Monthly Astro-Forecast: New Moon in Virgo
The new moon in Virgo on August 30th (exact at 11.37am BST here in the UK) asks us where our harvest begins. As the sign of mutable earth, Virgo begins the process of refining and reviewing the achievements of the summer season, the results of the creative energy of Leo and the outwardly focused half of the year. Here in the northern hemisphere, the nights are beginning to draw in and we begin to turn inward as we move towards the Equinox. Virgo is energy evolving, adjusting, reaching for perfection. This is usually a gradual process, with space to process and refine our ideas and how they are manifesting. The chart for the new moon has some close links to the outer planets, with a trine to radical Uranus and a tense sesquiquadrate to transformative Pluto. We may be called to make more drastic or far-reaching changes. This new moon also brings a reminder that we need to actually manifest transformation on a practical, tangible level, actually making changes in our own and maybe even other people's lives. Otherwise, all our talking and writing and making art about the need for change is just scattered energy. Mars is also conjunct the Sun and Moon at the new moon, demanding action. Actions speak louder than words and Virgo is all about manageable action - sourcing our food locally, using reusable instead of disposable. However small these changes may be, they shift our everyday reality, awakening and speaking to our hope for more radical change. Virgo honours the earth and asks how are we serving Her?
During the first week in September there are various earth grand trines forming, with shifting components. The personal planets in Virgo connect with Saturn, Pluto and the South Node in Capricorn and Uranus in Taurus. This energy could manifest in two different ways, or more likely will ebb and flow between them as the planets dance along their paths. Manifestation and the ability to bring our dreams into reality may flow more easily than usual so that everything seems to fall into place and we can see the results of our hard work. On the other hand, the earth signs often resist change and we may find that it's easy to slip into a rut, to resist the need for change, especially if it makes us feel insecure or uncomfortable. At the same time as the flow of grand trines, the personal planets are meeting and parting in Virgo, keeping our feet on the ground and making sure that we are giving service to the earth, to the everyday magic of our lives.
The dynamic between Virgo and her opposite sign Pisces is also activated, with each of the personal planets, in turn, making a dynamic opposition with Neptune in Pisces. Neptune brings a little chaos, a little imagination, perhaps the ability to dissolve barriers and find creative solutions. But Neptune can also be confusing and deceptive and we may need to be careful not to get lost in our fantasies. We can connect to the bigger picture as the personal planets square Jupiter in Sagittarius, reinforcing the need to give service to something greater than ourselves if we don't want to get stuck in that earthy rut.
On the same day as the full moon, 14th September, both Mercury and Venus move into Libra, shifting our focus to the people around us and the way we relate to them. Empathy and emotional awareness are likely to be needed with Saturn meeting the South Node in Capricorn the following day, awakening old patterns of being and bringing the past back to life. We may be challenged to overcome deeply held resistance or break down structures which have held us up for a long time, but which may be holding back our growth. This dynamic is triggered again on September 22nd when Mercury squares both Saturn and the Nodes, and then on the 25th when Venus does the same. New people or ideas may be pulling us out of our comfort zone, daring us to become our most authentic selves. On September 18th, Saturn slows down to move direct after several months in retrograde. We might find that inner changes are beginning to manifest in the outer world or that the way is clear to build the authentic and flexible boundaries which will help rather than hindering our growth. Saturn is the great teacher after all. A square between Jupiter and Neptune on the 21st will help to expand our awareness out of the Saturn boxes, perhaps bringing a new vision to aim for.
The dynamic between Virgo and her opposite sign Pisces is also activated, with each of the personal planets, in turn, making a dynamic opposition with Neptune in Pisces. Neptune brings a little chaos, a little imagination, perhaps the ability to dissolve barriers and find creative solutions. But Neptune can also be confusing and deceptive and we may need to be careful not to get lost in our fantasies. We can connect to the bigger picture as the personal planets square Jupiter in Sagittarius, reinforcing the need to give service to something greater than ourselves if we don't want to get stuck in that earthy rut.
On the same day as the full moon, 14th September, both Mercury and Venus move into Libra, shifting our focus to the people around us and the way we relate to them. Empathy and emotional awareness are likely to be needed with Saturn meeting the South Node in Capricorn the following day, awakening old patterns of being and bringing the past back to life. We may be challenged to overcome deeply held resistance or break down structures which have held us up for a long time, but which may be holding back our growth. This dynamic is triggered again on September 22nd when Mercury squares both Saturn and the Nodes, and then on the 25th when Venus does the same. New people or ideas may be pulling us out of our comfort zone, daring us to become our most authentic selves. On September 18th, Saturn slows down to move direct after several months in retrograde. We might find that inner changes are beginning to manifest in the outer world or that the way is clear to build the authentic and flexible boundaries which will help rather than hindering our growth. Saturn is the great teacher after all. A square between Jupiter and Neptune on the 21st will help to expand our awareness out of the Saturn boxes, perhaps bringing a new vision to aim for.