Virgo Season

Virgo Season

The lion has roared. Leo season brought us out of eclipse madness and Mercury retrograde. Last Saturday, Mars led the pack of inner planets to move into Leo’s following sign: Virgo. Venus entered on Wednesday, the 21st, and the Sun entered this morning. Mercury is trailing behind but picking up speed post-retrograde and will move past the Sun, Venus and Mars in the upcoming weeks.

The Sun is at its fullest expression in Leo season, and Virgo season is the transition from the heat of summer into the balance of autumn. On the zodiac wheel, Virgo comes 6th- completing the first half of the circle. The first 6 signs can be understood as more personal energies- Aries- the self, Taurus- boundaries and survival, Gemini- early cognitive development, Cancer- the first experience of emotional attachment, Leo- creative self-expression, and finally Virgo- the energy of our health and well-being.

Virgo teaches us about perception- to see form in the world and to appreciate design, fit and function. Connected to the Earth element, Virgo is practical, useful, and productive. The exacting and focused quality of Virgo brings with it the ability to be extraordinarily efficient, detail-oriented, and accomplished.

Traditionally in astrology, the planetary rulers began at the signs of Cancer and Leo- the Moon ruling Cancer, and the Sun ruling Leo. Beginning and the Sun and moving outward, Mercury’s rulership was assigned to Gemini and Virgo, Venus to Taurus and Libra, Mars to Aries and Scorpio, Jupiter to Sagittarius and Pisces, and finally, Saturn to Capricorn and Aquarius.

The energy of Mercury is fast-paced- it picks up information quickly, communicates, connects and moves in many directions at once. Mercury’s rulership over Gemini is one of curiosity, learning, socializing, and connecting to others. Virgo however, is the applied energy of Mercury into physical form. Virgo is highly analytical, thorough, and useful.

The symbol of the virgin associated with Virgo is a symbol of purity- an innocence of the mind that has yet to be subjected to the full range of human experience, including pain and suffering. Virgo’s duality begins with this concept of innocence. In its detriment, Virgo holds so tightly to the idea of purity and perfection that it begins to isolate. Virgo becomes fixated on details, holds itself and everyone else to unattainable standards. The view of the big picture is lost, and any connection to spirit is severed.

By accepting imperfection and limitation, Virgo stays connected to spirit, and subjects itself to the full range of human emotions. When Virgo allows itself to grieve, to suffer, and to feel pain, it has access to the deepest secrets of spirituality. In its exalted state, Virgo is grounded, yet present and connected to the divine. The birth of spring, the life of summer, the descent into autumn, and the death of winter remind us that life is cyclical- and Virgo embodies this spiritual truth: nothing is permanent. Innocence cannot be protected and safeguarded forever.

Virgo and its opposite sign, Pisces, are both deeply spiritual and creative. Virgo brings spirit into form, and Pisces dissolves form. Virgo differentiates, and Pisces merges. One cannot exist without the other.

To embody the essence of Virgo is to embody the essence of presence: grounded, yet connected to spirit. Virgo is attuned to the moment, and reminds us that we must find a balance between work and rest. It is through presence, sacredness and devotional love that we can fully access the creativity we all have within.

The New Moon in Virgo is just one week away. Stay tuned.

xx

Aquarius Full Moon

Align Your Self, Your Heart, and Your Mind: Full Moon in Aquarius

Every astrological season, the moon wanes to new and waxes to full, bringing the sun and moon into alignment and then into opposition. At the new moon, the sun and moon align- the night sky is dark and we are drawn inwards. At the full moon, the sun and moon are in opposition- illuminating the night sky. Oppositions bring clarity and help us to see things objectively.

The Sun in Leo brings our awareness into the energy of the lion- bold, passionate, and highly creative. Leo is the energy of self-expression. The Moon in Aquarius brings our emotions into a more detached space- where we think and intellectualize our feelings rather than express them outwardly.

Leo is the sign of the individual. Aquarius is the sign of the collective.

Leo is of personal love. Aquarius is conceptual love.

The Sun conjunct Venus in Leo connect who we are with what we desire. When our heart aligns with our center, we can shine brightly and fearlessly. But when our hearts have been broken, the energy of Aquarius can give us the ability to see the heartbreak without becoming consumed by it.

Leo rules the heart and the spine- it is our central axis. Aquarius rules the nervous system- sending messages from the brain to different parts of the body.

This is a time to reconnect: your self with your heart, and your mind with your spirit. It is time to heal your heart and come into alignment.

Leo reminds us of our expansiveness, our generosity and our great capacity to love. Aquarius reminds us that we are all connected to each other, and that our minds have incredible healing power.

Acknowledge the past, see the wound, but don’t allow it to define you. Trust that you are worthy of the purest love- and that you are already healing.

xx

Mercury Retrograde is Back!

What is Mercury retrograde?

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, taking about 88 days to complete its orbit. About 3 times a year, Mercury turns retrograde, or appears to move backwards from our vantage point on Earth. Mercury is not actually moving backwards, but it is the apparent movement we observe against the backdrop of fixed stars that creates this visual illusion.

Mercury rules things that move quickly- technology, travel, and communication. Mercury is also a symbol of the mind. As this fast-moving planet slows down and appears to move backwards, it is a time to reprocess and review the emotional content and landscape of the last few weeks. Repeating, reassessing, reevaluating, redoing…are all things that may surface during any Mercury retrograde.

From July 7 to 31, Mercury will appear to move from 4º28’ Leo to 23º57’ Cancer. During this part of Mercury’s orbit, it will be at its closest to Earth until the next retrograde cycle in October. When a planet moves closer to Earth, and therefore farther away from the sun, its energy can become louder and more intense.

Mercury in the signs:

Mercury will be retracing its steps in the signs of Leo and Cancer. Mercury in Leo is charismatic, charming and performative. In Leo, Mercury expresses itself creatively, passionately and courageously. Mercury in Cancer is reserved, intuitive, and cautious. In Cancer, Mercury is sensitive, emotionally intelligent, and expresses itself subjectively.

Mercury’s journey in the sky:

Mercury will appear to stop at 4º28’ Leo this Sunday, July 7. It will move backwards through the first degrees of Leo until it reaches Cancer on July 19. From July 19 through 31, Mercury will back up all the way to 23º57’ Cancer, where it will then begin to move forward again. It isn’t until August 14 that Mercury returns to 4º28’ Leo- where it is stationing to go retrograde in 2 days.

What does this mean?

Anytime a planet turns retrograde, its energy moves inward. As a symbol of the mind, when Mercury turns retrograde, so do our mental processes. This is not a time to fear, but instead a time to practice patience, awareness and intention. To remember that not taking action is a form of action. To remember that our reality is based on our limited and biased perception. And to remember that we can only control our attitude and response to others. 

We are in between eclipses, and as the energy builds to the total lunar eclipse taking place on July 16, give yourself permission to slow down, and practice radical self-love!

xx

The Axis of Transformation

The Axis of Transformation: Full Moon in Scorpio

This Saturday, the entire face of the moon will be illuminated by the light of the sun. The sun has been moving through the sign of Taurus since April 20. The sun is a symbol of pure consciousness. As the sun has been in Taurus, our attention has been on growth, the fertility of mother Earth, and increased sunlight. Taurus is the sign of abundance, wealth, and values. Its desire is to accumulate material possessions, as it fears lack of security and scarcity.

The moon changes signs every 2 and a half days or so. It will move into Scorpio Thursday evening, where it will remain until Saturday afternoon. The full moon goes exact at 2:11pm, with the sun at the 27th degree of Taurus, and the moon at the 27th degree of Scorpio. Full moons are oppositions: the sun and moon exactly 180º away from one another. 

Scorpio is the sign of death, emotional attachments, and transformation. Scorpio season occurs in the middle of fall, when leaves are falling and the Earth is beginning to contract. Daylight is decreasing and the instinct is to preserve. Scorpio is an energy of power, intuition, and rebirth. Light cannot exist without darkness, just as life cannot exist without death. Full moons remind us that life is cyclical, not linear.

This full moon may bring deep emotions to the surface, some of which we may have turned away from or refused to fully acknowledge. Emotions demand to be felt fully. Allow them to surface, and feel them in your body. 

This is a time to ask yourself what you truly value. Is it your wealth, your money, and your material possessions? The moment you fear losing something, realize it does not belong to you. We own nothing in this world, other than what is contained in our hearts. Hold onto love. Hold onto your self-worth. But release the rest. Let go of the old stories and patterns that are holding you down and keeping you from growing spiritually. Let go of the relationships that make you feel disempowered and unworthy. 

The energy of this full moon requires deep courage: to embrace change and to step into the unknown. Change brings transformation and growth. 

We are all broken, we all have darkness, and we all have fear. Love the part of yourself that feels broken and fearful of change. Love the part of yourself that is dark, shameful and feels unworthy. Step into the shadow, and remember that you are worthy of deep, unconditional love.

xx