We have a New Moon on Monday night when the Sun and Moon meet up at 11 degrees of Virgo. Virgo is the mutable earth sign. Like its sister earth signs Capricorn and Taurus, Virgo is practical, reality focused, and experiences life through the physical. Earth signs have a strong connection to the body. For Capricorn it is about the skeletal system - the bones, ligaments and tendons that form the structure of the body. The Taurus connection is focused on the senses, primarily how things taste, sound, smell and feel. Delicious food and soft fabrics go a long way with Taurus.
Virgo is linked to digestion. It breaks down and analyzes the systems of our lives; the way we tackle our 'to do' list. Virgo's super power is finding flaws and fixing them so the process is more efficient and organized. Anything not needed is released or recycled. The essence of Virgo is being of service by improving how the responsibilities of daily life are met.
When Virgo is at its higher expression, it helps people fulfill their purpose in practical ways. In turn, this brings benefits to the collective in terms of efficiency and fewer wasted resources. Mutable signs are always dialed into society and its needs.
When Virgo energy is at its lower expression, it is consumed by the quest for perfection. It overanalyzes which leads to overwhelm. Virgo's critical eye, so good at finding inefficiencies in the external, becomes an internally focused critical voice that undermines self-confidence. Virgo energy becomes fearful of making a mistake. The idea of not getting it right and being blamed for missing something important takes over. Anxiety ensues and Virgo becomes its own worst enemy, caught in analysis paralysis. Losing sight of the larger goal, it gets stuck searching for the perfect way to do the job, which, of course, doesn't exist.
Do you recognize your inner critic's voice? At first listen, it sounds like you. If you pay attention to the language and tone, it is often parroting someone in the past who judged you. They might have had great motives; only wanted to help. It doesn't matter. The outcome was your energy constricted and you felt bad. Inner critics offer a litany of your not enough-ness disguised as helpfulness. If the voice in your head makes you feel "less than" or that you have to prove yourself somehow, it's definitely your inner critic.
It's time for the inner critic to go, and be replaced by the inner coach. Your inner coach knows you are wildly capable and is happy to remind you as often as needed. You feel better when you access your inner coach. Your energy expands. This New Moon is the perfect time to bench the inner critic and bring in your inner coach.
Consider the ways in which you handle your responsibilities. Are you organized? Are you engaged? Are you overwhelmed? Do you procrastinate or seek distractions? Does the structure of your days support the life you desire? What are you spending your precious time, effort, and energy in service to? How are these tasks and relationships adding to the quality of your life? Are you so concerned with getting through the day that you've lost sight of the bigger picture, aka your Why?
In order to thrive, Virgo energy requires a peaceful, orderly environment. Rushing is not good for anyone, but it's toxic for Virgo. Are you operating at a comfortable pace? Is your space cluttered or in disarray? This creates dis-ease for Virgo energy. Time used to organize your environment is time well spent under these energies.
This New Moon is opposite Saturn at 16 degrees of Pisces. Oppositions bring the need to balance two complementary but opposing forces. Here, practical Saturn in Pisces encourages self-compassion as an integral part of daily life. Self-compassion dials down the anxiety of making a mistake. It allows you to move beyond the micromanaging defensiveness and see the grander scheme of your life. As you focus on your purpose, Virgo's energy is directed towards improving how you offer your talents in service to the world as well as how you take care of yourself.
New Moons are times of new beginnings, new ways to approach the themes of the signs in which they occur. We have just come out of Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Leo. That was an opportunity to review your responsibilities to yourself and others (Virgo) and how they aligned with your heart's desires (Leo). Now is the time to follow through on the insights you received.
"It’s not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life; it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power." — Robert Kiyosaki