Virgo New Moon

 

September 2, 2005

 

http://cainer.com/ericfrancis/sept2.html

 

Dear Readers:

 

The United States seems to be at an important turning point. Many of us have New Orleans on our minds -- it's still reportedly 80% underwater. This is raising the climate change discussion and, apparently (due to destroyed refinery equipment in the Gulf region), the price of gas, which I hear is going up by the hour in some locales. They are really the same discussion. In Europe, where gas has cost $4 a gallon for a while, you don't see people driving around huge SUVs to buy a bottle of Pepsi. Even the police drive around with four cops packed into tiny little compact cars, as contrasted with the huge Ford Crown Victorias (or similar vehicles) that most American police departments use for just one officer on patrol.

 

Whether Hurricane Katrina was the result of global warming or not, it came in the stream of much astrology. I have read that extremes of weather are associated with strong lunations on the Leo-Aquarius axis, and we have just had a couple of those.

 

Meanwhile, we are approaching an eventful Virgo New Moon, exact Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7:45 pm BST. On the way this week, we had the exact opposition of the Sun (in Virgo) and Uranus (the planet of surprises and inventions) in Pisces shaking up the cosmic tree.

 

Thursday, Sept. 1 was the conjunction of Venus to Jupiter in Libra, exact Sept. 1. This is an event occurring close to the South Node of the Moon, the point in the chart associated with history and the effects of the past. As such, it may be part of an older story, representing a reunion of some kind, or the benefits of past effort, and in some cases, the consequences. This may include the benefits of a skill, knowledge or wisdom that can be put to judicious use now. I get the feeling we can both trust and handle what happens under this astrology.

 

However -- everything about this conjunction -- a meeting of the two "benefic" planets in one of the most positively oriented signs -- needs to be handled with prudence and an attitude of careful observation as events develop over the next two months, which include an eclipse of the Sun in Libra just over a month from today (Oct. 3).

 

It is just around that point (on Oct. 1) that Mars turns to retrograde motion for about 12 weeks. Mars, now moving slowly, very slowly, through Taurus, is certainly making itself felt in people's lives, though there are many possible effects and they are not all "negative." Mars remaining in one sign for a long time (as it does once every two years; the last one was Pisces, in the summer of 2003) places great emphasis on that sign. Taurus is the region of wealth, financial security, comfort and self-esteem. This emphasis may come in as questions, changes, reform projects or events with which we collaborate to shape the path of our lives.

 

We are already in the retrograde effect, as Mars now occupies degrees wherein it will be moving backwards (sometimes called the shadow phase). In all, it's a time to keep complications to a minimum, to keep discussions above the boards, and to keep a handle on where the people around you are coming from.

 

On Sept. 2, Pluto stationed direct in Sagittarius, making its way ever closer to the Galactic Core (which it finally reaches in Dec. 2006).

 

Last is the New Moon itself. Between now and Saturday, we are in the extreme waning phase of the Moon. This event still has the Sun in a fairly close opposition to Uranus, so it could be a kind of cosmic trigger of both personal and collective events. Many other aspects suggest that we are in a stable, dependable enough time of history to proceed with some combination of caution and determination. But surely not business as usual -- we really need to hold a healing vision for the planet, then seriously, and I mean really, get with the program of unusual progress and solving collective problems on the collective level -- that is to say, working together.

 

Not just praying or wishing: working and helping one another, while we learn to take care of our basic needs at the same time.

 

Updates are daily at Planet Waves, and the new free monthly horoscopes are posted. Thanks for tuning in.

 

Here are some of your questions this week. Thanks for writing, and my appreciation to Vanessa and Deirdre in the UK as well as Michelle Perrin in Paris for tying the many loose ends together on this project.