Upper and lower moon: The art of timing in Finnish folklore - Anne Pöyhönen

The Finnish folklore concept of the moon's influence on the timing of various tasks is published in book form for the first time.

The book begins with an overview of the significance of the Moon and the names of the different phases of the Moon in folklore. The rest of the book is divided into different tasks and activities, the timing of which depended on the phases of the Moon. For example, making a wreath, clearing bushes, baking dough, felling firewood and building wood, laying the brick for the oven, planting flowers and potatoes, sowing grain, mowing hay, cutting hair, rising dough, making fish traps, using bait in hunting, the time to exterminate pests, etc.

The rhythm of nature, where fresh and dry periods alternate, follows the phases of the Moon, and was therefore easily observable to ancient people directly from nature, but especially from the position of the Moon in the sky. During the rising moon, or waxing moon, many jobs produced much better results than during the waning moon. This is where our proverb comes from: "Waiting like the Moon rising". Doing things at the wrong time when there was no result.

In addition to the phases of the moon, it also includes wind directions - which wind direction produces the best results for which work.

Paperback. 2022. 118 pages.