A New Moon of Discernment and Breakthrough

The Virgo New Moon in that takes place on September 14th at 6:40pm Pacific Time, later evening to early morning on the 15th for points east including Europe, marks the beginning of the thirty-day lunation cycle lasting to the middle of October. This New Moon at 21º of Virgo brings this sign’s energy of meticulous attention to detail as applied to the subtle nuances of our lives. Surprising revelations and spiritual connection might also be found in this timing, due primarily to the elevated presence of Uranus in this New Moon configuration, where Trickster Uranus lies in a near-perfect trine with the Sun and Moon. There is also a hefty dose of Neptune on offer, as we find numinous Neptune at 26º Pisces perched in opposition to the New Moon.
 
In the latent darkness and wild potentiality of this inspiring New Moon time, we are invited to sow our seeds with an opening awareness to the beyond within us, and as well with great attention to the intricate details of our concrete lives and actual experience, striving for a productive blend. We benefit when we attempt to see, as we distill and prioritize our core values, what the intelligence of life is revealing to us in our current evolutionary stage.
 
In reference to the Virgo symbolism itself, with the Sun, Moon, and Mercury Retrograde all located there. we need to be aware of the flexibility and depth of this sign. Virgo’s element is Earth, and its mode is mutable, so while it has a good dose of the stable qualities of earth, Virgo is also highly adaptable.  Being ruled by Mercury, Virgo is of the mind, and by its mental nature, more protean and changeable than is often given credit in the broad brush strokes of some of the Internet characterizations running around. In a sense, Virgo energy can hold the signature for building a bridge between the intangible realms of ideas and the more practical realms of the material. Virgo also represents the time of the harvest, especially the process of separating the wheat from the chaff. This process of discerning the edible, nutritious parts of the plant from the rest of it is emblematic of Virgo’s gifts, with the symbolic wisdom to see what is of true value and to differentiate what is not necessary to keep and can be sent back to the compost pile. This process requires a meticulous approach, because if there’s a single spot of mold, or a tiny weevil amidst the grain, the whole lot could be spoiled, and thus endanger the health of ourselves and our whole community.
 
As we apply this symbolism to our individual lives, Virgo energy helps us understand the importance of attention to nuance, and to acute discernment over what we do and do not allow into our realm. While it may take extra time and effort to comb through the minute details, it becomes worth it when we reap a fruitful harvest of what we truly desire and value.
 
Uranus making this very close trine to the Sun and Moon in Virgo spells an awakening to the subtlety of our embodied experience. Given it’s a flowing and easeful trine, it could very well bring some innovation and awareness that is readily woven into practice and tangible solutions. Yet Uranus is still Uranus, is known for shock and awe as well as inspiration,  and could just as easily bring along unexpected bumps in the road that are downright disruptive. Uranian disturbances tend to bring the gifts of evolution and liberation, but it usually takes some time to glean the nature of the gift and integrate it into our understanding. Be gentle with yourself and others if there are unexpected twists and turns and keep a keen eye out for the wisdom and breakthroughs that might become available in surprising ways when things just don’t go according to plan.
 
If we now examine the opposition to Neptune in Pisces, we find this subtle influence in the largest sense to be transpersonal, blending and merging our soul level awareness with that of the cosmos, and opening our more conscious awareness to the liminal realms of magic, mysticism, and imagination. Neptune is at home in Pisces, and stronger there. The Neptunian archetype can also correspond to addictive tendencies, delusion, and confusion. The state of our affairs or of the world in general may have us feeling at times like we just want to hit the eject button and escape into a sweet fantasy or avoidant behavior, which is fine in small portions. We will want to keep from getting too fanatically focused on skipping the nitty-gritty details of life that are important to keep tuned to even as we meander in philodophical realms or indulge in daydream. With opposition aspects, the invitation is often to integrate the split, stretching ourselves into holding both ends of the polarity, bridging and weaving the two. You may wish to ask yourself; how can the wild, fanciful flights of imagination actually be in service of the tangible unfolding of your life circumstance? How can attention to detail and nourishment serve your relationship with spirit/universe/the cosmos? With Mercury Retrograde traversing Virgo, and in a wide opposition to Saturn, there is an invitation to re-organize and re-invent our attitudes, approaches, and practices even as we maintain our focus on spiritual connection and life path.
 
Lastly, it’s important to note that Venus in Leo is still recovering from her retrograde in the post-shadow period and is making an unusually long square to Jupiter all the way until September 20th. This brings expanded awareness around our self-worth, values, relationships, aesthetics and finances. Although it may also feel like we are at times magnifying the patterns that keep us from receiving abundance and expressing our true selves, this month-long square Venus to Jupiter has its exuberant side for us as well when we can tune in to it. If you’d like to know the full details on this astrological event, read our earlier article here. 
 
Overall, this New Moon configuration could have us taking leaps and bounds in our growth, with greater access to integrate newfound awareness and lessons in a practical way. In these intense and uncertain times in our world, may we each remember our inherent belonging as a part of a larger interconnected whole, and may we be deeply supported in all dimensions of our wellness and true expression.