🌙 Mondeszetteln (Moon Notes)
“The true picture of the past flits by. The past can be seized only as an image which flashes up at the instant when it can be recognized and is never seen again.” — Walter Benjamin
Overview
Mondeszetteln (Moon Notes) is a lunar-based calendrical system that integrates:
- Islamic lunar months — Beginning at sunset, following the Hijri calendar
- Hindu paksha divisions — Bright (Shukla) and dark (Krishna) fortnights
- Walter Benjamin’s messianic time — Recognition of monadic moments
This page provides a theoretical overview of the practice. Detailed practice documentation remains private.
Temporal Framework
Three Layers of Time
- Linear Time — The “homogeneous, empty time” of capitalist modernity
- Cyclical Time — Lunar cycles, natural rhythms, seasonal patterns
- Messianic Time — Revolutionary interruptions, monadic moments, constellation alignments
Lunar Structure
Islamic Calendar:
- Months begin at sunset (not midnight)
- 12 lunar months per year
- Approximately 354 days per year
- Each month 29-30 days based on moon sighting
Hindu Paksha System:
- Shukla Paksha — Bright fortnight (waxing moon)
- Krishna Paksha — Dark fortnight (waning moon)
- Each paksha approximately 15 days
- Aligns with lunar phases
Integration
The system recognizes:
- Monadic moments — When past, present, and future align
- Sacred rhythm — Alternative to industrial time
- Community coordination — Shared temporality for collective practice
- Revolutionary potential — Recognition of transformative moments
Key Concepts
Monad
Crystallized fragments of time where past and present align. In Mondeszetteln practice, these are recognized moments of:
- Historical consciousness
- Transformative potential
- Constellation formation
- Revolutionary possibility
See: Monad for full theoretical development.
Messianic Time
Benjamin’s alternative to “homogeneous, empty time”:
- Recognition of redemptive potential
- Revolutionary interruption of linear progression
- Connection to mystical traditions
- Practical application in daily awareness
See: Messianic Time for full theoretical development.
Paksha Consciousness
Awareness of lunar phases:
- Bright fortnight (Shukla) — Growth, expansion, outward movement
- Dark fortnight (Krishna) — Reflection, contraction, inward movement
- Integration with personal and collective rhythms
- Alternative to linear productivity models
Philosophical Foundation
- Monad — Core concept
- Messianic Time — Temporal framework
- Jetztzeit — Now-time and revolutionary potential
Related Thread
- Temporal Weaving — Living dossier connecting mondeszetteln to broader temporal practice
Related Sections
- Philosophical Framework — Theoretical foundation
- Journaling — Philosophical reflections
- Concepts — Core concepts
“Time is not a line but a series of now-points.” — Taisen Deshimaru