I’m going to take a break from the series on the new Plutons until the International Astronomers Union votes on whether the new proposal will take place since there is still quite a bit of debate. Meanwhile, we are in the shadow of the New Moon which occurs August 23 at 3:10 pm in Virgo.

But first, we see the introduction of Mercury (communication) to the upcoming opposition of Saturn (building forms) and Neptune (dissolving forms) which will be exact on August 31. Mercury conjuncts Saturn this week, where it wants to crystallize (Saturn) ideas and concepts despite the pull of Neptune into the realm of imagination and ideas. This can be a powerful time for creative (Neptune) writing (Saturn), or writing on topics of a spiritual or transformative (Neptune) nature. Writing connects the communication urge of Mercury with the discipline and structure of Saturn and is a key to navigating this period.

Venus squares Jupiter on August 22 (a challenging aspect between the planet of relating and the planet of expansion and opportunity) which may give us a tendency towards self-indulgence, although Venus is simultaneously approaching a conjunction to Saturn which will encourage responsibility and duty. However, the conflict here between Jupiter’s expansiveness and Saturn’s restrictions could create problems in our personal relationships for a few days.

The New Moon occurs in the first degree of Virgo on August 23, signifying the moment of the Sun’s entry into Virgo. Virgo is a practical and cautious sign, concerned with matters of health, service, and organization. New moons are times of beginning, when the solar conscious principle works in concert with the lunar instincts, and this New Moon marks the transition point from the solar focus in Leo which is all about the glory of the Self to humble Virgo which is more concerned with duty and tends to disregard and dislike the large expressions of ego that Leo tends toward. We have a shift in tone here that could tend to subdue some of the violence that we’ve seen over the past couple of months.

This New Moon will be the perfect time for beginning a new health and exercise regime (Virgo is concerned with the mind/body connection and matters of the physical body). If you’ve been wanting to begin volunteering at the local hospital or animal shelter or serving your community in some other way, the energy is there to support that now. Virgo is also concerned with the small rituals that make up the mundane reality of human existence as well as other rituals that connect the mind, body and spirit, making this an excellent time to begin new patterns of behavior.

The trine of Jupiter to Uranus is approaching the end of its cycle (the exact trine is August 29), and will add confidence help to facilitate resolutions to any problems that arise as a result of the minor but difficult planetary interactions at the end of the month; however, the approaching opposition between Saturn and Neptune is exact on August 31, so there may be considerable confusion as well as a sense of victimization if you have a tendency to play the victim role. If you find yourself losing your balance, step back and strike a balance in your life between quiet reflection and meditation (Neptune) and fulfilling your role in society (Saturn). The key now is to balance these two processes in order to find the truth that lies between them.

The trine of Mercury to Pluto on August 24 will help to expose the deeper (Pluto) meanings (Mercury) and resolve any disputes that have arisen as the result of the Mars/Uranus conflicts described above. Pluto wants to get to the root of the problem and effect a real solution, making this an excellent time for conflict resolution. The conjunction of Venus to Saturn on August 26 and opposition to Neptune on August 27 introduces Venus to the Saturn/Neptune dance. Venus in conflict with Neptune tends to overromanticize a situation and can make it difficult to see things as they really are, and the conjunction from Saturn may create a challenge that forces us to a clearer vision of our reality.

This is a time of recovery and preparation – September will add some challenging eclipses and other dynamic planetary events that will encourage change and evolution but for now we get a break. Enjoy it, use this New Moon to let go of old patterns that no longer serve you and begin anew.