Long ago Quote by Christopher Ryan
““In a sky swarming with uncountable stars, clouds endlessly flowing, and planets wandering, always and forever there has been just one moon and one sun. To our ancestors, these two mysterious bodies reflected the female and the male essences. From Iceland to Tierra del Fuego, people attributed the Sun’s constancy and power to his masculinity; the Moon’s changeability, unspeakable beauty, and monthly cycles were signs of her femininity. To human eyes turned toward the sky 100,000 years ago, they appeared identical in size, as they do to our eyes today. In a total solar eclipse, the disc of the moon fits so precisely over that of the sun that the naked eye can see solar flares leaping into space from behind. But while they appear precisely the same size to terrestrial observers, scientists long ago determined that the true diameter of the sun is about four hundred times that of the moon. Yet incredibly, the sun’s distance from Earth is roughly four hundred times that of the moon’s, thus bringing them into unlikely balance when viewed from the only planet with anyone around to notice.22 Some will say, “Interesting coincidence.” Others will wonder whether there isn’t an extraordinary message contained in this celestial convergence of difference and similarity, intimacy and distance, rhythmic constancy and cyclical change. Like our distant ancestors, we watch the eternal dance of our sun and our moon, looking for clues to the nature of man and woman, masculine and feminine here at home.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Sun and Moon: A Cosmic Metaphor,” Christopher Ryan, 2018
The sun and moon’s apparent similarity hides vast differences, reflecting masculine and feminine archetypes and prompting reflection on gender symbolism.
In simple terms: Sun and moon look alike but differ greatly, symbolizing gender.
Consider balance of opposites.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- cultural interpretations
- personal identity
- philosophical contemplation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the sun represent for you?
- How do you see gender in nature?
Interpretations can be culturally biased.