23.02.24: Full Moon in Virgo
"Perfectionism is a self destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame."
– Brené Brown
Hello, Dear One,
we're awaiting a Full Moon in Virgo that has helped me to see lots of things from an interesting perspective – unfortunately not without some merciless suffering, Virgo style.
Virgo is the perfectionist of the zodiac that wants to make things right. “If I only crack the code and do things right, I'll be spared from pain.” I've been running after this formula for quite some weeks until in these days, I feel I've found some true Virgo medicine that I want to share with you in this love letter.
So, if you're life seems to be a shit show right now and you're not sure what strings to pull to make it better: Stay tuned and get your popcorn ready for some alchemical wisdom I've been harvesting.
This Full Moon occurs on Saturday, 22nd of February, at 5 degrees and 23 minutes of Virgo opposite the Sun at the same degree of Pisces – you'll be mostly affected by it if you have personal planets and points at approximately 1 to 9 degrees of the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces).
VIRGO: IF I FIND THE PERFECT FORMULA, IT'S GONNA BE FINE
Virgo is as crucial as all the other archetypes in the zodiac, but maybe it has an extra spark of importance.
I work with the zodiac as a representation of human consciousness, meaning that every archetype has its own place in the evolution on our path to becoming more conscious beings. In understanding the archetypes, we can reconnect to our own unconscious parts and come closer to integration.
Virgo is the 6th archetype, it closes the first half of the zodiac, the more personal half where we deal with our own self, our family, and our creativity. A time to draw the balance.
The archetype that comes before Virgo is Leo. In Leo, we become aware of our solar light and we want to present it to the world – expecting them to receive us with clapping hands.
In Leo, for the first time, we show ourselves to the world so we need to gather all our self-esteem and courage to go out there. Now imagine, from this perspective of inflated self we would enter a relationship (Libra – which comes right after Virgo).
You see, where I wanna head to? Virgo, being the bridge between Libra and Leo, takes Leo by the hand and tells him that we need to undergo a critical analysis before we are ready to relate.
And this really is what Virgo is about: Cutting through the bullshit and knowing what to toss away in order to create balance when the scales hit in Libra. Because: How can I be ready to relate to another being when I haven't cut through my own bullshit? Big one.
It might sound harsh but this “take-or-toss”-game in Virgo is crucial at this point of the zodiac – and therefore highly important for our evolution. Without Virgo, we'd not be on an equal footing with each other when we meet in Libra.
It's considered to be one of the healer archetypes in the zodiac. And you know what, I agree. I have some kick-ass Virgo friends and whenever I am in trouble, sinking with my emotional Cancer ship into cloudy waters, they lay the cards on the table and organize my shit delicately so I can finally see clearly. That's their healing quality: After all, Virgo is a mutable earth sign.
VIRGO SHADOW: THE UNHAPPY PERFECTIONIST
Virgo caught in the shadow is the perfectionist. As Brené Brown puts it in the opening quote of this love letter: “If I only be a good girl or boy, I'll be spared of all the slaps that life uses to give regularly to all of us.”
If I analyze and organize well, if I take good care and only work hard enough, it's all going to be fine.
So Virgo falls into the trap of pushing harder only to realize that she becomes hard on herself, wanting to make things perfect rather than seeing the beauty of the moment.
Or, to say it with my EA teacher Michael de Baker's words:
"In her self-critical stance, she first creates a critical agent from within. This agent becomes a tape recording with nothing but negative messages about herself on it. At this stage, it is already extremely difficult for Virgo to discern who is criticizing whom. This inner plaintiff she has created, after all, is also me. So, who is accusing who? This problem of not being able to distinguish who is criticizing, who is compounded when Virgo starts taking in criticism from without wholesale. Digesting it along with all the other negative messages already in her intestines, often in an attempt to further self-debase. Interjected guilt therefore is an inner process, like everything in Virgo happens on an inner mental level."
What he says here, explains why Mercury in Virgo is an inner-directed Virgorather than outside-directed Virgo in Gemini – that's the main difference of Mercury being the ruler of both archetypes.
MY PERSONAL VIRGO MEDICINE
Since I believe that the things I am personally going through are somehow mirrored in the collective, I am happy to share a glimpse of my last months and the Virgo medicine that was ripe for me at this Full Moon.
On February 1st, my Berlin apartment went into new hands. It was hard for me to let it go since it has been my refuge for 14 years. Having a Cancer Sun and a Moon in the 4th house (in Aquarius), I was taking way too long for this decision. (Guess, where the conjunction of Venus and Mars in Aquarius is taking place – yep, ON my Moon!).
At the same time, my relationship with my neighbor in Tulum started to turn into a horror show which made me decide to look for a new home in Mexico. It's the 4th time that I have moved somewhere with a neighbor who has issues around addiction, aggressive behavior, and noise.
I decided to take a time-out and travel. I booked a trip to Tepoztlan and found an Airbnb in the mountains without many humans around. After 3 nights, big machines started to construct the neighbor's property with a jackhammer.
HOW BLAME CREATES POWERLESSNESS
When sharing these stories with people, the advice I mostly got, was: “There must be a reason why this is happening to you. It seems you're attracting this.”And although there might be something about what's being sad, it has left me sad, feeling that I'm not doing good enough and I am guilty of what's happening.
I kept thinking if I only tried harder, I might find a solution, I just needed to dig deeper: Maybe the relationship with my father? Maybe I need more therapy?
In all this process, there were only two of my dear friends, who also work with humans (bless them!), that would get me out of the “dig-deeper-attitude” and reminded me that shit happens and sometimes we can't control life, no matter how hard we try.
One of these dear friends, Jette, wrote me one day: “Sometimes the outside is just getting wild which doesn't mean that the inside is a mess too. The crazy belief that we have absolute control over everything by manifesting things the whole time is maybe just a cry for hope to not be at the mercy of life's mystery and to suffocate our fear into self-improvement.”
Wow – those words landed so deeply. “Fuck yes”, I thought. Enough of “What did I do wrong to deserve this?" and “How can I improve myself even more to make this better?”. So I rolled up my sleeves once more, collected my sad parts, and directed all my energy into action and getting out of this house rather than blaming myself for being in it.
In the end, Virgo also teaches us that we have agency, guidance and we're allowed to ask for things we're longing for.
THE VIRGO SOUNDTRACK: NOT ENOUGH.
Why am I telling you all this? It's the Virgo soundtrack. The darkest shadow of Virgo says: “If I only do better, if I only work harder on myself, I will be worthy of love and a lush life”.
Whenever we get lost in an archetype's shadow, we can find a remedy in the opposite archetype – in this case Pisces.
Virgo looks at Pisces and says: “Wait, just one more thing, I think I'm almost there. If I can only improve myself into this, it all will fall into place.” …and with compassion, Pisces looks back at Virgo and answers: “My dear child, love is your birthright. There's nothing that needs to be done, or finished. You are loved just because you exist.”
Isn't that deep? And you know what, it has been my medicine for the past days here at the felt end of the world in some mountains. Having moved three Airbnb's in one week, I arrived at a point of gracefully honoring myself without the self-blame.
Acceptance of my circumstances and acceptance that I haven't done anythingwrong that this is happening in the way it does.
And guess what, the anger and resentment I was holding against myself, dropped aside in this moment magically and made space for some inner peace.
WHAT THE MOON IN VIRGO WOULD ASK TODAY
Today, the Full Moon shining from the heavens in its full intensity would ask you:
Where do you try to control the outside, believing that if you could only do better, it would all unfold?
In what areas of your life do you lead by perfectionism rather than a beginner's mind?
Can you create one situation today that lets you drop more into being rather than doing?
Can you accept what life's throwing at you as an invitation to grow without blaming yourself?
Can you embrace your imposter and ask it kindly to take the passenger's seat rather than drive the ship?
JUPITER IN SYNC WITH THE MOON
Jupiter is giving the Full Moon in Virgo some really nice juice, forming a trinewhich is considered a harmonious aspect in Western Astrology.
After all, Jupiter is the lucky charm, the planet of expansion and a connection to a higher force – it's the ruler of Sagittarius, so there's this sweet voice telling us that it's all going to be fine.
If the Moon represents emotion and Jupiter stands for expansion, then don't doubt yourself if you feel like an emotional rollercoaster these days. You're not alone.
If Jupiter had a voice, it would say to the Moon today:
"Hey Moon, I know it's hard sometimes to be on top of everything. But with my optimism, I can promise you one thing: All this is for something good, and very shortly, you'll see why. And until then, roll up your sleeves and go from reaction into action while enjoying the sweet space in between.”
With lots of hope,
Karina
** header graphic from GIPHY.com
