The Moon rules the subconscious mind, and its habit patterns. It is the part of us that retains memory on an automatic level. It is through the Moon that we never forget how to do anything; it is what we instinctively know and have retained in our memory bank. An important part of discerning the Moon in the horoscope is tracing the lines all the way back to childhood. The Moon rules our past, our story, and sometimes unresolved issues. Often we are not aware of the many internal emotions swirling around inside of us such as guilt, our needs, and anger. When we talk about the Moon in astrology it is the subconscious nature of the personality.
The Moon is also described as an unlimited well of emotion that often intuitively guides many of our actions in the present. The more unconscious we are of how we feel at this level the more vulnerable we feel when these emotions surface quickly. At those moments when our emotions rise to the surface, we recognize a familiar feeling from the past.
The Moon represents the inner nature, the feeling realm, the unconscious, and instinctive reactions. …The Moon also stands or the ability to establish contact, the longing for closeness and security, the home, way of life, attachment to home, memories, and the need for emotional security. Key Words for Astrology
The Moon embodies our core animalistic nature and is difficult to tame especially when we shift towards our instinctual side.The image of the wolf belongs to this celestial body, the mother-goddess, and appears howling when there is a Full Moon and when emotions are heightened. Our emotions are also volatile and sometimes savage when we feel threatened or in danger. The word ‘lunacy’ is derived from the root word ‘luna’ and for centuries, man has associated the fluctuation of the Moon – not always with madness but as a time of anxiety. In this manner, the Moon in her ghostly, silvery and sparkling form illuminates our most deepest fears surfacing, unexplained premonitions, gut feelings, and instincts.
The Moon remembers EVERYTHING and holds every memory in her container. It can also be said that the Moon acts as a receptacle and, as human beings, we all have an emotional response to every situation. Some people have learned to shut down quickly and close off their feelings before they get hurt. The unconscious holds many of our anxieties, repressions, and complexes which are largely unknown. We can’t really have a firm hold on the unconscious, so these feelings often arise at the most inappropriate moments. The Moon is the key to our emotional security and when we are having a difficult time on an emotional level, then we need to look at our lunar selves.
Spiritual astrologers believe the Moon relates to the soul, evolutionary astrologers call it the ‘ego,’ whilst more psychologically inclined astrologers refer to the Moon as our unconscious self. Feelings from the past can be projected onto present situations and we may react more strongly to something than we really should. The Moon plays a large part in shaping who we are underneath and like the tides, stirs us constantly, rhythmically, every 24 hours.