By Len Wallick
Something is up with the Moon. Something mysterious and auspicious. Most obviously, it is on its way to conjoin with the Sun on July 11 in the sign Cancer, precipitating a total eclipse. Along the way, however, there are some other intriguing synchronicities, especially today.
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Before proceeding, propriety dictates that one must acknowledge Tracy at Serennu.com (the ephemeris master) for the source material upon which the next few expository paragraphs are based. [Eric has added some thoughts as well.]
The point around which the Moon orbits does not correspond to the exact center of the Earth. Rather, it is a common center of gravity. Still located within the Earth but about 2,800 miles away from the core, it is called the Earth-Moon barycenter or center of mass.
We last heard the term barycenter at Planet Waves during the “is Pluto really a planet” conversation in 2006. Pluto and its largest companion Charon (not Chiron, rather Charon) orbit a common barycenter that is outside either planet. Therefore, Charon is not Pluto’s Moon but rather its binary co-planet. In the first proposal to create the dwarf planet category, Charon was named as a dwarf planet of its own. That proposal lasted for about a day. [Here is a link to that discussion, though you will need a product key to open it. I will add a bit of text in a comment below.]
The Earth-Moon barycenter is inside the Earth, therefore our Moon is a moon. That is the definition.
In addition the Sun — being very large in comparison to the Moon — actually exerts a greater gravitational influence on Luna than our planet does. Then there are the lesser but measurable influences of other bodies in the solar system (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, etc.), which have an effect. The net result is that the Moon does not trace a smooth, regular elliptical orbit around the Earth. Rather, both engage in some significant wobble and wiggle as they dance. It is not chaos but it is complex.
Let’s interpret for a moment. The Moon in astrology represents the emotions. Here we see the way in which every object in our solar system affects the motion of the Moon and therefore plays on our emotions.
In an attempt to smooth out the irregularities, such points as the lunar nodes (the two places where the Moon’s orbit intersects the ecliptic, and therefore tell us where an eclipse will happen) and the lunar apogee (furthest distance from Earth) have two locations in an ephemeris. These are like orientation points that help describe the Moon’s orbit, and help us predict where things will happen.
There are two versions of the lunar nodes: the true node, incorporating the irregularities; and the mean node averaging the wobble out to a smooth curve. There will often be a discrepancy of one to three degrees between the mean and true node.
The lunar apogee (not used by most astrologers, and generally not cast into charts) has a true and mean position as well. The difference between the mean apogee and osculating apogee is usually even greater, often in entirely different signs. That is fascinating stuff but not for today.
Today, the mean and true nodes in Capricorn come within eleven arc minutes of each other at 11+ degrees of that sign. Even more astonishing, the mean and osculating apogee come within four arc minutes of each other in the first degree of Pisces. This is a rare alignment of lunar elements. I realize this is heady, but see if you can appreciate the variables involved.
It is as if the Moon has come into near perfect tune, resonating with a pure harmonic as if to sound a heralding note. To what end this call? Remember — there is a total eclipse of the Sun happening on Sunday (representing another kind of perfection, clearly part of this story). Perhaps an examination of today’s lunar aspects can give us an additional clue as to what is up.
A volatile lunar sojourn in Aries coincided with the 4th of July holiday weekend in the United States — our revolution, and Moon-in-Aries people have a touch of revolt and innovation to them (Betty Dodson, Jerry Garcia, Salvador Dali). Early this morning or last night, depending on where you are, Luna made ingress to the sign of Taurus. And it didn’t waste any time. In the very first degree it formed an empowering sextile with Chiron, which is conjunct the lunar apogee, otherwise known as Black Moon Lilith.
Note that the mean lunar apogee has a name: the Black Moon Lilith. So the way you would describe this is that the Black Moon Lilith is conjunct Chiron.
In modern mythology, Lilith was Adam’s first wife. Her refusal to submit to dominance by the masculine led to her ostracism. Combining the rage that comes from injustice with a persistent refusal to go away quietly, the myth demonizes any woman who will not acknowledge a male supremacist doctrine. Note, this is a modern myth that emerged during Medieval times [please see first comment below].
In astrology, Black Moon Lilith is one of the abstract, hypothetical objects with location but not mass. It corresponds with the theoretical apogee of the lunar orbit, the expected point of widest separation between the Earth and Moon. But by the time the Moon actually gets there, the point has moved.
This might symbolize the estrangement experienced by the mythical figure as well as the strong, polarizing feelings that would result from such an experience. Or, it symbolizes the way in which the myth seems to hold no water in our society. So there is indeed some dark stuff there but there is also the redemptive power that is conferred to any who suffer unjust punishment.
At the moment, the mean apogee and the true apogee are in a conjunction. This is not shown in charts; to see it, you have to look at the planetary tables.
Here is an interpretation. United together in conjunction with Chiron, in Pisces, the mean and osculating apogee create an intense focus that implies a transcendent spiritual awareness of karma. At best, that can encourage a detached and holistic approach to correcting imbalance in a system. At worst, the pain can become the cause with a corresponding need to lash out and punish. With a sextile to the Moon, a grounded approach is encouraged but not a foregone conclusion. It’s a matter of perception, response and values. It’s a reminder that astrology is not destiny.
We choose. Choose well.
That’s a big one but the Moon does not stop there. Indeed, it’s just the beginning of a long day’s journey into tomorrow. Hours after its sextile to the conjunction of Chiron and Lilith, it forms a precise, lush and sensual grand Earth trine with Pluto in Capricorn and the asteroid Eros in Virgo. This aspect allows each of us to take our own measure of ourselves.
To what extent are we in touch with our sexuality as felt in the body? Have we allowed our feelings to be dominated by our analytical tendencies? To what degree have we sought liberation from that? How closely are we connected to the Earth of which we are a part? What part of our erotic life is available for sharing and how much is repressed? Are our values and motives shaped by our affirmation of life as a first premise or is that connection sacrificed?
A trine hands it to us on a sliver platter. But if we are still preoccupied by Luna’s sextile to the Lilith-Chiron conjunction, that opportunity will pass. The Moon moves quickly. As the day passes it will briefly conjoin with three asteroids in Taurus: Industria, Persephone and Arachne. In common they give us reason to contemplate how circumstance does not dictate choice, rather how choice creates circumstance.
Finally, at the end of the day, Luna forms an Earth trine to the conjunction of its own true and mean node in Capricorn, in a sense, looking back on the lunar eclipse near this point back on June 26. In an equal sense it’s looking forward to the solar eclipse with a sextile to the south node in Cancer. Looking back to the point of dharma (North Node), looking forward to the point of karma (South Node), resolving the opposition is not a contradiction. It is being in the now wherever we are in the process.
So perhaps that’s what the Moon is trying to tell us. See each day as a part of the whole process of working out our lives. Take each step as a preparation for the next. Be aware of your relationship to the past and to the future; to what you’ve done, and what you will do, and recognize the moment between is the moment of choosing. Be present to the moment but move forward so as not to miss the next. And finally, know that the result of the journey will not be a result of the circumstances and opportunities, but what we do with them.
Offered In Service. With Eric Francis.
Eric,
I liked Len’s analysis of BML yesterday, & I remember at UAC hearing of French astrologer who has ephemeris of Dark/Brown Moon Lilith. Where can I find this online? With BML & asteroid Lilith, I think we need to do things in 3s. Thanks. Dan
— Dan
Dear Dan,
There are three Liliths.
1. Black Moon Lilith, true and mean: osculating apogee (ephemeris at Serennu.com, but listed only one day at a time. Referred to as Mean Apogee and True Apogee). Point is calculated by most astro programs as well. Must select true or mean position. Rarely called Lilith by programmers.
2. Dark Moon Lilith, a theoretical second moon of the Earth, probably a dust cloud if it exists at all. There have allegedly been sightings but I think it’s not real.
3. Asteroid (1181) Lilith, found in Serennu.com as well. This is a typical asteroid with a 4.3 year orbit.
xef
Wow, many happy birthday wishes and kisses going out to all you lovelies.
I’ve been feeling the depths of the feminine emerging, and I’m so happy to hear that I’m not alone.
I have recently had 2 incredible sessions with Tami Kent, a physical therapist who does holistic pelvic healing. I am re-reading her book: “Wild Feminine”.
The process has brought tremendous awareness to my pelvic bowl and my root. I’ve been tuning in daily, finding energies and emotions, blessing them and letting them go. Each day a deeper message. Have gotten down into the feminine wounding layer and found my anger, rage, hurt and pain. I continue to release these energies with blessings, awareness, colors, and light. I’m bringing in reverence for my whole feminine range, for all of the incredible potential that exists in my beautiful pelvic bowl filled with light. All that has been lost can now be found again!
Blessed be!
That final paragraph there (the one beginning “So perhaps that’s what the Moon is trying to tell us”) is worth the price of admission all by itself.
This thing about choosing has been coming up for me a lot the past few days … how we choose, what we choose, and the necessity of choosing conciously; realizing that we’re choosing even though it’s not labeled “this is a choice.”
It’s funny how much of this stuff is so obvious, what we’ve been learning and saying for years, and yet seeing it again now is like an “aha!” experience. Amazing. What a journey this is. (Or as we said back in the 60s, what a trip. :D)
“It’s important to recognize fraud when you see it. That we would continue to buy into it once the fraud is exposed — that is another issue.”
Oh yes, my Love-ly Eric. I agree. My whole of life until now has been learning to recognize fraud when I see it. Oh my yes. I was expressing my view of the story from present day vantage point.
Forgive if I was too rant-y in my expression. With Open Eyes we proceed.
xo
Be – I missed your Be-day??!! Belated celebratory wishes to you, much love, H.
Thanks Myst and Patricia. Blessings, H.
My nephew’s birthday was July 3. This past week, a person was charged with murdering 3 people by selling bad drugs to them. The person hasn’t officially been tied to the nephew and his girlfriend yet, but the second set of murders took place in the same house where he and she were killed. No excuses for him….they were heavy drug users. But what they purchased wasn’t supposed to kill them. Makes me wonder how many others this person killed. All of this info was provided to the family by the police dept.
Thanks Mystes, for your loving help. Happy Birthday too!
Good Evening Planeteers,
BK, first of all, yes and merry B’day back to you. I couldn’t comment at that point in the week – have been a bit radioactive for the last 2 months, so touching *anything* out loud was out of the question. The effects are receding. . . just a few more (careful) days to go.
As for your question, Luna/Pluto landed in my 1st House; Sol/Merc in my Seventh; both square Uranus & Jupiter at the leading, bleeding edge of my 4th House. Since Cancer rules the 4th House the demolition began at the moment that Uranus ingressed Aries back in May.
So. I was in *deep* retreat during the Eclipse weekend to make sure that the Continuing Revolution was on my terms.
***
Yes, Lady Hazel, I see your birthday on the horizon – under a Gemini Moon if I’m not mistaken. That ought to provide a few rounds of confetti! So is it 7/8/78? *8D
And Patricia Moonrose, one of my heartdaughters was born 7/13 – one of my favorite days in the Cancerian calendar! I tried to hang on for that date, but an incarnation 900 years back determined this one.
We are the sign that blends rage and compassion. It’s a potent cocktail, that, but work with it a little while and you’ll have a mighty fine mouthful.
Lovelove,
M
Happy Birthdays to all PW “crablettes” — good one Hazel.
Special belated good cheer to Be — I’m siding with Jere, I shoulda done it earlier. You ARE “kick-ass” all right!
Equally “k-a” is Mystes and I’m all for people celebrating their b’days for days on end. Three days seems about right, but especially sweeter when taken right at the beginning of the week. Enjoy the French vino. I only wish I could drop in to see what might happen if I brought along some water…!
Happyhappyhappy b’day!
I’ve had a very lovely day here myself after a much overdue good night’s sleep and I have to chime in and say I’m also feeling something “special” afoot…..hmmm.
So to all you Crablettes who have *celebrated* their b’day already, are currently *celebrating* their b’day or *about to* celebrate their b’day (and heck, all the other fantabulous women and “manmothers” who make this place rock) — this one’s for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pu0Fn1oRN4
(Ring that bell and heed the clarion call.)
Mystes – happy solar return, dear.
xoxo
Back to Lilith, my soul-woman……So rather than be partners, Adam made the choice to have a submissive – or rather, a mirror of himself, the real story of narcissism if you ask me – making your “other” from your own rib?! hello? We bought INTO this story?
Oh Please. ! *@%^??!
Linda, it was given to us as the only option. It’s important to recognize fraud when you see it. That we would continue to buy into it once the fraud is exposed — that is another issue.
So many gentle Cancer friends!
Blessings to you all!
PS the “Pluto/Neptune” thing in case anyone wonders to my reference — during each Pluto 248 year orbit, 20 years of it are spent as the 8th planet, not the 9th. Effectively Neptune and Pluto trade places in the order of things. During these years of my life (1979-1999) I could not find “space” in my being to trust my intuition no matter what. And every decision I made was “wrong” – my intuition was always right….but no matter what! I never believed in my “self”. Interesting.
Anyway, Happy Moon Days!!!!!
Big XOs
Mystes, happy birthday to you! Seems like more than a few solar cancers show up here on the pw blog.
So, happy birthday to you too, HazelF! :0)
At the moment I’m pulling up the rear on the 13th.
Anyone else?
MoonRose
I woke this morning with clarity about the “tangled vines about a pole” that Eric used years ago to describe my MC/South Node entanglement (what I refer to as the Taurus Syndrome). I do believe that yesterday’s Uranus station created some important input there. I have pages of notes taken this AM prior to rising.)
Len, your article today is hugely powerful for me. I will have to take it in small bites. This is indeed a time of great change. (Uranus is busy transiting natal Drk Moon Lilith –zero Aries 9th house – natal Uranus is conjunct ascendant in Leo, but still in 12th – and Rx)
If I’m beginning to speak the language, then my house (heheh) is full of Shift:
Moon transiting natal Pallas at 9 degrees Taurus 10th house (MC).
Moon sextile natal Moon and Eris (both are 8 degrees Aries 9th house)
Uranus just stationed retro nearby my natal Lilith which sits squarely upon the Aries Point at 0 Aries, 9th house.
Natal Lilith is sextile transiting Lilith – which is transiting my sun and Mercury along with Chyron and Neptune.
Transiting Pallas is opposing natal Pallas – she apparently wanted to visit home as she is transiting natal Jupiter (1 degree Scorpio 4th house) my True Node at 2 degrees and natal Neptune at 4 degrees (all in the family, I presume?) Psyche at 21 Scorpio stands ready to greet her as she continues to visit that 4th house.
Transiting True Node is smack dab in central Capricorn just for yucks.
And as for Lilith – to me she has always stood for “unjust punishment” – She was a Being of Pure Creation as was Adam – who, given the opportunity, chose to punish her simply for Being What She Was. I have lived with this fu*kin’ problem since I was born and am plenty tired of it.
Back to Lilith, my soul-woman……So rather than be partners, Adam made the choice to have a submissive – or rather, a mirror of himself, the real story of narcissism if you ask me – making your “other” from your own rib?! hello? We bought INTO this story?
Oh Please. ! *@%^??!
Oh – and did I mention that my astrology is really really really active right now? Len, the whole Neptune thing inandofitself is a very large novel (especially the 20 years of Pluto “blocking” Neptune during orbit which is bascially synonomous with my personal 20 years of hell)
So much to chew. One bite at a time……
Speaking of “story” I do believe one myth says that Pisces saved Venus and Eros (mixing nation’s myths) from drowning. Not sure what that has with today’s discussion of the moon and Lilith except that there’s a lot of sex’n’love happinin’ in those myths – and being one Brave Pisces, I’m hoping to save mySelf and those I love from any future drowning issues. (‘specially since I “saw” two HUGE gushers above water – and on fire – in the Gulf two nights ago….I SWORE up and down I had seen it on the “news” but no, there was no update as to this – I pray it was a symbolic vision of some much needed release.)
Thank you for giving me a place to “put it” – these growing pains of mine.
If I “kept it” I’d just explode for sure.
Still trying to figture out what the astrology “means”. One step. Then another. Hmmmmm..sounds like “life”.
In Overload,
XO
(Happy BD, Mystes!)
hmmm… women doing the inseminating, huh?
fun!
and yes mystes, a very happy solar return to you! always good to see you chime in here. thanks for the food for thought…
🙂
..Be, I’ve been off the pages for a bit,.. I DID see your Be-day.. I was trying to hiatus my commentary in general.. but I can’t resist.. I Love you, you’re kick-ass! I dig your precise astrology as well as your astute delineations.
..Happy belated birthday, Be!
..Would have been here sooner, but, ..
..I’m still working on me..
Love ya, cat…
Jere
mystes!
Happy, happy birthday, and take all three days for goodness sake; I took the 3rd and 4th for my very own birthday and glad of it too {:)~
As for the “something going on with women”, a large part of it must be the lunar eclipse in Capricorn we are still under. She was conjunct Pluto right? Opposed by the Sun and Mercury, right? Squared by Uranus, Jupiter and Saturn, right? So where in your chart did she land?
Damn straight she’s inseminating another structure, furiously. . . even as we read!
be
Myste:
There is something about this time that feels more cohesive than the past few weeks or for that matter, the last two months. Like things thought separate are really not. We are connected, even through all the imagined threats–coming back together in full circle.
Its on that note, that I send you a “thought and feeling bridge” to sew up any gaps you have remaining in your general sphere. Think of it as a spiritual coupon, a get out of subconscious jail free card, a birthday cake wrapped in ribbons of prayer spun from the wheels of the great monks in the Himalayas. There my Mysti shopping bag is full, and I’m at the check out stand.
Sending it now to you with a kiss and a candle.
MWAH!
Ah Mysti – Happy Birthday hon, really – many happy returns. What a fine day it is too. I’m only a couple of days behind you on the 8th. From a crablette to a crablette, much love. H.
..and Myst, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Beautiful.
Liminali, check out the time and synchronicities to our sentence structures.. is that not funny as shit!?!
Jere!
Shine on Mystes!
I salute you with my father’s solar return greeting,
*I’m glad you were born!*
Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiR4A2ZV0aU
all love,
liminali
Len, beyond stellar resonance. It’s a pleasure to hang out in the same time-space as you. Thank you for speaking.
Love,
Jere
Thank you Stormi… This is going to be a very, very dynamic year. Your blessing will not go unheeded.
And Shanna – great work! I’ll blow you kiss as we take out the candles tonight. The wish will be big enough to go around!
And Len, this is a great little article, packed with interesting, fiddly bits (the kind for which Intergalactic Councils give out awards – watch your mailbox).
And many thanks for the ongoing tutorials you cook up.
There *is* something going on this week with women (and manmothers) – lining up *just so* to nudge the next cycle open with this Eclipse. My dreamstates are troping in that direction, and anecdotal evidence is drifting in as well. Women are shaking off their trepidation about a) declaring a general strike on the military/monastic values that have warped the social body, and b) furiously inseminating another structure.
(and PS Eric… I’m not sure where Joe’s wife gets the idea that Lilith wasn’t considered a major Mesopotamian daimon. There are depictions of her — specifically named ‘Lilith’ in Sumerian, as well as pre-Ptolemaic Egyptian images: http://volker-doormann.org/the2.htm … scroll down to compare the three stelae. None of them particularly succubus-looking, by the way.)
Keep putting out those little white path-markers, Len. The trail through this summer’s forest is shadowy and beset with old recordings of long-dead beasties. Grrrrr…
Kissies,
M
Tracy is incredible. On the record: she is the smartest astrologer I’ve ever met.
And I have met them all.
i knew your birthday was any day now M, so HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY JOY to you for every day, love*yin emphasis on the three! 😉 xoxoxo
Darlings…
I would like to note, perhaps in mild contradistinction to Len’s view, that our busy Luna has slowed down enough to spend *three* days in Taurus. A sign where we are most comfortable, and indeed, home. I am, therefore, claiming all three days as my Solar Return: 5th, 6th and 7th.
I will be at VinoVino on Wednesday evening, guest of their fabulous French wine tasting. If you are in Austin, stop in and raise a glass. (I’ll bring water, too – in case anyone is feeling miraculous.)
“Send your Love…”
M
Many thanks to Eric for the tag-teamwork fleshing out my idea. Thanks also to Tracy -what would i do without your generous resources? Last but not least thanks to Fe and Amanda, the better minds and greater talents.
Cha! Nice. I’m heading into tech today for a little production of Dido and Aeneas, for which I’ve designed the costumes and played the role of dramaturg.
Anyhoo. The point being, I introduced the idea of Lilith as the basis for the witches in the role as counterpoint to Dido’s Eve connection. Wanted to steer the director clear of any cackling… (dear lord, no!) But the discussions about this have been interesting. The director even toying with the idea of the Sorceress (Lilith) holding Dido in a pieta of sorts after Dido’s death. The two archetypes of women united at last.
So we’ll see. Seems like an auspiciously good, creative day for us.
Cheers,
me
The Bell Curve, and Warning Bells
From The Continuing Discovery of Pluto, Planet Waves for Aug. 18, 2006. Written in Brussels.
So, with this week’s development, we have something resembling actual news: Pluto, under the proposal, would remain an official planet. Xena/UB313 would become known as a planet, somewhat controversially opening the way for many other newly discovered bodies to have this distinction. According to Xena discoverer Mike Brown, the proposed guidelines, as stated, would include potential inclusion of an additional 44 known bodies, on top of the nine we now call planets. These would include many of the minor planets familiar to Planet Waves readers, including Sedna and Varuna — which are not being decided upon at this point.
Under the current proposal, Ceres gets promoted from asteroid to planet, returning to that which she once was. Few people are aware that Ceres, while an asteroid, comprises fully one-third of the total mass of the asteroid belt. While size is not everything, this puts her in a class by herself.
And the big surprise: Charon, long said to be Pluto’s moon, is a planet in its own right. The four will now be described as “dwarf planets,” but this is merely descriptive, a way of noting they’re smaller than Mercury. Indeed, they are all smaller than Earth’s Moon. Yet as any astrologer who has worked with Pluto knows, in terms of real-life impact and experience, size matters not. Pluto may be the smallest thing culturally known as a planet, but clearly has the most profound effects. Case in point, it was under a Pluto influence, combined with Saturn, that the Sept. 11 incident occurred. There are scores of other examples, some of them on this scale, from the Saturn-Pluto cycle that reveal the stunning, unstoppable influence of Pluto.
But let’s step back and look at the whole scene of planetary discovery, which is rarely ever mentioned in the media so few people are even aware that it’s happening. Consider this. In 1977, Chiron was discovered and given minor planet catalogue (MPC) number 2060. In other words, it was the 2,060th minor planet catalogued since Ceres was discovered in 1801. This alone is a fairly steep bell curve.
Yet by 2000, just 23 years later, Varuna was discovered beyond the orbit of Neptune and given MPC number 20,000. Just two years after that, Quaoar was discovered and given MPC number 50,000. Now, in 2006, the count stands at well over 320,000 catalogued objects orbiting our Sun. We could say this is happening at a pivotal moment in world history, the moment of critical mass on so many other issues: ranging from the planet heating up to oil running out; from a growing water crisis to a global climate increasingly dominated by war — all facts which every bell in the universe is urging us to confront.
If astrology in any way reflects the shape of the human psyche, whatever you may think of minor planets, the sheer increase in their rate of discovery tells you something about the changing nature of the climate on Earth and the inner world of humanity — and how incredibly fast things are developing. By accepting three of these objects as planets, science would be playing some excruciatingly slow catch-up, but by the proppsed definition, leaving the door open to a rush of progress.
Len,
I’ve added some comments here — helped plenty by many conversations with Tracy over the years — but I have to say this is a really cool observation you’ve made. I will be building this stuff right into Friday’s horoscope.
Many thanks —
e
Note: two weeks ago, I bumped into my mentor Joe Trusso and his wife Debra at the Farmer’s Market. We got into a conversation about old stuff: the story of Lilith, and how old were the oldest source documents from Western astrology. Debra said she would look up Lilith and I said I would get something tangible from Project Hindsight about the age of the source documents of astrology. This was Debra’s reply to that conversation.
Hi Eric
So I looked up the dates for the midrashes and they are later than I thought… 100 ad – 400 ad or so. (Of course, I realized being rabbinic they had to be post destruction of the temple in 70 ad)
Anyway, from these writings come the stories of Lilith being the first wife of Adam, etc. The stories of her being a sexual demon, succubus of the night etc were all developed during the Middle Ages.
Of course those are late non-Mesopotamian sources. As for Mesopotamia, there are a few texts describing a demon named Lilitu, and another Ardat-lili (usually appearing in a triad with a male demon named Lilu). Probably the source for the later midrashes, tho it is Ardat-lili who appears in the myths later ascribed to Lilitu, such as the Hulupu Tree. Some say Lilith was an attempt at assimilating the Sumerian Belili, an early goddess-form, but I haven’t heard a convincing argument for that.
So, all of the contemporary re-visioning aside, she never really was a goddess, or a positive force, tho I guess to many it’s not a stretch to make her sex-positive in light of the story with Adam where she refused “to lie beneath him” and so flew away to make her home by the Red Sea preferring to copulate with demons! And any female entity who puts fear in the hearts of men for over three thousand years must harbor secrets lost to time.
best, Debra