On August 30, 2019, we usher in the Dog Days of Summer with a powerful New Moon in Virgo. With a number of planets in the first 10° of Virgo, all forming Trines to Uranus in Taurus, there is a heightened, almost blind focus on getting Work Done. And even if “all work and no play makes Jack a Dull Boy,” we’re plowing ahead with making our batches of To-Do Lists and checking them twice, intent on getting every item crossed off, as we have much catching up to do when it comes to getting our work lives, our health and our daily routines in order. 

But are we falling into that old Virgo trap of pushing ourselves to work harder, faster, only to miss the Forest for the Trees?

In terms of Aspects, Mars in Virgo forms a tight conjunction to this New Moon. Mars rules the sign of Aries, which is all about speed and “go-getter” types, so it’s not terribly comfortable in the nervous, often-fussy sign of Virgo. Nonetheless, we have the Sun, Moon and Mars in a tight conjunction, all 3 of which form an exact angle to Uranus in Taurus. So while other symbols may point to “No,” whether we’re working toward fulfilling a particular goal or just working for work’s sake, In fact, discerning as Virgo usually is, when it comes to their work this is often one of their few blind spots, as what we’re working FOR can be difficult to discern on our own after a certain level of time and energy has been invested.

Virgo New Moon Conjunct Mars + Trine Uranus: To Do, Or Not To Do (Lists)?

That said, at the end of the day, Virgo is a Mutable sign, ruled by the fickle, changeable and communicative planet Mercury. Why does this matter? Because given how changeable Virgo is, it may seem like the “goal” is shifting every day. So rather than running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to do everything ourselves, solicit help when needed, and please--phone a friend before you sign up for that 12-week Pottery Class, overpriced School Supplies, or whatever other plans you might be concocting to keep yourself busy.  

As many Astrologers have noted, the trines formed between Uranus in Taurus and the Sun, Moon and Mars in Virgo, respectively, do act to broaden the typically narrow-minded outlook of the typically narrow-minded Virgo who can’t seem to see the Forest for the Trees. But—and this is a big but—we must remember that Uranus is in its “Fall” in the sign of Taurus, meaning that it does not function well in this sign.

While Virgo and Taurus are both Earth signs and thus considered “compatible” due to the mutual obsession with Productivity, Taurus goes about everything from relationships to work projects to To-Do lists in the same way. Like the proverbial Tortoise: slowly, steadily, thoroughly and with purpose. Uranus, in contrast, acts to speed things up, particularly with the Trine aspect. So this New Moon only amps up the obsession with getting that work done and getting it done as fast as possible. 

Uranus in Taurus: Too Many Trees

With that fact in mind, the “shadow” effects of Uranus are more likely to come to the fore now, with speed of task accomplishment indicated by this New Moon’s conjunction to Mars and trine to Uranus, we may simply be trying to do too much, too quickly. With Uranus in a “weakened” position by sign, and Mars in its not-so-happy sign placement in Virgo, the feeling is one of both intense drive and creative vision, but also of putting our blinders on to get our ducks in a row when it comes to our Work and tending to the practical details of our day-to-day lives. 

Overall, this Virgo New Moon signifies a singular, if not myopic focus on work, productivity and getting the practical details of our lives in order--even if it means we might be alienating others in the process. Number One? With the Conjunction and Trine Aspects in focus and few notable Square and Opposition Aspects, it shows that things are moving quickly and that we’re operating under an amplified lack of self-awareness than we’d usually experience under a New Moon alone. Virgo Decan 1 is the Librarian of the Zodiac, and has a strong tendency to work themselves to the bone, but in a behind the scenes type of way, shy and timid as they often are and at times painfully insecure when it comes to their ability to be creative and meet larger goals, preferring instead to hide or hermit themselves, diving into their To-Do Lists where they feel secure and safe from the potential of outside criticism. 

No Air + Mars Conjunct New Moon in Virgo: No Talk, All Action

The fact that there are 0 planets in Air signs (Gemini/Libra/Aquarius) and almost all in Earth signs (Taurus/Virgo/Capricorn) further emphasizes the obsession with “DOING” that comes with this New Moon. With no Air and almost no Water or Fire in the Chart, there’s a “bleak house” feel in the air, as we take a sudden “hard line” (Uranus), putting the fulfillment of our work and personal tasks above all else (Virgo). 

Air signs are all about communication and relating, while Earth signs are the consummate “doers.” However, Virgo is a fascinating exception in this regard, as it’s ruled by the planet Mercury and is the only Mutable Earth sign. This combination of Mercury’s Rulership and the Mutability inherent in the sign of Virgo makes Virgo much more of a TALKER than Taurus or Capricorn. Quiet and placid as they may seem (at first), Virgos do tend to want to “let it all out” to someone they deem intelligent or some close relative, though they tend to wait until mid-life to really let ‘er rip if you know what I mean (cough, mid-life crisis, cough). 

With no Air, it’s very clear that we’re committed to our goals and accomplishing them at any cost. However, with Venus in its Detriment in Decan 2 of Virgo, it’s extremely debilitated, to say the least. Venus, too, rules our romantic and social connections, and with her in such an uptight, disgruntled state, well, we just aren’t relating to others very well. In terms of our love lives, if we’re in a relationship or dating someone there will likely be frustration on both sides to work through as communication comes in unpredictable ebbs and flows.

If single, Mars conjunct the New Moon and Venus relatively unaspected and in the middle degrees of Virgo can lead us to pursue (or be pursued) by someone or someone(s) (Virgos need options!) with such intensity that we might feel like our feelings don’t really matter but only the “endgame.” It’s prudent to keep in mind at this time that if you are pursuing a new romantic interest at this time, you may be coming on stronger than you realize. Or at least more transparent in revealing our more selfish, lusty desires that may or may not last beyond the moment. 

Venus in Virgo (Detriment) Trine Uranus in Taurus (Fall): All Work, No Play

Venus in Virgo now makes it difficult to relate. And with no Air signs to mitigate this, we might shy away from relating at all, preferring instead to stay focused on crossing every I and dotting every T. What’s interesting about this Chart is that while the focus, drive and intentions--what we need to DO--are clear to us following this New Moon, the 1st Decan of Virgo tends to be extremely shy and in need of others to reassure them. So while there are little to no symbols showing social focus or focus on others in general, Virgo can be wildly insecure, often needing to surround themselves with like-minded (or at least supportive) others in order to bolster their sense of self-worth. 

With this need to feel self-worth being stifled, it’s as if our efforts to reach out to others either end up with no response at all or amount to naught. Not only is Venus at 11° of Virgo ALL about work with it’s sub-ruler being Saturn, the planet of disciple, rules and isolation.

The fact that Venus in Virgo Decan 2 forms a waning, wide-angle trine to Uranus in Taurus at the same time shows that there’s already been some rocky waters—or at least a couple vague inner rumblings—in the love department by the time this New Moon in Virgo even arrives. With such a heavy emphasis on the element of Earth (Practical, Compartmentalizing, “Doing”) combined with so many planets in Virgo (Work, Servitude, Slavery), it’s clear that not only is this New Moon coming right after Labor Day Weekend in the U.S., when workloads at most jobs typically see a spike in activity and demands, but that these work demands are so urgent and, well, demanding. So much so in fact that while we may begin the month of September ardently working toward our goals, it will likely come at the expense of our relationships and attention to any other important emotions once the Pisces Full Moon arrives on the 14th.

Whether we’ve been drowning in our all-important To Do Lists (Virgo) or working like a well-oiled machine, it’s impossible to focus exclusively on one goal—on one area of life—for too long before we lose sight of the larger picture and begin to question why we’re so focused on accomplishing every task on both our personal and professional plates so urgently (FOREST/TREES, remember?).

Virgo, Change, and the “Nitty Gritty”

But we can’t blame all of this on Virgo: the New Moon’s trine to Uranus in Taurus signifies the equivalent of our lives turning into one big, exhausting game of “Whack-a-Mole.” Uranus is at its worst in Taurus, so while it opens us to new methods of meeting our demands, it’ll likely only create far too many trees in our narrowly focused, goal-oriented “Virgo Anti-Forest.”

Plus, we have to keep mind the fact that this particular Lunar cycle immediately follows the intensely emotional Lunar cycle that came with the Eclipses in Cancer and Capricorn back in July. Because Mercury’s Retrograde period coincided with the Eclipses meant that while there were a TON of changes for everyone in the second half of June through mid-August, many of the “nitty gritty” details were overlooked.

And as Virgo is wise enough to know, if enough of those nasty “nitty gritties” are left undone long enough, soon you’ll end up with quite a mess to untangle. This is what we’re doing with this Virgo New Moon. We’re getting organized, but we have intense work-related demands at the same time, so we’ll be forced to compartmentalize.

How “easy” it feels to compartmentalize depends on the individual (and their Birth Chart of course); but either way, any emotional, social or romantic “situations” will feel extremely taxing physically and mentally right now. There’s just no room for such things. This is how it feels from our perspective now anyway.

Sabian Symbol: “After The Wedding, The Groom Snatches The Veil Away From His Bride.”

In looking at the Sabian Symbol for Venus’ position by degree, it’s uncanny to find that 11° of Virgo is represented by the following: “After The Wedding, The Groom Snatches The Veil Away From His Bride.” (NOTE: Beyonce’s Natal Sun falls at this same exact degree—11° of Virgo).

Wow. Given the debilitated state of Venus at this time, it’s uncanny how literal the image of the Sabian Symbol for Venus in Virgo’s exact degree is a harbinger of the emotional dramas that will come to a head at the Full Moon in Pisces on September 14th.

Not only does it imply a possible rejection but a high level of sensitivity, trickery and perhaps even a feeling of public disgrace or shame within a close romantic partnership or in our social circles—or both.