Virgo New Moon: September 14
We plant at the place where we began to dig 3 weeks ago, when the Moon renews itself with the Sun at 21°58 Virgo at 9:40PM ET on September 14, the exact degree where Mercury began its retrograde journey on September 23, at the start of Virgo season. Our retrograde Mercury is opposite Saturn retrograde in Pisces at this lunation bridging us into truth that’s beyond the patterns of what we can perceive.
Saturn’s overarching agenda in Pisces’ from March 2023-2026, is to help us trust going with the flow. It’s not an easy premise after the last three years. Virgo's devotion to worry comes from a fear of scarcity. It’s the Harvest Maiden’s responsibility to ensure that there is enough food for the community to be fed well into the future. Virgo relies on its analytical powers to determine if all will be well. Their calculations provide the basis for projection, and, historically, getting it wrong could mean the difference between life and death. Of course, things are not always so dire these days.
Modern technology has moved us away from being solely reliant on whatever we can eke out of the earth to survive. Yet it is still difficult for Virgo to give up a sometimes unbearable sense of responsibility, even if it is making them miserable. And the truth is, we can’t completely forget about environmental conditions just because we can run to the store. The Virgo New Moon is in a grand earth trine with Uranus in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn reminding us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. The outer planets are generational, and while our petty concerns and personal struggles must feel quite specific to us, chances are there are millions of other people experiencing the exact same thing.
Saturn is anchoring us in the Oneness of Pisces, always drawing us back to the source, and never letting us get too far into individuality. It is the perfect antidote to Virgo impulse to withdraw as symbolized by its Major Arcana tarot card, The Hermit (IX). The Hermit represents a time of retreat and reflection. Often depicted as a solitary figure in nature, the woods or top of a mountain, The Hermit is always accompanied by allies, sometimes animal companions, and its lamp of truth. The setting may be dark, representing the mutable quality of Virgo, which, like a broom, sweeps away the busyness of the solar time of year to make way for the quiet of the lunar season that starts at the Equinox. But the Hermit’s lamp is bright, signifying its connection to Spirit.
It is this Source that Saturn in Pisces seeks to bridge us deeper into over the next 2.5 years. There is a natural compliment between the wildly different signs of Virgo and Pisces that facilitates spiritual transformation through Hermit activities such as meditation retreats, spending time in rural areas, immersing yourself in nature, and practicing silence. The purpose of The Hermit’s withdrawal is not simply to benefit oneself. Virgo is the vassal who supports the leader of Leo and takes great satisfaction in being a crucial part of pulling off something grand.
Virgo’s love language is devotion and service. Similar to the archetype of the Wounded Healer, eventually the Hermit is drawn back into the world because the gifts they’ve cultivated are too rich not to share. People go on pilgrimage to seek out the Hermit for guidance. Their wise counsel is offered lovingly from a place of detachment, whether it is the answer people are hoping to receive or not. The Virgo New Moon invites you to step away from whatever crowds your mind and overwhelms your nervous system to listen for messages from the voice within. Notice if it speaks to you about something that needs adjustment. Mars in Libra is pointing out where we need to modify before the Autumn Equinox on September 23.
Saturn is not naive and unlike Neptune is not offering an analgesic escape into Pisces. Trusting the flow is not the same as doing nothing. Its about skill in action that comes from a centered place of peace. Where we are not in anxiety about outcomes or acting from fear. We tune into and when we have a clear message, either on a body, mind, or emotional level, we move from there. This Virgo New Moon offers several prompts: would you actually get less done if you worried about it less; do you actually need anxiety amping you up to run or could you walk and breathe calmly; does whipping yourself into a tizzy accomplish enough to defend depleting your adrenals and upsetting your nervous system/GI? Virgo rules the intestines and abdomen, areas of our body that always need support, especially during this time of year. The increase in food intolerance amongst humans is pointing to a place in the food chain that we need to unravel and revise.
Mercury went retrograde at the start of Virgo season and stations direct at 08°00 Virgo at 4:21PM ET on September 15, just hours after the New Moon. Take a moment at this lunation to survey what’s gone well and what hasn’t over the last three weeks. Notice if the mishaps actually resulted in mayhem. They might have, and if they did, that's a clear indication of where your attention is not just needed, but required. Everything else, release to make room.
Virgo has a reputation for being a clean machine, but they can also fall into perfectionism paralysis. We may neglect areas that need tending because they are not important enough to count. Use the softness of Pisces to let you add some things to your to do list that would make your entire life function better. They will add up and the bounty will unfold at the Virgo Full Moon in Pisces season on February 24, 2024.