Are you a ‘Moon person’?
There are two different types of people. People who are influenced by the Moon, and people who don’t know they are influenced by the Moon.
Indeed, the closest celestial body, our beloved Moon, affects all of us. Artists, lovers, astrologers and scientists all agree with that.
You cannot help but notice it. The Moon will stare at you in the night sky and will catch your glimpse even if you don’t particularly look for her.
The Moon has fascinated people since the beginning of times. There is something magic about the way she shines, about the way she changes shape every day, about the clockwise precision of her cycles.
As seen from Earth, the discs of the Sun and the Moon are identical in size. This is because, although the Moon is 400 time smaller than the Sun, is also 400 times closer to the Earth. Isn’t this amazing? Even the most skeptical mind cannot think that this is simply a coincidence.
The Moon changes shape every night, revealing a little bit more or a little bit less of herself, depending whether she is waxing or waning. The light we see is not coming from the Moon. The Moon only projects the Sun’s light, so depending on the relative position of the Sun, Moon and Earth we get to see the Moon from different angles.
Each night, a different amount of light is given off by the Moon according to its changing relationship with the Sun. Within an approximate 28-day cycle, the Moon passes through 8 phases, each phase lasting about 45° or 3.5 days.
Because the Moon does not have a light of her own, in astrology the Moon represents our unconscious mind. And because the Moon is the Earth’s satellite, it ‘belongs’ to the Earth. The Moon also rules our body, the flow of blood and our physiological processes.
The Moon describes our moods, but also the natural processes of life. Moon cycles are identical, unlike the cycles of Mercury, Venus or other planets. Also, the Moon is never retrograde – that’s why the Moon is very predictable. With the Moon you know where you stand.
In astrology, events tend to happen when the Moon activates particular parts of our chart. And events tend NOT happen when the Moon is void of course.
The Moon also rules our energy and engagement level. When the Moon is invisible in the sky, our energy plummets, but as the Moon increases in size, our energy levels soar. Every month we have our energy peak at the time of the Full Moon.
And although we are all affected by the Moon, we are affected in different ways, depending upon which Moon phase we are born under.
Were you born during the day or during the night? If you were born at night, then the Moon will influence you more strongly – and will define your personality even more than your Sun sign.
Also, if you have Cancer or Taurus Moon, Cancer ascendant, or if you have a stellium of planets in Cancer, or if your Moon is positioned close to one of your angles (Ascendant, IC, Descendant, MC), then the Moon will affect you more strongly.
Last and not least, if you were born during the First Quarter, Gibbous, Full Moon or the Disseminating phase, the Moon is strong in your chart, which means you can express its qualities more freely.
To check out which Moon phase you were born under, get your natal chart and check the position of the Moon relative to the Sun. If you don’t know how to generate your natal chart, have a look this article.
Born at a NEW MOON – the Moon is conjunct the Sun. The Moon was invisible at the time of your birth.
For you, life is an adventure with unlimited possibilities. You are spontaneous and live in the moment, following your intuition rather than rational reasoning. You tend to dislike rules and conventions. You usually feel more energetic during the day and Full Moons can unbalance you.
Because you were born when the Moon was invisible, your mission in this lifetime is to discover your identity, who you really are.
Born when the Moon is CRESCENT – the Moon is after the Sun. The phase starts when the Moon becomes visible in the sky and ends with the first quarter.
You are a very emotional person and you need security in your life. Your mission is to learn to become independent and detach from the past. As you develop the courage to be yourself, more and more opportunities will come your way. Be brave and you will be rewarded.
Born at a FIRST QUARTER Moon – the Moon is between 90° and 135° ahead of the Sun.
You are very spontaneous and adaptable – you just ‘know’ what to do, especially in crisis situations.
You have great managerial skills and you can do well in any activities which require quick and sharp decision making. But what really drives you is your family and building solid foundations for yourself and for the close ones.
You are what is called a “change agent” – just be careful not to kill some ideas too soon just for the sake of change, however.
Born when the Moon is GIBBOUS – the Moon is between 135° and 180° ahead of the Sun.
You are life’s eternal student, always questioning the status quo. You seek perfection in everything you do and you are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve your true potential to create value in the world. You are an overachiever.
Try not to become too anxious and perfectionist, and learn to lean back from time to time.
Born at a FULL MOON – the Moon is between 180° and 225° behind the Sun.
You are an artist and an idealist. You wear your heart on your sleeve and you can be quite charming and popular. Your greatest strengths are your clarity and objectivity – you see things for what they are, rather than operating on blind faith.
Relationships are very important to you and you tend to project yourself onto others. You may be torn between two different ‘parts’ of you which want different things. Your mission is to integrate these apparently disparate pieces of yourself.
Born when the Moon is DISSEMINATING – the Moon is between 225° and 270° behind the Sun.
You are a visionary with an ability to keep your eye on the big picture. You are a natural communicator, a teacher and a philosopher.
Although you feel a sense of urgency to fulfil your life’s purpose and to spread your message to the world, try not to become too overbearing. Your mission is not to make sure that people follow your teachings, but simply pass to on a torch of knowledge to others.
Born at a LAST QUARTER Moon – the Moon is between 270° – 315° behind the Sun.
You are a very driven individual with unique ideas on how to make the world a better place. You are motivated by tearing down the old structures and can thrive in conflict. Ahead of your time, it can be difficult for you to relate to life in the present moment.
You can have numerous changes in your life – particularly the 2nd part of your life. Just like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, you can completely change your identity and find an inner happiness that comes from deep within.
Born at BALSAMIC Moon – the Moon is between 315° until it becomes invisible.
You are a missionary, a healer with psychic abilities. Highly introspective, you seek for solitude because this is where you charge your batteries. You can have deep resentment toward people who harmed you – but in this lifetime you need to learn to forget and forgive.
When you manage to let go of the past and put yourself into the world, you can become the leader you were born to be.
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The Moon phase under which you were born can gave you great insight into who you really are and what really drives you in life.
The Moon affects us every day. No matter under which Moon phase you were born, you will follow the Moon’s cycle as it unfolds every day of the lunar month.
How does the Moon affect you according to the Moon phase
The New Moon – the energy is similar to a conjunction.
This is a time of low energy. The last few days before the New Moon are good for completing projects or getting rid of things you no longer want in your life, like bad habits. It is also a good time for diets or fasting as your body’s activity is at its lowest point in this Moon cycle.
Try not to overindulge in food during this time because your sleep can be disturbed. If you feel low emotionally, try to surround yourself with positive people, or do a low-intensity activity which can uplift your mood.
The New Moon is the best time to meditate and regroup.
The First Quarter and the Last Quarter of the Moon – the energy is similar to a square.
This is the time when one half of the lunar disc is illuminated and the other half is dark. There is a 50-50 quality about this Lunar phase, which creates tension, but also motivation to get things done.
Right now you can feel an itch inside of you, but you don’t really know what to do about it. The Quarters of the Moon are similar to the PMS syndrome. You can feel stressed out and find it difficult to unwind. Try to exercise and drink water during this phase of the Moon cycle.
The Full Moon – the energy is similar to an opposition.
This is the peak of the lunar cycle, with half of the Moon is fully illuminated and visible, as seen from the Earth.
This is a high point in terms of energy, but the energy of the Full Moon is very different from the First or Last Quarter of the Moon. While the Quarter Moons bring tension and anxiety times, the Full Moon brings energy which is ready to burst. Because the energy can flow freely now, it brings a feeling of saturation, of having too much energy.
The Full Moon energy urges to be expressed. This is a great time for creativity, love, and any type of genuine self-expression. The Full Moon is also a time of manifestation, so things are likely to happen and come to light around the Full Moon. You calendar can fill up more quickly than usual, as everyone seems to want to get out of the house.
Full Moons can be difficult for people who suffer from high blood pressure or sleep disorders.
The Waxing Moon: Crescent and Gibbous – the energy is similar to applying sextiles and trines.
Right now everything in nature is in a stage of expansion and growth – this is a good time to put your energy into whatever you want to grow.
For example, if you want your hair to grow faster, now is the time to schedule your hairdresser appointment. In gardening, this is the best time to plant seeds that grow above the earth (leaves, fruits, or flowers).
The Waning Moon: Disseminating and Balsamic – the energy is similar to separating sextiles and trines.
This is a good time to complete things, or improve and organize existing activities. If you have a business for example, try to get new clients during the waxing Moon, and to organize and improve the productivity of the existing business during the waning Moon.
Cutting hair should be done at this time if you want it to grow slower. In gardening, this is the best time to plant vegetables that grow under the earth (e.g. carrots, potatoes, horseradish).
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I hope this gives you a better idea of how the Moon cycle and the different Moon phases affect you.
As a general rule of thumb, you are at your best on the day when the Moon and the Sun are in the same lunar phase under which you were born. In opposition to this, on the day when the phase is opposite to your lunar phase of birth, you are at your weakest.
Do you want to get more in sync with the Moon phases? Try to observe the Moon in the next months. If you do it systematically, I can promise you will become more aware about how the different phases of the Moon affect you:
- Go outside at night and observe the Moon. How do you feel standing in the Moon light? How is it different from how you feel when under the beams of the Sun?
- Follow the Moon’s cycle from new crescent, until it disappears from the sky, and back to new crescent again. How do you feel during the different phases of the Moon?
- The Moon changes signs every 2.5 days. How do you feel when the Moon passes through each of the 12 signs of the zodiac?
You can find out more about lunar cycles on the New and Full Moons in Astrology page.