On Friday 14th August 2015 at 2.55 pm GMT we have a new moon in Leo at 22 degrees. This new moon is one degree from forming a conjunction with Venus which is now half way through its retrograde, that’s a tight orb! Mars has just moved into Leo from the waters of Cancer, and Mercury and Jupiter are now in Virgo.
Although most new moons tend towards a more internal expression, despite all outward Leo appearances and so many planets transiting Leo, this new moon is more internal than most. This is partly down to the very internal, censored Leo Venus retrograde that still strongly figures at this new lunar cycle. The inward expression of this new moon has with it an element of the deeper Venus. Venus at a deeper level challenges us in our integrity, in our value system. What is on our priority list and what matters to us individually?
Leo is about being seen, Venus in its retrograde, more internal expression places question marks over what we choose to show or not show to others or the world. We all carry the eons of shame and guilt that we hide from others, which runs so deep. What keeps us from being authentic, what ghosts are we hiding in the closet? Our thoughts, words and actions reflect who we are and create our reality whether we give them expression or keep them private. It is how we see ourselves, our own self-value that is critical now and understanding that our value system can shift for better or worse according to the value we place on other’s opinions and reflections.
Whilst it’s important to not live as an island, it’s also necessary to ‘know thyself’, without needing the approval or vote of confidence from others. Leo energy naturally strives for attention and approval, it enjoys the adoration, but Venus retrograde through Leo challenges us to identify what distorted Venus Leo values we are holding dear. Are we more concerned with the accumulation of external resources or our own internal gifts and resources? Do we see the ultimate reservoir of resource being the Ultimate Source of all that is, the creative force that illuminates and drives all life? Are we placing too much importance on appearances so much so that it undermines our integrity? Or, are we ourselves driving our creativity through our own ego machine rather than allowing it to flow through us? Where do we get our real nourishment and replenishment from? Is material, worldly resource created through being in touch with yourself as a channel for Source? Some food for thought.
This is a time for heart opening moments. Where are heart strings are tugged on, where we can recognise each other’s vulnerability. We might be brought experiences that show us where we are cut off from others and ourselves. Work on the heart chakra will be extra effective now and by the time Venus goes direct in early September, we will likely have completed a phase of our heart healing.
The shift of Jupiter into Virgo from Leo means the planet of expansion will sojourn Virgo until 9th September 2016, bringing with it themes of healing, health and perfection. The shadow of Virgo is criticism, wanting everything to be just perfect to the extent that nothing ever gets done. Our inner critics will benefit from healing work over the next year. It’s a time for detoxes and purification – Virgo enjoys filtering out what doesn’t work for us.
Yet Jupiter struggles to express itself fully in Virgo – the expansive energy of Jupiter finds it difficult to fit into the detail, discerning orientated energy of Virgo. Jupiter doesn’t go for the details; it just sees the big picture. But at least it should expand our ability to get through our to-do lists and discipline ourselves into a routine. Looking after the small details in a big way is on Jupiter’s agenda. Although this year we will have to work a little harder to yield the Jupiter crop.
This is the time to think about how best to channel that Virgo Jupiter energy over the forthcoming year – what needs distilling and organising now? Do you have a big project that requires a lot of detail, planning or do you want to take your own healing journey by the horns!?
A few days after the new moon, in a rare astrological event, the Sun conjoins Venus retrograde. This suggests a new beginning in all things Venus – relationships, love and body. But with Venus being retrograde, journeying through the unconscious shadows of the underworld, we are less likely to receive direct, conscious knowing about what this new beginning is about. We will need to wait until September when Venus is direct for her to reveal where in our life she wants to shower her gifts.
This new moon is in a challenging square to Saturn meaning that we might feel blocked in some way or there might be a lot of fear entering into our lives – fear of the future and where it’s taking us. We might be fearing that our judgment is out, that we are out of balance in our ideas, plans, perhaps we are struggling with really believing in ourselves. With this square though we can use it to focus on producing the outcomes we want for ourselves. Saturn energy needs ‘picking up’ and that requires work. Before Saturn makes it journey back into Sagittarius for its long haul, not returning to Scorpio for more than 28 years, this is the last call to release any heavy baggage that we have been lugging around.
