The Enigmatic and Mystical Moon
Vedic astrology (Indian astrology) is a Moon based system whereas Western astrology is largely a Sun based system. The Sun represents the soul and the Moon represents the mind and the emotions of a person. Vedic astrologers do use the Sun to evaluate the soul’s evolutionary progress in an astrology chart and of course this is very important, but the Moon will be considered for the mind and the emotions of the person.
The Sun is the main source of light for us, but the Moon is illuminated by the Sun and reflects it down to earth. The Moon is also involved in fertility and the menstrual cycle which reflects its earthly effects on us in a very practical way. So from the Vedic perspective, the Moon is a reflection of the soul in more earthly terms.
The position of the Moon in the chart will indicate largely where a person’s karma will be played out in this life. Indeed, the whole chart is karmic, but the position of the Moon and the house it is in, will point to which areas of life are going to be vitally important to a person and where they are likely to put their efforts. In fact a study of the Moon in a chart, along with other factors can be used for career aspirations, in that it shows which areas of life that the person will be passionate about.
In Vedic astrology the Moon rules such things as peace of mind, comforts, fortune, wellbeing and mother or contentment. In addition it indicates the extent to which a person will possess common sense (as apposed to pure intellect) as well as memory, stability, general health and happiness. Generally the Moon will indicate the ease with which success will be achieved and will contribute to the overall tenor of the chart.
The Moon is continually changing. This is called waxing and waning
A Moon is waxing in the 14 days between the new Moon (no Moon) to the full Moon. The Moon is growing or expanding.
A Moon is waning in the 14 days between the full Moon to the new Moon (no Moon). At this stage the Moon is contracting.
A waxing Moon is considered a great benefic in a chart and a waning Moon not so beneficial. Generally, someone with a waxing Moon in their chart will be more outgoing and confident and will attract attention, whereas someone with a waning Moon will be more reflective and reserved.
The Moon is often used in Vedic astrology to predict the best time to start new ventures of any sort. For best results new ventures should be started during a waxing Moon, as this indicates growth and expansiveness which is of course, highly favourable. So the next time you are trying to deciding when to start something new, try to pick a time during the waxing phase of the Moon in order to give yourself a optimum chance of success in your endeavours.
Your Challenges
The astrology chart is the blueprint you are given of abilities and preferences according to your collective past karmas and shows what you need to experience in this incarnation for your further soul development towards enlightenment. However, it should not be seen as an endpoint or cap on your capabilities, rather it should be seen as a summary of your challenges and possibilities and will point to those areas of life in which growth can take place. Vedic astrology is often viewed as fatalistic. In my view the areas of the chart that are weak are those areas that can receive the most growth if you decide to accept the challenge. In this, we do have choice. Of course, you can also choose to take the fatalistic approach and accept what is which can also be positive if you can do this without blame or grudges and with full acceptance.
Many people with a weak Moon in their chart benefit greatly from reflection, meditation and self development techniques, which I can only think is highly positive in terms of clearing karma and making inner transformation which will result in putting down good karma for the present and the future. This can result in major progressions in terms of evolution at a deep psychological and spiritual level. In this way a weakness in the chart can be used as a vehicle for growth and expansion.
Lunar Mansions Nakshatras
In the Vedic system, within the 12 horoscope signs of the zodiac in the astrology chart, there are 27 sub signs called Nakshatras or Lunar Mansions.
In transit the Moon spends just over one day in each Lunar Mansion each month. Indian Mythology says that the Moon has 27 wives and spends one day with each one every month. Each Lunar Mansion is ruled by a different planet, this gives each one quite different and specific qualities in terms of personality traits and purpose assigned to it. Knowing which Lunar Mansion your Moon and Rising sign are in, will help in giving more detail to your life purpose, challenges and personality and gives greater depth when added to those factors attributed to your rising horoscope sign.
These Lunar mansions are often used in India to decide on the best times to do a wide variety of transactions, such as marriage, going on a journey, signing a contract or building the foundations for a house.
This may sound superstitious to our western perspective, but traditional Indian people are very much in tune with nature and the natural rhythms of life and prefer to “go with the flow”. They prefer to try to tune their lives into the natural order of the cosmos and energy flows, rather than trying to pit their will or ego against such natural forces.
Sadi Sati – Saturn transiting your Natal Moon
Sadi Sati is a transit that is very well known in Vedic astrology. It is more significant to a Vedic astrologer than the Saturn return, which is very well known in Western astrology.
Sadi Sati is the transit of Saturn on the Moon in your astrology chart. It can create some difficult psychological and emotional struggles in your life that might manifest in letting go or clearing out the debris in your life. It is a long transit lasting several years and will have the effect of encouraging you to go deep and re-evaluate your life and make inner changes. Although it may be uncomfortable and result in major changes in your life or your perspective, I like to view this as over-all, a very positive stage of life. It can make you change direction in your life and make you focus on what is really important to you. It can also bring relationship issues to a focus, in that you can no longer avoid putting things off and are forced to sort things out. By the end of a Sadi Sati you will emerge as a new being, much like a snake shedding its old skin, ready to continue with your life in a new way.
The Moon with its waxing and waning and its very personal and emotional effect on us is a major part of the Vedic system, so much so that the Moon sign (the house where your moon is placed in your astrology chart) is often used as the rising sign as an additional chart in order to gain more clarity along with the standard astrology chart.
So the next time you are admiring the moon, do notice its beauty and mystery and also its shadows and depth and be aware of its subtle influence in your life.