Mercury retrograde in Virgo ☿ ♍︎

DOING THINGS RIGHT VS. DOING THE RIGHT THINGS

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“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.”
-Khalil Gibran

Mercury Guardian of Thresholds
A liminal deity is a god or goddess who presides over thresholds, gates, or doorways; a crosser of boundaries. In roman mythology Mercury is the messenger of the gods and guide of the dead or psychopomp. His Greek equivalent is Hermes who is associated with omens, roads, travellers, border crossings, thievery and merchants. Dual in nature, he is the eternal youth, puer aeternus and the old man senex messenger to the dead. [1] The patron and benefactor of highway bandits, thieves, rogues and liars. He is jester, trickster and magician. He mediates between waking and dreaming, between the underworld and the world of mortals – bringing fateful tidings.

Think twice before you speak
The modern pop-culture interpretation of Mercury retrograde is often one of doom and gloom where anything that goes wrong is blamed on Mercury. Missed connections, delays in travels, breakdown of electronic, mis-communication and objects disappearing are amongst the plethora of beliefs associated with its retrograde. While this is partially true, it is a generalisation that has become the norm. We need to look beyond these minor annoyance to understand where and how the trickster might be playing with us. Studying the sign in which the retrograde will take place helps us diagnose the ways in which a particular Mercury retrograde will manifest.

Mercury Retrograde in Virgo
Mercury in the sign of Virgo is associated with good judgment, intellectual ingenuity, flexibility and the overall ability to analyse and implement things in a practical way. It brings order to chaos by sorting details and making it into a coherent system. Taking to the extreme, Mercury in Virgo becomes, hyper-critical, obsessive-compulsive and nit-picky loosing itself in trivial details. Mercury in Virgo finds its exaltation here and holds rulership by sign which means it is essentially dignified. He also has rulership by face on the last 10 degrees of Virgo (21º-30º) where he will spend a good part of this retrograde. (The retrograde takes place between 14 and 29 degrees of Virgo) Assessing strength and dignity is an important part of analysing how a planet will perform in each sign. Since Mercury in Virgo finds itself in essential dignity and ruling over the last 10º degrees of Virgo the adverse effect of the usual retrograde might be tempered by the fact that Mercury is quite potent here. Without overriding completely the circumstances that a retrograde can cast we might be able to use this time to our advantage.

‘Totally Intent Upon Completing An Immediate Task, A Man Is Deaf To Any Allurement”
Sabian Symbol for 29-30º of Virgo

When wick and oil are clean
A good rule of thumb during a Mercury retrograde is to practice your ”RE”: revise, re-organize, re-tool, re-group, re-think et cetera. Sure it might be more difficult than usual to initiate new projects and travel from point A to point B during a retrograde. But Mercury retrograde in Virgo is a fantastic time to get your various project and ideas in order. Greasing the engine, polishing the silver, cleansing the systems. A good part of the month could be spent analysing what we are doing. Are we being efficient with our attention or are we wasting time focusing on the wrong things? If you do something “right,” but it’s the wrong thing to do, your efforts will be futile. If you do the “right thing,” but you do it wrong, you’ll also fail miserably.

Thoughts could seem very black and white well into September with the Saturn/Neptune square in the background. With Mercury retrograde in Virgo adding to the noise we could feel overwhelmed by responsibilities one moment and extremely focused on our work the next. Do not overload your plate at the risk of driving yourself crazy. But do not abandon your ship either. Rest your nerves when you can and focus on one task at a time. See the process for what it is and listen for the cues. Your attention is currency. Spend it wisely. 

“There is nothing quite so useless,
as doing with great efficiency,
something that should not be done at all.”
― Peter F. Drucker

Overview of the Mercury Retrograde in September

August 30 2016: Mercury station retrograde at 29º04′ Virgo at 9:04am (EDT)

September 1, 2016:
New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 9º21′ Virgo at 5:04am (EDT)

The potential of Ordinariness
The eclipse happens two days after Mercury begins its retrograde. Mercury is the guardian of this New Moon and Solar Eclipse.  The fact that Mercury is moving backward is significant. It could be that the events and realisation surrounding this eclipse will be implemented much later into the Fall. A New Moon is a seeding time. A New Moon in Virgo is a good time to set intents around the logistics and systems in our lives and the various process that helps us be efficient. A New Moon in an Earth sign is asking for tangible and realistic goals.

A New Moon AND Solar Eclipse is a powerful reset. If you are born with personal planets between 4 and 14 degrees of the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) this New Moon and eclipse could impact you more strongly. If you have invested your time and energy wisely, this period could open new doors, bring unforseen opportunities, new beginnings or a confirmation that you are on the right path. There could be a tendency to take on a big work load. Discard the superfluous from the essential and divide your time accordingly. As usual with this much Virgo in the sky the feelings of anxiety and inadequacy could creep up. Discard guilty and damaging self-talk, plant the proper thoughts and be present.

September 2, 2016:
Mercury conjunct Jupiter at 28º04′ Virgo

Small Pot – Stunted Roots
Jupiter is finishing up a 1 year stay in Virgo and is preparing to move into the sign of Libra on September 9. Realisation around the way we have restrained our growth could surface.  If we have spent too much of our attention finicking over things that stunt our progress it becomes obvious. Anything limiting could surface. Conversely if we have overlooked some important details now is a good time to go over them. Since Jupiter is closely linked to beliefs, spend time reflecting on where and in what you have put your faith. Is it sill relevant for you at this point? Can you see how your beliefs shape your life for the better or for worst? Where is it leading you? On a positive note, there could be some revelations and opportunities that help you see the path ahead.

”If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard,
just keep putting off doing it.”
-Olin Miller

♄September 10, 2016: Saturn in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces♆

September 12, 2016:
Mercury in Virgo square Mars at 20º49′ Sagittarius (2:58pm EDT)
Mercury Cazimi (conjunct the Sun) at 20º37′ Virgo  (7:40pm EDT)

The Heart’s Chambers
The sequence of aspects on Monday September 12 are very dynamic. First Mercury square Mars in the sign of the fiery archer. This can bring a variety of side effects including more unpleasant ones. There could be volatility in communications and impulsive missives fired. Strong opinions and even zealousness about ones beliefs and firmly held opinions will be flying left and right. A sense of righteousness permeates the day and this can play out on various stages in our lives including our personal relationships. The truth is trying to surface. With Jupiter at 0 degree of Libra and ruling over Mars in Sagittarius, a compromising and diplomatic approach is favoured over impulsiveness.

After its dynamic encounter with Mars in Sagittarius, Mercury conjunct the Sun in Virgo and sits in the Solar throne.  A moment of clarity and perhaps something that had remained hidden from sight is revealed. A door opens briefly and we get a glimpse, a clue, an indication of things to come. Take note.

The Moon will be in Capricorn and Aquarius on September 12 which are both ruled by Saturn. This weaves in the bigger themes of the Saturn/Neptune square that perfects two days prior. We are confronted by our responsibilities vs the cherished ideals that fuel our imagination. What must be done versus how we wish it could be. The well of dreams where our eternal child quenches his thirst versus the reality and limitations of the material world.

Science and Truth are simple phenomenon of nature, but it is the known that is preventing us from mastering the unknown.
-Chandrakanth Natekar

September 16, 2016:
Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse at  24º20′ Pisces at 3:05pm (EDT)
The seeds planted at the beginning of the month culminates with the Full Moon in Pisces. Old stories lose their hold and the whispers of the past fade into the void. Don’t be lured back by the haunting calls of the sirens. Short-term gains or pleasure must be weighed carefully against the long-term ones. Bound yourself to the mast of your boat while the Moon passes in the earth’s shadow and looses her light. An era is definitely over and you get the confirmation if you can stand the darkness for a brief moment. If you have personal planets in the last 10 degrees of the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) this Full Moon will affect you more significantly.

September 20, 2016:
Mercury in Virgo trine Pluto at 14º56′ Capricorn

Secrets Revealed
Integrity and honesty will be wonderful allies for the duration of this Mercury retrograde. Avoidance will bring more trouble than necessary. Honesty begins with oneself and than moves outward into the world. Being true to our convictions can be trying especially when we juggle conflicting beliefs or ideas. We can now see clearly the strict or severe frameworks in which we have been operating. Being at the mercy of conditioning and programming is no longer viable although we need these systems. The truth emerges with its fair share of readjustments.

September 22, 2016:
Fall Equinox
Moon in Gemini square Mercury in Virgo
Mercury station direct at 14º49 Virgo at 1:30 am (EDT)

The Harvest
Mercury station direct on the Fall Equinox with the Moon in Gemini square to Mercury in Virgo. Trying circumstances will abound and applying the lessons of the retrograde might not be that easy. Multiple voices will be shouting for our attention and separating the wheat from the chaff will be an ongoing process.

 

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The Oracle

Mercury station retrograde at 29º of Virgo on August 30th 2016.
You can interpret this Chandra Symbol freely.

Virgo 29*: A witch preparing magic mushrooms

Within the delicate, formative stages of major departures into the unknown, there is encountered an extraordinary task and lesson that detains you a long while. It becomes self-evident that it is everything that comes before that makes the difference. There must be a fully attuned, magical sensibility to make the future possible. Coming to this requires arduous discipline, elaborate ritual and internal initiation. This becomes such a labyrinth of discipleship and apprenticeship that you wander through the maze discovering everything you ever needed to know. All is played out within. There is no need to make anything happen on the outer. You are assigned to empty yourself out, to strip everything away, to become invisible. And if you excel at your craft, so many ventures and initiatives will be seeded, that this inner planes total mobilization will prove to be more fruitful and productive than any premature thrusts of outer mind, no matter how impressive or seemingly necessary. The entire path lies well within, and needs no surface success to substantiate itself.

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*For the Chandra degree, I used the 29º instead of 30º my logic being that Mercury is moving backward.

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[1] Dig deeper into Mercury (Hermes) with Dr Z

[2] The Liminality of Hermes and the Meaning of Hermeneutics by Richard E. Palmer

[4] Inside Degrees by Ellias Lonsdale

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FORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 8 to AUGUST 14

SOBRIETY, DISCRIMINATION & EXPECTATIONS

Who are the happiest people on earth? A craftsman or artist whistling over a job well done. A little child building sand castles. A mother, after a busy day, bathing her baby. A doctor who has finished a difficult and dangerous operation, and saved a human life. Happiness lies in a constructive job well done. Get your happiness out of your work or you will never know what happiness is. -Elbert Hubbard

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There are a few different ways in which the astrology will reveal itself to us this week. The mind will turn its focus to the practicalities and logistics of our lives. Attention to the necessities and demands of our obligations and the need to face responsibilities head-on will have a sobering effect. This thorough assessment of what we are doing with our time and where we want to invest our efforts is an essential process and doesn’t have to be daunting. There could also be a need to purge and simplify what has become cluttered whether it’s the body, the mind, a physical space or a project. Keep it simple at the risk of loosing your footing.

The hard and the soft collide while we juggle the many projects and never-ending to-do-list. We might be dreaming of a wireless-free space where we can regroup our thoughts, but the buzzing might actually be coming from the multitude of ideas and voices generated within our own mind. This is not a totally negative influence and much can be accomplished if we tame these monkeys into performing their designated routines.

The temptation will be to multi-task but simplifying and finding a structured way to divide our time could help productivity. This is a great week to get things done but there might also be a tendency to saturate the mind. Filtering the essential from the trivial and staying away from fear, guilt and worry will be half the battle. Resist the urge to backtrack into unsuitable scenarios and keep moving forward.

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MAJOR  ASTROLOGICAL ASPECTS FOR THIS WEEK

Mercury in Virgo conjoins the North Node of the Moon on August 8th which will amplify Mercury’s qualities for better or for worst. Since Mercury is considered strong in the sign of Virgo this remains a great time to carry out projects connected to writing, editing or any work that requires focus and analysis. Some new information, ideas or methods could come to light and help you move forward. If not well utilised, this period could be marked by anxiety exaggerated expectations and or disenchantment.

The First Quarter Moon on August 10th is in the sign of Scorpio fuelling the will and prompting us into action.  Since both the Sun and the Moon will be in Fixed signs, there could be a tendency for obstinacy and inflexibility.

Saturn goes direct in the early hours of August 13 while in a square from Venus in Virgo. The next few weeks could be characterised by the cementing of relationships and alliances or it could bring the sobering realisations of unsuitable situations or partnerships and their ensuing difficult disintegration.We will start to see the result of our efforts and the dissolution of some cherished misconceptions. Although this retrograde has been a challenging process the changes will bring growth that will require considerable readjustments in the next few months.

READ YOUR HOROSCOPE FOR THE WEEK RIGHT HERE ☞ ☞ ☞

SUBSCRIBE TO THE 9th HOUSE ASTROLOGY  MAILING LIST  ☞ ☞ ☞ 

 

 

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Anxiety

With the upcoming Full Moon in Virgo on the 22nd of February and more extensively with the transit of Jupiter in Virgo and the Nodes of the Moon on the Virgo/Pisces axis, where most of the eclipses will happen this year it seems like anxiety is on everyone’s lips.

Chronic anxiety has become a modern epidemic affecting millions of people. We can never be good enough for the standards of perfection. The pressure is to be productive, efficient, beautiful, healthy, active, successful, driven but relaxed AND happy. How is it even possible to breath through this type of burden? With the increasing speed of life through technology, we are wired, stimulated and constantly comparing ourselves to an imagined standard of perfection. This is a very cruel and deceitful game.

Putting pressure on ourselves is fantastic to accomplish some of our goals. But we also have to accept that perfection is not the ultimate goal and that life is perfect in all of its messiness.

Sayaka Maruyama

In their 20 years of treating and studying trauma survivors, Drs. Dennis Charney and Steven Southwick have identified ten common practices in people who have shown resilience in the face of extreme stress.

• Maintaining an optimistic but realistic outlook
• Reliance upon own inner, moral compass
• Turning to religious or spiritual practices
• Seeking and accepting social support
• Imitation of sturdy role models
• Staying physically fit
• Staying mentally sharp
• Cognitive and emotional flexibility (finding a way to accept that which cannot be changed)
• Looking for meaning and opportunity in the midst of adversity
• Facing fear (ability to confront one’s fears)

The Full Moon in Virgo on Monday might increase our desire to have everything perfectly compartmentalized. But with the Sun in Pisces we might also need to know when surrendering to the tides is necessary.

We are in a relatively calm period and March will pick up speed again. Take advantage of this time to get yourself in order and prevent possible stressors down the road. Get rid of unnecessary pressure or accumulated responsibilities and BREATH.

Reference from: Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation

Surveying the land

The Moon is in Taurus today, the sign of her exaltation and she is ruled by Venus in Sagittarius which is in turn applying to square Jupiter in Virgo.

In the last few weeks, the soil has been tilted not without difficulties revealing some buried treasures but also many rocks. We are now walking on an exposed landscape and we can see clearly where the foundation needs to be set.

The Moon in Taurus for the next few days can help us survey our assets. What are the resources available to you at the moment that will help you carry out some of the big ideas you have? We are still very much in the planning phase and it is not time to sit on our laurels.

The Moon in the Earth sign of Taurus helps us filter our experience through the five senses:
Am I comfortable? What do I need to feel relaxed and at peace? There can be a desire for ease and an ability to find a deep satisfaction with simple pleasures. The downside of this indulgent Moon is that we can become complacent not pushing further and becoming somewhat self-satisfied.

The hard aspect between Venus in Sagittarius (the ruler of the Moon in Taurus) and Jupiter in Virgo denotes a carelessness or perhaps missing out on some important details. Since Jupiter is retrograde in the sign of its detriment we might be overwhelmed with everything that needs to be accomplished and get lost in the various details of our daily existence. It could also be that we do not attend to the nitty-gritty stuff and we skip out on some important steps.

While the Moon is in Taurus for the next few days we might notice a need to find the balance between work and rest. If we become mentally overworked, we can become careless. If we only indulge in our passions we can become lazy. There might also be a tendency to become stuck in our views making it harder to keep an open mind. The back and forth is between broad visions and microscopic perspectives.

Know when it is time roll up your sleeve and know when it is time to stop. Do not bring your work in the bedroom and don’t let your lower instincts override your judgment. But most important of all with the Moon in Taurus: cook a delicious meal and enjoy!

Swedish illustrator Carl Larsson

The Art of Dying: Until the New

“We may idealize freedom, but when it comes to our habits, we are completely enslaved.”
―Sogyal Rinpoche

Dedication and Destination

Uranus going direct at the end of December really got us all fired up about the upcoming possibilites in our lives in the New Year. Saturn in Sagittarius ruled by Jupiter in Virgo is offering the possibility to have an organised outlook on the horizon and a good idea of the work that is required get beyond our current situation. Our faith is turning towards the satisfaction that comes with the dedicated attention of working and being useful. We could feel ambitious and work hard to see concrete results down the road. This is a great time let go of instant gratification and integrate systems in our lives that can bring a lasting legacy.

2016 starts with Mercury retrograde at 1º of Aquarius tantalising us with a glimpse of the possible future. Mercury going backward in the sign of Capricorn is like the mountain goat walking the treacherous path of a mountain side: every steps are carefully calculated. With the Sun also in Capricorn and a recent conjunction to Pluto, we could feel extremely ambitious and ready to tackle pretty much anything. Mars in Scorpio is also supporting us with the staying power and resilience needed.

The year 2016 starts with an opportunity to review our values and what we consider important. There is an emphasis on all the little things that makes up the whole. Our attention is on analysis and perspective. The small but important details and the patience required to achieve mastery. The idea here is not to become a martyr but to find greater satisfaction through dedicated awareness in our everyday actions. Negotiating a chosen path requires a little give and take at every moment as we learn to develop a more efficient strategy. Success demands effort, commitment and nerves.

NEW MOON IN CAPRICORN ☾♑︎

The New Moon is at 21:31 EST on January 9th at 19º Capricorn and is carrying with her clues about our role and responsibilities and the place we want to occupy in the grand scheme of things. There might have been some difficult realisations brought up in the recent days around our relationships and habits that no longer serves you. Since this New Moon is ruled by Saturn she brings with her an awareness of time passing and our own or others mortality.

Saturn is currently conjunct Venus which confuse work with pleasure, labour with leisure. Even more so with the square to Neptune which can act as a distraction and a desire to avoid reality all together.

Jupiter just started its retrograde motion through the sign of Virgo and will only turn direct 5 months from now. *Special attention to the nitpickers and perfectionists out there, the possibility to get lost in the never good enough labyrinth is real.

Those planetary aspects, can indicate that we are aligning our work and our beliefs into a more unified version. If only we could find the simple formula that would allow us to combine the obligations of our reality with our inner truth. There is great need to adjust what we do on a daily basis with our beliefs and vice versa. This can create a sort of cognitive dissonance if our words do not match our actions. We are learning to walk the talk and we need to let go of certain habits, situations or people who might be holding us back.

The New Moon in Capricorn supports fresh ideas and concepts that are grounded and achievable. Since Mercury is retrograde for most of January, I would suggest focusing on restructuring the systems you have in place that will allow you to become more efficient.  Favour concrete, step-by-step approach and let-go of time-wasting habits without becoming too obsessive.

Modern Vanitas by Kalico the Kat

 

We are weighed down, every moment, by the conception and the sensation of Time. And there are but two means of escaping and forgetting this nightmare: pleasure and work. Pleasure consumes us. Work strengthens us. Let us choose.
-Charles Baudelaire

 

 

 

Structure and Change

The Moon is in Capricorn for the rest of the day and just left a conjunction with Pluto triggering the recent cardinal t-square between Mars, Uranus and Pluto. Those of you with personal planets in cardinal signs (Aries-Libra-Cancer-Capricorn) could be especially sensitive to the changes that are trying to occur.

The image: Tectonic plates are shifting. There are significant structural changes happening with far reaching results which might be invisible to the naked eye. Tectonic plates moving around can also cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This is part of a bigger process.

There is a desire to move in a new direction. We can see all the work that needs to be done and we are willing to roll up our sleeves. We could feel serious and determined as we take on new responsibilities. We also have to collaborate with others in the process. Finding compromises that work for both parties involved.

The spirit is moving forward seeking change and renewal.

A view through the narrow Nes Canyon, near Husavik, north west Iceland. This canyon is formed by a fault in Iceland’s volcanic landscape that has filled with glacial spring water. Photo taken by Alex Mustard.

 

Begin by picking up the pebbles, one by one.

Saturn is in Sagittarius for the next few years and this gives us a desire to reshape our lives to be in line with our brazen visions.

The ruler of Sagittarius is the expansive and unrestrained Jupiter who will remain in the sign of Virgo until September 2016.

Virgo is concerned with approaching a project with humility, working patiently on every details to ensure the quality of its outcome.

This means that in order to achieve our vision, the need to stay humble and use our creative fires with moderation is needed.

It is perfectly ok to have a large scale dream, but we have to be willing to put in the effort that is required to materialise it.

Artist Michael Grab

” When you work within the limits of your capabilities and gifts, you are likely to succeed, and that success will bring you increased confidence. But if you launch out on some vast undertaking, you run the risk of failure, and your confidence will diminish. Would you like your confidence to become stronger? If you would instead of trying to move mountain, begin by picking up pebbles, one by one. If you work at this every day you will gradually gain the strength to move a whole mountain. Of course, this metaphor needs interpretation.

It is a human failing to want to plunge with far too much haste into huge ventures, but this is a mistake. We must begin with little things. Supposing you are a singer: to make your debut, you would not apply to sing at the Metropolitain Opera House, because you would be booed off stage and would only end your career in some backwater, singing to an audience of a few gawking bystanders. You would do best first to choose a chicken coop as your concert hall and sing to an audience of hens, and then, if the chickens stop pecking to listen to your songs, you will know that you are talented and will one day be capable of some recitals in some lovely opera house.” –Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

Faith and Practicality

The Moon is in Sagittarius applying to conjoin Saturn at 5º Sagittarius and sextile Venus in Libra. Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius is in Virgo, and the Saturn/Neptune square is intensifying. A call to bring focus and humility to our vision and work patiently and diligently towards it.

☾ ♐︎
The image is one of a student apprentice, on a mission to collect herbs he will need for his work. Perhaps he stops for a moment to contemplate the landscape, but he will not get lost in his meditations. His attention turns towards finding the plants, and all the work that still needs to be done.

♃ ♍︎
The time has come to direct our inner fire towards some sort of bigger accomplishment.  We know that to get there, we will need to hold the image in our mind’s eye. There is no time for meaningless activities. We are either looking for the path, or we are well on our way. Anxious to move ahead, there is a concentrated effort and our gaze is on the horizon.  Between the desire for something meaningful, and our ideal, we can find the inner resourcefulness we need to keep going.

Like a pilgrim guided by his prayers, we are now imbued with the faith needed to move forward. There is still a long road ahead but each step is an offering to our vision.

NEW MOON IN SCORPIO

We are in the midst of Fall season. The Sun and Moon are in the sign of Scorpio. It is a Dark Moon just before the New Moon in Scorpio on November 11. Regeneration is the word.

The sign of Scorpio is often associated with the darker side of life. There is self-control and the emotional nature of this Fixed water sign is often compared to very deep waters with a calm surface; powerful and quiet.

Wherever Scorpio falls in your natal chart, is a part of life where you meet your shadows. Where the deeper undercurrents of obsession, passion and intense emotions get stored. Where you can be preoccupied with survival and control and where there is a tremendous well of will and resilience.

Interesting that both the sign of Scorpio and the scorpion, rely on vibrations from their surroundings to help them determine what is taking place in their environment. The primary concerns being protection, defensiveness and survival at all costs.

NEW MOON IN SCORPIO ON NOVEMBER 11, THE MOULTING.

The best way to work with the energy of a New Moon is to set some intentions for the month ahead. Let’s look at the major aspects and themes for this New Moon happening at 18º-19º Scorpio, known as one of the most fixed place in the zodiac.

A few hours before the Moon conjoins the Sun (what is known as a New Moon), she will meet up with Mercury at 15º of Scorpio. This might come in the form of strong intuitions or piercing but subtle revelations. The qualities of Mercury in Scorpio is comparable to the ones of a detective. The Moon passing Mercury on her way to the Sun means she will pick up important information on how this renewal needs to happen.  I would suggest paying close attention to your intuition and gut feelings, what is said to you and the meanings behind it. The other less pleasant side of Mercury in Scorpio can be: obsessive or paranoid thinking and seeing a threat where there is none. So you don’t want to over do it either.

The planet Uranus and Chiron are involved with this New Moon which could represent a want to break free of an insecurity. Uranus is often associated with sudden revelations, rebellion, erratic and bizarre behavior, unexpected discoveries, progressive thinking and rebelliousness. Chiron symbolises the ongoing process of learning to trust the inner teacher on our healing journey.

This New Moon in Scorpio is coloured by our very private need to break free of something that is keeping us stagnant, weak or insecure. The sign of Scorpio represents regenerative powers and renewal. The image of shedding an old skin is very strong.  Something that is keeping you in an old way of being is ready to pass from your existence and you might be holding the key.

Because Uranus is in somewhat of a hard aspect to this New Moon and Scorpio is a fixed sign, you could initially resist the change that YOU KNOW need to happen because of its unsettling nature. But Jupiter at 18º of Virgo, in an exact sextile to the New Moon gives us the faith and optimism we need on our moulting journey. Jupiter in Virgo connects us back in a very practical way to our immediate physical needs. It could be as simple as letting go of a bad habit, an insecurity, an old wound.

Mars, the ruler of this New Moon will be at 29º Virgo emphasizing the ability to perceive the weakness in structures. It is in the last decan of Virgo that Mars finds his power to disassemble. (1)

Artwork by Deprise Bescia

”Many important elements of your life may come to an end and pass out of existence now. Let them go, for it is the right time for this to happen, and it will ultimately be good. This is a time to renounce those things, for you will soon discover that you do not really need them anyway. As the old saying goes, we are naked when we come into this world and when we leave it. Therefore what we have inside is important. Now is the time for you to find the strength of what you have inside.”

I wish you a happy New Moon and blessings on your moulting journey!

Reference: 
1. The 36 Faces by Austin Coppock. History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans.