The Sun, the Moon and Who You Are

In astrology the Sun and the Moon are considered the most personal planets.

How do I shine in the world? How do I dare to feel and show my power?  These are the themes of the Sun in astrology. 

How can I feel safe in the world? How can I nourish myself and connect to other people? Life themes like these are reflected in the Moon. 

All the fundamental planetary energies are expressed or constrained differently in the four quadrants of a birth chart. Knowing which quadrant your sun and moon are in tells a great deal about what kind of animal you are. The quadrant positions show what you need and want in life much more than just knowing which sign of the zodiac you were born under. 

Almost all astrology systems divide the birth chart into 12 houses. Most traditional systems use what seem like arbitrary assignments of life themes to the houses. 

The quadrant grouping of the houses, in contrast, views the chart as a progressive life cycle that reflects the four seasons of the year and the four phases of human life. Each quadrant mirrors the development of the human from newborn to adolescent to adult to elder. Each quadrant has its own life themes and tasks that support or challenge the others.

The very simplest way to describe the quadrants is as follows: the first quadrant reflects “Me”: my physical body and survival; the second quadrant reflects “We”: the family and tribe I grew up in; the third quadrant represents “You”: the partner or life projects that I choose, the fourth quadrant shows the “World”: the biggest networks that we’re a part of.

The concerns of all the planets will express themselves differently in each house, but there’s a general theme for the whole quadrant. Let’s take a look at how the quadrants color the expression of the Moon’s light in our lives.

When the Moon is in the first quadrant (houses 1-2-3): You feel overexposed and in a defensive position. You’re highly sensitive and always on the lookout for a refuge. You can’t distinguish real dangers from random happenings or events that have nothing to do with you. The world is a strange and aggressive territory. You’re not sure if you belong here. 

When the Moon is in the second quadrant (houses 4-5-6): You identify with what’s familiar to you, for good or for bad. You can be very creative but you’d prefer staying a child. You can be emotionally boundless and chaotic inside. 

The Moon in the third quadrant (houses 7-8-9) suggests you look for your roots outside your native tribe. You may have had to support one parent as a child or take sides against another. There was always something unstable. Now, as an adult, you look to your partner for nesting and stability. Because you don’t feel a strong bond to your native tribe you have the opportunity to change tribal patterns and throw your anchor into unknown territory.

The Moon in the fourth quadrant (houses 10-11-12). This Moon has had to throw its anchor into waters that are much too deep for the rope, so it’s floating. You don’t feel a strong connection with your tribe and you try to replace the familiar bonding with a social network. You probably had to hide your emotions. It will be important for you to discover what your personal feelings are based on.

Finding these traits in your birth chart can help you see, understand and accept yourself. Knowing what’s shaped you can help you respond better to what pinches you. It can also help you step into a shape that’s more suited to who you really are.

It’s easy to learn where your Sun and Moon are in your birth chart. Just search “free astrological birth chart” in your browser. There are many good sites that are accurate and do not require you to pay or sign up. You’ll need to know the time and place of your birth, without that information you won’t be able to place the planets in the houses. If you don’t know that, look at your birth certificate. You can request a copy of your birth certificate from the Vital Records department in the county you were born in.

If the cycles and concerns of the planets speak to you, get your chart and join one of our astrology courses here on the Jung Platform. It’ll help you find your agency, issues and unalterable bones.

This article is based on excerpts taken from “When Chimpanzees Dream Astrology: An Introduction to the Quadrants of the Horoscope” by Alexander Graf von Schlieffen.

Renowned astrologer Alexander von Schlieffen has rigorously evolved the quadrant framework of the 12 houses of the birth chart. Alexander is now offering a course in Astrology for Beginners. This course is where newcomers to astrology should start. It will also be of interest to those familiar with the basics of reading a chart who want to refresh or learn about Alexander’s dynamic quadrant framework. Learn More Here.

An intermediate level course, A Deeper Look at Astrology (previously titled ‘Introduction to Archetypal Astrology’) was given by Alexander in 2022 and is an excellent follow-up to the Beginner’s course. Learn More Here.