Fall Equinox

Sun in Libra ☼ Sep 23 - Oct 23

The Sun transits Libra from Sep 23 (Fall Equinox) – Oct 23

Click here to learn about the Sun. Click here to learn about Libra.

Disclaimer: The Sun sign is a much-celebrated, often oversimplified astrological element. Remember – you embody a whole soup of planets!

I had many ideas about what the Virgo cycle would herald and yet the Goddess of Harvest still managed to surprise me. Do you feel like you got tossed into a wind turbine? Change is afoot! Seems like everyone is moving, getting new jobs, going to school, breaking up, generally gettin’ after it, whatever it is. This last month has been insanely busy. Indeed, Virgo gave us a peek into what the rest of the year holds. Life is not going to slow down, you lovely people. Whatever adjustments you made (or are still making) during the last few weeks will serve as a foundation for all that follows in 2016. We’re soaring through the upper echelon of the zodiac wheel, next stop Libra.

Let’s look at the greater context. Libra is situated between Virgo, who has proven to be a serious powerhouse, and Scorpio, creature of the night. Think of Libra as a resting spot - she’ll provide us with a relatively quiet period in which we can assimilate all the changes we’re making and also gear up for the scorpion realm. I say “relatively” quiet because I don’t think it will be at all. However, we can balance heavy schedules and responsibilities by retreating to a peaceful nook. Libra prefers grace and beauty in her surroundings, so grab your work and head outside. We can zone in to the task at hand while still satisfying Libra’s aesthetic needs.

Libra showers us with abundance only after we dutifully contemplate. Much has already been set in place since our rebirth in the spring, and now it’s time to reconfigure whatever’s not running smoothly. Insight is not always forthcoming - you are required to meditate and be honest with yourself and others! We’ll have to think while we work, because that’s just the pace of the Universe right now, but it won’t be a problem. Seize this opportunity to sort out your thoughts calmly or you’ll be thrown back into the mix feeling disarrayed. The good news is that Libra is not asking us to isolate as we process - she is the Goddess of Love, after all, and she doesn’t operate very well alone. Libra cultivates harmony.

I like to visualize Libra as a diplomat or mediator, smoothing out all the wrinkles. Libra has strong morals and enjoys actively participating in social justice. I have also observed that Libras are (traditionally) logical types who do not believe in astrology! This is due in part to the cardinal nature of this sign. Libra wants to make sure that her beliefs are practical and virtuous so that they may be of use to many people from all walks of life, not just herself.

To Libra, relationships are a mirror. Negotiating can be uncomfortable, but the alternative – internalizing negative feelings and remaining silent – is ultimately much more uncomfortable in the end. That’s what I remember struggling with most at this time last year: speaking up and holding my ground. Healthy confrontation comes naturally to some, but to others just the thought of verbalizing Truth makes us want to hide in the deepest, darkest cave. We have another Lunar Eclipse in Aries fast approaching, so I encourage you to get ahead of the curve and say what you need to say before something/someone else pulls the rug out. Of course this doesn’t mean that you need to be aggressive, in fact Libra is known for her classy communication. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to open the throat chakra and let your words fly out like doves: full of peace and compassion.

Libra is the sign of the scale. The scale is not only a symbol of balance but also of decision-making and listening. Before “weighing in,” the scale gathers as much information as possible so that the final decision reflects careful deliberation. This inclination can make it more difficult to reach said decision when the time comes. Because Libra is a natural counselor, she recognizes many viewpoints at once and may ascribe to opposing beliefs simultaneously. Or Libra may purport to not have an opinion and thus communicate ineffectively with passive-aggressive tactics, when in reality she has known the entire time exactly how she feels. This stems from her remarkable tolerance, which is always a crowd favorite. Libra is a social goddess who may have difficulty being alone for long periods of time. When balanced, Libra sees all relationships as opportunities to work on the relationship with the Self. When taken to the extreme, this inclination, coupled with Venusian energy, can manifest as superficiality, judgment or egocentric behavior.

My intuition tells me that this cycle will be intense. This may seem to contradict what I’ve just written, but really my goal is to prescribe nature and reflection as a way to counteract all the commotion. I do not think that it is impossible to stay centered in the midst of chaos. It will take strength and courage and honesty. Stand close to the people who make you feel golden, invincible, validated, tranquil. We’re moving down the line of chakras, now centered at the sacral chakra – svadhisthana. Perhaps this transit will find you learning more about the chakras and how to align them.

The Sun last transited Libra from Sep 22 – Oct 23, 2014. Any themes/conflicts that predominated then will now resurface.

Mantra: peace

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Sun in Virgo ☼ Aug 23 - Sep 23

The Sun transits Virgo from August 23 – September 23 (Fall Equinox)

Click here to learn about the Sun. Click here to learn about Virgo.

Disclaimer: when talking about Sun signs, it’s really more accurate to say “the Earth’s relation to the Sun” since the Earth is the one moving. An appropriate name for this much-celebrated, often oversimplified astrological element would therefore be “Earth Sign.” Remember – you embody a whole soup of planets!

What we’re coming out of - the Leo cycle, that is - has many faces, as do all creatures in the zodiac realm. One facet of Leo is the playful child. This is Leo at his most pure and innocent: frolicking in the sunshine, free of cares, determined to have the most fun possible. Sometimes Leo is the Sun King, ruling with equals parts might and compassion. And then there’s Leo the tyrant, a child who’s lost control of his temper, ego run amuck. Unfortunately we’ve seen more of Leo’s shadow than his light over the last few weeks. I think we were all waiting patiently for the sun to rise with majesty and shed some good vibrations on what has otherwise been a thoroughly strange and somber summer. Here I am again, hoping and wishing for definitive change. However I am even more confident that this upcoming cycle will be amazing. I’ve talked a lot in recent posts about reframing Virgo - she’s not an uptight secretary, she’s a serious badass with total agency over her body and life story.

Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the fleet-footed Messenger God. This means that the Virgo life is a fast one, full of incredible change. So many people around me are moving, quitting their jobs, going (back) to school, leaving their partners, doing deep emotional healing work, etc. I cannot emphasize enough that this period we are in - this year, this era, this moment right now - is a time of complete metamorphosis. In the body, Virgo rules the sympathetic nervous system and lower digestive tract. She lives deep within: maintaining, monitoring, assimilating.

The Sun last transited Virgo from Aug 23 - Sep 22, 2014. Any themes/conflicts that predominated then will now resurface. Because she falls in the middle rather than at the beginning of the zodiac wheel, Virgo restructures. Much has already been set in place since our rebirth in the spring, and now it’s time to reconfigure whatever’s not running smoothly. Many will now return to a regular workout schedule, a better diet or, at the very least, a new level of seriousness concerning these issues. If health is already a priority, this transit will have you perfecting through practice…lots and lots and lots of practice. Yes, we have cleaning and polishing to do, but perhaps our greatest responsibility is to simply let change happen around us without tensing up or attempting to control these dynamic shifts. As autumn eventually fades and polar winds blow across the fields, Virgo will watch all her crops wither with impressive calm. She will return and pick it all up from the beginning in the following year - as will you, as will I.

I’m especially excited about this cycle because Jupiter has just entered Virgo. This whole year will be Virgo-themed. But why Virgo? Why does she inspire me at this juncture in spacetime over all the others? She is dependable. Virgo hates giving up on people and situations as she is so devoted in character. This cannot necessarily be said for the other creatures at the beginning of the zodiac wheel. They’re all wonderful, but they’re primordial beings who struggle greatly with the fundamentals. Of course Virgo has her own challenges, but she’s got a leg up on the rest. Virgo is constantly working on herself. She craves continual improvement, on all planes of reality. Although she may be reserved at first, you will soon find that there is a vast, undiscovered world within her.

More so than with other signs, the difference between a healthy and unhealthy Virgo is undeniably stark. When imbalanced, Virgo rejects her beloved routines and rituals. Without these, she is dragged along by the relentless currents of her mind, at times submerged, face down, not even trying to right herself because she’s tired of caring, tired of attempting to fix her life and failing repeatedly. She finds sweet relief in being out of control in body, mind and spirit after working for so long to cultivate principles which have proven to be perpetually just out of reach. Virgo surrounds herself with good company. Inevitably these well-meaning souls come along and start to dig her out, only to discover that Virgo is an intransigent goddess when she’s flailing. I’m spelling it all out so that you’re ready, if need be. The thing about Virgo is that all her battles are with herself. When she’s lost, she sits up in the mind and rarely comes down. She is a unique soul with a vivid inner world. Each Virgo is specially molded by widely varying interests. She risks everything when she no longer recognizes her own brilliance. This is our collective task, no matter how well grounded you are: come back to the body. Not just that - come back to the body with love and acceptance.

I say that a lot - what is the significance, what does it mean to come back to the body? For some it comes naturally, an abiding sense of home and security embedded in the flesh. For others it is the work of an entire lifetime. At its most basic and yet most profound, coming back to the body means revolution. You create reality. You are made of light. To be out of the body is to ignore its beauty, its potential, its power, its impact as it burns through space. We’re moving down the line of chakras, now centered at the solar plexus and sacral chakra - manipura and svadhisthana. Do some research on these and see what resonates with you, what specific work needs to be done. I’m feeling inspired to add a chakra page to my website. Ok, enough for now my lovely starseeds. You are loved. Namaste.

If you are a Virgo or would like to know more about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me.

Mantra: focused