Cheryl Hopkins joins Alejo Lopez to chat about Virgo Season and the month ahead. Includes a look at classic Virgos Liz Greene and Tony Howard. PLUS the monthly lunations, a kite formation between Uranus trine Pluto, both sextile Neptune, with Neptune opposite Mars and Mercury; Mercury retrograde
- Learn how to interpret aspect patterns like the kits: Understanding Complex Aspect Patterns
- Expand your understanding of the Virgo archetype in myth
About Our Guest
Cheryl Hopkins is an evolutionary astrologer and mentor. She apprenticed with her first teacher learning astrology, spiritual wisdom and energetic healing in the early 1990s. She has studied with several master astrology teachers and is a level II certificate holder in Steven Forrest’s Evolutionary Astrology Apprenticeship Program.
Time Stamps for the topics covered in this episode:
0:00-4:09 Introduction to Virgo Season
4:09-12:29 Classic Virgo: Liz Greene, Tony Howard
12:29-16:30 Things to do in Virgo Season
16:30-54:25 Astrology of Virgo Season
54:25-59:16 Monthly Mantra & Wrap Up
Transcript for The Cosmic Eye — Virgo Season Episode
Tony Howard: Welcome to the Astrology University podcast, helping you find insight, inspiration and meaning through the study of astrology. And now, on to the show.
Alejo Lopez: Welcome to The Cosmic Eye, the Astrology University podcast. This is the podcast for the Virgo season. I am Alejo Lopez, your host, and today with me is Cheryl Hopkins, who has been practicing astrology since early in the 1990’s and has specialized in evolutionary astrology. So, hi Cheryl, thank you for being here.
Cheryl Hopkins: Hi Alejo, thank you for having me. I’m always excited to be on Astrology University.
Alejo: Nice, thank you. Now before we move into the Virgo season, the usual reminder I always say here is that if you like the podcast, the best way to support us is to share it with your friends and people who might be interested in it. So we would love to hear your feedback, or if you want to send any thoughts or any reflections that you may have after listening to the episode, you can do so at [email protected]. So when I think of Virgo, I think of that moment in the year in which I start to realize that we have already passed half the year, for sure. And I start to reflect on the things that I thought I would do and I haven’t done, or I start to assess how am I doing with his year. So to me personally, it really is a period where I start to be critical but in the sense of analytical of who I am, what have I done, and how much time I have left. How much time I have available to do the things that I wanted to do this year. So it really is like an assessing moment and trying to see how to be more efficient. This is the first image that came into mind when preparing this. So what about you?
Cheryl: Well, as a Virgo myself, I am doing that all the time. Especially with Sun conjunct Pluto in Virgo. So that’s my go-to state. But when it is this time, there’s always been this bittersweet feeling for me because my birthday is very close to Labor Day weekend, the 29th of August. And so I’d be excited about my birthday but then it’d be like, oh, I have to go back to school, start back to college or another semester. So yeah, everything that you’ve expressed, I second. And it’s just a time to really look at improving oneself and tidying up and to be busy about attending to one’s needs. Classic Virgo representations.
Alejo: Yeah. And I also was thinking when you were saying this, I also like the idea of Virgo being a mutable sign and the idea of adaptability. Because it’s like, okay, now we’re at the end of August, how many months do we have left, like four months? So I’m going to have to adjust. I don’t have the whole year, I’m going to have to see what I have and work with that.
Cheryl: And you know what else is interesting, I had the awareness that growing up, you would hear about the ‘lazy days of summer’. You know, when the sun is very hot and you’re very lethargic and you don’t feel like moving around much, right? And you’re just lazy. Well, then when we come in the Virgo season, you can really start to feel a shifting even before the calendar dates. You know, you can feel it in the weather, you can feel it in the energy, you start to see vegetation begin to start its process of turning. And it’s just this reminder that we’re going into this transitional phase very immediately over the next few days, few weeks. And then into what you were expressing as to how you always think about it as the sort of bigger ‘hurry up, get a move on, get all your ducks in an order’ kind of focus.
Alejo: Yeah, it’s true. I agree. You do feel the switch of energy. So, we always choose a classic Virgo that we feel represents the qualities of the sign. So my case, I’m going to start, I chose Liz Greene, who is an astrologer I admire. She’s a Virgo and I think when you read her books, you can see that she really dissects, she goes and opens up every concept, every symbol. She rips theories apart in the sense that she goes through every little detail and she tries to be very specific. She doesn’t leave anything uncovered, and in that sense I find her amazing. It’s also interesting, she has the Sun in the 10th house, Sun in Virgo in the 10th house, so this becomes kind of her image, right? That we all see about her, like trademark of her work, this Virgo quality when you read her books.
Cheryl: Well, you know, looking at that Saturn-Pluto in the ninth, I think that says it all. Pluto in the ninth, psychologist. But also with the ninth house being the house of spirituality and higher education. And she takes you very, very deep into the psyche using the symbols and really continuing the legacy of Carl Jung. But yeah, she is incredible. And with that Sun in Virgo in the 10th, showing that, you know, this was the work in the world. This is what she came to give us. And she does it. And even in her presentation. You know, as Virgo’s we tend to be modest in our dress, not flashy, right? I used to be afraid of color. Like my first career was in the apparel business in New York, in the fashion industry, and it was black all the time. But when the weather would warm up I go to neutrals. And so that’s always one way I kind of can note somebody would maybe have Virgo on the ascendant or Virgo Sun, is a tendency to be more in the neutral clothing presentation in terms of color. So yeah, that was the other piece too I noticed.
Alejo: Yeah, because there is this kind of Virgo quality of trying not to upset or trying not to be
like flashy. Yeah, exactly.
Cheryl: Which, of course, is traditionally attributed to Leo and not in any way prescriptive. But yeah, Virgo tends to be more modest in terms of presentation. And of course, you know, given that it is mutable, that you brought up before, that there’s a tendency to be interactive and adaptable just in terms of the energy flow, the sign. And Virgo is about work. It’s about business. We love the work that we love to do, whatever it is that we’re doing.
Alejo: I feel also that for Virgo, the context is more important than myself. This idea of service. I think it’s also a huge piece.
Cheryl: A huge piece. And it’s interesting because as I listen to critics, if I’m listening to NPR, National Public Radio, and the one of the critics that I like comes on and is doing an analysis of a jazz artists latest album, or the books, or whatever, I’m always reminding myself, there’s Virgo right there. Diving right into it. You know, here’s what the music is about, painting colors, really giving you an inside look at what the artist has created in the musical piece or if it’s a book that they’re reviewing.
Alejo: Nice. So what is your choice?
Cheryl: Well, you know it’s funny, my go to has always been Keanu Reeves. I’m a huge sci-fi fan, I’m a huge Keanu Reeves fan, I just love his work. And he strikes me as representing that Virgo aspect of loving his work, working all the time, etc. However, I feel like the person that I really want to highlight here is Tony Howard.
Alejo: Ah yes!
Cheryl: Our fearless Astrology University guru. I remember years ago seeing his chart, and I don’t remember a lot of it, but I just seem to recall there was a lot of emphasis in fourth and third house. And he just strikes me as Virgo because of that desire to help. Help his community, help astrologers, help the public understand the value that is in astrology. And being somewhat astrological literate, he has created something absolutely fantastic and next level in the Astrology University. And you know, just personally, his warmth, his caring comes forward. I remember joking with him and I suggested something he might want to put on his business card, which I cannot say here because it contains words that we don’t use in polite company. He loved it, he was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Cheryl, I wish I could put that on my business card’. I said, I’m sure you do. Yeah, so he’s done a fantastic thing for the astrological community with this platform. And I just think he’s our perfect model of what Virgo looks like: doing real service in the world and having high impact.
Alejo: Yeah, I agree. This idea of working hard and working with the details. And I feel like I’m always a bit more mind scattered, like I’m not so precise. And so every time I make a mistake, I feel like he’s gonna kill me because I feel like he probably saw the mistake miles away. But he has this kind of, what you were saying, this idea of Virgo to try to help. So I never feel judged, he’s always like, it’s okay, come on, let’s fix it.
Cheryl: And I have to tell you, I love that about him so much. One of the last classes that I did on Astrology University, I had just gotten what I thought was going to be a very easy camera, a gaming camera, top end. It turned out to be incredibly complicated to get this thing up and running. I had problems with my computer and we were late getting started and I’m sweating bullets. He is a serene as could be. I was thinking, Oh my God, he’s a Virgo? He should be freaking out. But he was as calm as can be. And Steven Forrest did something, I think this was within the year, he did an event. I can’t remember what it was, I attended it, it was a two day thing. You purchased the program and watched it and then got together on Astrology University to ask him questions. And there was nothing but tech problems with that, with Steve. And Tony handled it beautifully. Calm as can be, no worries, we’ll come back together tomorrow, see ya.
Alejo: I think it comes from this idea of Virgo, like, okay, let’s work with what we have. Let’s see what we can do. Like you were saying, the shadow of Virgo can be this very critical voice that sees mistakes so quickly and easily. But the light of Virgo is this ability to be efficient. Okay, this is what we have, let’s see what we can do with this.
Cheryl: Absolutely. Beautifully said. Absolutely.
Alejo: Great. So this season that’s starting now, we always have a list of things we can do during this season. And I would say the first thing to do would be to look at your chart and see where you have Virgo in your chart. Because the Sun is bringing light to that area of your chart. So in a very personal way, I would say first look at your chart and then, well probably that area of your chart is related to Virgo. So maybe this process will help you work with that. So I don’t know, what did you come up with?
Cheryl: Of course, there’s the classic things such as organizing one’s life, organizing one’s environment, which involves also cleaning up. Remember that a saying years ago, “cleanliness is next to godliness”. Very Virgo. I mean, it’s true. I come home at the end of a long day of work, especially in the summer, and I jump in the shower to just rinse the day off, rinse all the sweat and worry and whatever, and you feel rejuvenated. So there’s that piece of cleanliness to the self and to the environment. Helping others. Doing something of service. And certainly we’re at a time now where it’s needed more than ever. Locally, it’s needed more than ever globally. I mean, my God, Ukraine, Sudan, the wildfires in Maui, the wildfires in Canada. There’s such opportunities to be helping ourselves and each other. And to improving one’s knowledge and skills with more training in some way, shape, form or fashion. Because traditionally, September is the time when we’re back to school. So that has a literal as well as a metaphorical meaning. And that’s very connected to Virgo.
Alejo: Yeah, it’s a great idea to think, what skill could I get better at? And also, I’ve heard this that every, I think it’s every 10 years, we’re supposed to learn something new to make sure that our brain is always kind of learning new stuff. So I think this is the time. Instead of doing it every 10 years, we do it every Virgo season. We try to learn something new.
Cheryl: Yes, that’s so true. For me, I’ve never heard that saying, but certainly for me now I have on my to-do list most immediately to learn chatGPT and AI and whatever, so that I can become more efficient.
Alejo: Yeah. It’s the curse of technology. It’s there to help us be more efficient, but then we have to run after it.
Cheryl: I like that image, because that’s what it feels like at times, like you’re running after it. How do I fit it into my already busy schedule?
Alejo: Yeah, exactly. Okay, nice. I have a similar list. I would add the idea of being realistic with your goals and with what you want to achieve. Like with this idea of developing skills, I would say because it’s an earth sign, I would say maybe focus on skills that are practical, that are realistic, that will give you some kind of result that you can measure the end result. Also, you were mentioning about health. I think it’s very clear when you’re taking care of your health because in a few weeks you start seeing the effect. If you start going to the gym or doing some sport or if you eat healthier, like weekly we can see the effect. Which is I think this quality of it has real, measurable results. It’s not something in your mind. Okay, great. So now we get to the favorite part of the podcast, which is the key signatures. And we were talking about, before we started recording, we were talking about the possibility of studying the ingress chart. So let’s do it, I think it’s a great idea.
Cheryl: So we have of course the ingress is August 23rd, 2023. I set mine for Washington, DC. So I have 5:01AM, 18 minutes. 5:01 18, Eastern Daylight Time. And not so much focused on housing, just really looking at planets and where they are in relation to each other. And so I would say that right away, we have Mercury still in forward motion, but slowing down to turn retrograde at the 21 degree. So you’ve got the the ruler of Virgo slowing down, which really would emphasize everything we just said about what’s typical to kind of be doing at this time. And you can’t really do that if we’re running full speed. You’re gonna have to step back a little bit, rethink, examine, analyze, and reconsider. And so Mercury, the ruler of Virgo going retrograde during Virgo season, really lends itself to that big time. Yeah.
Alejo: And I would mention that the retrogradation of Mercury usually happens in the same element for a while. So the last time it was retrograde it was in April and it was in Taurus. So I think there is a general emphasis on focusing our minds, reflecting, which would be a Mercury retrograde word, on things that are real. On the real world. Not to go into illusions or fantasies or hopes, but this sense of grounding-ness. Yes.
Cheryl: After following Leo, where it’s all about one’s creativity and personal expression and fun and outward flowing energies from the heart, from personal expression into Virgo, it’s like, okay, enough of that, time to get serious. Look at what’s coming up and prepare. Are the check boxes checked. Right?
Alejo: Yeah, totally.
Cheryl: That Mercury stationing, slowing down, it’s good of course, because this is the ingress chart so it’s not retrograde but it is stationing, so just showing, here’s a period where we want to stay focused in what it’s all about, as we as you were saying. And of course that Mercury is opposed by Neptune, and so that brings in the the opposite energies of the Piscean. So you’ve got Virgo focused on the details around everything we just talked about, but meanwhile you have this high frequency, outer planet energy that is having impact on it giving an opposite message. And it’s like okay, how to reconcile these opposites, right? Needing to be focused and busy and getting on with one’s business, and yet the Neptune in Pisces piece, which is how to incorporate some of the elements of Neptune, like perhaps inspiration, deep insight, perhaps meditation. One’s meditation needs to become more important at this time if it hasn’t. Or if it has, maybe then the other aspect of that placement, which would be paying attention to one’s intuition better in a way that informs the work I need to do, and I need to get on in a Virgo way.
Alejo: Yeah, I think the key is to try to, like you were saying, to try to integrate the two aspects of the polarities. So for instance with meditation, which is I think a very clear possibility with this, how to be in this meditative state but grounding in the real world? We can do our meditation in the morning or before we go to bed and it takes maybe, I don’t know, some time. But then the key would be, how to bring this connection to these outer experiences, fantastic experiences. To something of service, something tangible.
Cheryl: That’s why the focusing on the intuition or making space to give more attention to one’s intuition so that one can be more efficient, one can be informed. And being, you know, I’m certainly a dominant earth person where it’s all about the real, the tangible, what can I process through my senses? So when you’re talking about a vibration, such as the principle of Neptune in the vibration of Pisces, it’s like, how can I best make use of the non-seen, of the invisible, to help inform what I need to know and where I’m going and what I need to do and how I can truly be of service?
Alejo: Yeah. When you say this, I’m thinking of Mercury as Hermes, right? The in-between; who goes in between worlds.
Cheryl: Yes,he goes in between worlds and doesn’t stop to hear the impact of his messages. He’s just flying. And therefore may not recognize the impact his words are having on others. And of course, one piece about the Neptune, is that it gives us the opportunity in addition to doing what all we’ve just said, is to develop more compassion in our process for ourselves, for others. So having some compassion when you delivered some pretty awful news is a good thing.
Alejo: Yeah, yeah.
Cheryl: And it also brings the feeling piece in. It brings empathy into the scenario. So that’s, of course, a very immediate important piece there. But I would say even more immediate is the fact that we have Sun oppose Saturn during that time in very early degrees. And all my Virgo planets are all between, well, three out of the four are between four and nine. So I’m very much being hit by the Saturn piece. So here now you have like mixed messages, you might say, from the universe. You have everything we just said: Mercury retrograde, Neptune in Pisces oppose Mercury stationing to go retrograde. And now you have the seriousness of Saturn opposed to the Sun. Virgo’s trying to be about its work, setting a plan, figuring out the components, doing what one needs to do. And then you have the Saturn here saying, Okay, here’s a space that you’ve got to get better at. So just underscoring what I was saying about Neptune opposition giving more time and attention and importance to listening to one’s intuition as part of the process of figuring out what the next steps are, what the work is to be done.
Alejo: Hmm. So Saturn will bring also some kind of realism to this.
Cheryl: So that’s what I meant by the mixed messages. So you have Saturn, which of course is the reality principle, but in the sign of Pisces. So obviously saying, here is where you need to get better at developing the Piscean qualities. And so, you know, there’s a tendency for us to think about Virgo as being very serious, very no nonsense, not not a lot of fun unless the work is done. But the Pisces piece is so important. How can we let go? How can we let go? How can we accept some guidance, some support from above to manifest the Virgo plan? So that’s one way I would put it.
Alejo: Yeah. Very interesting. I feel like it’s a calling to a commitment to this perception that we have, this intuition, this vision. With Saturn there in Pisces, commit to this which is invisible, which others cannot see, but you can perceive. So commit to it, work for it, try to make it happen.
Cheryl: Yeah, and you made a very good point when you said the word ‘perceive’. That’s the word I really associate with Pisces and Neptune. It’s about perception of that which is not seen. And so, Saturn is always about doing the hard work. While in the sign of Pisces, maybe it’s just do the hard work on developing your perception, your perceptive capabilities, developing your claire’s. But also developing your capacity to bring creativity and inspiration through. Because we don’t tend to think about that when we’re dealing with the nitty gritty details of whatever we need to do and whatever needs to get done. But I know for myself, when I have a pretty busy day in the work that I do at the retreat center that I work at… Sometimes I’ve got a lot of people coming in from all over the world attending these retreats and I’m in charge of keeping the logistical process managed properly so that everything moves slowly. And sometimes I just find that I just need to get out and I just need to go walk. Get away from the office, get away from the people, get away from everything, so that I can think about, okay, here’s the problem I’m trying to solve. You know, it looks like I’m going into the brick walls. I get out in nature. I purposely try not to even think about it. Try to focus on anything else, and then boom, the answer comes. So I think that that’s a good example of what that Saturn opposition to Sun is saying to the Virgos out there. You know, time to bring a bit more listen to the mix.
Alejo: Yeah, great. And I’m drawn by this minor grand trine or kite. So Uranus is trining Pluto and they’re both sextiling Neptune. This has been happening for a while, it’s not something new. But now it’s being picked up by this Mercury and Mars in Virgo.
Cheryl: Yeah. And what’s interesting about it is the Mars opposition to Neptune will be between 26 and 27 degrees. So it’s just that short period of time and it’s off. Mars doesn’t come back to add to the configuration. So it really is, given the rate of movement of Uranus, of Neptune, of Pluto, I really feel like it’s going to be Mercury coming back and then having interaction with these three planets again. But the Mars bit, since I would look at that as sort of like the most immediate planet engaging the outer planets, really kind of speaks to inspired action. Mars in relation to Uranus, opposed to Neptune, trine to Pluto: inspired action. Applying the energy needed to turn the dream into reality. Because of course, it’s in Virgo. And also, perhaps, building spiritual willpower. And you could think of the Mars opposed to Neptune also as a karmic aspect, in the sense of trying to transmute insecurity, and a lack of self esteem, or the inability to properly see one’s own talents. And just really trying to get the understanding that one is good enough. You know, a downside of the Mars opposed to Neptune could be sacrificing one’s dream because of a feeling that I’m not worthy, consciously or unconsciously. And so I really feel like the opportunity with the Mars opposed Neptune is really to try to embrace the sense that one is worth the effort, and one is good enough. And if one has brings in a measure of faith, because we are talking Neptune-Pisces opposed. But we also have Jupiter in Taurus. And even though Mars is way past separation, the signs they’re in are in trine. So there’s some benefit, there’s some luck, there’s some support that we can get from embracing faith, embracing trust that Jupiter would stand for. And helping us to understand that we can shift the belief that would make us feel that we’re not quite there yet. Or whatever it is, wherever it is, that we want to be there for.
Alejo: What a beautiful message. And because this is the ingress chart, you would say that even though, I’m sorry, I’m trying to ask a question not to make a statement. Would you say that even though Mars is going to quickly pass, this feeling will remain for the whole season?
Cheryl: Well, it could very well be that in the timeframe of the aspect, which I think was only a couple of days. Yeah, just about two, three days.
Alejo: Yeah, because on the 27th it goes into into Libra. So it depends on the orb you use, of course.
Cheryl: Right. But what I would say is that it would be like one of these scenarios where in that short period of time, something that occurs can help trigger everything I was saying. Because this is a fast moving planet, Mars, and in a mutable sign that wants to get work done. So because this is also my placement, I know that we can be very busy moving about and attending to whatever the details are. And then something that happens in that timeframe, you can can look back on it and realize, oh, wait, there was a message there for me coming from Neptune that I didn’t quite get because I was busy being active and doing and what have you. So I would say that it’s one of those things where you kind of look back on it and you recognize, oh, yes, there’s something there for me, a learning for me.
Alejo: Especially because Neptune is there, right?
Cheryl: Yes. And you don’t always get it. Or, you might get it even before the event would occur that it’s related to the inspiration, right?
Alejo: I would say pay attention to your dreams during this moment.
Cheryl: Yes, that’s a very good one. Dreams are very powerful at this time too.
Alejo: Yeah, okay. Nice. And is there anything else you would like to share about this chart before we move on to the lunations?
Cheryl: I do think that the Mars trining Pluto is also giving one the opportunity, when deep emotional trauma comes forth, or rage or anger arises to the surface, that there is an opportunity to take a look at it and transmute it because of the kite configuration with the Neptune opposed to Mercury and Mars. And so that is something that we are all under now to some degree in some place in our chart, house wise. So we all have an opportunity to get some insight. Yeah, that would be about it. Of course, there’s tons more. Like the fact we’ve got six planets retrograde.
Alejo: Yes, this has been happening these years. I think in the past years it happened more during the summer. And now it’s starting to happen more at the end of the summer. It’s kind of moving.
Cheryl: Yeah, and it’s crazy.
Alejo: It is. So the 23rd of August, we said, the Sun goes into Virgo and Mercury stations retrograde just a few hours afterwards. He’s going to stay in retrogradation, in case somebody’s wondering, until the 15th of September. He’s going to go direct at 8 degrees of Virgo. Then on the 27th of August, Mars goes into Libra. So I guess here we also have, we will feel a change of energies somehow. Because Mars in Libra is kind of civilized or lighter.
Cheryl: Way lighter. More social.
Alejo: Yes, exactly. And also on the 27th is the perfection of this opposition between the Sun and Saturn. So I would say if somebody felt really touched with what you were saying about this vision and trying to make it real and these kind of things. I would say that they might be… Of course it’s a transit, it’s not something that happens…
Cheryl: True. But what you’re getting at is that the alignment is sort of peak opportunity.
Alejo: Yes. I think it’s Liz Greene who says, “Nobody wakes up one morning has Pluto on the ascendant.” It’s like, he was getting there, you know. So this is similar. Then we have the 29th of August, Uranus goes retrograde at 23 Taurus, and it’s going to remain there until January 27th. So this is normal. Every year it goes retrograde for a few months. And then on the 29th of August to the 9th of September, there’s this Venus in Leo sesquiquadrate Neptune in Pisces. I said that I wrote it, I put it down because it’s quite a long transit for a sesquiquadrate. Usually we don’t give them as much attention as squares. But this time, I was like, okay, this is going happen for 10 days. And actually, I think the transit doesn’t really get to perfect. It doesn’t really, it’s like getting there, but then they don’t really get to perfect.
Cheryl: Yeah. So, of course, lots of symbolism with that, right? Because we do have Venus retrograde right now. And it really is a great opportunity when she does go retrograde to look at ourselves in terms of what we like, what we value, what matters to us, what makes us feel good. I mean, especially when we’re talking about Virgo’s and earth signs in general, but we’re specifically highlighting Virgo this time, the focus to elevate work and efficiency and being productive, right? And being useful. Those are such drivers that one can forget that you need a break. You need to do something fun, you need to feel good, you need to relax. You need to see what feels satisfactory, what is going to give me a sense of satisfaction or what have you. And so, the retrograde period, and especially in the sign of Leo which is very associated with one’s personal expression and love and leadership qualities, is a chance to really look at, okay, what matters to me? What would feel good engaging in those aspects of my talent or my capabilities?
Alejo: Right. I’m thinking with this, that we’re talking about the sense of commitment to our vision and making it real. I feel like this sesquiquadrate from Venus is kind of, okay, try to work towards that vision, but don’t forget about joy or pleasure.
Cheryl: Play. Is there a place for play in that process? And of course we know there is, because that’s how spirit comes through. Why? Because we’re not thinking about anything. We’re open, we’re receptive, we’re playful. And so spirit can kind of come in and give some guidance, some inspiration, some insights, some direction, some support.
Alejo: Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Nice. So I was saying the aspect does not perfect because on the 4th of September, Venus goes direct. So that’s why it lasts so long, because Venus is moving very slowly. Because she’s about to stop and go direct. So she stays on the sesquiquadrate for many years. We could take it symbolically, like you were saying with Mercury, to stop and sense what is it that gives you pleasure? Like not to think about it. Feel it with your body. Experiment.
Cheryl: Yes. Engage with it.
Alejo: Great. But before that, on the 31st of August, we have the full moon. So the full moon happens at 7 degrees. So we have the Sun at 7’25” of Virgo and the Moon at 7’25” of Pisces, obviously, because it’s a full moon.
Cheryl: And look at the role Saturn plays in the full moon chart: conjuncting the Moon. So here in the ingress chart we have an opposition, and we still have the opposition, but the conjunction is more highlighted with that Saturn retrograde and sitting right next to the Moon.
Alejo: Yes, yeah. I would take it, again, like a moment to assess reality. And also I feel like when Saturn is next to the Moon, I feel this dual possibility. On the one hand the possibility of maturing, of course. Maturing your emotions. And in this case, because it’s in Pisces, I would say maturing your ideas, your vision, your intuition, making it real. But then at the same time, I feel like it’s a hard transit.
Cheryl: No question. Because if you look at the classic symbolism of full moon, which is sort of like a culmination point, it’s the brightest that the Moon is in the cycle. And so we think of it as culmination of what was planted at the new. Then in the sign of Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac, this is very heavily laden with symbolism, in the sense that it’s a natural time of disintegration. Something has to shift. And of course, we think of a Libra symbolism, so it does highlight relationship. Obviously, we think of self with another in that context, but there’s also the relationship of self to the larger collective. So something as Pisces is passing away. There’s an opportunity to let go of something. And Saturn sitting on there would be a teacher. A teacher, you know. What is your capacity to surrender? Can you let go of a thing that this time seems to indicate you need to walk away from now? And know that you will be okay. Know that it’s just the ending of a cycle and the new cycle will begin when the Moon moves into Aries, when Saturn moves into Aries. So that’s certainly one message.
Alejo: Yeah. It’s like a testing period in some ways. I feel, you know, with Saturn so closely connected to the luminaries, I think it’s nice the message you’re passing on, this kind of trust on what’s to come. Because I feel Saturn there may be judging, like self judging, who we are, what we have done.
Cheryl: Which is why I gave the message that I did, because the nature of Saturn is to judge. And then, when you have that along with Virgo, in a Virgo time, where it’s all about being analytical and attending to the details and analyzing how is it going, then you have this Saturn piece that is judging. I mean, one just has to be real careful to approach the Saturn piece in an objective way. You think of a judge, literal judge. A judge who was good does not give favor to either side. They want the facts, they want to understand the motivation, and then they want to give proper punishment that fits whatever the crime was, so to speak. And so that it’s not too much, but it’s enough to know that what I did was not right, I’m atoning for it, and I’ll do better next time. So in that context, to be a little bit more detached from judgment in the process of assessing. And especially with the relationship symbolism that full moon can have, if it’s time for a shift or change in the relationship, it doesn’t have to be a big dramatic thing. It could just mean that, you know, we just haven’t been communicating properly on this one issue. Because I’ve been where I’ve been, you’ve been where you’ve been, and this thing in now pissing me off. So we now we get to talk about. As simple as that. And then we talk and we say our peace and then we find a place of agreement, Libra. And then we say, okay, this is how we’re going to engage when it comes to this thing going forward. So now you’ve just been very responsible, which is Saturn. You have been respectful, which is Saturn. And you have communicated, which is Virgo. And you have been willing to let go of whatever part you’ve played in the pattern in order to actualize a better communication along whatever the particular point was. So it can be as easy and as simple as that.
Alejo: Yeah. In the end it’s less about judging and more about accepting, I think.
Cheryl: Yeah. Well, assessing and then accepting and then being responsible.
Alejo: By committing. Nice. So then, do you have anything else you want to share about this full moon before we move on to the rest of the month?
Cheryl: One thing we haven’t mentioned at all, and this is very emblematic of the particular aspect, is the fact that Pluto is transiting for some time and square to the nodes now in Aries-Libra. So I see that as the backdrop of everything.
Alejo: Yeah, it’s true. We haven’t mentioned it.
Cheryl: Yeah. And so during the time where your nodes are in Aries-Libra, of course, we’re talking relationship. Of course, we’re talking one’s sense of self as a self contained, autonomous entity, versus self participating in we, with another. And so, you know, there’s issues around that. How has that been? With Aries as the North Node, the medicine to Libra acquiescing all the time is finding the courage to follow your own inclinations and reference your own, what matters to you as primary. So with that Pluto there, we all are dealing with some degree of inability to do that properly. And behaving in such a way whereby, you know, people got hurt. You got hurt, or you hurt others, verbally, physically, whatever, in terms of just a karmic memory pattern that the nodes would represent. So, certainly it’s just an opportunity to begin to take more responsibility, because of course, Pluto is retrograding back in Capricorn. And Capricorn is certainly about that. Being more ambitious, knowing that you can go for something that’s beyond what you think you’re capable of doing, as it relates to this aspect. And and to recognize that when you’ve had a lot of lifetimes or an imprint where you are always referencing the self in relation to another, such as in marriage. You know, classically in marriage, the woman lost her name, she was Mrs. John Doe. You know, that kind of thing. When you’ve had lifetimes like that, of acquiescing to the other, you need to have lifetimes whereby it’s all about your choices. It’s all about how you see it. It’s all about your wisdom. And learning a conscious selfishness. You know, I have to connect with myself now and know who I am and what my drivers are.
Alejo: Yeah, and I would say especially with Pluto, to discover who we really are.
Cheryl: Yes, exactly. So that would be it.
Alejo: Nice. And then on the 6th of September, before we get to the new moon, on the 6th of September, we have an aspect that I love, which is Mercury is conjunct the Sun. Of course, Mercury here is retrograde. So some astrologers I know, they don’t think it’s as powerful as when Mercury’s direct, but I do feel it’s a great day if you want to write or something, or get inspired. I mean, the Mercury’s in the heart of the Sun and it’s getting revitalised, I think.
Cheryl: I would say that would be important. You’ve got Mercury, the impulse to communicate, whether verbally or written or through acting, or in any way. Using the physical form to communicate ideas. The fact that it’s retrograde does not stop that because that is the nature of the planet. And then it’s in the Sun, or blended closely with the Sun, it becomes an inseparable part of that person’s beingness on the planet. They have to communicate. And so maybe what it is with the mercury being retrograde, is that what they find is that they’re visiting scenarios, ideas, concepts or situations from the past that somehow are coming forward at this point in time and have to be looked at, acted upon, or understood or incorporated. Any of those metaphors, so to speak, in order to gain proper expression, and to support it for when it goes direct.
Alejo: Yes, I would also say that maybe the retrograde implies finding a more authentic, like coming from within, way of expressing.
Cheryl: Absolutely, yes. That’s exactly what I was playing off of, yes. Like something from the past, remembering, somehow there’s this is deja vu sense of being in this situation before with somebody different. Why does this feel familiar? I would expect those kinds of feelings. But whatever that situation would be, the fact that it is coming up now is meant to give you some more information.
Alejo: Nice. We get to the new moon on the 15th of September. That’s happening at 21 degrees. Well, 21’58”, so it’s practically 22 degrees. And it’s quite remarkable, I think.
Cheryl: Yes. It’s interesting because the Mercury retrograde degree is 21. So, how interesting that there is this new moon, like planted right on that spot. So telling us right here that the new cycle is really carrying all the things that we’re talking about. It’s deeply imprinting the new cycle of experience until the next new moon. All about communication, all about choices, all about perception, all about doing the work, incorporating the intuition.
Alejo: Yeah, it’s amazing. So I would say also to try to pay attention to, on the 23rd of August when the Sun goes into Virgo and Mercury is stationing retrograde. So I would say, take a few days, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, to pay attention to what kind of ideas, what kind of messages one is getting around then. Like you were saying before, maybe you will not understand it then. But when this new moon picks up the seed that was planted there, maybe something will come up to the consciousness.
Cheryl: Yes. And here’s what’s interesting too: that new moon placement at 21 degrees Virgo 58 minutes, is one degree and one minute from trining Uranus in Taurus.That is amazing right there. So you’ve got the new moon imprint in trine to Uranus, the planet of breaking through the boundaries and the barriers that would confine a person. The revolutionary urge. The urge to also be open to the innovative or the not usual way of thinking, you know, that Aha opportunity, whatever that may be.
Alejo: Yeah, it’s amazing. I think it’s gonna be a fantastic new moon. It could be a fantastic new moon. Very nice. Alright. And we’re getting to the end of the season then. So on the 23rd the Sun goes into Libra, and we’re going to have a new podcast. Sometimes we list a few dates that we think are particularly beneficial, I don’t know how to call it. So what I have is from the 23rd of August to the 26th, the Mars in Virgo will be trining Pluto in Capricorn. So if there’s something that you need to put a lot of energy in it, you have to work hard through some achievements, I would say maybe these days will give you some fuel. I also wrote from the third to the fifth of September, Mercury in Virgo trining Jupiter. And this idea of being inspired, learning something new, or communicating something. Developing some skills. And I like a lot from the 21st of September the 25th, because Venus has been retrograding and has been making us think about how we value ourselves, what do we enjoy. And from the 21st of September to the 25th, she’s going to be trining in Chiron in Aries, which it’s kind of, yeah.
Cheryl: Yeah. That really supports a lot of what we were saying in terms of the nodal axis; the Aries-Libra nodal axis. So with Chiron there and Venus in Leo, I mean, these are fire placements. And so it’s about life-force, vitality, outgoing, expressiveness, and the sense of taking up space and being there. And so that Venus in Leo might be very helpful to the Chiron in Aries.
Alejo: Yes, I agree. Do you have any other dates you want to share?
Cheryl: No, I think we’ve pretty much covered it in terms of the important points.
Alejo: Great. Then we usually try to come up with a mantra. So because I used Liz Greene as my classic Virgo, I want to call out she has said: “One’s love is one’s destiny because it reflects the God within oneself.” So from this, my mantra for this season would be, “I am my destiny.” And with everything we discussed about the vision and making it real and all of the things, I think it makes sense. So my mantra for the system would be: I am my destiny.
Cheryl: I love that. I love that very much. So, I came up with a few things. One was: Cooperate, compromise, compassion. Three C’s. Cooperate in terms of, when you have these opposition’s, Sun, new moon opposing Neptune, Mercury opposing it, compromise is required. Where can we meet in the middle so that we both can be okay? That requires compromise. And then have compassion for the times where we don’t get it right, the times we forget our humanity, the times we’re at the effect of someone else forgetting their humanity because they have lost touch with what’s important. And in some ways, if you look at the horror that is happening in Ukraine, around the world, the fires, etc., as horrific as it is for the individuals who are involved in this thing, for us collectively it gives us an opportunity to remember what is important. And that is caring for each other. Virgo is very capable of caring, and caring in usefully tangible ways. So cooperate, compromising and compassion. And then the other was, I am worth the effort because I am good enough, because that is the shadow aspect of Virgo. This subconscious or conscious awareness that one just always feels not ready for prime time. You know, I need to get more knowledge, I need to study more. No, you are good like you are, where you are. There’s always opportunity to get better and we look to Jupiter for that.
Alejo: Nice, thank you so much. We also usually share if we’re reading something at the moment. Right now I’m reading Alice in Wonderland because a friend gave me the book as a present. And it’s actually a very nice read. So I’m very happy. Yeah. Are you reading anything?
Cheryl: I’m reading a memoir. I happened to hear the person, the author, speaking on a National Public Radio about her book. And I was at work when I heard it, and I was so touched I had to stop working and I just sat and listened for a while and I was moved to tears. It’s called The Other Family Doctor: A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us About Love, Life, and Mortality. And she talks about the spiritual awareness she gained in her work as a vet. When I was trying to think of what do I even have on my bookshelf and relates? It wasn’t until the following morning when I woke up that the book popped in my head. I was like, oh, of course. The Other Family Doctor. Her name is Karen Fine, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. It’s an excellent read.
Alejo: Thank you. So if the people that are listening, they want to get in touch with you, or do you have any upcoming events that you’re doing?
Cheryl: No, at this point I’m just really working with clients, existing clients. If someone wanted to reach out to me, my email is [email protected].
Alejo: Great. Thank you. So for Astrology University, as most people know probably, the courses are starting now. So we were saying, do you want to develop a skill? It’s a good moment.
Cheryl: I saw that the other day. What perfect timing.
Alejo: It’s a perfect time to sign up for the diploma program or for any course you want to do. On the 9th of September there’s going to be a webinar on the Transiting Nodes. And if you ever want to reach me, my web page and my Instagram is @liminalcosmos. And so that’s it for today. Thank you, everyone, for listening. Thank you, Cheryl, so much for being here.
Cheryl: Thank you so much for having me. It’s been great fun.
Alejo: Great. Take care, everyone.
Tony: Thanks for tuning in to the Astrology University Podcast. I’m the founder, Tony Howard. Head over to astrologyuniversity.com where you can find webinars and courses to help deepen your study of astrology. Study with some of the best astrologers in the field, and check out our diploma program for those of you interested in working professionally or in developing the skill to analyze charts for yourself, your friends and family. Hope to see you in class soon, and until then, take good care.
