But the article below is intended only to stir an interest in Lilith's influence in astrology, and is a prelude to a book-in-progress, "Lilith: The Dark Moon."
If you are interested in learning more about Lilith, or have questions or comments, you may do so by emailing me, Catt Foy, zodiac@uswest.net.
She is reputedly Adam's first wife, before Eve. She is known as a demoness, the killer of infants in their cradles. She is the original woman, who refused to be subjugated to a man's desires. Consort to both the devil and God himself, she is the enigmatic and mysterious Lilith.
A little-known element in astrology charts, Lilith is known as the "dark Moon" and, as such, represents our "dark" or hidden emotional selves. According to Lois Daton, author of "Lilith, The Planet of the Doodler," the physical existence of Lilith was confirmed by the United States Weather Bureau in 1879. Lilith is the name used for two different celestial bodies - one is located in the asteroid belt and is not our subject here, the other is an invisible body orbiting the earth approximately three times farther away than the Moon, Luna. It is this Lilith which is of interest here.
Lilith's placement in the chart is especially important to women, and represents the power of the original woman. In a man's chart, Lilith's placement will reveal the hidden power struggles or other issues he may have, resolved or unresolved, with the women in his life.
Lilith was known to the Chaldean astrologers; the Egyptians called her Nephthys. The name Lilith is derived from the old Semitic word for night, "lel" or "lelath", in Arabic "laylah," which also means "ghost" or "spectre" in Hebrew. She is associated with the Death card in Tarot and with the goddesses Persephone, Hecate, Athena, Minerva. She is associated with the Owl, representing secrecy and wisdom, and she is frequently connected with cats.
Lilith is perhaps best understood in contrast to her counterpart, the visible Moon, Luna. Luna receives her self-fulfillment and self-definition through the nurturing of others. Lilith is self-fulfilled and self-defined. Luna represents the visible emotions; Lilith is those emotions which remain hidden or secret. Lilith lives behind-the-scenes, usually undetected. She can be sneaky or deceptive, but she can also indicate our ability to be subtle, to guide and manage events and people without being intrusive. She is our ability to be private, and her placement in the chart will tell you what the native feels most secretive about. As a Moon, Lilith is also associated with mothering, but she is the strength of a mother protecting her cubs. Luna is soft and kind and nurturing. Lilith is strong, a disciplinarian, and will kill any who threaten the well-being of her offspring. Lilith is protective and self-protective.
She protects herself from her own toxic emotions, becoming the guardian of shame, guilt, hatred, vengefulness, bitterness, envy, jealousy. We look for Lilith in our charts to discover which defense mechanisms we employ to hide our wounding.
She is also the femme fatale - the sexually powerful woman. She affects dreams, especially sexual ones, and is an influence in trances, hypnotism, the channeling of entities, interdimensional beings, and possession.
Here is a brief overview of Lilith's placement in the natal charts. As with anything in astrology, her influence must be interpreted within the context of the total chart.
Aries - Lilith in Aries is straight-forward about her sexuality and may use it to feel powerful. Applied in a negative manner, there may be temper tantrums or bratty behavior.
Taurus - Lilith in Taurus may hide money or possessions, and there will be a great deal of secrecy regarding finances. This can also indicate miserliness, or a refusal to share one's resources with others.
Gemini - When Lilith hides herself among the twins, she may exhibit a chameleon-like ability to be whoever she must be at the moment, hiding her true thoughts and feelings. If used improperly, the native may be considered "two-faced" or be a vicious gossip.
Cancer - Hidden emotions may come out in ways that affect the physical health. When expressed in ways that are healthy, Lilith's influence here makes the native a powerful parent, or an activist for the protection of children. When negative, there may be chronic or psychomatic illness, or the tendency toward martyrdom.
Leo - Lilith in Leo wants to be admired, but she'll never admit it. In creative expression, she will do things her own way and never feel obliged to explain herself. Taken to extremes, she becomes the prima donna, demanding and unforgiving.
Virgo - Lilith in Virgo will often make the native very secretive or repressed in their sexual expression, and there will be much attention to hygiene and health-related details. When negative, Lilith in Virgo can be very cold and aloof, or extremely critical of the habits of others.
Libra - Lilith in Libra may find herself concerned with the legalistic side of power. She is a defender of women here, supportive of laws that curtail abuse or sexual crimes. Taken to extremes, Lilith in Libra may be vindictive against those she perceives to be offenders, and in relationships may be clinging, jealous or manipulative.
Scorpio - There are some astrologers who believe that Lilith is the co-ruler of Scorpio, along with Pluto. When placed here, she is powerfully sexual, hypnotic, seductive and wise. When under a negative influence, she can become bitter, vengeful or obsessed.
Sagittarius - Lilith in Sagittarius may hide her emotions beneath a facade of humor or a mask of "niceness." She may keep her personal philosophies secret from others, keeping her own counsel. In the negative, this placement can indicate haughtiness, self-righteousness, and prejudice.
Capricorn - Lilith in Capricorn will hardly ever share any emotions, and these natives may seem unapproachable. Achievement and status will be the method employed to feed the hidden need for emotional contact. At its extremes, here is the anal retentive who must control everything.
Aquarius - Lilith in Aquarius will probably mask the hidden emotions with a series of ever-changing kaleidoscopic surface emotions, and will seem fascinating and elusive to others. The native may be chimerical, fluttering like a fairy from one situation to the next. At its worst, Lilith in Aquarius is irresponsible, remote, and refuses to listen to others.
Pisces - Lilith is already secretive, and doubly so in Pisces. This is usually the person who has emotional wounding buried so deeply that they don't even know it themselves. Lilith's placement here may instigate behaviors which even the native finds baffling, and is often associated with passive-aggressive and unconscious behavioral patterns.
By making peace with and embracing our own darkest emotions, we can integrate ourselves. Lilith is one of the keys in astrology which can help us attain that goal.
