Glossary Lunar calendar

Void-of-course Moon

A void-of-course Moon is the stretch when the Moon, before it leaves a zodiac sign, has already made its last major aspect to the other planets. Until it enters the next sign, it travels without forming any new connection. The idea comes from classical horary astrology, where a void Moon flagged a question that would come to nothing. The span ranges from a few minutes to more than a day.

Where the idea comes from

The notion comes from horary astrology, the branch that answers a question with the chart of the moment it was asked. William Lilly, in the seventeenth century, held that a void-of-course Moon left the question hanging: nothing new would come together before the change of sign. The image has lasted: a Moon between two meetings, finishing its crossing without taking on anything more.

How to use it today

Many practitioners save these hours for whatever needs no momentum: tidying, finishing, reviewing, resting. If you are launching something important, a signing, an announcement, a first meeting, some prefer to wait until the Moon enters the next sign. Take it as a suggested tempo, a dip in the day to catch your breath, rather than a ban.

Sources

  • William Lilly, Christian Astrology (1647)