Sacred Purpose - September New Moon

​Sacred Purpose - Dharma
New Moon in Virgo, 27 degrees, Tuesday Sep 19, 2017 at 10:30pm ​

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What is Sacred Work or Dharma?  There are many interpretations of the Sanskrit word Dharma but it has no direct English translation.  This translation resonates with me: ‘the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence, conformity to one’s duty and nature.’ A little heady I know. Perhaps an example will help you understand, and the humble honey bee is a great example. 
 
The honey bee is responsible for the pollination of 1/3 of all fruits and vegetables and indirectly for 70% of all food crops through seed production.  A honey bee can visit up to 5,000 flowers in a single day!  A honey bee needs to fly over 55,000 miles and visit two million flowers to make one pound of honey and they do this tirelessly.  Have you ever watched a honey bee do its work?  It moves from flower to flower, checking each to be sure it has gathered all the nectar and pollen before moving to the next one.  This is Sacred Work. Doing your job with diligence and without complaint because it serves an important function.  The pollen and nectar the bee brings back will not only feed its bee family, but it will also feed many more of the world’s creatures!  Its efforts may appear small and insignificant to the bee, but they are monumental to creation.   The bee is fulfilling its Dharma, its Sacred Work. 
 
The September New Moon is in Virgo.  Virgo represents Sacred Work.  She is often called the ‘virgin’ of the zodiac, which is confusing to us in our modern western world.  Typically, we think of a virgin as being innocent and untainted with regard to sex.  When one looks deeper at the mythology associated with Virgo, what rises to the surface are stories of the Goddesses of the Harvests and High Priestess’.  These archetypes are basically responsible for maintaining the ‘Cosmic Order.’ If they don’t do their job, the sun won’t rise, food won’t grow and humanity would perish. The Priestesses diligently performed their rituals day after day without tire so that the world could continue to exist.  Sound familiar?  Of course, with all that responsibility there isn’t much room for intimacy, after all, we are trying to maintain the cosmic order here!  This is also why Virgo’s often criticized for being nit-picky, detailed oriented and impersonal. 
 
What does this mean for us?  When the Sun and the Moon are both in Virgo, the Universe is directing us to ask what is OUR sacred work?  What are we doing in our small way to serve the Cosmic Order, to serve our Dharma?  What we do may seem insignificant to us but current brain science says otherwise. Even our smile can be hugely impactful.  When we smile, it changes our body chemistry for the better. It also positively changes the body chemistry of those around us, encouraging them to smile. They in turn positively affect additional people… do you get the idea?  If you want to read more about this phenomenon, check out this Psychology Today Article. The bottom line is, what we do and HOW we do it matters.
 
What I find most striking about this New Moon chart is that the Sun and the Moon are involved in a couple of powerful oppositions and quincunxes.  Oppositions highlight oppositions. With oppositions, there may be a need to make a choice, perhaps between two things. It is also possible that one may have a feeling of being stuck between ‘opposing’ opinions about something. With oppositions, it is possible to arrive at an ‘agree to disagree’, or a compromise between the two items in question.  Quincunxes are similar, but more irritating. Quincunxes usually represent two areas of our lives that cannot be reconciled, so they may get compartmentalized.  When we turn our attention towards one side, the other side feels left out.  Unlike an opposition, you feel a resolution is impossible.
 
In this New Moon chart, Chiron the wounded healer opposes the Sun and Moon. This may imply that we may need to make a choice between our wounds and our sacred work.  For example, let’s say that someone has a deep fear regarding public speaking but also has a deep desire to teach. How does one resolve this issue? Does your fear trump your sacred purpose? You may decide to seek help with public speaking, recognizing that you can indeed overcome this obstacle to achieve your sacred purpose.
 
Uranus is the planet of change and innovation. Since Uranus is in a quincunx with the Sun and Moon, this may suggest there is a conflict between change and our sacred work. An example would be a feeling that you know your sacred purpose, yet you may also be unable to make the changes necessary to move you closer to your goal.  Perhaps you believe to move forward towards your goal you’d need to relocate, but feel you can’t because you are responsible for caring for an aging parent.  Right now, this feels irreconcilable.  Don’t give up hope.  The planets are always moving.  Perhaps, Divine timing for this change is in the not so distant future.  You may uncover a different more innovative option for realizing your sacred work.
 
Usually when I see this much conflict in a chart, particularly when it is the flavor of oppositions and quincunxes, I suggest being still.  Don’t rush forward towards a resolution. We don’t have to ‘make a choice.’ Instead, we can allow the energy of opposition to flow around us.  Invite investigation, observance and meditation about the things in life that are seemingly in contradiction.  We can also utilize this New Moon by using the Virgo energy of organization.  Get yourself organized, research and gather information before pushing forward towards a decision.
 
Mercury and Mars are in an embrace for this New Moon and both are in Virgo. This adds more Virgo energy and in an excellent relationship with Pluto the transformer.  Mercury is the classical ruler of Virgo, giving it even more strength. Together this trio may be a great asset for us. This energy can help us embrace transformation (Pluto) in how we think (Mercury) and act (Mars).  We can use Virgo’s super power of not being overwhelmed by passion. This can help us to non-judgmentally investigate how we think and perceive. It can help us better understand the opposing forces we are encountering and our feeling that we need to choose between them.  In that process, we may begin to realize the world is full of opposites and contradictions. We do have the capacity to hold both at the same time.  We may begin to realize that our little work is actually BIG work and that it affects the world in BIG ways that we may never even be able to understand like the humble honey bee.
 
A note for those who were deeply affected by the Solar and Lunar Eclipses of August.  You may find yourself coming to a place of new resolve.  Eclipses are change agents and they often begin their work at least 1 month prior and continue to sow the seeds of change for more than 1 month after the event.  This New Moon is very close to the same degree as the Leo Solar Eclipse in August.  This degree connection may suggest that you have arrived at the other side of the transition that began in July and now you may have better clarity about your new direction. 
 
I wish you well, as we transition more completely into fall and say goodbye to summer.  Know that the places of change in our lives are gateways to our soul and our Dharma.  The Universe is whispering to you. Be brave and listen to what it has to say. Pleasant surprises may await you!
 
Dive Deep to Ascend,
Andrea