Soma is both the Vedic plant pressed and drunk in sacrifice and the god of that drink, the nectar of immortality. The Rig Veda's ninth mandala is entirely his. In later Hinduism Soma is identified with the moon, which waxes as the gods drink and wanes as they finish; the full moon is his cup.

Tradition · Hindu
A note on this entry

The planetary, elemental, zodiacal, stone, herb and tarot values are modern Western correspondences chosen for coherence with the rest of the corpus, not ancient attributions. The soma plant itself is unidentified in the record; this entry does not pretend to name it.

Correspondences

Planetary Correspondence
Moon
Elemental Correspondence
Water
Zodiac Affinity
CancerPisces

Offerings

Offerings
MilkHoneyWaterGhee

Sacred timing

Sacred Timing
Days
Sabbats
—
Hours
—

Symbols and forms

Alternate Names
ChandraThe MoonThe Nectar
Gender Expression
Masculine
Titles
Lord of the SomaThe Nectar of ImmortalityThe Moon
Symbols
CupCrescentSoma plantHare

Practice

Invocation Approach
Tone
Receptive and luminous
Address
SomaLord of the NectarThe Moon
Relationship
The intoxicating source
Warning

soma is what the gods drink and what the moon waxes and wanes with. Treat the intoxicant as the metaphor, not the method.

Resonance
Inspiration dream the moon what returns
Modern Practice

Worked with for inspiration, dream and the returning image - the thing that comes back if you wait for it. Monday and the full moon are the timing. The caution is the point: the nectar is a metaphor for what cannot be held, and the practice is the receiving.

Nature and meaning

Domain
SomaIntoxicationInspirationThe moonImmortalityPoetrySacrifice
Mythology Summary

Soma is both the Vedic plant pressed and drunk in sacrifice and the god of that drink, the nectar of immortality. The Rig Veda's ninth mandala is entirely his. In later Hinduism Soma is identified with the moon, which waxes as the gods drink and wanes as they finish; the full moon is his cup.

Details

Secondary Planets
Neptune
Correspondences
Colors
WhiteSilverPale blue
Scents
JasmineSandalwood
Metals
Silver
Animals
HareAntelope

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