http://goddess.astrology.com/moon/phases.html?nlcid=at%7C08-21-2006%7C
Virgo New Moon:Less Than PerfectBy April Elliott Kent
The first of two successive New Moons in Virgo, this lunation falls at 0.31 degrees, in the very first degree of the sign. My teacher used to say that the first degree of any sign compels us to try everything that’s associated with that sign, in order to figure out what it means for us. Another friend likens the first degree to Little Orphan Annie and her blank, blank eyes: we’re a little clueless at this New Moon, blank slates awaiting Virgo’s signature. So lay out a list of Virgo keywords with your New Moon ritual and let yourself graze them lightly to get a feel for each of them. What does it mean to be healthy? Orderly? Tidy? Or – that most dreaded of Virgo adjectives – perfect?
Like just about everyone else, I’ve had the kind of life that placed perfection decidedly out of reach early on. I’ve never had a prayer of achieving anything close to the perfect figure, the perfect career, or the perfect family life. Imperfection is the human condition, it seems, but it makes me sad that I’ve so often fallen so short of my own standards. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, every so often, to be able to trade in your beat-up old life for a shiny new one as easily as upgrading your car?
Some of my imperfect life is, undeniably, my own fault – a fact my Mars, Pluto and Midheaven in Virgo never let me forget for a moment. I don’t have the right kind of personality for office work, so I probably should have finished college right after high school instead of making the decision to drop out and earn a living as a secretary. I should have found a better method of coping with my childhood traumas than self-medicating with junk food and putting myself behind the metabolic 8-ball. And no doubt I could have avoided some of the credit card debt and bad relationships that caused me so many headaches throughout my twenties.
But some of my missteps were simply the best coping techniques I could come up with at an early age, in response to events beyond my control. By the age of ten I’d lost a parent in a tragic accident, been dragged across country to live in California, seen my family’s financial status plunge to near-poverty, and was living as a latchkey kid long before it was fashionable. Despite this rocky start, I eventually improvised my way to a satisfying career, formed a happy marriage, finished college, and forged a much healthier relationship with money. Mind you, it’s a far from perfect résumé, and I’m aware a lot of other people have done much more with a lot less. But when I consider that a good deal of what I am was invented on the fly, in response to weird and disorienting circumstances, I figure I haven’t done too badly at all. Perhaps, sometimes, what looks like imperfection is actually a creative, practical response to the hand we’ve been dealt.
Maybe in my next life I’ll take my time and do it all right the first time. This time around, though, I’ve found that there is a certain relaxation that comes with giving up on perfection and making do with what comes your way. That’s not to say one shouldn’t strive to be better. But what exactly does "better" mean? Better than what? I’m not so sure that an earthy, practical sign like Virgo was ever meant to symbolize anything as otherworldly and unattainable as perfection. Rather, I think Virgo’s concept of "better" would simply have us strive to be ever more useful and of optimal service. Of how much use can we be to the world while we’re preoccupied with carbohydrates, injurious credit card interest rates, and keeping our bathrooms spotlessly clean?
I’m lucky at this point in my life to know a number of people who are deeply involved with making the world a better place. They simply don’t have time to mope about their imperfect thighs, shop for the perfect little black dress, or obsess about spots on the carpet. They’re too busy organizing demonstrations, working as mental health professionals and spiritual counselors, and volunteering time for social justice causes. I don’t think they would describe their lives as perfect, either; but then, rather than perfection, they’ve set their sights on effectiveness – an infinitely more joyful and attainable goal.
When you get right down to it, life is a grand mess - and in fact, it’s kind of beautiful that way. Maybe everything is already perfect, just as it is, and your only job is to figure out your place in it, and to do the best you can with what we’ve been given. Become better, urges Virgo; more useful. Be of optimal service. Figure out what the world needs from you, and organize your life in such a way that you’re able to give it. If we orient ourselves in that way, I can’t help but think Virgo will be pleased with us - no matter how messy our houses, how unbalanced our checkbook, or how abundant our cellulite.
Read more of April's articles at her website, Big Sky Astrology.
© 2006 April Elliott KentAll rights reserved
Virgo New Moon Meditation: To Serve Without SufferingBy Pythia Peay
Each New Moon, we are given the opportunity to begin again. Think of it as cosmic grace, a generous gesture from the universe to allow us one more try at getting things right. The sign the Moon falls in shows us a specific area of life where we can make this new beginning. On August 23, the New Moon occurs in the very first degree of Virgo. Like a gateway, this New Moon initiates a month long journey into the mysteries of the Virgo/Pisces axis. On September 7, there is a Full Moon eclipse midway through, at 15 degrees Pisces/Virgo; on September 22, a New Moon solar eclipse at the very end of Virgo, 29 degrees, closes out the cycle. Astrologers have sometimes called the Virgo/Pisces polarity the “serve or suffer” duo. In other words, if we don't bring out the very best parts of ourselves, the better angels of our nature, and offer those gifts on the altar of the world’s suffering - we will suffer. For many, the gravity of events on the world stage has made thoughts of service even more urgent. On August 31, a slow-building aspect culminates that drives home this point: Saturn at 18 Leo stands opposite Neptune at 18 Aquarius. The time has arrived to bring our dreams out of the realms of fantasy, and make them an earthly reality. The third and final Jupiter/Uranus trine from Scorpio to Pisces on August 29 may be the golden shower from the heavens that helps us do just that.Virgo is often harshly criticized for being a picky sign. And for sure, Virgos can certainly be the nitpickers and organizers of the Zodiac. But on a deeper level this sign’s dissatisfied restlessness is more often a symptom of its search for a cause to serve. The Priest or Priestess of the Zodiac, Virgo finds its fullest expression in humble service to those noble ideals which transcend ordinary life. As a triple Virgo myself, I began adulthood living in a spiritual commune, dusting and cleaning the meditation room - a perfect expression of Virgo’s desire to be caretaker of the Divine in everyday life. The first step on the path of service is to know in what practical area of life to direct your compassionate energy. Below is a meditation that can help you to clarify your direction.
CLARITY OF INTENTION: WHAT - OR WHOM - DO YOU SERVE?
"Whom does the grail serve?" was the question asked of the wounded Fisher King in the Arthurian legend. The health of the kingdom, as well as the healing of his own wound, depended upon his answer. As Virgo is a sign of service it is, as well, a timely question to ponder at this New Moon. Service without purity of intention lacks real power, weakening the ability to truly heal. Like the chivalrous knight who has dedicated him or herself in service to their kingdom, one's intention is the spirit that animates any form of service.
MEDITATION: To clarify your intention about the purpose you wish to serve in life, meditate on the image of a crystal. If you have a real crystal, place it on your altar. Or, visually imagine a large crystal, centering it within your inner vision. Contemplate this crystal for as long as you like, absorbing into yourself its clear translucence. Imagine that its diamond-like light is penetrating your body, heart, and mind. Think of sunlight glinting off snow; landscapes of crystals; ice-blue mountain lakes; immense glaciers. Breathe in light, breathe in sharp, crisp air, circulate these energies through your body, heart, and mind. Slowly, begin to feel as if your whole being is coming into sharper and sharper focus. All the things that have clouded your vision and distracted your energies melts away in the brilliance of this light.
Next, allow a question to form in your heart: "what, or whom, do I serve?" Without forcing an answer, allow a response to arise naturally from within. This could be an image from a dream, a phrase from a book, a piece of music, or even an emotion that begins your quest. It could be a specific political cause, an artistic idea, an individual who needs you, or a job that demands a change in your character. (Later, you may wish to write down your response, as well as any interpretations, the way you might work with a dream.) Now, as any knight would do, place your hand over your heart and dedicate yourself in service to this purpose. This is the ideal that has chosen you to be its trusted servant. From this higher goal you receive your direction in life. You know where to go; now it is time to get going!
Pythia Peay is the author of Soul Sisters: The Five Sacred Qualities of a Woman’s Soul and Mercury Retrograde: Its Myth and Meaning.
© 2006 Pythia PeayAll rights reserved http://www.mooncircles.com/newmoon_pythia.html
Virgo New Moon:Less Than PerfectBy April Elliott Kent
The first of two successive New Moons in Virgo, this lunation falls at 0.31 degrees, in the very first degree of the sign. My teacher used to say that the first degree of any sign compels us to try everything that’s associated with that sign, in order to figure out what it means for us. Another friend likens the first degree to Little Orphan Annie and her blank, blank eyes: we’re a little clueless at this New Moon, blank slates awaiting Virgo’s signature. So lay out a list of Virgo keywords with your New Moon ritual and let yourself graze them lightly to get a feel for each of them. What does it mean to be healthy? Orderly? Tidy? Or – that most dreaded of Virgo adjectives – perfect?
Like just about everyone else, I’ve had the kind of life that placed perfection decidedly out of reach early on. I’ve never had a prayer of achieving anything close to the perfect figure, the perfect career, or the perfect family life. Imperfection is the human condition, it seems, but it makes me sad that I’ve so often fallen so short of my own standards. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, every so often, to be able to trade in your beat-up old life for a shiny new one as easily as upgrading your car?
Some of my imperfect life is, undeniably, my own fault – a fact my Mars, Pluto and Midheaven in Virgo never let me forget for a moment. I don’t have the right kind of personality for office work, so I probably should have finished college right after high school instead of making the decision to drop out and earn a living as a secretary. I should have found a better method of coping with my childhood traumas than self-medicating with junk food and putting myself behind the metabolic 8-ball. And no doubt I could have avoided some of the credit card debt and bad relationships that caused me so many headaches throughout my twenties.
But some of my missteps were simply the best coping techniques I could come up with at an early age, in response to events beyond my control. By the age of ten I’d lost a parent in a tragic accident, been dragged across country to live in California, seen my family’s financial status plunge to near-poverty, and was living as a latchkey kid long before it was fashionable. Despite this rocky start, I eventually improvised my way to a satisfying career, formed a happy marriage, finished college, and forged a much healthier relationship with money. Mind you, it’s a far from perfect résumé, and I’m aware a lot of other people have done much more with a lot less. But when I consider that a good deal of what I am was invented on the fly, in response to weird and disorienting circumstances, I figure I haven’t done too badly at all. Perhaps, sometimes, what looks like imperfection is actually a creative, practical response to the hand we’ve been dealt.
Maybe in my next life I’ll take my time and do it all right the first time. This time around, though, I’ve found that there is a certain relaxation that comes with giving up on perfection and making do with what comes your way. That’s not to say one shouldn’t strive to be better. But what exactly does "better" mean? Better than what? I’m not so sure that an earthy, practical sign like Virgo was ever meant to symbolize anything as otherworldly and unattainable as perfection. Rather, I think Virgo’s concept of "better" would simply have us strive to be ever more useful and of optimal service. Of how much use can we be to the world while we’re preoccupied with carbohydrates, injurious credit card interest rates, and keeping our bathrooms spotlessly clean?
I’m lucky at this point in my life to know a number of people who are deeply involved with making the world a better place. They simply don’t have time to mope about their imperfect thighs, shop for the perfect little black dress, or obsess about spots on the carpet. They’re too busy organizing demonstrations, working as mental health professionals and spiritual counselors, and volunteering time for social justice causes. I don’t think they would describe their lives as perfect, either; but then, rather than perfection, they’ve set their sights on effectiveness – an infinitely more joyful and attainable goal.
When you get right down to it, life is a grand mess - and in fact, it’s kind of beautiful that way. Maybe everything is already perfect, just as it is, and your only job is to figure out your place in it, and to do the best you can with what we’ve been given. Become better, urges Virgo; more useful. Be of optimal service. Figure out what the world needs from you, and organize your life in such a way that you’re able to give it. If we orient ourselves in that way, I can’t help but think Virgo will be pleased with us - no matter how messy our houses, how unbalanced our checkbook, or how abundant our cellulite.
Read more of April's articles at her website, Big Sky Astrology.
© 2006 April Elliott KentAll rights reserved
Virgo New Moon Meditation: To Serve Without SufferingBy Pythia Peay
Each New Moon, we are given the opportunity to begin again. Think of it as cosmic grace, a generous gesture from the universe to allow us one more try at getting things right. The sign the Moon falls in shows us a specific area of life where we can make this new beginning. On August 23, the New Moon occurs in the very first degree of Virgo. Like a gateway, this New Moon initiates a month long journey into the mysteries of the Virgo/Pisces axis. On September 7, there is a Full Moon eclipse midway through, at 15 degrees Pisces/Virgo; on September 22, a New Moon solar eclipse at the very end of Virgo, 29 degrees, closes out the cycle. Astrologers have sometimes called the Virgo/Pisces polarity the “serve or suffer” duo. In other words, if we don't bring out the very best parts of ourselves, the better angels of our nature, and offer those gifts on the altar of the world’s suffering - we will suffer. For many, the gravity of events on the world stage has made thoughts of service even more urgent. On August 31, a slow-building aspect culminates that drives home this point: Saturn at 18 Leo stands opposite Neptune at 18 Aquarius. The time has arrived to bring our dreams out of the realms of fantasy, and make them an earthly reality. The third and final Jupiter/Uranus trine from Scorpio to Pisces on August 29 may be the golden shower from the heavens that helps us do just that.Virgo is often harshly criticized for being a picky sign. And for sure, Virgos can certainly be the nitpickers and organizers of the Zodiac. But on a deeper level this sign’s dissatisfied restlessness is more often a symptom of its search for a cause to serve. The Priest or Priestess of the Zodiac, Virgo finds its fullest expression in humble service to those noble ideals which transcend ordinary life. As a triple Virgo myself, I began adulthood living in a spiritual commune, dusting and cleaning the meditation room - a perfect expression of Virgo’s desire to be caretaker of the Divine in everyday life. The first step on the path of service is to know in what practical area of life to direct your compassionate energy. Below is a meditation that can help you to clarify your direction.
CLARITY OF INTENTION: WHAT - OR WHOM - DO YOU SERVE?
"Whom does the grail serve?" was the question asked of the wounded Fisher King in the Arthurian legend. The health of the kingdom, as well as the healing of his own wound, depended upon his answer. As Virgo is a sign of service it is, as well, a timely question to ponder at this New Moon. Service without purity of intention lacks real power, weakening the ability to truly heal. Like the chivalrous knight who has dedicated him or herself in service to their kingdom, one's intention is the spirit that animates any form of service.
MEDITATION: To clarify your intention about the purpose you wish to serve in life, meditate on the image of a crystal. If you have a real crystal, place it on your altar. Or, visually imagine a large crystal, centering it within your inner vision. Contemplate this crystal for as long as you like, absorbing into yourself its clear translucence. Imagine that its diamond-like light is penetrating your body, heart, and mind. Think of sunlight glinting off snow; landscapes of crystals; ice-blue mountain lakes; immense glaciers. Breathe in light, breathe in sharp, crisp air, circulate these energies through your body, heart, and mind. Slowly, begin to feel as if your whole being is coming into sharper and sharper focus. All the things that have clouded your vision and distracted your energies melts away in the brilliance of this light.
Next, allow a question to form in your heart: "what, or whom, do I serve?" Without forcing an answer, allow a response to arise naturally from within. This could be an image from a dream, a phrase from a book, a piece of music, or even an emotion that begins your quest. It could be a specific political cause, an artistic idea, an individual who needs you, or a job that demands a change in your character. (Later, you may wish to write down your response, as well as any interpretations, the way you might work with a dream.) Now, as any knight would do, place your hand over your heart and dedicate yourself in service to this purpose. This is the ideal that has chosen you to be its trusted servant. From this higher goal you receive your direction in life. You know where to go; now it is time to get going!
Pythia Peay is the author of Soul Sisters: The Five Sacred Qualities of a Woman’s Soul and Mercury Retrograde: Its Myth and Meaning.
© 2006 Pythia PeayAll rights reserved http://www.mooncircles.com/newmoon_pythia.html
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