In the last three years I’ve had lots of astrological stuff reflecting change and expansion in my life and that has also given me the opportunity to achieve more understanding of the symbols itself.
One of the obervations that I’d like to share is about the difference between the progressed moon aspecting a natal planet versus having transits to our natal moon.
I’ve had progessed moon crossing my ascendant and later on making a conjunction to my natal Mars/Uranus in the first house. At the same time, transiting Uranus was making an opposition and Pluto making a square to my natal Moon.
That has given me some material to be able to analyse the difference in “real life”.
I think while the natal Moon (like every personal planet in the horoscope) has a very specific significance in the astrological chart and every transiting planet will be activating that complex in any style connected with their symbolism (which sign, house etc), the Progressed Moon works more like our “inner eye”.
Transits from outer planets are very strong indicators of change in the life of a person. If it’s an opposition that change might be triggered by another person, but there is still a big upheaval regarding home and mothering in the case of the natal moon for example. Of course there are a lot of internal changes also happening, but I think that they are synchronised with big changes outside as well.
On the other hand, by experience, it seems that wherever the Progressed Moon is, so is our conscious attention at that especific moment. That gives us the opportunity to map out what parts of our psyche can be better integrated and when.
It feels a bit like that principle in our chart is bound to be expressed or will be screaming out when the Progressed Moon crosses it over.
When my progressed Moon made a conjunction to my Scorpio rising many of the lessons I had during my Saturn return became more clear to me. My seriousness regarding the emotional realm when it comes to relating (Saturn and rising in Scorpio), the importance of emotional honesty became very obvious to me. At that time I was hanging out with an older man and he was reflecting this to me by the way we were communicating with each other and especially the way he was honestly expressing his deeper feelings for me.
When my progressed Moon entered Sagittarius I was just about to leave my home and life in London. I started giving rise to my “hippie” side. I definitely started traveling more (I haven’t really stopped yet).
After a few months, the progressed Moon encountered first my Mars and sometime later my Uranus.
When my progressed Moon made a conjunction to my natal Mars (I also had progressed Mars conjunct the progressed Ascendant reinforcing the message) I was wwoofing in Cirencester. I was consciously embracing my masculine side, I knew I had to do things for myself. I had to be challenged physically, I had to prove my strength to myself.
I was staying alone in a roundhouse in the middle of a field and making fire every night to keep myself warm. Sometimes it would take me a while to get the fire going and sometimes I would burn my hand or hurt myself in some other way.
I looked a bit more scruffy, dirty clothes and shoes that were more practical than anything else. My endurance without a shower was beginning to increase.
But I was proud of myself.
I did notice a more masculine energy around me and I enjoyed it. The satisfaction of not needing a man to put your tent up or to carry your backpack or to chop your kindling. The sense of freedom that that gives you because you’re more self sufficient. (my Mars is in freedom loving Sagittarius..)
Then a few months later the progressed Moon catches up with natal Uranus and all I wanted was to be on my own!
That happened in the middle of my hitchhiking trip with my friend, when we were spending most of our time together, waking up and going to bed and doing pretty much everything together. Even though we have a very deep and special connection that was challenging.
But, again, because I was aware of my astrology at that time I could use the situation to help me understand more about myself. Astrology to enhance awareness.
I could desperately feel how strong is my urge for independency and aloneness.
I thought back on previous relationships where the other person would somehow feels suffocating and how unconsciously I would find a way out in a sudden and disruptive manner (very uranic indeed!).
I realised how hard was for me to express my need for aloneness without hurting the other person. It was always quite hard for me to be in between hurting someone else or stepping all over my boundaries.
The balance between intimacy and privacy never came easily in my relationships.
And my traveling friend, who has the natal Moon in Cancer in the same degree of my mother’s Sun, reminded me of how much I grew up believing that my need for space was somewhat hurtful to my mother. She would always make a point (my mother) in showing me how rejected she felt every time I would rather stay alone in my room.
My conclusion after that was to embrace my uranic nature and need for independency more consciously.
Maybe in future relationships I will be able to voice it up more clearly.
The more conscious of ourselves, of who we are, the more likely to choose a truly compatible partner. In my case someone that needs intensity and passion but who also needs a great deal of space and freedom.
The progressed Moon gives you the opportunity to embrace yourself more..