And now we transition into darkness. There’s something bittersweet about Virgo season. The last stretch of summer, it often feels more like a long goodbye than a celebratory sendoff. In many parts of the world, the heat waves of Leo slowly give way to cooler nights. A liminal space trapped between past and present. Not fully summer. Not yet fall. Even the bounty of Virgo’s harvest carries a certain anxiety: Will the work of summer’s growing season yield enough crops to sustain us through the winter?
Virgo offers a moment for reflection as we prepare for the descent into autumn. Will what was created in the joyous throws of summer carry us into the quiet of darkness? What remains to be finished? What parts to indulge in now—and what to save for later?
Stepping out into the sky, this feeling of future anticipation was heightened when the greater benefic Jupiter slipped back into Pisces from mid May to late July, offering a preview period of what’s to come when Jupiter marches back into Pisces in January 2022. Layered atop the usual concerns of Virgo season, there is the added question of how to best make use of Jupiter's final sojourn through Aquarius, as it won’t return to this place in our charts for another twelve years.
And of course I would be remiss if I did not discuss the current state of the sky without mentioning the tensions between Saturn and Uranus, and the epic struggle between structure and upheaval that has defined much of 2021 and will continue to define 2022. In late December, shortly before Jupiter’s ingress into Pisces, Saturn and Uranus will make a final square, lighting up the sky and our lives in unexpected and, possibly, shocking and awesome ways.
Which is all to say that this Virgo season carries a great weight. As we shift our gaze towards winter, the need to savor the last bits of summer come with a heightened urgency. No moment can be ever repeated, but there is the looming feeling that the changes ahead are bigger than any of us can imagine.
What follows is as much a mantra to carry you through the season as it is a guide to what lies ahead—perhaps more so. As always, read for your rising sign. Or, if you insist, your sun or moon sign. Ideally read all three and hold onto that which grabs you.
ARIES
It’s likely the last few years have brought a significant change in consciousness to how you see yourself and the world sees you. As you settle into the new you, another set of questions arise: Who are your friends and allies? What supports you? Financially? Emotionally? What daily rituals and habits nourish and strengthen you? Acknowledge the questions and the answers will follow.
TAURUS
The wonderful thing about having your life torn apart at the seams is that you get to put it back together however you like. Sure, it may not feel that way at the moment, which is why repeating a mantra every morning such as “I am in control of my destiny” can be a liberating act. As is utilizing the chaotic energy of the cosmos to create something solid and lasting. Like a piece of art or a baby, if that’s your thing.
GEMINI
It’s worth considering that for many parts of the world, “back to school” time corresponds with the Sun’s passage through Mercury’s home of critical thinking. Regardless of your student status, take this time to settle into the darker months with a good book—or a pile of them. If you reach the point of existential crisis, consider yourself lucky. Reality was made to be broken.
CANCER
Sadness is a completely rational response to the end of summer. Especially if your sign kicks off the season. I know, I know, fall doesn’t officially commence until Libra season, but the end is clearly in sight. And that’s enough to send any crab into a full on nostalgia fest. Is it a coincidence that crabby is a synonym for cranky?
LEO
When the King Falls Off Their Throne might not be the worst title for the chapter of your autobiography that started in late December 2020. Not to assume that life isn’t awesome for you right now, but I suspect there may be challenges—and that these challenges may be heightened by the end of your month’s reign. Leo season is over, but you will rise again. You always do.
VIRGO
"Where there is great power there is great responsibility,” said Winston Churchill. Although the phrase can just as easily be attributed to some forgotten character from the French Revolution or the writer Stan Lee whose famous comic book character, Spider Man, popularized an abbreviated version “With great power comes great responsibility.” The point is: Be kind to us, Virgos, and help us navigate this terrain only you know so well.
LIBRA
You are a traveler preparing for a long journey home. Down, down, into the Underworld where you will light up the dimly lit days with thoughtful conversation and genuine concern for others. Now is the time for packing your bags—for composing grocery lists and guests lists, for the dinner season ahead. Make sure to pack some bath salts. And a good book. And some incense. What’s good? What’s bad? This too shall pass.
SCORPIO
Maybe you’re moving across the country or world. Maybe you just started a new relationship. Or ended one. And then immediately started a new one. Maybe you just got elected President of your Block Club. Or fell out with a group of friends. The world is full of possibilities! Some are more pleasant than others. It’s the change that tears you apart. But, remember, if there’s one sign of the Zodiac who can wade through emotional trash and come out roses, it’s you, Scorpionic one.
SAGITTARIUS
I know a Sagittarius rising who likes to leave the country when he’s feeling restless. If he stays in one place too long, his mind gathers anxiety that shoots to his legs. They just have a mind of their own. Twin zombies marching away from his body. His panicked appendages keep him up all night frantically twitching. It’s sort of amusing to watch. Terrible to sleep beside. And agonizing to experience. He says meditation helps. And edibles.
CAPRICORN
Have you ever had a brilliant idea, painstakingly thought through every detail, and then realized you just don’t have the budget to execute? Perhaps you have the budget, but it will cut into your savings, and, by extension, physical and emotional security. Or someone is offering funding, but it comes at the cost of creative freedom. Or this is a metaphor for I don’t know what. Whatever the case, you don’t have to make a decision now. Unless you do. In which case, trust your intuition to guide you.
AQUARIUS
As the Zodiac’s visionary, the one who most clearly sees how things are and how things should be, I assign you the task of reaching out to your fellow fixed sign friends to start a support group. Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus and Sagittarius unite! This year's transits may feel extra personal, with issues of self and foundation brought to the fore. Why not reinvent yourself as a therapist? The quickest way to forget your troubles is to listen to someone else’s.
PISCES
Soon enough it will all be over. This hour. This day. This year. This life. Everything that ends will inevitably dissolve into the watery realms of eternal being that is your happy space, Pisces. Everything crosses you before it emerges into form again. It can be a lot. Your pull is so irresistible that even friends and partners may try to merge with you. Practice being fluid without losing yourself.
