New Moon in Virgo (8/27/22)
A New Moon is a time to plant seeds– to turn a new leaf, or at least move to the next paragraph. It is a good time to look within, remind yourself that it’s always an inside job, and inquire as to what you need. With this New Moon in Virgo, it is time for an adjustment– a realignment of your being and doing natures.
Virgo is seen as fussy, boring, anxious, obsessive, overly-analytical. It is common to see the phrase “poor Virgo” in astrological writing. True, Virgo can be an uncomfortable energy. This is because it is the energy that wants to improve things– Virgo shows us what is wrong with everything so we can fix it. But, if we can see past the stereotyped foibles, and relax our judgments when operating in Virgo mode, we might see the power that Virgo can bestow: purification, mastery, and service. Purification, not as holier-than-thou purity, but as poison-removal. Mastery, not as control, but as balanced skillfulness. Service, not do-gooder-ness or servility, but as the natural expression of mastery and the humility that it brings. When we live in attachment and aversion, Virgo can be miserable. Everything seems difficult. But as we relax into the process of things, letting our goals be nothing more than guides, Virgo begins to make everything easier.
Mastery is freedom.
Consider what it takes to play music, make art, dance, or cook. These are all forms of creative expression. Expression at its best is spontaneous– that’s Leo’s department. But as every creative person knows, without sufficient technique, your capacity for expression is limited. You don’t need perfect technique to be a good artist– technique is not the point. But you do need just enough technique to satisfy your particular muse. Otherwise, your inspirations will never find their outlet. Virgo helps you develop the technique to go from inspiration to execution.
This idea extends to all dimensions of life. There can be a technique to everything. Living itself is an artform. And if you want to live a truly beautiful life, you must call on the power of Virgo at one time or another to develop the right technique to express your spirit fully. Truly living involves the right balance of skill (Virgo) and letting go (Virgo’s opposite sign of Pisces). You’ve got to know what works for you and what doesn’t, and try as much as possible to put the right systems in place without obsessing about it. When you strike that balance, you can truly flow. Like a Taoist master, you move effortlessly with the currents of life, having mastered the technique of aligning to helpful forces and getting out of the way.
Bet you weren’t expecting me to equate Virgo with flow, but there it is!
As this New Moon squares Mars, this is a good time to consider a new approach to how you deploy your energies and react to triggers. The alignment of Sun, Moon, and Mars can be stressful and reactive. But Virgo’s ready to help you troubleshoot. This is especially useful if you are feeling shredded from the recent high voltage alignment of Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and the Lunar Nodes around the last Full Moon. Maybe you need more exercise. Maybe more rest. Maybe you need a project. Maybe you need to stop trying so hard. Lay your identifications aside and look with curiosity at what bothers you: “hmm, what is this? And this? How does this work?” Mars is one of the classical malefics, or “evil” planets. This is not because it is evil in its nature, but because we easily mishandle its energy. If you are prone to stress, irritation, bursts of anger, or if you suppress anger to the point that you never feel it, it is time to take a look at your relationship to this planet. Doing this will bring a new level of mastery to your life and a new sense of ease.
As an astrologer, writer, teacher, and coach Alex Stein helps people to discover just what their consciousness is capable of. Weaving together practices from ancient and modern traditions, both Eastern and Western, Alex helps people let go of their limitations, discover powers they did not know they had, and open up to whole new dimensions of experience and manifestation. Alex lives in Benicia, CA and is currently pursuing a PhD in East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco.
