THE PROGRESSED MOON
The Moon moves around the earth in an orbital cycle
and in doing so reflects the light of the sun in an ever-changing
relationship. At the same time, the earth is orbiting the sun and our
view from earth of this orbit is the apparent path of the sun across
the Ecliptic. We have then, two interrelated cycles of moon's path and
Sun's apparent path. These cycles synchronise from our perspective on
earth. The changing relationships are known as lunar phases. From New
Moon to New Moon, the Moon goes through eight phases in the 29.5 days
it takes to complete this cycle. This is known as the Lunation Period.
The Moon orbits the earth in an easterly direction. Beginning with a New Moon, approximately one week later it is 90 degrees East of the sun (square or first quarter). Approximately a week later it is at 180 degrees (opposition, or full moon) and a further week later at 270 degrees (closing square or last quarter) A further week and it is back to the position of the new moon that started the cycle. This cycle of approx. 27.5 days is known as a SIDEREAL PERIOD. During this time the Sun has moved approximately 30 degrees ( one sign) , along the ecliptic, so in effect the Moon has to "catch up" to the new position of the Sun, so that a new moon can again occur. It takes approx. two days longer to make the next conjunction with the Sun, an amount of 29.5 days. This is known as a SYNODIC PERIOD
So, there are two interrelated cycles:
The Moon around the Earth or Sidereal Period (month)
The Moon across the Ecliptic - Synodic Period (month)
Sidereal - The cycle of the Moon from and to a given point in the Zodiac circle, ( the natal position) beginning with the conjunction to the Sun when it was at that point.
Synodic - the cycle of the Moon from one conjunction with the Sun to the next conjunction with the Sun. ( the progressed position)
The period between the Sidereal and the Synodic positions are a time when the Moon "disappears" from view, or is in a "dark" phase. This is a time when ancient superstitions were prolific as it was during this time that symbolically, the ancients waited, afraid that the moon would not re-appear. It is little wonder then that so many superstitions about the moon are so rooted in the psyche of humankind.
In Sidereal motion the Moon makes the following Phase angles:
In the first four phases the Moon is "Waxing" while in the last 4 phases it is "Waning". In the Waxing phase it appears to be growing in size while when waning it appears to be shrinking. When the Waxing moon is in the 1st Quarter phase it rises each day at about noon, when the sun is on the meridian and sets at about midnight. By the time the Waning moon is in the Last Quarter, the rising and setting is reversed.
In SYNODIC MOTION, the angular relationship between sun and moon is measured along the ecliptic. The Moon phases are exactly the same and follow the same cyclic rhythm except there is the short time when the Moon phase is "dark" because the Sun has appeared to travel 30 degrees along the ecliptic.
(The same principles apply to planets in their cycles, too. As a faster planet moves away from a slower planet, phases occur, which we understand as aspects. In understanding the meaning of the phase relationships of moon to sun, you can also get a deeper understanding of the phase, or aspect relationships of the planets, both natally, by progression and in transit. It is the Moon that gives us a visible illustration of aspects. The full on confrontation of the Full moon relates clearly to the opposition of planets and it is an interesting exercise when using transits to think of the aspect according to the view you might see of the Moon/Sun relationship when it is forming that aspect.)
When analysing a chart, these angular relationships between Luminaries become very important considerations as they define something about the basic personality. While house and sign placement will have a great bearing, there are distinct patterns of behaviour and attitude discernible from the angular relationships between the Luminaries. The Sun, representing the conscious identity forges links with the Moon as the Unconscious identity and even if there is no actual aspect between them, there is still the phase meaning to be considered.
The Sun Moon phase angle can be viewed in several ways:
a) Natally in its implications in the psychology of the personality.
b) In future trends as an annual cycle, through 13 monthly "returns" of the natal angle
c) In future trends work the position of the Secondary Progressed New Moon, in much the same way as planets by secondary progression except that the period the aspect is effective is much shorter due to the speed of the moon.
d) As an unfolding 29.5 year cycle called the Progressed Lunation Cycle.
THE SECONDARY PROGRESSED MOON CYCLE
As a symbolic "day for a year" measurement called Secondary Progressions the Moon's cycle will follow exactly the same monthly sequence of unfolding, waxing and then waning towards completion of a life experience. It will take 29.5 years (as Secondary Progression equates a day for a year) to complete a full cycle, but a cycle will already be underway at birth. The length of time up to the next "New Moon" will be according to the angle at birth. For example, if a Full Moon birth occurs, then the next monthly Sidereal New Moon occurs in approx. 14 days and, transposed, by Secondary Progression, this becomes years. So, a Full Moon type of personality will experience the start of a new " Progressed Lunation Cycle" around the age of 14. But, the Sun will have progressed approximately 14 degrees, so the point at which the secondary progressed Moon 'hits' the natal position of the Sun is the "Sidereal New Moon". The point at which it 'hits' the progressed position of the Sun is the ' Synodic New Moon". The period between is the 'Dark Phase'. This can last for a few months, and after one or more of these 29.5year cycles, several years!
The position of the Progressed moon indicates the house locus where certain experiences are unfolding. It will also indicate a Phase Angle with the natal Sun and so defines a cycle within which a 'process' occurs. The Moon's progressed contacts to natal planets will be felt briefly, about a month in duration, but the meaning of the Progressed Moon is very important in the cycle of personal growth, as those contacts give an indication of the challenges and ease in life, and build, one upon the other, as the Moon part of the personality stores the experiences unconsciously.
The cycle represents personal growth and self-development at all levels of experience and includes the natural process of growing intellectually, in maturing from childhood to adulthood and so is in some ways complimentary to the Saturn cycle, which is of a similar duration. This developmental cycle connects to the physical body too so can be seen as indicating health cycles and so the contacts made by the Progressed Moon can be indicative of organic changes and emerging sensitivities of the corporeal body as well as the emotional intellectual and psychological 'bodies'.
The Progressed Lunation Process
The cycle or process begins with the New Moon before birth. Unless born exactly on the New Moon, each individual is born at a time when a cycle is already underway, so effectively joins the world as part of an established phase during the month from the previous new moon to the next.
We can identify the Phase that the Moon is in at the time of birth, by the angle of separation between the Luminaries - as in the table previously shown. So we can say a person is born at a "Gibbous phase" or a "Disemminating phase" and his personality will reflect certain qualities because of this phase or angle.
The time for the Progressed Lunation Cycle to be fulfilled is twenty-nine and a half years - the same as the Mothly Synodic Period of the Moon.is in days. One could expect to experience three complete cycles in a lifetime. The first time this occurs will depend on the phase at which the person was born because they are already in a cycle, so they complete that cycle before starting a new 29.5-year cycle. As explained, the New Moon before birth is the start of a cycle - when we are born at any other phase than the partile or exact conjunction, we are already in a phase - so the first cycle will vary in length and the first Progressed Lunation will occur at different ages but after the first Progressed lunation will occur at regular 29.5 year intervals.
Born at New Moon: 26 to 30 Born at Crescent Moon: 22 to 26 Born at First Quarter: 19 to 22 Born at Gibbous Phase: 15 to 19 Born at Full Moon 11 to 15 Born at Disseminating Phase: 7 to 11 Born at Last Quarter: 4 to 7 Born at Balsamic Phase 0 to 4