remember how we believed in the man in the moon. Then all of that was shattered when we landed on it. Now there is no mystery when you ask children about it, it is just a planet. 

In ancient times, full moons were associated with odd or insane behaviour, including sleepwalking, suicide, illegal activity, fits of violence and, of course, transforming into werewolves. 

Indeed, the words “lunacy” and “lunatic” come from the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna, who was said to ride her silver chariot across the dark sky each night. For thousands of years, doctors and mental health professionals believed in a strong connection between mania and the moon. 

Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, wrote in the fifth century B.C.E. that “one who is seized with terror, fright and madness during the night is being visited by the goddess of the moon.” 

In 18th-century England, people on trial for murder could campaign for a lighter sentence on grounds of lunacy if the crime occurred under a full moon; meanwhile, psychiatric patients at London’s Bethlehem Hospital were shackled and flogged as a preventive measure during certain lunar phases. Even today, despite studies discrediting the hypothesis, some people think full moons make everyone a little loony.

Most of my friends tell me that I do not need a full moon I am just a bit off the wall all the time. 

I do still love a peaceful night with a beautiful full moon and not matter what people tell me I still find myself getting contemplative under a moon. 

Intriguingly, legends from various traditions around the world, including Buddhism and Native American folklore, recount the tale of a rabbit that lives on the moon. This shared myth may reflect common interpretations of markings on the lunar surface—an alternate take on the fabled “man in the moon.” There is one tale that tells it was the sun that threw mud at the moon during an argument. 

 Shortly before Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969, mission control in Houston jokingly referred to the Chinese version of the story, telling the spaceship’s crew the tale of the rabbit that ran around the moon.

After telling the tale and just before the actual landing they told them to keep an eye out for the lovely girl with a big rabbit. 

Michael Collins replied, " Okay. We will keep a close eye out for a bunny girl."

So beware there may be truth that looking at the moon makes you crazy. 

For my moon loving friend. 

Have a wonderful day and a moon filled night one and all.