Make lists and get them done this weekend under Sun and Venus and in industrious Virgo. But don’t make those lists too long; Virgo can bring out our self-criticism, sometimes even a paralyzing self-criticism, and slow us down. It would be much better to make short lists, scratch them off one at a time, celebrate, and take another step. This keeps us from getting overwhelmed and stokes our sense of accomplishment.
Virgo is a mutable sign; mutable signs sit at the end of the season when the weather shifts back and forth between the seasons, adjusting minute-by-minute, translating and mutating one season to the other. The tree outside our window now changes daily, the warm rich colors of autumn paint the south-facing leaves, and those leaves drift down to change our landscape. Mutable signs, by their virtue of their ability to adjust, multitask and track many things at once, can be overwhelmed when they see how many individual parts go into making up the whole.
So these Virgo planets can help us see all the things that we could do, and with that inimitable Virgo sense of responsibility, should do, but can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted at the very idea. Much better we chunk the work down, celebrate each little victory, and see how far we can get.
The weekend begins under a more sociable and relaxed Leo Moon. We may need to come back to ourselves after an emotional few days under a recent challenged Cancer Moon. We are encouraged to create a more heart-centered world through our work and through our socializing, through our emotional outreach. The Moon enters Virgo on Sunday and sends us back to our chores and our self-improvement projects; we can make great progress as long as we don’t get lost in critique or self-criticism.
Mars also squares Neptune and can help us let go. This aspect can engender doubt as to what we’re doing next and where we want to go, but it can also soften our heart and help us let go of the anger we’ve been carrying. Or make us irritable about an imagined small slight or by a difference in spiritual philosophy; it’s our choice how we respond (do we Mars are Neptune, or Neptune are Mars?). Neptune softens whatever touches but also confuses and fusses the edges, and Mars coincides with what ticks us off, what protects us, and what drives us.
Mars symbolizes our energy pack and our immune system, with Mars square Neptune our energy may be variable and fuzzy, there when we’re inspired, but not otherwise. We may find our immune system feeling a little wobbly, so anything we can do to support our sense of healthy boundaries both emotionally, physically, psychologically, to strengthen our Jade screen (as it can be referred to in Chinese medicine) will be helpful now.
Mother Theresa, an archetype of inspired nursing, had the Sun, Mercury and Mars in Virgo. So under these Virgo planets, and with Mars square Neptune, let’s nurse ourselves and one another into vibrant health. This is a powerful time to watch the Ebola epidemic and consider our global responsibility to those suffering, and to keep an eye on the recent outbreak of respiratory disease in the Midwest. Let’s get strong and healthy, and support those dealing with illness.
Monday marks a pivot point, Pluto turns direct after several months retrograde and the Sun enters Libra, marking the autumn equinox at 8:29 PM. Early next week brings unusual opportunity both for open warfare and for peaceful negotiations as we search for a new equilibrium as the day and night balance and find theirs.
Pluto stationary (Pluto appears to hold still in the sky as it turns direct) focuses questions about what is healthy use of power and what is misuse of power. And we mean power in all senses of the word; look for debate around fossil fuel usage, around political power and military might, and watch for simple tugs of power on the home front or in the community meeting. Depression can thicken. If confronted with one of these struggles, it pays to disengage the struggle, and focus on personal empowerment and power engaged with responsibility.
On Tuesday, the Moon conjunct Venus and joins the Sun in peace-loving Venus-ruled Libra, and continues to open the doors of the heart through the New Moon in Libra early Wednesday morning. Use this opening to create new beginnings in friendships, relationships. Let’s find ourselves on a more equal footing with all our cohorts.
Jupiter trines Uranus midweek and heralds a few months of technological ingenuity. We can look for exciting new opportunities and technological breakthrough to follow from this time. But for now, we may be low on common sense, but unusually high in intuition, ingenuity and scientific ability.
Remember that Mercury turns retrograde on October 5; it’s already in its shadow, the area it backs over during its three weeks retrograde. So this is a good week to tend to unfinished business and get plans made and orders lined up before the three-week retrograde cycle begins. Already we need to take a little extra effort to make sure messages get through as they were intended and work followed through until completion.
Friday, September 19: We can get a lot done if we pay attention to the right people along the way as the Leo Moon trines Mars. Consider contacting bosses, heads of organizations, the top person on the totem pole (or using our position as such) with mutual respect in place, and with a focus on a shared goal. Work wise the day is friendly and competent, but may bring a dramatic storyline through the news. Tonight brings a more extroverted, social aspect; a little fun is good for the soul.
Saturday, September 20: Morning is indulgent and friendly as the Moon conjunct Jupiter and trines Uranus, but the day slows down and gets more serious midday as the Moon squares Saturn. The situation may get more complicated, but we also have more focused and serious energy to apply. Evening radiates and intriguing connections abound; people tend to be more high maintenance, but are worth the effort.
Sunday, September 21: Our immune system may be tender, our energy level variable, but our sense of responsibility deep as the Moon enters Virgo and Mars squares intuitive Neptune. It is easy to list our own and other people’s faults, but this only leaves us nervous. Instead, forgive one another’s foibles as a major health statement. Intuition is strong where we do not have strong opinions; magic shimmers, but ordinary decisions may be fugitive. Arguments sprout easily around philosophies, but otherwise we may not know what we want.
Monday, September 22: Take one step at a time this morning; list the work, but be generous about the time needed. Tend to digestive issues. We see what’s been going on behind the scenes, and trouble may surface, but this can let us get at the real issues as Pluto turns direct. Doors begin to open as day and night reach equilibrium. Proffer olive branches, find a peaceful way through where possible and keep boundaries clean, clear, and uncharged otherwise.
Tuesday, September 23: Use this pleasant day to open doors. It will be easy to waste the opportunity, to just let an easy day go by without demand, or to just want more justice and romance in our life, but we can use this Moon-Venus conjunction with New Moon in Venus-rules Libra to expands possibilities. The planets create openings but we have to choose to walk through.
Wednesday, September 24: A new chapter begins in relationships, legal matters, and our efforts to live in a peaceful, beautiful, egalitarian way. We are painfully aware of anything that does not contribute towards the beauty way. Support this Libra vision even as it is tested tonight as the Moon squares Pluto and reminds us of what makes the heart ache.
Thursday, September 25: Our differing needs and conflicting hopes cans stir up trouble as the Moon opposes and Jupiter trines Uranus. The world is changing, rather than resist, let’s be spacious, inclusive, and inventive. Let’s let our natural leadership unfold and use it in wise and kind ways.
Starcodes 