Let's Meet (Ourselves) in Virgo

Dear Friend and Reader:

This week's astrology is marked by successive objects moving from Leo to Virgo — culminating in the Venus-Mars conjunction in early Virgo on Saturday. The overarching message appears to be one of integration: of your inner feminine and masculine, your receptive and active sides, your yin and yang tendencies. It's not always clear how to do this, and seems to be getting more confusing for some people in today's world, yet is clearly crucial.

	Pollinator on a wild chicory blossom; photo by Amanda Painter.

But first, let's get oriented.

Mars left Leo and entered Virgo earlier today. Venus will follow suit on Wednesday.

On Friday, the Sun makes the same move, at 6:02 am EDT (10:01:52 UTC). This marks the beginning of the last phase of the current season (summer in the Northern Hemisphere, winter in the Southern Hemisphere), as we head toward the equinox in one month.

About four-and-a-half hours after the Sun enters Virgo on Friday, the Moon enters Gemini. And a little more than 20 minutes after that, the Gemini Moon squares the Virgo Sun for the last quarter Moon.

Late Friday night, the asteroid Juno also enters Virgo. Then on Saturday, Venus and Mars meet for their conjunction — which is exact at 1:04 pm EDT (17:04:25 UTC).

Virgo is often described as a sign related to activities like service and teaching; astrologers frequently mention the healing and helping profession of nursing as stereotypical for people with strong Virgo signatures. Coming at the end of Northern Hemisphere summer, this sign also relates to the harvest and to other forms of 'gathering in' that tend to occur this time of year.

It is an earth sign, yet is ruled by Mercury. So it often represents a tangible form of analysis and organizing, or manifests in thoroughly working with details. Isabel Hickey writes of Virgo that its symbol — "the Virgin, holding a sheaf of wheat" — indicates "the gathering in of material needs, just as the Virgo people collect, digest and correlate facts for their mental values."

You might think of this collecting, digesting and correlating as something you can also do with your inner feminine and masculine as the Venus-Mars conjunction builds this week. Collect examples of the way you may tend to project your softness, your indirectness, your emotions, your ability to receive (Venus) — or project your ambition, your directness, your physicality and sexuality, your ability to take action (Mars) — onto others.

How often have you been partnered and fallen into a habit of letting the other person be the one who decides and initiates, or the one who processes emotions and yields? How often have you been attracted to someone in the first place because they seem to embody and express some part of yourself that feels undeveloped or entirely absent?

	Simplified chart section for Saturday's Venus-Mars conjunction. From left to right: Venus, Mars, Transpluto, the Sun and Juno in Virgo; Mercury in Leo; the Moon in mid-Gemini. View glyph key here.

Now, can you list or describe ways that you've been able to embody and personify some of those qualities you often see in others but have difficulty locating in yourself? Chances are you can come up with some examples, even if you consider them 'minor'.

Even if you can't, you'll still have a rough blueprint for where and how you tend to project certain qualities onto those close to you; and with that, you can begin a process of healing as needed, or of consciously stretching yourself into that seemingly 'missing' polarity.

(Under the current astrology, that 'otherness' is represented by the opposite sex, but your personal gender orientation might suggest framing it a little differently — yet it still comes down to a question of integration rather than projection.)

This is the kind of process that can benefit from someone like a therapist or astrologer, for some dialoging and space-holding as you sort through things and figure out ways to draw out your less developed facets. Ultimately, however, the work is internal: it's about your view of and relationship to yourself, as a whole yet multi-faceted being. This Venus-Mars conjunction in Virgo is an opportunity to practice not projecting so much 'otherness' on the opposite sex — something that seems to have reached a fever pitch in certain cultural conversations.

As Eric pointed out to me in conversation, this internal integration work also stands in contrast to the activity of Saturn and Pluto, which are slowly moving toward their conjunction in Capricorn.

The environmental events reflecting Saturn-Pluto continually appear to tell us the world is falling apart around our ears — and that the people with the power to stop it are the ones perpetrating the dysfunction and destruction. But are they really the only ones with that power?

	Detail of a common darter dragonfly photo taken at Martin Mere, in Lancashire, U.K., by Stephen Gidley.

Eric also suggested that this Capricorn activity is about unresolved mommy and daddy issues that have society in a quagmire and unable to confront the political system, our dysfunctional relationships, and so on.

If that's the case — and it seems likely — then we have another layer of integration we can (and need to) work with: that of healing the psychological wounds and biases we have around our parents, and which prevent us from taking full responsibility for and authority in our own lives. These issues may also fall somewhat along the lines of the Venus-Mars polarity.

Taking responsibility and authority is a way of "acting as if to hold the world together" — one way of describing dharma, or the path of the soul's purpose. In terms of this week's astrology, you might consider the phrase, "As within, so without" — part of the longer maxim by Hermes Trismegistus, "As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul."

The saying gets used so much as to be almost cliché, yet it is clearly relevant. When we work for healing and wholeness within ourselves, we cannot help but model healing and wholeness to those around us, helping to foster it by example. With Capricorn trine Virgo, there's real potential for that harmony and integration to have a tangible translation outward into the world.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter It is difficult to feel good these days; it's challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.

Daily Birthday Readings from Planet Waves

Here are the next week's Birthday Readings; if it's your birthday this week, many happy returns to you. Please note you can also read these entries as daily posts on our Intelligence website. Sunday, August 18, 2019 (The Day of Endurance) Gradually you are coming to view yourself and the ideals you cherish most in a new light, and with Mars changing signs early on your birthday, this is likely to be an ideal period for bolstering your self-confidence. As part of this, be wary of any mindset that involves variations on shame, embarrassment or self-doubt. Try exchanging these emotions for "I want to..." and "I can..." and see how that feels for you. It would help you to start with the understanding that nothing, in fact, is forbidden. Monday, August 19, 2019 (The Day of Startling Surprises) After some time spent clearing your forward path, this year you really seem to have the wind at your back. Whatever you begin is likely to take on a momentum of its own, with nominal help from you. However, the more aligned your vision is with meaning and purpose, and the more effort you put in to keep it going, the faster you should progress. A full tank of petrol is usually more effective when you know your route and don't need to do any doubling back. Tuesday, August 20, 2019 (The Day of the Cryptic Secret) Your need to express your uniqueness is a fundamental part of your being, as it is for everyone. It'll help immensely if you give yourself the room to do so, and refuse to confine yourself to the narrow expectations of conventional society. You'd have trouble fitting into that particular box, anyway, and would soon be compelled to burst out and do your own thing. Don't be afraid of causing a little turbulence here and there; you might consider it a service to the perpetually sleepy. Wednesday, August 21, 2019 (The Day of the Standout) If you're in the mood to get things accomplished this year, you could well cover a lot of ground. The current conditions are ripe, firstly for big changes, and secondly for bringing ideas to life. A little enthusiasm will probably go a long way; so be bold, and focus on goals that carry real meaning for you. It may be advisable to take the view, in fact, that you can accomplish whatever you have a mind to. Actually, this is probably not too far from the truth. Thursday, August 22, 2019 (The Day of Seasoned Experience) You may be looking to make unusual moves with regard to your career. Or, said another way, something different from simply being promoted in a straight line, or from remaining in a conventional role. Possibly you have a particular calling in mind; alternatively, you just want to do work you can love. Either way, various opportunities could soon present themselves. Be aware of all your options, and look out for those that might be some way off the beaten track. Friday, August 23, 2019 (The Day of Lively Precision) Finding a role that truly reflects you is almost always worth any effort, and may be of particular importance for you this year. There is a tremendous difference, in terms of wellbeing, between a job you consider merely a means of bringing home the dough, and something that is much more a labor of love. If it wouldn't be so easy to do the latter in a paid capacity, make sure you have sufficient time to pursue your real interests. This will help you feel more fully alive and in touch with your essential self. Saturday, August 24, 2019 (The Day of Astute Examination) Potentially you could find you're a busy buzzer in the months to come. You've acquired a certain sense of completeness within yourself that may radiate a delightful charm and confidence. Others will almost certainly consider you good company, and probably very desirable, though don't let flattery prevent you from employing discernment in your social choices. It would be advisable to surround yourself with true and proven friends, who will help bring out your best qualities. Sunday, August 25, 2019 (The Day of the Unabashed Extrovert) If you discover that you're struggling a little with demands on your spare time, it may help you to take a firmer hand in organizing it. Make sure you have enough room to relax and to feed your soul, as well as enjoying your friendships and social engagements. Most people need some kind of balance between introverted and extraverted activities; look for the one that's suitable for you, and also offers you an ongoing enrichment of heart and mind.

— By Amy Elliott Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

We published your extended monthly horoscope for August on Thursday, July 25. Your extended monthly horoscope for July was published on Thursday, June 27. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) — This is always a productive time of year for you, and can be especially so, with Venus, Mars and the Sun moving through your work and productivity angle. You will have no problem keeping busy, though you will want to choose the projects you contribute to. Look for the connection between any one task and several of the goals or objectives you're moving toward. The more connections any one task has to a few different points, the better. More significant, though, is how you feel when you're involved. When you find that experience of being lost in your work, when the time leaps by and you look at the clock and it's 3:30 am when a minute ago it was 10 pm, that's the place to be. To that end, do what attracts you, what turns you on, what feels good when you're involved. From there, one good idea will lead to another. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Notice how the concept of sharing has ended up in the recycling bin. What used to be called "the commons" has been replaced by vending machines. You might want to retrieve it and get it going in your local world. This is not specifically about you, though you may benefit. The subject is much larger than one person, though ideas always start with an individual. You're in a position to facilitate something worthwhile, and that goes contrary to the prevailing (extremely annoying) environment of buy, sell, buy, sell. Yet you know the world belongs to all of us. You know that we are merely its stewards. There's a benefit to tapping into this level of reality, which is true abundance. Yet you're the leading candidate for getting things started, or better said, reviving an old idea whose time needs to come. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — More so now than ever, you must do what feels right. If you encounter resistance, delays, blockages or frustration, try doing something else. The order in which you do things is less important than engaging in activity that is satisfying and at least somewhat fruitful — and your home is a good place to start. Anything you can do to improve your living space will make you significantly happier. The areas to attend to first are things like cleaning, taking care of your plants, and your linens. Tackle any stagnant corners, piles, closets or storage areas, for example, under the kitchen sink. Get the energy moving. Wash the curtains — this kind of thing. The result will be a liberating sense of belonging in your own space, greater productivity and being ready for company to arrive. Cleaning and freshening physical space are a positively awesome vacation from the oppressive digital realm. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Words count now, and you can make them work for you. In fact, imagine the whole dictionary shaking and vibrating and wanting to jump into your mind, your notebook, your computer screen. The Sun's entry into Virgo is your invitation, though there's no need to delay. Venus and Mars are involved, so the feeling is sensuous, warm, and with some sexual tension in the mix. Follow your curiosity, and dance with the possibilities. I don't know if writing turns you on; surely at least reading does, and in our times, engaging with a book is a full-on immersion of your senses. Yet you also seem to have a story to tell. You might be tempted to write about your experiences, though I suggest you point your pencil in the direction of what you want, and want to create. Be colorful and detailed and passionate in your description. See and feel your desires as vividly as you can. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your astrology is calling you to set your priorities in order. It's easy to let this fall to the side, though it's now on the level of a necessity. Consider your priorities as being in two main categories — wellbeing and finances. They are related, as there is often some need to allocate resources to taking care of yourself. Yet this is as likely to be about time and energy as it is about money. Even more than that, your commitment to your own cause is the essential motivating factor to stay in touch with. Pay attention to what you know drives you to act on your own behalf, and connect with that idea, feeling or emotion. You always have time to do the things that are important to you, and right now, there are some significant needs you must address — and you have all the necessary ingredients to make that happen. Just put them all together. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — The Sun enters your sign in grand style this week, with the company of both Venus and Mars. This is the perfect image of Virgo, which can embody either sex, or neither sex, as you wish. This goes for any form of sex roles, or the emotions that are ascribed to them; and it goes for your organic response to the direct experience of being alive. If you are feeling anything but your most incredible vitality, pause and consider why that might be. Are you hesitating in any way? Are you actively resisting? There's often a little fear in the experience of feeling fully incarnated and in possession of your existence. One of the ways you know you're getting near the cusp of actually embodying being wholly alive is when that fear starts to bubble to the surface. You are in a position to exceed or violate the metes and bounds that supposedly define who you are. Once you do that, keep going. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Your imagination may be running wild for the next few weeks — and it will help you if you get out of your head and into the physical world. By all means stoke your fantasies and indulge in your mental pleasures, and then cross the bridge into reality with at least some of them. It's true that all things related to the body are confused and distorted at the moment, and may be laced with fear and apprehension. You might feel embarrassed about allowing something out of the sanctity of your mind and into the wild world, where you must in some way interrelate with others. That is, however, the thing to do: for healing, for pleasure, and for growth. The inner and the outer worlds rarely align with perfect symmetry (really, never, but I never say never). So this is an experiment, one you may need to try a few times. Borrowing a line from The Beatles, all you need is trust. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may care about your reputation, but there is little you can do about it, and little that you need to do. You are who you are, and how people perceive you is their business. Attending to the details of your presentation may make you feel better though they are unlikely to sway anyone. What you can focus on is feeling good, and being at home in your skin. These days that's a revolutionary act. Any gesture of casting off the burden of image is a kind of revolt. This is mainly for the benefit of your own sanity; thinking you know what other people think is a hall of mirrors. Practice self-acceptance. Practice being who you are and saying what you think. Not everyone will like it. You will repel some of the right people. You will attract certain others. This will work pretty well, most of the time. It's easier than obsessing over matters where you have no control. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Just in time for Jupiter's recent return to direct motion, several helpful planets are crossing the midheaven angle of your solar chart — your fellow mutable sign Virgo. This is about stepping up and stepping out in the world. It's also about attending to the details of your work, rather than leaving them to others. It's true that Sagittarius has the reputation of not wanting to get bogged down in the technicalities, but that's only one side of your nature. Another side wants total control. And though you can rarely have this, you can make sure that the connections are made, that your preferred language is used, and that you understand all of the commitments you're involved with. Yet you must be cautious of overthinking matters, and getting so caught up in details that you lose the wide view and your sense of your goals. So make sure the two are connected, and be on the lookout for mistakes, miscommunications, and assumptions. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You're being confronted by so many challenges that it may seem impossible to see, or think about, the true scope of your existence. You may feel like you're driven by responsibility that you can barely handle. Yet that is the state of mind you want to step out of, calmly and quietly, and consider the underlying purpose of what you are doing. Over the next week or so, you may be filled with the idea that you came here to learn, and you must persist in doing so. But what exactly are you learning for? Knowledge is rarely an end in itself. It needs a job, a direction, a mission. Only then is it relevant. Most of the useful knowledge you gain comes from experience and experimentation. Sure, you need some theory; but step by step, match what you're experiencing to what you know from books, theories and other sources of ideas. The meeting of the two is what you want — and what you can most easily use for the greater good. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Your chart is under excellent aspects for connecting with others, though you don't want to be a perfectionist about this. No contact you make with another person should have an end goal that you drive it toward. Desires are one thing; wanting certain experiences is fair game; but you would be wise to stay out of any form of "tie the knot" territory. Be open-minded, and keep an open heart. Be yourself and give people plenty of space to be themselves. Then, see if you can observe any points of intersection, of a sincere meeting, even if the subject matter is focused. Explore what works and grow from there. Be alert to your level of commitment to any situation, and see who sends you the message that they like you. Most of the world is oriented on going straight to the transaction these days. Nearly everything is seen in economic terms. Do what you can to get away from that. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The Sun, Venus and Mars are about to enter your 7th solar house: the one about relationships and partnerships. This will put you on the map, and it will shine a spotlight on certain people in your environment. Follow the light. Involve yourself with who and what is available. Try to get out of that habit of wanting what you cannot have, including people who treat you inconsistently or who always seem to be making up their mind. Move on to the next person or the next situation. There will be plenty, especially if you don't clog up your own availability by distracting yourself with unproductive situations. We all need to acknowledge the extent to which this is a useless habit. In support of a new vision, notice who notices you. Notice who shows up. Respond positively when someone offers you something loving and affirming; reward affection and pass on the rest. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

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