The Moon plays a very interesting and multifaceted role in astrology. While not a planet, but rather a satellite of Earth, she is considered one of two Luminaries in astrology. She reflects the light of the Sun stronger than any other planet and is the brightest light at night, except at the new moon period. She is our closest heavenly body and thereby affects not only our watery tides, but agriculture and female cycles as well as our individual and collective moods. In an individual’s chart, the Moon describes not only the person’s emotional make up and the type of nurturing parent one may have likely had, but can indicate body type, fixations, fears and passions. Where we find the Moon by Sign will describe our emotional ways of being and what we need to be happy in our lives. Where she is found by house in the natal chart will likely indicate the areas in our lives where our emotional experiences will be found and focused.
If you were born at night, you will have a decidedly more lunar approach to life, meaning relationships will be of greater importance than a career-focused person born during the day. A Moon found above the horizon can indicate an outgoing, more socially needy person, whereas one below the Ascendant/Descendant line would value time alone to process to know what is true for them.
The Moon is the only planet to transit or move through the 12 signs of the zodiac in 28 days, or roughly a month. That first lunar pass lays the framework for all subsequent transits in a lifetime since the Moon makes every possible relationship with, or astrological aspect to, each point in the chart over our initial 28 days of life. In addition, the Moon gives us the opportunity to experience the flavor and try on the costumes and use the tools of the other signs as She takes about 2.5 years to progress through each sign and roughly 28 years to make a full zodiacal circle back to its natal placement. Similar to the Saturn return cycle of 28-30 years, the progressed lunar return provides the gateway through which each subsequent Saturn return will be birthed. I am, personally, having my second progressed Lunar return as I write this article. I am ready for this new birth that comes from the foundation of learning gained over these past 54 years. I am excited to see what will unfold as I enter into this next lunar cycle.
The lunar phases, or the relationship between the Moon and Sun, show us one of the fundamental themes for each lifetime. This primary phasal relationship usually reflects mom and dad’s relationship at the time each of us was born. I highly recommend Dane Rudhyar’s Book Lunation Cycles https://www.amazon.com/dp/0943358264/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_St9HDb6CCJ4E1 for further study and understanding.
Thank you to Mary Kay Simms for her beautiful work here as it provides a nice overview to the phasal relationships. (http://www.internationalastrologers.com/moon_cycle.htm)
The same theories of Solar/Lunar phasal relationships applies to the aspects between each of the planets. The Lunar aspects to other planets will show the ways in which we are either supported or challenged in our inner selves, the type of relationship we had with our (non)nurturing parent, siblings, family and are likely to have with others. Our emotional frustrations and strengths are also encoded in these complex interrelationships with the various archetypes in each of us. A person with a Moon – Mercury aspect in the birth chart, for example, is likely to need communication and/or movement with others, whereas a Moon – Mars relationship will likely need to feel strong feelings and competition, desire. Lunar relationships with the outer planets and asteroids are even more challenging for us when we are younger as we must find ways to incorporate their transcendental messages and meanings for ourselves and the collective while having little emotional, intellectual or physical foundation in which to ground it all. I like to think of it as a braiding or weaving of our energies with the transcendental energies of the transpersonal planets, all evolving together.
The Moon by triplicity of element shows the ways in which the emotional nature is translated:
Fire: Hot, fast, immediate
Earth: Consistent, loyal, dependable
Air: Aloof, Analyze, Observe
Water: Immerse, Feel, Process
Then there is quadruplicity and whether someone is likely to act in the following behavior by modality:
Cardinal: Initiatory
Fixed: Set in their ways
Mutable: Changeable
And finally, at least for this article, we have the ways in which esoteric astrology views the Moon: as a dead planet. Since the Moon represents the storehouse of emotional personal, familial and ancestral ways of being, it represents our emotional attachments -those places where we experience blocks on our Path. Becoming more personal to the impersonal and more impersonal to the personal requires one to be less emotional and therefore less attached. Esoteric astrology helps us to view life from a more neutral vantage point while still being engaged in life.
I hope this walk through the lunar landscape has given you some new perspectives on La Bella Luna. I would be happy to discuss your lunar experience(s) as well as other astrological experiences if you wish.
Wishing you grace and peace,
Michael