New Moon in Virgo
Today’s New Moon falls in Virgo, the sign of purification, mastery, and service. How do you wish to approach these aspects of your life? So often Virgo gets a bad rap, as the fussiest of all signs– the shushing librarian with spectacles perched on the bridge of her nose. But when it comes right down to it, Virgo cares. That stereotypical dour librarian has a sacred duty as steward of an environment in which everyone has a right to sit quietly and absorb the collected wisdom of the world, without disturbance by uncouth ruffians.
This New Moon makes a wide opposition to visionary, dreamy, mystical Neptune in its own sign of Pisces. As the sign opposite Pisces, Virgo seeks to ground Piscean compassion and transcendent inspiration in the everyday. What good is the experience of transcendent unity if we cannot ground that experience in our everyday lives? As the humble servant, a well-integrated, Pisces-touched Virgo helps us to realize that we are both infinite and infinitesimal and the best thing to do is play our small part in service of all creation. Virgo has a knack for drawing up protocols to help us do this. Virgo sees the vision of perfection shimmering on the horizon and, armed with formidable powers of analysis, sizes up the situation at hand. Perfection inevitably lies about as far away as the North Star– but like the North Star, it makes a great guide. Virgo helps us figure out each and every little thing we need to do to move closer toward the fulfillment of the vision.
This New Moon also makes a wide conjunction to Mars, which is in close opposition to Neptune. The gentle, dissolving tides of Neptune can undermine our capacity for directed action. So, the more Virgo prods us to do, do, do in the name of perfection, the more scrambles, vague, and foggy we become. It is best to apply the Taoist philosophy of Wu Wei– effortless action. It is not that we stop doing, but rather ask ourselves, “who is the doer?” When we stop forcing, sit quietly, and allow the energy of the cosmos to pulse through us, the next move becomes clear. [For more on this, see my recent article on Mars-Neptune.]
This New Moon makes a perfect trine to Uranus the Awakener, inviting us to rethink and refresh our approach to everything we consider important and worth fussing over. Because Virgo cares, she often takes things too seriously. Because she is naturally humble, she is often too modest and self-effacing. Virgo can be a martyr, willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of whatever seems important, including other people’s expectations and needs. The Uranus trine invites Virgo to lighten up and go a little crazy. Maybe the dour librarian needs to come have a dance on her desk.
Virgo deals with self-perfection, purification, and mastery on all levels, whether in the realm of mind and body, work, learning, and ultimately in our service to others. Where has your approach grown stale? What new areas in your life would you like to clean up? Uranus invites radical change, helping us to break the shackles that bind our true selves.
Other important aspects today include Mercury trine Saturn, Mars trine Pluto, and Venus square Pluto. Mercury trine Saturn helps us to prioritize, get task-oriented, and take things step-by-step. Meanwhile, Mars trine Pluto may move us to act compulsively. But remember, the Mars opposition to Neptune, discussed above, calls for effortless action. Given the combined influences of Pluto and Neptune with Mars, physical exercise and energy practices are crucial. If you find yourself getting tense, scrambled, or exhausted as you tackle your tasks, go outside for a walk, run, or swim, or do a session of yoga or qigong. Cumulatively, these planetary aspects ask us to stay aware of how we are applying our energy, to apply it carefully, and to shift gears when needed. Virgo is the sign most attuned to the mind-body connection, and when we find ourselves too much in the mind, or too wrapped up in duties, then the body revolts. Give the body what it needs: movement and the right amount of good food.
Venus square Pluto brings us to the last piece of the puzzle. Filtered through the lens of the Virgo New Moon, this aspect asks us to consider how we may compulsively abase ourselves before others out of a lack of self-worth and fear of rejection or abandonment. When we put others’ needs before our own, resentments brew. Venus-Pluto digs up all the dirt around relationships, their hidden power dynamics, and lurking resentments. In doing so it helps us purify and transform our modes of relating, and ultimately our sense of self-worth. Beyond this, it helps us tap into the deeper flow of our desire and challenges us to find ourselves worthy of fulfillment. Venus-Pluto guides us to taste the essence of life, to feel the power of pleasure, to eat the pomegranate and let its juice run down our chins. Perhaps the dour librarian must take a lover?
Sign up for the mailing list to receive more free content and special offers on classes and counseling. http://eepurl.com/hFAEqj
Alex Stein is a 21st century internal alchemist, combining archetypal astrology, depth psychology, meditation, breathwork, music, and science-based tools to facilitate deep transformations. Learn more at https://www.twentyfirstcenturyalchemy.com/
