By Misty Kuceris ©2012

In April 2011, the Moon was void-of-course so often that it seemed like nothing much was going to happen. Now this is happening again in the year 2013. Clients and friends called wondering what to do. Not only were many days void-of-course, but the time periods were extremely long. The questions asked were many, but the most common ones were:

Should I schedule clients during the void-of-course periods?

• Should I sign contracts during the void-of-course periods?
• What can I do during this time period that will amount to anything?

Frustration seemed to be the underlying emotion for many of the people who called or emailed. Why? Because they felt they could do nothing during this void-of-course time period.

How a void-of-course Moon is determined

As the Moon enters a new sign, it will make aspects to various other planets. The aspects that are considered are the Ptolemaic aspects: The conjunction, the trine, the sextile, the square, and the opposition. When the Moon makes a final aspect to a planet, it usually stays in the sign for a while before it enters a new sign. The period of time between when the Moon makes a final aspect and before it enters a new sign is defined as a void-of-course time period. So, if a planet is at a high degree (as Jupiter is now at 29 degrees at the time of writing this article), there are fewer chances for long void-of-course periods. However, if the highest degree planet is only around 15 or 20 degrees, the chances for more or longer void-of-course periods occur.

What a void-of-course Moon means

In horary and electional astrology, the Moon is very important. It is the “mover” of events. It represents what emotions and actions can occur throughout the day. When it makes an aspect to a planet that means that something is going to happen.

When the Moon makes a conjunction to a planet, it means that things come together. So, if you’re in a meeting with another person, you usually reach some sort of conclusion.

When the Moon makes a trine to a planet, it can either be good or bad. You may feel good about the meeting, thinking that a conclusion was made. However, after a few hours, you may feel that no real resolution occurred: just an agreement to be nice to each other.

When the Moon makes a sextile to a planet, you see the opportunities that are available to you. Whether or not you utilize those opportunities is up to you. It’s like someone gave you a check. You can either cash that check and get the money or, you can hold on to that check and never see any cash from it.

When the Moon makes a square, there is tension in the air. You don’t know if things can work out. You have some personal hesitations. Those feelings aren’t really coming from the other person, they’re coming from you. But, the positive aspect of this tension is that your awareness is heightened and you may actually be in a better position to get your point across.

When the Moon makes an opposition, things are going to come to an end. There’s tension between you and the other person. Both of you may feel you have too much to lose and can’t afford a compromise. This is a time of separation. Whether or not that separation is a good thing depends on the situation. Sometimes you want to have this tension so you can finally make a decision and be done with it.

A void-of-course Moon creates inertia, that’s why it seems that nothing can come of a void-of-course Moon. There is no aspect occurring that stimulates the need for action. Instead, you either feel tired or out of harmony with your environment. But, there are ways to use that void-of-course Moon.

How to benefit from a void-of-course Moon

If you accept that you may feel out of harmony with the day, perhaps you may want to pull back and just take the day off. Go to a day spa. Take a walk. Meditate on other events. Or, just rest. You may need it because you over did things earlier.

If you sense inertia in your life and you don’t want to do anything, accept it. Don’t try to force things to happen. The more you try and force things, the more you’ll feel frustrated. It’s not worth it.

But, life doesn’t just stop because the Moon is void-of-course. You may not have the luxury of taking off from work or your family obligations. You may need to attend meetings or take your children to special events or various appointments. So, consider the ways that the void-of-course Moon does operate in your favor.

First of all, try to forget some of the old tales about the Moon void-of-course. It’s not totally true that nothing may come of that event. Even some void-of-course time periods can hold a special significance for you. Understanding this may require a more advanced knowledge of astrology, especially your own chart, but it’s worth understanding.

If the Moon makes an aspect to one of your planets, Ascendant, or Midheaven when the Moon goes void-of-course, this may be a karmic time period for you. You may need to take action in order to move forward spiritually. This means that you need to know your chart as well as the degree in which the Moon goes void-of-course for that time period. Usually these karmic time periods are good for making decisions regarding major changes in your life. You don’t want to make those changes at this time. But, you want to prepare for those changes.

If you need to have a meeting during a void-of-course time period and the Ascendant or Midheaven of that void-of-course chart makes an aspect to your own chart, this is another indication of a karmic time period. In many ways, the decision has already been made and you’re just meeting to confirm the outcome. So, suddenly when you think nothing is going to happen, it does.

Even if you don’t have this advanced knowledge of astrology, there are some things to keep in mind when the Moon is void-of-course and you must have meetings or conduct various activities. A void-of-course period is a great time to plant seeds for future outcomes. It’s a wonderful time to pull back and listen to other people. While you may not hear everything another person is saying at this time, it will sink into your subconscious and surface when you need it later.

So, when the Moon is void-of-course, know what sign it’s in and use that energy. Some examples are listed below:

• When the Moon is in Aries, there is often a sense of frustration because things aren’t happening as quickly as you’d like. Decisions during meetings can’t really be made because too many people are busy promoting their point of view and not listening to what others are saying. If you have to have a meeting, let it be one for brainstorming where everyone can introduce their point of view without having the pressure of needing an immediate solution.

•  When the Moon is in Taurus, try and understand financial matters. Look at how you’re spending your money. Think about budgeting things. Meet with others regarding financial matters and budgetary planning. You won’t come to a final decision but you’ll be able to get other people’s point of view.

•  When the Moon is in Gemini, try to get as much information as possible from other sources. Let this be a period of fact finding. Don’t get into arguments with other people. Rather listen to their point of view without debate. Later you’ll be able to make some important decisions because you’re gathered facts.

•  When the Moon is in Cancer, try and spend time with family and friends. Do be careful in the work environment, however. People may try to get you to nurture them when what they need is either discipline or cold, hard facts. Also, you may suddenly become aware of how much people in your work environment remind you of family members and conflicts. In the long run this could help your relationships at work. You may be reacting to these acquaintances as family members when in actuality there are strangers to you.

•  When the Moon is in Leo you really need to understand that you want to be appreciated. This can be a great time to determine which individuals, either personal or professional, are willing to provide you with support. It’s also a great time to let other people know how much you appreciate them. You’ll find rewards coming from letting other people know they are doing well.

•  When the Moon is in Virgo, focus on the little things in life. You may not feel like maintaining your typical routine. You may find it boring. Or, you may be frustrated by it. That’s a good thing. The real purpose for having a routine in life is to be more efficient and work less. It’s not about being bored. If you are bored, consider what needs to be changed so that you can move on with your life.

•  When the Moon is in Libra, relationships can be very frustrating. You may feel like other people aren’t treating you with respect or as a peer. This is a wonderful time to find out if other people are so stuck with their agendas that they aren’t willing to compromise in order to find a solution. If that’s the case, you can make some decisions later about various situations that involve them.

•  When the Moon is in Scorpio, you may find that it’s time to keep silent about certain matters. You’ll definitely find it more difficult to get information out of other people. They may be trying to use information as a manipulative tool. Or, they may not have all the information that you need. Either way, you’ll know that you have to get facts from different sources.

•  When the Moon is in Sagittarius you really need to reflect on some of your long-term goals. In any meetings where long-term goals are to be discussed, you’ll find that people are just moving in all sorts of directions and nothing seems to be coming together. But, that’s all right. What you’re really getting is a wide array of possibilities. Later you’ll be able to think back on those possibilities and return with a more focused approach.

•  When the Moon is in Capricorn, you need to think about goals. But again the goals may seem difficult to achieve. Why? You’re creating so many goals that you feel overwhelmed. Back down a bit. List the goals and start prioritizing them. Realize that you can’t achieve them all. In a few days you’ll know which, if any, of the goals are worth striving for.

•  When the Moon is in Aquarius you may want to focus on your friends and social connections. In some cases, you’ll wonder what you ever had in common with some of these people. In other instances, you’ll understand why you value some of these relationships. After a while, you may feel that you need to let go of some of your social obligations. If you do, it’ll be because those obligations no longer are of value to you.

•  When the Moon is in Pisces you may feel listless and tired. Either you’ve been overdoing things in your life or you’re agreed to too many external obligations. This can be one of the most difficult void-of-course Moon signs for any meetings. There’s no focus. People aren’t listening to one another. This is really a time period for reflection not interaction.

Enjoy the void-of-course time period

There are many benefits when the Moon is void-of-course. True, you really don’t want to start a new enterprise or project at this time. But, you can use this energy to plan as well as understand what it takes to have success when you do start the new project.