The Moon Gazing Hare
“Look for her at midnight, as she twitches her nose and raises her head to the full moon, soft ears falling behind her. She is the moon-gazing hare” (Grace Nuth)
The power of three
In a recent Oracle card reading done by a good friend of mine, the message I was given was to take notice of symbols and signs and that there are new beginnings coming my way. I am a big believer in signs and symbols and if something comes along three times (or more) then I pay attention.
In the past few weeks, I have come across hares in several different situations. I was given a stuffed animal hare, I had a visualization in which a hare helped me, and I was recently in Norwich (England) and came across these Moon Gazing Hares from Wyn Abbot Ceramics (see photo) and I instantly fell in love with them. Since hares have clearly made their presence felt in my life, I decided it was time to find out a bit more about them and the Moon Gazing Hare in particular.
What is the link between Hares and the Moon?
Hares have been linked to the Moon since Ancient times and stories about them can be found all over the world. The Moon Hare is a mythical figure in Far Eastern folklore and was said to live on the Moon. The folklore is thought to have originated in China and spread to other Asian cultures. The Moon hare is seen as a companion to the Moon Goddess, Chang’e and is continuously pounding the elixir of life. The Moon Gazing Hares in China are said to be looking up at their Ancestors.
In Buddhism there is also the tale of the hare which gives up its body for a starving man and as a reward, the image of a hare was placed on the surface of the moon so that the hare’s great act of selfless sacrifice would be known throughout the world until the end of time.
What does the Hare represent?
The hare itself has long been seen as a sacred animal. In Celtic lore the hare was considered to have supernatural powers and links to the spirit world. It was also seen as unlawful to eat the hare.
The hare is linked to fertility and abundance and is connected with Spring and the Goddess Ostara (or Eostre). The hare is also specifically linked with the month of March when the mating season takes place and the hares are excitable and unpredictable, which is where the expression ‘mad as a March hare’ comes from.
There is often a spiral shown on images of the moon gazing hare (see photo above). This spiral is thought to be the earliest known representation of spirituality. It is the symbol of the Goddess and represents fertility, growth, rebirth, and continual change.
What does the Moon Gazing Hare symbol mean to me?
When I look at the Moon Gazing Hares, they give me a sense of peace and wonder. Since I was a little girl, I have loved to look up at the moon. It does not matter which phase the moon is in, it never fails to give me joy. The Moon Gazing Hares bring that feeling to mind for me and make me feel calm and peaceful. They give me a sense of surrender and trust in the future, and I feel that good things are coming my way.