New Moon & Solar Eclipse in Virgo

The New Moon in Virgo occurs in the form of a solar eclipse on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 2:03 A.M. PDT/ 5:03 AM EDT.  This Thursday morning the Sun and Moon align at 9 degrees of Virgo forming the New Moon. This Solar Eclipse New Moon activates the Saturn in Sagittarius square to Neptune in Pisces. This can ignite issues over boundaries and limits, both physical and mental. Neptune in Pisces’ idealism versus Saturn in Sagittarius’ rather dark side creates conflict, backlash, and an urgent sense of needing to alter or block whatever we find in our path. The need at this time is to take both a protective stance to conserve and create peaceful, safe places while dealing with whatever challenges, threats, or conflicts (internal or external) might be raging at this time.

The New Moon in Virgo urges us to take better care of our health, to get our lives organized and in order, and to deal with whatever is in the way of our sense of well being and harmony.  Because Saturn is forming as aspect with fixed star Antares, the classic struggle between good and evil seems to take form in many areas of our lives, including our own thinking. It is a crucial time to acknowledge what our limits are and to establish some new boundaries if we are letting in too much negativity or false doctrines/theology/spiritual practices and ideas.  Find a sense of safety in how you form your opinions and make your choices. Remember to consider what is best for you in your key relationships. Sometimes we find ourselves so concerned for others or for the conditions we find ourselves in that we forget to take care of our basic health and safety needs.

This New Moon in Virgo calls us to use our healing energy and ability to envision and intuit solutions, answers, new pathways in making choices that are bound to affect us deeply for the next 6 months. Use your hands and daily practices (all related to heart chakra desires and the working out of grief, anger, and fear) to create pockets of healing and havens for safety and peace of mind and body. It is a time to bring the spirit into the body by grounding in the present with each task, movement, and decision we are engaged in. Mindfulness is one of the key practices that allows us to align our spiritual and physical energies. Slow down just a bit more, focus on what you are doing, and notice how your thoughts distract you from being present to each task or thought. Bring yourself into alignment through conscious thought and focus.

The Virgo New Moon and the Virgo Sun in 9 degrees are opposite Neptune in Pisces at 10 degrees. This placement can blur the lines between fantasy and reality. We may feel caught up in fantasies or feel our energy taxed and heavy. The exact opposition occurs ahead of the Neptune-Saturn square, and could signal the areas where we are most in need of some protective practices and life-affirming thinking. With Neptune, our spiritual guide, being activated in the square with Saturn, we need to use caution in how we use our power and talents. And we need to be careful about who and what we let into our experience and life. Exercise caution with any power exchange, and avoid pushing yourself or anyone else, beyond the limits. Be like Neptune’s watery element, and let yourself flow around obstacles. Let your energy go where it needs to go, and remember not to try pushing or stopping whatever is immovable in you or in others. The Neptunian element awakens our awareness, yet flows with ease even in dark and difficult places. We can refresh ourselves in Neptunian waters and ideas; we still need to be aware of whatever is blocking, challenging, or obstructing us from being free and whole. Let whatever is allowing you to flow beyond the rocky shore or the places of conflict, take you out of harm’s way.  Avoid pushing back or insisting on changing the course that life is now flowing. Take care of what you can, and let go of the rest. Including, letting go of the feeling you need to fix something or someone.

On Monday, a few days before the New Moon and the Solar eclipse, Mercury and Venus conjunct in Virgo, and then Venus moves into Libra. The heavy earth energy begins to lighten up a bit. We feel somewhat of a relief from how hard we may have been riding ourselves over the last few weeks. We may find ourselves whistling while we work, and taking a lighter approach to even difficult jobs. We feel more like connecting with others for the sheer pleasure of enjoying one another’s company. We’re a little less stressed and nose-to-the grindstone-like.


The Sun is forming a sesquiquadrate to Uranus in Aries. Something completely unexpected may happen  or come to the surface when this aspect happens on Wednesday. It may signal the need to handle something that we had not expected to have to deal with. This comes shortly before the New Moon and the Solar eclipse, and is an indicator of the kinds of situations and energy we need to deal with. View this as preparation or an early warning sign.

On Thursday, the same day as the New Moon and the Solar Eclipse, Mercury stations for her retrograde phase. So along with the New Moon, the eclipse, and the Neptune-Saturn square, we have a slow down in communications and/or a time to reevaluate everything. We are near the start of the Jewish High Holy days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and this signals the start of the Jewish New Year. Using this gateway as a symbolic time to start fresh, take some time to slow down, take care of what needs tending in your own garden and in your own life, and set aside what is no longer working, needed, or appropriate for who you are and what you are meant to do and be. This is a time to examine your purpose in life and a time to decide how you can make whatever changes are needed to clear the path ahead. This week may seem like a lot is coming together or crashing down to be dealt with. The best way to approach a tumultuous or uncertain time is to treat yourself and others with tender loving care.

Support your own health and well being as you refresh and reinvigorate yourself for the journey before you. We are nearing the changing of the seasons. The trees are already beginning to change colors, the days are growing shorter, and the air is feeling more like autumn each day. In the South, the signs of Spring have started for your changes. When it’s time to transform, take some time to honor all elements of life, to find time to be grateful and appreciative of what gifts you have, and remember to let go of what needs to go. Learn from the past, let go of fear of the future, and summon up your courage to move ahead as a stronger, more courageous soul tender. Let love flow through the waters of your soul to seep out in all you do, perceive, and desire.

Full Moon in Aquarius & the Finger of God

Full Moon in Aquarius

On Thursday, August 18 at 5:27 a.m. PDT, the Moon reaches her fullness. While close to an eclipse, it is not quite close enough for full eclipse. This Full Corn Moon highlights  what will grow stronger and become clearer by the Eclipse in September. The Full Moon in Aquarius opposite the Sun in Leo is part of a yod formation called the Finger of God. The finger itself is pointing to the area of our lives where 23-26 degrees of Virgo is located.  Find this area of your chart or life to determine what is vital to pay attention to.

Full moons are the mid-point of each lunar month, and always bring to light the opposing forces of one of the sets of polarities. In this case, the Leo-Aquarius polarity asks us to be mindful of where Leo’s dramatic ‘me’ focus works with or against the ‘we’ version of your perceptions and behavior. Notice which house/area of your life the Leo Sun sits, and where the Aquarius Moon shines. This is the polarity in your life that is calling for greater integration and balance right now. How does this alignment and emphasis affect the way you are living?

This week leading up to the Full Moon, there have been a number of other important aspects. Last Saturday, Saturn in Sagittarius turned direct and is releasing it’s pent up energy. Going back over territory that it first covered when it first entered Sagittarius last year, we are once again given the opportunity to clean up our acts, fix lingering problems, and change our perceptions as well as our behavior. We recently were reminded of what happens when we have not learned our lessons sufficiently. Now we can get a fresh start with the knowledge and wisdom our lessons learned.

On Sunday, Venus in Virgo opposed Neptune in Pisces highlighting the illusions we have about love and other ideals. With clarity we now understand that what we long for and what is are not necessarily aligned. We have to use the materials, resources, and wisdom we have gathered along our journey to keep ourselves from repeating old patterns, trying to fix other people’s brokenness, or living in the realm of wishful thinking rather than appreciation and regard for our own gifts, needs, and capacity to choose what gives us life.

On Saturday, August 13,  Venus in Virgo trines Pluto in Capricorn empowering us in all manner of love-related relationships. We feel stronger, clearer, and more centered in our capacity to love and be loved. We feel less threatened or afraid of losing something which wasn’t our in the first place. Clearing out what has been in the way, helps clear the path for what is meant to be. Getting rid of whatever has been churned up and has been transformed is crucial at this time.

On Monday, August 15 Venus entered  through the gates of change, the North Node in Virgo. This marks the start of a new journey and the end of an old one. A major turning point is taking place. Where is this happening for you? What are you doing to resist this? What are you doing to enjoy the process?


Today, Tuesday August 16, the Moon entered Aquarius. The Sun in Leo trines Uranus in Aries enabling us to take advantage of some unique opportunities as well as taking a more flexible approach to life. We are in for some pleasant changes when we let go of the stringent reins we keep on ourselves. Loosen up a bit and notice where unusual and out-of-the box opportunities are arising.

With so much going on with the planets and positions that have a long-term effect our our lives, this is a pretty powerful week. As we build up to the Full Moon in Leo, the Finger of God yod points us in the direction that we need to balance our energies and resources. The yod includes the Sun in Leo trine Uranus in Aries, and both in quincunx Jupiter in Virgo.The Finger of God is pointing to the area in our lives/chart where 23-26 degrees of Virgo lies. The energy and experiences fueling this yod are indicated by where the Leo Sun and Uranus are in your chart/life.  For example, if the transiting Sun is in the 10th house, T. Uranus is in the 6th, and Jupiter in Virgo is in the 11th house, the purpose of your life (10th house) and your own daily efforts and human energy and power (6th house) points to the area of friendships, involvement with institutions and relationships formed around common goals. If the yod pointed to Jupiter in your first house, that would have an impact of the choices you are making and your public face and reputation. Jupiter in the 2nd house would focus your attention on personal finances and how you value yourself. Jupiter in the third house focuses on all forms of communications, your neighborhood and community, brothers and sisters, and how your are taking advantage of this area of your life. Jupiter in the fourth house highlights your home and how you are honoring the sense of being at home with your life, or not. Jupiter in the fifth house emphasizes creativity, pleasure, relationships with children, and whatever it is you are birthing in life. Jupiter in the 6th house highlights your physical body, daily life patterns and habits, and whatever is affecting your health and wellbeing. Jupiter in the 7th house affects all legal commitment and marriage. This is the relationship sector of your personal life. Jupiter in the 8th house has to do with your reputation in community, other people’s monies, and interests and wisdom that comes from deep, karmic connections and knowledge. Jupiter in the 9th house deals with all higher ideals, higher education, philosophic and religious traditions and training, and all things related to foreign lands and people, including long trips. Jupiter in the 10th house has to do with your life purpose and career objectives. Jupiter in the 11th house relates to friendships formed in institutional and work-like settings. And Jupiter in the 12th house has to do with all things subconscious and unconscious including karma you brought into this life and whatever shadow aspects are still working their way into your awareness.

Whether or not you know anything about where your houses are, you will notice one area of your life in particular that seems to have much promise and where your own beliefs, attitudes, patterns of behavior, or motivation seem to be in danger of hampering. This is probably where you’ll feel a stronger emphasis to pay attention and get out of your own way, Let the good that is coming to you in.

The Full Moon in Aquarius sextile Uranus in Aries and quincunx Jupiter in Virgo awakens us to the nature of our own pain. We may be questioning beliefs we’ve long held or feel that we are finally learning an important lesson from our own woundedness and vulnerabilities. No one gets through life unscathed. Acknowledging the areas of our lives where we feel extra raw and sensitive is vital to our understanding how we must honor and respect our own boundaries and healing. For many this aspect may awaken any abandonment issues that we have, particularly those related to our mothers and mother-figures.  Learning how to nourish, protect, and care for ourselves is key to maintaining healthy self concepts.

The destructive nature, ours and that of others in our lives, has to be acknowledged to be understood. In what ways do we diminish, disapprove, or destroy our essence through self talk or patterns of behavior? What gifts do we overlook, and how do we undermine our own best interests? What are we identifying in others that is a part of our own nature?  Show compassion, forgiveness, and kindness to yoursef as well as others.

The Finger of God that comes with the Full Moon in Aquarius gives us the chance to burn through the false patterns of thought and belief that cause us to live in a world of distortions and false ideologies. This is a sign of coversion, a turning toward a commitment to a new road and a new approach to our life journey. Whatever false idols or faulty thought patterns we’ve been using, now need to be adjusted to be in greater harmony with what is uplifting, life-affirming, and life-giving.

Turn away from what has destroyed you; turn toward what gives you hope, life, and new opportunities to grow, develop, create, and prosper.  For some this may mean that gifts come in surprising packages. The sudden disappearance of someone or something. The sense of feeling on fire or tightly wound. This indicates energy seeking a new channel for release and productivity. Suddenly feeling a rather detached, cool demeanor in the face of conflict or confusion. This comes from a sudden awakening or awareness of what needs to be done and how it needs to happen. Trust your inner truth detector, and use your religious and spiritual practices to help yourself align your inner Truth with the Truth of the Creator. Walk in alignment with what sustains, supports, and frees you to be your. And do it now.

As in all things astrological, experiences from the past tend to set off patterns well into the future. Look for how lessons you have learned over the course of your lifetime are still affecting you and the choices you have today. What needs correcting? What is working well? What small steps can you take to initiate healing and change? What is stopping you? The answer to that question puts you in touch with what is blocking you. Change the course by changing your attitude and by taking a few risks to bring about change.