What do Lunar Phases Mean in Astrology?

The first phase of the Moon is the New Moon. It happens when the Sun and Moon are conjunct in the same sign. It is considered to be waxing because it is between the New Moon and the Full Moon. The New Moon has a solar-lunar arc of 0° - 45°. It represents a period of fresh starts as opportunities arise within 48 hours of the New Moon to plant seeds for your wishes and to begin projects. It is a time to follow impulses. If you are born in a New Moon phase, you are either born on the New Moon or within the 3 ½ days following the New Moon. You will tend to project your feelings upon people and situations. Individuals born under a New Moon have an emotional and impulsive approach to life. Famous people born under a New Moon phase are:

1. Queen Victoria
2. Sigmund Freud
3. Woodrow Wilson

The second phase of the Moon is the Crescent Moon and is waxing with a solar-lunar arc of 45° - 90°. It happens 3 ½ to 7 days after the New Moon. There is a slowdown of enthusiasm because of our desire to produce tangible results. It can be a time of obtaining more information to move forward with plans. If you are born during a Crescent Moon phase, you are probably self-assertive and have a strong desire to carry out your goals. Or you could wind up feeling frustrated by struggle. Famous people born under a Crescent Moon phase:

1. Andrew Carnegie
2. Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. Louis XVI
4. Franz Liszt

The third phase of the Moon is the 1^st Quarter Moon and it is waxing with a solar-lunar arc of 90° - 135°. It occurs 7 - 10 ½ days after a New Moon. Emotions are stirring and we are more inclined to trust our instincts now. Obstacles could crop up that force us to reevaluate the situation. If you are born during a Crescent Moon phase, you have a strong will, organizational skills, an ability to make decisions easily but can sometimes be ruthless. Those born during a 1^st Quarter Moon phase are:

1. Joseph Stalin
2. Oliver Cromwell
3. Walt Whitman

The fourth phase of the Moon is the Gibbous Moon and it is waxing with a solar-lunar arc of 135° - 180°. It happens 10 ½ - 15 days after a New Moon. During this period distractions tend to come up and analysis is required. We need to process information and integrate our goals with the people around us. It can be a period of organizing, synthesizing and adjusting as necessary. If you are born during a Gibbous Moon phase, you have a strong desire to improve yourself, evaluate people, handle money and seek out the light. Some famous souls born during a Gibbous Moon phase were:

1. Louis Pasteur
2. J.P. Morgan
3. George Gershwin

The fifth phase of the Moon is the Full Moon, which is waning with a solar-lunar arc of 180° - 225°. It occurs either on the Full Moon when the Sun and Moon are in opposite signs or less than 3 ½ days after the Full Moon. The waning period of the Moon occurs between the Full Moon and the New Moon. This is a time when we can be divorced from reality and divided against the self. Or we can be more mentally objective and seek to make our ideals a reality. Full Moons stir the emotions and big reveals are disclosed. If you are unhappy with what is going down during a Full Moon, you should use the next New Moon to take proactive steps to move in the direction of your dreams. If you were born under a Full Moon, you have a magnetic personality but can be indecisive. I have also noticed that many of my clients born under a Full Moon tend to have parents who experience discord and conflict in their marital relationship. Famous Full Moon babies include:

1. Goethe
2. Rudolph Steiner
3. Krishnamurti
4. Mary Baker Eddy
5. Evangeline Adams

The sixth phase of the Moon is the Disseminating waning or Gibbous Moon phase which has a solar-lunar arc of 225° - 270°. It occurs 3 ½ - 7 days after the Full Moon. During this period everything is coming together in a creative fashion. We are seeking higher guidance and feeling compelled to share what we have learned with others. We want to shed light and communicate with more intuition, insight and imagination. If you were born under a Disseminating Moon phase, you can wind up either mentally confused or a crusader and/or fanatic. Some noteworthy births of the Disseminating Moon phase are:

1. Thomas Jefferson
2. Teddy Roosevelt
3. Disraeli
4. Bismarck
5. Hitler

The seventh phase of the Moon is the Last Quarter, which is waning and has a solar-lunar arc of 270° - 315°. It happens 7 to 11 days after a Full Moon. We can find it easier to manage and organize people's beliefs on the basis of idea, reform, transform and work hard toward a future goal. If you were born during the Last Quarter Moon phase, you can either possess a strong sense of humor or the inability to take criticism and might hold a dictatorial attitude. Famous Last Quarter Moon babies include:

1. Gandhi
2. Lenin
3. Trotsky
4. Mussolini
5. George Washington
6. Victor Hugo

The eighth and final phase of the Moon is the Balsamic Moon, which is a waning crescent and has a solar-lunar arc of 315° - 360°. It occurs less than 3 ½ days before the next New Moon. At this point in time we are eager to serve groups and institutions, while identifying with ideals and causes in order to bring the past to a conclusion. If you were born during a Balsamic Moon phase, you could possess prophetic gifts, a sense of personal destiny and a sense of finality in your judgments. Balsamic Moon phase babies include:

1. Thomas Paine
2. Abraham Lincoln
3. Louis XVI
4. Robespierre