New Moon Report

by Stephanie Azaria

2009 Virgo New Moon

September 18, 2009

2:44 PM EDT / 11:44AM PDT/6:44 PM GMT

25 Virgo 59

This month’s Virgo New Moon is a time of sorting through belongings, situations, concepts and involvements and committing to the ones that are coming along for the next phase of the journey. Choose with discrimination, the skies counsel. What supports your soul’s passion? What doesn’t? You’ve already been going through the sorting process for weeks, maybe even months. Now it’s time to choose for your own health, well-being and thriving, because this New Moon is the final exam in the course in self-mastery that Saturn in Virgo has been teaching for the past two years.

Saturn is directly watching over this New Moon. He is not only in the same sign, but only a degree away from it. The New Moon’s ruler, Mercury, is conjunct it as well, on the opposite side. The two planets greet the Moon on her way in and out of her meeting with the Sun. The Moon meets Saturn first and has a last-minute brush-up on commitment and responsibility to the Self, which she brings into her merging with the Sun. She leaves the Sun and heads to Mercury, who is in an action-demanding square to Pluto. The Moon’s discussion with the Sun is not to remain in the realm of idle concepts. They are to be refined, stripped down to the core and acted upon, by communicating them far and wide.

Saturn and Mercury may be on either side of the New Moon, but they are not the only planets in attendance. Every outer planet is in on the action. Saturn is opposite Uranus, quincunx Neptune (which is conjunct Chiron and Jupiter) and trining Pluto. Structural change is the imperative; it’s deep, organic and requiring the choice to be guided by love and compassion. Every personal planet is in on the action. Venus is opposite Neptune (which is conjunct Chiron and Jupiter) and quincunx Uranus; Mars is quincunx Jupiter (which is conjunct Chiron and Neptune). Our hearts and wills have a direct say in what is unfolding; opening to love and choosing the more expansive path are key to their input. And the Nodes of the Moon are involved, too, with the North trining Mercury, the New Moon and Saturn, sextiling Uranus and semi-sextiling Neptune (pulling in Chiron and Jupiter), and the South sextiling the New Moon cluster, trining Uranus and quincunx Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter. Messages confirm the new direction of our destiny and facilitate letting go of what we have outgrown.

Every major body in the sky is in on the action. That concept alone should drive home the importance of what we have at stake under this New Moon. It’s rare that everything comes together in so tight a web. We are personalizing and assimilating this moment of transformation. The New Moon and its galactic support system argue for focus, efficiency, clarity of thought and purpose, discernment, discrimination and service without sacrifice. The event reminds of that we are enclosed in boundaries, within the protection of which we are suspended in the interconnectedness of all beings. Saturn speaks of responsibility, commitment and seriousness.. Uranus champions new paradigms. In this configuration, the new is simultaneously liberating and narrowing. Cast off what’s not you and burrow into what is.

This New Moon signals that it is time to move deeply into your own borders, pull them tight and then, with that intactness and protection, go out into the world anew. Narrow your focus and then expand yourself within the new contours. You are likely already doing this to some extent; amp up the process and engage it in consciously now. Think about what you’ve let go of over the summer and what you’ve decided is most important to you. You have probably eliminated certain associations and activities from your life and decided you have room for only one or two. Your involvement in those few interests can blossom now. You will find now that you have the time, energy and inclination to go more deeply and more broadly into them. It sounds paradoxical, but isn’t. That one interest or two can now open up into a vast universe for you to explore, and you have the latitude to travel more widely through it than before, when some many things were arguing for your time and attention. Your participation will be more effective and meaningful not just for you, but for others who are involved. And so you’ll pull off being of service while acting healthily and responsible to yourself.

If you set New Moon intentions (or goals or wishes; the label doesn’t matter), give them serious forethought. State them succinctly and pare them down to essentials — or to their essence.

The Sabian Symbol for the Sun and the Moon at 26 Virgo is
A BOY WITH A CENSER SERVES NEAR THE PRIEST AT THE ALTAR.

Commentary: ‘A Boy’ is shown with a ‘Censer’. He ‘Serves Near the Priest at the Altar’. The ‘Boy’ doesn’t have the experience or social position of the ‘Priest’, but that shouldn’t put him off his duties. If he’s doing his tasks with a sense of ceremony, his position and responsibilities are still very important. In the church service wine is drunk as a symbol of the blood of Christ. Wafers are placed on the tongues of the believers as the representation of the body of Christ. How the ‘Boy’ reacts to the ritual or ceremony will depend on his upbringing, beliefs or temperament. He could be rapt with fascination at what is being played out or he could be indifferent, bored and really preferring to go home. It is unclear whether the ‘Boy’ wants to eventually take the position of the older ‘Priest’, or colleague, or not. He may grow up to do other things, but right now he’s got his position or duty to fulfill. This may be less than he’s actually able to do or is truly “qualified” to do.

Oracle: Be cautious of feeling that what you are doing is inconsequential; because even the smallest contribution is an important part of the whole and we all play our part in some measure. Right now you may be someone’s “right-hand man” and not in charge of proceedings. Don’t be worried, your time will come. Sometimes there’s the need to be patient and to wait things out until one is more mature, practiced or prepared to be in charge. A more exalted position will be attained, given time. Give reverence and respect to your everyday routines, no matter how insignificant they may seem and you will find your sense of hope renewed. However, watch out for any feelings of jealousy that someone is bigger, better, more experienced or more respected than your self. Measuring one’s self by the successes of others can be useful, except when it degrades your belief in yourself, or in others. Who is the ‘Priest’ and who is the ‘Boy’?

Keywords: Youthful attitudes. Doing what’s simple, with silence and devotion. Participating in the toil but not the glory. Altars and shrines. Incense. Burning candles. Passing down wisdom and knowledge. Looking up to those in power. Work experience. Apprenticeships. Feelings of awe and respect. Religious and social ceremonies.

The Caution: Being dominated by spiritual hierarchy that is devised by human rationalism. Doing “lesser things” to avoid responsibility. Not taking a place of authority when one could or should. Feeling like one isn’t good enough because of inexperience. Someone always hanging around. Incompetence. Refusal to take instruction.

A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness. Chinese proverb
Freedom-to walk free and own no superior. Walt Whitman

I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve. Albert Schweitzer

Everybody can be great… because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

It is time I stepped aside for a less experienced and less able man. Scott Elledge

The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher regard those who think alike than those who think differently. Friedrich Nietzche

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry S. Truman