The Moon is the Earth's closest planet and it moves very quickly, spending approximately 2 days in each sign and therefore taking just 28 days to complete one cycle through the Zodiac. The Moon touches us most deeply. As the Moon rules the tides, it also rules our emotions - mood swings, instincts and how you feel about things are all governed by the sign in which the Moon falls in your Birth Chart - and is commonly known as your Emotional Sign. The Tarot card associated with the Moon is The High Priestess.

The Moon's glyph - the waxing crescent - is regarded by many astrologers as the container of life and is the symbol of the Goddess in her Maiden aspect. In essence, it represents the fertile womb offering itself up to be impregnated by the Sun's seed. This union of male and female principles is the key to all physical life

In your Birth Chart the Moon represents your instincts and intuition and how you relate to women, for example the Moon falling in a man's 7th house can indicate more than one wife. The Moon is a feminine energy, working most powerfully from Cancer and the 4th House of Home Life and Parents.

The Sign in which the Moon resided at the time of your birth shows how you react instinctively; how you respond to your surroundings; the way you seek security and protection; your sense of family; how you nurture and look for emotional sustenance. It will also indicate elements of your personality you inherited from your parents. Inherited characteristics may be resisted but they are still powerful - and understanding your emotional reactions can contribute to your psychological development. The House the Moon occupied at the time of your birth shows in what area of life you will find nurture; where you find sanctuary from life's difficulties; where you look for a sense of inner security; natural-born talents that are rarely remarked upon. The Moon's activities are strengthened by positive aspects from the Sun and your ruling planet, however the more aspects the Moon receives from other planets in your chart, the greater its prominence in the overall horoscope.

THE PHASES OF THE MOON

A Crescent moon is when the moon is less than half illuminated
A Gibbous moon is when the moon is more than half illuminated
A Waxing moon is growing or increasing in illumination
A Waning moon is shrinking or decreasing in illumination
A Quarter moon is actually when the moon is half illuminated

The moon's phases from left to right in the diagram below are therefore:
New : Waxing Crescent : 1st Quarter : Waxing Gibbous : Full : Waning Gibbous : 3rd Quarter : Waning Crescent

Image © Astral Aspects


PAGAN MOONS
January Full Moon = Wolf Moon- named after the howling of hungry wolves lamenting the midwinter paucity of food.

February Full Moon = Storm Moon - so-called because of the weather at this time of year.

March Full Moon = Chaste Moon - the Moon of purity and innocence. Light and dark are balanced in the month of March and now is the time for new beginnings.

April Full Moon = Seed Moon - so-called because this is the most appropriate time for planting the seeds of that which you hope will flourish in the coming season of growth and fertility.

May Full Moon = Hare Moon - this is the Full Moon you are most likely to see hares staring at. The hare is a symbol of regeneration, fertility and magic in many ancient cultures.

June Full Moon = Dyad Moon - Dyad is an archaic word meaning pair. The Dyad Moon honours the Lord and Lady's marriage and its consummation upon the earth.

July Full Moon = Blessing Moon - so-called because rituals were performed on this particular Full Moon to ensure that the crops would be blessed and the yield would be good for the season.

August Full Moon = Corn Moon - so-called because this was the time for the first harvest of grains.

September Full Moon = Harvest Moon which, in the Northern Hemisphere, rises within half an hour of the setting Sun. In the early days, when farmers had no tractors, it was essential that they work by the light of the moon to bring in the harvest.

October Full Moon = Hunter's Moon or Blood Moon - so named because this was the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer and fox unable to hide in the now bare fields.

November Full Moon = Birch Moon - Mother earth is now at peace, she has given us food and warmth during the past year and she wishes to rest under a blanket of whitest snow.

December Full Moon = Oak Moon - though we think of December as a dark month, it is also the time of the returning of the sun. This is a time to remember those who have less than you, to be with loved ones and to get ready for the new year's arrival and the start of the new cycle again.


BLUE MOONS
We have all heard and possibly used the phrase 'once in a blue moon', meaning something that rarely happens, in fact Blue Moons - of one type or another - occur every year. But what is a Blue Moon?

There are 8 'types' of Blue Moon - depending on whether the Moon is full or new, and whether they occur in the same sign or month. One thing is constant with any type of Blue Moon - there must be two consecutive full or new Moons for them to be classed as Blue Moons.

The table below shows the types of Blue Moon.


BLUE MOONS IN 2024/2025:
22 June 2024 - Full Aphetic Blue Moon (Full Moon in Capricorn)
22 July 2024 - Full Anaretic Blue Moon (Full Moon in Capricorn)

01 December 2024 - New Anteblue Moon (New Moon in Sagittarius)
30 December 2024 - New Blue Moon (New Moon in Capricorn)

23 August 2025 - New Aphetic Blue Moon (New Moon in Virgo)
21 September 2025 - New Anaretic Blue Moon (New Moon in Virgo)

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