VIRGO NEW MOON - 20 September 2017

Exact at 6.29am BST, 1.29am EDT

There is certainly a lot of Virgo involved in this New Moon, so there is the potential for some kind of wake-up call that makes us aware of what needs working on in our lives. Virgo is a sign  of transition  that tends to bring situations or experiences into our lives which make us aware of our inadequacies, imperfections or lacks, which then leads to self-analysis, which then leads to seeking a solution, which then, hopefully, forces us to shift in the right direction. The downfall of Virgo energy is that we might analyse so much and make the problem seem so big and overwhelming that we work ourselves into a state of self-doubt, inferiority, panic or paralysis and get absolutely nowhere! The best analogy for this is a giant centipede, with all of its many legs that work as one cohesive system. If the centipede were to worry too much about how one particular leg worked, the whole system would just collapse! This is Virgo. It is the part of us that really wants to do well and to improve ourselves, but can also be very self-defeating because we are trying to attain some impossible standard of perfection and focus on the little details too much. Virgo is very hard on herself indeed, but it is often wherever we are always striving to do better that we are actually doing better than we think.

New Moons are a very potent time in the month, when we have a chance to look within and contemplate what patterns or habits we need to leave behind in the dark of the Moon and what seeds we want to sow for the month ahead. As we are in Virgo season, with the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars all in Virgo, there is a big emphasis on cleansing, decluttering, purifying, establishing healthy routines and “putting the house in order”. Our homes and personal environment are a reflection of our inner state, so if we have let them fall into a state of chaos or disrepair then this is a perfect time to remedy that. As within, so without!  This is a time of tweaking and adjustment, when we attend to our inner and outer temple. Often, however, it is some kind of crisis or wake-up call that actually makes us aware of what is out of balance in our lives. It is so easy to be self-critical or self-defeating in the face of crisis, or to feel persecuted or criticised, or to beat ourselves up for our short-comings, and so often we are our own worst enemies!  However, it is far better to merely see whatever comes up as a gift; a prod from the universe showing us where we need to make adjustments for a better existence.

This is a time when we could become all too aware of what is out of balance in our lives and what needs improving. It is important to harness the energy of Virgo and face whatever comes up with true humility rather than being defensive or self-deprecating. Virgo in its highest form seeks to be of service, in a way that is truly helpful to others rather than in a self-sacrificing or self-destructive way. One of Virgo’s main priorities is finding the right work for ourselves; work that is a reflection of our natural talents, capabilities and is  also useful and aligned with our higher purpose. She is also adept at the art of discrimination and discernment, so this is an ideal time to separate the wheat from the chaff and decide what simply isn’t serving our highest good. This is a time of transition and is the perfect time to put some new, healthy routines in places and to cleanse ourselves, both internally and externally. Mars in Virgo will certainly give us the energy and motivation to do just that, although he might also force us to confront ourselves and be somewhat merciless about our shortcomings and what needs to change. Virgo seeks to humble us and deflate our ego, but in the extreme it can bring humiliation or mortification as we are taken down a peg or two!

Uranus is forming an inconjunct aspect to the Sun and Moon, and this particular aspect also denotes some kind of crisis. Uranus has a sudden, unpredictable quality to it and can cause us to “wake up” in no uncertain terms! Something could happen to shake us up a bit and make us aware of where we are falling short or need to work on ourselves. It may be unsettling, annoying or even a bit shocking, but ultimately Uranus is helping us to snap out of any unhealthy ruts, habits or patterns that are holding us back from growth. Sometimes it takes a bit of a shock to make us aware of where we are going wrong and what needs to change. The Sabian Symbol for Uranus, at 28°Aries, is “A large audience confronts the performer who disappointed its expectations.” which Dane Rudyar describes as “The necessity for mature preparation and self-criticism.” The performer is “made fully aware of having promised – to the many elements of his own personality as well as perhaps to other human beings – more than he was able to deliver. The issue is how to handle this situation. In one form or another, it is an often recurring situation in the life of an individual person. The manner in which it is met determines the individual’s future possibilities of development and achievement.” This symbol has a resonance with Mars in Virgo and brings a sense of being confronted by our shortcomings somehow. It’s up to us how we handle it, however.

The Saturn Chiron square is starting to build again, this being the third in a set of three squares. It is also being activated by this New Moon. The first square peaked on December 28 2016, the second peaked on April 30 2017 and this, the final one, will peak on November 2. This square will force us to face up to old patterns and wounds that have become too solidified, breaking them apart so that we are better able to grow spiritually. Saturn forces us to stand up with integrity and become responsible for all we are capable of, but this could be a painful process. We are being asked to commit to our path and could be forced to face the darkest part of ourselves in order to clear the way.  This is the hardest test because it entails confronting the most painful, buried wounds that we have hitherto been too scared to fully face. We may have dipped our toe in the water, or even gone up to our waists, but now we have to really dive in. If we don’t find the courage to face them once and for all, there is a feeling that we will be stuck where we are and not able to progress spiritually and accomplish what we are here to do in this lifetime. It is a time of reckoning, when we must not be afraid to be vulnerable and do the work necessary to move past these boulders that stand in between us and our highest purpose.

The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon is, at 28° Virgo: “A bald-headed man who has seized power.” Which Dane Rudyar describes as “the sheer power of personality in times that call for a decision. Whether at a religious or at the socio-political and cultural level, there comes a time when obsolescent patterns of order and cultural refinement have to be radically and relentlessly challenged. Catabolic personages emerge to seize power and dictate decisions that alter the structure of society; or within an individual life, an intense urge for cathartic changes mobilises the will, and traumatic decisions are made. At such times, the issue has to be met and, ruthlessly as the power may appear, it must be accepted. With this symbol we face the unpostponable necessity for decision and transformation. Existence is motion. No static formation, however beautiful and inspiring, can remain long unchallenged. Everything bows to THE POWER OF THE WILL – divine, executively human, or Satanic.”

This Moon seems to be calling us to action and forcing us to take a long, hard look at ourselves and see what needs to change. There is no need to beat ourselves up about it, and this isn’t about achieving perfection, but rather we need to decide what we need must do to improve the situation and move, one step at a time, towards a solution. We need to recognise where our biggest block is and truly commit to moving past it, whatever it may take and however painful it might be. It seems as if we will be made very aware of what holding us back and will have no choice but to look it squarely in the face, rather than allowing it to slither back into the background. It looks like we are being given an opportunity to see ourselves more clearly, even though it may be a bit uncomfortable or even shocking. As Rudyar says “an intense urge for cathartic changes mobilises the will”. We could feel a sense of urgency and discontent that propels us to make the necessary change in our lives. However, instead of getting overwhelmed by what we need to do we must remember to simply take one step at a time.

Much Love

Amy

xoxo

Painting: One Step at a Time – Martha Brouwer