The Moon
The Moon, the luminous favorite of poets and lovers alike and main interest of scientists, is not any less important in astrology. The Moon is believed to be the queen of the planetary kingdom; with Sun being the king. In this article we will explore the Moon from the Jyotish (Vedic or Hindu) astrological perspective.
The Moon is the smallest planet; it is smaller than the earth and is only 250,000 miles away from us; its influence on earth and its inhabitants is immense. The sexual urge in human-beings and animals is found to be intimately connected with the different phases of the Moon. In fact, the significance of the Moon is so great that it is called Chakshusi, eye-sight. The Sun and Moon are considered the two eyes of the universe. The Moon is so important in Hindu predictive astrology that it is used as an ascendant, and all transit predictions are made from the position of the Moon. The Moon's natal position decides the planetary periods and is a very powerful predictive technique that other astrological systems do not have. (Please review article - 'The Real Secret of Vedic Astrology ~ Nakshatra' by Acharya Bharat)
The symbol of the Moon, if carefully considered, is the most enigmatic one and the planet itself is not less so. The symbol of ever-rising arcs signifying the surge in the psyche resulting from the downward pressure towards materialism, and upward attraction to divine unity may reveal much more dangerous and vulnerable influences flowing from the Moon. The stability and growth of a human being largely depends upon his psycho-mental nourishment and wellbeing. The Moon symbol in a very simple manner shows the mystic nature of the planet and its relationship with the Sun.
The Sun is the soul of the Universe, and the flow of the Sun's rays is channeled through the Moon. The Moon does not shine with its own light but reflects the life-giving energy flowing from the Sun. The Sun is giver of life to the whole planetary system, while the Moon specifically directs life to our globe. The Moon being a reflecting medium, it is incapable of causing any real harm. The life-giving quality of the Moon makes it "born of water," for water is the element which sustains all living creatures. The Sun represents the positive, or yang polarity, the father principle, whereas the Moon represents the yin polarity, the mother principle. She is passive, womb-like, protective, strengthening the growth of her progeny, taking interest in every action of her child. The qualities of the Moon emphasize its role as the universal principle, capable of producing good or evil depending on its associations with other planets. Astrologically, the Moon strengthens any planets associated with her except Saturn, which stifles the blossoming life-energy at every level.
The Moon reflects the joy and sharing that comes with having peace of mind, though an afflicted Moon indicates the neglect and withdrawal we experience when faced with losing that peace. The Moon is the soul descended into matter, which it experiences through the sense mind and body. It is where we are the most easily hurt and the most vulnerable. The Moon shows the quality of our nurturing and our capacity to nurture others. It shows the clarity of our perceptions and how they are distorted as well as our basic desires to have peace of mind. The Moon is like the window we are looking through. Whatever affects the Moon, deeply affects our life and outlook.
The influence of the Moon in different signs as calculated by Vedic astrology may be as follows:
Aries Moon: Courageous, passionate, unsteady in mind, and liked by women.
Taurus Moon: Tolerant, popular, firm in friendship, loved by ladies, happy in middle and end of life.
Gemini Moon: Psychologist, scientist, ambassador, fond of women, sweet in speech.
Cancer Moon: Astrologer, reliable and loyal friend, owns houses, gardens. It bestows a placid heart and motherly affection.
Leo Moon: Energetic, few children, women-hater, proud, angry, diseased stomach, teeth and mental agony.
Virgo Moon: Sweet-tongued, intelligent, clever in arts and scriptures, begets daughters and resides in a foreign land.
Libra Moon: Wanderer, rich, contented, helpful but rejected by relations, worshipper of gods, priests and holy-men.
Scorpio Moon: Respected by Royal family, sickly and concealer of sins.
Sagittarius Moon: Poetic, liberal, intelligent, inherits property from father, hates relations and is won over by fair means.
Capricorn Moon: Enjoys pleasures of wife and children, showy in charity, lazy but learned, popular, wanderer, incestuous, shameless, cruel and miserly.
Aquarius Moon: Muscular build, adulterous, unhappy, hypocrite, and debaucherus.
Pisces Moon: Learned, fond of wife and clothes.
Indeed a whole volume could be written on the influence of the Moon in a horoscope. Like the main musical notes which ultimately produce great musical vibrations and different symphonies, these basic characteristics of the Moon are considered to be fundamental in Vedic astrology. Ancient sages of India considered the Moon to be of greater significance than the Sun to the evolution of mankind. This is why they remarked, and rightly so, that Indu Sarvatra Bijavaha which means that the Moon is the seed of all astrological problems. Therefore sages emphasized the careful judging of the Moon. Essentially, the Moon reflects the psychic core of the individua
