The Full Moon in VIRGO will grace the sky on February 24th reaching peak illumination at 7:30am EST.
This blog post covers all you need to know about the Virgo Full Moon along with a simple eco-somatic ritual to explore.
In this blog post you will find:
Introduction: Moon 101
The Sun and Moon are in a cyclical relationship as they weave through the seasons of the zodiac. This celestial dance provides us with an intuitive road map to explore our own inner/outer journey as we too make our way through the ebb and flow of nature's seasons and come into new and ever-changing dimensions of our lives.
While the Sun is ruler of the day and influences our "outer" expression in the world, it is to no surprise that as ruler of the tides and queen of the night the Moon is also ruler of our emotions and "inner" felt experience. Our emotions have long been associated with representations of water and the sea: fluid, ever-changing, ebbing and flowing. As the moon pulls at the tides, we also experience this influencing force on our emotions, desires, shadow realms, fears/worries, psyche, and dreams.
Self-knowledge arises through a process of uncovering hidden layers of self through revelation and integration. This process is mirrored in the ebb and flow of the moon which is why it's something we learn to observe and track. As the light of the moon waxes, more of what lies hidden becomes revealed - our deeper motivations, mechanisms, and feelings. As the light of the moon wanes, we are given time to integrate these new learnings and discoveries.
This Full Moon falls within the sign of Virgo, just a few days after the Sun transitioned into Pisces. Keep reading to learn how you can use this moon portal to explore new dimensions of self seeking expression in the world.
Full Moon Energy
Since the moon is the closest "planet" to Earth, this satellite zips around the zodiac very quickly, completing its round in less than a month. Actually, the entire trip takes 29.53 days, to be exact, and is measured from one new Moon to the next. We call this a lunation or lunar cycle. The peak or mid-point of every lunation happens on a full Moon. This Full Moon in Virgo marks the mid-point of the current Aquarius lunar cycle which began on the Aquarius New Moon on February 9th.
During a Full Moon, the Earth is sitting between the Moon and Sun. The Sun's light illuminates the face of the Moon for all to see. From the vantage point of Earth, the Moon and Sun are dwelling in opposite constellations, thus forming an opposition. This can make for a challenging or intense aspect of energy but also full of potential since the polarities (yin & yang) are in natural harmonic balance. In this case, the influencing energies of Sun (Pisces) and Moon (Virgo) are in a dynamic conversation that we will explore.
You can think of the Full Moon phase as a culmination moment in a particular energetic cycle, where some inner change, new awareness, or intention that was revealed six months ago is reaching maturation, coming into full form, or manifesting in some way. The bright light of the full moon illuminates or brings to the surface something that is ready to be seen, integrated or incorporated more deeply into who you are becoming. Full Moon energy is a time for honoring the journey, celebrating your growth, offering gratitude and being with any grief.
Virgo Full Moon Insights
SYMBOL: THE MAIDEN - A young woman carrying a sheaf of wheat or ear of corn; represents the harvest of wisdom that comes with living through the seasons of life.
PLANETARY RULER: MERCURYÂ - the messenger of the gods; planet of day-to-day embodiment, expression and communication.
ELEMENT: EARTH - element of physicality, practicality, reliability and sensuality.
HOUSE:Â 6th HOUSE - rules work, service, methods, techniques, routines, discernment, refinement.
MODALITY: MUTABLE - represents the changing nature of life through shifting adaptable forces.
Two weeks ago the Aquarius New Moon was emphasizing the theme of BREAKING FREE from outer shells and status quo confinements. The status quo under capitalism / colonialism is individualism, self-centeredness and dissociation so it requires intention and committed practice to counter such shapings. These shapings give rise to consumption as entertainment, chasing milestones, climbing the ladder of "success," hoarding resources, setting personal ambitious goals, etc. Life under capitalism / colonialism locks us into exhausting patterns that only serve to deplete and isolate us from the riches of our collective intelligence. It is the revolutionary spirit of Aquarius that makes the creative work of worldmaking irresistible! It's all about building power in community through nurturing relationships rooted in mutual care and support.
Now with the Sun in Pisces (ocean of interbeing) we are called to wake up to the water we're swimming in, reckon with the colonial illusions of separation we have inherited, and realize that our liberation is bound with one another. As we continue our journey through Nature's Arc of Change we find ourselves standing between Imbolc and Spring Equinox, a time of sprouting new ideas guided by our values-based longings.
This Virgo Full Moon helps us understand the hidden alchemical knowledge of spinning thread into gold and manifesting spirit into form. As an earth sign, Virgo reveals to us that bonds of kinship are forged through shared struggle and lifemaking. It asks: What do we NEED to make life WORTH living? What are the things that will make us want to wake up every morning? What will make us want to be alive instead of just get by each day? How can we create these conditions together? Virgo helps us understand (through embodiment) that relationship building IS the work of liberation; that being with each other, helping each other survive on a day-to-day basis, engaging in our cultural rituals in community, and building/ deepening/ sustaining reciprocal relationships is the HEART of resistance + worldmaking. It’s what allows you to do the work with integrity, accountability and sustainability. We invoke the magic of the Virgo maiden who brings fresh energy into stagnant routines and helps us to courageously step into new forms.
What you need to know about Virgo
THE MUTABLE CROSS
GEMINI - SAGITTARIUS AXIS
VIRGO - PISCES AXIS
The Mutable Cross (highlighted in blue) is one of the three zodiacal crosses. Following the determined stable forces of the Fixed Cross comes the changing nature of life in its mutable form. The purpose of this cross defines the shifting adaptable natural forces of the elements.
"Mutable signs are represented by sattva in the Hindu system. Geometrically, they are expressed by a spiral, which combines the inwardness of a circle and the thrust of a straight line." - Vicki Noble, Motherpeace
Virgo is the mutable earth sign (circled in the diagram here), opposing it is the mutable water sign of Pisces which creates one axis of the Mutable Cross. The two feminine elements (Water and Earth) always create an axis and the two masculine elements (Air and Fire) create the other axis. Each cross contains each of the four elements. In this case the mutable signs are represented by: Virgo (Earth), Pisces (Water), Sagittarius (Fire), Gemini (Air).
ELEMENT: EARTH
EARTH: BODY
TAURUS, VIRGO, CAPRICORN
Earth is the element of stability, growth, and home. It is related to fertility, prosperity, grounding, and centering, planting and harvesting and animals.
"Earth is our home, the one place in our known universe that has just the right conditions for a myriad of life forms to evolve and flourish. Earth provides everything we need—from the healing medicine of plants and herbs to the water for us to drink, all of our core needs are provided for from this abundant planet. We simply wouldn't exist without the Earth." - Kayla White
Earth signs feel at home tending to core routines, crafting rituals, working on tangible projects like building garden beds, cooking with nourishing foods, and love anything deep, sensual, practical, grounded, and stable with a particular orientation toward action.
RULING PLANET: MERCURY
Qualities: mind, communication, language, reason, intellect
Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication which "balances the logical side of reason, writing and reading with the practical side of routines, habits, and order." (source) When it comes to understanding ideas and plans, as well as executing them, this is the zodiac sign that has that covered most proficiently. Under the ruling planet of Mercury, Virgos have a high aptitude to hold both details and grand vision simultaneously.
CONSTELLATION
In the northern hemisphere, Virgo appears high above the southern horizon on May evenings and is most visible in the evening sky from mid-March to late June. This is the best time of year to view this constellation, which is the largest of the zodiac. In the southern hemisphere, it can be seen in autumn and winter.
Image via Chelynne Campion
According to EarthSky, you can find this constellation by:
"Using the Big Dipper and arcing to Arcturus in Boötes, then spiking down toward Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. "
VIRGO MYTH
This is an excerpt from Constellation Guide:
"The constellation Virgo is usually associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike. Dike was the daughter of Zeus and Greek Titaness Themis. Virgo is usually depicted with angel-like wings, with an ear of wheat in her left hand, marked by the bright star Spica. She is located next to Libra, the constellation representing the scales of justice. Dike was also sometimes known as Astraeia, daughter of Astraeus, considered father of the stars, and Eos, goddess of the dawn.
In Greek mythology, Dike lived in the Golden Age of mankind. She was born a mortal and placed on Earth to rule over human justice. The Golden Age was marked by prosperity and peace, everlasting spring, and humans never knowing old age. When Zeus fulfilled the old prophecy and overthrew his father, this marked the beginning of the Silver Age, which was not as prosperous. Zeus introduced the four seasons and humans no longer honoured the gods as they had used to. Dike gave a speech to the entire race, warning them about the dangers of leaving behind the ideals of their predecessors and saying worse was yet to come. Then she flew to the mountains, turning her back on humans. When the Bronze and Iron Ages came and humans started warring among themselves, Dike left the Earth altogether, and flew to the heavens."
Virgo Ritual Elements
Virgo New Moon Ritual
What You'll Need
1. Elements for your altar. Drawing on the Virgo Ritual Elements above, consider what you might want to bring to your altar. Start simple. There is absolutely no need to go out and "buy" altar items. This is something that we encourage you to unlearn. Everything we need is within us and can be found around us. A simple candle will do, or a yellow flower for example.
2. Candle & lighter for the eco-somatic practice
3. Journal & something to write with for the journaling portion.
Important Considerations & Prep
1. RIGHT RELATIONSHIP: being in right relationship with your spiritual practice means approaching each aspect with humility, curiosity and reverence. This includes checking yourself on the nature of how you relate to "objects" as things and the process itself.
For example, if you feel called to stones as part of your ritual, consider WHY first. Then contemplate the impact of whatever action comes next. For example, instead of mindlessly purchasing cheap precious stones from somewhere like amazon (which have more than likely been harmfully mined/extracted and then shipped across the world as part of the consumer machine that's destroying our planet), perhaps part of your spiritual practice is to resist such a prompting and instead take the time to go for a mindful walk in your backyard, or a nearby stream and see if the right stone presents itself to you.
2. CLEANSE & PURIFY YOUR SPACE: Cleansing, also known as purification, is the practice of clearing out and releasing negative energy from your space, as well as energy that’s just old, stale, stagnant, or no longer serving you. Here are a few different methods:
Physical cleaning: dusting, vacuuming, opening windows for fresh air
Salt: a common element used for purification and protection in many different cultures. To use, simply sprinkle salt along doorways and windowsills to protect them from negative energy entering or just keep a small bowl of salt on your altar or nearby surface.
Smoke cleansing: light incense or burn a bundle of dried herbs such as rosemary, cedar, or mugwort. Choose plants that you have grown yourself or that grow abundantly wild nearby, plants that you have ancestral tied to or just those that have been grown and harvested ethically.
NOTE: If you do not have meaningful/authentic relationships to Indigenous culture and customs, "smudging" with white sage cultural appropriation and is dishonoring to Indigenous nations across Turtle island. It is important to understand that smudging is not just about burning sage to purify the negative energy from your space but is a sacred ritual that is culturally specific to tribes such as the Lakota Sioux, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Navajo. If you have been gifted sage by an Indigenous friend, use to your discretion in how to engage with this medicine. This sacred plant is being abused, exploited and mass-harvested for commercial and consumer use which perpetuates the violence of white supremacy and settler colonialism. Take some time to locate yourself within a settler-colonial context interwoven with the land you currently occupy. Check out Native Land to learn the name and more about the territories you occupy.
3. CLEANSE & PURIFY YOUR BODYMIND
Take a shower our bath; visualize any negative energy that has accumulated in your auric field to be washed away as the water goes down the drain.
Meditate, center and take some time to ground in stillness and embodied presence.
Write or speak your intentions for your ritual out loud
4. BE MINDFUL & STRIVE FOR INTEGRITY ALWAYS.
Altar Creation
Creating an altar is optional. Altar tending is a beautiful practice, especially if you have a designated area in your home that you can tend to over the course of each moon and seasonal cycle.
Tending to an altar is an intentional practice that supports your exploration of nature spirituality and carries the potential to deepen your relationship to the energetic archetypes of each moon cycle.
To set up your altar, simply play with any number of the ritual elements offered above in the chart by using symbols, colors, precious gemstones, symbolism, etc.
There is no right or wrong way to go about creating, tending or being with your altar, however we do not condone cultural appropriation or theft of any kind.
Eco-Somatic Practice: Softening into Earth's Embrace
For this eco-somatic we will be drawing upon the qualities of EARTH since Virgo is an earth sign. To amplify your connection to earth energy, perform this part of the ritual outside or next to a window. If being outside is not accessible to you, no worries! Remember, YOU are earth and that is enough.
MATERIALS:
STEPS:
Begin by finding a comfortable seated posture while making contact with the earth in some way. This can look like sitting directly on the grass cross legged or sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the ground as you imagine making contact with the ground beneath you. You might even place your hands on your thighs as you imagine large tree trunks.
Sense the stability of the ground as you take a few minutes to come into stillness. Notice the quality of your breath as you inhale and exhale. Allow your face muscles to soften as you close your eyes.
Bring your awareness to the base of your sit bones or feet. Sense the quality of contact you are making with the ground. Solidity. Stillness. Stability. Sense your body begin to soften as you gently exhale. Allow earth's gravity to receive you. Breathe softly into any area of the body that seems to be holding tension. Hold your awareness there for a few slow and gentle breaths . Say the words: "I soften. I relax. I let go." Take as much time as you need to work through areas of the body that feel tight.
When you are ready, either:
place your hands on the grass outside or the ground where you are
prostrate yourself with your forehead on the ground
Close your eyes and take a few moments to visualize the vastness beneath you. The unseen world of soil, roots, stones, water, sediment, worms, microbes, mycelia, bacteria, flows of information that feed the underground networks of life. Allow images to flow into your mind as you consider the memories that this land/place carries. How everything returns to Earth, and how her yearning can be felt through gravity itself. Consider the time of the year... as the sun wanes life begins to fade from the tips of trees while leaves and fruits begin to fall from branches. Exhale as you soften into Earth's embrace.
This next part involves offering loving touch to your own earth body. You can do this sitting or standing. Start with your feet, then work up to your calves, hamstrings and quads. Slowly make your way up your entire body as you acknowledge and greet each part. Begin to gently and slowly squeeze, massage, caress, tickle, scratch (really whatever feels most pleasurable and nourishing depending on what area of the body you're landing on). There is no right or wrong way to do this. For example, you might want to massage your feet, squeeze parts of your lower body, rub your hands, caress your belly, scratch or massage your scalp, softly rub or tickle your face, etc.
Notice how you feel. At this point you might want to lie down on the ground for a few minutes of intentional breathing or you might want to move. Follow your intuition.
Journaling
What came up for you in the eco-somatic practice? Take some time to reflect on anything you'd like to hold onto.
Further self-reflection:
What do you NEED relationally to make life WORTH living?
What shared experiences with others might inspire you to wake up every morning?
What brings you to life?
What's one step that you can take toward creating the conditions for some of this?
Finish the following sentences:
Habits of thought I am ready to change are....
A new practice that I would like to incorporate into my routine is...
Something that I am letting go of is...
Something I am welcoming in is...
Reading
September Maidens
"Ahhh goddess of the fading sun breathe the nectar of the meadows a misty lilac twilight is waltzing in the fairies and September maidens dance upon the golden ground wheat is fallen like amber down Listen to pleiades music echo from the pink lotus clouds that soar above mermaid shrouds white wolf roams in search of the moon to stalk the ebbing springtime it runs amid the woodlands until the dryad trees turn brown We see swans in the blue lake floating in ivory feather gowns Celtic shadows of Stonehenge unfold elfin doors in the forest to see persephone step through to catch the silver stars at night and spread her golden autumn light"
- Sea Opal Karina Dove
Did you find this post helpful?
We'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below :)