VIRGO NEW MOON - 17 September 2020

Exact at 12pm BST, 6am EDT

This Moon seems to be encouraging us to practice the art of discernment, which is certainly one of Virgo’s superpowers! The Virgo Sun and Moon are forming an almost exact square to the Nodes of the Moon in Sagittarius and Gemini, asking us to do our best to sift through all of the differing opinions and versions of the “truth” that we are currently being bombarded with. Virgo is very good at separating the wheat from the chaff and discarding anything that doesn’t feel right, and so we are asked to harness our capacity to only let in information that serves our highest good and question anything that seems dubious, false or unhelpful. Virgo also encourages humility and stringent self-analysis, so that we are better able to recognise when our ego might be getting in the way of our search for the truth. Are we too attached to a certain set of beliefs, so that we are unable to listen to or accept other points of view? How might we improve our communication skills so that we can deliver our message in a way that is understood and accepted by others? How can we tell what is truth and what is lies?

Virgo is the sign of healing, self-improvement, self-analysis and humility, and is the part of us that seeks to purify and perfect ourselves. It is a sign of transition, whereby we might experience something that bursts the egocentric balloon of self-importance, forcing us to take a long hard look at what needs to change in order for us to be a better human being. Sometimes a crisis is needed in order to recognise what is out of balance and make the necessary adjustments. This is why so many people have life-changing awakenings when they experience a health crisis that stops them in their tracks and forces them to examine the root cause of the issue. Often what seems to be a terrible thing can also become our greatest gift, changing our lives for the better. Virgo helps us to do the necessary work on ourselves in order to understand the underlying issues that may have caused whatever we might be facing. It helps us to be humble enough to accept higher teaching and accept that there are some things we still have to learn.  

This Moon invites us to recognise what is out of balance in our lives and what we might do to improve our situation and promote healing and a greater sense of wholeness. We are encouraged to practice the art of discrimination regarding what we take in and digest, whether it be food, information, opinions or ideas. This is an ideal Moon to implement new and healthy routines, systems and rituals, and to recognise what is hurting us or impeding growth and simply needs to go. Saturn and Pluto are forming a harmonious trine to the Sun and Moon, helping us to look into the shadows and transform and purge anything that we might usually find it hard to confront. We are invited to look ourselves squarely in the face, without a filter, and decide what is helpful and what is hindering us. As the structures fall, both personally and collectively, what do we choose to keep and what are no longer relevant or healthy for us? How can we look at ourselves kindly yet honestly and own the shadows and the fear and the anger and anything that makes us feel shame? How can we make ourselves more whole and “fill our cup”?

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon, at 26° Virgo, is “A boy with a censer serves the priest near the altar”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The first stage of actual participation in the great ritual of planetary evolution. The individual is “e-ducated,” i.e. led out into the world of transcendent activity, the world of archetypal performance. He must learn to serve, humbly and with intense attention, in what as yet is beyond his spiritual understanding. He learns to perform every action super personally. He learns to PRACTICE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD”. This symbol seems to suggest that some kind of ritual that honours spirit, however small, could be a very good thing to practice right now. A Virgo Moon really is a wonderful time to implement some healthy routines and rituals in our lives that can help connect us to the divine and bring the sacred into our everyday lives, bringing a greater sense of hope. Similarly, this reminds us that even the smallest, seemingly insignificant act, done with pure intention and reverence, can make a big difference. If we act with humility, in the spirit of service to the whole, amazing things can come from the smallest actions.

Speaking of action, Mars is retrograde at the moment and is forming a nagging inconjunct aspect to the Sun and Moon, which could bring up irritability, anger, restlessness, resentment and frustration. We may find that little things niggle, irritate and anger us more easily than usual, but we are invited to look at where the anger is actually coming from. Often we react with anger when we are scared or fearful in some way, or being pushed out of our comfort zone. Sometimes it is because a person or an event has triggered something that is unsesolved or unhealed in us, making us reactive or defensive. Sometimes is it righteous anger or the need to defend someone or something from harm. Sometimes it is because someone has hit the nail on the head and touched a nerve! Sometimes anger comes up before the tears do when someone has hurt us. Mars invites us to be very honest with ourselves and to be willing to work on whatever comes up. Retrograde Mars gives us the courage to really look at what needs to change in our lives and to actually do something about it rather than just talking about it! Virgo New Moons certainly do give us an opportunity to cleanse and purify, and this one is no exception!

Retrograde Mars is also building up to its second square with Saturn, exact on 29 September, the first of which was exact on 24 August. On the one hand this combo calls for us to act with courage and integrity and to be truly accountable for our actions, taking full responsibility for what our gut instinct tells us and what we feel to be right. On the other hand Saturn in Capricorn, representing authority, control, government, tradition, discipline and karma, is at odds with Mars in Aries, representing our anger, courage, independence, instinctual will, capacity to act and fight back. Which of these mighty opponents will win the battle, both internally and externally? While Mars is the part of us that like to march to the beat of our own drum and dislikes being told what to do or think, Saturn can tend to control, suppress, restrict, limit, enforcing rules, regulations and greater compliance. I have written about at this at greater length in a previous post on Mars Retrograde.

Mercury, the planet of Mind and communication and the ruler of this Virgo Moon, is being challenged by Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto. This could make it a bit tricky to see the wood for the trees! Mercury is currently in Libra, the sign of fairness and balance, which could make it a bit difficult to make up our mind one way or the other. This is not helped by an inconjunct from Neptune, exact on 18 September, bringing the potential for smoke screens, obfuscation of the truth and even outright deception. Neptune is very adept at the art of propaganda and “glamour” and is very prominent at the moment as it is squaring the Nodal axis. What might we need to sacrifice for the higher good in order to speak up for what we believe to be right and true? What means can we employ to connect to the truth behind all of the smoke screens? How can we find greater kindness, empathy and compassion when interacting with one another?

With Jupiter in Capricorn square Mercury, exact on the day of the New Moon, there is the potential for much debate or even disputes over beliefs, or being told what to believe by those in authority. Again, fear could potentially be the cause of people disputing over opinions and beliefs, so it is important to recognise when we are being triggered and reacting because we are scared. Jupiter in Capricorn can really magnify or exaggerate fear, and combined with Mercury could spread it around like wild-fire, so it is important to be mindful of our thought processes and behaviour. With Pluto also building up to a square with Mercury, exact on 21 September, there is the potential for cruelty, manipulation, gas lighting and power games in the realm of our thoughts and communication, but also an opportunity to gain greater insight into how our minds and thoughts may being manipulated or controlled. This combination can help us to cut through to the heart of the matter and see what is lurking in the shadows, but it might not be pretty!

Indeed, the Sabian symbol for Mercury, the ruler of the Moon and Gemini North Node, at 18° Libra, is “Two men placed under arrest”, which Rudyar describes as “The breakdown in the constructive relationship between the individual and society, and the expectable result. The individual whose actions introduce unacceptable principles into the established order runs the risk of being “punished” or re-formed according to this order. Negative as the image may seem, one may see implied in it the power in every individual to assume social risks in order to express his convictions or deepest desires. Nevertheless, one thing is needed: facing the consequences”. This symbol is very interesting in the light of the Mars square Saturn transit - the battle between societal consensus reality and authoritarian control (Saturn) and the individual will and capacity to fight back (Mars).

This Virgo New Moon certainly does seem to be inviting us to create some healthy new routines or rituals to help us to connect to spirit and bring the sacred into our every day. It has been said that it takes the length of a Moon cycle to make or break a habit, so that if we start a new routine and keep it up for 28 days then it will then stick. We are helped by a lovely sextile between Neptune and Jupiter, which is building now and will be exact on 12 October. This brings the gift of faith, hope and connection to the divine. Virgo can help us to purify, cleanse and de-clutter, setting pure intentions and creating rituals and routines that help us to replenish our spirit, renew our faith and nourish our soul. This is so very important in these times of turmoil and uncertainty, as it helps us to ground and anchor ourselves somehow, which could be of great comfort. During this Moon Virgo invites us to start as we mean to go on and to practice the art of discernment, letting go of whatever doesn’t serve us and being very mindful indeed about what we allow to take its place.

Much Love

 Amy

xoxo

Painting: Dawn of Hope, by Daniel F. Gerhartz

My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com