“Now the young plant grows steadily toward the Sun and its maturity. Leaves multiply and bring a living interaction with the environment while the stem thickens and branches out. Any earlier setbacks are now either overcome or adapted to in preparation for the flowering which follows.” The Lunar Cycles Report ~ Philip Levine
Let’s Review
Part 1: Dancing With the Moon – Introduction
Part 2: The New Moon
Part 3: The Crescent Moon
Part 4: The First Quarter Moon
At the New Moon, a conception occurred. At the Crescent, the new life quickened in the womb. At the First Quarter, you announced the upcoming birth to others. Now, in the Gibbous phase, you realize the power and responsibility of creation, gain confidence, and take care of all the little details. You learn to trust the process as you wait, stay busy, and persevere.
The Gibbous Moon Phase – Persevering and Problem Solving
During the Gibbous phase, you’re coming close to the end of the first half of the cycle. Others can clearly see where you’re headed, and so begins a period of inner and outer adjustments as you learn to adapt to realities and limitations. In these sometimes frustrating few days, you gain perspective on and analyze the situation to see where changes must be made. If something isn’t working, this is the time to fix it.
You can feel like you’re between a rock and a hard spot. You may want to give up, but the Gibbous phase provides the tenacity and perseverance to believe in yourself as you adjust, compromise, give a little here, and take a little there.
“…This is one of just two Moon phases lacking a nice Sun/Moon aspect, like a sextile or trine. Gibbous takes us from the tension of the Sun/Moon’s waxing sesqui-square (135 degrees) to the discord of their quincunx (150 degrees). Not surprisingly, we often find ourselves pitched between a rock and a hard place in Gibbous. It’s tough to go forward and hard to go back….”
~ Dana Gerhardt for Astrodienst
New Job Example
Continuing with the new job example used in previous Moon phase articles:
- During the New Moon phase, your dream of a new job became a goal.
- In the Crescent phase, realizing what a new job could mean raised all your doubts about yourself.
- During the First Quarter phase, you acted confidently, committed, and told others of your decision.
To successfully move through the Gibbous Phase, you must look into the available jobs, adjust your expectations, and get real with yourself. When you realize what’s possible and what is not, you might want to give up, but instead, you hang tough. You make a list of prospective employers, ingeniously adjust your resume, perfecting it for the positions available, and then polish your look and practice interview techniques.
The Gibbous Phase is a time of waiting in which you analyze, prepare, and perfect. You gather information and look without and within for answers that will lead you to the realization of fulfillment (or failure) at the Full Moon Phase.
Each of the 8 phases lasts just under four days. During the Gibbous phase, the Moon waxes from 135 – 180 degrees ahead of the Sun, rises in the east at mid-afternoon, and sets in the west in the very early morning.
Born During the Gibbous Phase
Those born during a Gibbous Moon are survivors and worriers with an intimate knowledge of difficulty. Often, difficulties in childhood lead them to be particularly interested in self-development. They are tenacious and can persevere, but they often get stuck trying to be perfect and do nothing. Yet, these individuals are great problem solvers who can hang tough and see things through.
Example: Chelsea Clinton was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on February 27, 1980, at 11:24 pm. Sun 8 degrees Pisces, Moon 9 degrees Leo
Secondary Progressed Gibbous Phase
With the SP Gibbous phase, you’re approaching the end of the first half of the cycle. Promise is in the air. You must adapt to existing realities or limitations to pursue the direction you committed to at the SP First Quarter. It’s also a time when discomfort causes you to become introspective, analyze, and sort out your priorities. During the SP Gibbous phase, paying attention to details and perseverance are essential.
Salman Rushdie SP Gibbous Phase
Salman Rushdie was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, on June 19, 1947, at 2:30 am (birthtime accuracy: excellent). Rushdie’s SP Moon entered the SP Gibbous Moon phase on May 23, 1987. After publishing his 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses, Rushdie had to go into hiding for several years. Rushdie indeed found himself “between a rock and a hard place” during his SP Gibbous Moon phase. “He found it tough to go forward and hard to go back….”
Note: During each of the eight phases, there is a definite possibility that you’ll become stuck. You must get past the self-doubts of the Crescent phase, the resistance from others during the First Quarter phase, and the need for perfection in the Gibbous, or you can lose the opportunity of the entire cycle