The Astrology of Menopause and Peri-menopause

Since I specialize primarily in working with women who are in midlife, I naturally talk to women who are dealing with various aspects of menopause and peri-menopause. I had never really looked into the astrology of menopause-related symptoms until recently (when I went through a bunch myself). Now that I have, I thought I'd share a few findings with those of you who are interested.

First, a few caveats and disclaimers: This information comes from my own records and observations and it isn't in the least bit complete or definitive. Nor can it help you diagnose or treat symptoms; you'll need an M.D. or an alternative health practitioner for that.

There are a few advantages to taking a look at the astrological events that seem to go with menopause and peri-menopausal symptoms, though. One is that it can help satisfy your curiosity! Two, if you are experiencing symptoms and aren't quite sure if they could be hormonally related, this information could give you a clue as to whether to look in that direction. A lot of women who first encounter peri-menopausal symptoms have no idea what's going on!

Three, it gives you some idea about timing, which believe me, can be a big help when you are suffering through the unusual physiological events associated with this time of life.

All right, here's what you need to look at (in my experience): progressions, transits and the solar return chart. (By the way, if you don't have this information for your own chart, or aren't even sure what I'm talking about, you can go to astro.com or you can email me through my website Practical Astrology.) I'll talk about what planets to look for next, but first a word about timing.

Progressions tend to last a substantial length of time and seem to indicate that you'll need to proactively deal with the symptoms rather than just wait them out. Transits tend to indicate symptoms that will come and go over a fairly defined period of time. I have found transits to be quite accurate (to within a couple of weeks or so) in indicating when symptoms will flare up and subside. Aspects in the solar return chart tend to indicate milder symptoms that last anywhere from about 9 months to 18 months, but that may be things you can live with without too much intervention.

Unfortunately, these aren't hard and fast rules because everyone is different, but you can get a rough idea from the type of indicator. Also, there are many indicators for possible menopausal and peri-menopause symptoms, which is to be expected, since this is a change that every woman goes through. It'd be strange if there were only a couple of symbols for such a major life event. The more indicators are present at a given time, the more likely you are to be experiencing noticeable symptoms. But … these indicators won't necessarily have anything to do with hormonal changes if you're not at the appropriate stage of life or if you're just not prone to these kinds of symptoms. So only use these indicators if they seem to be applicable in your situation.

Planets, Indicators and Symptoms:

The sun: I don't see the sun involved in a lot of menopausal or peri-menopausal events with the exception of a few occasions where transits or progressions indicated fatigue or heart palpitations (the sun is associated with the heart). Example: progressed sun square Neptune correlating with hormone-related tiredness or progressed sun square Uranus correlating with heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat.

The Moon: The moon is a symbol of both femininity and reproduction so aspects to the moon can indicate reproductive changes. I don't see the moon involved quite as often as Venus, but I do see it involved sometimes. Typical symptoms are mood swings and weight gain. Example: Jupiter square Moon in the solar return chart correlating with low-level ongoing bloating and mood instability.

Mercury: Mercury again doesn't seem to be involved all that often, but I have seen it correlate with such symptoms as problems with memory and forgetfulness, as well as with headaches. I suppose the Moon and Mercury could also be associated with the depression that some women experience, although I haven't seen that in practice. Example: Transiting Neptune conjunct Mercury correlating with hormone-induced 'brain fog,' mental fatigue, headaches and dizziness.

Venus: Venus is involved in a high proportion of cases where people are having symptoms. It seems disturbances to Venus can correlate with just about any hormonal symptom, which I suppose isn't surprising. What I see most often are aspects between Uranus and Venus, such as Uranus conjunct Venus or Venus conjunct Uranus by progression.

Mars: The only planet involved more often than Venus is actually Mars. Maybe that's because the symptoms associated with Mars are the most noticeable. Mars is associated with hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, mood swings and libido changes (although I see libido changes least often). Uranus/Mars contacts can be especially disruptive and noticeable. Mars transits through the 6th house can also correlate with symptoms. Example: Mars square Moon in the solar return chart correlating with periodic hot flashes and irritability throughout the year.

Jupiter: is rarely implicated in menopause symptoms, other than the occasional instance of weight gain when in aspect to a planet like the moon. Jupiter is always associated with weight gain, though, so that's not news.

Saturn: seems to be implicated in the bone and joint problems some women experience. Saturn is also associated with 'feeling old' or internalizing the sense that one's body is feeling its age. Example: Transiting Pluto conjunct Saturn correlating with the development of aches and pains and odd symptoms in the joints.

Uranus: Uranus shows up a lot in instances where symptoms occur, which isn't surprising since Uranus is a symbol of major life changes. Uranus in hard aspect to Venus, Mars or the Moon is the most frequent indicator and Uranus transiting the 5th house also seems to have some correlation with reproductive changes (more than Uranus in the 6th in my sample). Example: Uranus square Venus correlating with very irregular periods.

Neptune: Difficult Neptune aspects seem to correlate most with the anxiety some women experience during peri-menopause or menopause. I've had some women tell me they feel like they are 'drowning' during intense Neptune transits or that they feel dread and confusion, both of which seem to be related to hormonal changes. Neptune can also be associated with brain fog, insomnia or tiredness when in difficult aspect.

Pluto: In my sample, Pluto aspects are rare, although they show up very occasionally in people with symptoms. As far as menopause goes, Pluto may be more correlated with psychological than physiological changes (such as mourning the loss of youth), but I don't really have enough data on this to be sure.

There's a bit more to the story than what I have time to lay out here. Suffice it so say that if you have an indicator that is scheduled to last a long time, you may want to be aggressive and pro-active in learning what you can do to relieve your symptoms. If it's a short indicator or a mild one (such as Mars transiting the 6th house), you may be able to just ride it out. If you know your own chart, you can also log your symptoms and compare them with your transits. If your symptoms are bothersome, it's a good idea to log them anyway, as the information will probably help your doctor or alternative health practitioner understand what's going on. Good luck and I hope this was helpful.