September 14 9:40 PM EST
This is an interesting, highly detail oriented new moon that gives us a final opportunity to tie up the loose strings from our summer of deep transformations (thanks to Venus retrograde in Leo) before eclipse season begins with the next new moon in Libra. The big story of the summer was Venus in Leo, which began on June 5th and is STILL there. This is a huge amount of time when we consider Venus normally spends about 3 weeks in each sign. Venus will move on into Virgo on October 8th, after more than 4 months of urging a deep internal re-evaluation of our deepest heartfelt (Leo) desires, needs, wishes, priorities and the level of self-love and self-care we show ourselves in order to align to and create those things in our lives. So this continues to be the dominant backdrop against which the new moon is playing out.
But throughout the summer and this Venus Rx period, there has also been a VERY strong emphasis on the Virgo/Pisces polarity. That is because even as Venus was traversing Leo (and the sun and Mercury as well for part of that time), Mars was in Virgo for most of Venus Rx and Mercury for quite a lot of it. Mars and Mercury in Virgo spent much of the summer opposing the two planets in Pisces, Saturn and Neptune. While Mercury is still in Virgo (retrograde, which we will discuss in a moment) Mars moved on into Libra on August 27th.
What does this all mean? It means that the Virgo themes of discernment, integrity, refinement, selectivity, and efficiency were an important element of helping us with our Venus Leo tweaks, shifts, upgrades, epiphanies and re-calibrations. And this Virgo new moon, and the upcoming lunar month it heralds, is in many ways the concluding chapter of this long story. By the time we get to the new moon in Libra on October 14th (which is a solar eclipse!), there will no longer be any planets in Leo or Virgo and we will be fully immersed in eclipse season and the catalytic changes it tends to usher in. All the more important then that we use this Virgo lunar month to “put into practice” (Virgo loves diligent work, effort and practice) all of the things we have learned and keep ourselves “on track” (Virgo also love routine and consistency) so that we begin to stabilize ourselves with whatever new habits we have been recognizing recently support us in our growth and maturation. It is also VERY interesting to note that BOTH of the eclipses in the upcoming eclipse season (solar eclipse in Libra on October 14th and lunar eclipse in Taurus on October 28th) are RULED by Venus. So again, the more we have been able to ground and stabilize our new Venusian approach during this new moon period, the better poised we will be able to navigate all things related to Venus’ realm of love, money and beauty during eclipse season. And that is exactly what this new moon is helping us to do.
As mentioned, Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, at 8 degrees, during the new moon. And it is highly significant for two reasons. The first being that, as ruler of the sign of Virgo, it is the ruler of the new moon. The second being that it is stationing which means that it is on the EXACT degree where it changes direction. Less that 24 hours after the new moon Mercury goes direct at 8 degrees. But it is very much still retrograde at the new moon. Any time a planet is stationing, however, it appears practically motionless in the sky and asks us to REALLY take notice and pay attention. Another thing worth mentioning is how many new and full moons we have had recently with planets stationing (Jupiter, Venus and Uranus) were ALL stationing at the time of the Pisces full moon on August 30th. So we are being asked to get the message loud and clear about certain aspects of our lives if we can still the external chatter enough to hear. And now, at this new moon, put it all into action.
When Mercury is retrograde it asks us to consider all of the options and possibilities on the table. Sometimes this involves getting “stopped” in some way on the path we were originally on. Hence, Mercury Rx’s reputations for travel disruptions, communication errors, technology malfunctions etc. All of that is true, and all of that could have been playing out since Mercury began its retrograde on August 23rd. But Mercury Rx can be more subtle than that too. It can ask us “Is this really worth it?” Do I really care enough about xyz thing to deal with any logistical issues that may complicate things? Or are these red flags, or subtle hints that maybe there is another path, what this is all really meant to be showing me? Sometimes we don’t pause long enough to realize that we DO have a choice, that we can pivot and change direction, that those things we always “assumed” we wanted or needed or were “going to make happen” aren’t even worth it to us anymore. And again, all of the clarification we got from Venus Rx over the summer put a spotlight on some of those things. So that we can see more clearly and choose more wisely right now, in the present moment.
Venus is at 14 degrees of Leo during this new moon, moving slowly as she picks up pace, having turned direct on September 3rd at 12 degrees Leo. Until October 7th when she emerges from her retrograde shadow zone at 28 degrees (just before entering Virgo on the 8th), she will be re-treading territory she has already been over TWICE this summer: first in her initial pass between late June and late July, then during her (mostly) August retrograde. Now Venus traverses the same degrees one final time direct before moving on.
So yet again we have an opportunity to “see it differently this time” and CHOOSE differently. Virgo’s action is to simplify and IMPROVE things. How can we improve how we are handling each part of our life? Especially perhaps the Venusian parts related to our relationships, finances and self-worth. How can we show up in situations that may have been ‘circling’ since the summer, from this higher more aligned vantage point?
Jupiter and Uranus are our great allies in this process. They are conjunct in Taurus, at 15 and 22 degrees respectively. And they form a gorgeous trine with the new moon at 21 degrees Virgo. Jupiter and Uranus were a HUGE part of the Venus retrograde story as Venus in Leo was squared up to both of the these planets for most of the summer and continues to be. For a much more in depth exploration of the role of Jupiter and Uranus during this entire Venus in Leo period please refer to the full Venus Rx post, but suffice to say that they have been strongly urging us towards breaking free of old limitations (Uranus) and seeking expansion (Jupiter) in places, relationships and situations where we thrive. Jupiter in Taurus (until May 2024) is a beautiful opportunity to plant seeds and begin to cultivate a garden of our deepest dreams and desires, WHEN we are willing to follow through, follow up, and “do the work”. A garden cannot thrive if we allow it to get overgrown with weeds, or if we plant the seeds of what others “think we should do” rather than what we truly desire to tend to and manifest. This is our time to make a stand for what is truly worth our emotional, energetic, physical and financial energy, attention and resources.
Which is exactly what this Virgo new moon is helping us discern and ‘get on track’ with. We can clean out our closets now, physically and mentally. We can do the weeding of our dreams and destinies. We can organize things in such a way that our daily lives are streamlined and more efficient. We can take ACTION on all of these things that have been simmering. Mars is the planet of action and at 11 degrees Libra is well aspected, in supportive sextile to Venus. Again we are ready to act now on that Venusian clarity. And we can do it with the tact, diplomacy and “win-win” attitude of Mars in Libra.
The sun, moon and Mercury Rx in Virgo are, of course, in important relationship to the two planets in Pisces, Saturn and Neptune. Saturn, at 2 degrees Pisces is opposing Mercury Rx. This is a firm reminder to keep our integrity and boundaries strong, and to follow through with our Word. White lies (or downright deception) and lack of accountability and responsibility continue to get “called out” more clearly and forcefully now. Saturn reminds us, as always, that we cannot build anything of value on a faulty foundation.
The new moon itself is opposed by Neptune at 26 degrees Pisces. This can be a cautionary note to remind us to stay in reality in our lives, and out of fantasy. Lower vibrational Neptune muddles and confuses. That will be the challenge now. To make sure we are tuned in to the new perceptions and possibilities Mercury Rx is encouraging, and acting on our new Venus Rx clarity, without veering too much into ungrounded fantasy and losing sight of the practical elements and circumstances at play. Higher vibrational Neptune, on the other hand, is all about profound connection and imagination. Treading the line between what is “realistic” and what isn’t, is personal for each of us. So this IS the time to get in touch with our inner barometer for when Neptune’s inspiration and imagination feels expansive and exciting vs. when it feels ungrounding, overwhelming or reckless.
Our body is a big part of the key to this discernment. Our body will give us clues about if we need to rest and re-group, pause and sit with our new visions before acting on them, or if we are truly in a moment of aligned inspiration. Virgo has rulership of the fine tuned body and its many brilliant mechanisms, and this new moon is indeed a profound invitation to work more closely on paying attention to these somatic signals so we can interpret and act on them accordingly.
And finally, Pluto at 28 degrees of Capricorn is also forming a trine to the new moon. In fact, there is an earth sign grand trine between the new moon, Pluto in Capricorn, and Uranus (and Jupiter) in Taurus! What a blessing. The more we lean into the positive aspects and invitations of this new moon, the more ease, flow and positive results we will see for our efforts. Trines are about ease, and the earth signs are about our physical reality and experience, so things can improve in our situations and circumstances in a big way now. Pluto urges deep change and transformation, and sometimes its methods are harsh, but here, in grand trine, it is showing us how much BETTER things can be on the other side of the work and re-alignment. So if we can trust Virgo, and our bodies, as our guides through this process, step by step, we could be very pleased indeed with the results.
*artist unknown
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