The Moon in Astrology
The Moon is the closest planet to us and has a noticeable effect on our bodies, our moods and behaviour. We are 70% water and the Moon affects bodies of water like the oceans, in the same way, phases of the Moon affect our collective behaviour, ask any emergency worker; nurse, policeman, fireman and they will tell you hair-raising stories of lunatics and lunacy in those days of the month.
The Moon reflects light, she has no light of her own, and that quality of absorption and reflection is found in the astrological Moon. Moon represents the first nurturer, usually the mother, who grew the child within her body and retains, throughout her life, pieces of brain matter of the child within her own brain. There is a real connection there, between biological mother and child.
Mother is our first nourishment, and the Moon in our birth chart shows how we take in nourishment, easily in earth and water signs, less effortlessly in fire and air signs. The Moon, then, represents comfort, how we console ourselves in times of adversity and challenge. A watery Moon may retreat, and certainly will feel strongly, and earthy Moon may act, work or eat. A fire Moon may get angry and defensive, and certainly strike back in some way. An air Moon will need wide open spaces, literally the air and may lose themselves in books or other mental activities.
I am starting a group for practitioners and students on Humoral medicine details here
Mother also teaches the child about how to behave in the world, father comes later, but the first seven years of life is where the child learns how to navigate social situations. How to say please and thank you (or not), manners, customs and habits which connect the child with their tribe: prayers before food, fasting, celebrating the pagan festivals, Easter bunnies, the Tooth Fairy, all the little rituals which situate ourselves within our culture and family.
The Moon, then may have a nostalgia for that babyhood, the time of safety (mostly) and calm. Because the Moon is reflective, it absorbs energy and then radiates the soft moon light, which is gentle, unlike sunlight, which can burn. Moonlight is strange though, it has a distorting, odd quality, where things are not as they appear in daylight. Our emotions can loom large when the reality is less intense, dreams or midnight fears can disappear in the morning sun.
And so it is with our Moon sign. It is where we feel safe, how we comfort ourselves, how we connect with others, but it can lead us astray, our emotions can exaggerate and distort and amplify situations unnecessarily.
Moon is also our mind, our memories and our dreams. Modern astrology may give Mercury to the mind, but I see it as being more about thoughts, the ruminations and chitter-chatter we have constantly in the background. Whereas our memories and impressions, remember Moon is reflective, are given to the Moon. When the Moon is afflicted in the horoscope or by transit (thinking, Pluto, Saturn and Mars here) the mind or moods may be affected by dark thoughts and gloom. Full Moons or New Moon may also have short term effects on our mood, remember the Full Moon craziness, but there is also New Moon retreat and introspection.
My colleague Joanna Watters has a weekly Astrology blog which tracks the movements of the planets, you can sign up here
In a lunar month, around 28 days, the Moon passes through the whole zodiac and therefore contacts every planet in your birth chart. A useful exercise is to note the Moon’s passage over the course of a month and how it affects your natal planets. You may find, for example, that when the Moon passes over Venus, you feel less inclined to work and want to kick back and has some fun (this is a great time for a social outing), when it passes over Mars you may have extra energy or feel irritated by people. It is useful to observe when the Moon passes over your Saturn, you may feel down on that day, or you may feel inspired to work really hard.
I will be teaching all things lunar at Greek Island Summer School, details here
As the Moon is the closest planet to us, we absorb the Moon’s energies easier than those of the other planet. The Moon shows us home, nurture and memory, what we draw into our world and what we reflect back out.
Elisabeth Brooke 