Exact at 4.03pm GMT, 11.03am EST!
 
This is a powerfully potent New Moon as not only is it in Pisces, the penultimate sign of the zodiac, but Neptune, Pisces ruler, is also in exactly the same degree as the Moon! This certainly brings a double dose of dreamy, empathetic and spiritual Pisces energy to this New Moon. Each month, at the New Moon, we experience a mini death and new beginning in whatever area of life the Moon is found in our chart. During this process, whatever is no longer serving us is left behind in the dark of the moon and the seeds are planted for something new to form in its place. While we are in this phase, leading up to the time of the New Moon, it is a good time to be quiet and reflective, and a perfect time to meditate and receive guidance. This is called the Balsamic phase of the Moon and balsamic means to yield to balsam, which means soothing and restorative. Pisces itself occurs in the balsamic phase of the entire zodiac, and so this particular moon really asks us to let go, slow down, turn within, rest and sleep more and pay attention to our dreams.
 
Pisces is that part of us that yearns to connect with spirit and seeks to dissolve and emotional, physical or spiritual barriers preventing a conscious connection with the Divine. Wherever Pisces and Neptune are found in our chart, as well as the signs and planets found in the 12th house, show the way we find it most natural to develop spiritually. Neptune and Pisces represent the mystic in us, but also the part of us that is prone to delusions and wearing the proverbial rose tinted spectacles! Pisces is that part of us that would prefer to bury our head in the sand and pretend that something isn’t happening rather than have to face the reality of whatever we are dealing with. One of the big lessons of this sign is to learn to see and accept things as they really are and also to stop projecting ultimate meaning outside of ourselves, but rather we need to find it within. With Pisces we are invited to recognise what is rather than creating illusions/delusions or fantasies that reflect what we think we want. Disillusionment can occur wherever Pisces and Neptune are found in the chart, but this is a necessary part of the spiritual process; seeing this as they really are and acceoting them anyway.
 
Questions we might ask ourselves during this Moon are: What do I use to escape or avoid reality? What methods can I use to form a more direct connection to Spirit? Do I need to develop my spiritual practice? What are my dearest and most heartfelt dreams and wishes? Where in my life do I tend to project my ideals and fantasies rather than seeing things as they really are? Where and how do I fall into victimhood or “poor me”, feeling that I am at the mercy of “fate” or forces larger than myself? Do I listen to my higher guidance or do I block it with mind chatter? What are my dreams trying to tell me, and am I paying attention? Am I open and alert to the signs for the universe? Do I need to work on my boundaries? Am I too empathetic and sensitive, or do I need to develop more compassion for my fellow man/woman? What are my blind spots; what unconscious beliefs and tendencies do I project outside of myself that trip me up over and over again? How can I be more consciously aware and present? How can I be more honest with myself? Do I need to get more rest? Do I spend enough time in nature? Am I open to seeing the magic in the everyday?
 
It is interesting that Neptune is right next to the Sun and Moon, heightening our sensitivity and compassion and blurring the boundaries between us and spirit, between fact and fiction and between “us” and “them”. This influence reminds us that we are all connected and that what happens in one part of the world has an impact on the whole organism. We are not separate beings, much as our ego might like us to think so.  Saturn and Mars are also part of the story, forming helpful aspects to the Sun, Moon and Neptune and also to each other. This energy can help us to take responsibility for and act on whatever guidance we receive from our own intuitive hunches or the signs and omens that the universe provides us with during this time.  Pisces and Neptune are great for inspiration, dreams and fantasies, enabling us to have the visions and helping us to connect to spirit, but they don’t exactly help us to ground it into reality! Mars and Saturn, however, are currently both in practical, grounded Earth signs, helping us to actually get up and do something about our intuitive hunches and guidance! There truly is a wonderful blend of intuition, guidance, spiritual connection, inspired action, discipline, responsibility and drive with this combination of planets!
 
Vesta is also part of the Pisces party, as she is also in the very same degree as the Sun, Moon and Neptune. Vesta has priestess energy and was worshipped as Goddess of the Hearth and keeper of the Sacred Flame. Vesta refused to marry and her energy in the chart is that of someone who is “untouched” by relationship. Often when Vesta is prominent it symbolises a need to  cyclically withdraw from the enmeshment of relationship to come back to oneself and become whole again; to find out who we are and align with our own path. Vesta also represents the work we must do in order to fulfil our dharma, which is our true, higher purpose and that which will bring us happiness in the truest sense of the word. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to follow our own personal quest. Vesta represents dedication and commitment to one’s path, true devotion, spiritual and magical ritual and ceremony and the capacity to sacrifice relationships or family, if needed, to follow one’s chosen path.
 
Vesta’s prominent presence during this Moon could help us to transmute our karma into dharma. In other words, what repetitious and unhealthy patterns, habits and tendencies formed in the past are preventing us from stepping up to the plate and accepting our mission on earth for this lifetime? How can we align with our true path and the reason that we are here? How can we truly be of service to humanity? All of this Pisces and Neptune energy, combined with Vesta, suggests that using magic, ceremony and ritual, devoting ourselves to a spiritual practice, turning in and meditating more and truly opening ourselves up to spiritual guidance during this Moon could really help us to connect with our “raison d’etre” and align with our true destiny. How beautiful!
 
There is so much going on during this Moon that feels powerful and worth commenting on! Not least of which we have Uranus literally going into Taurus at the EXACT moment that the New Moon is exact! As Uranus finishes off his 7 year journey through brave and assertive Aries it has been interestimg to see the teenagers harnessing their righteous anger about climate change and developing their own form of revolution! Let’s see what happens as Uranus moves into stable and security conscious Taurus, as it could manifest in a variety of ways. Uranus and Taurus are not two energies that naturally gel with one another!  Taurus is that part of ourselves that has a tendency to get stuck or stagnate because we fear change, finding it hard to see our way out of whatever situation we are in. Uranus seeks to shake up the status quo and force change upon us, which could upset our sense of security but could also bring a lot of excitement and new vision into our lives. So often we don’t make change unless it is forced upon us, but once we do it really clears the qi and can be incredibly liberating!
 
Taurus represents our talents that give us a sense of self-worth and the means by which we make a living, and Uranus could potentially release and reveal talents and abilities that we have supressed, buried, lost and long forgotten, specifically in the area of life where Taurus is found in our natal chart. We could experience fluctuation, breakdown or revolution with regard to our personal and collective monetary system and may be forced to find more inclusive, progressive and ingenious ways to deal with money and finances. For instance, bartering could become more prominent by the end of Uranus’s stay in Taurus. Taurus also represents Mother Earth and the natural world, and while Uranus could shake things up and make us all too aware of what needs to change, we could also experience  a massive upsurge in eco-friendly enterprises and sustainable living. In fact, by the end of the next 7 years, this will probably be more of the “norm”.
 
It is interesting to watch the symphony of the outer planets at the moment, all with their part to play in what happens in the next year or so, both personally and collectively! Saturn, Pluto and the South Node are all coming together in Capricorn at the moment, calling into question any old, antiquated power structures and also bring the past to meet the present in ways that are quite uncomfortable and also very revealing. On a collective level we are seeing the past repeat itself and the dark side of power and the patriarchal system make itself painfully obvious. One can only assume that there is method to the madness and trust in the process. Certainly there is the potential for a thorough detoxing and restructuring with Pluto and Saturn involved. The financial uncertainty and change that Uranus in Taurus could bring makes perfect sense given the current climate! Pluto and Saturn combined are calling for us to step into our true power and truly take responsibility for ourselves and all that we are. Combined with the South Node in Capricorn we may become all too aware that we reap what we sow, as we are called to be completely honest with ourselves and clear any karma and conditioning that is preventing growth.
 
And then there is Neptune in Pisces, the lead player in this New Moon, reminding us that ultimately we are all in this together! On the one hand we may just prefer to bury our heads in the sand, avoiding and escaping reality through drink, drugs, television, movies, computer games, sleep and even meditation! However, there is also the potential for awakening and enlightenment through staying completely conscious and present, dispelling illusions and trying to remain as aware of ourselves and our sabotaging tendencies as we possibly can. Eckhart Tolle talks about the personal and collective pain body and how it can literally “take us over” at times of stress and duress, but if we can become more consciously aware of when it is happening, learning to step back and “watch” ourselves, then we will be much closer to finding true peace and enlightenment. We certainly have the opportunity to see the collective pain body right now, in spades! It couldn’t be more glaringly obvious and any Neptunian, sensitive and empathetic types would be feeling that most acutely.
 
We are going through a massive shift right now and many feel of us feel that we are in a process of transition. This New Moon certainly feels like it is a big part of this process, and Neptune and Pisces ask us to keep the faith and trust that, whatever is happening in our lives and how unclear everything may seem, we are being guided in the right direction. We are invited to open our hearts to signs and guidance and then simply surrender and allow the flow of the river to take us where it will. Of course that it easier said than done sometimes, as our minds seek to control the outcome and know for certain what is coming next!
 
The Sabian symbol for this New Moon, at 17° Pisces, is “An Easter Parade”, a symbol which evokes a feeling of hope, faith and renewal and which Dane Rudyar describes as “participation in collective peak experiences” and says that “the Image of the Resurrection  spurs all men…to dynamise themselves in some kind of self-renewal  in response to the Christ mythos, and to the call of nature’s springtime as well. Wherever found, this symbol emphasises the value of attuning one’s life activities and moods to the ritualistic patterns of society or Earth-nature, rather than acting in complete independence from the group”. This certainly brings a feeling that we are all in this together! How can we help heal the earth? What in us is being resurrected right now?  How can we help ourselves surrender to the process? What needs to pass away so that we can be reborn?
 
“Sometimes a change in perspective is all it takes to see the light” Dan Brown
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Painting: Hosanna in Excelsis Deo – Worku Goshu
 

 
 

Exact at 9.03pm GMT, 4.03pm EST.
 
This New Moon also coincides with the beginning of the Yin Earth Pig, a peaceful, patient and thoughtful creature who is very well aware that “charity begins at home”. The New Moon represents mini death/rebirth, whereby we let go of whatever is not serving us in order to make way for something else to come in that is more in line with who we are in the process of becoming. Whatever energetic seeds are planted during this time tend to blossom and bloom later in the month. It can be a powerful and potent time to set some heartfelt intentions, although we must watch what we ask for because the universe, or spirit, has a tendency to really take us at our word and can be quite literal. Often we are given only what is needed for our greatest growth at that time, and that can come in many guises! We may consciously want something for ourselves, but deep down inside we might be absolutely terrified of what it might mean if we actually get it, or on a subconscious level we feel that we don’t deserve it. And when it comes down to it, our subconscious rules the show!
 
The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly union in humanitarian, non-conformist and idealistic Aquarius, a sign well known for standing out from the crowd! Wherever Aquarius and its ruler, Uranus, are found in our chart shows where we feel a need to do things differently, in a way that does not conform to societal norms and expectations. Aquarius represents the part of us that questions the rules and regulations in order to individuate and liberate ourselves from conditioning patterns that we have accrued throughout this life and previous lifetimes. Slowly but surely we peel back the layers of parental and societal “should and shouldn’ts” in order to arrive at the core, which is our own, unique essence. It is essential that we liberate ourselves from our conditioning in order to grow spiritually. Aquarius challenges us to be strong enough to be our own person and to break down the walls that are keeping us confined in consensus reality. Sometimes we have to go out on a limb or go a bit crazy to begin to awaken and see the light. Breakdowns, as hard as they may be, can lead to massive breakthroughs.
 
This New Moon also has Mercury sitting right next to it, and Black Moon Lilith not far away. We could experience some real “aha” moments during this Moon, not to mention having some quite off the wall thoughts or visions of the life we truly want for ourselves. It is possible that memories resurface into our conscious mind that are important pieces in the jigsaw puzzle of our life! We have a chance to take a step back and look at our lives objectively, from the bird’s eye perspective, and see what might need to change in order for us to be the truest version of ourselves. Epiphanies could come hard and fast that help us to understand ourselves better. With Black Moon Lilith involved, we could experience some quite raw, visceral feelings, possibly around feeling rejected, or bullied, or ostracised, or misunderstood. Where in our lives are we intolerant? Can we sometimes dissociate or detach from our emotions? Are we insecure around being different or are we overtly rebellious and contrary? How do we feel in group situations? Do we feel like an outsider? Are we brave enough to question authority and to act on our visions? How can we help make the world a better place?
 
Mars is a big player during this New Moon, especially as he is moving towards a conjunction with Uranus, the ruler of this Moon! First, however, Mars will form a challenging square to Pluto which will be exact on Friday 1 Feb, but will still be around during the New Moon. Mars is currently very potent, as he is in his own sign, Aries. When the planet of assertion, courage, aggression, desire and independence squares off against Pluto, the planet of the soul, power, transformation and our subconscious desires, the results could be interesting indeed! On the one hand we could experience intense power struggles, rage coming up from the depths, confrontations that force us to be more transparent, impulsive acts that come from subconscious urges and anger that we might usually prefer to suppress. On the other hand, this combination could help us to confront something that we might usually prefer to avoid or sweep under the carpet. It could help us to face ourselves bravely and honestly and to dive deep so we can move past our own limitations. This is a powerful combination that could signify some kind of face-off between our soul and our ego.
 
Mars is also building up to a square to the Nodes of the Moon, which will be exact on 9 February. Whenever a planet squares the nodal axis it represents unresolved material that might prevent us from moving forward and achieving our North Node objectives. With the South Node (familiar patterns that may be holding us back from growth) currently in Capricorn, we are being asked to have a good look at any unhealthy or limiting parental and societal conditioning and to let go of our more patriarchal values, issues around judgement, hard control, suppression of feelings and too much emphasis on duty, status and keeping up with the Joneses. The Cancer North Node is beckoning us forward, asking that we nurture our inner child and move towards greater sensitivity, allowing ourselves to be more vulnerable and nurturing, taking care of one another and healing our ancestral roots and the Mother Daughter relationship. Ultimately we are being asked to bring some more matriarchal values in so that we can achieve a balance between the two signs.
 
How might Mars be preventing us from doing that? Are we harbouring anger towards our parents or society for their inability to meet our needs when we were younger? Was our need for independence thwarted when we were young?  Were we forced to conform to our parent’s expectations at the expense of our own individuality? Have we suppressed our instinctual will for so long that we don’t even know what it is? Do our desires feel at odds with how we have been taught to behave? Does our anger come out in distorted ways because we were somehow given the message that anger is not acceptable? Are we angry at the system? Are we afraid of our own anger? Have we lost ourselves by being the good little girl or boy?  Where might issues around domination come up, both personally and collectively? Do we assert ourselves in healthy ways? Have we got the ability to create healthy boundaries and to say “No” when we need to? How does sexuality and violence play a part in our lives? Has it been normalised by the media so much that we have become desensitised to it?
 
Finally, Mars will join Uranus in the 29th degree of Aries! This is building now and will be exact on 13 February. This combination could help us to release any stuckness around anger, although of course this could also mean literally losing our temper! Mars and Uranus can signify violent uprisings or revolutions and sudden acts of aggression, but it can also help us to be brave enough to step outside of the box and act differently. Uranus is getting ready to leave Aries once and for all on 6 March, and so this pairing of the warrior planet and the Great Awakener and revolutionary in the very last degree of Mars’ own sign of Aries does feel quite important. Could this give us the courage to stand up for a better world for us all to live in? Might we be brave enough to make the changes in our lives that we know we need to make? Could this pairing help us to step outside of our safe ruts and comfort zone and act on our deepest desires and visions for a better future? Could we find the inner strength to bust out of the mould and be who we really are? Where in our lives to we need to make a stand, or to liberate ourselves? This could be our chance.
 
I will go into this more next time, but we are building up to a very important conjunction between Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn which will be exact in January 2020, although these two planets are dancing around each other throughout 2019. What might happen when these two powerful planets join forces – the planet of soul, power, death and rebirth combined with the planet of karma, hard control and societal structures? In the beginning part of this year these two bodies are going to join forces with the South Node of the Moon in Capricorn. This will happen in April, but Pluto is already only 5 degrees away from the South Node, so it feels important to mention it now as the energy is already building. There is a sense of us having to go back in order to go forward. Possibly we have some unresolved material in our past that holds the key to the future. Is history repeating itself?
 
It is important to consider that all of this is occurring in the sign of Capricorn, which represents the patriarchal structures, governments, corporations as well as the parental and societal conditioning that we have received in this and other lifetimes. Issues around power, powerlessness, loss, abandonment, trust, suppression of feminine values, control, karma, authority and domination could come to the fore and we could be forced to confront them in order to move forward both personally and collectively. We are entering into a very important time indeed and it will be interesting to see what has changed by the end of this process. There is a sense of some kind of purging of the old, outworn structures so that something new can be built in its place. Sometimes we have no choice but to revisit the past in order to learn what we need to grow and evolve. Some hard lesson could be learned during this time, but if we learn then well then hopefully we will never need to repeat them!
 
So, the beginning of the Yin Earth Pig year involves quite a lot of powerful planetary energy! The year of the Earth Pig involves issues around what we digest, both literally and figuratively, so it is important to be careful about what we take into our body, mind and spirit this year. There is also a big relationship, interestingly enough, between our true nature that we have come in with versus what we have been “fed” by our parents and the culture we were born into. We might want to be more aware of what thoughts we circle around, as they can powerfully affect our reality. Something to consider this year is what we might want to generate and bring up to be expressed through our heart. On another level, this year could also be quite damp, involving issues around water. I like that idea – what can we bring to the fore that is the truest expression of our heart?
 
Interestingly enough, I just realised that I found myself being drawn to watch Babe last night! Ha ha ha! Coincidence? I think not! What a perfect message for the Earth Pig Year and Aquarius New Moon!
 
Happy New Year!
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
 Picture: Morning Pig by Cari Humphrey
 
 

Exact at 7.20am GMT, 2.20am EDT
 
This is an enthusiastic Fire sign Moon with quite a lot of emotional Water energy, so it may be a bit more emotionally intense than your average Sagittarius New Moon. With the Sun and Moon and Jupiter all in Sagittarius, we are encouraged to shoot for the stars and to envision ways to expand our horizons and broaden our scope. Sagittarius is the eternal optimist who gives us the ability to see the bigger picture and not sweat the small stuff. Even the most difficult and painful of circumstances are seen as an opportunity to grow and understand ourselves better. The New Moon in Sagittarius encourages us to have a sense of humour about whatever we are experiencing and to look forward with hope, faith and trust in the benevolence of life. Whatever is happening for us around the time of the New Moon tends to blossom and grow over the course of the month ahead, finding full expression around the time of the Full Moon. As such, any heartfelt intentions that we set during this New Moon have a chance of manifesting later on. It is important, however, that they truly come from our heart and not our ego.
 
This Moon could help us to connect with our truth and to the highest part of our being, so it is important to trust our instincts and intuition. The truth is very important to Sagittarius and so we may find ourselves uncovering our truth and also expressing it to others. Sagittarius energy can be quite blunt, and the truth can sometimes be painful to hear, but it is far better to get things out into the open. As long as we do so from our heart then we know that we have done the right thing. The truth is relative, and so what is true for one person may not be for another, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. This could be a very good Moon for expressing things that have been on our minds and clearing the air. With Venus and Mercury both back in Scorpio we have the chance some profound psychological insight and the ability to really get to the nitty gritty in terms of our own emotional honesty. Mercury is stationary in Scorpio during this Moon, getting ready to turn direct again after his retrograde period, so there is a big emphasis on thoughts and communication that really penetrate to the heart of the matter. This is helped by a harmonious aspect from Chiron the Wounded Healer.  This is not a time for superficial chatter, indeed we could find ourselves having some very intimate and healing conversations that lay our souls bare!
 
Mars is currently in sensitive and compassionate Pisces, which is a strange sign for the warrior planet to be in! This combination could make us feel very tired indeed, as Mars represents our energy levels, conscious desires and capacity for action while Pisces represents the unconscious realms, dreams and the world of spirit. We may not feel as energetic as usual, feeling more tired and prone to feeling overwhelmed by the demands of our busy lives. Our dreams could also be very active. Neptune is also sitting right next to Mars in Pisces, which compounds this energy, so it is important not to rush ourselves and instead honour our need for quiet and rest. Direct action could be difficult during this time and we could literally find that we can’t be bothered, or that we somehow need to be inspired in order to do things. It’s probably best to just surrender and go with the flow of our own river rather than resisting the inevitable. We could also find ourselves feeling quite overwhelmed by anger that comes deep from our unconscious, and could give off angry signals that we are entirely unaware of. It’s important to get to the bottom of what is really, truly bothering us rather than taking it out on the wrong people.
 
This energy of Mars and Neptune is also forming a challenging square aspect to this New Moon. It would be good to harness the positive parts of this combination and use Mars in Pisces to assert ourselves with sensitivity, compassion and grace. We may be forced to find the courage to speak our truth from a loving place, but equally we could find ourselves being passive aggressive and indirect about our anger and resentments. Gentle assertion and fierce compassion is possible here, as is divinely guided action, but equally we could find ourselves giving mixed messages and not being open or direct about whatever is bothering us. It is important to make an effort to be straightforward and honest during this time, as Neptune/Pisces energy can sometimes pull the wool over our eyes and create smoke screens. We may find ourselves much more sensitive, impressionable and weary, and could even feel unclear about our identity and sense of purpose. This combination of planetary energy could be quite ego-dissolving, but equally could be very confusing and disillusioning. It is quite possible that we will want to escape somehow, whether it be through drink, drugs, sleep, television, computer games, etc. There are so many different ways to escape reality!
 
Uranus is still square the Node of the Moon, and this provides the energetic back-drop to our lives at the moment. It is starting to wane now, but nevertheless is still strong. We are being given a chance to liberate ourselves from our old patterns that come from our conditioning and experiences growing up; becoming more aware of these patterns of behaviour that are learned and simply don’t work for us anymore. They are not who we really are, but rather they are a protective shell that we have constructed along the way. It’s time to let the walls down now and discover who we really are. Even if who we really are is shocking to ourselves and others.
 
Uranus is also really waking us up to just how distorted this patriarchal system has become.  With the South Node, Pluto and Saturn all in Capricorn it will become more and more clear over the next 18 months just how flawed the patriarchal world is that we are living in and the imbalance between the masculine and feminine in our culture. We are being encouraged to let go of the Capricornian need for control, suppression, repression, domination, rigid boundaries, authority and blind conformity to the “rules” and to move towards Cancerian sensitivity, vulnerability, family values, softness and focus more on our sense of belonging and our “tribe”. Sometimes things have to get worse to get better, and the next couple of years could really break things apart as the imbalance feels so intolerable that things simply have to change. Interesting times ahead, methinks, both personal and collectively!
 
Some final thoughts on this Sagittarius Moon, as I am confused as to how this Mars/Neptune in Pisces square this New Moon might manifest. All is not necessarily clear, as is the nature of Pisces!. However, it is possible that we could be asked to take a leap of faith during this Moon. Mars allows us to access our courage and act on our desires, and in Pisces those desires could be coming from an unconscious place within us, or they could be coming from the divine. Sagittarius represents faith and trust that everything is happening for a reason.  As such, it is possible that we may be forced to be brave somehow and act from a position of faith and trust rather than the way being clear to us. Mars brings an impulsive quality to this Moon, however, which could also mean that we don’t look before we leap and could be quite angry or confrontational without realising it. It seems that we are being given an opportunity to say our piece, speak our truth and get things off our chest. It is, however, so very important that we do so from a place of compassion and love, and for the good of all. We need to watch out for our blind spots during this Moon!
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Painting: Leap Of Faith by Lisa DuBois
 

 
 
 
 

​Exact at 7.01 BST, 2.01 EDT
 
During this Moon we are called to contemplate what needs to change and what might need tweaking in order to improve our lives. It is quite possible that we will become all too aware of what is out of balance and we could experience quite a sense of urgency to make the necessary adjustments to feel better about things. New Moons represent a time of letting go and starting again. We can really tap into the potent power of the New Moon by consciously setting intentions for what we want to create in our lives moving forward. Virgo season is upon us, and so we have a chance to set in motion some healthy routines for ourselves and recognise what habits and tendencies simply aren’t serving us anymore. Virgo is adept at the art of self-analysis, discernment and discrimination, and so we have a chance to have a long, hard look at ourselves and recognise what is lacking in our lives and what we might be able to do to improve things. It’s important not to be hard on ourselves, however, as Virgo does also cause us to focus on our shortcomings and inadequacies and to dwell on what is lacking in our lives.
 
Virgo represents that part of us ourselves that seeks to cleanse and purify; and in the extreme can cause us to seek some unattainable perfection both in ourselves and others. As such, while it is always helpful to take good care of our mind, body and spirit, and this Moon is a good time to do this, it is also important not to be overly self-critical when we slip up or “fail”. Virgo has a tendency to create crises that cause us to take a step back and recognise what we need to change in order to make things better. It’s so important to simply take one step at a time rather than getting overwhelmed by whatever problem we are facing. With Virgo we seek to humble ourselves and deflate our egos, and to truly be of service to others. Of course this can also go too far, as we busy ourselves taking care of everyone else but don’t take care of ourselves. Then resentment can set in. Some questions to ask ourselves during this moon are: “How can I simplify my life?” “What habits and routines no longer serve me?” “How can I be kinder to myself?” “What constructive steps can I take in order to feel more healthy and whole?” “What can I eliminate from my life in order to feel more at peace?” “How can whatever I am currently facing help me to learn about myself and grow?”
 
We do have help during this Moon to make some positive and constructive changes, from both Pluto and Jupiter. Both of these planets are forming harmonious aspects to the Sun and Moon and each other, helping us to be honest with ourselves about what needs to change and to transform our lives for the better. We have an opportunity here to empower ourselves and take the steps needed to improve our lives. It’s as if we are getting a gentle cosmic kick up the bum, giving us the boost we need to move in the right direction. It’s important to trust our hunches and be alert to the little prompts the universe gives us along the way. The signs are always there but we just have to let them filter into our consciousness! Jupiter reminds us not to sweat the small stuff, while Pluto encourages us to step into our power and not be afraid to grow and transform.
 
Neptune is also sitting directly opposite the Sun and Moon, which could bring some confusion, making it hard to see the wood for the trees. I suppose it could contribute to any feelings of anxiety or overwhelm we might be feeling, as if we are at the mercy of forces larger than ourselves. It’s important not to fall in the role of the victim or martyr, however, but rather use the energy of Pluto and Jupiter to be honest with ourselves and step into our power rather than playing small or placing the blame for our situation outside of ourselves. Neptune’s involvement in this Moon could make us feel quite sensitive, possibly even over-sensitive. We might be sorely tempted to bury our heads in the sand rather than confronting whatever we are facing head on. Neptune also reminds us, however, to step off the Busy Bus and tend to our spirit. Virgo energy can cause us to become so busy that we work ourselves into a state of anxiety, while Neptune in Pisces reminds us to find some balance by turning within, meditating, stilling the mind and spending time in nature. This can help us to come back to ourselves, finding our centre and reconnecting to our Source.
 
The Nodes of the Moon are quite prevalent during this Moon, as we have Mars and Black Moon Lilith joining forces next to the South Node of the Moon, causing us to connect to old resentments, trauma or rage from our past and to recognise how we might be stuck in old patterns that simply don’t work for us anymore. Mars and Black Moon Lilith have already met each other this year, around 21 April, so this could have a resonance with whatever was happening then. Mars and the South Node have also met twice this year already, around 8 June and 21 July, so this is the last chance we have to work with this energy and hopefully we can come up with some gold this time! The energy of this combination will peak at the end of September, so it will be prevalent for the New Moon and also the Full Moon in Aries at the end of September. It is quite a potent, potentially volatile mixture of the Dark Feminine and the Warrior Masculine! It certainly brings the potential for blasting through some rather entrenched patterns from the past.
 
This combination could have a strong impact on our relationships, because Venus is also forming challenging aspect to Mars and BML. Any hidden resentments could build to a climax and come out in the form of anger and rage. Any unresolved patterns of relating or tendencies to project our issues onto partners could be revealed and magnified during this time. Anything we have simply been putting up with in our relationships could become so intolerable that we are forced to bring our grievances out into the open, although we must be careful not to do so in too much of a destructive way. Black Moon Lilith’s energy can be quite ruthless! It is quite possible that we might be forced to confront our shadows this month and it might not be very comfortable! However, it’s far better to bring them out into the light of day rather than them operating from an unconscious place within us. Uranus is also involved in this picture, bringing the potential for sudden eruptions or wake-up calls to occur that take us by surprise but that also bring great insight, revelation and liberation.
 
Whatever comes up during this Moon is an opportunity for growth. Virgo can cause us to be rather merciless on ourselves, berating ourselves for our perceived lack, bad habits and personal inadequacies, but it’s important not to fall into that trap. We really can be our own worst enemies at times! Any crisis that comes up brings amazing potential for some honest self-analysis and an evaluation of what needs to change in our lives. We are being given a chance to separate the wheat from the chaff! Instead of getting overwhelmed by what might be perceived as a giant mountain for us to overcome, it is better to simply put one foot in front of the other and take whatever action we feel is necessary to improve the situation. One step at a time! The Virgo New Moon really is a wonderful time for a proverbial “cleaning house”, so we can take advantage of the current energies and do just that! We just have to listen to Neptune’s promptings as well, and take some time out to quieten our busy mind and smell the roses.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Artwork: Mind Chaos – Unknown
 
My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com