Image: Visions of Angels by Brian Varcas
Being Angels
by
Sarah Varcas
The Moon is new in the third degree of Virgo on 25th August at 2:14 pm. New Moons occur when the Sun and Moon are in the same place, acting as one: conscious and unconscious, will and instinct, combined. They are a time to draw all our energy back into ourselves, call all our disparate pieces back home to prepare for a new cycle to begin. As you know, the Sun has only been in Virgo for a couple of days so is still settling into the quieter and more gentle energy after its journey through its very own fiery and exuberant Leo. To have a New Moon so early in the Sun’s passage through a sign gives the Sun a chance to adapt quicker and more effectively, maximising the benefits we can consciously gain from the Sun’s alliance with the particular archetypal energies of the sign in question. Thus this particular New Moon exhorts us to rest into the gentleness of Virgo, which seeks to serve not be served and to fulfil rather than be fulfilled.
Despite the simplicity of Sun and Moon in the same place channelling the same vibration, this New Moon comes with complexity, whilst simultaneously inviting us to step out of it and into silence. Relationships may present challenges at this New Moon. We may find ourselves extremely sensitive to nuance and inference, to unspoken feelings and non-verbal behaviour; sensitive and yet unaware of being so, such that what we pick up from others may go straight through us and into our core rather than remaining in our awareness where we can process it consciously and decide the best way to respond. This is a time of porous boundaries and shared emotions, which is why the Moon invites us to step out of the fray and into ourselves, closing the door between us and the outside world, not in an act of rejection or judgement but as a demonstration of self-care, much as we would for a dear friend who is exhausted and needs some time out to just be. We wouldn’t push them back out the door screaming ‘get on with it!!’ as we chuck their coat after them! This Moon bids us rest and recuperate. Let the world be as it is. It will change in its own time, not ours.
Simultaneous to the New Moon we see a conjunction between Mars and Saturn which reminds us that whilst we can rest for now, we cannot justify withdrawing full stop. We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves and this Moon is simply a time to regroup before engaging once more with its challenges. Just as the Moon waxes and wanes we need to increasingly develop the ability to do the same, moving with the ebb and flow of energy which enables us to engage when the time is right and withdraw when necessary. The issue is not one of ‘either/or’: I live in and am of the world or I withdraw from it and live as if I am separate from it. As with so much these days, the issue is one of balance: How do we live in such a way that our presence contributes to the healing of the world? How do we interact to bring about peace rather than war, understanding rather than discord? What impact does it have when we turn our back on the suffering of others in favour of an easier and more palatable outlook?
At a time when challenge is rife and intensity high, the state of the world can seem too much to bear, with so much war and suffering all around. But it is our world and we can help make it what we want it to be, not by avoiding the pain but by attending to it with awareness and committing ourselves to neither perpetuating it nor denying it, but recognising the part it plays, the part we have played in its creation, and the part we can play to change it. This New Moon occurs in a zodiac degree associated with angels and reminds us we can all be one to others and ourselves. We each have the power to protect, to encourage, to support, just as we have the power to criticise, to bring down and destroy. It seems so obvious to say we need to do more of the former and less of the latter, but this Moon makes this point very strongly and asks us, once we have replenished our energy, to step back out and share it with others in a spirit of service and open-heartedness, not seeking spiritual refuge from the harshness of life but being the refuge for others who may be struggling more than we can ever know.
This New Moon, dark and silent, gentle and protective, marks the passage from the fiery self-confidence of Leo to the self-effacing humility of Virgo. With Jupiter and Venus still in Leo we can find the balance between honouring ourselves and serving others. We don’t have to slip into martyrdom or a state of begrudging servitude. This Moon simply looks down upon us and invites us to rest for now, gather ourselves and then turn to face the world once more knowing deep within that we are the angels we call upon and the answer to all prayer lies in our hands.
Sarah Varcas
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