Lunar Cycles and the Moon Madness
Moon, ruler of Cancer, Element-Water, Sacral Chakra, Pearl, Moonstone, Numerology-4-security, safety, nourishment, sustenance.
The Lunar Cycles and the moon madness presents us its rapid monthly cycle. Women especially are run by these moon cycles of biological turns, with the growth and life giving of wombs and the intuitive, reflective and nurturing core of the feminine. The sustenance of a woman as so necessary for the supportive function needed for birth and survival. The Moon conjures up all that is related to our senses, feelings and emotions. The Moon/lunar force illuminates the night, darker recesses and reflects the Sun, as the masculine. The Moon is the guiding light as the supportive, responsive guide. The Moon surrounds one’s attention in its day in and day out activity with its waxing and waning, its newness as a sliver in the sky and its rapture at its fullness.
The Moon changes signs every two days and returns to its place monthly. This monthly cycle influences moods with an ebb and flow, fluctuating daily evolving cycles. The Moon is about receptivity, reaction and recourse. Its about allowing to be, to receive and to surrender. It’s the vulnerable, private hiding place and sanctuary that guides ones innermost emotions and feelings. It is the place of home, family, shelter, security, caring and safety. The Moon represents the feminine, the mother figure who softens and soothes us of pain, offering a safe retreat and haven from the harsh outside world, with nurture into our comfort zone. The Moon also unravels the sadness, rage, hurt feelings, storms, annoyance, irritation, anger, and the dark emotions of the psyche, especially those where the Moon becomes the dark shadow with the experience of abandonment, neglect and abuse.
The Moon’s association with the mother and motherhood can only begin to speak of the volumes of emotional content and the layers of ingrained feelings, moods, patterns and habits accumulated over a lifetime, beginning with the primary relationship with the mother, whether coming from a loving or dysfunctional place. The most challenging charts I have read are those who have a difficult placed Moon, who had very painful primary maternal relationships whether through neglect, abuse, abandonment or loss through early death although the other side of the coin of having controlling, over protective, smothering mothering presented their own difficulties.
The Moon is associated with the element of water with its fluidity, unpredictability and mystery. The Moon connects to the heart chakra (love) as well as the sacral chakra, (emotions and sexual fertility) and is closely linked to hormonal cycles. There is little logic about the Moon. Its sensitivity, its open channel of absorption brings us to our core, immersing in those emotional depths to reach an inner truth. When you hear someone being referred to as “moody”, you can be sure they have some strong Moon influence going on. Of course the Moon is the traditional place of womanhood, all about being female, although gender roles can garner men holding a feminine role as much as a female holding a masculine role.
The Moon lies in the depth of the unconscious, as the Sun is the conscious will. Over time, habitual and repeated behaviors and emotions are typically buried in the unconscious. The Moon is a foundation to the psyche where its strength or lack of it will indicate solidity in structure or a weak disposition and all those variables in between. Building on a weak structure can wreak havoc on personal development. These lunar roots are the breakthrough in any psychotherapy and tending to these roots (often very messy and convoluted), bring to full consciousness those memories, emotions, neurosis to awareness, to bridge the channel of deep seated patterns, opening up the hidden realm to open acknowledgment and healing.
The crux of the Moon is receptivity and surrendering to your path with all its nuances and fluctuations. The building blocks of behavior patterns are strongly linked to the Moon placement and aspects. Most are familiar with their Sun placement and general idea of their nature due to Sun Sign readings, birth sign being Aries, Taurus etc. however, the placement of the moon will give a strong indication of the way one responds and carry emotions through their lives. The lunar phases typify the triple goddess. The Maiden (New Moon) youth, Virgin (first quarter), the Nymph or Fertile woman, the Mother ( full moon) and the Crone, Witch or Wise woman, menopausal (last quarter).
The Moon’s influence by sign will give its coloring emotionally. For example, the Moon placed in Virgo will give an analytical and practical approach to emotions. The Moon will also reflect any other planet, aspect it touches as well. My first place of review whenever doing a reading is the Moon, as it is the emotional barometer and trigger point. Where the Moon is placed and the aspects associated, factor in a very complex set of variables that shape the way someone navigates through their life, while guiding, preparing and forecasting general overall collective trends and literal weather patterns, storms, domestic disturbances and emotional trauma.
As the Moon moves and changes signs every two days, one is carried along through to continuous evolving stimuli. Most are governed by emotions which lead them to make the decisions they make in life, albeit healthy or not. The drive and need to mold ones daily life around these deep recesses of the unconscious creates ones reality. While some are ruled by their emotions and live through their feelings, others hold an objective and distant place. Some may argue it healthy to have emotions guide their path while others may say the volatility of emotions are best to be observed objectively. Jung’s Myers Briggs personality theory suggests this distinction with the “Feeling Type” versus the “Thinking Type”. But there is no doubt, emotions play a significant role in shaping and guiding ones path as the mind/body phenomena is impacted in how we regard our emotions, particularly when improperly addressed, expressed or acknowledged, creating health and relationship issues.
Stressful emotional contagion is hazardous to our health as many theories will purport. The fight/flight theory rings true where in the extremes one either represses their feelings or on the other side they explode/implode. While finding balance in expression of emotions is the ideal, it is rarely the outcome. Emotions are messy and often raw. When someone says they are pushing your buttons, they are surely talking about the Moon and its affects. Reaction is to the Moon is as action is to the Sun. The theory of “Emotional Intelligence” written by Daniel Goldman explores this notion in recognizing how ones emotional expression impacts ones surroundings, ones closest relations and behavior patterns.
I have been spending some time reminiscing lately. With a recent home reboot, I was forced to literally clean out my closets and clean out the clutter of my world. It was a good thing. Especially for a Virgo Moon that needs order, neatness and no messy emotions:) With all the clearing out, I was taken to all those places forgotten, the pull to the past, the nostalgia you go through, old photo albums that take yourself back. Old songs, carrying you through time, to places where you feel total recall. Its like scents too, holding a place deep inside that draws out those memories strong. The Moon holds a special place for us all. Whether a Leo Moon that needs to express emotion generously and warmly or a Libra Moon very sensitive to disharmony in relationships, to a Scorpio Moon that can brood and have deep profound emotions. Being continuously reminded of an inner emotional core keeps one in touch with their heart.
“Keep your desire turning back within and be patient. Allow the fulfillment to come to you, gently resisting the temptation to chase your dreams into the world. Pursue them in your heart until they disappear into the self, and leave them there. It may take a little self-discipline, but be simple, be kind. Attend to your inner health and happiness. Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things toward you. Allow your love to nourish yourself as well as others. Do not strain after the needs of life-it is sufficient to be quietly alert and aware of them. In this way life proceeds more naturally and effortlessly. Life is here to enjoy.”
Maharishi