No matter if you have been into astrology since you were born or if you discovered it only recently, chances are that you have wondered about the Moon at least once before. Your Moon sign is an essential part of the horoscope.
As the astronomical body the closest to the Earth, the Moon affects us in many ways. Just think about ebb and flow. The Moon has a big influence over us, but from the astrological point of view, there is much more to the Moon than just being a beautiful object in the night sky.
The archetype the Moon represents is vital for human beings. If the Sun is your conscious self, the Moon in astrology is your soul. It is the ancient part of us that is strongly connected with the divine, the unconscious, the instincts.
In the birth chart, the Moon is one of the key components. It is part of the astrological big three, along with the Sun and the ascendant. If you want to understand someone better, look to their Moon sign! The importance of this celestial body cannot be overestimated.
Keep reading to learn more about the Moon in astrology!
Meaning of the Moon in Astrology
Even though it is not a planet, the Sun and the Moon are referred to as planets in astrology, for the sake of tradition.
The Moon is the fastest object in the sky. This satellite makes a full circle through the Zodiac every 28 days! This means that it spends only two and a half days in each zodiac sign. To find the position of the Moon in your birth chart, you have to know your exact time of birth. The Moon is one of the most personal points in the natal chart, along with the ascendant and the house cusps. Its moves through the Zodiac quickly.
The Moon and Venus are the most feminine planets in astrology. The Moon is the polar opposite of the Sun. They represent the opposite principles, and at the same time, they complete each other. The male principle and your rational side is embodied by the Sun while the Moon in astrology represents the female principle and your intuitive, deep, ancient, instinctive side. The Sun is associated with the father and the husband, and the Moon in astrology is the mother and the wife.
The Moon rules the sign of Cancer in astrology. It’s exalted in Taurus, in fall in Scorpio and in detriment in cold Capricorn. The Moon’s natural house is the fourth house in the natal chart, which is the house of home and family in astrology. It is in accidental dignity here, as the fourth house is associated with Cancer, the fourth sign of the Zodiac, the sign ruled by the Moon. The planetary ruler of Cancer, the Moon shares the qualities of the water element.
The Moon’s glyph resembles a crescent. It looks like this: ☽.
Keywords for the Moon in Astrology
Here are some of the most important keywords of the Moon in astrology:
- emotions
- basic urges
- needs
- mood
- instincts
- intuition
- memory
- subconscious
- mother
- women
- children
- fluctuations
Meaning of the Moon in the Natal Chart
Understanding the Moon in your birth chart can help you gain so much clarity about why you react to things the way you do and what you need in order to feel safe and secure!
The Moon in astrology represents your emotions and feelings.
The Moon shows your deepest needs and emotions.
The Moon in the natal chart describes how you react to what is happening to you and around you. Well, the Moon is not the one to get the ball rolling, it has a rather passive attitude and just goes with the flow. It’s associated with the female or receptive energy.
The Moon is also about intuition and instincts. Do you know people with crazy intuition? A Moon in water signs can give you the gift of a refined sixth sense, sometimes even psychic abilities. The Moon in astrology also governs your instincts that tell you if you are lost on the right track. It’s your inner compass that helps you find your path in life—and warns you which paths to avoid.
The Moon governs your subconscious in astrology. Being a watery planet, it has access to deep memories, memories your conscious mind doesn’t even know exist. It remembers all that happened to you, even when you were a little child, but in general, the Moon is associated with memory in astrology. A well-aspected Moon gifts you with great memory, especially if it is in a harmonious aspect to Mercury, the planet of reason.
The Moon also shows your habits. This is very interesting because if you think about it, habits are actions repeated over and over. After a long enough time, they become automatic and you do the same actions without having to think about them—the subconscious does it for you! This is both a curse and a blessing, but you can take advantage of this and reinforce good habits that help you create the life you want. Bad habits are an excellent way to self-sabotage and undermine yourself. However, never forget that the control is in your hands and you decide when to take up good habits.
The Moon in astrology shows your irrational side. It is the planet of feelings in astrology, and there is no logical explanation for feelings. Sometimes you feel bad even though you are supposed to be happy and vice versa. You just need to acknowledge and accept your feelings as they are. Feelings can’t be right or wrong, feelings are neutral and they just exist. There is no use in resisting them. You know, what you resist, persists, so the best is to just go with the flow.
The Story of the Moon in Astrology: How You Need to Be Nurtured
All of us need to feel loved and cared for. But how do you need to be loved exactly? The Moon in the natal chart offers you an answer to this burning question. But what’s even better, you can also discover how someone else needs to be taken care of with a little help from astrology. The answer is again, simple: the Moon.
The Moon in astrology represents your emotional side. It shows your emotional needs, what makes you feel safe and how you need to be nurtured. This is formed early in life, when you were still a child. The Moon in the natal chart shows your mother (or the person who took care of you). Their nurturing style had a big influence over how you need to be nurtured as an adult—because the your inner child never grows old.
So, the Moon in the natal chart shows how you want to be taken care of. It also describes your style of nurturing and how you make others feel safe. The Moon represents your innermost feelings and it shows how sensitive you are.
How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?
This is determined by your Moon in the natal chart, too.
A strong and well-aspected Moon in the natal chart suggests that the chart holder is an emotional person who likes to take care of others. An emphasized Moon, for example, Moon conjunct the ascendant tells that children are very important to you.
People who are out of touch with their own feelings usually find it hard to empathize with others. In the natal chart, your mother (or the more nurturing parent) is shown by your Moon. If the Moon is afflicted, it suggests a lack of emotional support and understanding in childhood. Your relationship with this parent probably wasn’t ideal. The love you received from your environment in childhood is reflected in how secure and accepted you feel as an adult.
If you didn’t get the love and support you needed as a child, chances are that you find it hard to give yourself the love and support you need as an adult. But the good news is that you can learn how to love yourself, so not all is lost if you grew up in an emotionally cold environment.
The Moon in astrology governs children. In your chart, it also describes you as a parent. The Moon shows you express your love towards our children and how you nurture them. Your inner child is also part of the Moon. The Moon in the natal chart shows what activities help you connect with your child self and how you can nurture your childlike spirit the best.
The Moon and Periodicity
It is no surprise that periodicity is associated with the Moon in astrology. It takes 28 days for the Moon to finish a circle. It’s well known that the Moon’s phases affect us on many levels, and life on Earth mirrors these changes. Think about menstruation or ebb and flow.
Even the Moon’s phases influence us. The phase of Moon at the time of your birth affects you in astrology. For example, those born at New Moon are more bold and active than people born at Full Moon.
Astrologers also use lunar and solar eclipses. The eclipses before and after your birth have a big influence over you. Eclipses occurring through your life are also important, especially if they are conjunct natal placements in your chart.
What Your Moon Tells You in the Natal Chart
The position of the Moon in the natal chart is very important, both by house and by sign.
The Moon in signs shows how you react to the world and how you feel. Moon in Cancer (the sign it rules) has very deep emotions. If you have the Moon in Cancer, you are a very sensitive and caring person. A Virgo Moon in astrology has a more practical approach to feelings. Those with this placement are usually focused on problem-solving rather than living out the emotions. A Gemini Moon prefers to talk about feelings or to keep a journal and write a diary.
The house of your Moon suggests what kind of activities help you recharge. The activities of this house provide your Moon comfort and safety, which are essential for your overall well-being.
If you want to learn about the meaning of the Moon in houses, click here.
For example, someone with the Moon in the fifth house benefits from pursuing hobbies and creative endeavors. Another person with the Moon in the third house prefers to communicate and talk a lot about their feelings. Reading and writing are also helpful with this placement in the natal chart.
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