The Sun enters Virgo on August 22 and the Evolutionary Astrology mantra is: I discern with intuitive wholeness. The themes around this solar month will have more impact this year as Jupiter finishes up its year-long passage through Virgo, and Mars makes its bi-annual conjunction with the Sun in Virgo. Add on the inner planets visiting Virgo and we have a party going on.

Virgo throws a party? Well we need more time to get everything ready. The carpet needs to be cleaned first. Someone might open that closet and see the mess. Who should we invite? Will they get along? Is anybody vegan? Will anyone be offended if we serve alcohol? By the time the party takes place, Virgo is exhausted, and afterwards the only thing Virgo can remember are the details that didn’t get done in time. Hopefully Leo got invited so that someone had fun while Virgo did all the work.

We all know the surface examples of the Virgo archetype. The Piscean Age gives us clues to the deeper lessons taking place. Over the last two thousand years (and longer) during the Age of Pisces, souls have been conditioned to believe in a perfect, male sky-god out there judging us. Virgo, the Pisces polarity, fell for the lie and took on the guilt of imperfection as that is the reality we observe in our human form.

We develop the fullness of our ego and personality through Leo, actually Aries-Leo. Virgo then gets the task of adjusting things to help us realize the world beyond ourselves. Libra follows to create an equality of interaction – learning equal giving and receiving.

Virgo, ruled by Mercury, naturally looks at how things can be improved upon. Due to patriarchal conditioning, Virgo focuses on the imperfections and starts a judgment process based upon standards of perfection that are unnatural and impossible to meet. The lesson is to realize perfection is a process. This is a grand evolutionary journey for all beings involved.

Pisces symbolizes the wholeness or perfection. We can beat ourselves up over our imperfections, or we can nurture the process of evolving, discerning the next best step along the way. The entire reason the Unmanifest manifested was in order to evolve and perfect. We are all in the same boat. Natural law is evolution.

Jupiter is finishing up a yearlong process of pondering these ideas. As the Sun now moves into Virgo, we get to utilize our mercurial abilities to see the cup half-full every time we want to see it half-empty.

With natural spiritual laws and principles, life is choices and experiences, choices and experiences. We make choices, which create experiences, and from those experiences we learn to make better choices to create better experiences.

Due to the imposed guilt of imperfection, we banter back and forth being the victim and victor, masochist and sadist, stuck on a wheel of repeating karma. Returning to natural laws helps us discern our choices to create better and better experiences. No judgments, just reflect and ponder and make a different choice. May you be most successful this month. Bless Virgo to help you discern with intuitive wholeness.

Mercury retrograde passes back over the Sun on August 23 at 1-2 degrees Virgo. What opportunity to recognize where we mentally beat ourselves up. What gentle, mental affirmations can you come up with? There is definitely a left-brain review going on with Mercury retro in one of it’s own signs.

Where are you pondering what is not OK right now – work, relationships, health, finances? You are doing the best you can. The mental squeeze is helping you realize different choices you can make. This is the highlight of Mercury’s retrograde cycle, so allow your answers to filter through, and make the changes you need to make. Stop procrastinating; take the next step, and the next, and the next…

The next day, August 24, Mercury retros back into Leo for two weeks. As our Virgoian humiliating experiences come though, we will mentally find ourselves again. Now we get down to the essence of who we really are. Self-worth on the outer levels will not sustain us through the crises. Self-worth from connection to Source will carry us through anything.

There may be realignments into our real creative work.

The Sun opposes Uranus retrograde on August 27 at 4/5 degrees Virgo-Pisces. These two planets are naturally opposite on the zodical-rulership wheel (Leo-Aquarius). Subjectivity-objectivity, now in Virgo-Pisces. Themes of wholeness and how to get there, or the apparent inability to get there, continue to be revealed.

Our sadomasochistic patterns are coming up to daylight as well. When beliefs are based upon power lying outside of us, the world can be a frightening place. We can feel victimized by the world. We get angry at the world. We lash out. Others lash out at us.

Virgo-Pisces can create anger from feelings of helplessness and being judged. At the ending of the Piscean Age, there is great opportunity to see conditioning human-made beliefs for what they are – false beliefs. Most religions today have a whole bunch of distortions wrapped around tiny bits of truth. We have choice to search for deeper truths and natural laws. It comes with the realization that the Universal Source is found within.

That means accepting self-responsibility. Anger projected outward reveals where we have given our power away. Claiming our power back means becoming responsible for everything in our lives. Ultimately there are no victims, only ignorance of natural laws and how they work.

As the ruler of the individuated unconscious mind, Uranus always works to reveal what is unconscious into the consciousness. In Pisces, there are messages about what is real and whole. If our world is based upon false conditioning, revealing truth can be a scary thing.

Sun opposing Uranus retro in Virgo-Pisces may want to reject truth, and project judgment outwards. Natural laws will have the last word. Where are you into denial and projection? Where do you need to open up and see a larger picture? Can you face the truths revealed to you?

Can you unconditionally love yourself as you do the best you can? Can you make a better choice as the deeper meanings of your experiences are revealed to you?

The Full Moon of Pisces follows on August 29 at 7/8 degrees Virgo-Pisces. We get to emotionally check in to this truth-revealing process by learning to unconditionally love ourselves as we evolve, no matter what. Whew, this can be tough to do after thousands of years of conditioning that love lies outside of us.

All we can see are our Virgoish imperfections and we want to emotionally deny, project, hide, judge, work – fill in your favorite excuse. And all we need to do to set ourselves free is to love ourselves unconditionally. Virgo fills the space up with lots of procrastinating details when we get asked to love ourselves, or go within and really connect in to Source. Can you hear your excuses?

Every year this Full Moon of Pisces gives you a chance to self-love unconditionally, one of the greatest ways to connect in to God/Goddess. May this year bring you the next step closer in doing so.

May you emotionally connect into your next step in service/work on the planet. As Virgo teaches us to open up to others, it also teaches us how to be of service to others. Not through patriarchal giving our power away; rather, natural law connecting in to what feels good in helping others. Work and/or career are the most common ways this happens.

All this energy in August has been building up to Pluto turning stationary direct on the 30th at 19/20 degrees Sagittarius. Pluto, the soul, finishing up a five-month cycle (stationary retrograde March 24, 22/23 Sag) of releasing old desires, and recognizing the new desires emerging.

Our souls tend to operate on mostly unconscious levels. When Pluto turns direction (retrograde or direct) it shifts the energy enough for releases into consciousness. The big, big ah ha’s… Planetary retros are always about throwing off the old, and helping us evolve. Almost half the people on the planet are born with Pluto retrograde, meaning a lifetime of reviewing and releasing old desires.

What is happening in your life right now? What big steps are you embarking upon?

Pluto retrograde is a natural time to ponder the desire to return to that which created us. How has this been happening for you in real life? Patriarchal conditioning leads us to believe spiritual growth happens in convents and monasteries. Natural laws and spiritual principles teach us we must walk our talk. If we cannot practice our spiritual growth in every day life, then we are playing games with ourselves.

Pluto in Sag is about the quest for truth and uncovering lies. How has this happened for you personally this summer? Can you see the intense battle in truth versus lies on the U.S. political landscape? Your own circumstances?

All souls desire to be secure and Pluto in Sagittarius watches this happen with souls settling for a piece of the truth. The part that makes them feel secure, while ignoring everything else. Sag brings out the preachers and religious extremists as well as the seekers of bottom-line truth.

As Pluto turns direct in Sag, we are creating a new foundation of truth for ourselves, the next foundation we will move forward from. The Sag quest is creating a belief system based upon natural law that creates a circle so big we can understand all the bits and pieces. This means a willingness to step into insecurity in order to get to what is real.

As Pluto in Sagittarius naturally squares Virgo-Pisces, there may easily be insecure and uncomfortable moments as we have those deep ah ha’s. Watch your need to judge and “know” what is right. Where are you emotionally? It may also be a time to walk your talk and speak your truth, as you allow others to do the same.

As Pluto in Sag turns direct, layers of truth desire to be exposed. We can distort and suppress natural law; however, we cannot destroy what is natural. Sooner or later truth is revealed.

With all of this comes new, emerging desires from the depth of your soul as Pluto retro threw off old exhausted, been there, done that, desires over the last few months. What new desires are moving you forward?

Venus conjuncts Saturn on August 31 at 23/24 degrees Cancer; more emotional reality checks. These two planets combine to create inner and outer self-reliance, and definitely on an emotional level in Cancer.

We may find our emotional reality quite sobering or shocking as Pluto turns direct at the same time. This is the case if we have not been real with ourselves and our lives. May you want what is real more than just being secure.

We may also find new emotional foundations of strength, especially if we have been making efforts to meet our own essential needs. Any planetary archetype can have “positive” or “negative” manifestations. It depends on each soul and our willingness to grow and evolve, even at the expense of security.

Venus-Saturn asks us to love ourselves and accept self-responsibility. As we sincerely work on those areas, life can open up to us on fantastic levels. Self-responsibility means freedom, as we minimize dependence upon others and the outer world. We get to become creators of our own reality.

A few days later on September 2 Venus makes a waning sextile to Jupiter at 25/26 degrees Cancer-Virgo; emotional rewards and understanding if we have been doing our self-reliance work.

As Jupiter made the last of three waxing sextiles to Saturn a few weeks ago in Virgo-Cancer, this may bring more opportunities to expand our realities. Collectively, this Jupiter-Saturn aspect has brought nationalism and increasing security forces into all areas of our lives. It has not brought an expansion of security as consensus state souls are trying to create something outwardly without the inner work as well.

Conversely, as we sincerely make efforts to become more inwardly secure – self-security, we will actually create it regardless of what happens to the rest of the world. Where are you? Looking for another to love you and save you? Or, intuiting the ways you can love yourself better via connecting in to God/Goddess?

Mercury finally goes stationary direct on September 2 as well at 25/26 degrees Leo. It has been a long retro cycle since it started at 8/9 degrees Virgo on August 9. Are you getting clear on what is the real you? Are you letting go of the egoic parts of yourself that no longer work for you? Have you realigned your will with Divine Will?

With the Venus retro cycle in Gemini (May 17 – June 29) and a Mercury retro cycle in Virgo, it has seemed like a summer of mental review. The details, the conversations, the arguments, the facts and the lies – all those Mercury left-brain details that bombarded us with information.

Now we can think more clearly and start to see some perspective on what is ours, and what belongs to someone else. Be yourself, align your will with Divine Will and speak your truth. There is a new you emerging, and quite possibly new creativity within your soul coming out as well. May you shine in all your essence.

Venus enters Leo on September 9 for four weeks. As the last inner planet through Leo, Venus gets to relate to the real you. During this annual cycle, Venus has been working to let go of fluff and find flexibility in love, truth in love. Self-love is the best place to start.

Venus loves Leo as it feels good here. Look for what feels good on the inside. When we co-create with God/Goddess there is an inner glow that radiates out and magnetizes whatever we need to us. May you be successful. May you love yourself so deeply, others wish to love you as well. May your exchanges of love be unconditional.

Loving yourself just never ends, and during Venus in Leo the question on how to love yourself better needs to be asked every day. You are the person most qualified to get the job done. From self-love you can then determine how to participate in universal love.

On September 9/10 Mars makes a waning square to Pluto at 19/20 degrees Virgo-Sag. Pluto has barely begun to move forward from its deep soul review. Now here is a classic aspect in letting go of old beliefs and the old desires attached to those beliefs.

Mars and our conscious desires, or the leading edge of our separating desires, going through review in Virgo to begin with, now meeting Pluto and really feeling the intensity to let go. What old desires no longer serve you? What desires seem to have been taken away from you? What crisis in your beliefs is this creating? Where are you tired of societies’ demands?

There is the whisper of new desires emerging; can you listen through your Plutonian eruptions? Just ask the question – “what is my next step Home?” Ask until the storm passes and you begin to experience bits of peace and relief and wholeness as you let go of old, exhausted desires.

The Virgo purification process is taking place all year (Jupiter) and coming to a head this solar month. The intent is to re-align you with your higher self, the real you, and the deep desire to return to Source. Can you get in touch with it?

Mercury returns to Virgo on September 10 for the next two-plus weeks. It can help us through these Mars-Pluto upsets, inner and outer. Virgo has natural abilities to analyze and get to the bottom line. Discern with intuitive wholeness.

Be gentle with yourself. Virgo is about healing. When we let go of the cup half-empty and see it half-full, the shift from self-hatred to self-love takes place. Give Virgo some credit for all it can do. How can you look at your current place in space/time from a different, healing point of view?

We can all be realizing more healing work, more healing attitudes towards our work, which is where many of us fulfill our soul’s desires.

The Sun follows Mars making a waning square to Pluto as well at 19/20 degrees Virgo-Sagittarius on September 11. The energy can seem relentless on getting in touch with what is real. Let go of the old.

Let go of judging what is happening and just sit with the energy. Virgo can ponder the details then and help you discern what is the highest and best direction for you. Let intuition come through, exposing deeper truths and beliefs. Answers may come here, following the Mars-Pluto breakthroughs. Let the real you shine forth.

Mercury makes the third and final opposition to Uranus retro on September 13 at 4/5 degrees Virgo-Pisces; unconscious mind (Uranus) aligning with conscious mind (Mercury). Ask for answers.

Pay attention to repeating messages (August 1st and August 18) from the oppositions these two planets have made over the last six weeks. Uranus is exposing Mercury to a larger picture. Again, letting go of judgments allows for more clarity to see the deeper visions of where our soul truly desires to go.

As analytical as Mercury likes to be, intuition is strong here, strong all month. Listen. What is your gut telling you? How are you being forced to look at things from a different perspective? What illusions are being revealed?

The New Moon of Virgo is September 14 at 22/23 degrees Virgo. Set the intent to emotionally heal yourself in every way possible. Unconditional self-love can create tremendous healing opportunities – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Can you recognize the ways patriarchal conditioning (love, power, God lies outside of you) has hurt you? Can you utilize Virgo’s strength of detail to repeatedly be more loving and gentle to yourself again and again and again? Try it.

Are you tired of beating yourself up? Initiate self-love. Must you get to exhaustion before you make the effort?

The Sun makes a conjunction to Mars on September 15 at 23/24 degrees Virgo, initiating a new two-year cycle in achieving our conscious desires. Remember the Mars retrograde cycle in Pisces last year (July 29 – September 27, 10 – 0 degrees)? Letting go of illusions and facing reality? We may bring those realities and desires of the last Sun-Mars cycle to conclusion this solar month.

Now we begin another reality initiation. What new desires are coming through? Sun-Mars aspects pass quickly yet they can carry a lot of strength and determination. As Sun and Mars made waning squares to Pluto a few days ago, asking us to let go of old, glimpses of new directions and desires are coming through now. Set your intent for your next achievements.

On September 15 Jupiter makes a single waning sequiquadrate to Neptune retrograde at 28 degrees Virgo – 13 degrees Aquarius. The waning sequiquadrate is the aspect of understanding society and all its ways, in order to more fully participate in society. Here the two planets of beliefs, personal and universal, are in a power struggle. A typical consensus state manifestation is for one group of religious beliefs to judge another’s beliefs and tries to impose their own beliefs on them; the “my god is better than your god” syndrome.

Clashes and fighting in the name of religion could increase here as if we do not already have enough of it in the world today. Almost every war is over differences of religious beliefs.

The highest expression of this aspect is the opposite – a realization of the common ground amongst different belief systems. Finding unity in a diversity of beliefs and the healing that can take place on a collective level.

Neptune in Aquarius is striving to dissolve the boundaries all the various groups on the planet have set up. Having passed over its own south node in the last few years in the natal charts of all the souls on the planet today, Neptune in Aquarius is the opportunity to remember when our spirituality and belief systems were in harmony with nature and natural laws.

The Jupiter in Virgo crisis is about recognizing how far removed we are from these natural laws, and attempting to bring them back. Instead, consensus state societies cannot even see how distorted things are. This is the religious fanatic destroying him/herself and countless others in the name of their god, blindly believing there will be a reward on the other side.

This waning sequiquadrate aspect is a Scorpio archetype – the personal beliefs of Jupiter having to acknowledge the power of the larger beliefs of the whole, Neptune. Another example of manifestation is the rest of the world letting the U. S. know they are fed up with its imperial actions in the Middle East.

However the collective scenario between different societies takes place, each soul has a choice to energize whatever they would like to see happen. Search for a personal belief system that sends healing energy to all souls on the planet. At the end of Jupiter’s passage through Virgo, a quest to heal on all levels is one of the most important beliefs we can create.

Neptune in Aquarius is teaching the natural law of quantum physics – what we energize we create. For every Jupiter in Virgo judgment, energize understanding. For every Jupiter in Virgo superior attitude, energize equality. For every Jupiter in Virgo crisis, energize evolution. For every Jupiter in Virgo “I will love you if…” energize unconditional love.

The potential is there for Jupiter in Virgo and Neptune in Aquarius to find their way back to natural, spiritual laws and principles. Where can you find society making that effort, regardless of its ability to fully understand yet that is what is necessary in order for the planet to survive?

The Sun makes a waxing sextile to Saturn on September 17 at 25 degrees Virgo-Cancer. Sun and Mars make rather nice aspects to Saturn at the end of this solar month. As we have been utilizing that Virgo discernment to evolve and heal ourselves, here is opportunity to expand upon our inner security and emotional maturity.

If that is not where you are, make that the goal. Sun and Mars are following Jupiter after the last of its three waxing sextiles to Saturn this last year. For souls who are working to create deeper and deeper emotional self-reliance, we can utilize Virgo to step-by-step heal and evolve our outer world. The world may be in chaos around us and we can still personally have peace and harmony, and financial well being.

Venus opposes Neptune retro at 12/13 degrees Leo-Aquarius on September 18. Personal love meets universal love. Insecure souls may feel disillusioned by outer love that just isn’t there. Evolving souls can ask for objectivity in love. How about “love globally, act locally?”

This is probably one of the hardest Venus aspects – the higher octave of love (Neptune) opposing the lower octave of love (Venus). Imagine God/Goddess personally loving one soul over another – not. The more souls evolve, the more they can love both personally and universally at the same time. Where can you expand your ability to love on every level?

That same day, September 18, Mars makes it’s waxing sextile to Saturn at 25/26 degrees Virgo-Cancer. Again, a strong inner world can create a dynamite outer world. What changes do you need to make in order to change your world? What are your desires for your family of origin, your family of choice, your community, your work environment, etc?

What healing steps are you making in those areas? Can you let go of security in order to grow?

Finally the last aspect of Sun in Virgo, is the Sun’s annual conjunction to Jupiter at 29/30 degrees Virgo on September 21. Interesting, their annual initiation of actualizing new beliefs happens in the final degree of Virgo, just before Jupiter embarks upon a yearlong passage through Libra (September 24); a message that healing our relationships is very important.

The Sun helps Jupiter manifest and actualize our evolving beliefs. All year Jupiter has been giving us glimpses of a much different Virgo than the patriarchal one; a Virgo that nurtures and heals, and strives to evolve and grow. A conjunction in the final degree of Virgo can signify that we “get it.”

We can initiate our beliefs with the “natural law” archetype of Virgo, and accept our body of senses in all its glory of spiritual manifestation. We can create an entire new meaning for Virgo, feeling peace and acceptance through the process of perfection, and expressing its Pisces-polarity unconditional love. Virgo can finally be the essence of evolution it truly is. Welcome back Virgo.

May God/Goddess bless you through Sun in Virgo!