Moon Phases: the Moon is that bright, luminous orb we see in the night sky, counterpart to the fiery Sun in daytime. In astrology, the lunar light rules the unconscious realms of our minds, the stuff dreams are made of.
Our instinctual reactions can be affected by the Moon’s phases over the course of a month, or to be more specific, 29.5 Earth days, as the Moon grows from a small crescent to a large glowing globe and then decreases in size back to nothing.
The Moon, of course, doesn’t really shrink or grow, but our view of the Moon from our vantage point here on earth changes due to the relative positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon. This is why we see lunar phases.
There are eight noticeable phases of the Moon:
- New Moon
- Crescent Moon
- First Quarter Moon
- Gibbous Moon
- Full Moon
- Disseminating Moon
- Last Quarter Moon
- Balsamic Moon
Astrologers over time have correlated these eight phases of the Moon with certain activities that seem to be in harmony with that particular phase. For instance, it seems natural to begin something new when the Moon is first visible as a small crescent seen just after the setting sun.
As the Moon grows over the next two weeks, so grows your new project. Culmination occurs when the Moon is full, in all her round glory. As she shrinks again it is a time for pulling in, for introspection, for releasing and letting go, in preparation for the next cycle.
Phases of the Moon: A Guide to Evolving Human Nature by Dorothy Wergin and Marilyn Busteed