The Moon as gnatikaraka

The Moon as gnatikaraka moves the main obstacles into the inner world: worry, hurt feelings and mood swings often get in the way more than external opponents. The ability to calm the mind becomes the person’s main means of overcoming difficulties.

The obstacle within

The Moon is the indicator of the mind and feelings. Having become the gnatikaraka, it makes the emotional sphere a field of trials: the person reacts keenly to criticism, takes conflicts to heart for a long time and sometimes sees a threat where there is none. External friction is often connected with relatives, with people from the immediate circle or with the public.

How it manifests

• emotional disputes in the family and among relatives;
• rivalry in professions that involve working with people;
• a tendency to build up anxiety before difficult tasks;
• sympathy for the opponent, which helps to make peace.

The Moon’s strength

A waxing and strong Moon, or a Moon in Cancer or Taurus, gives flexibility: the person recovers quickly after a conflict and knows how to settle a dispute peacefully. A waning Moon, or a Moon in Scorpio or next to Saturn and Rahu, heightens anxiety and sensitivity to pressure. This is a reason to look after one’s routine and rest and to lean on close people. Since the Moon sets the Vimshottari dasha, its periods show well when this theme becomes acute.

On the planet itself, see the page on the Moon; the general principle is in the overview of chara karakas. You can see your gnatikaraka after you build a chart on the site.