The Moon’s presence in our night sky has inspired myths and wonder throughout human history. Our constant celestial neighbor has a very important role to play in astrology. The Moon’s influence in a birth chart is via the Moon sign and Moon house, and the aspects the Moon makes to other planets. The Moon is also important in predictive astrology and plays a key role when we use astrology for manifestation. Astronomically speaking, the Moon is not a planet, but astrologers treat it in the same way as a planet when it comes to interpretation.

What Does the Moon Symbolize in Astrology?

The Moon in astrology is a symbol of femininity and instinct. The Moon represents our emotions and our unconscious responses. The Moon is about how we instinctively react to a situation, before we’ve had a chance to think about it. It’s also about our moods and innermost feelings. Just as the Moon appears to change in the sky, via the Moon phases, so we too are capable of change, and the Moon represents our capacity to adapt and to fluctuate.

What is the Importance of the Moon in the Birth Chart?

Your Moon sign and Moon house reveal your emotional personality and your need for security. Depending where your lunar influence lies, you may be the kind of person who always follows your instincts, or you may be someone who ignores your inner voice and looks for reason and fact instead. Perhaps you can express your emotions easily and freely, or perhaps you are more emotionally reserved. If we want to know how constant you are, or how changeable, we’ll look at the position of the Moon in your birth chart to get the best idea of your unconscious self.

The Moon is a fast-moving body, changing zodiac sign approximately every two and a half days. This means that even though you share your Sun sign with many others, you may have any one of the twelve Moon signs working with your Sun sign to create your own complex blend of planetary energies.

Understanding the Astrology of Moon Phases

You will already know about the Full Moon and the New Moon, and you’ve probably seen these Moon phases hundreds of times in your life. But did you know that the Moon actually goes through eight different phases every 28 days? The Moon phases are as follows; each lasts for around three and a half days and each has its own astrological significance:

· New Moon – a time for new beginnings and a fresh start
· Crescent Moon – time to gather support for your plans and to work with others
· First Quarter Moon – time to work for success against the odds
· Gibbous Moon – time to perfect your plans, using what you have learned
· Full Moon- traditionally a time of completion, but also of full clarity
· Disseminating Moon- time to teach others and to share
· Last Quarter Moon- time to tear down what does not work
· Balsamic Moon- time to rest and reflect, ahead of the cycle beginning again

Key Facts About the Moon in Astrology

Positive expressions of Moon energy: intuition, love, compassion, empathy, imagination, femininity, divinity, selflessness, nurturing, memory, tradition, belonging, protective
Challenging expressions of Moon energy: defensiveness, moodiness, fickleness, insecurity, unreliability, overly sensitive
The Moon rules: Cancer. A ruling planet in its own sign tends to be the purest and most positive expression of its energies.
The Moon is exalted in: Taurus. An exalted planet is usually strong and works positively.
The Moon is in detriment in: Capricorn. A planet in detriment is typically quite weak, with its energy manifesting negatively or being misused.
The Moon is in fall in: Scorpio. A planet in fall is usually weakened, although positive aspects to the planet will help.

What Is Your Moon Sign?

The Moon’s energies express themselves slightly differently in each zodiac sign.

Moon in Aries
If your Moon sign is Aries, you have a very fast, instinctive emotional response to situations. You also act quickly, sometimes too quickly, without thinking things through. Impulsive and very decisive, you don’t wait for anyone’s help. You can be selfish in personal matters, as you instinctively protect yourself first and foremost.

Moon in Taurus
Emotional security is paramount if your Moon sign is Taurus, and you react strongly when this is threatened. Material security also matters to you and your emotions suffer when you struggle financially. You can be very possessive of others, and of the status quo – you don’t cope well with change. Comfort eating can affect your health.

Moon in Gemini
A Gemini Moon sign means that you’re very quick to fight back verbally when challenged. You have a tendency to start too many things, without finishing anything first. A life-long struggle between the head and the heart leaves you never quite knowing whether to trust your instincts or your logic. Restless and impatient, you can be prone to nervous energy.

Moon in Cancer
Defensiveness is a key personality trait when your Moon sign is Cancer, and you take things very personally, with strong mood changes. Highly emotional and intuitive, you also have a shrewd sense of practicality and wisdom, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Intensely attached to your family, you do have a tendency to fret and to worry, which can harm your mental health.

Moon in Leo
With a Leo Moon sign, you have an instinctive need to take control and your self-confidence is generally strong. A powerful, creative imagination can give rise to artistic talent, but your tendency to show off can sometimes irritate other people. When emotionally challenged, you can quickly become bossy and dogmatic.

Moon in Virgo
A vague sense of worry and stress can provoke physical ailments, especially when you’re challenged, but a Virgo Moon sign means that you are always keen to defend yourself verbally. You have a lot of talent with the written and spoken word, but you can be a very harsh critic, both of yourself and of others.

Moon in Libra
If your Moon sign is Libra, you have a lot of empathy and your immediate, instinctive response to others is one of kindness and tolerance. However, you find it hard to make decisions and you don’t trust your own judgement very much. You can resort to passive aggressive behavior when challenged, instead of handling conflict in a more direct way.

Moon in Scorpio
You are intensely emotional beneath the surface if your Moon sign is Scorpio, and these feelings can easily bubble over into anger or depression. Jealousy can be a real problem for you. If channelled well, your strong feelings can inspire others and create real change, but there’s a fine line between this and your tendency to manipulate others.

Moon in Sagittarius
Your Sagittarius Moon sign means that your instinctive response to any situation is optimism and you are known for your positive demeanor. You feel comfortable with intellectual or physical challenge, but you can be very restless and rather reckless too. A certain emotional fickleness can be hurtful to those you love.

Moon in Capricorn
Because of your Capricorn Moon sign, you react to situations with a cool, calm, reasoned response. Somewhat emotionally aloof, it’s difficult for others to get to know you – and you like it that way. You do tend to moan about things and you can come across as rather negative at times, but you are extremely reliable and responsible in a crisis.

Moon in Aquarius
You come across as enigmatic if your Moon sign is Aquarius, showing people only what you want them to see. Extremely unpredictable, you act in impulse very often and you sometimes go against your own best interests, just because. Original and humanitarian in outlook, you don’t like to allow your emotions to cloud your approach.

Moon in Pisces
Powerfully emotional, your Pisces Moon sign shows that you are very easily moved to both joy and sadness. You are highly imaginative, but this imagination stretches to lies and deceit at times, if lying will make your life easier. You are at great risk of emotional stress and can quickly become overwhelmed by problems.

What is Your Moon House?

In your natal chart, the Moon will lie in one of the astrological houses; this gives us some insight into the area of your life where emotional satisfaction is most important.

Moon in 1st House: a need to care for others
Moon in 2nd House: a need for financial and emotional security
Moon in 3rd House: a need to communicate
Moon in 4th House: a need to belong and to have a family
Moon in 5th House: a need to be noticed and appreciated
Moon in 6th House: a need for routine
Moon in 7th House: a need for love, romance and partnership
Moon in 8th House: a need for sex and intimacy
Moon in 9th House: a need for learning and adventure
Moon in 10th House: a need for respect, status and a fulfilling career
Moon in 11th House: a need for friendship and community
Moon in 12th House: a need for spiritual growth

Tracking the Astrological Moon in Your Life

Tracking your feelings as the Moon moves through each star sign is one of the easiest ways to get into astrology. Create a Moon diary or a Moon journal for yourself and track how you feel as the Moon transits each of your astrological houses in turn, through each lunation and occasional eclipses.