Chapter 3

Chapter 3 The Emotional Self

The Moon, she moves the tides within in a way that is felt through allowing ourselves to fully take up space in our emotional body. Our natural intuitive nature and monthly rhythms are governed by her wise knowing. She is a manifestation of the natural cycle of consciousness, refl ecting back the constant changing nature of existence. One month in our calendar approximately correlates to one whole cycle of the dance between light (Sun) and dark (Moon). The Moon is the ruler of the mothering, intuitive and homely Cancer, to show us through her expression that we, too, have a purely refl ective and feeling Self connected not only to our family of lineage, but to all past experiences through the generations. We can resensitise into our hearts through being willing to listen to what we feel without over-analysing ourselves or judging what we feel. The letting-go tears can then come from, or lead us to, a place of inner acceptance of what is. On the other end of this spectrum, the allowing of feelings of deep joy and happiness also comes from the same place of deep acceptance within. We are then more open to life through enriching our feeling landscape.

The culture often doesn’t know how to hold space for the colourful spectrum of feeling that we move through as human beings. It’s mind-blowing how “taboo” it can be to answer honestly when asked how we are feeling. Most of the time, the part of the Moon that is habitual can surface in our relations as we protect the tenderness in what we feel.

The lessons of the Moon are a never-ending continuum. We all feel in our own way, but we somehow learn that we shouldn’t share honestly as to not burden others. This can result in a build up and suppression, perpetuating unhealthy attachments and cycles of behaviour that cause more emotional suffering. When did it become so taboo to embrace the truth in what we are feeling? Most of us even struggle to Self-validate. It is in the simple feeling of something that we can validate our own emotions. Being planted within such a closedoff cultural landscape, we tend to unconsciously seek validation from that same outward place.

Even then, we censor ourselves. Underneath, we are all feeling beings who need connection, understanding and reciprocity. When this truth can emerge more readily, we can begin to heal our false sense of separation and, in turn, form an emotionally secure relationship with ourselves and others.

Illustration: Getty Images

The natal Moon

Our Moon sign can point us towards how we can feel most nourished, safe and emotionally heard. It can also help us to realise, or remember, our own feeling nature and how to best harness and accept the truth of what we feel at any given moment.

It is through the experience of deep emotional security that we can open up to the Soul, its only source of light being the Sun, the Moon is entirely responsive. Yet its gravitational pull is nothing short of profound. It is an essential part of our existence here on Earth as it moves the tides and sets the seas. The Moon makes our home planet more livable through equalising any wobble on our axis, leading to a more stable climate. In fulfi lling her function, she allows us stability.

This is also how the Moon functions energetically in Astrology. It’s in working through the refl ective emotional landscape we all have and honouring our feelings that we can fi nd a grounded stability and embodiment within ourselves. Within her shift on the tides — setting the daily rhythm — she has also created a rhythm for us. The vibrational pull in our lives manifests into our fi eld of awareness as the instinctive urge we call emotion. The biggest teaching from the Moon in guiding us through our own emotional landscape — and becoming more effective at being supported and supportive within our relationships — is that she receives before she responds.

If we translate this into our relational life at large and how we go about communicating the tenderness of our hearts with those we love and hold space for, we can come to better understand others and any external unfolding as a refl ection of what is happening within. The world is our mirror to the level of consciousness we fi nd ourselves in at any given moment. In order to truly understand, we must fi rst truly listen, to ourselves and others. And as human beings in this mind-dominated and identifi ed world, we perhaps forget this — or have to circle back to learn this.

The Moon is driven by our need for emotional security and her energy exists and thrives in a place far beyond logic or mental labelling. For the heart to truly step forward, we must receive the feelings and respond to ourselves with tenderness and compassion. This energy manifests itself in habit, gut feeling, instinct and through changing moods.

The Moon is feminine and represents the mother archetype. Our mother nurtures us, dedicates her life force to us to ensure that we are comforted, protected and cared for. We are completely vulnerable and dependent on our mother or mother fi gure. This energy also translates into how we become this for ourselves — how to comfort, mother and nurture our innermost feelings.

The Moon is the only planet circulating and gravitating around the Earth, making her vibration subjective and personal. It’s about personally owning our feelings, separate from action and ego. The natal Moon carries soul memories and identifi es with the past, both in this lifetime and in lifetimes before. This taken a little deeper can point towards working with our Moon as a key to unlocking our subconscious-limiting beliefs about ourselves, carried or inherited through the generations. Unlocking our natal Moon is the fi rst powerful liberation into our greatest freedom.

When we nurture our Moon, we feel safe and comforted. We are at home in our bodies, our relationships and our life through the ability to refl ect, listen to and own our feeling nature. When our Moon is neglected and we struggle to accept our feelings and refl ections, we can feel threatened, defensive and scared.

We all have the natural urge to protect what we feel or hide it out of fear of how it may be received and refl ected back, and in the process we do not speak up and take ownership of what we feel. We all walk around with different emotional wounding and we all have different survival strategies to protect ourselves from that wounding being repeated.

I hope that you feel nurtured and at home in rediscovering your feeling nature.

Illustration: Getty Images

Energetics of the transiting Moon — aligning to the monthly rhythm

As long as history dates back, so does our instinctual connection to the wild ways of nature, the constant coming together (waxing) and falling apart (waning) of life. For too long, we as a collective have subscribed to a way of showing up and creating in the world driven by externalities, striving and force.

The 29.5-day Lunar cycle is a sacred dance between the Sun, Moon and the Earth. The Moon spends 2.5 days in each sign and 3.6 days within each Lunar phase every month. The complete cycle of the Moon through the archetypes takes 27.3 days.

The Full Moon presents in fullness what was initiated at the beginning of the cycle with the New Moon. The story of the transiting Moon tells us of birth, growth, fl ourishing and fullness, as well as fading, dissolving, disappearance and rebirth. With the presence of artifi cial light against the backdrop of night, we have lost the connection to the light and dark of the cycling Moon. Women can suffer from a lack of initiation into their menstrual cycle, which on average is the same length as the transiting Moon. How would it feel to be told that starting our menstrual cycle is an open door into the cycles of nature and the power of this Earth within us?

The following is a cosmic map on the phases of the Lunar cycle in relation to the menstrual cycle. May it strengthen your connection to the natural receding and renewing process of the Moon. The biggest key to unlocking the cycle of the Moon within our own emotional landscape is in allowing the proper days of deep rest and inward silence on the New Moon and through the fi rst days of menstruation. In ancient cultures, women would gather to bleed and help each other through this time. The necessary space for them to be introspective was enough for them to be able to emerge connected back into their truth, more vital and with more to offer themselves and the wider community.

NEW MOON PHASE (0–45 degrees past the Sun) + menstruation A new beginning — darkness, retreat, regaining the strength to begin again.

CRESCENT MOON PHASE (45–90 degrees) + follicular phase Intentions, hopes and planting seeds for the new cycle.

FIRST QUARTER MOON PHASE (90–135 degrees) Challenges, decisions and action.

GIBBOUS MOON PHASE (90–135 degrees) Fruits, re-evaluation and perfecting the details.

FULL MOON PHASE (90–135 degrees) + ovulation phase Manifestations coming into form, receiving, fullness.

DISSEMINATING MOON PHASE (90–135 degrees) + luteal phase Sharing in fullness, gratitude and enthusiasm within the community.

LAST QUARTER MOON PHASE (90–135 degrees) Release, purging, forgiveness.

BALSAMIC MOON PHASE (90–135 degrees) Letting go, withdrawal from ideas and introspection.

FULL MOON PHASE

GIBBOUS MOON PHASE

FIRST QUARTER MOON PHASE DISSEMINATING MOON PHASE

Phases of the moon

LAST QUARTER MOON PHASE

Getty Images Illustrations:

CRESCENT MOON PHASE

NEW MOON PHASE

BALSAMIC MOON PHASE