Full Moon in Virgo
Full Moon in Virgo 24.02.24 - 12.30
A full moon is the climax of the lunar cycle. During a full moon we see the sun’s illumination of the entire day side of the moon. And on earth, we experience a peak moment of light and power. Our oceans swell and recede with more variation during the full and new moon – when the earth, moon, and sun are lined up or, put another way, when sun and moon are aligned on opposite sides of the earth – because lunar and solar tides reinforce each other (the sun's gravitational gradient across the earth is significant but less so than the moon’s). In astrology, we express this interaction between the sun and moon as an opposition (these celestial bodies oppose each other from either side of the earth). This is why a full moon is always in the opposite sign from the sun.
Virgo is a mutable earth sign. Supremely grounded (the element of earth) and in tune (the flow of mutable), this very feminine energy speaks to our ancestral connection to the patterns, pulses and rhythms of the earth and how that relationship affects the detail in the shape and structure of our lives. It is very much to do with our earthly experience and how we show up day to day.
Virgo rules the 6th House, relating to routine, health, habits and service. All these things are how we make the internal external; how we create systems, behaviours and habits from what we think and believe. One way to think about this is to look at the way science – certain Eastern philosophies and mysticism have acknowledged this for centuries – is now beginning to consider the importance of our inner world – emotions, thoughts, identities and beliefs – in shaping our external world.
Sustainability science is the study of the dynamic relationship between humans and the environment, focusing on the “vulnerability, robustness, resilience and stability of the coupled human-environment system.” It is extremely Virgoan in nature, interested in the connection and relationship that we have with nature. How our inner presence becomes manifest in the outer world. What we feel and believe affects our actions and how we behave towards, and on, the planet. James Gustave Speth, cofounder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, puts it like this:
‘I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought with 30 years of good science we could address those problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy… And to deal with these we need a spiritual and cultural transformation - and we scientists don’t know how to do that.’
If you've been feeling moments of overwhelm and self doubt - all of which can happen leading up to a Virgo full moon- this is because part of the shadow side of Virgo is to overidentify with the mind, often leading to a spiral of overthought, self-criticism and isolation. Virgo analysis can be extremely deep-diving and detailed, but it can also get stuck on the detail: the detail becomes an obstacle. Part of the ‘cultural and spiritual transformation’ of which Speth speaks is the realisation that we are not our minds. And to overidentify with thought and the mind leads to what Mark Manson in The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck calls the ‘Feedback Loop from Hell’, which, in part, describes our propensity for not just thought, but thoughts about thought: hyper thinking. Manson acknowledges the role of social media in this spiral of doom. Of thinking there is something wrong with us because we don’t have that life or that possession. Of getting stuck in negative comparison, somewhere deep inside the mind.
Overidentifying with the mind makes us under-identify with what’s outside of it: with our external world; with nature. We lose our connection. We lose the idea that we are not separate from everything and everyone around us. Sustainability science relies on the idea of fostering empathy for positive change, transcending difference and otherness. The greatest invitation of this full moon in Virgo is to tap into the truth that we are not our minds.
This full moon in Virgo is an invitation to look at our own belief systems and patterning and notice how it is manifesting in our outer world. Are there outmoded stories we tell ourselves that we need to change? Stories of unworthiness that are an obstacle to us creating the life we deserve? Do we play small and stay in roles that reflect this? Does our own inner critic influence the life we are leading in the world; telling us what we can and can’t do? This full moon is a time to transform old patterns into new and create ways of being – systems, daily habits and routines – that more accurately reflect the authentic, earthly and divine individuals that we are. What practical steps can we take to change our inner worlds? What habits can we cultivate to bring our inner and outer worlds into alignment? And what practical steps can we take to make our dreams manifest in this physical world? Virgo is the bridge between these two realms.
Mercury (communication) along with Saturn (authority) are conjunct the Sun in Pisces, the sign of spiritual wisdom. This trinity of powerful, masculine, “doing” archetypes lighting up this Virgo moon, we can further access this relationship between our inner and outer worlds; how action and attention in both affects both. This aspect invites us to do examine if there are patterns that occur in our lives that keep us from taking action, and then take that action. To expand into possibility (Mars Conjunct Venus Square Jupiter is really lighting up this expansion into possibility).
How to work with the energy of this full moon in Virgo? Get out of your head (consciously). Do whatever works for you in this respect. Oftentimes, this can mean more getting into the body. Spending time in nature. A cold shower. Dancing. Whatever feels inviting and pleasurable physically. A mingling of what’s inner and outer.
Full moons are also an incredible opportunity for release. One hugely practical step we can take is to identify an obstacle and decide to meet it. To transform it. To melt it. To remove it. If you feel called to, try this Ganesh meditation from Jessbeinspired on Insight Timer. Ganesh is the elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings and the remover of obstacles. He is considered the master of intellect and wisdom. In this mediation ‘we will harness his energy to help identify some of the obstacles we may be currently facing so that we can perhaps shift them into a new perspective. We will end this meditation with some uplifting and inspiring mantras to help us overcome our obstacles and connect with our highest selves.’
Image credit: USGS on Unsplash
Sustainability Science definition from here