Ask the Astrologer #7 – Moon Transits and Lunar Returns

Image by Temari 09 (cc)

On Thursdays I answer astrology questions I’ve received through email or the search bar. If you have a question, contact me and yours might be answered next!

What’s the best way to deal with moon transits?

The moon moves very quickly compared to all the other planets—13 degrees a day—so individual moon transits are very short. When the moon is aspecting any point in your chart, it only does so for a few hours before its effects are out of range and on to the next area of your life. So if a moon transit is affecting you heavily, making you very moody, emotional, or irritable, the best thing to do is remember that it’s temporary, and it will pass in a few hours. This doesn’t mean your feelings are invalid, but in a situation where you need to be objective it may be best to deal with it later if possible.

Moon transits can also be a “trigger” to cause something to happen during a slower transit. For example, when Neptune was aspecting my Mars a few months ago, I injured myself at work when the moon crossed over that point in my chart. The transiting moon may have also affected the timing of Helen Thomas’ gaffe and apology last week.

The moon doesn’t always trigger negative transits; it can trip off beneficial ones too. Transits of fortune are often harder to take advantage of because they usually involve us having to take an action to receive the benefit, while the more difficult transits often get our attention because we’re feeling bad.

Bottom line: the best way to deal is to observe and respect your emotions at the time, but not necessarily act on them.

What happens if your moon sign and the calendar moon sign are the same?

When the moon comes back to the same sign (and the same degree of the sign) as your birth moon, you experience what astrologers call a lunar return. Because the moon makes a full rotation around the earth every 28 days, you have a lunar return every month. When the sun passes through all the signs and comes back to the same sign and degree as when you were born, you have  a solar return– your birthday! So your lunar return is sort of like a mini-birthday, a tiny fresh start, every month.

Because the moon is related to your habits and emotions, your “clean slate” is related to your needs and your inner life. An astrologer can make a chart based on your lunar return, and help you figure out what to focus on for the month based on the parts of your life that are emphasized in it. If you have a big month coming up, or feel ready to change things up but aren’t sure where to focus your energy, we can work together to help you move forward successfully.

P.S.: The next new moon newsletter is going out tomorrow, so pop your email into the form on the right so you don’t miss it! →