The Virgo New Moon – A Calling – September 20, 2017

pottery-cracks-filled-with-gold-text

This early morning New Moon feels like a calling to me.

At 1:30 AM Eastern today, September 20, 2017, the Sun and Moon conjoined in one of the most astute signs of the Zodiac: Virgo. And, the degree of this New Moon set off the degree of the Solar Eclipse just past – so there’s an intensity, and a force behind this moment.

The combination of this intelligent Virgo New Moon with the Autumn Equinox in two days, on Friday, Sept. 22, is asking us to work on something that is bigger than we are, even if it requires personal adjustment, and long-term effort. We can begin anew for our families, communities, and our country – and the goal is to serve the greater good with our intellect, with our genius, with our actions, with the certainty that the future will be better than our now. And we can begin anew with our vulnerable, wounded hearts on our sleeves – the same sleeves that we must roll up so that we can get to work.

The business at hand in this new beginning is action in service toward healing each other.

Let me just say that again. The business at hand is action in service toward healing each other. Healing you and me. Healing them. Healing us. And that means letting others in to help you heal you – while you’re doing all you can to help heal others. Another way to put it is reciprocity in love, service, and compassion.

The tools at our disposal are both practical and spiritual in nature. Call on your ability to discern what is useful and what is pointless – what is healthy and what is sick. Call on your ability to ground and stabilize whatever is necessary to create new structures, structures that are built with compassion and acceptance for everyone. Call on pragmatism. Call on determination. Call on commitment. And do the details… while keeping a broad view.

Show your broken heart – the heart that is full for those who have lost everything, for those who now live in fear, for those who are maligned and beaten and murdered – and know that in showing the cracks, you become stronger by the loving compassion of others that fill them in. Accept the love and compassion with gratitude and give it back in full. This is the most powerful tool possible.

Will you accept the call?

Aspects in the New Moon chart referred to in this article:
Sun conjunct Moon in Virgo
Sun/Moon in Virgo in opposition to Chiron in Pisces
Saturn in Sagittarius square to Sun/Moon in Virgo and Chiron in Pisces
Mars/Mercury in Virgo in Opposition to Neptune in Pisces
New Moon at 28 Virgo (Sun/Moon) semi-sextile to Aug. 21 New Moon Solar Eclipse at 29 Leo.
Sun/Moon in Virgo quincunx to Uranus in Aries (also eclipse degree)
Sun/Moon in Virgo semi-sextile Jupiter in Libra (eclipse degree and in opposition to Uranus)
Jupiter in Libra opposite Uranus in Aries

New-Moon-Virgo-Sept-20-2017

Chart for the New Moon in Virgo, Sept. 20, 2017, 1:30 AM Eastern, from Atlanta, GA

New Moon Solar Eclipse in Virgo Guided Imagery Meditation – Please Join Me

Neptune-Amphitrite-1560-by-Paris Bordone

Please click the audio bar below to begin listening to the meditation. 

Welcome to the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Virgo guided imagery meditation. I’m Michelle Gregg, Counseling Astrologer. Please join me for a few minutes of quiet, relaxation, and beautiful imagery, so that we can align together with this powerful lunation, this brand new beginning, and raise the vibration of this energy for the world.

The New Moon Solar Eclipse occurred on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at 5:03 AM Eastern time. The energy of this event is potent and compelling and will be felt for months to come. The energy of an eclipse generally unfolds over time. Feel free to do this meditation whenever you choose over the next year. 

virgo-with-wheatThe New Moon is the time to retreat into the darkness to reflect, to restore your soul, and to set intentions. An eclipse is the time to consciously let something go that no longer serves you – the beginning of a new cycle.

Ideally, come to the meditation with your New Moon intentions to hand. You could even imagine that you have placed them in a sheaf of wheat… and as your intentions change, re-align them in a new sheaf of wheat and revisit the meditation. 

For those who may not be able to access the audio file above, here is the entire meditation in written format:

“Welcome to the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Virgo guided imagery meditation. I’m Michelle Gregg, Counseling Astrologer. Please join me for a few minutes of quiet, relaxation, and beautiful imagery, so that we can align together with this powerful lunation, this brand new beginning. The New Moon Solar Eclipse occurred on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at 5:03 AM Eastern time. The energy of this event is potent and compelling and will be felt for months to come. The energy of an eclipse generally unfolds over time. Feel free to do this meditation whenever you choose over the next year.

The New Moon is the time to retreat into the darkness to reflect, to restore your soul, and to set intentions. An eclipse is the time to consciously let something go that no longer serves you – the beginning of a new cycle.

Find a place that’s quiet and restful, away from your daily routine, and preferably in the dark. Sit comfortably in any position that feels good to you. Gently close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Begin relaxing your body. Breathe slowly. Relax your feet, ankles and legs. Breathe deeply. Relax your hips and belly. Breathe slowly. Relax your solar plexus and ribs and breathe deeply. Relax your back and your chest and breathe slowly. Relax your hands, your wrists, and your arms and breathe deeply. Relax your shoulders – let them be loose, and breathe slowly. Relax your neck. Relax your chin, and now your face. Breathe slowly. Relax your eyes and your brow, and now the top of your head. Breathe deeply………………. Breathe slowly.

Milky-Way-over-the oceanNow, see yourself on a very dark night, no moonlight at all, standing on a beach, with the ocean rolling in, wave after glorious wave, bringing the sea closer with each moment. Beside you is Virgo, the Goddess of the Grain, holding aloft a sheaf of wheat, both hands raised to the sky. You realize as you look at her face and her arms raised high that there a millions of stars above you, constellations clearly visible, and the Milky Way is enormous, filling the darkness with hues of pink, blue, gold, and green, breathtaking in its glorious diaphanous beauty as it descends toward the water.

The Goddess is offering her wheat, the staff of her physical, tangible life, and the bearer of her intentions, to the glory of the sky and the power of the sea – to the Universe, to Source, to the Divine. She turns to look at you, and you instinctively know that it’s your turn to raise your wheat high, lifting your arms in a promise to serve yourself, to serve others, and to serve the Divine with the purpose of your life, with your new intentions, with discernment, with competence, and with the gifts that only you possess. You promise, with a whisper to the winds and the roar of the ocean, to live your life from the spark of your own inner divinity, and to serve life from a place of perfect love.

Now, you realize that there are many others all around, standing on the beach to either side of you as far as you can see. Each one is holding aloft their sheaf of wheat – offering their lives, their intentions, in service to the glories of the Earth, to the wonders of the Divine, to themselves and to all. Now, as the Goddess lays down her wheat in the wet sand, everyone follows suit, bringing their sheaves to create an enormous cairn. As the offering is being built, one sheaf at a time, the waves of the ocean become bigger, and louder, and closer, until a mighty figure appears far out in the ocean. He is enormous and powerful, with seaweed hair and beard streaming all about his face. He is holding up a trident – and with a sharp communal intake of breath everyone present recognizes Neptune, God of the Sea. He comes closer and closer to land, very close to where you all stand, and as he does, you see that his face is creased with lines of kindness, his eyes shine with love and compassion, and his gaze seems to encompass everyone at once, leaving each of you with the feeling of acceptance, just as you are.

Virgo-with-Wheat-3Virgo walks into the shallow waves to meet him – earthy, grounded, beauty meets the mystical, boundary-less transcendent. As they embrace, calm and gentle waves roll in at your feet, and begin to disperse the alter of wheat. Each intention, each promise being carried into the sea to become one with all that is.

As you watch the sheaves being taken away you feel a sense of calm and deliberation flow through you. Your intuition is powerful. You know your course. You feel as though this magical experience has imbued you with fearlessness and has ignited the passion of right action, and a practical plan to begin to realize your intentions. You are strong in your sense of self-worth. You course with authority over your own life, even as you stand in your certainty of service to others.

As you turn to leave this wondrous beach, you are strengthened with the wisdom that moves in you, knowing that when the time is right, when the Moon wanes her gibbous light and Mercury moves forward again, you will rise to your new course of action. All is well.

PAUSE

Now, impress those images you’ve just experienced into your memory, so that later they will return with ease. Continue to breathe deeply and slowly for a few moments more… and now, when you’re ready, open your eyes. Begin to feel at one with your body again. Stretch each limb and muscle, pulling the Virgo energy of the physical into your being.

Thank you for sharing this moment with me.

Go into your daily life and bring balance between the real and the sublime, with beautiful intentions, and practical service.

And so it is.”

Mercury Retrograde – August 30, 2016 – Heart before Head

Mercury-detail-of-Jupiter-Mercury-and-Virtue-by-Dosso-Dossi-painting-1524

Yes my friends, it’s that time again! Mercury has stationed (the appearance of standing still) and will turn Retrograde in Virgo tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. I’d love for you to read my now classic article called “Mercury Retrograde – The Unlikely Healing Gift” here. I think you’ll find it very helpful in navigating this sometimes tricky time.

This Retrograde coincides with the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Virgo on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at 5:03 am. That’s a lot of energy! What I want to impress on you about this Retrograde and Eclipse is to let your heart come before your head… allow Luna (your emotions and the expression of those emotions) to feel her way into where you are; and let Mercury (your mental processes) take a back seat. He is going backwards after-all. 🙂

Trusting your intuition and making space for emotional connectedness is a great way to make new beginnings at the New Moon. Go into the dark of the moon and let yourself explore emotionally while letting your mind’s whirling have a rest – internalizing thoughts and reevaluating how your process is appropriate – just please be sure that you’re also tuning in to the feeling aspect of who you are.

Both of these events, Mercury Retrograde and the New Moon Solar Eclipse, activate Virgo and Pisces – so bring balance between analyzing and blurring the details, between discernment and “it’s all good,” between feeling in-control and out-of-control – and most of all, between being a martyr and being a victim. Both the darkness at a New Moon and Mercury Retrograde ask us to introspect and to restore – not to push forward hastily without feeling or thought.

Here are a few specifics to know about this Mercury Retrograde: Mercury will travel backwards from 29 degrees of Virgo to 14 degrees of Virgo… so that Virgo/Pisces axis is being strongly impacted, as is the Gemini/Sagittarius axis. If you have have planets in any of these 4 signs, this Retrograde is very much yours. 🙂 Especially if your planets are between 12 and 30 degrees of those mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, & Pisces).

Mercury-Retrograde-Virgo-Aug-30-2016

This is the chart for the beginning of Mercury Retrograde in Atlanta, GA – Aug. 30, 2016  -8:59 AM Eastern

Jupiter and Venus Shining Together TONIGHT = Big Love!

Venus-Jupiter-27Aug2016

If you’re very, very lucky you have a perfect view of the Western horizon. If you don’t, you might want to go find that perfect view, because tonight (Saturday, Aug 27, 2016), about a half hour to 45 minutes after sunset (sunset in Atlanta is 8:08 pm – check your local time), you’ll be able to see Venus twinkle out from the darkness just above the Western horizon, very shortly followed by Jupiter in almost exactly the same spot. A beautiful moment!

Venus and Jupiter are the two brightest lights in our sky after the Sun and Moon – when they come together it’s quite a show! Bear in mind however, that light around you and light from our planet may make these two beauties challenging to see unless you’ve found a nice dark spot. Pair that with the fact that Venus and Jupiter will be setting by 9pm  Eastern, so it’s crucial to be in your viewing position on-time, a little before sunset. And you WILL want to see this – this visual event doesn’t occur again until Nov. 22, 2065, and the last time we were able to see this encounter was Nov. 14, 1660. Very rare.

But let me say, that whether you see this lovely event or not, these two planets create something pretty special when they shine together. A few words that describe the combination of Venus and Jupiter energies are: big love, happiness, a noble heart, beautiful art, happy gatherings, extra confidence, a beautiful future – you get the idea. The heart swells with well-being and generosity, and seeks pleasant company and beautiful surroundings. And the effects of this meeting of planets is not just valid for this evening. They’ve been dancing together since about August 18, and will be fading in energy by the first week of September. But energies experienced and lessons learned are not forgotten. 🙂

Tonight’s Venus/Jupiter meeting of worlds in Virgo also includes little Mercury – he will be very close to the two much brighter planets. With the inclusion of Mercury, we may just experience a coming together of minds on some level, or find some peace within our own minds where we have been restless or anxious. There could also be an expansive, inclusive nature to our thoughts, and some very expressive communication. Perhaps through music or art, which would be very appropriate. Perhaps through beautiful words. Poetry – loving murmurs.

This whole lovely shebang occurs across the Virgo/Pisces axis in an opposition to Chiron, The Wounded Healer. Deeper analysis leads to the possibility of relationship wounds finding rest through forgiveness, and the potential for seeking a future in which we don’t play the role of victim or stay lost in co-dependence or addiction – both very prevalent Virgo/Pisces themes.

I like to think that with this beautiful emphasis from the heavens, in the sign of Virgo and opposite Chiron in Pisces, that we’ll feel compelled to open our hearts to ways of being in true service to others – in service to, rather  than serving (or being a door-mat) – meaning that we don’t lose  or forget ourselves when we serve, but rather serve from a strong sense of Self (the Jungian, individuated capital “S” Self); from self-worth in the spirit of unconditional BIG love, for both ourselves and others.

It is thought by more than a few that it was a Venus/Jupiter conjunction that led the wise men to discover the Christ child 2000 years ago. The two planets connecting so closely together, especially if both are in full light, create the illusion that they are one enormous, amazingly bright star – perhaps the Star of Bethlehem. You can read more about that possibility here and it’s very interesting.  And here’s another article offering several different possibilities on the Star of Bethlehem. 

Venus-Jupiter-Conjunction-Aug-27-2016

This is the chart of the moment of the exact Venus/Jupiter conjunction along with Mercury at 6:29 PM Eastern time. We won’t be able to see these two beauties at that point – the sky will have to get darker first. By 8:30 we should be able to see them, and certainly by 8:45.

Venus-Jupiter-Conjunction-Setting-Aug-27-2016

This chart at 8:55 PM Eastern shows Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury setting – just about to dip below the Western Horizon.

 

Mercury Retrograde in Gemini – May / June 2015

Heart

(Pre-Shadow: May 4 – May 18; Mercury Retrograde: May 18 – June 11;
Post-Shadow: June 11 – June 27, 2015)

There are SO many ways to look at this powerful Mercury Retrograde in Gemini that’s coming right up, especially with this dynamic Neptune influence…  I’ll start with this in case you don’t make it past the first paragraph: First, the practical advice: BACK UP all your data, no matter where it lives or how secure you think it is. Get your tires and your oil changed and your 5,000 mile check-up. Replace that head gasket or that timing belt that you’ve been putting off – but do it quick. Now the good stuff: If you have a spiritual practice, turn to it fully and embrace it wholeheartedly – it will support you beautifully now. (If you don’t, and have always wanted to, then go get one – prayer, meditation, yoga.) It’s not the time to embark on a completely new idea or project, but if you have artistic or design talents that have been sitting on a shelf, take them down and dust them off. If you’re planning to travel… perhaps rethink your plans until later-ish June, unless your journey is spiritual, compassionate (I’m thinking about Nepal), or artistic in nature. If you’re thinking of signing a contract or pushing a project, it’s truly time to step away, allow the Gods their due, and get a more artistic, more inspired, more elegant appraisal of what you’re doing and what you’re expecting – and listen to your intuition around this process – instead of what your ego craves. If you’re musical or poetic and haven’t been practicing, GO! Give you instrument and your voice free reign! If you have addictive tendencies or are prone to overdo ANY feel good props, it’s time discover that inner strength you know is there and just say no. And if you’re into intellectual, inspired beauty, boy howdy, this is the time for you. Deeply connect to that beauty and love…

Bottom line? STOP PUSHING. LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION. OPEN TO YOUR ARTISTIC NATURE. LET GO AND LET GOD. GET SOME PERSPECTIVE. SURRENDER. ALLOW. RELEASE INTO THE SUBLIME. TURN ON YOUR LOVE BEAM. THINK AND SPEAK YOUR INNER BEAUTY.  (It’s the THINK part, right? Yes, you can think loving thoughts to and about yourself. )

We’ve been in the pre-shadow period of Mercury Retrograde since May 4.  So even though Mercury doesn’t officially go retrograde until May 18 (just 2 days from now!) for all intents and purposes, WE’RE ALREADY IN IT, and have been for almost 2 weeks. Probably not a surprise to those of you who are sensitive to this one.

I started hearing the lamentable stories right at the beginning of May… and simultaneously began to hear the incredulous question, “Why does it feel like Mercury is retrograde?” I was surprised at first, knowing the retrograde was a couple of weeks away, but when I started looking at it I realized how this particular retrograde is probably a precocious one. 🙂

Understand then that from a FEELING PERSPECTIVE Mercury IS and HAS BEEN retrograde since May 4. The trickster planet is really slowing down in its orbit right now, which is the initiation into the actual retrograde. And that phenomenon is made extravagant by the fact that Mercury is in its own sign of Gemini – the sign it naturally rules. AND, Mercury is in a square aspect to Neptune… confused much? That’s frequently what Neptune combined with Mercury brings on when operating at the lower vibrational level… lots of confusion and chaos in processing information, communicating effectively, memory, travel, technology, basic intellectual understanding, etc. etc. etc.  So even without the retrograde motion of Mercury, due to the connection between Mercury and Neptune, we have this type of non-focused energy as a base line…

God-MindAND THAT’S WHY YOU WANT TO ELEVATE THE ENERGY. Consciously operate from the higher vibration level of Mercury Retrograde in its own sign of Gemini squaring Neptune.

HOW??? is obviously the question.

This is all truly about the God Mind, so the answer is by doing the suggestions I gave earlier: connect to God(s) and your spiritual core; align with your artistry – whatever form that takes; surrender your ego and listen to your intuition (it will pay off I promise). TELL YOUR STORY WITH TRUE FEELING… because in the telling will arise insights and aha’s that need to be pulled from your unconsciousness.

Let your thoughts, your speech, your writing, the way you move through your life reflect the goodness within you.  If you’re having a hard time connecting with that loving place within, then mentally AND emotionally go inside… Mercury Retrograde is the king of digging deep and coming back with amazing personal insights that inform the current energy pattern.

During this time, between now and June 27 (when we’re past the post-shadow), if you’re challenged by a choice between logic and compassion – go with compassion. The purpose behind this retrograde is to learn to find the peace of compassion and grace despite a busy mind; to connect to your inner divinity even while questioning everything; to engage your dream now and in a few weeks give it a voice rather than simply staying in the dreaming. The goal is to rest and restore your mind with indulgences into fantasy and beauty so that they can inform your future with a new, divinely inspired perspective.

Obviously this Mercury Retrograde impacts everyone, but if you have the Sun, Moon, or personal planets in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces, this Mercury Retrograde is especially for you! 🙂

 

To get you in the proper head and heart space for this Mercury Retrograde, please enjoy watching this video: 40 Acts of Compassion
I promise you’ll love it!

 

If you’ve never read my Mercury Retrograde article, this is a great time!
Mercury Retrograde – The Unlikely Healing Gift 

Full Moon in Virgo Today, March 5, 2015, 1:05 PM Eastern – The Light of Love

Virgo-Pisces-Full-Moon

I’ve been thinking of this Full Moon in Virgo from a spiritual perspective because of the very strong Pisces elements involved… The Virgo Moon is a very earthy and practical energy, and today it is opposite the Sun in Pisces, which is flanked by Chiron and Neptune, also both in Pisces. One way of looking at all that heavy emphasis on Pisces/Neptune is Universal Love or Christ Consciousness. For those of us really connected into this Full Moon, our intuition can be heightened and our loving compassion strongly roused, while emotionally we want surety… i.e. to read the instruction manual and ask for directions before setting out on the journey. Two obviously very different energies to balance.

But there is a flavor of loving service, and healing cosmic/karmic wounds to both sides of this Virgo/Pisces coin, and that’s where my mind is wandering…

Here are some key phrases to get you connected to this lovely moment:

*your spiritual center

*being in service as a mentor and guide

*receiving guidance

*bringing light to your purpose as a divine spark of infinite love

*healing wounds through opening the heart to love

*using discernment and attention to details as your guide

*bringing balance between flowing and defining

*being found after being lost

Dichotomies that may come to light that need balancing:

Victim vs. Savior (with a splash of Martyr on either side)

Order vs. Chaos

Reality vs. Dreams

Practicality vs. romanticism

Details vs. Vastness

Control vs. Addiction

And maybe all some of us want to do with this energy is to clean up a bit and then plan, prepare, and eat a lovely meal with a gorgeous bottle of wine while we get lost in a novel, movie, or book of poetry – or a great love… 🙂

The Full Moon in Virgo opposite the Sun, Chiron and Neptune in Pisces. March 5, 2015 - 1:05 PM Eastern. Natural Aries Wheel.

The Full Moon in Virgo opposite the Sun, Chiron and Neptune in Pisces. March 5, 2015 – 1:05 PM Eastern. Natural Aries Wheel.

New Energy! Venus in Virgo and Saturn in Scorpio…

There are some new energies afoot!

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012 Venus moved from Leo into Virgo. With this shift your attention moves from valuing yourself at the center of your awareness to valuing what you can do in service to others.

Venus was in Leo from Sept. 7, 2012, so you’ve  had a month to focus on whatever magnificence comes from your heart, your creative efforts, how your resources can benefit them or what you receive as a result of them. This was the time to love for fun for and pleasure. 

With this shifting of Venus from the 5th sign of the Zodia to the 6th (Virgo) comes an emphasis on becoming practical in the way you interact with the people closest to you and with those with whom you work on a regular basis. In what way can you offer something of benefit to them? In what way can you contribute to the smooth functioning of your primary circles. Venus in Virgo is love on purpose! 

Another shift we’re experiencing is the movement of both Mercury into Scorpio. 

Mercury in Scorpio (coming from Libra) is a fairly brief visit, as Mercury orbits so quickly. It was in Libra from Sept. 17 until today, Oct. 5, 2012. Mercury in Libra put the focus on thinking and talking about relationship and how to keep them in balance. Now your mind, with Mercury in Scorpio, turns more toward thinking and communicating in depth – from your core – with a desire to expose the truth. Mercury in Scorpio is the natural placement of the detective, so this is a fantastic time for research projects that need laser beam mental prowess. Mercury is in Scorpio until Oct. 28. Focus on what your can reveal and uncover during this time. Watch out for obsessing about what you know or what you need to learn – or inconsistencies in your thoughts or the communications of others. 

And the biggie – Saturn is also in Scorpio as of today at 4:34 Eastern time. When Saturn makes an ingress into a new sign, it’s a big deal. Saturn has been in Libra fully since Oct. of 2010… so for almost 2 years Libra and all the Cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn – have been learning Saturn lessons. Now it’s time for the fixed signs – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius – to have their Saturn moment. If you have any planets in any of these four signs, then at some point over the next couple of years – until December of 2014 (it does Retrogress back into Scorpio for a good part of 2015 ) – you’ll have your lesson with Saturn to learn as well. And please don’t jump to negative conclusions. Without the lessons of Saturn, honestly, we’d all be floating around in chaos. 

Saturn lessons are lessons of resistance – and where you feel resistance there is probably fear. Saturn also lets us know when it’s time to balance karma in a particular area. It also brings the opportunity to mature and make practical progress somewhere. The beauty of Saturn lessons is that we get to grow up, get something accomplished and really find our authority somewhere. So, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius – pull on your big girl panties and let go of resistance. 

Saturn in Scorpio is a penetrating energy that asks us to get real with overcoming our deepest fears and darkest, most taboo places. Saturn is all about testing the strength of your structure and in Scorpio it will suss out any weaknesses. There is an emphasis on power, on transformation and on merging. There may be an impact on your resources – and depending on whether your foundation and structure are strong or not – there may be limits places on your resources or you may reap the rewards of your practical progress and good planning. Becoming comfortable with limits is one of the keys to successfully navigating any Saturn transit. 

Don’t let the heavy sound of this energy put you into a negative space or a pity party… throughout our lives we experience challenges. It is the way we meet those challenges that determines the outcome. Meet this time of maturing with the best that you have (I’m mostly talking to those with planets in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius). Understand that resistance, digging in your heals or blaming others, will probably create suffering on some level… and be thankful that you’re entering a very important time of change and growth. Of course the intensity of these changes will ebb and flow… right now it’s those with planets in the very early degrees of these signs who will feel this energy most. As Saturn moves forward the middle-degree people will come more into the light of this energy and as more time passes within the 2 year period, those with planets in the later degrees of the fixed signs will be feeling it more prevalently. 

It would be wonderful to hear from some Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn folks on what their experiences have been with Saturn impacting them over the past 2 years. Please feel free to comment with a story if you feel moved!

The Saturn Ingress into Scorpio – Oct. 5, 2012 – 4:34 PM Eastern

Aug. 30, 2019 – New Moon in Virgo Meditation – Repost and update of a beautiful Virgo New Moon meditation perfect for today. Relax, Restore, and Begin Anew!

Goddess of the Harvest

I’m re-posting this meditation, and have updated it to relate to today, because it so perfectly shares the beauty of Virgo energy – and we are definitely in a very Virgo moment with the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars all in the sign of the Goddess of the Harvest simultaneously. If you don’t have time to read, but you do have time to sit in meditation for 13 minutes, jump down to the link, get comfortable, and lose yourself in this lovely link to the current energy of the Cosmos.

The New Moon occurred this morning August 30, 2019 at 6:38 AM Eastern

CLICK TO LISTEN: I want to share this gorgeous meditation with all of you! 

In creating this meditation I focused on the energies of the New Moon and Sun in Virgo as they emphasize and engage you in being complete unto yourself – the true meaning of the word “Virgin.” Virgin, in its original definition, means “a woman unto herself.”

At the moment of the New Moon, intended to restore your soul, the Sun and Moon are involved in a conjunction aspect to Mercury, Venus, and Mars. All five of these bodies are in the sign of the Goddess of the Harvest – the Virgin. That simply means that these bodies are sharing exactly the same spot in the sky. This is a connection of working in tandem – of close association – of a new beginning between your core creative Self symbolized by the Sun, your emotional Self symbolized by the Moon, the quickened thought processes and need for communication symbolized by Mercury, what you find beautiful and how you give and receive love symbolized by Venus, and the need to take action to get your desires met symbolized by Mars.

This connection highlights a need to express to others your emotions and your heart’s desires in a way that is practical, discriminating and that leads to finding the Self through service. Allow this meditation to refresh, restore and regenerate your spirit as you prepare for a new creative beginning in the next few days. A new cycle of creation begins today.

Below you may listen to the meditation or read it for yourself. 

CLICK JUST BELOW TO LISTEN

LISTEN TO THE MEDITATION

New Moon in Virgo Meditation

This is a guided imagery meditation.

The best way to engage in this experience is to sit comfortably upright with your bare feet on the ground or the floor, with closed eyes and an open heart and an open mind.

Relax your face. Smile and release any tension there. Relax your shoulders. Gently lift them and let them fall into a comfortable place. Shake your arms and hands lightly and then allow them to become comfortable and loose, resting your hands in your lap. Breathe deeply into your torso and as you breathe out twist easily and gently from side to side, then come to center and settle into an easy position. Now gently shake your legs and move them from side to side for a couple of breaths, then bring them to stillness, releasing any tension in them… just let them relax and become heavy. Now lift your feet a little and wiggle your toes and circle your ankles and let them come to rest, planting them firmly on the floor again, knees bent and wide, easily supporting your relaxed legs. Breathe very deeply, in and out, at a natural and comfortable rate.

Even gentle breaths – getting deeper and deeper as you relax.

Breathing slowly, slowing your heart rate. In. Out. In. Out.

Now the darkness behind your eyelids is growing even darker. Darker with every breath.

Open your mind to suggestion. Free yourself into a blissful conscious darkness.  Breathe there, relaxing in pleasure.

Now, breathing slowly and fully in and out, imagine that you are in a beautifully farmed field. Crops have been planted in perfect rows and beds, perfectly following the graceful rise and fall of the gentle hills. The varieties of ripe and heavy vegetables with their vibrant reds, yellow, oranges and purples and huge, luscious clusters of greens seem almost endless, growing with strength and perfect health from the rich, black, damp earth toward the gorgeous yellow sun on one side – and covered with dew and loud with the sound of insects wings under a black night sky on the other. You are standing in the fields, in the crux between the Sun and New Moon, of the Virgin.

The air around you is crisp and delightful – clean and pure. It vibrates with every hue, tangible and alive. The time of harvest has clearly arrived and there is a sense of expectancy.

Breathing slowly and deeply, turn toward the night side of the field. You begin to feel that there are others present. It is completely dark at the farthest reaches of the field, but you can feel their presence and slowly begin to hear rustlings as they seem to begin to move toward you.

Now you turn in the other direction, toward the glorious color of the ripened fields and sun and you see a woman walking purposefully, gracefully, toward you. As she gets closer, you see how fully awake, how vibrant, and how joyful she is! She is glowing with health, radiating love, and her eyes are alive with intelligence. Her clothes are all the colors of the fields and she carries a large woven basket. Then you realize that there is a glowing, ethereal light around her head. You suddenly realize that here is the Goddess of the Harvest, Virgo the Virgin herself, and it is because of her that this bounty is before you.

She catches and captures your eyes, and then very slightly nods to a place behind you. You turn to see the others that you sensed before, now walking toward the two of you, coming steadily from the darkness into the light. There are women, men and children. There are animals of every kind. There are birds and insects and frogs and creatures you don’t recognize. And as they come slowly forward, you realize that each of them is either hungry or in need in some way. They are the faces of all humanity, diverse in appearance, but the same in their need.

As you take in the state of these fellow beings, your heart is touched with compassion and your mind begins to race with the need to help, to restore all of them. You turn and look again to the Goddess, and you see that she is ready to do what is necessary to serve those who have come; those who have found their way to her perfect fields.

The Goddess beckons to you and as you move toward her, and the closer you get you feel that you are melding with her. As you come to her side, she smiles and embraces you and you feel yourself becoming one with her – becoming her! Your body is now her body, as hers is yours.

Your ideas now take on a life of their own as the mind of the Goddess becomes your mind. You now know what to do. You are energized and can now organize and put forth the perfect way to serve those before you who are in such need.

You move farther into the fields and begin to bend and pick the ripe vegetables. Your mind is so clear that you communicate silently to all present to move into a line in front of you, and as they do, you offer the first the food that you’ve harvested – all the while knowing that you are being guided by the Goddess herself. You can feel her energy inside and around you, smiling and joyous with this deed.

As you offer the food, you realize that even the vegetables themselves are happy and radiating light. They feel fulfilled that they have a purpose and that their energy is not wasted – that they also have a practical use that serves.

You continue to bend and pick, and feed the next in line and then the next. You are reaching out to each one not only with the food of your labors, but also with your mind. It is as though you understand the needs of each one and through making your offering of newly harvested food to them you also offer whatever it is that will make them whole. Your understanding of each other, your communication with each other, is complete.

The work is hard but it exhilarates you. You are becoming stronger and more vibrant with each offering. Within the body of the Goddess you feel that you are now positively glowing with life force energy.

Then as those who have eaten move from the line, you notice similar changes in them. They are more alive. They now wear smiles. Their eyes have begun to shine. And they are stronger too. They begin, one by one, to bend and pick the ripe food with you. They offer the others who have not yet eaten the same service that you have provided for them.

Before long everyone present feeds another, until everyone has been served and made stronger, happier and more alive.

As you are resting and breathing, happily lying in the fields with all the others, you have another realization. Each of these whom you have fed and served is a part of you! And with that realization comes another – every one, every animal, every being, every thing is a part of you. The ground, the Sun, the sky, the crops, the dew, the insects. You are all a part of each other and a part of the Goddess and a part of the Universe. To serve others is to serve yourself. To serve yourself is to serve others.

As you stand now in this fresh awareness you understand that you have become the Goddess. Her body is yours. Her mind is yours. And then, beautifully, all present share this understanding. Each one comes to you and as you embrace them, they all meld with you just as you did with the Goddess.

To serve others is to serve yourself. To serve yourself is to serve others.

Breathe with this. Sit with it a moment. Inhale slowly and fully. Exhale slowly and fully.

And again.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

When you’re ready, bring your breathing back to its natural rhythm.

Begin to come to full awareness and open your eyes; eyes that are now glowing with purpose and service, ready to plant the seeds and then to reap the harvest of your compassionate work in action. Breathe. Smile…

Now you are feeling refreshed and restored, regenerated in the power of the New Moon in Virgo.

Mmmmmm. Ok. Very nice. How do you feel?

I have loved sharing this meditation with you. I hope on some level that your experience here will make a positive impact on your life and that it will help you get through the month more meaningfully and gracefully and creatively. And I really hope you don’t leave this as “shelf help” – meaning don’t just put it away and forget it’s impact.

And I’m here to help you! Reach out for an Individual Consultation and we can explore this month’s energies within your personal birth chart – see where the New Moon requires growth for you – and then get you on track if that’s what you need! If you’re having challenges connecting or manifesting accomplishment, service toward others, or practical organization please email me at astrology@michellegregg.com! I’d love to help. We can get very specific to your needs in sessions that are one-to-one. So I’ll talk to you soon, and Happy New Moon in Virgo!

Food for Thought in Preparation for the free New Moon in Virgo Tele-Class and Meditation on Saturday, Sep.15, 2012

FREE NEW MOON TELECLASS & MEDITATION

(click above for more info on the class)

Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 6 PM Eastern Time

CLASS TIME IN OTHER TIME ZONES

USA:  12 Noon Hawaii (Honolulu), 3 PM Pacific, 4 PM Mountain, 5 PM Central, 6 PM Eastern

UK & EUROPE:  11 PM UK (London), 12 Midnight France (Paris), 12 Midnight Italy (Rome), 12 Midnight Germany (Berlin, Munich)

INDIA (Mumbai):  3:30 AM the following day

PHILIPPINES (Manilla):  6 AM the following day

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND:  8 AM the following day in Australia (Sydney), 10 AM the following day in New Zealand  (Wellington) 

Call 218.862.1300 and use code 122069 to join the call.

This New Moon occurs in the sign of Virgo, on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 10:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

Key Words / Phrases to Reflect On for this New Moon Chart

communicating your feelings
separating and differentiating true emotions from habits and patterns
examining your heart
side-stepping the personal pitfall of perfectionism
loving your inner critic
being of service to those you love and to your own truth
the true meaning of Virgo – a woman unto herself
comfort with practicality

That’s probably enough to start with…

And I look forward to talking with you on Saturday!

Here is the chart we’ll be using that is an Aries Wheel reflecting only the planets without a rising sign or houses – so no specific place specified. The chart is based on the natural wheel of the Zodiac beginning with Aries.

Chart for the New Moon in Virgo on Sept. 15, 2012 at 10:11 PM Eastern
Aries Wheel

August 31, 2012 Full Moon in Pisces (With Chiron and Neptune) – Compassion and Healing

Full Moons bring awareness and ask that we intensify our focus in a particular direction, just as we do when we walk out under a night sky containing the glory of a huge glowing orb – we are compelled to look up and see it – to experience the mysterious beauty above us. That fully visible and perfectly lovely full moon both lights our way through the dark and casts deep shadows. The same is true in our emotional selves at this time – we are both brought to awareness of something and may also be made aware of the shadows in our psyches.

This Full Moon occurs in Pisces, with the Sun in the opposite sign of Virgo. This is the axis of service (Virgo) and of compassion (Pisces), of getting on with the work at hand (Virgo) and of daydreaming (Pisces), of the Martyr (Virgo) and the Savior (Pisces), of practicality (Virgo) and of highest ideals (Pisces). And as all oppositions do, we are called now to find the balance between these very different areas of awareness – or in today’s Full Moon due to its connection to Mars –  to find the balance in these very different calls to action.

How will you bring balance between these areas today and for the next two weeks until the New Moon?

The Moon is very closely connected to both Chiron and Neptune, as well as Mars and Pluto, Jupiter and the Nodes of the Moon (see the chart I’ve included below)…

We are compelled to look deeply into our family wounding (family of origin, immediate family, family of choice, neighborhood, city, country) and feel out the ideal, the appropriate healing road to take. This can be a time of enormous healing – but also of enormous wounding. As always the two sides of the same coin are there to be chosen from. Let your imagination and your deepest compassion inform your awareness. And then, with the practical working ethic of the Virgo Sun, and the impetus stimulated by Mars, put forth the effort required for the healing to happen. And understand that what issues from today will both pull from the past, probably as information already received and processed, and lead toward the future, changing our beliefs and philosophies, due to the Grand Square being formed with the Moon’s nodes, which represent where we come from and are comfortable and where we are stretching toward.

Our *bodies and our physical health are part of today’s energies… there may be a kind of malaise here… a feeling that something is wrong but it’s hard to say exactly what. The Virgo/Pisces axis is the one of the health of the body, prevention, and of hypochondria. Most affected by this Full Moon are those with strong placements in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. I would say that in health concerns, hard decisions are not the way to go today. Practicing meditation or yoga, or finding peace and solace are more the tone of the day. If you’re feeling energetic (more likely for the Fixed Signs – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius), dispel any lingering clouds by doing something physically active – just don’t overdo. Our bodies (Virgo) are a reflection (Neptune/Pisces) of our consciousness. So whatever you’re feeling on the inside is what you will manifest through your body on the outside. This is a great thing to remember today and throughout the next two weeks (and always): love and be compassionate with yourself – your body and its health will reflect it. (*”bodies” can also be thought of as the body of the Earth.)

There’s a very Universal feeling that goes beyond the personal and familial realm that is the typical designation of the Moon. We have those connections to Chiron (conjunction), Uranus (semi-sextile), Neptune (conjunction) and Pluto (sextile) that speak of bridging the purely personal and moving into the collective. The healing energy available now can be a balm to the flood victims of Hurricane Isaac, and beyond, especially if we harness the practical work ethic of Virgo, hand-in-hand with the compassion of Pisces.

Whatever and wherever you are today, know that there is healing and compassion available to you if you need it. And for those on the other end of the spectrum, today and until the New Moon is the perfect time to reach out and help – to be of service to those in need.

Aries Wheel Chart for the Full Moon in Pisces on August 31, 2012