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Virgo Solar Eclipse: God is in the Details

By Simone Butler

Some years ago, shortly after my mother’s death, I lost my wallet. I’d been running around, preparing for a trip to Greece. When I realized the wallet was gone, I called every place I’d been, imagining the worst. How could I possibly replace my ID and credit cards in the short time before I left? Finally I reached a clerk at Target. They had it! I rushed down there and got my wallet, cash and cards still intact. Some nice person had found it in the parking lot, where it had apparently fallen out of my purse.

Dizzy with relief, I felt a sudden shiver. Mom was there. “Just be more careful next time,” she said. It was exactly the sort of thing she used to tell me when I’d get lost in my dream world and lose track of details (like zipping my purse). And then it hit me: From the other side of the veil, my kind, conscientious Virgo mother had engineered this miraculous outcome! I thanked her profusely, and did so again while scattering her ashes around a tiny church she would have loved in the countryside of Crete.

It’s not clear who coined the phrase, “The devil is in the details,” but French author Gustave Flaubert had the original thought: “God is in the details.” Both are true, depending on your viewpoint. Either way, with an impending Virgo New Moon, it’s time to take a look at the details and see who’s controlling your thoughts – the devil or the divine.

This New Moon (Sept. 1, 2:03 a.m. PDT) is intensified by being a solar eclipse (though not a total eclipse, as some have claimed). It squares Saturn and opposes Neptune, triggering their third and final square, which will be exact on Sept. 10. Since it began last Nov., this square has called us to claim our inner authority and not succumb to fear and illusion. Reality (Saturn) has been in a state of flux (Neptune), epitomized by rampant terrorism, fear-mongering, and the truly surreal (President Trump??).

Now it’s time to get back to what’s real. To help with the process, messenger Mercury stations retrograde in Virgo on Aug. 30, shortly before the New Moon. It joins giant Jupiter at the final degrees of Virgo, amplifying the call to complete what’s been happening with work, health and thought patterns during the last year, while Jupiter has been shining a flashlight on those issues. Starting on Sept. 9 when it enters Libra, Jupiter will do the same for issues related to relationships, fairness and justice. Mercury stays in Virgo until early Oct. due to its retrograde, giving us plenty of time to sift through options before making any firm decisions. Try not to make any long-term commitments till after mid-Sept., as things are changing rapidly and the dust hasn’t settled yet.

So, how to work with this perfect storm of Virgo energy? First, think about what bad habit is not serving your higher good – from watching the news to eating junk to working too much. Then remember a time when you felt better. What were you doing then? Sometimes it’s the simplest things, like getting to sleep at a reasonable hour, or doing something inexpensive but effective for your health, that make the biggest difference.  Once I cured a stomach ailment by getting in the habit of putting raw apple cider vinegar in my water. After recently wasting a lot of money on supplements that didn’t help, I went back to taking vinegar – and my belly was once again healed. What habit might you reinstate (Mercury retrograde takes us back to the past) that could make a big difference for you?

Most of all, the Virgo New Moon requires separating the wheat from the chaff. And that’s all about consciousness. What are you putting your precious mental attention on? Stay focused on the wheat (what you desire) – not the chaff (fear and illusion). As metaphysician Joel Goldsmith reminds us, “The secret to having anything is first attaining the consciousness of it. Why is that? Because consciousness is God.”

If you need help boosting your health and relaxation, check out this Virgo New Moon ritual from my book,Astro Feng Shui: Making Magic in Your Home and Life.

© 2016 by Simone Butler.

Painting by Claudia Fernety. See more of Claudia’s work at her website.

Filed under: Home New Moon Featured Article

About Simone Butler

Simone Butler is the author of Moon Power: Lunar Rituals for Connecting with your Inner Goddess. She's been a professional astrologer for 30 years. In addition to a worldwide consulting practice on astrology and Astro Feng Shui, Simone offers New Moon collage classes, and writes for The Mountain Astrologer. She also wrote for and edited the Starscroll for many years. Simone’s book Astro Feng Shui: Making Magic in Your Home and Life fuses Western astrology and Western feng shui into one unique, transformative system. Sign up to receive her entertaining, informative bi-monthly blogs and learn about her monthly rituals and tips.

Comments

  1. A Far-away Fan says

    Sep 6, 2016 at 8:10 pm

    love all your insightful articles. Also love your answers in Ask Luna.

    Reply
    • Simone Butler says

      Sep 7, 2016 at 9:55 am

      Thank you so much, faraway fan! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Linda says

    Sep 3, 2016 at 10:33 am

    Simone,

    I love how your explain the astrological influences; they are filled with wisdom and insight . This is exactly what I needed.

    Cheers.

    Reply
    • Simone Butler says

      Sep 3, 2016 at 7:11 pm

      So happy that you enjoyed the post, Linda! It means a lot that you took the time to tell me. 🙂

      Reply

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The Moon is in its
Last Quarter Phase

in the
Sign of Libra


Today's Lunar Aspects (Greenwich Mean Time)
(subtract: PST -8 hours, PDT -7 hours, EST -5 hours, EDT -4 hours)

  • Moon sextile Sun, 8:50pm  Dec 8 2023
  • Moon square Pluto, 1:05am  Dec 9 2023
  • Moon trine Saturn, 6:33am  Dec 9 2023
  • Moon sextile Sun, 7:16am  Dec 9 2023

Venus is currently
The Morning Star

in the sign of Scorpio


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© 2000 - 2023 Mooncircles.com

Astrologers use a variety of house systems, or methods of dividing up the sky into twelve sections. I use the Porphyry house system; another popular house system is Placidus (this is the default on https://astro.com). If the chart I send you looks different from what you are used to seeing, then likely a system other than Porphyry was used. Whole signs, Equal House, Regiomantus, and Campanus are examples of other systems. If you find all of this confusing, do not worry. It is likely not critical to your report.

m  Conjunction:  Like peas in a pod, planets in conjunction tend to come from the same place. They act together, but it’s also hard to tell them apart. This aspect can increase talent, focus, and intensity (“two are better than one”). Or one planet can disappear as the other dominates. Their connection feels so natural, it’s easy to think everyone blends these planetary energies just as you do—but mostly, they don’t!.

p  Sextile:  Planets in sextile are compatible, though without any fireworks. This aspect doesn’t demand your attention. It quietly presents an opportunity. You can join these archetypal forces. Donna Cunningham has called this the “Oh, that!” aspect, because that’s generally what her clients say when she describes their benefits.  To get the most from sextiles you need to actively work them.

q  Square:  Squares are wild and wonderful—but difficult too. The power struggle between these planets was likely defined in your youth, when they were impossibly challenging. People are usually aware of their squares. They force the issues that make you to grow. And that’s their gift. They ensure you learn your lessons. When you rise to the occasion, they bless you with energy, action, and success.

r  Trine:  Michael Munkasey has dubbed this the “goddess aspect” because it’s so lovely. Identifying talents you may have perfected in a previous life, trines can bring you joy. There’s a nice flow of energy between planets in trine. They support and reinforce each another. But without any struggle, you might take them for granted—neither using nor developing their gifts. An unattended trine can sometimes trick you into negative behaviors.

t  Inconjunct/Quincunx:  Your quincunx planets are innately incompatible. Bringing them into harmonious expression requires constant adjustments. This can be stressful, also motivating. You’ve got to keep changing your process, opinions or attitude—which promotes highly creative solutions.

u  Opposition:  They say opposites attract—and planets in opposition are never far from each other, though they’re constantly bickering. You may be triggered into awareness of this aspect by other people who seem to resist or undermine you.  An opposition can make you feel uncertain, insecure, or discontent, until you can accept and see yourself in both energies. Typically people find it easier to identify with one side and project the other onto unsuspecting others in the outer world.

First House: Personality, physical body, beginnings. Includes the Ascendant and rules physical appearance, the image you project to others, your general outlook on life, how you start things; may describe your role in your family system, often guides your first impression of immediate environment.

Second House: Money and personal finances, sense of self-worth and basic values, personal possessions, talents.

Third House: Communication, thoughts, language skills like writing and speaking, early schooling, siblings and neighbors, short trips, coming and going around town.

Fourth House: Your home, psychological foundations and roots, family, parents, domestic life, instinctive behavior, ancestry, your connection with the past, sense of security, domestic life, real estate. conditions at the end of life.

Fifth House: Children, creativity, romance; pleasure, entertainment, self-expression; all forms of “play”, speculation, gambling, and attitude towards taking risks; hobbies, attitude towards romance, lovers as opposed to partners, attitude towards having fun.

Sixth House: Work and job (as opposed to career), daily life, attitude towards service and coworkers, helpfulness, pets, attitude towards routine and organization, how you refine and perfect your skills.

Seventh House: Partnerships, one-to-one relationships, marriage, the first marriage, the “significant other”, business partnerships, competitors, open enemies, lawyers, mediators, counselors, contracts, negotiations, agreements. clients/the public.

Eighth House: Transformations and crisis, your ability to meet and rebound from crisis and change, sexuality; sex, death and rebirth, rituals and personal growth, your partner’s resources, addictions, psychology, other people’s money, taxes, divorce/alimony, inheritance.

Ninth House: Attitude toward expanding horizons, religious beliefs and personal philosophy, higher education, long-distance travel, morals, foreign languages and cultures, personal truths, publishing, commerce, advertising, your sense of adventure.

Tenth House: Career and profession, your contribution to society, social status, public reputation, material success, how you carve out a public identity for yourself; attitude toward authority figures, parents, caregivers, bosses, governments, attitude towards responsibility, desire for achievement.

Eleventh House: Friends, groups, organizations; hopes, wishes, aspirations, personal goals; your philanthropic attitude, concern for the collective, humanity; like tenth, can bring recognition and honors for fulfilling hopes and dreams.

Twelfth House: What’s hidden beneath the surface, karmic dustbin, limiting childhood/past-life messages, self-undoing, hidden enemies, hidden weaknesses, dreams, secret affairs, lost items, hospitals and prisons, hidden strengths, spiritual studies and soul growth.

A  Sun: Our vitality and magnetism; self-identity, ego.
Roles: The Self, the Hero, the Performer, the King.

B  Moon: Intuition, emotion, nurture.
Roles: The Mother, the High Priestess, the Child.

C  Mercury: Mind; physical dexterity and mental agility.
Roles: The Thinker, the Communicator, the Student, the Trickster, the Merchant, the Thief.

D  Venus: Our capacity for pleasure, receptivity, creativity, and social connection. Also indicates our relationships, self esteem, and financial abundance.
Roles: The Lover, the Seductress, the Artist.

E  Mars: Desire, initiative, anger.
Roles: The Protector, the Athlete, the Warrior.

F  Jupiter: Luck, opportunity, expansion, higher learning, religion.
Roles: The Scholar, the Gypsy, the Traveler, the Monk, the Professor.

G  Saturn: Hard work, commitment, focus, inadequacy, leadership, suffering, loss.
Roles: The Task Master, the Grim Reaper, the Wise Old Man, the Builder, the Cynic, the Boss.

H  Uranus: Change, breakthroughs, upsets, discoveries.
Roles: The Revolutionary, the Humanitarian, the Visionary, the Snob.

I  Neptune: Imagination, spirituality, idealism, addictions, deception, compassion.
Roles: The Artist, the Romantic, the Guru, the Addict, the Martyr, the Victim.

J  Pluto: Transformation, power, psychological dynamics, helplessness.
Roles: The Terrorist, the Detective, the Psychotherapist, the Dictator, shady people.

a  Aries: Pioneering, competitive, selfish, impatient, courageous, reckless, independent, dynamic, domineering, “Me first!”

b  Taurus: Patient, stable, lazy, dependable, practical, sensual, stubborn, artistic, possessive, greedy, gentle, loyal.

c  Gemini: Intelligent, curious, adaptable, quick-witted, restless, clever, scatterbrained, lacking follow-through.

d  Cancer: Nourishing, intuitive, protective, moody, sensitive, maternal, domestic, childish, cautious, creative.

e  Leo: Proud, dignified, vain, expressive, romantic, generous, childish, overbearing, self-assured, creative.

f  Virgo: Perfection-seeking, practical, methodical, petty, critical, studious, discriminating, cautious, never satisfied.

g  Libra: Charming, sociable, peace-loving, refined, diplomatic, artistic, indecisive, apathetic, easily deterred.

h  Scorpio: Passionate, secretive, penetrating, resourceful, suspicious, manipulative, jealous, sarcastic, intolerant, determined, aware.

i  Sagittarius: Freedom-loving, philosophical, optimistic, enthusiastic, careless, impatient, talkative, a know-it-all, broadminded, athletic, honest.

j  Capricorn: Serious, responsible, practical, hardworking, stubborn, brooding, inhibited, status-conscious, domineering, unforgiving.

k  Aquarius: Progressive, individualistic, unpredictable, cold, intellectual, artistic, eccentric, shy, impersonal, scientific.

l  Pisces: Compassionate, intuitive, ungrounded, romantic, impractical, self-sacrificing, seductive, musical, artistic.