Planets: Moon—ray 4 (non-sacred)

Ray 4 triangle

B Ray 4 (non-sacred planet)

Method: Autonomous response to stimulus, instinct and habit

Rulerships: Orthodox: Cancer Esoteric: Virgo Hierarchical: Aquarius
Dignities: Exaltation: Taurus Fall: Scorpio Detriment: Capricorn
Paired planet (Ray 4): Mercury
Symbol: B Two conjoined semicircles facing in the same direction.
Moon triangles:

Moon: general information

Details to follow

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 Cassiopea, Venus, Coma Berenice, Andromeda (…) as well as Virgo… the most important of them all. I can only indicate here a field of thought and of astrological investigation hitherto untouched (…) “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)

Moon: Rulerships

…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

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

The decanates in Esoteric Astrology are not given consistently. They are sometimes reversed and other times given in the familiar direction. In conventional astrology they simply follow the rulerships of the signs in the elemental triad. They are consequently not always clear, and neither is the direction of travel. Alice Bailey draws on Theosophical Astrologers Sepharial (Walter Gorn Old) and Alan Leo, and for some decanates gives fresh esoteric replacements. Further, information on the decanates of some signs differs from that given elsewhere for the same sign, whereas in other cases they’re stated clearly. Some decanate rulerships also coincide with esoteric rulerships, or hint at planets veiled by the Sun or Moon, while others are explained as substitutes for planets with a related influence. For more information, see notes about the decanates

Moon Dignities

Exaltation in Taurus

To follow

Fall in Scorpio

To follow

Detriment in Capricorn

To follow