New Moon: August 30 – September 1st

Moon Cycle: August 30 – September 27  (Full Moon September 14-17)

Key Words: make it happen, excitement, refresh, next steps, energy, new ideas, new projects, inspiration, release the old, embrace the new, action, motivation.

While the new moon in Virgo is one of the most exciting times for those who are looking for a refreshing new start, it can come to us with a touch of melancholy. Yes, summer is over and what a summer it has been. The sun put many aspects of our lives into the spotlight, and for some of us, the glare was a bit too harsh. It’s possible that this summer revealed to you areas of your life that are seriously just no longer serving you anymore. Certain things that we have aligned our personal identities with for years (relationships, jobs, people, roles, Instagram accounts) could have started to feel like inauthentic representations of a new you. There is NO better time than a Virgo new moon to honour that internal change, let go of what is truly and deeply no longer serving you and plant the seeds for a new beginning.

Mars, Venus and Mercury, Oh My!

While all new moons are excellent times for new beginnings, the August 30th new moon falls in close proximity to Mars, Venus and Mercury, each of which will be add a bit of their special and unique magic to the manifestation process. With Mars in our corner, a planet of strong action, we will be motivated to push something new off the ground and get started on a new project or a new life direction. Let the energies of Mars carry you over your fears and into the next phase.

But remember, Mars can be a touch temperamental, so check yourself before you wreck yourself, aka, don’t get TOO impulsive. While we are being provided the energies we need to take the next step, don’t confuse taking action with impulse. Luckily the loving energy of Mercury will be on the sidelines to lend some grounding vibrations, helping to ensure we don’t get too carried away when it comes to assessing risks against positive next steps. Mercury will also lend some clarity to any situations that may have been feeling a little murky in our lives. But we will only be able to access this clarity if we stop and listen.

And whenever Venus is around, so is love. Venus will be in our corner this new moon to lend a healthy dose of love where needed; be it in our relationships or in our attitudes towards our selves. Set new intentions lovingly.

You’ve Been Here Before

But this time, you are more prepared and have a greater vision of where you want to be. As visions and desires for a new life experience have started to transpire for you this summer, you may have felt a tendency to be pulled towards old patterns of resistance. Fears and anxieties surrounding the unknown can have paralyzing affects, especially when we assess where they are coming from. Are your current fears valid or are they remnants of past experiences in your life (or a past life) when you may have encountered a challenging time? Is there any way you can swap those anxieties for excitement? Remember, you deserve good things to happen to you, so don’t let old fears pull you out of alignment.

Put Your Goals Out There

As mentioned above, you may have found this summer that there are some areas in your life that are simply no longer serving you, or require a serious refresh. There is no better time than the Virgo new moon to take the steps towards a new beginning as the energies of manifestation are high. Set aside some time this new moon to put down your goals on paper, on Pinterest, on a vision board, anything that inspires you. Just make sure your goals find a physical place outside of your body so that you can come back to them over the course of this moon cycle and next few months. Be ambitious! Nothing is out of the realm of possibility. Make this the new moon that was the start of the beginning of something beautiful.

Mercury Retrograde Started July 7th, 2019 Ending July 31st, 2019

We’ve all used the Mercury Retrograde excuse; it’s why we’re late, the Internet isn’t working, you broke your toe, etc. When Mercury shifts its direction, it does cause some issues, but honestly, it’s actually not all bad! It’s time to look on the bright side of the Mercury madness and we’re going to tell you why.

What is Mercury in Retrograde?

Four times a year, Mercury goes retrograde which means the planet moves in the opposite direction of the Earth and can create some disorientation down here on Earth. Typically, planets move from east to west around the sun. The phrase “Mercury goes Retrograde” refers to the four times a year when the planet moves from west to east around the sun, giving us on Earth the optical illusion that it is moving backwards.

Think about when you are driving on a highway and pass a car. The other car appears to be moving backwards, but it really is just moving slower than you. That other car is Mercury in this analogy.

What’s All The Hype About?

Mercury is recognized as the planet of communication and logistics. On a modern-day level, this means that we can expect interference in our daily conversations, emails, travels or when we are making plans. It may feel as though we are talking to loved ones and co-workers through a thick static, where messages are getting caught or missed. Technology and travel can be highly effected during this time. Think back to the start of this Mercury Retrograde (July 7th). Did you experience any issues with your travel and technology? Did your TV stop working for no reason? Did you pop a tire?

If you’ve been experiencing computer crashes, mixed messages, tension and uncontrollable emotions, you’re not going crazy and you’re not alone, Mercury is just doing its own thing. But like we said, there’s a positive twist to the mayhem.

3 Reasons Why Mercury Retrograde Actually Rocks:

Today on June 19th, the planets Mercury and Mars team up and directly oppose Pluto in a galactic face off that has tension, fire, volatile energy and conflict written all over it for us here on earth. It’s kind of the Sons of Anarchy gang confrontation equivalent of the planets. Things have the potential to go south and fast.

Mercury rules communication, technology and travel (you know how it goes when Mercury is in retrograde right?) so be prepared for short fuses, bad drivers, traffic delays and misunderstandings. Mars is an actionable planet that is ready to fight at the first call, so this puts our reactionary impulses in overgear. Everyone is stepping on everyone’s toes today and the energy of Mars is pushing us to stake our boundaries with strong defences, fists and fighting words.

Pluto governs our sense of power and domination throwing an actual time bomb in the midst, along with misplaced ambition and ego. This planetary confrontation is intensified by this week’s full moon with a light at the end of the tunnel on Friday as we welcome Summer Solstice.

In short, things could get ugly quickly today. If you’ve felt the energy around you or within intensifying, situations between you and friends or co-workers or your partner getting a bit elevated, or people overstepping their mark on your space both physically and metaphorically (at work, or in the coffee line at Starbucks) you are not alone. The planets are facing off and we’re all feeling the consequences.

Here are some quick tips and tricks for getting through today with grace.

Embrace the Fire and Repurpose It

While we tend to try to push our intense energies down, try leaning into them. With a mindful approach and understanding that how you are feeling today is not really in your control, nor can you do anything about the actions of others, embrace your intensity and put that fire towards accomplishing something great. Lock yourself in your room, avoid others and crush your deadlines. It’s safer inside today anyways, so why not cross some items off your list as your energies are burning inside? Clean your house with gusto. Go for a killer sweaty run.

Avoid Triggers and Reschedule That Meeting 

We always say alignment before hustle right? Sometimes recognizing that you are simply not in a proper mindset to address certain matters, tasks or conversations is the most mindful and responsible thing you can do for yourself. If you are feeling intensely off today, or that there is potential that a certain meeting, phone call, sales pitch or discussion with your client, relationship partner, co-worker or friend is not going to go the way you want it too, then reschedule it. Being mindful of where we are at internally at any given moment and honour it. If we listen to our internal energies and strive to find alignment before action, we will see better results.

Embrace Woo Woo

There are certain practices in the New Age belief system that will help you get grounded and find your centre fast. Turquoise is the perfect stone to have in your presence today for its grounding qualities as well as its connection to the throat chakra, which will aid in communication and confidence. Burning palo santo regularly throughout the day will work to clear any overly intense energies, while the scent will help get you grounded quickly and back in your body if you find your mind is getting carried away with unproductive stories and thoughts.

In short, a bit of mindfulness goes a long way. If you feel tensions and situations are getting out of hand, put a pin in them and come back to them when the planets aren’t at each other’s throats.

Mercury Retrograde Started July 26th, 2018 Ending August 18th, 2018

It’s no coincidence that the final days of Mercury Retrograde (ending on August 18th) coincide with a yin moon phase, and a Crescent Moon phase at that. Yin moon phases indicate that the energy offered from the moon serves us in a receptive manner, as opposed to a  yang phase which serves us in a active manner.

So what does this have to do with the current Mercury Retrograde we are presently experiencing? First thing’s first:

What Is Mercury Retrograde?

Four times a year, the planet Mercury is said to go into Retrograde, meaning that it appears to be moving in an opposite direction from the Earth. Simply put, planets move from east to west around the sun. Mercury in Retrograde refers to the four times a year when the planet moves from west to east around the sun, giving us on Earth the optical illusion that it is moving backwards.

Think about when you are driving on a highway and pass a car. The other car appears to be moving backwards, but it really is just moving slower than you. That other car is Mercury in this analogy.

What’s All The Hype About? 

Mercury is recognized as the messenger of the Gods and the planet of communication and logistics. On a modern-day level, this means that we can expect interference in our daily conversations, emails, travels or when we are making plans. It may feel as though we are talking to loved ones and co-workers through a thick static, where messages are getting caught or missed.

Technology and travel can be highly effected during this time. Think back to the start of this Mercury Retrograde (July 26th). Did you experience any issues with your travel and technology? Did your TV stop working for no reason? Did you pop a tire?

This, of course, can be frustrating and is why Mercury Retrograde gets a bad rap.

What’s Good, Though?

On a woo-woo level, it is said that when Mercury goes into retrograde, he travels deep into the underground of our psyches, opening up the pathway to our base-level human consciousness, offering insight into past experiences and helping us gather information for the next phase in our journeys. Because we move so fast, we rarely have a chance to stop and reflect on how our past stories are shaping our present lives and future experiences.

When Mercury goes into retrograde, we are forced to slow down. Technology and travel will push back, forcing us to go inwards for insight. Your phone’s not working? Take five to meditate and download information from your higher self. Bus is late? Embrace the opportunity for a long, head clearing walk.

Patience is a virtue during this time and one that will be greatly rewarded. When Mercury goes into retrograde, its a time for data-collecting and reflection. Time alone is essential during Mercury Retrograde. You may have tapped into to some key insights about your life direction or relationships during this time. Mercury has a lot to reveal to us, and when it goes into retrograde, we have a greater opportunity to listen.

Making the Most of these Last Few Days

It’s no secret that this has been a super charged summer, one that was extremely transformative, whether you realized it or not. Shifts happened this summer and we are all susceptible to them. We absolutely LOVE the fact that the last few days of the Mercury Retrograde fall in a receptive yin moon phase, the Crescent Moon phase, when are called to stop and breathe into our final intentions of the summer, allowing them to permeate our bodies and minds.

We are invited to take advantage over the next few days of the final insights Mercury can offer us in its last days in Retrograde. Because the planet is retrograding through the fire sign of Leo, we may feel an opposing pull to rush into action. But remember, even Lions know when to lay low and observe, calculating the jungle before making their next move. Lay low over the next few days. Meditate and reflect. And most importantly, listen. The universe has messages for you and Mercury wants to help you receive them.