Moon's transits through the Signs & What it means

The Moon transits the 12 signs and stays in each sign for about 2-3 days. Becoming more aware of these transits can help us in a number of ways. For example,  if you just want to know when the most fiery days are to kick into action, look out for Aries, Leo and Sagittarius moons.

There is a wealth of information about moon transits online, this is an introduction to get you started.

Aries Moon- We are motivated, want to start fresh, feel energetic, enthusiastic and active. Our impulses and animal instincts are strong. Low Vibes - Aggressive, beginning but not completing projects. Relationships & sexuality - Crash & burn affairs. Introduce some excitement  in long standing relationships. Try to avoid selfish and aggressive behavior, someone may get hurt. (Enjoy the BDSM, but have a safe word!)   

Taurus Moon- We are concerned with security, peace, feeling good and comfort. Things move at a slower pace now, stop and smell the roses. Low vibes: Materialistic, stubborn

Relationships & Sexuality - Long standing romances start now but may face boredom in the long run. A strong feeling of comfort with partners and lovers. (Great time to make love to candle light and provide chocolates and wine)

Gemini Moon- We have the urge to communicate and seek variety in our everyday lives. Study, connecting, sharing information and short trips are all supported by this moon. Low vibes- Restlessness, fickle. Relationships & Sexuality - Light & fun affairs being now, no strings attached. In long standing relationships: A good time to connect on a mental/ communicative level. (Phone sex anyone? Watch who you send those nude pics too!)

Cancer Moon- The desire to stay home and the need for peace and quiet are amplified. This is a healing and deeply emotional moon. Relationships and family are highlighted now. Low vibes - Over emotional, reclusive. Relationships & Sexuality - A great moon to start a relationship. Emotional connection is deep and we feel “at home” with partner. Watch for moodiness, jealousy and clinginess during this moon. Not a good time for one night stands! ( Did you come home to a clean house & your partner made dinner? Your friends may not see you for the next few days!)

Leo Moon- A prideful, joyous and playful moon. It bring out our inner child, movie star and leader. We feel creative, seek attention and just want to have fun. Low vibes - Egocentric, possessive. Relationships & Sexuality - Fun, exciting and playful romantic encounters. If a long standing romance, make sure you have fun together, bring more playfulness into the relationship. Watch for “me me me” syndrome, think about the other person too. ( Time to take out those costumes from the sex shop or put on a scene with a naughty ending)

Virgo Moon- We seek practical, grounding and mental activities. We are at home with routine, details and re-organizing our lives. Low vibes -  perfectionism, critical. Relationships & Sexuality-  Not the best time to start a romance unless you both have strong Virgo influence. You are hyper aware or all the things you don't like now, relax a bit you’ll surprise yourself. If in a relationship some sort of sacrifice may be made to keep the harmony. (Once the security  gates come down there is no turning back, the floodgates open up in the bedroom)

Libra Moon- We are concerned with being integrated and creating our environment. We feel diplomatic and avoid conflict at all costs. Teamwork, projects and social life go well. Low vibes - Superficial, indecisive. Relationship & Sexuality - Talk about romance! One of the best moons to be in or begin a romance or relationship. Under this moon traditional gestures, mood setting and gifts get you far. ( Leave her a love note and some flowers, then look forward to a real sensual sexfest) Do watch for yourself or your partner doing something they don't want to do, just to keep the peace.

Scorpio Moon- Life is about passion, emotional depth, instinct and self examination now. We want to go deeper, feel more, investigate the world around us. Low vibes - Manipulative behavior, brooding. Relationships & Sexuality - Want an all consuming, enduring, earth shattering romance or sexual encounter? Start it during a Scorpio moon. Talk about feeling everything at once! Do watch for possessiveness, obsession and dishonesty. If in a relationship where your physical needs are not being met? Be honest about it, yes Scorpio is loyal, but someones got to quench that sexual thirst. (The keyword here is intense, better hope you don’t have to get up early the next day or do anything physically strenuous. There may be some sore spots!)

Sagittarius Moon- One of the most optimistic, spontaneous  and vision driven moons. We want to travel, explore, and think about the big picture. We don’t care about the details, we want to just “wing it”. Low vibes - Getting ahead of ourselves, over-doing it. Relationships & Sexuality - One thing is for sure, you’ll have an adventure with each other. Due to the mutable nature of this sign the romance can end up either reliable or not. If in a relationship take that couples trip up to cabin or hop on a plane together. It will draw you closer and the excitement will turn you on. (If you make them laugh, excite them, surprise them or suggest trying the Kama sutra, plan to get your world rocked!)

Capricorn Moon- Suddenly aware of the need for structure and rules we are pulled back to earth with this moon. We are driven to succeed, manifest and work toward our goals now. Low vibes - depression, feeling boggled down by reality, unrealistic expectations of other or self.  Relationships & Sexuality - Not a recommended time to start a romance. It is hard to get things going. If in a relationship there may be some challenges to overcome, unless both parties are grounded and mature. In this case you feel secure and content in the partnership. ( If you don’t have you stuff together you have little to no chance. But a polished, confident and stylish suitor may get invited home at the end of the night.)

Aquarius Moon-  Something different is the key term. We crave the unusual, the eccentric and the unexpected. We are open minded and progressive now. Group activities are successful.  Low vibes - emotional detachment, unpredictable. Romance & Sexuality - Suddenly in the mood to take someone home but nothing deeper? This is a moon for it. This moon wants to try new things and change it up. In a relationship, spice things up, you could be so into your own minds and fantasies that you lose emotional touch with each other. Throw the predictable out the window. ( Go to a bar and pretend to be strangers, watch an erotic movie together. Just do something different that is within your comfort zone.)

Pisces Moon- This moon is all about dreams, alternate realities and being in our own world. We want nothing to do with reality, we may find ourselves asking “what else is there?”. This is the best moon for magical, mystical and esoteric activities. Low vibes - extreme introvertism, head in the clouds. Relationships & Sexuality - A time of tender, deeply intimate and emotional romances. Meetings now may feel fated, destined or from past lives. But there is the danger of viewing the romance in rose colored glasses. There may be unrealistic expectations or elements of sacrifice. Make sure both parties are on the same page. If in a relationship keep communication open if feeling misunderstood. If things are good, you may find yourself like two peas in a pod. (Non verbal communication goes a long way now, with the right eye gaze you could go from sitting across each other for coffee to feeling your bodies as one.)

Moon Sign Astrology

The Moon sign in astrology is how we react to, take in and reflect on things. Emotions, sympathy, feelings, understanding and learning are all under the moons umbrella. There is an emphasis on the past, nurturing, unconscious, imagination, security and habits with the moon.  

The moon defines our emotional world and unconscious self, the self that no one else sees. Look to the moon in the chart to also find clues about ones childhood, relationship with their mother and emotional needs. In some cases a person can feel more in touch with their moon sign than their sun sign. 

If you already have your chart, look for this symbol. The sign and house number where it is found will give you much information about your personal moon. For example: Moon located in 1st house, Sagittarius rising. This person would be very outspoken, no filter and wear their heart on their sleeve. They want what they want when they want it, and god help the person who tries to stop them. Learning to think first, sort out their emotions and use words carefully would help this person tremendously. They would also have a great sense of humor and crave travel, worldly experience and most of all freedom.  

Keyword to the Moon Signs

ARIES MOON - Impulsive, determined, quick, enthusiastic, spontaneous, direct, optimistic, passionate, independent, courageous.  *Low vibes: impatient, selfish, aggressive

TAURUS MOON - Security driven, strong-willed, sensual, steady, romantic, affectionate, pleasure seeking, reliable, charming, devoted. * Low vibes: stubborn, my way or the highway attitude, hard-headed, lazy

GEMINI MOON - Communicative, intellectual, social, witty, need stimulation, knowledge seeking, friendly, inquisitive, easily bored, social, resourceful. *Low vibes: high stung, scattered, can seem like two different people in one

CANCER MOON - Intuitive, can be easy going, psychic, compassionate, sensitive, quiet, dedicated, protective, need security and a sense of family. *Low vibes: jealous, anxious, too sensitive

LEO MOON - Comfortable with attention, ambitious, talented, natural leader, regal, confident, creative, needs love and support, generous, kind *Low vibes: egotistic, snobbish, dramatic  

VIRGO MOON - Practical, reserved, compassionate, analytical, realist, hard worker, caring, crave simplicity, can be conservative. *Low vibes: perfectionist, picky, negative  

LIBRA MOON - Persuasive, ambitious, artistic, peace seeking, strives for balance, endearing. *Low vibes: flighty, shallow, indecisive , low self esteem due to too much focus on others.

SCORPIO MOON - Desire driven, strong willed, passionate, intelligent, self-reliant, deep, can be fearless. * Low vibes : calculating, manipulative, aggressive, moody, extremist

SAGITTARIUS MOON - Philosophical, free spirited, friendly, optimistic, adventure seeking, generous,  confident. *Low vibes: speaks before they think, restless, inconsiderate, high to low mood fluctuations

CAPRICORN MOON - Conservative, competent, like boundaries and goals, organized, efficient, needs a life purpose, responsible.  *Low vibes : Rigid, cold, competitive, suffer from depression

AQUARIUS MOON - Observant, social but shy demeanour, eccentric, idealistic, progressive, kind, independent. *Low Vibes - Distant, unavailable, cold, stubborn, aloof

PISCES MOON - Compassionate, loving, romantic, sensitive, intuitive, creative, spiritual, curious, deep thinkers. *Low vibes: Gets lost in others, can live too much in their heads, gets overwhelmed & dis-hearted  

The Rising Sign: What kind of frosting are you?

The Rising sign, also known as the Ascendant is the icing on top of our astro cake. It can be found sitting on the cusp of the first house in the birth chart. At it's most basic function the rising sign is the first impression we give. Have you ever heard someone say, "You are so funny, you seemed so serious when I met you" or "You're so quiet, that night we met you were super chatty." These are perfect examples of how the rising sign works. It's who we are to the world, the faces and roles we play or the way associates and strangers see us.  The rising sign isn't all superficial though, it can be a wonderful tool to use in conjunction with your sun sign.

A great spiritual description of the rising sign is found in the book Cosmic Navigator by Gahl Eden Sasson. He says that the rising sign represents the road you chose to reach your Sun signs destiny. For example, if you're an Aries one of your major life lessons is dealing with leadership. If you're an Aries with Capricorn rising you can successfully use your leadership skills in environments where you work hard for results, or climb the ladder so to speak. If you're an Aries with Pisces rising you can use your leadership skills in a mystical or out of the box way like creating a new form of healing, or being the voice of a spiritual/ healing movement. In social environments the Aries with Capricorn rising may seem less impulsive and fiery than an typical Aries. This Aries Cap rising may also prefer to be the coach of a sports team vs a team player. The Aries with Pisces rising would channel their Aries Ram energy by practicing Bikram Yoga or dancing the Samba instead of playing football or running track. The Aries intensity and need for action and movement would be channeled through a healing/creative outlet versus an action oriented quick fix or sport. 

Below is a fun and simple introduction to the traits of the 12 rising signs, good and bad. There is so much more information about each one, more than I can fit here, but this will get you started. 

The 12 types of icing and what they mean

Aries Rising:

You are independent, strong willed and a natural born leader. You have no problem going after what you want and are seen as the brave one by others. You can be stubborn, selfish and impatient. Your natural competitiveness and energy to burn must be channeled because you can become quite restless. Use this energy in your work, physical activity and achieving your goals. 

Taurus Rising:

You are steadfast, grounded, focused and love all things of beauty. You are intuitive, patient and have stamina to burn. Values are beyond important to you and you like to do things one way, your way! Comfort is one of your favorite words and because of that you must watch for overindulgence like a solar Taurus. Use your great gifts and intuitive mind to conquer your goals. 

Gemini Rising:

Your world is ruled by intellect and communication. You are the queen/king of words and do well in anything dealing with critical thinking and communicating ideas. The most natural profession for you includes trading information and you are always on the look out for meeting new people and opportunities to network. You are a natural chameleon and can seem like two people to others and even yourself. You can be jumpy, opinionated, gossipy and restless. Use your great mental energy and natural charm with the public to conquer the world.  

Cancer Rising:

Talk about doing everything with feeling! You are nurturing, giving, sensitive and security driven. You have intensely strong paternal and healing instincts. You can be overprotective, withdrawn and too attached to the past like a solar Cancer. Stay away from the wounded souls you seem to attract, it's not your job to fix them. Turn that need to nurture to yourself and use your ability to see beneath the surface to fully step into your power and become the best version of yourself. 

Leo Rising:

Hear me rawr! Leo risings are as obvious as a solar Leos, whether or not they are trying to hide it is the real issue. They are confident (or they SEEM that way and are working really hard on being confident), extroverted (outwardly or can be as quiet as a mouse with raging red hair and bracelets up to their elbows), spontaneous, and impulsive. They can be a special kind of stubborn, antsy, quick tempered and dramatic. They love deeply, attract attention (whether they want it or not) and have many interests. Their road is an interesting one, once they are doing what their hearts want they live happy and pleasant lives.   

Virgo Rising:

Virgo is that person you know who gets EVERYTHING done! They have quick minds, knowledge to share and the neatest planner ever. You love them, even if it's kind of annoying they make you use coasters every time you come over. They are methodical, practical , quiet and sometimes shy. On their worst days they can be picky, nervous, opinionated and anxious. Learning to let their hair down and lighten up makes a world of difference for Virgo rising and makes the world a more enjoyable place for them.

Libra Rising:

Looking good, I love your style! What a beautiful apartment! Oh you made that? All comments Libra rising is sure to be familiar with. They are creative, talented, serious DIY-ers, and social butterflies. They are more fixed than they seem and can be rigid, competitive, shrewd, unbalanced and people pleasers. At their best they are like an aromatic blossoming flower, beautiful inside and out and everyone wants to be around to see whats next. 

Scorpio rising:

Oh the magnetism of Scorpio rising. They are like that beautiful maybe antique... can't really tell, glass bowl that you really really want to touch but feel like you can't. They radiate an energy that either attracts like moths to a flame, intimidates or just leaves people down right confused. Shrouded in mystery, even if they are the calmest, most grounded person ever is the clutch of Scorpio rising. Used positively they can come to terms with the power they radiate and become amazing, deep and well rounded people or use it to keep others away like a "danger beware of dog" sign.

Sagittarius Rising:

Extroverted, outgoing, loads of fun, energetic and...I know I said it already but man are they fun! Sagittarius risings are freedom loving, adventure seeking life enthusiasts just like solar Sag. Having an outdoors adventure? Want to go out dancing? Bring a Sagittarius rising with you. On their worst days they can be restless, scattered and emotionally cold. And just like solar Sagittarius need to watch out for their words, they can really hurt someones feelings  They love to talk, attract people like flies and make it their mission to enjoy life no matter what. 

Capricorn Rising:

I don't know how she does it! Bachelors degree straight into a Masters and she works full time! Capricorn rising is ambitious, determined, quick minded, practical and reserved just like solar Capricorns. Depending on rest of chart these traits can be weakened and the Capricorn rising may have to work harder to embody them. They have high standards and may often set goals so high that they are forced to reexamine themselves and their goals. They are dependable, honest and stick to their values. On the unpleasant side they can be negative nancies, stressed out and suffer from anxiety attacks. The best way to harness their energy is to set realistic standards, goals and expectations of themselves and others. 

Aquarius Rising:

Everyone knows him, everywhere we go he knows someone!  Aquarius rising, like solar Aquarians don't need to do a thing to attract fans, they just come. Maybe it's the gleam in their eyes, the way they smile, how personable and friendly they are or if we want to be honest about it...that aloofness and air of unavailability is pretty damn sexy. Or irritating  depending on who you are talking too. Aquarius rising is fun, light hearted, intellectual and need stimulation. They have active minds, active imaginations and a never ending to do list. On a bad day they are detached, cold or just down right mean. 

Pisces Rising:

Just like solar Pisces these ascendant love all things metaphysical and other-worldly. That girl with the glitter in her hair, that guy who writes fantasy fiction about his favorite show, that person you know who even in a deep conversation seems to be somewhere else...all Pisces risings. Dreamers, lovers, artist...I JUST WANT TO DO WHAT I LOVE AND NOTHING ELSE. Like their solar Pisces cousins these ascendant on a bad day suffer deep depressions, disappointments and general disillusionment with the world around them. Keeping the faith, and doing what they love creates a happy existence. 

The Birth chart

One of the most common questions from skeptics is, "If astrology is true, how could it possibly describe everyone? Not all (inject sign) are alike." That is where the birth chart comes in! The sun sign is the most basic description of a personality type. It is where the Sun was located at the time of your birth. Compare it to times when you have to "describe yourself in a few words." The birth chart acts as your personal blueprint, it is a snapshot of where all the planets were, and what they were doing the moment you were born.

Say there are two people, both born on January 3rd in New York, NY. Person A was born in 1984 at 10 am and person B in 1985 at 11:35 am. Both Capricorns, they share a sun sign but have different birth charts. The planets have mostly moved since 1984 giving person B a different set of planet locations.

The Birth chart, what's it made of?

The birth chart is comprised of many parts and requires some specific information to calculate correctly. One would need to know the day, month, year, exact time and place of birth. Don't know all of that? That's okay too, charts can be done with less information, but for accuracy it's important to have all the details. Think of it as the ingredients to that special pie that only you know how to make. Miss an ingredient or two and it's still a pie, but not as special as it could be. One of my favorite descriptions of the birth chart comes from the book Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook. The author Debbi Kempton-Smith refers to the birth chart as, "A big pizza pie divided into twelve pieces." In astro talk, these pieces are referred to as houses. There are twelve of them in total and each house has a specific meaning and purpose.

Before we get to that, I'd like to address the Rising Sign, also known as the ascendant. The first house is also the home of ones Rising sign. The rising sign is the first impression we give. Have you ever heard someone say, "you are hilarious, you seemed so serious when I met you" or "you are so quiet, that night we met you were talking a mile a minute." Those are perfect examples of how the rising sign works. It is who we are to the world, the faces and roles we play, the way people see us at first, or the way associates and strangers see us.  The rising sign isn't all superficial though, it can be a wonderful tool to use in conjunction with your sun sign. For example, meet Sara : She is a quiet Cancer who loves to stay home and has friends over more than she goes out. Her rising sign is Leo, the complete opposite of a home body. She looks like a Cancer except for the fact that she is an eccentric dresser and loves to wear lipstick everywhere. Sara is comfortably using her Leo ascendant to an extent. But to get the maximum benefit she could tap into that lion energy and become the life of the party instead of leaning against the wall and talking to the people she already knows.

How do you find out your rising sign? This is where those details come in handy. With all the ingredients to the pie, one can find their rising sign sitting high and mighty at the first house in their chart. The rising sign changes with the hours throughout the day, making it possible for people born the same day to have different ascendants. Imagine two babies born on February 3rd, one is born at 10 am and one at noon. Baby A and baby B are both Aquarius but baby A is an Aries rising and baby B is a Gemini rising. Both grow up and use that Aquarian genius and become inventors. Baby A invents a new innovative fitness clothing line and baby B invents a new way to communicate and surf the web faster than ever before. See how that worked out? Aquarians are known for their great ideas, with an Aries rising baby A was interested in movement therefore drawn to fitness. And baby B with a Gemini rising was naturally drawn to communication and technology.

The rising sign can also affect the way we look, move, talk, and the way we want to be treated. In combination with your sun, the ascendant gives you your own individual style of expressing your sign. The sun sign is the cake and the rising sign is the type of icing on top.

Stay tuned for part two of this entry! I will continue to discuss the 12 houses and what they each mean.