How to Use the Moon for a Daily Emotional Weather Report

©2009 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

 Do you wonder why your moods shift as often as the weather? And do you wish you could predict your emotional weather like the forecasters on tv predict the weather —only maybe a bit more accurately?  Following the Moon as it makes its monthly cycle around your astrology chart is one way to create a weather map of your daily life.

 A major influence on the prevailing emotional winds occurs when the Moon aspects other planets like Mars, Venus, or Jupiter. Figure out those aspects with the help of astrological calendars or an ephemeris. Their effects seldom last longer than half a day.

 The energy of the public at large then corresponds to the nature of that planet rather than today’s Moon sign.  By observing the public mood, you may even be able to guess that the Moon is touching off the current position of a planet.

If the phone is ringing off the wall and people are talking a mile a minute, the Moon may be aspecting Mercury, the planet of communication. Moon/Venus aspects often put us in a warm, sociable mood, since Venus is the planet of relatedness. If it’s one of those days when everyone is irritable, the Moon may be aspecting Mars, the planet most associated with conflict and anger.

The strongest modifications are produced as the transiting Moon crosses over the outer planets. If people are rebellious or erratic, it’s probably Uranus. Moon/Neptune is spacey, so watch out for drunken drivers. Moon/Pluto is a decided case of the heavies‑‑the climate is often intense and brooding.

  Why the Same Old Moon Affects All of Us Differently

Just as different people react differently to a heat wave or a cold snap, the Moon doesn’t affect us all the same. Some are profoundly affected; others scarcely seem to feel it. Most strongly impacted are the lunar types-‑people who have the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or several planets in Cancer, the Moon near the ascendant or mid‑heaven, and those born at the full or new Moon.

 And so, sometimes, are the people who live with them! I once lived with an unconscious lunar type born on the full Moon who claimed to be unaffected by it, yet I found myself atypically screaming and slamming doors each month when the Moon was full. I’d never done it before, and I’ve never done it since.

 Your own astrology chart will modify the Moon’s effects.  Generally, when the Moon travels through the sign Libra each month,  that should be a good window for relationships. However, suppose that your birth chart has Mars and Saturn in the sign Libra. That changes the picture significantly! Each month when the Moon passes over your Mars and Saturn, your love life can hit a nasty–but all too familiar–snag. Follow the Moon around the zodiac signs for a few months to pick out the highs and lows generated by the placement of your natal planets.

The Moon through the 12 Houses—Get out your Appointment Book!

 The houses of your chart also modify Moon transits. Knowing what house the Moon is traveling through at a particular time can help you schedule activities to make more productive use of your time and energy. 

The Moon passing through the 1^st is often a time when you have the urge to be out in the world and do some promotion of your career or social goals.  A 2^nd house Moon can stimulate money making or managing activities. It might also send you out on a shopping spree, so lock up those credit cards until the urge passes.

‘The 3^rd house Moon may have you spending time with relatives or neighbors–or going on a day trip. A 4^th house Moon energizes the home life and may be a good time to tackle home improvement projects.

 The Moon in the 5^th may be a great time to schedule quality time with your kids or romantic interest. The Moon moving through your 6^th can bring the necessity to work hard and pay attention to preventive health measures.  The Moon in the 7^th is a time to do maintenance on partnerships, and the Moon in the 8^th may emphasize sex.

 The 9^th house Moon is generally good for advanced studies or spiritual studies.  The monthly interval when the Moon travels through your 10^th asks you to focus on your career or long-term goals. The 11^th is a time to socialize with friends, and the 12^th is often a great time for a monthly retreat to contemplate your life and thus catch any undesirable patterns.

 Suppose you record your own response to the Moon’s passage through certain houses, but you find an entirely different effect than that described above? If that’s consistently the case over a few months, it’s probably because the natal planets—or slow-moving transits—placed in a particular house impact these lunar passages strongly. Here’s where knowing and watching your own chart helps you individualize these general forecasts so that they work better for you.

For instance, if you have Neptune in the 4^th natally or by transit, you’ll do more daydreaming than housework while the Moon goes through that house. The 11^th house is friendship, but if you have Pluto there, a Moon transit might make you withdraw rather than reach out. Watch the course of the Moon through your own houses until you see how you generally respond.

 Watch the Moon—but Watch yourself as Well!

To bring more manageability into your life, observe yourself to see which parts of the Moon’s monthly cycle are significant.

Try keeping notes for a few months and watching which signs are good for you and which are consistently bad.

An astrology speaker found that he was most eloquent when the Moon passed through Sagittarius and formed a grand fire trine with his natal planets. As often as possible, he scheduled his lectures and workshops under Moon in Sag.

One healer found that she reacted badly to Moon in Scorpio, becoming resentful and withdrawn. She blocked off those days on her calendar and didn’t see clients, knowing that she wasn’t at her best. Instead, she used that time to good effect for personal Pluto pursuits—inner work and self-healing.

Although she did it to save her own sanity, it turned out to increase her effectiveness with her clients as well.  She was pleased to discover that she came back to her clients refreshed and restored after this monthly two-day break. Following this principle also reduced those periodic intervals of burnout where she couldn’t schedule any appointments at all.

 I’m not advocating that you become so much a slave to astrology that you won’t even go to the hairdresser without consulting your astrologer. (Although these days, that depends on how much you’re laying out for a good haircut!)

Do develop the willingness to put things off until the time is ripe, rather than being hounded by the shoulds. When you make yourself do things at the wrong time, it takes longer and much of the effort is wasted in spinning your wheels.

As you discover your own lunar highs and lows, you can plan more effectively and reduce stress. As I’ve found over the years, you also get better results!  An excellent online tool for keeping up with the daily Moon sign and the M0on’s cycles  is CJ Wright’s warm, wise, and homey blog Auntie Moon.

 This was adapted from my hardcopy book The Moon in Your Life, published by RedWheel/Weiser and now out of print.  Used copies can still be obtained through Amazon.com. 

More Posts about the Moon on this Blog:

• Using the Daily Moon Sign to your Advantage  
• The Moon Signs and their Emotional Habits 
• Why Transits to the Birth Moon are so Challenging
• The Void of Course Moon–A Lunar Sabbath? 
• Eclipses and Their Effects 

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