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How to Use Sabian Symbols

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The Moon

The Moon’s Sabian Degree

In many ways the Moon's Sabian Symbol is more helpful even than the Sun's. Generally we are better able to identify with energies of the Moon, partly because it is so familiar and relaxing. This is in contrast to the Sun, which is absolute and highly principled - how we 'make a stand' and come to see who we are when push comes to shove. We should be able to find some balance between the two types of life experience.

Many people, probably most, will more quickly come to terms with the Moon. Nonetheless, getting deeply into the mystery of the Moon's position requires some care and careful attention. And the deepest level of understanding will not be made available immediately because the Moon is representative of our unconscious side, so we are not really aware of it. We are of course unconscious of our unconsciousness. 

If we want better to understand how we relate to women generally and Mother in particular, then we need intuitively to grasp what the Moon's Sabian path is. Equally, this is how we are likely to feel comfortable with when taking on a caring role with children. Man or woman, we all have a role in mothering at some point in our lives. 

This aspect of our character is the deep feminine. It resonates with such life experiences as needing support and also offering support, feeling familiarity and a sense of belonging, relaxing in the old patterns of habit, accepting and feeling accepted regardless of behaviour, feeling able to respond to another's needs and initiatives. 

The Moon's Sabian degree offers us a path towards the knowledge of how best to settle into a relaxed, nurturing environment where we find it quite easy to have our needs met and where comforts and security are provided. 

Example – the author’s Moon position is Taurus 27

​A squaw selling beads

I had a grandmother who was a perfect example of the old Indian woman. Gran would sit for hours and hours in her chair either by the fireside with gas lights popping, or upstairs in the attic looking out upon Falmouth harbour at the comings and goings of tugboats and sailing dinghies, tourists and fisherwomen. 

Gran could make Cornish pasties just like days long gone and knew of a dozen ways to make each different type of fish taste amazing. And she had stories and old wives tales that were as fascinating as they were implausible.

She died in her late sixties, the age I am now, and it is extraordinary for me to notice how many of her qualities and mannerisms I have myself recently adopted. The most precious and endearing one, the most extraordinary part of her character considering the times she lived in, was that she really couldn't give a toss about anyone's opinion of her. Her friends knew what she was like and no-one else mattered at all so she simply did and said whatever she felt like.

This is the message of Taurus 27. I've always been a little that way - but also rather caught up in social permission and making the right impression. That is until recently. Now I am much more like Gran, and also really very comfortable to be the old guy who remembers how it was in the good old days. I refuse to abbreviate words or omit punctuation even on texts and Instagram. It's just not the way to do things! I can't make beads but I can usually make sentences the old-fashioned way with correct grammar and spelling.