Most who have studied astrology have heard of the Lunar Phases, but exactly what are they and what do they mean?

Today will be a brief introduction to the subject. I last gave this to you 6 years ago, and have rewritten parts of it. This is one of the most important factors in both Lunar Astrology and seeing the concept of the 8 stages of any development. By knowing these, you will understand more about the inner and outer planet cycles than you currently imagine!

What’s Important About the Phases of the Moon?

These phases have relevance on multiple levels. Besides understanding the fluxes of the transiting Moon, knowing the Lunar phases is extraordinarily valuable in helping us understand what’s going on with our progressed Moon. From the time our progressed Moon conjuncts our natal Sun, it moves through a 27+ year cycle of various phases. Knowing the 8 phases yields tremendous insights into how our “progressed feelings” and “progressed up close and personal experience of life” is being shaped.

In advanced analysis, we also can examine the 8 phases of life which began at the last progressed New Moon, when the progressed Moon conjuncted our progressed Sun and launched us on a new 27+ year experience of life. This life renewal happens to anyone who lives to adulthood, and follows the life review during the period when the progressed Moon conjuncts the natal Sun but has not yet conjuncted the progressed Sun.

The entire branch of Lunar astrology related to Lunar phases and subphases, including Dwadashamsas or Lunar Mansions, is a lifelong study in itself! This branch is derived from more ancient Eastern sources and helps us understand the concept of periods, subperiods, and sub-sub periods.

The concept of these 8 stages in any “whole cycle” can be applied to other planetary cycles as well, since they too go through their waxing and waning phases relative to each other. The whole cycle shows us the beginnings, internal and external subjective and objective shifts, and turning points in our awareness of the larger pulse of what’s going on.

The Progressed Moon Brings Focus for 27+ Years to all it Touches

According to astrology, the Moon has 8 phases, and each spans 45 degrees. Your natal Lunar Phase is measured by the Moon’s distance from the Sun. Depending on which 45 degree span it falls, it puts the accent on a certain “Soli-Lunar relationship,” which is how you actualize your light and purpose through a certain type of temperament and the associated process.

As noted, we can apply these phases to the progressed Moon’s passage over the natal Sun and the progressed Sun, as well as the natal Ascendant. These phase shifts give insights into how the “birth Light” and “progressed illumination” of the two Suns and self-image indicated by the Ascendant find different forms of expression throughout the “whole cycle” which happens after those conjunctions.

It can obviously be applied to any other planet the Moon conjuncts, showing phases of how the form of those planets takes shape over time. That’s why knowing these 8 phases yields numerous insights into every “divine dance” of each planet with all the others.

As the progressed Moon always takes 27+ years to make a “whole cycle” from conjunction to subsequent conjunctions, the major shifts always happen at the squares and opposition to whatever it conjuncted. So the conjunction to the Sun marks a point of beginning a new 27 year way of expressing light. The conjunction to the Ascendant marks a point of beginning a new 27 year way of expressing the self-image we develop throughout our life.

The progressed Lunar Return always marks a point of completing old feelings, old ways of experiencing life, old needs, and old cares. So we re-set progressed illumination forms when the progressed Moon conjuncts the natal Sun, we re-set progressed self-image forms when the progressed Moon conjuncts the natal Ascendant, and we re-set our personality package when the progressed Moon conjuncts the natal Moon.

The 8 Phases of the Moon

The 8 phases are: New Moon, Crescent Moon, First Quarter Moon, Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Disseminating Moon, Third Quarter Moon, and Balsamic Moon. These 8 phases make up the 360 “whole cycle” of the zodiac.

The progressed Moon spends 3 + years in each of these phases, with the exact length of time determined by how fast or slow the progressed Moon is moving. I’ll now give you a few notes on each, taken from The Handbook for the Humanistic Astrologer by Michael Meyer, one of the all-time great works for those into Humanistic Astrology.

New Moon
0-45 degrees waxing from conjunction
Keyword: Emergence
Temperament: Subjective, impulsive, instinctive
Process: Projection of one’s personal ideals and concepts on the outer world

Crescent Moon
45-90 degrees waxing from conjunction
Keyword: Assertion
Temperament: Self-confident with a need to make an impression on one’s world
Process: Challenge old forms left from previous cycles, move from personal emphasis to individual concern.

First Quarter Moon
90-135 degrees waxing from conjunction
Keyword: Action
Temperament: Strong willed, ego building this lifetime, potential to be ruthless Process: Builds structure to serve the being in actualizing objectives and purposes; feels urgent need for direct action

Gibbous Moon
135-180 degrees waxing from conjunction
Keyword: Expression
Temperament: Mental and associative; questioning and searching for a revelation or illumination.
Process: Introspection; personal growth and the need to contribute to society creatively.

Full Moon
180-225 degrees (135-180) waning from conjunction
Keyword: Fulfillment
Temperament: Open and full, functionally objective and fulfillment oriented, mainly through relationships; danger of being in extreme relationships where it’s “all or nothing.”

Disseminating Moon
225-270 degrees (90-135) waning from conjunction
Keyword: Synthesis
Temperament: Assimilative, evaluative, innovative
Process: Dissemination of what one learns and experiences; need to inspire other and release new ideas.

Third Quarter Moon
270-315 degrees (45-90) waning from conjunction
Keyword: Reorientation
Temperament: Future oriented and inventive; can be inflexible and too forceful.
Process: Embodies personal ideals and philosophy into organized systems or institutions; applies universal principles to practical affairs.

Balsamic Moon
315-360 degrees (0-45) waning toward next conjunction.
Keyword: Release
Temperament: Future oriented with awareness of how the past affects the future; feelings of destiny at work, self-sacrifice for the future growth of others
Process: Releases seed ideas to assist future growth; imparts visions of the future to the world.

Just knowing these phases of relationship can help us orient toward larger cycles of change going on so we can understand the place and function of the transitory shifts in focus we’re going through at any given chapter in our lives. And even just knowing one’s natal Lunar phase can help us understand a lot about why we’re in certain phases of life doing what we do.

Moon Phase Calendar Here!

© Copyright 2019 Robert Wilkinson - https://www.aquariuspapers.com
Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with persmission from Robert Wilkinson.