Planets: Moon—ray 4 (non-sacred)

B Ray 4 (non-sacred planet)

Method: Autonomous response to stimulus, instinct and habit

Moon: general information

The exaltation of the form, ruled by the Moon, can be traced throughout the entire zodiac and provides in itself an interesting and progressive story (…) told by the various women who figure in the different constellations and around them some day the astrology of the form will be built. There is Cassiopeia, Venus, Coma Berenice, Andromeda (…) as well as Virgo… the most important of them all. (EA 400)

At the time, Alice Bailey remarked that this is a field of thought and of astrological investigation hitherto untouched; since that time, Demetra George has produced material that has changed the way astrologers understand the “mother aspect” in general.

“Our Lady, the Moon” is related to all these and before the great disruption in an earlier solar system which led to the Moon becoming a dead planet, the energies of these stars and certain of the planets which were produced through their activity, were all focussed in and transmitted by the Moon in a most mysterious yet powerful manner. (EA 400)

This idea about the Moon having been “denuded of life” is part of the occult philosophy that covers a previous vast era in the development of our solar system (see “Vulcan veiled by the Moon”)

Moon: Rulerships

• Orthodox: Cancer
• Esoteric: Virgo
• Hierarchical: Aquarius

…the Moon is usually regarded as “veiling” or “hiding” Vulcan, Neptune or Uranus… These three—which form a triangle of immense creative potency—determine or condition the physical, astral and mental natures, thus creating the personality, the “mother” or matter principle symbolised be the mutable cross, that nourish and feed the life of the inner self or soul, until the time comes for that inner self to awaken at the first initiation. (edited from EA 106-7)

• Vulcan: physical
• Neptune: emotional (astral)
• Uranus: mental

For more details see the Vulcan-Neptune-Uranus triangle.

Orthodox: Cancer ⇧

There is a hint in the exoteric interpretation of the Moon’s rulership in Cancer of the esoteric rulership of Neptune. More details to follow.

Esoteric: Virgo ⇧

In Virgo the Moon usually veils Vulcan as the forger of a material form fit to express the self within. If even-numbered rays are emphasised in the chart, it may instead veil Neptune.

The Moon, as esoteric ruler of Virgo, veils either Vulcan or Neptune. —Robbins, Michael D. Article: “Roberto Assagioli (FCD)”

More to follow.

Hierarchical: Aquarius ⇧

In Aquarius the Moon is most likely to veil Uranus or (possibly) Neptune. More details to follow.

Moon decanates

In conventional astrology, decanates simply follow the rulerships of each elemental triad, but Esoteric Astrology has inconsistent information. See notes about the decanates, and the “decans” tab under each sign.

Moon Dignities

• Exaltation: Taurus
• Fall: Scorpio
• Detriment: Capricorn

Exaltation in Taurus ⇧

Symbolically, this exaltation is about how powerfully the form side of life controls our experience.

The Moon is the Mother of the form and in this case veils or hides Vulcan… The Moon, therefore, stands here for the fashioner or moulder of the form, bringing in both the feminine and masculine aspects of form-building, the dual functions of Father-Mother. (EA 399)

The form fashioned for the expression of the human self goes through two stages, ruled respectively by the Moon and Vulcan:

1. Moon: the human form is used for self-interest and purely personal aims, with desire as the driver of activity.
2. Vulcan: the awakening Taurian is motivated to refashion, refine and elevate their human form.

Through desire translated into terms of spiritual will, the form is esoterically “exalted” and of this fact the exaltation of the Moon in Taurus is a symbol. To this the ordinary astrological symbol of the Bull’s horns testifies. This is the crescent Moon and also the symbol of the destructive nature of the form life of the Bull. Forget not that in this connection the destruction or death of the form and the ending of form influence thereby is the goal of the process which changes desire into aspiration. (EA 400)

Fall in Scorpio ⇧

To follow

Detriment in Capricorn ⇧

To follow