Lilith's legacy in mythology, religion, and culture is elusive in its multiplicity. Modern witches crown her as a feminist queen of agency and power. Yet still, she appears in present day pop culture as the demoness originally created by old Jewish scripture. Her true meaning is clouded by both ancient and modern patriarchal interpretations of her story.

The 9th century Hebrew text Alphabet of Ben Sira places Lilith in the creation story as the first wife of Adam. Birthed at the same time from the Earth, Adam and Lilith were equals. But conflict between them arose when Lilith refused to lie underneath Adam during sex. When he attempted to use force, she uttered God's name and flew away to the Red Sea. Refusing any attempt to bring her back, she chose self-exile over submission.

Modern feminists often draw from this text when analyzing the legacy of Lilith, and rightfully so. Lilith's decision to flee male domination is a symbolic rebellion against patriarchal control. But some historians believe Alphabet of Ben Sira is satirical, and this makes sense when considering the part where Lilith is cursed as a baby-killer after she leaves Eden. If we view this story through a satirical lens, it seems to say that women who disobey their role are doomed to death and destruction.

Does this diminish Lilith's newer representation of being a bad-ass bitch? Not necessarily, as her legacy has been shaped over centuries by various institutions. But overall, her reputation is predominately negative. Succubus, seductress, demon, and murderess are all titles attributed to this mythological figure. Yet these descriptors were developed by patriarchal cultures, whose power depended on women believing in their own subordination. Lilith's legacy is shrouded in taboo, serving as a warning sign for women who deviate from the status quo.

Later during the Middle Ages, Lilith was believed to be the wife of a demon king named Asmodeus. They were thought to spawn hundreds of demons who wrecked havoc on the world. They were responsible for spreading sickness, killing children, and sinful seduction. Lilith's reputation as an embodiment of evil witchcraft snowballs throughout the centuries into the present day.

Modern patriarchal institutions are built upon the foundations of the past. Demonization of independent, sexually-liberated women is nothing new. Witches, sluts, whores, and femme fatales are words used to demean and disempower. 'Feminine' existence outside of male cisgender-heterosexual control is a threat.

Similar to the mythology about Lilith, her role in astrology cannot be reduced to one thing. She is an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter, oscillating between rage and expansion through her self-exile. This is the only tangible celestial body related to Lilith in our Universe. The other three Lilith entities in astrology are points. While not commonly used in birth charts, the asteroid of Lilith represents the rage that motivated her to flee the Garden of Eden. But while free from any manipulation or control, she is still isolated and alone. Her powers deteriorate, and her anger swallows the empty space around her.

Lilith holds many lessons. The interpretations revolving around the asteroid can represent the activist's exasperation that motivates the flame of action. When considering the story in Alphabet of Ben Sira, Adam's attempted rape is what drives Lilith into exile. In feminist reinterpretations of her legacy, Lilith represents the refusal to submit to patriarchal domination. But ultimately, it reflects how our society punishes this deviance. Asteroid Lilith has internalized her anger to the point of self-alienation. She represents everyone's capacity to isolate themselves through their expression of fury.

Black Moon Lilith is the most common astrological interpretation of the myth. This placement in your natal chart is calculated by finding the point of the Moon's orbit that's farthest from the Sun. Its most commonly understood as the deepest parts of ourselves that refuse to be controlled or tamed. Just as our Moons dictate our needs and emotional expressions, Lilith reveals our subconscious temptations, morally-ambiguous desires, and thirst for destruction.

This may seem negative, but only because we live in a society that denies the existence of Lilith's rebellious and angry spirit. Lilith is cast away from society and dismissed as a demon, only to diminish her power. Under a patriarchal and queerphobic regime, we're socialized to repress every impulse and desire ruled by Lilith. But when embraced, Black Moon Lilith's raw vulnerability reveals our capacity for deep healing. Just as the Full Moon illuminates what we need to resolve in order to be whole, Black Moon Lilith evokes the rage of our past in order to let go.

We need the dark feminine energy of Lilith to create balance in our cis-het male dominated world. While believed to be a demon instead of a deity, Lilith is indeed a goddess capable of confronting abuses of power for the purpose of liberation. If Eve was created after Lilith, it's to erase every bit of evidence that women and femmes have immense power to alter themselves and the world.