The Moon’s influence on a person’s health

In this edition we are going to examine the influence of the Moon on a person’s health. Jyotish (in translation from Sanskrit –“light”, as the Vedic astrology is called in India) is also called lunar astrology because the position of the Moon in the zodiac sign and in Nakshatra (lunar stand) is considered the most important indicator in a person’s horoscope. It is according to the Moon’s position that the past karma is viewed and incredibly accurate forecasts of the future are made. If you ask in India: “What is your zodiac sign?” you will get the answer, for example: “Sagittarius”, meaning that at the time of birth the Moon was placed in the sign of Sagittarius. In the West such an answer means the position of the Sun. Although nowadays more and more Western astrologers begin to approach the Moon’s position more seriously. This is understandable, because the Moon stays in one sign two and a half days, and the Sun-for a month.

The main name for the Moon in Sanskrit is Chandra. It is the symbol of enjoyment, the lord of the rhythm, which the great cycles of nature as ebbs and flows obey. As we have already mentioned, the Sun represents the male Divine origin, and the moon represents the female. Together they symbolize the great primordial duality: the male and female origins, activity and passivity, day and night, reason and senses, will and love. The Sun rules time, and the Moon controls space, the Sun rules fire, and the Moon rules water. If the Sun is “I am”, the Moon is “the mind”. However the Sanskrit term “manas”, which is translated as “mind”, actually has wider meaning. The manas includes not only intelligence, but also emotions, it is to be understood as the combination of the feeling ability and of the consciousness, which contemplates upon objects. Often it is used as a general term for defining the whole field of mental activity. And its fields are not only thinking, attention and reasoning, but also contemplative meditations.     

The Sun symbolizes present and future, and the Moon represents past, who we were and what we have brought from the past. The Moon indicates our ability to accept gifts and to receive love. Of all the planets it is the most vulnerable, and according to its position in the horoscope the judgment could be made, how much a person is touchy and vulnerable.

Strong Moon indicates sensitivity, susceptibility, treating others with care, and the inclination to support others. It gives emotional maturity, developed sense of responsibility, and the ability to beneficially influence the society.

Similarly to the Sun, the Moon is a spiritual planet. It indicates such qualities and situations as faith, love, openness, humility, peace and happiness. Through the Moon the mercy of female Divine origin is showered upon a person. A strong and beneficially placed planet urges us to act for the benefit of others and to obey the Supreme laws. Those, who accept the spiritual influence of the Moon, are benevolent, philanthropic, and are the owners of truly great patience. They are easy-going, never criticize anybody, and are able to see the positive side in everything.

Since the Moon is a sensitive and changeable planet, it fells easy prey to the influence of other planets. For example, Saturn may darken and oppress it, as well as to give it coldness and alienation. Rahu is able to muddle the lunar energy; under its influence a person can become unable to control his mind - the field of lunar control. The influence of Mars may impart aggressiveness, and also, according to my experience, heightened sensibility.

The Moon represents our ability to survive in any circumstances - an ability, which may become a subservient element, making a person dependant on others, or degrade him.

As a symbol of female origin overall, the Moon grants beauty and attraction. In a female horoscope a beneficially placed Moon may indicate that the owner of the horoscope is capable of becoming a good spouse and a house wife. If a person has developed intellectual inclinations, the Moon helps him to form a broad outlook, and similarly to Venus (which the Moon has a lot in common with), promotes achievements in the area of arts. The Moon has enough love and friendliness for everyone. A beneficially placed planet is seen in horoscopes of doctors, healers and psychologists, as well as of caring mothers and wives.

The Moon defines the degree of our popularity, our social status, and the ability to influence others. In this respect, the Moon, like the Sun, plays an important role in the evaluation of one’s political influence. Strong Moon, similar to the Sun, may render one an exceptional attraction. It is able to overshadow all other planets, often even the Sun.

However, if the Sun symbolizes the type of a strong-willed leader, the Moon - a leader of the masses, which takes care for their needs. Recently an officer of a high rank from Jerusalem came to me for a consultation. He is known as a good family man and a sensitive ruler, looking after people’s needs.

According to the Moon’s position we can judge about the general inclinations of a person to establish personal contacts, and the degree to which one perceives others and the society as a whole. The Sun is self-sufficient and subdues the planets it comes in contact with. The Moon, on the other hand, accepts and assimilates the energy and experiences the influence of the planets, which surround or aspect it. It is good if the planets are either connected to the Moon or placed in the next or previous houses, possibly in both (i.e. 30-50 degrees from the Moon). It is best if those planets have beneficial influence, but even if their impact is a negative one, it is still better than nothing. For when the Moon is isolated, it may be the cause for mental disorders, depressions, setbacks etc.

Another determinative aspect in Vedic astrology is the fact, whether the Moon at the time of one’s birth was waxing or waning. The waxing moon brings fortune and the waning - harms. However, since the waxing moon is considered highly auspicious, it is to be specified in which phase it was. If a planet is waxing or gaining luminosity, has moved just a little from the point of the new moon (and therefore still dim), it cannot be fully auspicious, and visa versa. So these two factors are very important.

The influence of the Moon on our health and destiny

As to our health, the Moon is responsible for the quality of blood, chest, stomach, lymph, lungs, men’s left eye and women’s right eye, bowels, menstrual cycle, womb, nervous system, tonsils, gullet and saliva. The diseases, which are caused by weak or damaged Moon, are: womb diseases, menstrual problems, fever, general weakness, jaundice, asthma, gripes, lung diseases, predisposition to cough and cold, tuberculosis, and pleurisy, especially in the childhood.

Generally, the Moon is responsible for begetting and giving birth to children, it governs a person in childhood, rules the lives of women, and especially of mothers (it is said that the Moon influences women more than men), emotional field and public activity, it influences the well-being (abundance, wealth, fame, popularity and good fortune), influences the memory and the mind (meaning not mere intellect, but the ability to be governed by common sense).

The main symptoms of a weak Moon are - emotional instability, scarcity of emotions, fear of intimate relationships, lack of friendliness, increased sense of danger, anxiety, frequent depressions, poor memory. Such a person often feels unsatisfied, hardly handles stress and tension, connected with association. He is inclined to dejection, pessimism, neurosis, and mental disorders. In his thoughts muddle and mess prevails, he is morose and experiences anxiety.

The physical symptoms of weakened Moon (except the diseases mentioned above) are: anemia, lack of fluids in the tissues, or on the contrary, its stagnation, dryness of skin, constipation, weakened lungs. For such a person it is difficult to bear hot and dry weather. Except for the disturbance of menstrual cycle, women may also suffer from bareness.

Why should we strengthen the Moon?

First of all, nobody would refuse to have luck and abundance, as well as good memory, and also all the benefits discussed above. For example, we have said that the Moon is responsible for fluids in the entire Universe as a whole, and in our body in particular.

Our body consists of water for about 70%, and any inauspicious influence of that planet may create problems and diseases mentioned above. For example, a lunar month lasts for 29 days, so as women’s menstrual cycle and any inauspicious influence of the Moon could cause its disturbance. However, for the sake of justice, we should notice that truly serious problems in that respect are caused by simultaneously weakened Venus and especially Mars.

One time a woman came for a consultation, in whose chart there was an affected Moon and a very strong Mars. She has confirmed my conclusion: for several years she did not have menses.

But the biggest problem the Moon may create is in a mental field. As was already explained in the previous edition, the Sun gives strength to the mind, and the Moon gives calmness and joy. All the eastern religions and philosophic schools emphasize: it is impossible to achieve enlightenment (liberation) in the spiritual field, material success and overall happiness without pacifying the mind.

One of the main goals of Buddhism is just to achieve peace of mind. Many Gurus, representing different directions of Hinduism, wholeheartedly agree with the following statement of the Bhagavad-Gita: “For one, whose mind is uncontrolled, self-realization is a difficult task. But one, who has conquered his mind and who follows the right path towards his goal, will surely achieve success.”

It is difficult to imagine a healthy person with disturbed mind. Even contemporary people have noticed long time ago that “All the diseases come from straining one’s nerves”; “Young people, unable to cope with anxiety die young” etc. The main thing that everybody aspires to achieve is happiness. Happiness, however, is an internal condition; it is practically independent of external circumstances. Can a person, who falls into depression for nothing, achieve happiness?!

The Moon symbolizes the mind, overall consciousness (manas), and our ability to perceive experiences in different meanings of this word.

The main task of the Moon is calmness and perception of the mind. In order to achieve this end we should humble our minds before the Divine will, to develop a genuine humility, which comes with the development of the Divine vision; everything which is done is for the best; all the material things are temporary; there is nothing accidental, and even a blade of grass will not move without the will of God; the real happiness is within; etc.

A way of life

The lunar energy is increased in the atmosphere of love, devotion and of loving care. It is desirable that a person experiences motherly care in childhood, and achieves support in the circle of friends and family. We should also take care of others and help them, by rendering selfless service. We should associate and open our heats to the needs of others.

Spiritual worship also promotes the increase of lunar energy, especially if it is directed towards the great Goddess - the Divine Mother. For example, in eastern religions it is Laxmi, Parvati, Guanyin, Tara, Isida, in Christianity - Virgin Mary. However, for each person his mother is the direct manifestation of the female energy of God. Therefore nothing devastates the lunar energy more than disrespectful attitude towards mother in thoughts, words and deeds. By the way, in Vedas it is said that except for the biological mother, our mothers are also a nurse, a step-mother, mother-in-law, a wife of the spiritual master, a woman who treats you in a motherly way, the earth and the cow. If with the first mother everything is clear, the earth and the cow could raise some questions. I will try to explain: “From the dust we have come and to the dust we will return”- yes, it is connected to our body, but our biological mother - is our mother only in this incarnation, in the next we will get another mother. Also the earth for a few lifetimes is our shelter and feeder- our bodies consist of earthly elements. Therefore, by creating ecological problems - cutting down forests, by contaminating the earth with chemicals, not allowing it to rest after agricultural seasons, etc., we (the modern civilization) extremely weaken the beneficial influence of the Moon upon the humanity, and hence, destroy our mental health. Every year more children with mental disorders, more and more people suffer from stresses and depressions. The memory becomes shorter. Fewer women are able to give birth, and fewer men are capable of begetting children. The cow is considered our mother because we drink her milk. According to the laws of karma, one who gives us milk is considered our mother. Hence, disrespectful attitude and killing of cows are considered as one of the greatest sins.

Practices that increase the lunar energy are: meditation, developing optimism, control of the speech - we should say only well-thought things, and speak as little as possible, careful deeds and speech, in order not to disturb others, water procedures - worm morning shower, after work visiting seas, lakes, rivers (anyone can notice that if one looks at the sea for about 15 minutes, the mind becomes peaceful).

The herbs, those that have relaxing and restorative effect are beneficial for the Moon- althea, elm, root of Solomon’s seal, and asparagus.

Aromatic oils from white flowers (jasmine, lotus, lily, gardenia), and also sandalwood oil carry beneficial and calming energy of the Moon. It is suggested that one smears these oils on the area of the heart and the “third eye”.

But the best thing is to repeat every day for 10 minutes: “I wish love and peace to everyone”. Thus we become the conductors of lunar energy. I wish you love and peace!         

Best wishes to everybody!

Ramie Bleckt.