The Elements in Business
One of the things I find most fascinating about astrology is how you can use it for planning, and Lunar Planning in particular has become my favourite way to work. Astrology can be defined as the art or practice of determining the influences of the planets and their movements on human behaviour. In Lunar Planning, we focus specifically on the moon because it is the fastest-moving “planet” and rules our moods, energy, and emotions.
I’m sure you have heard of a horoscope, and read your future in a newspaper or magazine. A horoscope is actually the general term for a chart showing the positions of the planets at a specific time. If this time is your date of birth, then the horoscope is your birth chart. When a horoscope is cast for a day in the future, then it can be used for planning. When we plan with the moon, this isn’t necessary as there are easier ways to track it.
I previously wrote about planning your business with the moon, and we started by looking at the phases of the moon. (You can read that post here). This week, we will focus on the four elements and their influence on the daily moon.
Ancient astrologers divided the apparent path of the Sun into twelve constellations, otherwise known as the zodiac. Remember that even though it is the Earth that orbits the Sun, in astrology, we place the Earth at the centre as that is our vantage point. While the moon orbits the Earth, she also passes through the constellations, spending roughly two and a half days in each sign. Just as a New or Full Moon takes on the traits of the sign that it falls in, so does the daily moon. When the moon changes sign, you may notice that your mood also changes.
The 12 signs of the zodiac are each associated with one of the four elements that ancient philosophies used to explain the way that nature behaved. Each of the elements has their own traits and each one is critical to our well-being. In nature, they are in some way dependent on each other.
While the phases of the moon follow a predictable pattern and give us an energy flow over a period of 29 days, when we track the moon through the elements, this also allows us to pace our energy, and plan out tasks and projects. They always follow the same pattern - Fire, Earth, Air and then Water.
There are three signs for each element and they share certain characteristics within that element. The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. They are bold, creative and daring. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. They are solid, practical and stubborn. The air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. They are intellectual, communicative and social. The water signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. They are emotional, intuitive and caring.
The fire moons can be used to start projects, the earth moons to do the practical work needed, the air moons to review our progress and the water moons to rest. There are of course other ways to use this flow, this is just a simple example.
Let’s look at each element in more detail.
The fire signs are passionate, impulsive and fiery. They are the signs that take action with passion and energy. They bring heat and light wherever they go. This can be in the form of lighting up the room they are in just by being themselves or by shining a light on other people. They are creative, adventurous and born leaders. They inspire other people. This is the energy that makes us excited to get out of bed in the morning.
Business tasks that work well with fire include making announcements about new products, offers or services that are coming up. This is about building that excitement that fire signs are known for having. Launches, sales, special offers or events. What do you have coming up that you want people to know about? Sharing testimonials and customer feedback is also great for fire moon days. It’s all about showing the world how amazing you are and what you have to offer.
This new, innovative and passionate energy is also good for starting new projects, for going back to projects you may have lost steam on or even that final push for things that are nearly done. You could channel the creative energy into updating your website and social media profiles or creating graphics to use later. Maybe you have an event coming up that needs posters or flyers or slides.
The earth signs are steady, practical and down to earth. These are the solid, strong and reliable signs. This slow and steady energy is great for building foundations. This is where the hard work gets done. The earth signs understand the long-term results of the actions they take now and the practical steps necessary to get there. They are patient and reliable, in no rush to get there because they want the job done properly.
After the excitement of the fire moons, the earth moons come along to create an actual plan. This is where we deep dive into anything we started under the fire moon. If you have an offer coming up, it is time to bring some structure to it and make decisions. Set prices and dates, write the content that you need for marketing, set deadlines, and schedule all the things you need to do on your calendar.
Any projects that require research or focus can be worked on now. It’s best to tackle one thing at a time and if you can batch that thing, even better. Working in blocks of time or methodically through a to-do list is ideal. Earth moon days are for buckling down and doing the work.
The air signs are intelligent, curious and connectors. This is the element of thought and communication, and these signs are the most sociable. They are all about ideas and action, keeping things in motion and connecting people. They are free spirits and flexible.
After all that hard work done under the earth moon, it’s time to lighten up a bit. Networking and collaborations are great with these social moons. These are the communication signs, so reviewing your messaging, tidying things up and sharing ideas all work really well. Learning new things or improving existing skills is also great.
General administrative tasks can also be done under the air moons. We’ve tackled all the big tasks with the earth moon so now we can tie up loose ends and complete the smaller tasks that often get forgotten about.
We can review our progress so far and make decisions on where we want to go next, from a more logical point of view. What challenges or obstacles have come up in your current projects? Problem-solving and finding different approaches will be a lot easier under an air moon.
The water signs are emotional, intuitive and protective. They are all about growth, nurturing and healing. They have a need for security, both for themselves and their loved ones. This is the element of emotion and water signs feel everything deeply. They are sentimental but they are also strong. Let’s not forget that water will carve its own path if needed.
When the moon moves into the water signs we can take the time to rest. We can not be on the go all the time, sometimes we just need to look after ourselves. We also need to make sure that we have appropriate boundaries in place to protect our time and energy.
Business tasks when we have a water moon could include anything creative or behind the scenes. Working slowly, pacing yourself and making sure to take breaks is best. Checking in with yourself and how you feel about your progress also works. If things aren’t going well, what are you making that mean? Mindset work is just as important as practical work and strategy.
Lunar planning in your business allows you to work in flow with the natural energy around us. I’m sure you have had those days where it feels like you are trying to push water uphill and those days when everything just goes smoothly.
The moon phases allow us to pace ourselves, to set and track our goals. This helps us to avoid overworking, burnout and exhaustion. Adding the daily moon element means we can get more done in less time. During the Waxing Half of the cycle, we would work on growth and creating new things. During the Waning Half of the cycle, we would focus more on clearing and creating space.
We can go deeper with our planning by assigning specific tasks based on the strengths of the sign the moon is in, which I will cover in a later blog. And take a more personal approach by tracking the moon as she moves through your birth chart.
I hope you have found this week's blog helpful. If you would like to learn more about lunar planning in your business then book a free call using the button below. We can talk about your current goals and challenges, and how the moon could help you.
