At the time we take our first breath in this world, there is another world less than two light-seconds away that plays an enormous role is defining our astrological nature: the Moon.
The Moon is always is transition, going from phase to phase, and on rare occasions involving itself in a dramatically visible solar or lunar eclipse. The Moon’s journey around the Earth as the Earth journeys around the Sun is one without a true beginning or end. It is in
perpetual motion, appearing higher in the sky on some occasions and lower on other occasions. Its physical influence is exerted on all life, moving even the great oceans and even contributing to the movement of the ground. As the Moon orbits our loving, blue home, its phases help mark the passage of time and sending our eyes to witness the depth and complexity of its nature.
What do the phases of the Moon mean (in astrological terms)? In Shamanic Astrology, the phases of the Moon help provide a deeper understanding of a person’s lineage, past, ancestry and what we had mastered coming into this world. While the sign or archetype of the Moon is of prime importance and the south node of the Moon provides specific qualities of that sign, the phase of the Moon can act a symbol of the lunar season at the time of our birth.
I was born with the Sun in the sign of Sagittarius, but the Moon was in the sign of Pisces. On the zodiac wheel, the sign of Pisces is one-quarter turn of the wheel forward from Sagittarius. At the time of my birth, the Moon was nearly in an exact first-quarter phase or looked at as the time of Aries. Here is a very useful website to quickly determine the Moon phase on your birth time: http://www.moonpage.com/index.html
Honor your Lunar or Moon Sign with a Gift to yourself. Click Here
Once you have figured out the phase of the Moon at the time your birth. Look below to see the seasonal flavor, deepening your understanding of your lineage, past and ancestry.
WAXING MOONS:
New Moon – Winter Solstice or time of Capricorn
Slender Crescent Moon – Mid Winter or time of Aquarius
Between Crescent/1st Quarter – End of Winter or time of Pisces
First Quarter Moon – Spring Equinox or time of Aries
Gibbous Moon (waxing) – Mid Spring or time of Taurus
Increased Gibbous Moon – End of Spring or time of Gemini
Full Moon – Summer Solstice or time of Cancer
WANING MOONS:
Disseminating Moon – Mid Summer or time of Leo
Increased/Waning Disseminating Moon – End of Summer or time of Virgo
Last Quarter Moon – Autumnal Equinox or time of Libra
Balsamic Moon – Mid Autumn or time of Scorpio
Decreased Crescent Moon – End of Autumn or time of Sagittarius
This is just a general reference for understanding the Shamanic phases of the Moon and qualities these phases bring to a person’s Moon sign. To do further work would require a person to know the number of degrees between the Sun and Moon at the time of birth, using your natal astrology chart, counting forward from 0 to 359 degrees counter-clockwise.
When you have determined the phase of the Moon and the astrological or seasonal flavor of that phase, you can then celebrate your lunar birthday every month! Do to the eccentricity of the Moon’s orbit of the Earth, your lunar birthday only falls on your annual birthday once every 19 years. So the birthdays of 19, 38, 57, 76 and 95 are the ones in which to do special ceremonies as a time of completion and new beginnings. These are call Nodal Returns and are powerful periods in one’s life to re-attune to your soul’s original intent in this lifetime.
Thank you and blessings,
Erik M Roth