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The author of this article, Rob Tillett, has been an astrologer for more than three decades.
In previous incarnations a poet, musician, magician, healer, dramatist & composer, he is the editor and publisher of Astrology on the Web and has written many articles on this website.
Rob lives in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, on the east coast of Australia.

CURRENT MOON

lunar phase

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The Moon (Luna)

The gleaming stars all about the shining Moon
Hide their bright faces, when full-orbed and splendid
In the sky she floats, flooding the shadowed earth
With clear silver light...

— Sappho

Rob Tillett presents a short description of the astrological meaning of the Moon, the great governor of our emotional responses and the preset patterns we fall so easily into.

The Moon reflects the power of the inner light, channelling and moulding it into the shape of our personality. While the Sun in astrology stands for the character, or ego-self, the Moon displays our nature in a way that can be grasped by the outer world. Ruling desire as opposed to self, or need as opposed to reason, she indicates our feelings about ourselves; how we handle relationships and our emotional responses to situations and experiences.

The Moon manages the flow of our daily functions: physical, emotional and mental. The Moon symbolises the home base and domestic environment, representing babies and young children, the mother and other important women in our lives. In a man's horoscope the Moon also symbolises the wife, or significant other. On a less personal level the Moon rules the general public, the masses.

Speaking more esoterically, the Moon rules the older, deeply set patterns of behaviour, the habits we so naturally fall into. The Moon governs the emotional personality and gives a good picture of the way our thoughts are influenced by our emotions.

The Moon's Phases

The Moon is the Earth's only natural satellite, even though in astrology we still call the Moon a planet ("wanderer"). The Moon travels around the Earth once every month – the word "month" derives from "moon". This monthly orbit creates the phases of the Moon, as she travels from "New", when the Moon is aligned with the Sun, to "Full" when the Moon opposes the Sun and back again.

At certain times the alignment of Sun, Moon and Earth brings the Lunar and Solar Eclipses, which can be predicted by the movement of the Moon's Nodes. The Nodes themselves have a very important astrological influence. This zone of power, also known as the Dragon's Head and Tail, is an axis of energy, comprising opposing sensitive points in the horoscope that hold deep pools of karmic intensity.

Many of the most serious and traumatic catastrophes involving fire, bad weather and loss of life occur in association with eclipses, when the Sun and Moon are conjunct the Moon's Nodes, especially when other unfortunate planetary aspects coincide. However, not all of these evils are exclusively linked with eclipses, for many are associated with the Sun forming a T-square to the nodal axis, i.e. when the Sun is in a 90° aspect to the nodes. This is called a Moon Wobble, because in fact it is when the Moon is "wobbling" in its path by declination around our blue planet.

The Lunar Return

Approximately every 28 days, the Moon returns by transit to occupy the degree in which she was placed at birth. This is known as the Lunar Return, marking a good time to begin afresh and to move things forward. What is of considerably greater importance, however is the Progressed Lunar Return, when the Moon by progression reaches this position, at around age 28, then again at 56, and eventually at 84, if we survive long enough! This is because the progressed Moon moves at approximately one degree per month, or one Sign every thirty months, so it takes around 28 years for her to reach the conjunction with her natal place.

The first progressed Lunar Return marks the beginning of the difficult transition from the Phase of Youth to the Phase of Maturity. The pace of our lives seems to accelerate, as we hurry to clear the decks of karmic debris, in preparation for the next grand stage of the great journey of life. This transitional phase lasts until the Saturn Return, which usually occurs within a year or two. The process is repeated at a higher level at age 56, the transition from the Phase of Maturity to the Phase of Wisdom.

The Moon is the most potent and powerful cosmic factor that affects our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing on Planet Earth. The Moon's aspects by transit and by progression, as well as her position in the chart by sign and house have an immense influence. This power has been clouded in recent times in the West by the growth of "Sun Sign" astrology, but can only be ignored to our detriment, even our peril!

The Moon

Rules: Cancer
Exalted: Taurus
Detriment: Capricorn
Fall: Scorpio
Exalted Degree: 3 Taurus
Day: Monday

Moon's Nodes
Moon's Phases
Moon Wobble
Eclipses
Blue Moon

Moon's Nodes | Moon's Phases | Moon Wobble | Eclipses | Blue Moon

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