I have struggled with my personal interpretation of the progressed moon phases using the analogy of a seed for some time. What follows is a version that I'm finally comfortable with. I think it's important to concentrate on the four main phases - new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter. The text of these four main phases are in bold below. The intermediary phases between the main phases are subsidiary to the main phases in my opinion.
Progressed New Moon
You have a new plot of land in a garden. You sow some seeds.
Progressed Crescent
The seeds have sprouted and emerged from the soil. They are seedlings now. You can't add any more seeds to the land now as the planting season is over. Those seedlings will stay with you for the next 24.5 years or so.
Some of you might decide to remove some seedlings to allow more space for the others to grow in your limited plot of land. Or you might cull them. Yes, these are work but they are not considered major gardening work.
Progressed First Quarter
This is when you roll up your sleeves and start proper work on your seedlings. You have to help them grow, e.g. ensure that they receive adequate sunlight, water, fertilizer, pruning, weeding etc. They may grow up strong and healthy or their growth may be thwarted depending on what you invest into them.
Progressed Gibbous
The results of your effort in the last 3.5 years or so show now. If you have grown fruit trees and have been taking great care of them, this is when fruits set on the trees. You are tested on your commitment to bring the trees to fruition in about 3.5 years time. It can be tough as there might be insufficient rainfall, weeds, insufficient sunlight, etc. Look after your crop, pal!
Alternatively, you could be dozing off at your garden for most of the past 3.5 years. As a result, the fruits haven't set yet or worse still, the trees have died! There's really nothing much you can as the season for fruit setting or planting of new crops is over. You make do with what you have and do any necessary work.
Progressed Full Moon
You see the results of the effort that you have shown the seeds in the last 14 years or so. If you have done your gardening appropriately, you reap what you sow - fruits, crops, or flowers for plants that don't bear fruits. Or you may be faced with a plot of land with weeds. Or trees/plants that are half grown.
Progressed Disseminating
You look at your garden and think over your experiences at gardening. You might decide to share your experiences and what you have learnt about gardening with others. This is also an opportunity for you to decide on your next steps that you would be putting into action in about 3.5 years time. There's no one to coerce you into planning now. If you don't, it's likely that you will have to do so anyway in 3.5 years time.
Progressed Third Quarter
You put into action your plans on what to do next with the output that you have had for the past 7 years or so. If you had harvested fruits, you could:
- Sell them to others in a farmer's market, on a roadside, to a co-operative, in a fruit stall, to your neighbours, etc
- Make fruit juice from them and drink them, serve them to your guests, sell the juice, etc
- You could use what's remaining of the plants for other uses. E.g. you have some coconut trees. The coconut trunk could be used to make furniture or even drums and canoes in Hawaii.
If you had harvested nothing, you might be in a panic as you have nothing to show since you sowed those seeds about 21 years ago. You might get into a frenzy and evaluate what you can do with those weeds in the garden and make the best use of them.
Progressed Balsamic
It is time to clear the plot of land and let the land/soil rest before you start planting new crops/seeds in about 3.5 years time. It is possible that you are reluctant to clear the land, leaving behind non-productive plants and non-fertile soil. This will affect the next planting cycle in 3.5 years time. It's best to clear the land so that your next plot of crops/plants, which will last you for another about 29 years, have the best chance of growth and life.
It's not all about work during this phase too. You get to enjoy the outputs of what you have put out in the past 3.5 years or so i.e. the progressed third quarter. You could be resting in your garden with a pina colada, enjoying the breeze. Or you could be irritated at the sight and memory of your garden.
Progressed New Moon
The cycle repeats itself.
