- Lunation Types of Personality
- Find Out Your (or Someone Else's) Lunation Birthday
- The Eight Lunation Types of Personality
- References
Lunation Types of Personality
Lunation, also known as ‘moon phases’, refers to the daily changes in the shape of the moon (see ‘What is Lunation?’ for more details).
Dane Rudhyar, a Western astrologer born in France in 1895 and later emigrated to the USA where he died in 1985, proposed that humans can be classified into eight types according to the lunation under which they were born.
This classification, although not independent astrology in itself, is one of the methods used in Western astrology to interpret the horoscope. A horoscope is a chart that shows the positions of the sun, moon and planets, such as Mercury and Venus, at the time of a person’s birth.
The background to Rudhyar’s development of the classification by lunation birthday and why he divided the lunation into eight phases is described in ‘Moon Phases in Western Astrology’.
This article describes an easy way to find out the lunation (or moon phase) you were born under, the eight moon phases of personality and some famous people born under each lunation.
Find Out Your (or Someone Else’s) Lunation Birthday
In order to know your lunation type, you must know which of the eight moon phases you were born under.
There are quite a few ways to identify your lunation birthday. Many astrology websites and books explain how to calculate it. Some websites even present readers with complex calculations that may seem like some kind of intense training for developing your spirit. However, these calculations are for those who are willing to undertake the challenge.
Of course, there are now many websites that automatically calculate lunation, making it easier than ever to find out your lunation without stumbling across errors from having to perform the calculations manually.
This article aims to demonstrate how to automatically calculate lunation using the Astro-Seek website.
By entering the date, time and place of birth (city) on this website, your lunation birthday is instantly revealed. The calculation process is explained below.
How to Automatically Calculate Lunation
As an example, I will use the lunation birthday of Arthur Conan Doyle.
(1) Go to Astro-Seek and enter your birth date, time and city of birth on the ‘Moon Phase Calculator & Moon Sign Calculator’.
If you don’t know your time of birth, do nothing with Time (leave it set as noon).
Arthur Conan Doyle was born on 22 May 1859 at 4:55 in Edinburgh, so I entered it as such.
(2) Click the blue ‘Calculate Moon’ button under ‘Birth city’.
(3) The following screen appears:
The item in the middle marked as ‘Lunation (Moon Phase)’ in pink represents the person’s lunation at birth (Note: The pink text inserted here is for explanation purposes only and does not appear on the screen).
The lunation under which Arthur Conan Doyle was born is Disseminating Moon (Waning Gibbous).
The ‘Moon Phase Degree’ under this lunation is the degree by which the moon has moved since the new moon on the horoscope.
The above result shows that the moon was 240° 06′ ahead of the new moon when Arthur Conan Doyle was born.
And the keywords below this lunation are brief descriptions of the characteristics of each lunation.
Scattering seeds, distribution, etc. are some of the characteristics of Disseminating Moon (Waning Gibbous).
Rudhyar, who developed the idea of the lunation birthday, divided lunar phases into eight.
The eight phases are as follows:
- 🌑 New Moon
- 🌒 Waxing Crescent Moon
- 🌓 First Quarter Moon
- 🌔 Waxing Gibbous Moon
- 🌕 Full Moon
- 🌖 Disseminating Moon (Waning Gibbous)
- 🌗 Last (Third) Quarter Moon (Waning Moon)
- 🌘 Balsamic (Dark) Moon (Waning Crescent)
If you are not interested in the ‘Moon Sign’ or the ‘Moon in the House’, which are displayed along with the lunation, skip the following explanations. Instead, you can proceed directly to ‘The Eight Lunation Types of Personality’.
Moon Sign and Moon in the House
The Moon Sign indicates what sign the moon was in when an individual was born. Additionally, the degrees and minutes listed below it indicate the precise position of the moon within that sign. In Western astrology, a horoscope chart is used to illustrate the positions of the sun, moon, and other celestial bodies at a person’s birth. This chart is equally divided into the 12 signs of the zodiac, each occupying 30°.
In the instance of Arthur Conan Doyle, he was born with the moon located at 0°39′ of Aquarius.
The moon sign often differs (though sometimes overlaps) from the sign we usually use to describe our own zodiac sign, such as saying ‘I’m a Pisces’ (which refers to the sun sign representing the position of the sun at the time of a person’s birth). Take Arthur Conan Doyle, for example. Born on 22 May, his sun sign is Gemini; however, his moon sign is Aquarius.
The Moon in the House, such as the Moon in the 9th House in the case of Arthur Conan Doyle, indicates which house the moon was positioned in at the time of a person’s birth. In Western astrology, the horoscope is divided into 12 houses, each associated with a specific theme (e.g., the 1st house represents identity and persona).
When it comes to Arthur Conan Doyle, when he was born, the moon was in the 9th House, which represents philosophy, long-distance travel, publishing and so on.
By the way, lunation refers to the degrees and minutes of arc in the soli-lunar relationship, which is called ‘aspects’ in Western astrology. For instance, the new moon occurs when the sun and moon are conjunct, forming 0°, while the crescent moon represents a 45° aspect. However, Rudhyar, who developed the idea of the lunation birthday, hated seeing lunation as mere numbers of degrees and minutes. For example, the degrees between the sun and the moon are 90° both at the first and last quarter moons. According to Rudyhar, the traditional type of astrology does not recognise the distinction between the aspects in the waxing period and those in the waning period.
In other words, the traditional type of astrology gives the same meaning both to the first and last quarter moons, as the moon forms a square (90°) to the sun at both the first and last quarters (the aspect of square means some conflict and tension in Western astrology). Nevertheless, Rudhyar, who gives great importance to cycles (see (i) Cycles in ‘Moon Phases in Western Astrology’ for details), says that the significance of aspects is profoundly modified or coloured by the place they occupy with reference to the entire lunation cycle.
It is true that a square remains a square whether it belongs to the waxing or waning periods. Yet, Rudhyar believes that it is a real lack in astrological theory not to recognise the differences of meanings of aspects between the waxing and waning periods. Giving the same meanings to the same aspects irrespective of their lunation is seeing the human experience as reversible. Human experience, however, is not reversible. And Western astrology is a way to better understand the individuality of humans.
Thus, the eight lunation types of personality, which will be mentioned below, each have distinct meanings, even when two phases share the same aspect (such as the first and last quarters).
The Eight Lunation Types of Personality
This section presents the characteristics of the eight lunation types with a few keywords.
For example, if you get ‘New Moon’ as your result in the automatic calculation of lunation, the ‘New Moon Type’ listed below applies to you. Note that the characteristics of each lunation type presented here are based on the opinions of other Western astrologers as well as Rudhyar (See ‘References’ for details).
Disseminating Moon (Waning Gibbous) Type
Last (Third) Quarter Moon (Waning Moon) Type
Balsamic (Dark) Moon (Waning Crescent) Type
New Moon Type
New Beginnings
This period refers to the time starting from the black new moon, characterised by complete darkness, and extending for approximately three and a half days following the new moon, when a thin light is seen. It is a time for a new cycle to begin.
Because their birthdays mark the beginning of a new cycle, those born in the new moon phase are more likely to start new things that no one has done before (sometimes they embrace new ideas rather than specific things) and to achieve success at a young age as a leading figure.
Newborn Innocence and Impulsiveness
The new moon is when the solar power release occurs; it’s when the cosmic spirit (the sun) starts to impart its power to humans, enabling them to make their wishes come true (for details, see ‘The Three Factors and Lunation’ in ‘Moon Phases in Western Astrology’). Solar power itself is a cycle because it is born at the new moon, grows during the waxing period and gradually exhausts itself during the waning period, although a new kind of power appears in the waning period if humans receive the full moon illumination—what the full moon reveals to humans with its light—positively and assimilate it.
Therefore, in terms of living creatures, the new moon represents the period just after birth. This is a period of instinctive, youthful and irrepressible activity.
Reflecting the nature of this lunation, individuals born in the new moon phase are characterised by their purity of heart and innocence. They are also vulnerable, like newborn animals. They are often driven by impulse and intuition rather than logic, so there is a direct link between what they feel/think and what they do, and although they make decisions quickly, they tend to struggle when it comes to taking a long-term perspective.
These people live ‘in the now’; the past is not important to them.
In romantic relationships, they often fall in love at first sight, reflecting the nature of this lunation, which is having intuition and impulse.
Subjective
Since us humans cannot gaze at the sun directly, we observe the sun’s light through the moon. The moon is also a symbol of the human intellect in the sense that it makes solar activity objective, clearly perceptible and transforms it into a thing to be analysed through the forms of lunar phases. The full moon is the most objective period in all the lunation phases because the sun’s light can be fully observed and analysed.
In contrast, the new moon period is a subjective period, as the sun’s light is completely or almost completely invisible and cannot or is difficult to observe objectively. For this reason, those born in the new moon phase are subjective and tend to assume that what they are thinking must be what others are thinking. They are also likely to react emotionally.
Being subjective also means they firmly have their own ideas and beliefs, so they often have a unique philosophy about life.
Unconsciousness
In Western astrology, the moon symbolises the unconscious and the sun the conscious. Since the new moon represents complete or almost complete unconsciousness, those born during this period have a deep connection to the unconscious realm, and their inner world and the dreams they have while asleep can become more real than their outer experiences.
Famous New Moon People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Sigmund Freud (6 May 1856)
Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881)
Agatha Christie (15 September 1890)
Rei Kawakubo (fashion designer, founder of Comme des Garçons; 11 October 1942)
Kaori Momoi (actor; 8 April 1951)
Steve Jobs (24 February 1955)
Madonna (16 August 1958)
Quentin Tarantino (27 March 1963)
Brad Pitt (18 December 1963)
J.K. Rowling (31 July 1965)
Céline Dion (30 March 1968)
Kylie Minogue (28 May 1968)
Rihanna (20 February 1988)
Waxing Crescent Moon Type
Young Objectivity and Curiosity
During the waxing crescent moon period, a faint image of the full disc of the moon is visible if the sky is clear. There is a promise of the full moon, a promise that the fullness of light is to come.
The waxing crescent moon, when the sun’s light, or the realm of consciousness, is gradually increasing, is the period when objectivity starts to grow after the subjective new moon period.
When it comes to people, this period represents the first sign of the self, and those born in the crescent moon phase are full of curiosity, love to know various things and are flexible in their thinking. They have the youthful spirit of a child who continues to learn, and their ability to absorb and understand things is so high they can make any knowledge and skills their own.
Reformer
In the waxing crescent moon period, the sun’s light can be observed, although the light is still thin. This is a period where we are able to perceive the sun’s light through objective observation of the moon phase; it can be compared to the initial shock experienced by a young child upon the discovery of the objective world.
This is when a new structure/personality meets old or previous structures/personalities. Conflicts and clashes are, therefore, likely to arise between the new and the old/previous. At the waxing crescent moon, the new structure/personality confronts the old/previous and struggles to clear it. This is because it is necessary to clear the remains of old/previous structures/personalities in order to establish a new structure/personality.
Reflecting the nature of this lunar phase, those born in the waxing crescent moon phase have the courage to overturn existing values. They possess an inherent sense of urgency, driven by a compelling feeling of purpose or mission to accomplish something. While their journey towards achieving their goals may not be smooth, the support from others plays a crucial role, and fortunately, it tends to be readily available. This is largely because those born under the waxing crescent moon naturally attract those who are inclined to provide support to others.
However, whilst trying to clear the old/previous values gives these individuals confidence, if it does not work well, they may feel helpless and stick to the established customs or habits.
Charm and Freedom
Individuals born in the waxing crescent moon phase are friendly, full of curiosity and have charm. They do not alarm others and are good at socialising.
It is easy for people around them to see when they are in love, as it clearly shows in their attitude.These individuals also love freedom, as shown by their flexibility in their thinking, and they love to spend time alone as much as they love to be with their sweetheart/partner. Although they can have a great time with their loved sweetheart/partner, they do not like a jealous or controlling lover.
Famous Waxing Crescent Moon people
(With Their Date of Birth)
J. R. R. Tolkien (3 January 1892)
Anne Frank (12 June 1929)
14th Dalai Lama (6 July 1935)
Paul McCartney (18 June 1942)
Stephen King (21 September 1947)
Ellen DeGeneres (26 January 1958)
Helena Bonham Carter (26 May 1966)
Beyoncé (4 September 1981)
First Quarter Moon Type
Power of Action
At the first quarter moon, the waxing light reaches exactly half full. All other lunar phases include curved lines, and only the first and last quarter phases’ shapes include a straight line. This suggests a cleavage, cutting through as well as duality or division in two, according to Rudhyar.
Rudhyar also believed that the first quarter moon represents a crisis in action. This is because the first quarter moon compels humans to (1) repudiate the past and (2) build a new structure—be it organic or mental—to receive the solar ‘seed’, or the revelation the sun’s light brings, at the full moon. People can take either type of action or both. Yet, if people fail to clear their minds of lingering thoughts of the past and approach the process of building a new structure with half-heartedness, they risk missing out on the opportunities they should have attained within this specific lunation cycle. This includes the achievement of personal goals, personal growth and finding answers to their questions.
During the first quarter moon phase, we become aware that our success in constructing a new structure by the full moon determines whether we can fully enjoy the fruits of our labour or end up stuck in the remains of the past.
Thus, the first quarter moon is critical in the sense that what has been achieved during this period will influence the following periods. And whatever achievements or setbacks occur during the first quarter moon keeps on developing, for better or worse.
Born during a period when the power to act is prominent, the first quarter moon individuals are very strong-willed and passionate. They can influence others and transform other people’s value/ways of thinking. They also have firm opinions and are enthusiastic about getting rid of old values and systems in order to create new ones, such as creating new social ideals and viewing the meanings of relationships from different perspectives than they (or other people) have done previously. They are willing to endure some difficulty in order to realise their ideals.
They may, however, be stubbornly opinionated and lack tolerance for the opinions of others. Moreover, they may feel that they carry important knowledge but that there are sometimes too many objections from others.
Flexible and Strong
The first quarter moon is like a sprout from a seed aiming upwards and trying to grow stronger the more it is stepped on. Those born in the first quarter moon phase possess a proactive nature and a fearless spirit of embracing challenges. They are not afraid to confront the unknown as well as the established. They are also highly ambitious, work well under pressure and demonstrate their ability in situations that require high levels of concentration. As a result, they are likely to succeed in society. Furthermore, even when they make mistakes, they are able to understand the causes and know exactly how to fix them. They never repeat the same mistakes, and when problems do occur, they can quickly come up with solutions. They are also adept at mastering and improving in one area or another, as they grow with each experience.
Duality
The first quarter moon is half light, or consciousness symbolised by the sun, and the other quarter is half dark, or unconsciousness symbolised by the moon. For this reason, individuals born during the first quarter moon phase often exhibit dual sides to their personalities. They can be very positive at times but very negative at other times. They can even behave differently depending on the context, such as showing contrasting traits between their home and workplace environments.
These individuals also value both thought and intuition; they think carefully before acting but act quickly when they should. Additionally, they are characterised by having two perspectives: subjective and objective.
In love, they tend to focus on the subjective and enjoy the emotional excitement of being with someone they love. On the other hand, when it comes to marriage, they look at their partner objectively and calmly consider whether they will be happy if they marry them.
Famous First Quarter Moon People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Masaru Ibuka (co-founder of Sony; 11 April 1908)
Nelson Mandela (18 July 1918)
Queen Elizabeth II (21 April 1926)
John Lennon (9 October 1940)
Vivienne Westwood (8 April 1941)
Sheryl Crow (11 February 1962)
Sue Perkins (22 September 1969)
Nicola Walker (15 May 1970)
Amy Winehouse (14 September 1983)
Waxing Gibbous Moon Type
Growth
The waxing gibbous moon is a few days before the full moon. This lunar phase shares the same characteristic as the waxing crescent in the sense that it is a period when we deal with something difficult. However, while the waxing crescent is a time when the newly arising one faces the old/previous one and tries hard to clear it (i.e., the newly arising one is made to face the old/previous one), the waxing gibbous is when the newly arising one takes on difficulties for their own growth. Therefore, individuals born during the waxing gibbous moon phase pay much attention to the development of their capacity for personal growth. They have ideals or goals—be they social or personal—and they desire to contribute value and meaning to their society, culture or life in general. They are committed not only to personal growth but also to social growth and development. As they have the perspective of contributing to society, they are cooperative and can naturally help others.
Perfection
At the waxing gibbous moon, the area of consciousness symbolised by the sun is larger than the area of unconsciousness symbolised by the moon, so people born under this lunation have a clear sense of purpose. They strive to fill the tiny gap to the full moon, aiming for the perfection of the full moon. Those born during the waxing gibbous moon phase have a strong longing and interest in accomplishing something perfect and appreciate the beauty of perfection. They are, therefore, likely to be attracted to things related to beauty, such as art and fashion.
In love, they focus on being emotionally touched, and they can fall in love with someone with a significant age difference or with a completely different background to them, as they are attracted to those who seem to be able to fill in the missing pieces of themselves (the missing parts to the full moon).
Intelligence
The full moon is the peak of objectivity in the sense that the sun’s light can be fully observed, and it is also the peak of consciousness symbolised by the sun. The waxing gibbous is close to the full moon, so individuals born under this lunation are intelligent and good at analysing things. They have keen minds, love to learn and have a capacity to associate ideas and concepts. Learning is very important for them; they have a desire to understand various things and feel true joy when they get to understand the essence of things.
Famous Waxing Gibbous Moon People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Yayoi Kusama (avant-garde artist; 22 March 1929)
Mary Quant (11 February 1930)
Hillary Clinton (26 October 1947)
Haruki Murakami (12 January 1949)
Bill Gates (28 October 1955)
Kazuo Ishiguro (8 November 1954)
Nicole Kidman (20 June 1967)
Catherine Zeta-Jones (25 September 1969)
Fiona Bruce (journalist; 25 April 1964)
Full Moon Type
Objectivity
Humans cannot observe the sun directly but can observe its light through the moon. At the full moon, the sun’s light can be clearly perceived and observed; this includes the areas that could not be seen in other lunar phases. Therefore, the full moon is considered to be the time of highest objectivity, and those born during this phase always view themselves and the situations they are in objectively. People born under this lunation have a gorgeous aura and are always aware of how they are seen.
During the full moon phase, what was previously unknown and just a feeling becomes visible and takes a distinctive shape. This allows us to understand a new idea, which we now highly value. As a result, we may reject an old idea or perceive it in a new light, contrasting it with the new idea. This, in turn, may transform our everyday activities or help us discover a new purpose.
Those born under the full moon, where humans can see things clearly, also often have psychic qualities and can see things that others cannot.
Fulfilment
The full moon is the peak of the lunation cycle and a period of fulfilment. Those born during this moon phase can achieve many things, are likely to have frequent feelings of satisfaction gained through their achievements and enjoy sharing their satisfaction with others.
Reflecting the fulfilling and accomplished nature of the full moon, these individuals tend to find themselves in roles that involve concluding tasks or bringing people together. Due to their characteristic to be objective about both themselves and the situations they are in, they remain calm even when they are under pressure, which makes them great leaders in their work.
However, while the full moon is full of possibilities of achievement, it may be necessary to note that achievement is not achieved automatically. Whether we can see achievement during the full moon depends on if we can renounce the past that prohibits us from growing and instead build a new structure during the waxing period, especially at the first quarter moon.
If we have met the waxing period with a hesitant or entirely negative attitude, the solar and lunar powers, which are essentially related, crystallise into two opposite orders (like the first or quarter moon, whose half is light and the other half is dark), which brings the status of separation or clash. When a person born during the full moon phase reflects this nature, they may have conflicts and oppositions in their mind. This nature may also lead to a separation from reality, in which case, for example, they may become devoted to the spiritual world.
Relationships With Others
Relationships mean everything to those born during the full moon phase. These individuals are always aware of how they are viewed by others. They pay great attention to relationships and deal with those around them with a fine sense of balance. They feel positive when relationships are going well and depressed when they are not.
In love, what they most want is for their sweetheart/partner to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly and sincerely to them, offering deep understanding and love. Because they were born during a period when objectivity fully blossomed, when it comes to marriage, they tend not to marry unless they are sure that their partner is the right person for them, and even after marriage, they tend to consider whether they made the right choice.
Famous Full Moon People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Coco Chanel (19 August 1883)
Akio Morita (co-founder of Sony; 26 January 1921)
Michael Jackson (29 August 1958)
Julianne Moore (3 December 1960)
Johnny Depp (9 June 1963)
Joan Ferguson (a fictional character in ‘Wentworth’; 24 August 1964)
Marilyn Manson (5 January 1969)
Fern Brady (26 May 1986)
Lady Gaga (28 March 1986)
Usain Bolt (21 August 1986)
Adele (5 May 1988)
Taylor Swift (31 December 1989)
Disseminating Moon (Waning Gibbous) Type
Social Conscience
After the full moon, the disseminating moon, or the waning gibbous, is a period when the light is slightly decreasing. The waning period, from the full moon to the next new moon, is when individuals give back to society and future generations what they have gained thus far.
At the full moon, when consciousness and objectivity are at peak, what was previously invisible is seen, and we get to understand a new idea.
The disseminating moon, which follows the full moon, reveals how we can objectively apply our subjective new idea to make it into a concrete form. It prompts us to move beyond personal enjoyment of ideals and instead focus on sharing them with others and making them practically feasible. Therefore, those born during the disseminating moon phase have a strong social conscience and think that they are a part of the larger community, such as a country or the planet as a whole. They wish to share what has inspired them with others and hope to enhance the lives of others by passing on what they have learnt.
Rudhyar calls this lunar phase ‘Disseminating Moon’ because, in the positive sense, those born under this lunation often act as disseminators of ideas, as popularisers of what has impressed them.
The disseminating moon individuals want to make a significant difference in the world and will attempt to do so; they may become true social reformers. However, in the negative sense, they can be lost in a cause and develop fanaticism or be swayed by mass emotions.
Compassion and Empathy
While the waxing period is a time of repudiating the past and building something new, the disseminating moon phase is in the waning period, following our experience of fulfilment at the full moon. Therefore, those born during the disseminating moon phase do not care about creating something themselves; they are full of compassion to give everything they have to others. The happiness of those around them makes them happy. They are very attentive people and have great empathy. They are, however, vulnerable to loneliness, may have a strong patronage towards their own people and may become cruel towards those they consider irrelevant to them.
The weight of love in their lives is quite large, and their lives tend to be centred on their sweethearts/partners when in love, for they wish to give everything their sweethearts/partners want.
Excellent Teacher
Since the disseminating moon is in the waning period, where the light decreases, people born under this lunar phase have the power to get rid of something unnecessary. This allows them to examine a variety of information, cut through the unessential and see the essence.
They are also highly empathetic and naturally able to share what they have with others. Because of these qualities, these individuals are good at teaching. They have the ability to explain important aspects of their own knowledge and experience in a way that is easy to understand.
Famous Disseminating Moon (Waning Gibbous) People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889)
Mother Teresa (26 August 1910)
Mary Berry (‘Queen of Cakes’; 24 March 1935)
Vladimir Putin (7 October 1952)
Diana, Princess of Wales (1 July 1961)
David Beckham (2 May 1975)
Sarah Millican (29 May 1975)
Katherine Moennig (29 December 1977)
Last (Third) Quarter Moon (Waning Moon) Type
Belief, Foresight, Late Bloomer
As the full moon gradually wanes, it reaches the last quarter, where the moon is half light and half dark. This phase is referred to as the ‘half-moon’ and occurs twice during the lunation cycle. The first instance is the first quarter in the waxing phase, while the second instance is the last quarter in the waning phase.
In Rudhyar’s view, both the first and last quarters are important crises. Yet, while the first quarter is a crisis in action, where we repudiate the past and build a new structure, the last quarter is a crisis in consciousness, where we make what we have learned into a form and share it with others.
Both the disseminating moon phase and the last quarter moon phase involve giving back to society what we gained through the revelations under the light of the full moon. Just as individuals born during the disseminating moon phase possess strong social awareness, those born during the last quarter moon phase also exhibit a keen sense of societal responsibility.
Those born during the last quarter moon phase have their own beliefs and try to defend those beliefs at all costs. It is important for them to embody their ideological beliefs in definite systems of thought and/or concrete institutions. Additionally, they try to share their beliefs with others through such concrete forms.
They are driven by their visions for the future, even when they can only perceive a faint glimmer of hope for their beliefs to blossom within their generations. They act as seeds, creating foundations for the future.
Individuals born during the last quarter moon phase may lack flexibility, for they often consider themselves pioneers whose works will only be appreciated posteriorly.
Not limited to beliefs, those born during the last quarter moon phase can create outstanding works of art or science, but they may be too far ahead of their time to be immediately appreciated.
They are typical late bloomers; they tend to have a lot of difficulties when they are young and are more likely to achieve great success later in life.
Reflecting this nature of a late bloomer, individuals born during the last quarter moon phase tend to become more attractive as they get older.
According to Rudhyar, some individuals born during the last quarter moon phase have a sense of humour or display irony. This characteristic arises from their need to cope with criticism they may face due to their dedicated efforts towards something that people may not typically appreciate in terms of its value or meaning.
Depth and Fundamentality
The last quarter moon, like the first quarter moon, is a period of half consciousness, symbolised by the sun, and half unconsciousness, symbolised by the moon. Just like how those born during the first quarter moon phase have a dual nature, the same is true for those born during the last quarter moon phase.
However, while the light waxes in the first quarter moon period, it wanes and the darkness increases in the last quarter period. Therefore, those born during the first quarter moon phase and those born during the last quarter moon phase have different types of dualities.
For individuals born during the last quarter moon phase, the more single-mindedly they focus on something, the more likely they are to suffer from a sense of bottomless anxiety and a feeling of meaningless. Reflecting the nature of the last quarter moon phase, where the light of consciousness wanes and the lunation cycle moves towards the total darkness of unconsciousness, individuals born during this phase experience a deep and fundamental sense of anxiety and meaninglessness that can consume them entirely.
Depth and fundamentality are among the characteristics of those born during this lunation phase; they tend to think repeatedly about questions such as the meanings of life and death, questions that cannot be answered by superficial, easy thinking.
Work
The waning period after the full moon is when the consciousness symbolised by the sun decreases. It is a time when excessive self-consciousness subsides and we come to understand our place in the world.
Individuals born during the last quarter moon phase assess their own abilities calmly and accomplish what they are capable of. They are, therefore, very competent in their work; they steadily build up their reputation and often become highly influential in society.
Those born during the last quarter moon phase have the strongest luck with work of all the eight lunation types; they were born with a mission to find their own place in society through their work. Work does not have to be paid labour; for some people, it may mean presenting their artwork or participating in volunteer activity.
Because they are often late bloomers, they may struggle with the gap between their ideals and the reality they encounter, especially in their early years. However, it is more likely for the last quarter moon individuals to achieve great success after gaining a certain amount of experience.
In love, their attractiveness often appeals to those of high social status. For those born during the last quarter moon phase, they will be happier and have more long-lasting connections if they have a relationship with someone whom they met through work and who recognised their talent.
Famous Last (Third) Quarter Moon (Waning Moon) People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Frédéric Chopin (1 March 1810)
Mahatma Gandhi (2 October 1869)
Salvador Dali (11 May 1904)
Margaret Thatcher (13 October 1925)
Audrey Hepburn (4 May 1929)
Steven Spielberg (18 December 1946)
Pamela Rabe (actor, plays Joan Ferguson in ‘Wentworth’; 30 April 1959)
Barack Obama (4 August 1961)
Jodie Foster (19 November 1962)
Julia Roberts (28 October 1967)
Angelina Jolie (4 June 1975)
Balsamic (Dark) Moon (Waning Crescent) Type
Ending and Beginning
The balsamic, or waning crescent moon, is the last lunar phase that is mostly covered with darkness, leaving only a thin light, with the new moon taking place a few days later.
This represents the ultimate act of letting go of what we have acquired during the specific cycle that is nearing its end. Therefore, those born during the balsamic moon phase are not persistent in their own desires.
The balsamic moon is the end of one lunation cycle as well as a time of transition into the beginning of the next cycle.
According to Rudhyar, the term ‘balsamic moon’ is used in alchemical schools of astrology, and yet its derivation appears unknown.
As I write in ‘The Three Factors and Lunation’ in ‘Moon Phases in Western Astrology’, the moon helps humans fulfil their wishes by gradually releasing the sun’s light to the Earth through lunation. At the balsamic moon phase, the moon draws closer to the sun, carrying the hopes and desires of humanity on the Earth, presenting them to the sun.
The moon petitions the sun in the name of confused and lost humans so that the sun gives its power to humans to make their wishes and needs come true. The moon is the nun, or the incense. Rudhyar guesses that the waning crescent moon is called ‘the balsamic moon’ because the moon is the incense (balsam) for praying to the sun.
Among the waning phases, which involve using what we have gained at the full moon for the benefit of society and the future, those born under the balsamic moon, the final lunar phase, exhibit an exceptional willingness to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the future. They can be regarded as the final form of future-oriented individuals.
Those born under the last quarter moon, one lunar phase before the balsamic moon, act as seeds that shape the future as well as express their beliefs and try to share them with others, even if others do not understand those beliefs.
Individuals born during the balsamic moon phase, on the other hand, become seeds and bury themselves under the ground for the foundation of the future, even if it means their own death. And they sacrifice themselves not for their own sakes but for the sake of future society and the generations to come.
Those born in the balsamic moon phase are aware, to some extent, that they are a kind of ‘field’ where something greater than themselves is taking place. They may feel that they are possessed by destiny to sacrifice themselves or that they are led by a higher power, such as the universe or God.
For those individuals, an ending is not just an ending. It is an end of some process and a means to reach some transcendent goal.
No Borders
The balsamic moon is mostly covered with darkness (i.e., the realm of the unconscious). As such, people born under this lunation often have a strong connection with the unconscious world and the boundaries between their consciousness and the unconsciousness tend to be blurred.
The boundaries between themselves and others can also be blurred. Given the other-oriented nature of the waning period, those born during the balsamic moon phase can feel other people’s feelings as if they were their own.
Like those born during the disseminating moon phase, those born during the balsamic moon phase can also understand others’ feelings well. However, whereas those born during the disseminating moon phase understand the feelings of others through empathy, for those born during the balsamic moon phase, there is no clear border between themselves and others in the first place. They are other people, and other people are themselves.
In interpersonal relationships, individuals born during the balsamic moon phase are naturally able to adapt to others and stay close to the feelings of others.
In love, they can have romantic relationships as often as opportunities allow them to since they are able to find beauty in anyone.
However, due to having heightened sensitivity towards other people’s feelings, they can easily get stressed over trivial things. As a result, they need time to be alone in order to feel inner peace.
Art
Those born during the balsamic moon phase are able to draw inspiration from the unconscious world. If they have the means to express their inspiration, they can produce work that will touch the hearts of many people.
They have the highest potential for success in the art field out of all the eight lunation types.
These individuals also have a strong connection to the unconscious world and can understand other people’s feelings as if they were their own.
They are imaginative, sensitive and somewhat otherworldly. They may realise at an early age that they are different from others.
The balsamic moon is also a transitioning phase headed towards the beginning of the next cycle, the new moon.
As such, those born during the balsamic moon phase can have the ability to foresee the future, such as ‘knowing what is going to happen’ or ‘having a bad feeling’, which can help them get lucky or prevent problems from occurring.
Famous Balsamic (Dark) Moon (Waning Crescent) People
(With Their Date of Birth)
Marie Antoinette (2 November 1755)
Abraham Lincoln (12 February 1809)
Dane Rudhyar (23 March 1895)
Umberto Eco (philosopher; 5 January 1932)
Anthony Hopkins (31 December 1937)
Bob Dylan (24 May 1941)
Uri Geller (20 December 1946)
Meryl Streep (22 June 1949)
Theresa May (former British Prime Minister; 1 October 1956)
Anne Hegerty (professional quizzer, ‘The Governess’; 14 July 1958)
Paula Poundstone (29 December 1959)
Jeff Bezos (12 January 1964)
Janet Jackson (16 May 1964)
Björk (21 November 1965)
Halle Berry (14 August 1966)
Alexander McQueen (fashion designer; 17 March 1969)
Leonardo DiCaprio (11 November 1974)
Rafael Nadal (3 June 1986)
Lionel Messi (24 June 1987)
References
(1) Farebrother, S. M. (2019). Astrology Forecasting: the expert guide to astrological prediction. Penguin Random House.
(2) Rudhyar, D. (1967). Lunation Cycle: A Key to the Understanding of Personality. Aurora Press.
(3) Heese, A. (n.d.). Lunar Phases in Natal Chart. Cafe Astrology.com. https://cafeastrology.com/natal/lunarphases.html
(4) The AstroTwins. (n.d.). The 8 Natal Moon Phases: Which Were You Born Under? Astrostyle. https://astrostyle.com/astrology/natal-moon-phase/
(5) Kagami, R. (2016). Ryuji Kagami’s Lunation Astrology. Setsuwasya Co., Ltd. (in Japanese).