The Progressed Moon, the Saturn cycle, and Critical Life Choices Pt.1

by Robert Wilkinson

There are two factors in all birth charts that are critical in terms of significant timing on important life choices. These two cycles track each other, and involve the progressed Moon and transiting Saturn. Though many believe these two cycles to be approximately the same length (and so usually ignore the progressed Moon part of the equation), they are not, and the difference in timing is significant in our life unfoldment. Today we will discuss the progressed Moon. Tomorrow we'll go into Saturn, and how these two are related in helping us to a more mature experience of ourselves and our life purpose.

In standard secondary directions, a.k.a. "progressions," we assume that every day in the future is equivalent to one year of time. Thus our progressed Sun, moving approximately one degree a day, will be about 30 degrees ahead of our natal Sun when we are 30 years old. It will be 45 degrees ahead of our natal Sun position about 45 days (or years) after our birth. Because the Moon completes its orbit of the Earth every 27.3 days, it indicates that about the time we are 27+ years old, we will experience a "Progressed Lunar Return."

This period has major implications for our experience of life and our future potential, since it marks the point when we have emotionally experienced, to whatever degree, an entire cycle of the Moon going through all the signs. We have felt, "up close and personal" as they say, all of the sign energies in the zodiac when the Moon moved through them. This gives us a certain "completeness" in our emotional experience, and prepares us for the second transit of the Moon through the signs between the age of 27 and 55, at which point we again have a Progressed Lunar Return.

It has been said that when the progressed Moon touches important points in our chart, it puts a focus on those inner qualities and outer circumstances. The Lunar contact may or may not be associated with dramatic events, but it often shows as a point of significant choice in some way of life, or some way of experiencing our feelings around the planetary function it touches. This occurs regardless of whether we are using Vedic or Western astrology as our yardstick, since the Lunar Return occurs with fixed regularity without regard to which sign it occupies.

In this approximately 28 year cycle, there are significant quadrant shifts every 7 years or so. That's why we seem to have dramatic changes in our life every 7 years, mas o menos. The Progressed Lunar cycle tracks with both the generic 7 year cycles, the shifts of Uranus every 7 years to a new sign, as well as the transit of Saturn to our natal Saturn occurring every 29+ years, also known as the Saturn Return. In these changes we can see our evolving individuality and some of the larger life lessons we are here to learn and master. I'll discuss the Saturn part of the equation tomorrow, and which points in life are critical shifts.

(Originally published 12 May 2005)

Comments

[Henry]

Hi Robert.

My progressed Moon is about to conjunct my Sun in 9th in the latest degree of Cancer (29º 51')in next January/February 2008 (I don't know the exact time it will happen), being Sun the ruler of my Natal 10th.
Can you please give me any insights on what to expect or the significance of this, given the currently ongoing patterns or early 2008 patterns?.

My birth data are: 22/07/1976 15:30 h. Universal time: 13:30 Barcelona (Spain)

Thank you very much and very grateful for all that which you are giving to us.

[Helen]

Hi Robert,

As we discussed in my reading, with my progessed moon, what am I doing now? Writing. What was I doing 27 years ago? Writing.

Being before the public.

(Moon in the 10th, conjunt Mercury, both in Leo.)

Peace,

Helen

[Robert]

Hi Henry - That's more than I can address in a comment stream. That's usually an entire reading in itself. Of the many ways it will affect you, expect to be scanning your entire life from birth to the present over the next few years, and re-parenting yourself.

Hi Helen - Great note of similarities across vast spans of time. Enjoy this next turn of the wheel.

[Damien]

Just checked out my progressed moon its a @ 4 degrees of Gemini while my natal moon is at 20. With all the craziness I have been feeling recently linked to emotional motivations and some killed expressions but other tumulous birthings i'm in the zone for new cycle growth. Wouldn't you say?

Ta,
Damien

[Robert]

Hi Damien - You're definitely in the Lunar Return zone! You've probably been feeling the transiting Saturn very strongly, and will be feeling much differently once it passes the square to your progressed Moon this Summer. However, this square is preparing you for the major decisions to comes as Saturn squares your natal Moon. Uranus is awakening things you never felt before, and remember that Sag is the void pointing you to a new life experience. September 2008 will bring clarity and major understanding as well as emotional stability that will last through October, and 2009 should be a joy for you once Jupiter moves into Aquarius.

[Damien]

thanks bro. you rock! :)

[Robert]

Hi Damien - And roll..... ;)

[danae]

hm. just checked my progressed moon and its at 9 aries (natal venus at 10 aries) and with my natal moon at 24 Libra, is it waxing gibbous toward full? Do we have 'full moons' by progression?

loony, d

[Robert]

Hi danae - Yes, we do. Progressed Full Moons happen when the Progressed Moon opposes the natal or progressed Sun. What you're approaching, besides the usually very nice PMoon conj Venus, is a progressed Moon opposing your natal Moon. This is a point in a larger cycle which brings some feelings and needs to the surface. It's a good checkin point about what you do and don't care about in this progressed Moon cycle which began around 27 when PMoon conjuncted natal Moon.

[Micheline]

Hi, Robert, How are you these days? Just found out a friend of mine (not very close but well loved and well known and very sweet guy) was found dead in his apartement here in Tokyo, my friend Rebecca found him with the help of the police, sounds like she had been trying to contact him, and her last emails was that his family in the us have been contacted through the embassy in Japan, he is at the coroners to determined the way he passed away. It is very sad. I was not close to him but in the small community of foreigners you feel things more deeply and more acutely perhaps.

Anyway, I was checking this site for new stuff to learn, and thought i would check out my progressed moon, in june my progressed moon in leo will opposes my natal saturn which is in my natal 7th house, i am not sure what to make of that, i know it only lasts a month, the oppositions to the progressed moon at 29 d is right on the cusp of the 12th house....

i was wondering how to interpret that.....?????

it must have happened before right i have to try to see

[Robert]

Hi Micheline - Well, I've had better times. And worse times, though not for a long while. I suppose I can be grateful for all my blessings. P Moon opposes Saturn for several months before it's exact. It could show as new Saturn functions surfacing, or a repolarization of old Lunar material based in what it confronts at the opposition. And yes, it did happen about 27 years ago.

[scarlett]

my friends moon is leAving a conjunction with pluto in the seventh house minutes away from the eighth houseis this a critical time in relationships? thanks

[Robert]

Hi Scarlett - It could be, or not, depending on the level on which your friend is living their life. I can only note that seeds have now begun to be sprouted, which will lead to losses to create space for the process to regenerate.

[Micheline]

i forgot to say thank you for the comment on this
my progressed full moon is now in virgo which is interesting cause its in the 12th house and it will move to conjunct the progressed ac and the progressed mars soon enough and saturn is not following me i seem to be following it
or in front of it
yes it happened about 27 years ago and its pretty hard to remember what happened way back then
i was 17 back then i was having a lot of struggles with school that i remember and i was working part time as well
interesting
when we look at the progressed moon we should also look to the natal house it is brought to right? For me it is going to be brougth to my 2nd house
thanks for this post

[Nicci Soukoulis]

Hi Robert - can you recommend some good books (yours I hope) please that can assist my understanding with progressions and major planetary configurations.
Personally I am interested in understanding major implications that result from points that touch my chart.

May I ask what articles are in store from you in 2009? No doubt great reading!

Nicci

[Robert]

Hi Micheline - My own PMoon is in late Pisces, opposed Saturn in my chart as well as transiting Saturn. While my Moon will move forward even as Saturn RX's back to 15, Saturn will spring forward through Summer and Autumn to oppose my PMoon again. A dance indeed, sometimes following, sometimes in front of, sometimes exactly with it.! The house of the PMoon shows the area of life we're learning about in terms of feelings and month to month experience.

Hi Nicci - Unfortunately, I haven't composed anything about progressions. Too much time spent writing for this site!;-) And I don't know of any legit and extensive evaluations about progressions, except the theoretical stuff Rudhyar has in several of his books. Things published in the 19th and early 20th centuries are not very helpful in a modern interpretation of these things, and what little has been written since then is supposition or haphazard associations. I will file this idea for something to write about, and if I can get something done that I feel is worthy, I'll make it available at a reasonable price via this site. Right now I only have a sense of what I'll be writing about in 2009, and couldn't possibly list them in a comment stream. But I will try to do more audio posts for those who prefer listening to reading.

[Valerie]

Hi Robert... my progressed Moon just this week entered Cancer, and will reach her natal place in about 2 mos. (2deg 22min Cancer)in the 5th house, where Sun and Jup reside also. And this happening with Pluto in Cap conjunct my Mars. Pretty heavy stuff. Any comments... as I've said in other posts there is alot of stress, activities etc. happening right now. At the first lunar return I was home taking care of two babies but I'm beyond that now! LOL :)

[Robert]

Hi Valerie - You're anticipating the energies even now. The second lunar return is a very important time to awaken to one's feelings and what one truly cares about, and wants to care about, pretty much for the rest of the life. I'll probably do an article on the lunar return for all of us in our mid-50s who are wondering what we care about, and why we care about it.