Saturday, November 1, 2008

Our Moon, The Feminine Divine




          She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

                                -- Lord Byron



The Moon holds such a natural fascination for us, doesn't she? How often are we enthralled by her beauty when we glance up at the night sky? Whether she is in her full aspect or in her crescent phase - which I like to call "The Bow of Artemis," seeing the Moon illuminating the dark of night inspires us to pause a moment and bask in her beauty. She is magic, she is mystery, and she is grace.

Her Domain

The Moon rules the zodiac sign Cancer and the Fourth House of a person's astrological chart. She represents our deepest personal needs, our unconscious minds, and our instinctive, emotional reactions. She shows us our feeling nature, and how we instinctively react to any challenges we face. The things we just seem to know without giving them any thought; our instincts, intuitive impulses and hunches are all associated with the Moon. The forms of expression that seem to emanate from your deepest self are in her domain. This can include all forms of art, letters, and creative work of any kind. These modes of expression can sometimes manifest through acts of love, and sometimes even in the type of work you choose.

When we are positively inspired by the Moon, we are creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. If negatively inspired, we can become moody, restless and irrational if we don't heed her wisdom and take the necessary steps to stem her darker tides.

Mama Mia!

Associated with the mother and feminine energy in general, the Moon represents our individual nurturing instincts. Depending on where the Moon is located in anyone's natal chart, and in which sign she inhabits, will indicate the person's perceptions regarding their mother - and women in general. For instance, a person with their natal Moon in Virgo will perceive their mother as having the qualities of a Virgo, and may feel that their mother is either highly efficient, dependable and reasonable, or too critical and not emotionally supportive, even if in reality this is not the case. A person with their natal Moon in Aquarius may experience an unconventional relationship with their mother, perceiving mom as being aloof and unpredictable, avant-garde and fun, or not even there at all. The Moon in an individual's Fourth House indicates that the person's mother is a very strong influence in their life; a nurturing soul who provided the basic needs for survival - shelter, food and love.

But is She...a Planet?

Actually, no. The Moon is in partnership with the Sun as the Luminaries of the zodiac. Together they form a perfect balance of masculine and feminine energy, and remind us of the balance we can create in our relationships and within ourselves. Akin to any couple, your Moon and Sun can interact either harmoniously or in conflict with each other. The dynamics of their relationship are gleaned by their placement in your chart, and how they dance with each other through the heavens at any given time - what we astrology types call Transits


On occasion, our Solar energy can act as a censor to our Lunar instincts, which may or may not be a good thing - depending on the circumstances. Whenever we feel misunderstood, it is often our Moon energy imperfectly expressed through our Sun selves. For example, when you know what you'd like to create, but can't get yourself to your workbench, it is likely that your Moon gets it, and your Sun simply refuses to react. When you are pleasantly surprised by your sudden wit and candor, it is your Lunar energy bypassing your Sun's attempts to censor it. Conversely, if you've just committed an embarrassing or damaging slip of the lip, it's very likely your Sun expressing itself against the will of your Moon. Oopsie.

A Feminine Archetype

Since the Moon represents our unconscious desires and the influence of the past upon our present, she indicates what we feel we need to achieve a sense of security which, in reality, may or may not be healthy for us. She shows us both our inner child and our outer mother, and illuminates our spontaneous and instinctual reactions to our environment. She also shows us how we protect ourselves by making ourselves safe, comfortable and secure. Whether we allow ourselves to be motivated by fear, restlessness or a fearless sense of adventure is often indicated by the sign our Moon embraces in our charts. By showing us our unconscious responses, the Moon helps us to gain deep personal insight and we can then work toward healing any deep emotional wounds we have experienced. By healing these wounds, we can be free to grow into our authentic, powerful selves.

The Moon's energy is responsive, receptive and reflective. When we are our most open, our most willing and/or our most attentive selves, we are luminous. This is naturally true if she lights up an individual's natal chart, by either:

  • Lying close to the Ascendant, Descendant, Tenth or Fourth House cusps 
  • Residing in a Water sign such as Scorpio, Cancer or Pisces
In either case, the Moon can drive the personality even more than the Sun. It is often said that to achieve true happiness in life, it is best not to give the Moon too much or too little importance in yours. I'd like to amend that by saying it's best to pay attention to the signals the Moon is giving you, and act accordingly. If your unconscious responses are holding you back from forward movement, or if your instincts are to recklessly jump off every cliff that you encounter, insight into these traits can serve you well by inspiring you to make a choice whether or not to consciously move in a different direction. The Moon is a benevolent teacher, as are all the planets, and can teach us much if we give her a listen.

So if it feels good, embrace your own feminine archetype, whenever she appears. Allow her to
express herself fully in the most positive ways, through the inspiration of poetry, the emotion you feel while gazing into the eyes of a lover, and those mystifying instincts that can gently beckon you to places as yet unexplored. The mystical and magical depths is where you'll find her, will you answer her irresistible call? The choice, as always, is yours.

Namaste.

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