Who am I?  My Sun or My Moon?

Most people have at least a cursory understanding of astrology and when someone asks them their sign, they usually can reply, “I’m a Gemini or I’m an Aquarian or I was born in December, I think I’m a Sagittarius.” 

Specifically, what they are saying is that their Sun is in those signs.  Every 30 days the sun will move from one sign to another and that is for most people the only understanding of their astrological chart.   Of course there is so much more to an astrology chart than the Sun.  In fact there are nine other planets and twelve houses that will build the chart.   Each one important for a different reason.  But of all the variables in a chart, The Sun, The Moon and the Ascendant are the most critical and arguably, equal in weight and importance.  They are the holy trinity.

Let’s focus on The Moon.  The Moon changes signs every two days.  The Moon is how we respond to things.  The Moon reflects light it does not generate light.   So, it can be at first blush quieter than the Sun.  It is associated with; mom, family, emotions and feelings, food, reactions, cooking, home, childhood, instincts, and things we inherited from family.  It is the planet where we find our coziness. 

Of course, all of those lunar variables are colored by the sign of the Moon.  For example, if someone is a Virgo and has Moon in Aries, they could at first glance feel very Virgo----a lot of attention to detail, perhaps a micromanager, a bit nervous, more reserved and on the practical side.  But give them a minute or two and you will also see their Moon.  Moon in Aries does not take well to being anyone’s doormat, and they will speak up pretty quickly, they also need their space, they can be natural leaders although it comes from a place of enjoying and knowing how to be out in front---versus other signs that lead because they like to tell others what to do.  There is a difference.   Also, a Moon in Aries most likely learned some independence from their Mom or if they saw their mom trapped then they crave independence because of what she lacked.  This also can apply to childhood.  If they felt wildly trapped by powers that be during their childhood, they will constantly seek freedom through their Aries moon as an Adult.  

If you know just a thumbnail sketch of astrology you can see how someone who is a Virgo is completely colored by their Moon in Aries. That is why a person is never just their Sun Sign.  Yes, the Sun is a strong component but it not the whole enchilada and in fact part of the reason why many people will read astrology columns and say, “I’m a Leo but whenever I read the description it never fits me.”  In their case it is probably because they have a Moon in something retiring like Pisces or  quieter like Capricorn. That is why it is important to know your Moon Sign.

In order to find out where your moon is, you need to draft a chart.   There are many places on www where you can draft a chart for free.  Astrodiest is good:

  Astrodiest

Moon Signs

Moon in Aries

Strong emotions. Sometimes rash.  Can wear their emotions on their sleeve.  Needs a lot of space. Needs room to grow no matter what the age.  Can sometimes explode, like a firecracker but then when it is over—it is over. Has a propensity for impulsiveness.  Usually some anger over mom or childhood.  But once they get that they can take that anger and make it work for them, they benefit greatly.  Have natural leadership abilities.  This group of people are pretty self sufficient and if they have to pick up and move away from home, they can create a home in the new place fairly easy.  Not a particular sentimental group but still sensitive to their memories of childhood.  They are the type that when they do go to their  hometown after leaving it for years, will suddenly want to see that one person, perhaps a neighbor who was kind to them.  It will not be a long encounter but they still want to make the effort.  This group hangs on to their youth longer than other moons. 

Moon in Taurus

Practical.  Concrete.  Really likes to know where things begin and things end.  Not interested in fuzzy, cosmic stuff, really wants things in black and white.   Can be a great hard worker but in fact sometimes takes the harder way only because they are used to it.  Very loyal.  Seeks a childhood that is very secure.  Benefits greatly if their family stayed in the same house their entire childhood. But if their youth had a lot of movement and change, the reaction as an adult is to dig in even harder.  Maybe even purchasing a home way before their peers.  They need a lot of stability.  Can be possessive -- To say the least! A very loyal sign sometimes to their detriment.  But they value routine so much that they don’t like changes, even if it might serve to dump someone.   But once they really move on…they are moved on.

Moon in Gemini

Changeable and flexible. Their emotions are lighter than other moon signs.   They have a love of knowledge and reading about other people and situations excites them. A very, very curious group, they can find themselves at a very intimate situation like someone’s 50^th birthday party, someone they have never met before and fit in perfectly!  Where they get in trouble is having committed focus.  They get bored easily and commitments can be scary since.”What if I miss something really good?”   Verbally they are brilliant and quick.  They are natural writers.  They do best when they are juggling many things in the air.  They do not do best when they live alone or lost in the suburbia.  In fact, this is probably the last group of people who should live alone in a house, 45 minutes out of town!  They should be in the city, near museums and buses, art galleries, libraries and have lots of neighbors.   Keeping up with every little thing around them gives them oxygen. 

Moon in Cancer

Sentimental.  Prone to high tides and low tides with their emotions.  When they need to sleep they will sleep. When they need to put on their phone machine they will put on their phone machine.  They make no apology for their emotions.   They can idealize their childhoods or even if they had crappy childhoods they will still remember the moments that were great and recreate that energy where they can as adults.  They usually have a pulse on things that the public enjoys.  They love food and cooking and get great satisfaction out of both.  Or course weight problems can be evident.  And a sweet and salt tooth is very strong.  Prone to martyrdom and do best when they take responsibility for saying Yes.  Once they drop, “So&So made me feel/do/experience” and realize that they are responsible for their decisions and feelings, not anyone else, they will have a better handle on life.

Moon in Leo

Strong, bold, courageous, daring.   Enthusiastic, they are natural leaders and can pretty much take over any room that they enter.  They can be bossy and stubborn but they are gifted with the ability to put enthusiasm in any given situation.  Generals are not made they are born and they most likely have a strong Leo influence.  They can not tolerate being in the back of the bus.  This is one of those moons which really can be different from the Sun.  For example if a person has Sun in Pisces which is pretty shy but they have Moon in Leo, they are wildly more confident and bold then their sun.  This is one of the most creative places for a moon and if anyone is capable of making Stone Soup it is this group.    Appearance go far with this moon.  Even when they think they look like crap they still are more put together than the rest of us.  Sometimes their ego gets the better of them and they might ruffle feathers as they espouse their virtues but truthfully their gifts are great.   As they get older they tend to replace ego issues with good self esteem.  

Moon in Virgo

Love of detail. Refinement.  Correct on so many levels.  They can analyze and synthesis much information.  They are hard workers.  Can be nervous and as children can have Sickies.  Part of the problem is that one of the gifts of moon in Virgo is the ability to serve. Serve friends, family and the community. But since children are too young to serve they work out the nervous Virgo energies into illnesses.  Not necessarily great depilating illnesses, just a lot of little sickies. But as they mature they tend to outgrow this tendency. As adults they can make themselves crazy with over thinking and truthfully they really need to get a daily somewhat spiritual program together to help center themselves.  Of course one of the hardest parts of this very practical moon is that if they can’t see it, can’t hear it, can’t smell it, can’t taste it.. then they don’t think it exists. Kind of hard to have a faith in something bigger than mortals when you think like that.  Can be good writers.  Very sharp thinking.  But sometimes can not see the forest for the trees.  They are gifted with a natural reliability and great common sense.  Many go into medicine because they like the linear thinking.

Moon in Libra.

Always seeking balance.  Friendly and open.  Can not tolerate injustices. Make great lawyers. One of the hardest lessons that they learn as children is “life is not fair”.  In fact long, long, long into adulthood they will say, “It is not fair.”   They really do best in partnership. And in fact they are always seeking it. Even if they are not married or not in a committed relationship they are in partnership with the whole world.  They go to a work meeting and someone there has an idea and vocalizes it and it is shot down.  The Moon in Libra can see the merit of the idea and brings it back up to the table. Suddenly they have the back of that person who offered up the idea.   Unfortunately for a Moon sign that benefits so much from partnership they have the hardest time actually committing.  They are similar to moons in Gemini who also resist commitment. The difference is that the moon in Gemini is afraid of missing out on something better, where the Moon in Libra hates to commit for fear of making a wrong decision.  Where they really can utilize their moon to the full advantage is when they realize there is NO wrong decision, that there is  just the value of the experience.  If they can let it go, they will flow a lot easier and the true gift of the open friendly moon in Libra is best served. 

Moon in Scorpio

Very strong emotions but stealthy.  They live on their instincts and are very good at researching and going down deep into something, particularly something dark.  They make great detectives and can go into law enforcement. They can handle the negativity much easier than other moons.  Unfortunately, the downfall of this ability is that at times can come from a position that everyone wants something from them.  Sadly, they are often misguided and some people truly do want to be of help but they don’t trust them.   They can be wildly jealous.  Which they sometimes show but even if they don’t show it, they feel it.  They have a tendency to be extreme.  Only eating one kind of food for months and then suddenly they are over it and will never go in that restaurant again. Or they are totally in love with one person and then that person does some kind of slight or injustice and they are out with yesterday’s newspapers.    They really understand life and death and can handle a lot.  Where things get tricky is when they go searching for extremes. This is where they can be a bit reckless.  And god knows they are sexual but often it is feast or famine.  They do their best when they shed some of their outdated ideas and grow.  They really need to be like a snake and shed skin, then they soar!

Moon in Sagittarius

Noisy, adventuresome, always seeking higher grounds.  They do their very best when they take their arrow and point it to a target and then aim and fire.  When a Moon in Sag has a goal they are great.  Reaching to expand their world, shoot for more, go for the gold, these are strong suits. But when they have no goal and their arrow is put away, they can be horrible bigots and terribly prejudice. Sadly the only people they hurt are themselves.  They have a lot to offer the world when t hey are utilizing the full potential of the Moon in Sag.  They can bring wildly different groups together and find the common thread—their judgment can be highly gifted. Afterall their ruler is Jove who was the head Judge for all The Gods. But this only works when they continue to educate themselves or stretch out of their comfort zone.  When they shut down and hole up, this is when they are truly small and prone to righteousness and hypocrisy.  They do best when they travel and learn about foreign people and ideas or if they research all the religions and find the commonality.  And they have a beautiful sense of humor. Which can be utilized easily even when they are downers.  They do know how to make people laugh.

Moon in Capricorn

Natural entrepreneurs.  Even as teenagers they can have the little business that makes a ton of dough. They are born executives. They have long vision and hard working abilities.  They tend to react to things on the chilly side and perhaps they are labeled cold.    They are very ambitious and very aware of other people’s successes.  They do have a tendency to be negative and see the glass as half empty. But people should not judge them too harshly, because even though they see the negative it does not stop them from making something good out of something bad. They can find value out of many things that the rest of us discard.  They like Sagittarius can be very humorous but it comes from a sharp, somewhat jaundiced eye.   Very witty.   They have to be careful when they marry because if they get a partner who needs a lot of attention and strokes then the marriage will be rocky.  The Moon in Capricorn has very little patience for niceties and in fact feels confident that their ability to bring  home the bacon or make sure the house runs smoothly is romance enough.   They also are not comfortable asking for help and hopefully those around them will see through it and just step up and do the help despite the Moon in Capricorn’s protests.

Moon in Aquarius

Clever and unusual. They like things that are odd. They can not be Betty Banana one of the Bunch. They like different social circles and loathe being pigeon holed.  They benefit when they are doing something helpful for the community at large.  Volunteering at a church or a community center should be on their weekly to do list. If they don’t have a community cause on their plate than they can be reactionary for no other reason than to be a rebel without a cause.  They can not tolerate people who are jealous and have a heat seeking missile if anyone might possibly think they are ‘better’ than someone else.  Even if the person is better at something, a Moon in Aquarius will not support their thinking.   But at the same time a Moon in Aquarius will bring the community together for a noble cause.  Or at least find the common ground among all the personalities. They are great with groups and a bit weaker with One on Ones.  Sometimes their opinions and beliefs can get in the way of personal relationships. For example they can remember everything involved with a charity fundraiser but have no idea when it is their spouses’ birthday.  Hopefully they will find someone who knows not to personalize these peccadilloes and is equally committed to social causes.

Moon in Pisces