All astrological texts must be read with an open mind, taking cognisance of the times in which the author lived; one's wit is the finest ally whilst doing so.The Mansions of the Moon is a prime example of how information, distorted over the years, is simply regurgitated, the wit (and common sense) discarded in place of expediency and habit.

"Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star." W. Clement Stone 

The material on the Lunar Mansions is hopelessly corrupt; the Mansions differ according to which source is accessed, tropical or constellation. The starting point varies with different sources: some start from 0 Aries, others don't, thereby providing either 27 or 28 Lunar Mansions respectively. While researching the material on the Lunar Mansions, it became apparent that why the versions we have are corrupt to the point of uselessness, is that the connection with the fixed stars has been long forgotten. The Lunar Mansions have become fixed onto the zodiac, and the list of their meanings has been copied over at least a couple of thousand years without anyone bothering to update them. Year after year, century after century, teachers of astrology pass the corrupted information onto their students, never pausing to reflect on why there are discrepancies or on the true essence of the Mansions, thereby perpetuating the misrepresentation which now passes as sound astrological fact. It is clear that the issue is a circular one: 

The Mansions of the Moon: Arabic Lunar Mansions and William Ramesey

This is the most common reference utilised by traditional astrologers today, possibly because it is one of the few classical sources where the information is in table format, making it easily accessible as a reference; or, due to its popularity for that reason, it is deemed accurate. The information found in the work of William Ramesey (Electional Astrology, 1653), is derived from the Arabic Lunar Mansions; much of what has filtered down into traditional astrology, as we apply it today, is derived from the ancient Arab authors. Where Ramesey derived his position of the fixed stars from though is a mystery as Alcyone would not have been at 28 Taurus in the 1600's. The Arabs founded nearly all the names used in western astronomy, but they were probably outrivaled in their lists of star names by the Chinese, who appear to have had a very comprehensive system of stellar nomenclature. (Footnote 1) In Ramesey's table below it is apparent that the Mansions do not commence at 0 degrees of Aries.

• 7Aries7 to 20Aries6: set out on journeys; take medicine, especially laxatives; tidy up; spring clean.
• 2Taurus57: set out on journeys by water; buy animals; plant.
• 15Taurus49: strike a deal, haggle, buy or sell; avoid long journeys.
• 28Taurus40: plant or sow; don't get married, enter into partnerships or journey by water.
• 11Gemini32: wheel and deal; set out on long journeys; marry or join forces; take medicine.
• 24Gemini23: go on the warpath; don't plant; keep a low profile.
• 7Cancer5: dig the garden; plant your seeds; not good for journeys.
• 20Cancer6: good for travel and taking medicine.
• 5Leo57: good for journeys and making long-term plans.
• 15Leo49: plant; start buildings or new enterprises; marry; but don't travel.
• 28Leo40: plant; free people from their obligations; spoil yourself.
• 11Virgo31: plant; marry; but don't travel; not a good time for making plans.
• 24Virgo23: good for travel; forward planning; digging, planting or marrying; good for writing letters or making phone-calls.
• 7Libra15: plant and take medicine; but don't travel or marry.
• 20Libra6: dig the garden; but don't travel or marry.
• 2Scorpio57: generally unfortunate.
• 15Scorpio49: good for buying animals; avoid travel.
• 28Scorpio40: start building; sow or travel; but don't marry.
• 11Sagittarius32: go on the warpath; plant the garden; start long journeys.
• 24Sagittarius23: good for sport and buying animals; but not for marriage.
• 7Capricorn25: start building; ask people in authority for assistance; don't marry.
• 20Capricorn6: take medicine; make plans; put on new clothes.
• 2Aquarius56: take medicine; start long journeys; but don't marry or lend money.
• 15Aquarius49: take charge; get married; plant or take medicine.
• 28Aquarius40: start new enterprises; marry; make friends or travel.
• 11Pisces32: generally unfortunate, except for taking medicine.
• 24Pisces23: plant; do business; get married; but don't travel far.
• 7Aries6: buy and sell; marry; take medicine; but don't lend money or start long journeys.

The Mansion of the Moon: Chinese

Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the sky ecliptic into four regions, assigning each quarter a mysterious animal. They are Azure Dragon on the east, Black Tortoise on the north, White Tiger on the west, and Vermilion Bird on the south. Each region contains seven mansions, making a total of 28 mansions, in line with the number of Arabic Lunar Mansions from Ramesey. The mansions or xiù are latitudes the Moon crosses during its monthly journey around Earth and serve as a way to track the Moon's progress. Chinese constellations are the way the ancient Chinese grouped the stars; they are very different from the modern IAU recognized constellations; this is due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. Ancient Chinese sky watchers divided their night sky into 31 regions, namely the Three Enclosures and Twenty-eight Mansions. The Three Enclosures occupy the area close to the North Celestial Pole. The stars in the Three Enclosures can be seen all year around. The Twenty-eight Mansions occupy the zodiacal band. They can be considered as the equivalent to the 12 zodiacal constellations in the Western Astronomy. In contrast to Western astronomy, the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon in a lunar month rather than the Sun in a solar year. (Footnote 2)

Due to many western interpretations of both the Arabic and Chinese Mansions, corruption most certainly began to creep in as the zodiacal band referred to above, which consists of the zodiacal constellations, has been mistaken with the signs of the zodiac, which are regular divisions of the ecliptic bearing the same names. In the definition above, the emphasis to the modern mindset, appears to be on this zodiacal band (mistaken as the signs of the zodiac commencing at 0 Aries) and not on the realm of the fixed stars; however the Arabic and the Chinese Lunar Mansions are aligned as neither commences at 0 Aries and both divide the circle of the ecliptic into segments of 12°51' each (or so we have been lead to believe). It is also apparent that all three series of the Mansions existed to track the movement of the Moon across the sky during a lunar month; what has been forgotten is what system of reference is used to track them in the first place.