“There’s nothing new under the Sun.” Well, what about the Moon??? AND what if there is something (sort of) new under the Moon? Actually, it’s been right under our feet all along. What’s “new” is taking the Earth’s movement into account when considering lunar cycles. Aren’t we already doing that? Well, not exactly.
There are two main ways that Earth’s motion impacts the sol-lunar relationship from our viewpoint that have not been part of astrological examination.
First is what I call Lunar Loops. The Moon traverses the zodiac degrees between two consecutive New Moons twice. In the New Moon phase, the Moon moves through the slice of the zodiac that the Sun will traverse during that cycle. In the Balsamic phase, the Moon visits that slice again as it catches up to the Sun. Between the two luminaries, they make three passes through that sector, aspecting other planets (0r charts) as they go. We’re taught to draw a cross of the Moon’s squares to the Sun (Quarter Moons) and opposition (Full Moon) on a picture of a static circle. However, the Sun’s position is always changing because it’s based on the motion of the Earth! We’re hurtling through space, circling our star and dragging our satellite with us. That 360-degree circle should rightly be drawn as 390-ish degrees.
The second way Earth affects lunar cycles is something I noticed through my years of writing Janet’s Plan-its™ forecasts: a consistent pattern of repeating New and Full Moon degrees across multiple lunar cycles. This always happens during a certain six-month period, between the Libra and Aries equinoxes. Then, for six months, the New and Full Moon degrees drop one to two degrees lower each cycle until the next repeating degree period ensues. I call the pattern Moon Grooves. As far as I know, no astrologer in history has noticed or named this phenomenon, nor is there any term for it in the parlance of astronomy. It occurs because in its slightly elliptical orbit, Earth speeds up when closest to the Sun (perhelion) and surrounding its nearest approach, moon cycles are uniformly very close to exactly thirty degrees apart. In the months surrounding Earth’s greatest distance from the Sun (aphelion), Earth slows down enough that in the time it takes for the Moon to circle us (a moon cycle), the Earth hasn’t moved through as many zodiac degrees as it does in the perhilon period. Thus each New Moon (and Full Moon) is one to two degrees lower in its sign than in the prior cycle. Why would we care? (And astronomers wouldn’t?) Because a chart can have continuing highlights on certain parts, with New Moons signaling a time for starting something new and Full Moons pointing to culminations.
Unlike all planets (and asteroids), the all-important luminaries do not go retrograde, offering chances for repetition and reinforcement. I was excited to find regular repetitions in the dance between the Sun, Moon and Earth and I’m thrilled to share this viewpoint with you. Both these phenomena are useful in examining transits, as well as in working with natal charts, progressions, returns and more! For example, you can time three steps of planned actions utilizing lunar loop aspects repeated three times in a single cycle. And Moon Grooves in progressed lunar cycles (for births in the right season) set the conditions for certain planets or points in a chart to receive repeated attention for decades or even an entire lifetime.
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