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

Leo Season

Summertime

Leo Season is in full swing. Leo is summer at its brightest and boldest expression, and holds the fire element of the fixed cross. Symbolized by the lion, Leo represents courage, loyalty, leadership and enthusiasm. Leo is warm, playful and expressive.

Ruled by the Sun, Leo is heat: abundant, generous and radiant- the center of our solar system. The Sun is the central organizing force of our solar system, keeping all of our planets in orbit. The Sun’s movement is the most consistent of all planetary bodies from our vantage point, and is therefore a symbol of stability and strength. The Sun is our star- it gives us hope, optimism, and light.

In the body, Leo rules the heart. Just as the Sun is the center of our solar system, our heart is the center of our energy centers: connecting Earth with the Heavens. In Chinese medicine, the heart is associated with fire, and during the summer, the heart’s energy is at its peak. The heart is the root of life, and it is where our spirit resides.

Leo is magnetic- it has a gravitational force and loves to be the center of attention. Leo is dramatic, performative and charismatic. When Leo gets stuck in its need for approval, it can become bombastic and tyrannical, and incredibly sensitive to criticism. But at its purest essence, Leo is creative expression that emanates from the heart- shining brightly and encouraging everyone else to shine as well.

Leo season is a time to tap into the playful, creative energy from within the heart. it is a time to authentically express yourself, with presence and love. It is not a time to judge or criticize yourself or others. Ridicule and shame destroys the creative spirit of Leo, and is detrimental to our intrinsic need to feel worthy.

The Sun began its yearly transit through Leo last Monday night, July 22, where it will remain until August 23. Venus will join the Sun and Mars tomorrow- inspiring boldness and passion in our desires and actions.

Mercury is still traversing the waters of Cancer, teaching us about what we need in order to feel emotionally secure. Any Mercury retrograde gives us the chance to reflect and gain new insight into something we may have initially overlooked or missed. Stay alert for moments of intuitive clarity.

The eclipses have passed, yet the energy will continue to linger until the moon reaches complete darkness at the Leo New Moon on July 31- the same day Mercury moves direct.

Prioritize both rest and play, and always keep your center- your heart.

A new beginning is just on the horizon.

xx

Twinning

Twinning

Gemini Season! In tropical astrology, this is the time of year when the sun begins to move out of spring and into summer. The days continue to get longer, and the sun’s final day in Gemini takes place right before the summer solstice. The sun moved into Gemini on May 21, shifting the energy from the qualities of its preceding sign: Taurus. Taurus holds the middle of spring and is grounded, steady, and oriented in the physical world. Taurus is our sense of self-worth, our values, and our possessions. Its energy is sensual, aesthetic, and pleasure seeking.

Gemini is the energy that shifts us from the season of spring into the season of summer. It is adaptable, flexible and constantly moving. Associated with the air element, Gemini is oriented toward learning, talking and exchanging ideas. Gemini symoolizes our early cognitive development: our early education, our siblings and our neighbors. it is the way we are shaped and socialized by our immediate environment.

Gemini rules the shoulders, the arms, the wrists, and the fingers. It also rules the lungs and the air in our lungs. Aries rules the head: our ego and identity. Taurus is the neck, holding our head in place. Gemini is the first part of the body where we physically split into a left and a right side, The quality of duality is prominent in the energy of Gemini. It represents the duality of our mind: the analytical, intellectual side, as well as the intuitive and creative side.

Mercury is the planetary ruler of Gemini. It is the closest planet to the sun, has the quickest  orbit, and has the most variability in terms of its motion and speed. The sun is a symbol of pure consciousness, and Mercury is the symbol of the mind and how we communicate. As the planet closest to the sun, Mercury is the messenger- delivering messages from consciousness into our mind. Mercury moved into Gemini the same day as the sun, and will continue to be in Gemini until early July.

As the sun continues to move through Gemini over the next 4 weeks, embrace this energy by trying something new, getting curious about a topic you don’t know much about, going out and meeting people, and opening your mind to different ideas. Notice how you continue to be shaped by your immediate environment- and how you communicate with those close by to you. While Mercury is also in Gemini, notice if your mind is flooded with ideas and inspiration. Write them down, talk about them, and give voice to your thoughts by expressing yourself.

Finally, and most importantly, breathe. When you inhale and fill up your lungs, you are bringing in life force, vitality, and energy.. When you connect to your breath you become present- in your thoughts, in your surroundings and in how you feel. Gemini is an expressive energy and it is one of connection. Connect with your breath, connect with those around you, and connect to your voice. 

The Gemini New Moon takes place on Monday, June 3.

Stay tuned for more information as we approach the New Moon in the upcoming week.

Until then, take time every day to connect consciously with your breath- and breathe as deeply as you can.

xx