I worry about Virgos. People with Virgo Sun, Virgo Moon or Virgo Ascendant have a tendency to strive so hard to get everything right. They have very high standards for themselves and for others. They get disappointed when they can’t do it all. They seem to think they should be able to do it all. A Virgo woman wouldn’t call herself a super-woman and yet she might expect herself to be one. That’s why I worry about Virgos. The sign of Virgo is ruled by Mercury, hence the proclivity to worry. Mercury is the messenger of the gods. Sometimes Virgos take it on themselves to tell people what the gods want everyone else to do. Underneath it all, Virgos are hard working, focused and committed to service.
On September 8 the New Moon in Virgo supports our efforts to stay on task. The planet Mercury is also in Virgo. By the beginning of the next week, Mercury turns direct and we can pick up speed. If you have felt frustrated and unable to get things done, don’t worry! Notice I keep using that word. When I think Virgo, I think, worry. We all have Virgo somewhere in our horoscopes so we are all worriers. How will I get it all done? So Virgo energy is great for getting organized so we can get it all done. We can only give it our best. The Virgo in us knows that we can only give it our best. So what is the problem? The polarity of Virgo is Pisces, the suffering, guilty counterpart of Virgo. So a Virgo wants to be perfect and then suffers when he realizes he isn’t.
This New Moon in Virgo has several generous aspects. We haven’t had many kind aspects in the past few months. Mercury is smiling at Pluto so we can let our thinking and organizational ability flow in a big way. Venus and Mars (in Libra) are talking nice to Neptune. We feel more hopeful (at least in our individual lives) as the New Moon week unfolds. In spite of these perks, we still have the big Pluto/Uranus/Saturn drama in the sky. The pressure is on to grow and change: in short to clean up our lives. We want to get clear about what we are doing. More than anything we want to feel and believe we have some control (Pluto is about control) over our existence. The collective picture seems so out-of-control. Wise teachers have always taught that change begins with the individual. As each of us gains self-mastery, perhaps the world will get saner. Can we change our language from “control” to “self-management”?
Virgo rules the work force. Information about unemployment is dominating the air- waves this month. The President and his administration even announced the idea to put people to work repairing our infrastructure. It is natural to want to be doing something that allows us to feel self-supporting. People are suffering from lack of work opportunities. The Virgo energy is out of balance. And the Virgo work force has been taken advantage of by corporations. Corporations demand more and more from employees rather than hire additional staff. Is it falling on the government, the big Pluto, to provide employment? And that brings us to the gigantic drama that has been in motion for so many months. Pluto rules wealth. And it also rules debt. The United States falls deeper and deeper into debt. The planet Pluto is making a difficult connection with our nation’s money planet (Venus). These are tough times and they did not start yesterday. We are reaping what was set in motion many, many years ago. We are challenged to get humble and realize we have been living in the hubris of entitlement. By the time of the Full Moon on September 23rd, we again have enormous pressure and a heightened emotional atmosphere about our national economy. The Sun will enter Libra and join serious Saturn. This duo will oppose the Full Moon in Aries, sitting with Uranus and Jupiter. All of these energies are being pulled apart by Pluto’s intensity and Pluto will be opposing Venus in the chart of the United States. This is a pressure cooker and it’s hard to hear the voice of reason inside the noise.
The shadow side of Pluto is manipulation and cruelty. When people get fearful they are easily manipulated. When their thinking gets rigid (Saturn), they think they are right and everyone else is wrong. Next comes the arrogance of Uranus. Put it all together and “it’s my way or the highway” and that seems to be where we are. Advice for the Full Moon: keep a low profile. There is volatile energy in the air. It’s a good time for self-examination and it’s good for resolving personal difficulties that have been on the agenda. Furthermore, Venus and Mars continue to travel together and will be in Scorpio by then. For individuals there is opportunity for passion and drive. For the collective, passion will be magnified on TV.
As the months of 2010 unfold and the “above and below” struggle plays out, I am reminded that it is important to emphasize that there is the individual/personal level of interpreting astrology and there is the collective/mankind level to ponder. While the Sun travels through Virgo, we have a chance to get stuff done and have a sense of accomplishment. In spite of all the difficulties we face as a nation and as citizens of planet earth, we have our lives to live. All we can do is give it our best.
