The New Moon at 11’04 Virgo is exact on Monday September 2nd at 9:55pm EDT- commencing a new Lunar Cycle that focuses on work, service, health, well being and discernment. This New Moon takes us into the Eclipse portal- with the Full Moon in Pisces on September 17th being a Partial Lunar Eclipse. Eclipse portals are amplified New Moons and Full Moons that align with the Nodes of Destiny and Karma. As such the coming couple of months can be extra potent and intense- with destiny calling us forward and the karmic past asking us to deal with or complete things that need to be left behind.
This New Moon is opposite Saturn and square Jupiter- triggering the Jupiter/Saturn squares we are in the midst of (the first was August 19th). This can bring in reality checks and clarity around where our own growth and/or pruning edge is calling us forward. Jupiter says to go for it, Saturn says to rein it in. Discerning what is the baby to keep and what is the bathwater to dump is required. With Saturn in Pisces we need to take off the rose colored glasses and SEE CLEARLY. With Jupiter in Gemini we have to come back to Beginner’s Mind and be willing to learn new things and see things that may challenge our previous beliefs and ideas around Truth. This New Moon can really bring focus to what the Jupiter/Saturn squares are asking of us personally and collectively.
The Sun/Moon conjunction is widely conjunct Vesta and Vesta is at the New Moon degree at the time of the Full Moon Eclipse later in the month- putting Vesta the Priestess asteroid Goddess of devotion and focus is in the spotlight. What are we devoted to or focused on? Are we devoted to health and well being? Are we devoted to being of service? Or are we devoted to judgement, criticism, neurosis? Are we holding ourselves back from being focused on what matters? Are we all over the place bouncing from idea to idea or thing to thing without the earthy, grounded commitment required of us for self mastery?
There is a Grand Earth Trine in the New Moon chart formed between the Sun/Moon/Vesta conjunction in Virgo, Ceres the Great Mother who just stationed Direct in Capricorn on August 26th and Hygeia the Goddess of Healing and Wholeness who stationed Retrograde on August 28th. So much Goddess energy in this Grand Earth trine is quite amazing- bringing into form and embodiment the principles and archetypes of the Divine Feminine. Vesta the Priestess, Ceres the Mother and Hygeia the Healer are showing us what need our devoted focus and healing. In Earth signs we can apply this to work, career, physical health, finances and other mundane aspects of life.
There is a triple conjunction of Venus, Black Moon LIlith and Juno all in Libra on the South Node of Karma in the New Moon chart. Karmic patterns of sweeping things under the carpet, not wanting to stand up or speak up, or maintaining appearances at any cost can be amplified right now. Turning points in relationships, career and family situation could arise- with a need to take action, initiate or set things into motion. This is not the kind of astrology to just sit on the sidelines passively waiting for someone else to do something.
The most striking part of the chart to me is the New Moon’s conjunction to the Fixed Star Zosma. Zosma is in the Lion Constellation and is the star by the rump of the Lion. Solar fire gives keywords ‘A victim or savior’ for this star. We are told Zosma means “loin cloth’ implying the Lion had a loin cloth on. But actually the name is feminine in Greek and means “girdle”. There are other stars in this constellation that speak to braids and curls- there clearly is a feminine energy to this lion and he may have been a she anciently.
We are told this is the Nemean Lion- the one that Hercules slayed during his 12 labors. If we dig into the history of the Nemean Lion we find out this Lion’s father was sometimes seen as the male serpent Typhon whose wife was Echidna a woman with a snake body for her lower half. On the ceiling of Dendera you see the Lion standing on a serpent that is holding him up like a boat- this serpent is Hydra the female water serpent that is beneath the Lion constellation below the ecliptic (Hydra is a child of Echinda). The Nemean Lion was said to be raised by Selene the Moon Goddess- and so we quite a bit of feminine energy surrounding the Lion (not to mention he is sandwiched between Virgo the Virgin and Cancer the sign of the Mother and crab).
Zosma is by the rump of the tail- the place it was said that Heracles attacked and broke the back of Lion before killing it. On the Zodiac panels of Dendera in Egypt we see that the lion’s tail is being held by a woman. The ancient name for Zosma was Wadha meaning Wise and is said to be connected to the Virgin Mary (Bernadette Brady talks about this).
I did some deeper research on Nemea- the root word of the Nemean Lion. Nemea was the name of a place and is said to have been named after a nyad nymph of the spring who was named Nemea. She was a daughter of Asopos- the God of the River. She had 9 or 12 or 20 sisters (myths vary) and Zeus and Poseidon both have stories of abducting and raping some of her sisters. These are mythic stories explaining the dominant patriarchal power taking over the previous matriarchal people- often done in violent ways involving rape, killing and taking by force- both in body and in land.
Sisyphus the poor guy who gets punished by pushing a rock up a hill for eternity actually gets in trouble because he sees Zeus rape and capture one of the sisters and tells on him (I believe the stories we hear more modernly that he was an evil king who killed his guests was made up to make him look bad and re-write his myth to frame him). Sisyphus etymologically means “wise and clever”- later called crafty to imply he used his wisdom for trickery.
What is interesting is that Nemea’s father Asopos was said to be ‘the first earth-born king of Sicyonian land’ and his parents were Oceanus and Tethys. They were the parents of Metis- Wisdom and Athena the Goddess of Wisdom. Clearly there is a wisdom current in this family line! Further Asopos was said to be a powerful and wise god, who was known for his ability to foretell the future. He was just and fair and was respected and revered by his people and the people of the surrounding regions. This makes me think of the ancient name for Zosma- Wadha the Wise.
Another ‘earth-born king’ was Cecrops- a mythical king of Athens who was also born from the earth itself- with his top half shaped like a man and the bottom half a serpent or fish-tail form (sounds like Echidna). He was the founder and first king of Athens and taught the Athenians marriage, reading, writing and ceremonial burial. He forbade the sacrificing of any living creatures (human or animal) and taught the people how to make offerings to the Divine through cakes. He taught the people navigation, justice and how to live in community.
These two beings- Asopos and Cerops- both of whose names are not of Greek origin- are said to be ‘born of the earth’ with stories of them being part snake and being very wise. Which brings me back to the Lion Constellation standing on a snake. These snake people were wise and just teachers of humanity and then the patriarchal war god cultures came and slaughtered them and took over. As such Zosma as a star is said to be associated with victims- the forgotten, abused, targeted and marginalized.
Bernadette Brady has this to say about this star- “Zosma is the place on the back of the Nemean Lion where Hercules crushed it. This myth is a symbol of the point in Greek and Roman mythology where the feminine, or rather, where non-establishment concepts or beliefs were extinguished. Zosma itself is not feminine (I DISAGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT) but rather it belongs to those whom the establishment, either directly or indirectly, makes powerless. Generally it does not belong in the charts of the rich and famous, unless they become such a victim. However, it is present in the charts of victims, of people who are abused by the system. It is not an evil star but its presence means that the particular planet with which it is connected will potentially be abused in some way. The planet in your chart that is involved with Zosma [by paran] will potentially suffer. It may be through naivety, allowing you to be led into a victimising situation, or you may work with these issues as a social worker or care-giver in some way. This is not a star of glory and fame but rather of the invisible work of dealing with the victim, either in oneself or in one’s work.”
This star is associated with those who “willingly enter into dangerous situations” and are “willing to make sacrifices” or willing to be a victim in order to take a stand for something or someone. WOW!
Now looking at the New Moon in Virgo- the sign of service and selflessness- with Vesta the Priestess Goddess of Devotion and focus- Zosma adds another layer. I believe we need to reclaim the Wise Feminine energy of this star and also the wisdom and purity of the lost ancient cultures whom the modern Greek and Roman myths demonize, call evil or crafty, and say they are evil. I believe these were re-writes of older myths and of an older culture that had leaders who were wise, just, kind and did not treat the earth and its people like something to consume and conquer.
For me this New Moon conjunct Vesta and Zosma is about more people standing up for Truth and being wiling to make sacrifices in order to bring healing and wholeness back to the land and the people.
Many of the most ancient cultures have stories of Serpent people who were wise and just and kind. The stories talk about how they taught humanity the arts, language, and other technologies. I feel in the symbol of the Lion standing on the Serpent with the woman holding its tail (as seen on the Dendera ceiling and Zodiac panels) a symbol of the King (Lion) sourcing from/coming from the Serpents of Wisdom (the primoridial Mother in the form of the female water serpent Hydra) and being guided by the Wise Feminine that is holding his tail. In the Bible and Kabbalah- Wisdom is seen as a Goddess in the form of Sophia. It makes sense that kings and rulers would align with the Divine Feminine because she was the bearer and bequeather of wisdom- and you cannot serve a country or a people successfully without having wisdom (which is part of the issue with the worlds leaders today!!!)
I also feel into this victim/savior dynamic that Zosma speaks to. In any dynamic like that there is a polarity. Victim vs Perpetrator. There is also the polarity of Victim vs the Savior that comes into to try to save them. In this you can also see the drama triangle (which is an actual psychological model) that plays out with victim or wounded one, perpetrator or wounder, and the savior or rescuer. I feel into this triangle and I keep feeling that there is a 4th position that needs to come in. What is this 4th position?
A 4th position would make the triangle into a square. The square is a symbol for earth and the earth-born kings were part serpent and were wise, fair and just. Perhaps we need them to step back in to take us out of triangulation and the human drama of kill or be killed, victim/tyrants, winners losers. Perhaps it’s a higher capacity in each of us that creates this 4th position or 4th condition? Maybe we need leaders ‘born of the earth’ and in service to the Divine Feminine to be in charge. Of course these are top down ideas- what about bottom up? What can we each do individually to contribute to the collective shift that is necessary?
Interestingly the Sabian Symbol for this degree seems to point to the answer. The degree for 12 Virgo states “After the wedding, the groom snatches the veil away from his bridge”. Dane Rudhyar says “ In ancient cosmologies the male god often appears in three roles as son, husband and father of the woman element of nature.” I think in part this is part of the problem. The trinity as son, husband, father is all masculine. There is one feminine energy and the balance of the two is missing.
I personally feel with all my heart and Soul that the return of and restoration of the Divine Feminine is key to healing and to humanity’s evolution. Just as he is son, husband and father to her- she is also daughter, wife and mother to him. The balance needs to be restored. In the ancient stories relayed above- the ‘earth-born kings’ were devoted to the feminine through their commitment to being wise, just and kind. The feminine is not just about gender it is about how we move and act in life.
The Sabian Symbol veil imagery also reminds me of Apocolypsia- the Greek word for Apocalypse. Its literal translation is ‘lifting of the bridal veil’. It means revealing what is hidden. This involves seeing clearly (discernment), seeing through illusion and facing the Truth. It also means seeing the Divine Feminine in all her glory- not as a victim or a savior or a perpetrator- but as the missing element to truly be able to live peacefully in the world. Insights to tap into and work with in this New Moon in Virgo cycle!
Have a blessed New Moon <3
~Harmony
If you enjoy learning about the pre-patriarchal myths and what was there before you can get my StarGate Mystery School year and a day course on demand here- https://divineharmony.com/stargate-mystery-school/
A great article about Zosma can be found here- https://zyntara.com/zosma-the-broken-back-of-the-lion-a-lever-for-change/
The Lunar Gate Call was posted on Saturday 8/31 here- https://divineharmony.com/lunar-gate-calls/ The Lunar Horoscopes will be up by the New Moon. Gate Calls and Horoscopes are membership content. You can sign up to become a member here- https://divineharmony.com/become-a-member/
SABIAN SYMBOL
by Dane Rudhyar
PHASE 162 (VIRGO 12°): AFTER THE WEDDING, THE GROOM SNATCHES THE VEIL AWAY FROM HIS BRIDE.
KEYNOTE: The penetrating and unveiling power of the trained mind.
In contrast to the preceding symbol we have now a scene stressing a physical action with psychological and/or spiritual overtones. In ancient cosmologies the male god often appears in three roles as son, husband and father of the woman element of nature. Nature is fulfilled by the human mind and will that overcome her; she resists only better to be subdued by the power that transcends her, and by transcending her gives her a spiritual meaning. The element of “training” in the symbolic scene comes from the fact that there has been a marriage ritual; thus the sociocultural factor is in the background. The teacher-guru is here the priest who has performed the ritual.
At this second stage the rules are reversed, the masculine element assuming the dynamic positive part in the great play of polarity. The masculine act balances the feminine dream visualization. The Keyword is UNVEILING. There can also be an unveiling of mysteries, long protected by secrecy.