New Moon in sign of the Maiden

 

On the 7^th September, at 2:51 am, the Sun and Moon will line up together in the sky in what we know as a New Moon. Anyone who likes plants will know that sowing seeds happens between now and the Full Moon – such is the knowledge that has been handed down to us by our forefathers, who in their wisdom paid attention to the night skies. New Moons mean new beginnings, a time to plant seeds, and, metaphorically, a time to set a new intention.

This New Moon occurs in the zodiac sign of Virgo. Virgo is the sixth astrological sign of the zodiac, and is the only female represented in the zodiac. The Ancient Egyptians represented her in the famous Denderah Zodiac at the Temple of Abydos, and they saw her as the goddess Isis[1], the wife of dead Osiris and mother of the god Horus. Virgo, which means ‘maiden’ in Latin, was seen by the ancients as carrying a sheaf of wheat in her hand. She is the archetype of the goddess of the harvest; the early Arabs called her the ‘Innocent Maiden’, the Greeks associated her with Demeter, goddess of the harvest. In the northern hemisphere, she is associated with the gathering of the harvest and also the cycles of the seasons, full of promise.

This New Moon in Virgo on Tuesday has an interesting connection. The planet Venus makes a connection with the fixed star Spica. 

I love fixed stars. I’ve been fascinated with them and often used to wonder why the ancients were so taken with them. Thankfully, much research has been done and we have discovered (or re-discovered!) lost knowledge. The Ħaġar Qim temple is not only aligned to mark the solstices and equinoxes, but new research shows that they marked the movements of fixed stars. It is easy to figure out that we see different constellations in the sky at different times of the year. In autumn and winter months we see the mighty Orion and the Pleaides in the night sky, which we do not see in the summer.  So, if you look at the evening sky this week, you might notice that the planet Venus low on the horizon and in the west. You might also see a star, the brightest star in Virgo, and that is Spica. This star represents the knowledge that humans possessed to bring in the wealth of a harvest. According to Bernadette Brady, a scholar on fixed stars, this knowledge could be represented in modern times as a silicon chip. According to her, Spica, the wheat sheaf, “is the symbol of knowledge and insights which are respected” (p.273).

So how would the ancients have put together this information, and how may we interpret it in a modern context? Well, a New Moon is just that; a new beginning, a time to make plans, to sow seeds. Venus is the sign of the maiden (this is how we see her in the sky at the moment) and bestows great acumen, attention to detail and great thinking and social skills. Spica speaks of a wealth of knowledge. Use your knowledge to your benefit, be curious, ask questions and get informed. This is a powerful feminine energy which, if we think of this as a time of sowing seeds, will blossom beautifully later on. 

New Moon blessings to all!

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[1] Brady, B. (1998). Fixed Stars, Weiser Books.