On March 9 @ 1:48 pm (EDT), we have a Full Moon at 19° of Virgo. Every month the Full Moon symbolizes a time of realizations—a time when issues come to light and any problems we may have ignored at the New Moon come up for resolution. No matter what the situation, every Full Moon is unique, defined by the sign it falls in (Virgo) and the major aspects in the Full Moon chart. 

Virgo Full Moon: Devils in the Details

The Moon in Virgo is much like the “Nagging Mother,” pushing us to focus on the immediate need to be Productive in the Present. The Pisces Sun, in contrast, is the proverbial “Absent Father,” directionless, emotional and desperate to escape. This opposition defines the conundrum all of us are facing as this Full Moon waxes Full on March 9th—only hours before Mercury (finally) turns Direct in Aquarius at later that day @ 11:49 pm (EDT). 

In other words? Your To-Do List has gotten out of control yet you’re too physically exhausted to deal with it; your partner’s snoring that’s been keeping you up every night has gotten on your last nerve yet you’re too tired to have a fight about it; some friend of yours won’t shut up about Politics but you just don’t feel like confronting them about it. 

Maybe Mercury Retrograde in Pisces has been messing with your sleep schedule, making you less productive (or less able) when it comes to Work. If you’ve been physically ill, traveling abroad or generally laying low over the past few weeks, you may notice you feel emotionally isolated or “out of touch” at the time of the Full Moon. 

The concurrence of Mercury’s complete standstill on the same day of the Virgo Full Moon is, on its own, an indicator of mental and physical exhaustion, miscommunication, misinformation and an overarching feeling of Brain Fog. With Mercury in Aquarius in the 8th house of the chart, our minds are wired but tired, obsessive and focused but equally overwhelmed and confused. 

This applies specifically to our feelings and emotional needs surrounding ongoing problems, miscommunications, or recent periods of isolation compromising our ability to function in our immediate environments. We know we need to address blocks in our ability to be productive (Virgo) at home (Moon) as well as the consequences of those disruptions in terms of our ability to function well at Work. But the pressure to avoid is just as intense as the need to “deal.”

Virgo Moon Opposite Neptune in Pisces: Prison Break

There are many possibilities here, but with the Virgo-Pisces axis at play, the point is how to adjust our expectations in order to balance Escapism with Reality.  And with the Sun and Neptune in Pisces opposing the Full Moon in Virgo, you’re extremely sensitive to your immediate environment at this time. So you may be overcome with an urgent need to take control now by making changes to it or escaping it entirely. 

But the theme of this Full Moon is paradoxical, forcing us to fulfill our practical, day-to-day responsibilities (Virgo Moon) while remaining aware of the inner call of Greener Pastures. The term “Escapism” often has a negative connotation. But the Hills are Alive and we want to climb them--plus, we all need a healthy escape once in a while. 

It’s relevant here to keep in mind that this Mercury Retrograde in Pisces began not long after the highly emotional Lunar Eclipse in Cancer on January 10th, which was immediately followed by an intense Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn on January 12th. As a result, this particular Mercury Retrograde has in many ways brought us back to the events of early January that we didn’t “have time” to process then. 

Since February 16th, however, Mercury Retrograde in Pisces has forced us to slow down, whether through illness, travel or periods of emotional isolation. 

And while disconnection with the day-to-day allows us the necessary space to reflect, pause and re-connect with our emotional selves, in the process our To Do lists often become overloaded. The Virgo Moon demands you attend to all the mundane details of life you’ve been avoiding, procrastinating or simply too busy to get to (it is Tax Time after all). 

Sun-Neptune in Pisces: To Speak, or Not to Speak?

Wherever we’ve been avoiding communication, problems will certainly arise; and whatever areas we’ve been devoting too much time or energy to will become sources of emotional strife. It’s as if we’ve inadvertently backed ourselves into quite the corner (or two), as our need to communicate and be productive must be reconciled with the temporary feeling of being paralyzed or tongue-tied in some respect. 

Both Virgo and Pisces—especially with the involvement of Neptune by aspect—are signs associated with Secrets. And with the Full Moon in Virgo in the chart’s 3rd house, in addition to Mercury’s concurrent Station (standstill) before turning Direct, the emphasis on Communication is extremely intense. In a larger, more abstract sense, there’s a conflict (or perhaps more than one) around one central question: to speak or keep quiet?

The Pisces Sun + Neptune has a tendency to bottle emotions. As I mentioned in my Mercury Retrograde Guide, Pisces Decan 2 is ruled by the Moon, making it the most challenging in terms of its ability to deal with any problems and changes in its environment. Ergo, the tendency to “eat our feelings” (or drink them) might be tempting, as we reach for the Ben & Jerry’s rather than say anything out loud about what’s bothering us. 

Aquarius isn’t known for dealing with their own emotions very well (sorry, it’s true) either, thriving on logic; but this Full Moon opposing Sun-Neptune in Pisces forces us to deal with the intense polarization of our feelings. Usually when Mercury is Retrograde in Aquarius as it is now, the result is serious indecision and procrastination. 

This applies specifically to our feelings and emotional needs surrounding ongoing problems, miscommunications, secrets that are compromising our ability to function in our immediate environments. This means the need to address blocks in our ability to be productive (Virgo) at home (Moon) as well as the consequences of those disruptions in terms of our ability to be productive or function well at Work. 

Venus-Uranus in Taurus: Freedom vs. Stability

With Mercury stationing in the late degrees of Aquarius, there are lots of revelations surrounding friendships, exes and our competing need for financial and emotional stability is directly at odds with our fear of losing our freedom. Social Media is highlighted as well, with unexpected communications (or lack thereof) coming through these channels. 

This is because Venus, planet of Love & Money, is exactly conjunct (next to) Uranus in Taurus at this Full Moon. So when you combine Mercury’s station in Aquarius with Venus’ conjunction to Uranus, there’s a high level of tension in relationships that poses potential for causing upheaval in our relationships—both business and personal. We might be fearful of asserting ourselves or revealing some personal truth to someone close to us.

There could be a financial snafu we didn’t expect that we’d rather not share with (significant) others. Someone we thought was a friend might “suddenly” reveal that they have other ideas, or decides to confront us about a long-standing secret or lingering issue. A living situation with someone that’s become untenable might need to be reconsidered. Whether it’s one or all of the above, something needs to be addressed, but we’re scared of alienating others if we don’t meet their demands. 

Hurry Up & Wait For God(ot)

So your To-Do list is stacked and your emotional reservoir, bank account and self-esteem is drained? Well, it might help to know that we’re all exhausted. So having compassion for others as well as ourselves is what’s needed if you want to get through this period without completely isolating or caving into the (perceived) demands of others.

Virgo is the sign associated with Work, Productivity, Daily Routines and Health. So do yourself a favor and acknowledge whatever’s bothering you: that comment your friend made that’s still nagging you, the toilet that keeps running, all the overdue errands and details unattended. But remember to be patient with yourself, too, as you might not be ready to express or act on the Big Picture flaws you’re spotting. 

I realize Patience isn’t easy to come by now, but the wise (if trite) advice to do “One Thing At A Time” is best if you’re looking for a guiding mantra now. That, or just “Let Jesus Take the Wheel.” “Whatever Works.” You get the picture. (Virgo loves all those little quotes and adages; just scroll through any Virgo you know’s Instagram feed and you’ll spot at least 3, I guarantee it). 

Adages aside, there’s a new, creative opportunity on the horizon (Venus-Uranus in Taurus + the 10th house) for those willing to taking it. And while it’ll likely take some time to play out, putting ourselves “out there” is what’ll bring us more Career (read: Financial) Opportunity—so there’s no reason not to reach when it comes to whatever screams “Potential,” even if only in the form of an email written on a whim. Just bear in mind that it’s unlikely anything concrete will take shape until mid-March at the earliest. 

Either way, the solution, way forward or fruits of your labor will come to you, though, likely when you’re least expecting it. So don’t give in completely to the demands of others, which are quite intense competition at the moment. You will be able to go your own way--eventually. But just because all good things come in small packages, in good time, to those who wait, etc., doesn’t mean you can’t (or shouldn’t) express yourself—especially if you know it’ll lighten your (or some else’s) emotional load.  

Because with Mercury at a standstill, normally “easy” tasks have become Monsters in our Closets, yet at the same time the flaws in our long-terms plans are also magnified. Try, though, not to let this eat at you too much, lest it make you end up in a Sugar Coma. 

Because as frustrating as getting your chores done might be, the lack of open and honest communication is ultimately more pressing. We know what we need to say. But how to say it? That’s the Big Kahuna of this Virgo Moon. Because though we’ll likely be tempted to, keeping secrets simply won’t do. For them, or for you.