VIRGO NEW MOON: Tending the Fire Within

This month’s marriage of Sun and Moon has an active set of celestial aspects in attendance.  Conjoining in the center of the sign of Virgo, this new moon creates a harmonious aspect pattern with expansive Jupiter and incisive Pluto, while opposing idealistic Neptune.  All in Water and Earth signs, in this planetary combination we are presented with a primordial clay, the mud upon which we may mold our manifestation.  

Meanwhile, Venus, Mars, and Uranus are tangled up in a T-square aspect, suggesting our relationships may be subjected to unexpected strain.  With Venus exiting diplomatic Libra and on the precipice of passionate Scorpio, this tension has the potential to initiate us into deeper levels of understanding by dismantling the ways we disguise our true desires while conducting our affairs.  

With Saturn in trine to Uranus, only Mercury, the planetary ruler of this moon, is involved in no major aspects.  Having recently entered Virgo, Mercury carries with it the energy of the Grand Earth Trine it formed with Saturn and Uranus in the days before the new moon.  However, Mercury’s unaspected status at the time of the new moon indicates the necessity of claiming our own agency despite pressures from without, whether good or ill intentioned, that encourage us to deviate from our path.

Well armed with keen discernment, the healthy Virgo expression is well poised to deflect detrimental influences.  Virgo, as the archetypal vessel, is the sign of self-containment.  She is the keeper of the hearth, she who tends the sacred fire that is Life itself.  In dedicating herself as servant of the Divine, she becomes channel to it.  This dynamic is indicated by Virgo’s opposition with Pisces, the sign closest to our spiritual source, and its rulership by Mercury, planet of communication.  

This new moon is opposed by Neptune, accentuating its Piscean character.  The grounded and orderly manner of Virgo is challenged by the impressionable and quixotic demeanor of Pisces.  Find your footing by applying the healthiest qualities of one sign to the other this new moon. 

Virgo corresponds to the sixth house of personal responsibility and daily duties.  In keeping the hearth alive, Virgo creates a warm room in which to gather and connect, hot food to nourish and grow, and light by which to read and learn.  Virgo’s motto is I serve, or by other traditions, I analyze, a reflection of its rulership by inquisitive Mercury.

Pisces corresponds to the twelfth house of spirituality and self-sacrifice.  Pisces and its planetary ruler, Neptune, are both closely linked to the oceanic realms and the watery depths of dreamtime.  The motto of Pisces is I believe.

This is an excellent moon cycle to commit to creating a dream journal.  The medium of dreams is a symbolic one, a set of signals from our deeper subconscious whose messages can be integrated through conscious interpretation.  By writing down our dreams, we pass the information from the right hemisphere of the brain associated with imagery to the left hemisphere associated with language, integrated through the body as the hand writes, and manifested into an objective form.  When we believe and invest in our dreams, they yield pertinent information for us to analyze for our own self-improvement.

This is one of many daily rituals you may consider initiating this new moon, in service to your personal connection with spirit.  The practice of prayer is another expression of a healthy Virgo/Pisces balance.  By bringing a conscious form to expressions of faith, we create a vessel through which to channel intention into manifestation.  Assess the state of your spiritual hygiene, and attend to your mundane responsibilities knowing that by doing so, you are tending the creative fire within.  Take this moon cycle to experiment with simple daily practices with the aim to purify mind, body, and spirit.  

LEO SOLAR ECLIPSE: KNOW YOUR HEART

The final eclipse of this rare triple eclipse season occurs this week.  As a new moon, this is a partial solar eclipse in Leo, about ten degrees away from where the Sun and Moon conjoined for total solar eclipse of August 2017.  It is one of the final installments of the Leo-Aquarius eclipse cycle.*  The lessons that have been stirred up over the last couple years are now re-settling.  Some things will need to be released, others will need to find root.  We complete the eclipse cycle within ourselves by finding our personal dynamic balance of the archetypes, not only within the context of Leo-Aquarius, but more fundamentally within the meeting of Sun and Shadow.  The former refers to our intentional awareness, while the latter refers to our subconscious sentiments.

The polarity of light and dark is a fundamental metaphorical motif within our culture.  Contemporary Western civilization is strongly solar-oriented.  This is reflected in its mythology, which consistently uses “light” to represent that which is “good,” thus defaulting “dark” to symbolize that which is “bad.”  Hence, when we peruse our history, we find eclipses, times when either the Sun or Moon “goes dark,” are written of with fear and foreboding.  The simplicity of such binary thinking met a major disruption in the work of Carl Jung, whose work dove deep into the psychological nature of the “shadow.”  He wrote, “Filling the conscious mind with ideal conceptions is a characteristic of Western theosophy, but not the confrontation with the shadow and the world of darkness.  One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”**  Carl Jung delved into the realms of repression, and revealed that our self-sabotaging behaviors result from this “shadow”--the bits of our selves that we have consciously disowned.  Without our care and attention, these bits begin to take on a life of their own, finding expression despite our best attempts to silence them.  “Shadow work” involves re-integrating these bits in a healthy way.  Doing so requires that we humble ourselves to our own internal darkness and discover our self-compassion.

The astrological axis of the eclipses indicates the themes emerging from the shadow.  The Leo-Aquarius axis represents the polarity of Self and Collective, Creative Self Expression and Radical Social Justice, Youthful Determination and Aged Wisdom.  While these archetypes exist as opposites, that does not mean they are enemies.  Rather, polar signs are best expressed as complements.  When in healthy balance, the youthful exuberance of Leo is guided by the social experience of Aquarius.  The Leonine drive towards self-expression is given purpose in the context of the Aquarian concept of the collective good.  The subject matter of the shadow material arising from the eclipses of the last couple years has included finding balance between one’s pride and one’s knowledge, the centering of the heart-felt amidst increasing technological diffusion, and the celebration of the creative individual within a stratified social structure.

There will be one final eclipse in Leo before the eclipse axis fully realigns itself to the Cancer-Capricorn polarity at the start of 2019.  The celestial movements are sometimes haunting in their poetry.   As the Sun and Moon meet in Leo this week, Mars will be at zero degrees Aquarius, on the precipice of Capricorn.  In this same degree the total lunar eclipse on Jan 21, 2019.  All lunar eclipses are full moons, and all full moons are phases of completion.  All solar eclipses are new moons, and all new moons are the still-points preceding initiation.  This is the start of the final chapter, the beginning of the end of the Leo-Aquarius eclipse cycle, which will not be revisited until 2026.  

How fitting then, to have so many planets in retrograde motion!  A planet in retrograde appears to reverse its movement across our sky.  Likewise, its energetic movement “reverses,” focusing inward instead of outward, much akin to the shadow nature of the eclipse period, which draws our focus from the conscious drive to the subconscious desires.  This is the time to internally integrate the experiences gained through the Leo-Aquarius eclipse cycle that began in February 2017.  This phase of integration brings the lessons from mind to body, to prepare our intentions to move from vision towards manifestation.  

Earlier in the week, Uranus moves retrograde, bringing the total number of retrograde planets to six.  As there are only ten astrological “planets,” of which only eight move retrograde, the scales are heavily tipped towards this inward flow.  All told, Mercury (mind, commerce, and communication), Mars (energy, assertion, conflict), Saturn (structure, boundaries, discipline), Uranus (unpredictability), Neptune (spirituality), and Pluto (power) are retrograde.  Stamina may be low (Mars), communications interrupted (Mercury), and progress may dwindle (Saturn).  Take a celestial perspective to recognize these movements outside of your own personal context.  These stutters in the plan are not signs of individual failure.  Success in shadow work is not measure by height, but by depth.  If you feel you have plateaued, look more closely at what is already here with you.  Oftentimes when we are unable to move forward it is a signal to look within and recognize what internal resources we possess, but have not yet learned to harness (Pluto).  Have faith that you are enough (Neptune).  If you feel you are lacking, dig deeper into what unexpected treasures (Uranus) remain hidden in your shadow.  Apart from the retrogrades, this week Venus moves from Virgo into Libra, helping to alleviate the anxious heart.  Jupiter, the planet of luck and vision, meanwhile sits in Scorpio, the sign most associated with the “shadow.”  Here, Jupiter provides a torch to help us navigate these hidden realms.

If everything feels it is falling apart, take comfort in the knowledge that this is a false perception.  You control the narrative of your own life.  The more awareness we bring to our shadow, the less we trip over our own feet as we walk our path, but never will we be free from obstacle or injury.  Although we are exiting this eclipse period, remember the Shadow remains as long as the Sun is shining--the two are inextricable parts of a unified whole.  “Light” and “dark” exist independent of our morality, yet how we choose to consciously engage, integrate, and balance the two, determines what is “good” or “bad.”  Take the lesson from the Lion that is Leo--move forward with the confidence that comes with knowing one’s own heart.  Take the lesson from the Star that is Aquarius--plant the seed of your intention, but let the light overhead, not the ego within, signal when it is time to sprout.  Leo-Aquarius inspires the radical reinvention of self.  Integrate the shadow to show up more fully as you are--the world needs your light!

*For further reading on the Leo-Aquarius eclipse cycle, see:
Full Moon: Lunar Eclipse in Leo
Leo New Moon: Light of Liberation
Leo Solar Eclipse: Forging a New Way of Being

**From Carl Jung's essay, The Philosophical Tree
 

CANCER SOLAR ECLIPSE: Messages of the Mother

                    Artwork by Subramanya

July’s New Moon in Cancer launches us into the second eclipse season of the year.  Eclipses always come in pairs--one solar, one lunar--but this is a rare cycle that features three eclipses.  Two partial solar eclipses, coinciding with the July and August new moons, will bookend the total lunar eclipse that occurs on July 27th.  It is an exciting time for astrological and astronomical enthusiasts alike, as the planetary aspects are especially active in the sky and the visible planets are in clear view after sunset.  

Celestial observation is ingrained deep within the human psyche.  The mapping and understanding of the interlocking cycles of the Sun and Moon has yielded information spurring crucial advancements in human history.  As the fastest moving “planets,” the two luminaries dance together through the zodiac, illuminating the kaleidoscoping patterns of the planetary aspects.  Consistent observation revealed these patterns could be tracked and projected into the future, allowing increasingly sophisticated culture and civilization to build itself upon this knowledge.  From measuring time, to navigating long distance journeys across land and sea, to designing agricultural methods, observing the concurrent movements of the Sun and Moon has been essential to deepening humanity’s ecological perspicacity.  Our instinctual beings are rooted in this celestial conditioning of our psychological perspective by applying order and focus to purpose.  

The Sun represents that which is seen and known.  It is symbolic of the waking mind, the conscious awareness, and the directed will.  As its counterpart, the Moon represents that which remains unseen and unknown.  While the Sun records our history, the Moon retains the mystery.  The moon is symbolic of our dreaming mind, the subconscious awareness, and the instinctive nature.  Neither is superior, nor would our experience of life be complete without this dual engagement, the inward lunar flow of sensation and the outward solar flow of willpower.  While our culture celebrates the authoritative nature of the logical mind, it is the somatic experience of the subconscious in connection with our environment which provides the information for the mind to then rationalize.  In other words, the animating essence of the Moon is the instinctual impetus for our interaction with the world, while it is the the qualities of the Sun that organize these energies in pursuit of self-determination.  

The sign of Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and as such the lunar qualities are strengthened when it is in this sign.  The power of instinct--a gift of our heritage that is often suppressed by the expectations of our solar-oriented society--is heightened at this time of year.  As the Moon will eclipse the Sun during this new moon, the balance tips even further towards the lunar.  Logical progressions become befuddled by fanciful imaginings.  As Cancer rules the stomach, messages in the form of gut reactions are amplified.  The Moon tests our discernment, as its influence can draw the waters of our emotional sensitivity to high tide, overflowing our established boundaries.  The bright light of the Sun provides for a clear view, but in the moonlight our vision is negligible.  Like the inkblots of a Rorschach test, how we interpret what we see in the Moon’s shine and shadows says more about the state of our inner being than it does about the reality before us.

The movements of the surrounding celestial bodies during this moon cycle echo these themes.  Mars in retrograde weakens our boundaries, hampering our ability to assert ourselves and pursue our desires in a straight-forward manner.  The Sun will move towards opposition with Mars as Mercury, the planet of the rational mind, stations retrograde.  A day after Mercury’s station, the Moon will meet Mars and sit in his company for what will be the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century, casting a shadow across the landscape of logic as she goes.  The authoritative attitude of linear certainty does not serve here.  Instead, we must be willing to lean into our intuitive awareness, activating our sensual nature to feel our way through the cyclical lessons that emerge from the shadows of the eclipse season.  

This new moon/solar eclipse, the seed of the coming full moon/lunar eclipse, occurs in opposition to Pluto.  The planet of death and transformation in direct line with the Sun and Moon in the oceanic Cancer is a powerful combination of regenerative forces, stirring up emotional sediment from the unconscious.  Emotions that settle this deeply into our being often do so by way of repression.  There is often a pain or fear associated with these experiences, so that the logical mind reasons it is better to bury these memories.  Once embedded within the body, however, they can create interference with the signals sent by our honed instincts.  If their messages become part of our core processing, they will manifest as self-sabotaging behaviors, as we unconsciously seek to avoid situations similar to those which previously caused us pain/fear.  Yet, without awareness of our deeper impulses, we cannot utilize their inherent power.  

Cancer’s motto is I Feel.  The sign is representative of the Mother (an archetype accessible within each of us, regardless of our personal sex, gender, or relationship with our actual mothers).  Sitting with such deep feelings we may tap into injuries so old they defy our ability to articulate them, leaving us unable to correctly communicate our need for patience or help.  However, contrary to our predilection for categorical diagnosis, the Mother knows healing is not predicated on our ability to name the disease or list its symptoms.  Even though the small child does not yet have the words to explain their pain, the Mother is able to provide the healing and comfort by empathizing with her child’s feelings.  The Mother intimately understands the power of staying present through pain.  To become a Mother, she must first cross the threshold of her own struggle.  By keeping with faith instead of fear, she transmutes the agony of childbirth into ecstasy of new life.  

As we move into the next two eclipses, the Sun will be shifting into the sign of Leo.  Do not rationalize away what you feel now, at risk of losing an opportunity to channel these emotions (Cancer) through a flood of positive creative expression (Leo).  The recent stationing direct of Jupiter provides a welcome change in the direction of our fortune.  Jupiter is in the sign of Scorpio, whose motto is I Desire, is co-ruled by Mars and Pluto.  These two planets have major roles in this moon cycle, with Pluto opposing this new moon, and Mars conjunct the full moon.  Emotional security (Moon in Cancer) comes from a clear vision of your desires (Jupiter in Scorpio), and an actionable plan to support your attainment of them (Pluto in Capricorn).  This is the time to reflect upon whether your actions are in line with your vision, and if your vision is in alignment with your desires.  Approach your endeavors reverently, with ample preparation, like a mother readying herself to bring forth new life.  Stay out at night to activate your lunar consciousness.  Witness the steady flow of stars across the sky to broaden your perspective and release your fears regarding social taboos.  Keeping trust in the Mystery unleashes our ability to create magic.  Remember Mercury will soon be retrograde--stay compassionate through miscommunications.  As the Sun moves into Leo, it will become increasingly apparent how authentic creative action is the highest expression of personal joy.