TRANSCRIPT Ep. 222 | The Virgo Full Moon Merry-Go-Round!

TRANSCRIPT Ep. 222 | The Virgo Full Moon Merry-Go-Round!

Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is February 19th, 2024. Welcome to Episode 222 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast. This week, the Virgo Full Moon has a strong Saturn influence of discipline, Venus makes a sexy conjunction with Mars and goes a little overboard with a square to Jupiter, and Mercury enters intuitive and creative Pisces, plus I answer a listener question about planets in the signs of their fall.

Venus conjunct Mars (Feb. 21, 2024, 11:14 pm PST)

Venus makes a conjunction with Mars on February 21st at 11:14 p.m. Pacific Time, at 06º57’ Aquarius, on the Sabian symbol 7 Aquarius, Child born of an eggshell. The conjunction begins a new synodic cycle of Venus and Mars. Their next conjunction will be on January 7th, 2026, and that one will happen in Capricorn.

The Sabian symbol for this combination speaks of seeking freedom from the old ways; things that are brought about in an unconventional way. This might be new relationships that are gotten into a little bit impulsively, or that come about in a somewhat unusual way.

Venus is the planet of beauty, and Mars the planet of action. So, this can be a wonderful conjunction for creating beautiful things. Fantastic if you are an artist, especially.

Venus and Mars together can also be about artistic or romantic competition. And I’ve often seen with this combination in the birth chart, that there’s a tendency toward being competitive with one’s own sex.

Romantic adventures are possible with Venus in conjunction with Mars, and this can also be a combination about striving for money, fighting for more, such as maybe approaching your boss for a raise, or if you’re self-employed, raising your prices.

Mercury enters Pisces (Feb. 22, 2024, 11:29 pm PST)

On February 22nd at 11:29 pm Pacific Time, Mercury enters Pisces. It’ll be in this sign through March 9th. I’ll be talking later in the episode about a listener question regarding planets that are in the sign of their fall, and depending on what source you refer to, Mercury is sometimes said to be exalted in the sign of Virgo, but sometimes we’ll see it exalted also in Aquarius. But in any event, that would make Mercury in Pisces in the sign of its fall.

So, what this means is we have Mercury, which is a planet of cognitive function, of clear and linear thinking, and then we’re putting it into Pisces, a sign of all the things that are a little bit blurry around the edges, and that speak to our intuitive faculties rather than, strictly speaking, our cognitive ones.

When Mercury is in Pisces, it’s a time when we can see things that don’t seem evident at first glance. It’s like seeing ghosts, seeing spirits, seeing the things that our eyes don’t notice, that our ears don’t perceive, that none of the senses pick up on, but we feel it. So, while Mercury is in Pisces, it’s a good idea to feel our way through situations as much as thinking. It’s not that we want to throw Mercury out altogether, but when it’s in Pisces, it’s especially good for refining our ability to perceive the things that are not evident to our other senses.

Mercury is also a very organized planet. It is the one that says, okay, I have this thing and this thing and let’s categorize them so that we know at any given moment the tools that we have at our disposal. So particularly if you’re an artistic or creative person, while Mercury is in Pisces, this is a really good time to organize the tools that you use in that work, or categorizing the ideas that you’ve had for future projects.

Virgo Full Moon (Feb. 24, 2024, 4:30 am PST)

And now for the Moon Report. It begins with the Virgo Full Moon on February 24th at 4:30 am Pacific Time. That’s at 5º23’ Virgo, with the Sun at the same degree of Pisces.

In this New Moon chart, the Sun is in a conjunction with Saturn, and the Moon is opposed to the Sun and Saturn. And at this Full Moon, we see how much work will be required to implement the plans that we conceived at that Aquarius New Moon on February 9th that was square Uranus.

The Sabian symbol for this Full Moon is 6 Virgo, A merry-go-round. And, if you’re beginning to feel like you’re on the merry-go-round at this Full Moon, well, that is just what Virgo is like a lot of the time, doing the same things in a routine way, and trying each time to perfect our approach and our technique.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun is 6 Pisces, Officers on dress parade. Like the officers in the Sabian symbol, Saturn says discipline will be required.

The Full Moon point is also in a trine with Jupiter. And however much this Full Moon is influenced by Saturn and its rules and its discipline. Jupiter brings the optimism and joy that come with eventually making a dream a reality.

Virgo is a sign of service. That sounds kind of boring, but there is with Virgo a sense of sacred service. Of the ways in which we make ourselves helpful and useful to others in our lives. This Full Moon will often show, are we being sufficiently helpful? And the other thing that it shows is, are we being too helpful? Are people taking advantage, perhaps, of our good nature and our willingness to serve? And, if so, Saturn can help us implement appropriate boundaries.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the Full Moon in a Lunar Phase Family Cycle that began on August 27, 2022, at the New Moon at 4º Virgo, on the Sabian symbol, A man dreaming of fairies. So, it’s this tapping into the unconscious and, as I was saying, with that Mercury entering Pisces, being able to perceive things that are not obvious to our senses.

The First Quarter Moon in this cycle was on May 27th, 2023. And then this Full Moon on February 24th, when we begin to see the reality of what was initiated or conceived at that August 2022 New Moon. And the Last Quarter in the cycle will come on November 22nd of this year, marking the moment where we review our progress throughout this New Moon cycle and make the changes that need to be made in order to bring our projects to completion.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

Let’s talk about the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week.

On February 20th, the Moon in Cancer trines Neptune at 10:38 pm Pacific Time. It’s void of course for just about seven hours before it enters Leo on February 21st at 5:40 am. Trine aspects bring rewards. And the Void-of-Course Moon is a period of time for releasing old habits that are not productive or helpful, and hopefully initiating new ones.

This particular Void-of-Course Moon might be about creating new habits or rituals around food – because Cancer is associated with food – or meditation, that daily spiritual practice, and also spending a healthy amount of time with our families.

On February 22nd, the Moon in Leo squares Uranus at 8:18 pm Pacific Time. This is an extraordinarily long Void-of-Course period. It lasts just about 21 1/2 hours before it enters Virgo, on February 23rd at 5:37 pm. Squares show conflict, and the conflict in this square is about being truly and consistently yourself – Moon in Leo – versus feeling free to change course and to free yourself from who you feel like you have to be.

As I said, it’s a very long Void-of-Course Moon period, and it could be very advantageous in breaking habits around inflexibility and pride, which are the shadow side of Leo. And, cultivating new habits that will make you more willing to change, more accepting of change.

Then, on February 25th, the Moon in Virgo opposes Neptune at 11:35 pm Pacific Time and will be void-of-course for almost 7 hours before it enters Libra on February 26th at 6:29 am. Opposition aspects bring awareness. We can suddenly see, without obstruction, the forces at play in a situation. In this case, it’s about finding a balance between logic – Virgo – and intuition – Neptune and Pisces, order and disorder.

It’s a good Void-of-Course period, I think, for trying to consciously break habits of compulsiveness or disorganization and to create helpful habits, especially related to health. This is physical health as well as a sense of spiritual well-being. It’s also an important one for seeking that balance between work and rest, which so many of us have a hard time finding.

Venus square Jupiter (Feb. 24, 2024, 8:01 pm PST)

Venus squares Jupiter on February 24th at 8:01 pm Pacific Time at 10º30’ Aquarius and Taurus. Venus Sabian symbol is 11 Aquarius, A man tête-à-tête with his inspiration, and the symbol for Jupiter is 11 Taurus, A woman sprinkling flowers.

In Venus’ symbol, we see big ideas and the desire to move in a new direction in our lives. Venus in Aquarius is very forward-thinking, but these ideas can’t flourish without consistent cultivation and nourishment. Which is what we see in the Sabian symbol for Jupiter in Taurus. This would be like wanting to have a pet, but not being willing or able to take care of it. This is a combination that asks us to claim our freedom and independence, especially in relationships but exercising caution against going overboard without having the infrastructure, the consistency, the foundation that will allow us to nurture them and to build them up and bring them to fruition. Whenever Venus is in aspect with Jupiter, we really have to rein in our impulsive spending and the tendency to bite off a bit more than we can chew.

Our ideas are really big, but we only have so many hours in the day and so many resources. Anytime we have Venus and Jupiter together, however, they are both very benefic planets and so we know something good can come of this combination if we can just avoid that tendency to go too far, too fast.

Listener Question: Planets in the Sign of Their Fall

In this week’s listener question, listener Emme writes, “My natal chart has three of four personal planets in the sign of their fall: Venus in Virgo, the Sun in Libra, and Mars in Cancer. My Moon is in Virgo, so not in its fall, but not exalted either. My question is, should I be terrified?™ LOL. The other piece of this is that Venus is in her fall in Virgo but in the seventh house of her rulership. Does that offset the effects of being in fall?

I stumbled onto your podcast a few months ago and really love it. You have such an interesting take. And I like how you incorporate the Sabian symbols. Thank you so much.

April: Thank you so much for that, Emme. And I hope I’m saying your name correctly. Could be Em.

In any event, I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the podcast and I appreciate your question.

Your question brings us to the subject of what we call Essential Dignities of the planets. I’ve spoken about this subject here and there on the podcast before. I know back on episode 139 in my interview with astrologer Mel LaFara, we really focused on the Moon in the signs of her fall and detriment. But the general idea of planetary strengths is discussed. We’ll go ahead and link to that episode in the show notes, in case anyone might find that interesting.

Before I answer your specific question, I just want to briefly go over this idea of essential dignities. It refers to the idea that each planet has particular signs in which it’s stronger or weaker than it is in other signs.

Take, for example, your Venus in Virgo. Venus is the natural ruler of Taurus and Libra. Traditional astrologers would say she is in her domicile. You’ll also hear it said that she is in her rulership. And this is because Venus is associated with the sensuous qualities of the world, the joy and pleasure we take in the physical world, which is like Taurus, as well as the people we enjoy and are attracted to, too. The whole idea of relationship, and that is akin to Libra.

Venus is strongest in these signs. She is like an undiluted essential oil, which are very powerful, and you have to be a little careful how you use them. In the signs that oppose Taurus and Libra, Scorpio and Aries, which are ruled by Mars, Venus is said to be in her detriment, and it’s easy to see why.

The qualities of ease and enjoyment, getting along with others, are not really ones that we associate with Scorpio and Aries. So, Venus has to struggle a little bit to get her work done in these signs. Then, each planet has a sign in which it’s considered exalted or very strong. For Venus, this is Pisces, a sign of gentleness, acceptance, and artistic talent. This all adds up to the idea of unconditional love.

But Virgo, the sign opposite Pisces, comes with conditions and judgments. And by the way, that’s its job, to separate the wheat from the chaff. But it’s very tricky territory for Venus. Nobody likes to be in a relationship with someone they feel is criticizing them, so we call Virgo the sign of Venus fall.

Now each planet has its areas of ease and its areas of struggle. Your Sun in Libra is a good example. The Sun is at its very strongest in Leo, which it rules, but in Leo’s opposite sign, Aquarius, the planet of celebrating the self, which is the Sun’s role in the chart, has to find itself within the context of groups.

The Sun is exalted in Aries, where it also excels at exploring its personal power and creative genius. But it is in its fall in Libra, the opposite sign of Aries. Because Libra is devoted to collaborating with and complementing others. You can see it would be really hard to be 100 percent your solar self while constantly having to find ways of getting along with others.

Mars in Cancer is a tough one, too. Mars is at home in Aries and Scorpio, in its detriment in the opposite signs of Libra and Taurus. And exalted in Capricorn, which means that it is in its fall in Capricorn’s opposite sign, Cancer. Mars is a planet of action. And in Aries and Scorpio, it has no problem going after what it wants.

In Capricorn, it benefits from that sign’s restraint and innate sense of strategy, but when Mars is in Cancer, it feels the need to move in very indirect ways out of a sense of self preservation.

So, that is the rationale behind planets in their dignities, how easy or difficult the planet finds it to do its essential work in a particular sign.

Now, in your chart, Emme, with three planets in the signs of their fall, should you be terrified? My friend, astrologer Dana Gerhart, tells me she thinks planets in their detriment or fall actually end up being a very strong presence in the chart, because we have to work so hard to express their energy, and in doing so, they become very obvious, apparent traits.

I find it helpful to think of them as being a little bit like the square aspect, the 90-degree aspect, where two planets are pushing against each other, each trying to get its own way. But over time, squares in the chart are the aspects that make us strong. Adversity strengthens us, whether it’s a square aspect or planets in their detriment or fall.

You asked a good question about whether having a planet in the sign of its fall, but in a house with which it shares affinity, could offset the influence of the planet in the sign of its fall. My answer is… kind of?

Houses and signs are not exactly the same thing. But as I like to say, they share a lot of Venn diagram overlap. Venus in the seventh house would emphasize the delight that Venus finds in personal relationships. But Venus in Virgo has to contend with that tendency to look for perfect partners or perfect relationships. And I think that is actually emphasized, rather than offset, by being placed in the seventh house, because being in the seventh house gives it a strength – but what is being strengthened is that Venus in Virgo quality.

Now, this does not mean that you’re doomed to poor relationships at all. But finding satisfaction in relationships could come down to being willing to serve another person, to see your role as being of help to them as they are without trying to improve or perfect them.

Emme, I hope that helps. I’ll include a link in the show notes where everyone can download a little cheat sheet that shows the essential dignities for each planet.

If you, Invisible Friend, have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, just leave a message of one minute or less at SpeakPipe.com/bigskyastrologypodcast, or email me at April (at) BigSkyAstrology (dot) com and be sure to put “podcast question” in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

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That’s it for this episode. Join me again bright and early next Monday. And, until then, keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!