New Moon at 11° Virgo on September 2nd at 7:56 PM MST
Sabian Symbol: A bride with her veil snatched away
A Virgo New Moon on the surface seems lackluster, dour, and generally quite boring. Virgo is associated with putting your head down and getting to work; it doesn’t particularly like having fun and will often look down on anyone trying to enjoy themselves. So, in this sense, the New Moon here can seem like a vibe-killer. However, after the killer month we had in August, this lunation is a welcome breath of fresh air that delivers us from the chaos and initiates a time of useful reset and getting our lives back on track. We’re not entirely out of the woods yet with the intense energy that will be stirred up on the mutable axis, but at the very least we can think more clearly and strategize about how to move through this next lunar cycle.
This syzygy is ruled by Mercury, who is now finally direct and moved on from his station degree of 21 Leo. Mercury’s improved condition means that we are (hopefully) moving forward and making good choices at this reset. Ideally, we used the retrograde to learn and incorporate lessons around effective self-expression and now we can be more explicit with our intentions. This New Moon is a great time to take new steps without the fear of possible reversals and need for correcting our mistakes. New Moons are excellent times to set intentions for the next lunar cycles (2 weeks ahead and 6 months ahead) and now we can do so with confidence that we have all the necessary information we need at this time. That being said, there are three challenging events going on during this New Moon that will test our emotional resilience and stability.
As the Moon gets renewed by the Sun, she’s also approaching an opposition to Saturn Rx in Pisces. We are likely going to want to isolate, feeling an urge to withdraw into ourselves and then get upset when people aren’t reaching out to us as much. This moment of loneliness is fleeting, but it can feel overwhelming. The best thing to do here is take it all in stride and remind yourself that even if you crave closeness to others, your solitude can serve as a way to bolster your relationship to yourself. Mars in Gemini is near to perfecting his square to Neptune in Pisces at the anaretic degree (29—which just means it’s even more concentrated than usual). This aspect is going to make us feel exhausted and not up to do anything practical. Feeling a lack of vitality here can quickly slip into feeling inadequate somehow, or even regretful of past mistakes. Neptune has this effect where we get carried away with our delusions and we tend to make up stories about ourselves based on feelings, not facts. The best way to deal with this is to remove pressure on yourself to accomplish lots of things and just get comfortable confronting your own psyche for the time being. Venus is approaching a conjunction to the South Node in Libra, which will perfect on September 3rd. We are likely going to suffer some losses or feel significantly disappointed here, but it is possible to mitigate this by practicing and embodying detachment. Detach yourself from your desired outcomes and you won’t feel loss, you’ll only gain transcendent wisdom. What makes this conjunction so interesting is that it’s taking place in Libra, which is the sign Venus rules; so, the ruler of the South Node (since the SN’s been moving through Libra) is meeting it in her domicile. This is relatively rare and will not occur again until 2032 when the South Node is transiting Taurus, the other sign of Venus’ rulership. In Libra, Venus is bringing an opportunity to really understand the nature of balance, partnerships, and values and how we can cultivate greater satisfaction in and appreciation of life despite not getting what we want.
Over the next two weeks before the Full Moon in Pisces we have a few notable transits that will introduce new themes into our lives, continue to test us, and bring closure to what happened over the last few months.
September 4: Mars ingresses into Cancer and our energies will be directed toward a new set of goals or problem sets. Mars in Cancer is going to motivate us to develop our emotional integration, which is a painful yet deeply rewarding process. Our feelings are going to be at the forefront of our lives, which could result in passive aggressive behavior and general pettiness, but for those who can gain control over the emotional core, you’ll upgrade this part of your life. The good and bad news of all of this is that Mars will be transiting Cancer for the next 7 months (with a brief stint in Leo). Ample opportunity to process and work through the part of our lives that Cancer rules over.
September 7: Mercury (direct) in Leo squares Uranus in Taurus. This is the third and final time we’ll have to go through this difficult transit—the first time was on July 21st, the second was when Mercury was retrograde on August 17th, and now Mercury is direct again and on the last leg of his trip. Both of these planets are mischievous tricksters (Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury, and shares many of his qualities) and it is best to be as flexible as possible, try not to make any plans for the day because they will get disrupted and it will lead to aggravating frustration. Experiencing this square three times in a season is not pleasurable, but think of it like taking the final test after a series of practice exams. You know the answers, trust the process.
September 8: Sun in Virgo opposes Saturn Rx in Pisces. Another difficult transit, this opposition is going to take a toll on how we relate to the important people in our lives. We are going to feel like there’s an unbridgeable gulf between ourselves and our loved ones, and, if we aren’t careful, this feeling of distance could overwhelm us to the point that we withdraw completely and alienate everyone around us. When dealing with Saturn it’s always best to give ourselves fully to our responsibilities and obligations because the work that Saturn assigns to us will always lead to greater strength and self-improvement. If you get ahead of yourself trying to connect with people you feel distance from, you could overcorrect and end up burning bridges. So just lay low.
September 12: Sun in Virgo squares Jupiter in Gemini. This is one of the rare occasions when a square aspect can have positive effects. Jupiter, the Great Benefic, is providing confidence in our ability to get things done and achieve all the things we want. There’s a risk here of getting too arrogant and self-righteous that might cause us to make enemies, but the way to mitigate this is to put effort into seeing the other person’s point of view. The interesting thing about this square is that it’s within 5° of a T-square formation with Saturn, and right before it perfects, the Moon will oppose Jupiter, creating a Grand Mutable Cross. It’s an excellent time to get curious about what changes we’re being called to make in our lives.
September 15: Venus in Libra trine Jupiter in Gemini. This is the best transit of the month of September and we are going to feel such relief when it happens. The first two weeks of the month we felt like it was a chore even to just talk to other people, but now all social interactions are going to be easy and highly enjoyable. We are finally emerging.
I understand that in August everything felt like it was going wrong, there was so much tension and we met insurmountable challenges. But I’m telling you now that this new lunar cycle is inviting you into a moment of self-reflection that will give you the all the answers you need on your quest to getting everything you’ve ever wanted. It might feel painful, but the pain is temporary. The feeling is more like the burning sensation you feel when you’re working out. This moment requires endurance, for it is ultimately a strength building moment.