Virgo Sun, Sagittarius Moon: First Quarter Square

In Flight                                                                                Catherine Al-Meten

Friday, August 24, 2012.  The Moon in 1/48 degrees of Sagittarius made its first quarter square to the Sun In Virgo at 6:54 PDT. The Moon, in the last degrees of Libra, turned Void of Course on the afternoon of August 22 (12:14-12:54 PDT; 3:14-3:54 EDT). 

VOC refers to the time when a planet, star, or in this case, the Moon is in the last degree just before it enters a new sign. With the Moon, VOC is felt more deeply than other heavenly bodies, for two reasons. One, we feel it physically and emotionally as we are connected to the movement and energy of the Moon like the tides.  Secondly, our Moon is closer to the  to the Earth and its orbit is complete in a sign every  2 1/2 to 3 days.  It is often suggested to hold off on making decisions or trying to get chores done during this time. Great time for a nap though!

While new moons signal beginnings, new plans, and setting forth on a journey, the first quarter square builds up energy that often creates chaos or crisis (real or imagined), concern and doubt about how things are going, or simply finds us checking to make certain all our ‘Ts’ are crossed, and our ‘Is” are dotted. It’s a good thing to monitor our progress as long as we don’t create problems where there are none, and use our concern as rationale for not taking necessary steps. We do come to a greater understanding of how our choices, actions, and behavior affect others as  first quarter moon in Sagittarius squares the Sun in Virgo.

The Sun has traveled through Leo since July 22. On August 22, the Sun entered the Earth sign of Virgo where it will transit until September 22. Our focus now shifts from the powerful, creative fire sign energy of Leo into the more subtle, detail-oriented sign of Virgo. I for one, look forward to this as I find it’s easier for me to make progress on the detail work  of projects.  There is a tendency for us to be more analytical in whatever area of our lives the sun is transiting. In general, there’s a sense of “getting down to business” about Virgo transits. Whether or not it’s also coupled with the start of an academic year, the gradual change of the seasons, or our passage through the gates of Virgo, this is a time of the year when we gather together the fruits of our labor, and begin to put the pieces of our lives together in a way that gives it shape, form, and structure. At approximately 11:06 Pacific Daylight Time,  the Sun entered Virgo on August 22. 

In very Virgo-like fashion, we begin to organize ourselves, our homes and offices, and our relationships and social lives to get organized, to make new plans, to wrap up loose ends and finish old business, as we begin to envision how our plans are unfolding. It’s also a time when we put into words our expectations, intentions, and desires. We all have Virgo influencing some area of our life. Notice which house in your chart is the home of Virgo, and this will give you an indication of how Virgo influences (and has done so throughout your life).  For example, my Moon is in Virgo, the realm of my emotional life.  For me, this makes it an emotional necessity for things to be in order before I can take care of business. 

Often considered a difficult aspect, oppositions like squares and quintiles, can be a source of strength and energy when we learn to work with them.  Wherever Virgo is in your chart, notice over the next month how you might be using your analytical skills to evaluate and discern situations, conditions, and relationships. It’s a good time to look at all sides of a situation, as long as you don’t find yourself becoming too critical or obsessed to the point where you become afraid to take a necessary risk or or make a much-needed change. 

The transit of the Sun in Virgo brings with it the mutable Virgo energy and the focus on communication. Virgo’s ruler, Mercury, the archetypal messenger and ruler of communication. Virgo loves to get to the heart of all forms of communication.  People with the Sun in Virgo are generally hard-working and responsible. Somewhat self effacing, Virgo will promote others through their gifts and service, rather than seeking a spot on center stage. This of course, depends upon other aspects. The Sun represents the prevailing force and energy of our personalities. With the Sun in Virgo, our curiosity is stimulated. We become more aware and attentive to what makes others “tick”. We want to know other people on a deeper, more dynamic level. We are curious about what makes our relationships work and what is keeping us from fully engaging in connections. We may question  how our perceptions affect the ways  we are perceived and understood both in our relationships, and in our own sense of who we are and who we want to become.  A very introspective time in one sense, but also a time when we value our relationships (and our intuition, dreams, insights about those relationships) for what they can reveal about our true self. 

We may seek to become more self sufficient while still maintaining our ability to  communicate and connect with others with greater intensity and understanding. As the Sun transits Virgo, some of the qualities of Virgo become more predominant, providing a very intellectually stimulating time. It’s a time we may take a greater interest in our personal appearance, hygiene, and well being. A time when we place greater value on quality over quantity, it’s also a great time to sort through (physically and metaphysically) our closets.  It’s easier during this period to see what is no longer relevant or necessary for a healthy life. We can get rid of possessions, challenging situations, poor patterns of behavior and relationships because we are much more able discern what is truly life-affirming  from what is not.  

We will feel more compelled to put order into our lives during this transit, and will find that once we clean off our desks, clear out our files, and let go of that which holds us back or drags us down (work, relationships, living situations, quality of life issues, obsession with the past or worry about our future security needs), we will have an abundance of energy and increased focus and concentration to get things accomplished. It’s a great time to improve our diet and eating habits, to get back on track with our exercise routine, sleep regimen,  or personal habits and hygiene.  Consider eliminating anything that is toxic to your personal, psychological, mental, emotional, and spiritual being. Channel the energy you have spent on unhealthy practices (smoking, too much of anything, alcohol, carbs, sugar...whatever you do too much of) into more constructive and active pastimes. Consider working on those types of pastimes that require more attention to detail as the energy available to us now, and it’s a good time to develop some new patterns that serve you better. 

Mercury has been in Leo since June 25  making our dreams and goals grand.   It is still a good time to be thinking of the expression and creative focus we would like to use to enhance some of the projects were working on.  Storytelling, speech writing,  writing lyrics and composing as well as  other creative modes of expression, are favored while Mercury remains in Leo until August 31. We   are persuasive feel more  confident than we normally do. It is important that we listen to what others are saying right now, and this may be difficult because our inner  voices, our imagination, personal excitement and our feelings continue to generate an abundance of  good ideas which we feel like sharing.   A good idea to capture some of this excitement you may be feeling is to write down some of your ideas so you can work with them later and share them when they have been more thought out.

Since August 7 Venus has been in Cancer  where she will stay until September 6.  On August 21, Venus came into conjunction with Mars causing us to feel that we had to figure out how to handle relationship issues NOW! In relationships (personal and business) we struggle between 2nd Chakra concerns and 3rd Chakra concerns. Our second Chakra relates to how we interact with one another while our third Chakra relates to our own personal power and identity.  In cultures where our lives are not quite as prescribed as in more communal and traditional cultures, we struggle more in trying to figure out where we are rooted (1st Chakra=who are we and where do we belong), and we tend to do this more  at the level of the 2nd and 3rd chakra interplay.  How do we balance out our personal sense of self worth, identity, personal power, and trust with the myriad relationships we are expected to fulfill (family, work, friends, society, the natural world).   This conjunction,  which has an effect right before and right after the exact conjunction, calls into play the uniting of masculine and feminine both within ourselves and within our lives with others. 

Venus is currently at   14° 37 min. Cancer),  so you might want to check that area of your chart and see how it affects your natal planets, your progressed planets, and that particular area of your life. Jupiter entered Taurus on the 17th of May, 2012, and will complete its passage in Taurus on the 31st of May, 2012. Jupiter takes approximately 12 years to cycle through all the constellations that are comprised in the zodiac. That signifies a 12-year cycle of abundance, good fortune, and other auspicious conditions in each area of your life.  When you hear someone make statements like, “I have Jupiter in my chart,” they probably don’t understand that we all have Jupiter somewhere in our chart. It resides in one particular place from our birth (natal placement), and then the transits of Jupiter affect our lives in 12 year cycles. 

This 12 year cycle began about two years ago when Jupiter was in Aries, so looking at your chart, you can determine when the Jupiter transit will aspect different areas of your life. Jupiter. Jupiter is the archetypal ruler of children, wealth, all areas of power and influence, higher education and religious and philosophical thought and ideals. Physically, Jupiter rules the circulatory system, the liver, arteries, thighs, neck, and health issues related to this system (cholesterol, blockages, diabetes, weight issues, buildup of toxins). Classically, Jupiter was thought to increase our appetites, making us overindulge.  You might consider how Jupiter’s entry into Aries has stimulated your appetites. Vedic astrology considers Jupiter the most beneficent and auspicious of all planets, but of course it depends upon what part of your chart/life it falls.

 A very benevolent aspect occurred  on Tuesday when Mercury sextiled Jupiter.  Mercury   at 13° 33 min. of Leo and Jupiter  at   13° 33 min. of Gemini formed an aspect signifying  communication of good news, abundance, and good fortune.   Depending upon where this fell  in your own chart and life, this aspect indicates the giving or receiving of  good news and/or learning about good fortune coming your way. You may hear about this or get a response about something you received or sent out at that time. 

On August 23, 2012, Mars left Libra. We have just completed a cycle where we may have discovered how to temper our impulsiveness (or learned lessons about where we need to do so) by using more of our charm, persuasion, or a more adept debater. Mars’ normal take charge archetype was transiting the sign of Libra which entailed learning a bit more about how to balance the more challenging, assertive, and sometimes dominant tendencies of Mars in order to learn how to play more fairly with our partners. It may have been very difficult for some whose strong Aries tendencies were more or less pushed through a sieve in order to learn that even though we may not want to act decisively or take more responsibility for our actions, we need to make changes in such a way that we don’t trample over others or resort to passive aggressive behavior, both shadow aspects of Mars in Aries. You may notice how this archetype affected whatever area of your life you find Aries. 

Mars now in the early degrees of Scorpio, ushers in a new kind of energy. Our active and energetic focus goes underground, diving into the depths with one aim--to get what it wants. We become more single-minded and determined in whatever areas are of greatest importance to us. Where we may have been weighing possibilities, without every being able to make a decision, now we know precisely what we want and we set about to obtain it. We are more aware of what others are not saying as opposed to what they are saying (in actions as well as words). Situations, conditions, and relationships may now reach a point of conflict and crisis. We now seem drawn to the deeper more emotional exploration and transformation of our lives in order to discover deeper fulfillment and meaning. 

Where we might have been forced by Mars’ transits through Virgo and Libra to put a lid on our emotional and physical expressions, we now operate from the depths of our psyche and are determined to bring into force, the actions we have longed to take. We move from a point of sustained and in-depth transformation to a point of weighing all choices, options, and possibilities...all with an eye to understanding who we really are, what we really need, and what we really must do and be in order to live out our soul purpose. Now Mars’ entry into Scorpio impels us from within, to act on our dreams, desires, and destiny. Mars in Scorpio, according to astrologer Dane Rudhyar, is about “communion and faith.” Communion, meaning becoming one with All including being whole within ourselves,  and Faith being the ability to act, believe, choose, and move from a point of trust that you are equipped with what you need, and the way will be shown. By now we have been tested, tempered, and dragged through whatever inner and outer experiences and awakenings we have needed to prepare for the next part of our journey. 

As Saturn slowly creeps through the last few degrees of Libra, we have either done one of two things. We’ve finally surrendered to the truth of what we know of ourselves and the world we’re in, or we are still trying to make the world fit our ideal of what it should be. Mars in Scorpio reminds us to experience, understand, and accept life (ourselves, others, situations, conditions) for what they are, not what we’d like them to be. And then our actions should fit accordingly. Stay or go, but know that if we fail to face the truth of ourselves or others, or if we think we can continue the journey in spite of who we are or who or what we’re connected with, we will be responsible for whatever we have created. By now, that is either evident to you, or you’re still fighting it.  Look at the lessons of Saturn’s  arduous and challenging passage through Libra, and discern for yourself what the real major lessons have been for you. For one thing, the lessons are not about what’s wrong with the “other” (whoever/whatever that is perceived to be). The lessons are about who we are and how we choose to change in order to live out our life purpose, to honor the gifts we have been given, and to serve  and take on our role as part of the Creator’s ongoing Creation.

While the conjunction of the Sun, Venus, and Mercury earlier in the week brought a slight improvement of the economy of the world, Mars’ entry into Scorpio and Saturn’s transit through Libra coupled with the Moon in Sagittarius’ first quarter Square to the Sun in Virgo may reveal deeper rifts that are causing  the final throes of economic and political situations that have become unviable, decayed, and more obviously inequitable than is possible to hide from the view of people wherever they are. The Mars’ energy that is unleashed at this point, is still somewhat held in check as Saturn makes this final passage before October 6th.  Scorpio represents the truth of life, that which we cannot run away from. Scorpio is courage of the heart...to act and be who we are because we have no  choice in the matter. 

We  can play games in our minds to attempt to repress our true nature and needs, but the more deeply we move into the realm where our passions (Mars) and the courage (Scorpio) meet, the less willing or likely we are to do so. Between now and October 4-6, we are preparing for a major change in our personal and collective journey. We tell the stories of our lives through the way we live. I had a conversation with a friend last night. We were talking of war. I said that I believe, and have believed my whole life, that we need to end war as a means of solving problems, finding meaning, and communicating. It is too destructive. Her response was that “We have always had wars, and we always will. It’s our human nature.”  I believe this is what faces each of us, personally and as a whole.  We have the choice to tell our stories differently. We can choose to change our actions so that they express our higher, greater, and more creative qualities, or we can continue being in conflict over land, power, rights, resources, control, and domination. We are all fortunate to live now, and to have some choice in the way we live our lives, some of us more than others, but we can communicate and we can take small steps wherever we are to live from our hearts instead of living for power over and domination.

The next few months are crucial to our Planet Earth, and we can create a shift in how we communicate and treat one another. We have many wounds to heal and much brokenness to mend. If we each start now where we are, we have a chance to become the blessed peacemakers. 

Today, August 24, the Sun is at 1/50 Virgo, the Moon is at 2 degrees of Sagittarius, Mercury is at 16 degrees of Leo (still exchanging and opening up to creative ideas, energy, messages, and opportunities). Venus is in 16 degrees of Cancer, emphasizing our needs and conflicts over security in love, romance, relationships with children, and anything that makes us feel more safe, secure, and at home with ourselves and those we love.  Saturn is in 25/34 Libra, and will be completing this transit in early October. A time of culmination....final tests, lessons learned, opportunities to shape the way we move forward hopefully with healthier, stronger, and more intentional ways of perceiving, understanding, discerning, behaving, and caring for our selves and those we have commitments with.  

Neptune and Chiron (Wounded Healer) are both in Pisces, moving out of conjunction with one another. We have passed through a period of time when we have received deep healing, insight, intuitive awakening, and a somewhat treacherous and difficult journey through our shadow (undeveloped, unhealed, and undiscovered inner realms of consciousness).  Pluto in 7 degrees of Capricorn, continues its transformative work in whatever area of your life is undergoing this transit. It continues to be activated by different aspects with Mars and other planets, and will for a long time to come. Jupiter, in 13 degrees of Gemini, indicates that where we have often looked for good fortune, is no longer where we find it. Expect the unexpected.  The north node (the gateway to the future) is at 0 degrees of Sagittarius. At its initial point in a fire sign, we can anticipate changes happening rather quickly, ushering in whole new ways of living, perceiving, and opening us to new dimensions of ourselves.  Embrace the goodness, look for affirmation of life through whatever you do, and surrender to the power and grace of the Divine working in and around your through all of Creation.