August’s new moon arrives Saturday the 27th at 4:16 a.m. ET in the sign of Virgo, and according to astrologers, it might have us all feeling a bit uneasy. As astrologer Molly Pennington, Ph.D. explains, Venus (the planet of love) is opposing Saturn in retrograde, while Mars (the planet of action) is in Gemini, squaring the moon.
So what?, you might be asking. In simple terms, this is going to create mounting tension, with the potential for a lot of mental unrest. As astrologer Jennifer Racioppi tells mbg, “This new moon is going to kick up insecurities in the mind. The mind is likely to go into overdrive if we let it, so the invitation is to return to sacred values and practices within.”
The good news is, this tension has the potential to pay off in the long term. Mars will be in Gemini for the next seven months, Pennington explains, so the seeds planted now can have lasting effects. “There’s a real chance to get things done, and Mars allows that kind of impetus to jump in and be spontaneous,” she notes.
Virgo is, after all, is a sign that’s all about making practical adjustments in the name of self-improvement. Racioppi explains that the focus at this time will be on returning to your sense of center, as well as your sense of service—observing details, adjusting, and realigning. “Virgo is mutable, and that means it’s preparing us for change, and it’s an earth sign, so that means it’s practical. So these are practical changes that we’re being asked to make to acclimate with the changing of the seasons,” she says.
