The Moon and Us

Stonehenge was built by and epitomized the simple moon-centric life of the hunter-gatherers.

Human mating, human survival, and the female menstrual cycle are directly connected to the moon. 29.5 days is exactly the time it takes for the moon to pass through its phases as seen from the earth. The only primate with an exact 29.5 day cycle is the human. Tens of thousands of years ago, when our ancestors roamed the earth as hunter gatherers, the moon acted as a vital clock, governing the rhythm of their lives and becoming a powerful ally to women. To promote the development of the species, females synchronized their menstrual cycles with one another and in exact phase with the moon, thereby propagating the human race. Synchronized menstrual cycles helped women to prevent one dominant male from impregnating and abandoning all of them. It was a collective tactic to maximize the number of fathers and providers for the benefit of their progeny. The logic human females followed, perhaps, was that if males are useful things to have, everyone should have at least one of them!

For centuries the moon has been associated with evil afoot at night, with witchcraft, werewolves and madness. The very word "lunacy" in which you have lost your mind, is derived from the Latin 'luna', for moon, and is linked to the idea that you in some ways synchronize your thoughts to those of the moon.

The moon by German landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich

The face of the full moon is linked to love in Chinese mythology. Ye Lao, the old man in the moon, is said to bind soul mates destined to marry with an invisible red string. Those convinced that the full moon stimulates romance will be interested to know that it's a proven aphrodisiac under water. Australian and Israeli scientists recently demonstrated that the annual mass spawning of the coral in the Great Barrier Reef is triggered by the faint blue light of the full moon.

*Greek and Roman mythology are not often easy to navigate, but some things regarding how the Moon was characterized do seem clear. At first, there was Selene, a name related to a Greek word for light. This deity, a goddess, was known as Luna among the Romans. She's been depicted as wearing a half-moon on her head, riding across the sky in a silver chariot pulled by either horses or oxen. Sometimes, they portrayed her in robes, riding either a horse or a bull, with a torch in her hand. Selene or Luna were generally considered to be "the Moon" than merely a goddess from my understanding. Eventually Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, came to replace Selene as the goddess associated with the Moon. She was the twin sister of Apollo who became associated with the sun, thus showing a relationship between Sun and Moon that the ancients must have recognized. In Roman mythology, Artemis was known as Diana, but had essentially the same features as Artemis. Both goddesses were highly popular in their respective pantheons.

*Astrological moon signs (or "signs of the Zodiac") are just as important as Sun signs. Moon signs are the next most planetary placement in a person's horoscope chart and is the moving cycle in the chart that helps define our emotions and make up the unconscious side of our personality. This is the place where we go to find comfort, peace and childhood memories. These signs also have an affect on our senses, such as sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. They are all connected to our subconscious memories and affect us differently than the Sun's Zodiac signs.

In Western Astrology, the Moon is tied to many things. Whereas the Sun is associated with fatherhood and the father figure in one's life, the Moon is connected to all things maternal. Depending upon the sign and house that the Moon resides in within a person's natal chart will often describe their relationship to their mother and for women, how they will tend to mother their own children. In fact, astrology (even Chinese astrology) finds the Moon to be strongly tied to all things in the feminine domain. It's thought that this association came about because the length of time it takes the Moon to travel through the zodiac is the same as the length of a typical menstrual cycle. From this came the association of the Moon with both the ovaries and the breasts.

Intuition, or unconscious knowledge, falls into the realm of the Moon, as well. Things we tend to feel, instinctively know or suspect without a seeming reason, those things are the Moon's effect in a natal chart. In the same way that the Moon's gravity effects the tides on Earth, so the Moon is said to hold sway over the personal rhythms and shifts of mood in individuals.

Not surprisingly, the Moon also came to represent the 'inner child' in each of us. More specifically, our emotional vulnerabilities and receptivity. Just as the Sun shows more of who we're aiming to be, the Moon tends to reflect who we were. It connects to memories, especially memories of childhood, the home environment, our mothers and how we were nurtured.

The Moon rules the fourth sign of the zodiac, Cancer, as well.

• Some Vedic Astrology

The nature of the 'ruling planet' and the 'element' of each of the moon signs reflects in the personality traits associated with it. It is a general observation that two people with the same moon sign are compatible with each other. It is largely true, as individuals with the same moon sign share a majority of their characteristics and can therefore, understand each other well. There is a concept of Shadashtak in Vedic astrology, which is closely related to moon sign compatibility. The moon signs which are situated six or eight places away from each other are known as shadashtak, and are believed to be incompatible with each other. Let us take a closer look at the moon signs and their astrological sign compatibility. (Vedic equivalents of the moon signs are given in brackets.)

• Moon Sign Compatibility

• Aries (Mesha): Your moon sign is Aries, if you were born when the moon was in this zodiac sign. Being an Aries, you are a quick thinker. You are aggressive, impatient and short-tempered. You are extremely confident and adventurous. Your ruling planet is Mars and element is Fire. Moon sign astrology suggests that you get along very well with Aries. You are highly compatible with Leo and Sagittarius; while you cannot get along with Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio and Capricorn. 

• Taurus (Vrishabha): If the moon was traveling through Taurus, at the time you were born, your moon sign is Taurus. As you belong to this moon sign, you are stubborn, self-willed and very strong emotionally. You are a lover of art, beauty, good food and luxury. Venus rules you and your element is Earth. You can jell with Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Your relationship with Aries or Gemini may require some adjustments; while your relationship with Libra or Sagittarius might require compromises. There are less chances that your relationship with Libra or Sagittarius will be a success. 

• Gemini (Mithuna): If your moon sign is Gemini, it means that the moon was in this sign of the zodiac when you were born. Being a Gemini, you are clever and talkative. If I may say this, you are a flirt and tend to change partners frequently. That's your so-called 'love for change'! Your ruling planet is Mercury and element is Air. Your relationship with Libra, Aquarius or Gemini is sure to be a hit. But, you need to be careful, if you are thinking of a relationship with Capricorn or Scorpio. You can easily collaborate with Leo and Aries, but not very well with Virgo or Pisces.

• Cancer (Karka): If you say your moon sign is cancer, you were born while the moon was traveling through this zodiac sign. The moon rules you and your element is Water. Belonging to this moon sign, you are emotional by nature and possess a strong understanding of other's feelings. Cancerian women make excellent mothers. Now about your sign compatibility; well, you can get along very well with Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio. "You are not compatible with Aquarius and Sagittarius", so says moon sign astrology. Your relationship with Virgo or Taurus is harmonious, but that's not the case with Leo or Gemini.

• Leo (Simha): Your moon sign is Leo, if you were born when the moon was in this sign of the zodiac. The Sun rules Leo and its element is Fire. If you are a Leo, you are assertive, confident and opportunistic. You are encouraging and optimistic and you make an ideal leader. You can jell with Leo, Aries and Sagittarius. There will be clashes in your relationship with Taurus or Scorpio. If you are paired with Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn or Pisces, you might end up making an incompatible couple.

• Virgo (Kanya): A moon in Virgo indicates that you are a Virgo. Your ruling planet is Mercury and your element is Earth. Moon sign astrology says that you are a very analytical and critical person. You make a loyal partner and a trustworthy friend. You make a brilliant pair with Virgo or Capricorn. Your relationship with Libra, Aquarius or Sagittarius may not be a complete success.

• Libra (Thula): If you were born when the moon was in this astrological sign, your moon sign is Libra. You have somewhat extreme views about life and are indifferent by nature. You are creative and diplomatic and love to take new initiatives. Your ruling planet is Venus and your element is Air. Coming to your sign compatibility, you are highly compatible with Aquarius, Gemini and Libra. You hardly share any personality traits with those of Aries, and that's the reason why your relationship with the moon sign may not work. You can have a harmonious relationship with Leo, but not with Cancer.

• Scorpio (Vrischika): Being a Scorpio, you are quick-tempered, but also cool down easily. You are protective about your near and dear ones. Intelligent and shrewd that you are, it's not very easy to demotivate you. Mars is your ruling planet and your element is Water. Your relationship with Aquarius can turn out to be stormy, but you will make a fairly good pair with Taurus. You are not very compatible with Libra and Sagittarius, but you can get along well with Virgo. 

• Sagittarius (Dhanu): If you are a Sagittarius, your ruling planet is Jupiter and your element is Fire. This unique combination of your ruling planet and element gives you an equally unique set of personality traits. You are cheerful and optimistic; you enjoy taking risks. A philosopher by nature, you are always in pursuit of the 'new'. You can build a great rapport with Gemini, but your relationship with Taurus or Cancer may not work well. You can live in harmony with Libra and Aquarius.

• Capricorn (Makara): A moon in this sign of the zodiac implies that you are a Capricorn. You are ruled by the disciplinarian Saturn and your element is Earth. You can jell with Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. You crave for sensitivity and understanding, which Cancerians can offer and hence, your relationship with them can work well. You can share a harmonious relationship with Pisces. However, you do not make a very good pair with Libra. 

• Aquarius (Kumbha): If you are an Aquarius, your ruling planet is Saturn and your element is Air. You are intellectual and independent. You are honest, idealistic and always ready to help others. Moreover, you are a perfect humanitarian. Now, about your moon sign compatibility; having similar temperaments, you may not make a brilliant pair with Aries. You are not considered compatible with Taurus and Pisces. The calm and cool Aquarius can make a fairly compatible pair with the aggressive Leo. Being considerably different from Pisces, your relationship with this moon sign may not be a success.

• Pisces (Meena): You are ruled by Jupiter and your element is Water. Being a Pisces, you are calm and gentle and turn out to be wonderful friends. You are often indecisive and very submissive by nature. You have a creative bent of mind and you are constantly in pursuit of making the world a better place to live. You cannot be considered compatible with Aries, Libra and Sagittarius. You can have a wonderful relationship with Scorpio and a fairly compatible one with Virgo. Your personality traits compliment with those of Taurus; you both can make a good pair.

 • Moon Signs

» Know your Moon Sign  

The Moon represents the more impressionist side and the inner feelings and emotions portraying us from within. It indicates how we express our nurturing instinct and the style of immediate emotional-feeling response to experiences.With an altogether mysterious side, Moon shows our hidden aspects. 

The Moon goes through all the Zodiac within its 28 day cycle and enters a new zodiac sign approximately every 2 1/2 days. The position of the transiting moon (moon's current position) helps determine the general moods of people. The moon sign positions greatly influence the outcomes of events involving human interactions. When the Moon is in certain zodiac, the characteristics of that zodiac sign color the moon's expression. 

The moon rules over issues related to family and interaction among family members, social gatherings and general proceedings in the home environment. All the above incidents are greatly affected by moon's sign position. The moon sign, when taken in combination with the Sun sign, tells about a person and is an essential part of learning about yourself. The best way to find out about the moon sign is to visit and schedule a consultation with, who else, your astrologer !