Any aspect of the Moon in the chart highlights a person’s emotional life and well-being. Flowing aspects can bring ease and opportunity for positive emotional expression. Hard aspects to the Moon can bring emotional challenges. An afflicted Moon has several difficult aspects, it is known as an Afflicted Moon. 

There isn’t a hard and fast formula as to the number of aspects needed for it to be classified as an afflicted Moon. This depends on all aspects it makes, the sign position, the house position, and the rest of the chart. 

Generally speaking, an afflicted Moon can bring complications with daily moods, negative thinking, habits, difficulties with females, and conflicts with a person’s mother.

Usually, an afflicted Moon means the Moon on the day the person was born was forming hard aspects with other planets that day. 

Typically the square is considered a conflict. However, if a Moon has no squares, it doesn’t mean it’s a smooth ride. There can be many other Astrological aspects and factors to consider. For example, I know an individual with no squares to the Moon, however, he had 3 quincunxes to the Moon, 2 oppositions, the Moon was Void in his chart, and was out-of-bounds. I classify that lineup as an afflicted Moon.

Recently, I used Ed Buck as an example of a Moon with several challenging aspects. Though there isn’t a time of birth for Buck, there are 2 squares the Moon makes to Venus and Neptune. There is also a conjunction to the South Node which is more burdensome.

 Buck was a drug user who escaped into the world of fantasy by combining drugs and sex and injecting drugs into the arms of escorts who passed away in his home. Addiction is shown by a few factors in a chart including aspects to Neptune. I also have to make room for another issue in his chart, the applying conjunction to Uranus and Jupiter. The conjunction with Uranus will lead a person to irritability and emotional instability. However, Jupiter will expand the nature of anything. Expanding the above-mentioned magnifies this to the point of concern.

Though hard aspects, such as a square can bring challenges, I believe the most important idea is the planet aspects. For example, in Buck’s case, the Moon is square to Neptune. His emotional nature may be filled with denial, escapism, addiction (clearly), and instability. That is more complicated to handle than having a Moon square to an inner planet.

Next, I look for is exact aspects in a chart as these are visible instantly. If a chart has a few difficulties, 1 exact moon square, depending on the square, would be a point I would have to factor in.

Finally, an afflicted Moon doesn’t mean the person is destined to a life of duress. The native has to study, grow, change, and receive a few hard knocks along the course of life. An oyster will turn into a pearl. However, this isn’t a joyride either. It requires mastery, discipline, and hard work.