On March 14th, at 1:54 a.m. CDT, the full moon in 24° Virgo opposes the Sun in Pisces, activating a total lunar eclipse.
We meet a potent threshold at this time, signaling a period of karmic reckoning, release, and purification.
During a lunar eclipse, the full moon gradually dims and darkens as it passes beneath the Earth’s shadow, rousing our emotional body and increasing our awareness of unconscious patterns and fears.
What has been buried emerges now in order to be witnessed, relinquished, and integrated.
Veils of illusion come down and we see things more clearly for what they are.
“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”
Paulo Coelho
This lunar eclipse aligns with the South Node in Virgo which corresponds to what we are letting go and integrating. There is a revelation of what we have outgrown, and we also have the realization that in order to progress, we need to examine the past.
We may have unfinished business that needs to be tended to. What is distracting or hijacking our energy and time? What needs to be cleaned up so that we can move forward into the next stage of our growth?
There may be a tendency now to exert much of our energy toward old ways of thinking. This cycle asks us to declutter our minds, our schedules, our physical space, or our energy that has blocked us from moving forward. We are being asked to examine the patterns in our minds so we can see the events in our lives from a broader perspective.
Eclipse cycles occur every 19 years. The last time there was a lunar eclipse in this degree of Virgo was on March 14, 2006. Looking back to that time, what themes were emerging? What were we learning in relation to our value in intimate relationships? What was being reorganized in our lives for new growth? What was being purged to make room for new beginnings? What was our relationship to self-care?
Mercury, the ruler of this eclipse, is stationing retrograde and, along with Venus, will be moving back into Pisces, aligning with the North Node. This stellium in Pisces highlights endings and completion. Mercury stations retrograde on March 15th at 9° Aries 35′.
“I’m breaking with old patterns and moving forward with my life.”
bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions
This cosmic weather brings pattern interruptions that shake up our daily routine in order to investigate what isn’t working. Through this, we will be able to see what is coming to completion and to create space for the new paradigms ahead.
To support our well-being, it is helpful now to take our self-care routines seriously, implementing holistic systems that allow us to nurture the transformation we are in.
We also need to ask ourselves how we are spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically handling the collective shifts on the planet?
“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.”
Hermann Hesse
The Virgo/Pisces Polarity
Virgo rules our daily habits and routines that form the foundation for our overall health and well-being. This archetypal energy brings our attention to what requires organization, integration, and purging.
Virgo also corresponds to the ways in which we improve, develop, and refine our skills, teaching us discernment so that we can heighten our perception.
The shadow of Virgo arises when we get lost in trying to achieve a perfect form or ideal that may keep us in a state of procrastination and avoidance from sharing ourselves and our sacred work. We don’t need to have it all together before we can show up. Through this sign, we learn that there truly is value in our efforts, and that value is recognized through our commitment and dedication to be present and do what we can.
Pisces is associated with compassion, faith, and our connection to the divine. When we access this archetypal energy, we open to a state of unity consciousness that flows through all life. Pisces energy reminds us of what is truly meaningful and recognizes the divine within all of us. Tuning into our inner voice and authentic sense of timing guides us to follow where our mystic heart calls us to serve. The shadow side of Pisces shows up in addiction, codependence, and escapism. This sign reminds us that we are a soul having a human experience and we thrive when engaging life through our mystical heart.
“I think God is on Earth, inside every living being. What we call ‘the divine’ is none other than the energy of awakening, of peace, of understanding, and of love, which is to be found not only in every human being, but in every species on Earth.”
Thích Nhất Hạnh
In working with this polarity, we must bring balance between our rational mind and our intuition. When we rely solely on logistics, we may find ourselves overly ruminating or in analysis paralysis, losing sight of the bigger picture.
As an earth sign, Virgo likes to have a plan, know all the details, and what things will look like. We may want proof of how things will work, out as the unknown stirs up anxiety, but Pisces teaches us about faith. We may think we need evidence, but we are asked to step into the void. If we are trying to force things, we may not get the results that we desire. We are asked to reflect on the bigger picture of our soul’s intention.
This eclipse invites us to remember that everything that is arising is part of a much bigger cosmic cycle and is meant to help us align with the next stages of our destiny. Whatever brings us worry, we can offer it up to the divine.
Our Embodied Wisdom
Our intuition can be subtle and easily overridden or overpowered by our mental chatter or outside distractions. Our body speaks to us through physical symptoms, to inform us about what we truly need. This is an important time to bring awareness back into our bodies and tune into our bodies’ wisdom.
In Virgo, we are learning the importance of tending to our nervous system and creating the structures and routines that support our self-care. What messages are speaking to us from our embodied wisdom? What do we need in order to take better care of ourselves? What transformation is our intuitive voice telling us is vital right now? We are asked to trust in the process and attune to the bigger cycle that is shifting and accept that it is okay if we don’t know all the details about what comes next.
“The right decisions feel clear, not forced. Trust how your path is unfolding and choose what feels right again and again.”
Cory Allen
The Invitation
This cycle brings a shift in priorities, values, and new ways of thinking. Things we once thought were important may no longer feel like they will stand the test of time.
The area of life where Virgo falls in our charts is where we are set free. What is calling our souls forward? What brings us to life? What changes feel right and true for us? We must find ways to give ourselves space to reflect. This is an important time of reclaiming our energy so we are more aware and intentionally responsive to life’s changes.
“You will face your biggest challenge when you are on the precipice of your greatest power.”
Caroline Myss
We practice compassion and discernment. If there are any setbacks, we must get curious about our patterns and what hasn’t been working. We are called to uplevel in our lives and to value ourselves enough to honor what is truly shifting and unfolding, trusting that is for our highest good.
We are experiencing a shift in perspective and a change of priorities that enables us to resolve or let go of something that has felt like it has been standing in our way for the last six months. This full moon clarifies our perception, allowing us to see what is ending and to release what doesn’t align with our souls’ intention.