New Moon in Virgo – September 2012 – Simplicity

The New Moon in Virgo occurs at 02:10 (UT) on the 16th September 2012 at 23Vir37. To check when the New Moon occurs in your timezone, click here

The New Moon is on the Sabian Symbol: –

Mary And Her Little Lamb

Dane Rhudyar wrote that this degree encapsulates “the need to keep a vibrant and pure simplicity at the core of one’s being as one meets the many tests of existence.”

The New Moon is conjunct ruler Mercury and square to Ceres, Vesta and Jupiter who all lay in Gemini. There’s a strong Mercurial feel about this chart.

Falling after partying Leo, Virgo is the one who tidies up next morning. Virgo’s gifts can be overlooked as she quietly puts out the rubbish, plumps the cushions and sets your alarm so that you can at least make it to work on time even with a stupendous hangover.

Leo creates but Virgo refines and perfects that creation. Leo might have a great idea for a novel but without Virgo, the tale may never be told. Falling after Leo, Virgo teaches us that our creative gifts are not to be kept for ourselves, they are something to be shared with others and each of us have a special part to play in society. Ruled by Mercury who connects and communicates, Virgo reminds us that we aren’t islands – we are all cells in a larger functioning system.

The square from the New Moon to Vesta suggests that at the moment it may be a struggle to look after yourself in the midst of day to day life. The pressure of the day job, health niggles and necessary routines and responsibilities may all seem to be dimming your inner light. Ceres and Jupiter wrapped around Vesta reminds you to feed your inner self, to tend to your light. Let go of the need for ‘more’ and embrace sincere gratitude for what you have.

I’ve been experimenting with intermittent fasting – a catchy new term for an age old practice. I’m learning that my body can do without food on occasion and I actually enjoy the process. I’ve probably tried every diet in the book in my life time but it is the simplicity of just stopping eating that I find so appealing and workable. As my body rests, my mind sharpens. I experience true hunger, not just mouth gnawing hunger that’s trying to fix some lost corner of my soul that’s crying out for the light. I don’t eat because the time on the clock tells me I should or the day job boredom needs some relief. When I break my fast, I discover a wonderful appreciation of scent, taste and texture. I am grateful for the food on my plate. Being hungry quietly reminds me that there are many who don’t know where their next meal will come from – or if it will come at all.

Simplicity is easy to forget because it’s simple! Outside my home there are apples and pears hanging heavy on the trees, elderberries ripe for picking, rhubarb ready and waiting. Even the nettles would make a good soup. Mother Earth provides in abundance – if we let Her. Compare this to the list of unpronounceable ingredients on some pre-packaged foods, factory production, taste testing, chemical testing for long-term indications – not to mention genetically modified foods….

And psychologically, the mind provides a feast of imagination when we honour our bodies. With a sharp mind, organised life and healthy body, we have the freedom to think, to create, to move, to shape, to fix, to bring together.

This lunation could bring a deep need to cleanse yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. The trouble is, once you know something, you can’t un-know it. You cannot return to a place of innocence or naivety. There’s an austere feel to the chart and an inclination towards self-recrimination. You may need to take a leap of faith to get a better perspective but initially it might not feel entirely comfortable. It’s easy to get caught up in perfectionism. With Saturn still trine to Ceres, strength comes from making responsible decisions based on long-term gain instead of short term relief. It’s not about being perfect, it’s just about finding what works to bring out your best.

Virgo takes care of the small details in the greater pattern. Likewise, at this New Moon take the time to take care of the overlooked aspects of your life which impact upon the bigger picture. Put your routines under the microscope – are the working for you? Clean your home, de-clutter, mend broken items or throw them away if they can’t be recycled. Approach these tasks with an air of devotion and a quiet inner smile. Be conscious of how and what you eat. Become aware how certain foods change your mental, emotional and physical state. The difference between discipline and disciple is ‘in’ – what you put into your body and mind directly affects your functioning on a day to day basis and how you function has an impact upon society as a whole. We each have a duty to take care of ourselves as well as each other. In today’s fast moving, complex society, simplicity is an art.