On the same day we begin earthy and organized Virgo Season, we also have a New, or Dark, Moon, acting as a spiritual and astrological threshold into Fall. For those who walk with the Wheel of the Year, Autumn begins around Lughnasadh and the Lion’s Gate. I often think of Lion’s Gate as the final roar of Summer. Sometimes the breath is long and steady, carrying warmth deeper into the season, and other times it is brief, fading quickly as cooler winds slip through. I myself am a Virgo Ascendant, so these passages always feel like a return to a part of myself in some way. Virgo invites honesty, discipline, and recalibration just as we grow accustomed to the warmth, intensity and charismatic relaxation of Leo’s fiery reign.

This year’s Virgo New Moon on August 23rd is especially powerful and poetic. The Sun and Moon both cross into Virgo on this day, and it is the first of two Virgo New Moons in succession-the next one is a Solar Eclipse in Virgo on September 21st, so she’s doing some pretty heavy lifting to help us prepare for 2026. It also falls at a critical degree, which amplifies Virgo’s lessons and makes them harder to overlook. With Virgo, those lessons often show up in health, routines, work, and purpose. But Virgo is not simply about tidying or improving systems. It is the archetype of sacred service, discernment, and healing.

Probably the most popular and enduring association with Virgo is the connection to Demeter, Greek goddess of the harvest and earthly abundance. The Greeks told the story of Persephone, Demeter’s beloved daughter, being taken to the underworld by Hades, as a reason for the changing seasons. Demeter, bereft of her beloved daughter, couldn’t bear to share the fruits of the land in her grief, which is why we relate the darker, colder months where less and less grows until Winter is upon us with Persephone’s descent and her mother’s yearly sadness. Her story reminds us that growth and loss are inseparable, and that tending the field is as holy as gathering the harvest. Under this New Moon we are invited to recalibrate, to ask which parts of life need clearing away and which require more devoted care. Virgo is also associated with the goddess of justice and purity, Astraea, also, but she’s less popular and so not as often called upon when dealing with Virgo energy in modern times.

I know Virgo’s perfectionism well, because it rises in my own chart. Coupled with my Aries Sun and Sagittarius Moon, it can be, well, a lot. The fire in me wants to move, explore, and act quickly, while Virgo insists that things be done thoroughly and with precision. At times it feels like being pulled in two directions: the urge to leap forward without hesitation, and the inner critic who says, “Not yet, it’s not ready.” And all too often, my Virgo perfectionism never thinks we’re ready, so my Aries fire has to take the reins and make things happen, but the push and pull is very real! So for me, and anyone else who can relate, this New Moon is a reminder that Virgo’s discipline does not have to cage or quell the fire. Instead, it can shape and guide it, creating focus where there might otherwise be only sparks or a smolder. Virgo, in its higher form, is not here to stifle us, but to remind us that intention, dedication and follow-through can help us serve the greater good-be it our own passions and pursuits or our role in the collective.

Jupiter in Cancer adds a sense of vision, encouraging us to believe in the long arc of change. While Virgo teaches us to refine, edit, and discipline ourselves, Jupiter in Cancer reminds us that growth cannot happen without care. This transit encourages us to dream in ways that are rooted in belonging, family, and emotional security. It is less about achievement for its own sake and more about creating something that can hold and sustain us over time. Even the smallest adjustment now can echo forward for months. Think of antlers forming slowly, or seeds resting in the soil before they emerge into light. Virgo teaches that transformation doesn’t have to be loud or sudden, it can be quiet and cumulative, the result of patient attention.

At the same time, Uranus forms a square to this moon cycle, stirring agitation and restlessness. You may feel the urge to reset everything all at once. That may bring a sense of clarity or liberation in some cases, but more often Virgo calls for refinement instead of starting from scratch. What no longer supports your well-being can be released, but what still nourishes you deserves to be cultivated, like Demeter, with affection, intention and care.

As we cross this threshold into Virgo Season, let this Dark Moon guide you into a more intentional way of living. Clear space, refine your habits, align with your natural flow, and remember that this is not a time to make life flawless, but a time to remember what it means to live whole. Virgo’s lesson is not perfection, but rhythm. As someone who thrives on efficiency, it’s a reminder that I don’t have to explore every conceivable outcome before starting out-it’s ok to start with the best of intentions and a decent enough strategy and be flexible along the way. Real, genuine efficiency is not about pushing harder or hyper fixating, it is about listening more deeply with an open mind and open heart. Some days the current carries you into focus and effort, other days you need rest. When you honor these natural cycles, you step back into right relationship with yourself.

Rooted in ancient Germanic traditions, this festival honors the goddess Eostre, whose symbols of hares and eggs herald fertility and rebirth. Marking the vernal equinox, Ostara invites us to embrace the equilibrium of light and dark, sow seeds of intention, and awaken to the blossoming potential within and around us.

Imbolc, celebrated around February 1st, marks a pivotal point in the Wheel of the Year, symbolizing renewal, purification, and the returning light as winter wanes. As we embrace the growing warmth and light, Imbolc invites us to cleanse and prepare for the new life that spring promises, reflecting the enduring cycle of nature.

Marking the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice is a celebration of rebirth and the return of light. This sacred time invites introspection and renewal, honoring the cyclical nature of life and the promise of new beginnings.

As the veil thins on Samhain’s sacred night, the New Moon in Scorpio calls us into the depths of transformation. In the stillness of this dark moon, we honor the cycles of death and rebirth, connecting with ancestral wisdom and uncovering the hidden truths within ourselves. Let this be a time of introspection, release, and the alchemical process of turning wounds into wisdom

Happy Midsummer/Litha/Summer Solstice! The longest day and shortest night of the year, the Summer Solstice, is a time of celebration, reflection, and reverence. Across cultures and centuries, this radiant day has marked the zenith of the sun's power, symbolizing growth, abundance, and the triumph of light over darkness. Yet, it also serves as a reminder of the inevitable descent into shadow, inviting introspection and the embrace of life's dualities. As we honor this powerful moment, let the warmth of the sun energize your spirit, and the encroaching shadows guide you toward deeper self-discovery and growth.

Beltane, celebrated on May 1st, is an ancient Celtic festival marking the beginning of summer and the height of spring’s fertility. As one of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals, it traditionally honored the blossoming of life and the potency of the natural world. Central to Beltane were large bonfires, believed to purify and protect, with rituals such as driving cattle between the flames to safeguard livestock and ensure prosperity. Communities adorned their homes with May flowers and danced around the Maypole, symbolizing the intertwining of masculine and feminine energies. Today, Beltane continues to be celebrated by modern pagans and nature enthusiasts, serving as a vibrant reminder of our deep connection to the Earth’s cycles and the enduring spirit of renewal.

Yule, rooted in ancient Germanic and Norse traditions, marks the winter solstice around December 21st, celebrating the longest night and the return of light. The festival involves symbolic customs such as the Yule log, which represents continuity and rebirth, and is honored through feasting, wassailing, and gift-giving. Evergreen trees, a Yule tradition, evolved into the modern Christmas tree, and the Yule log’s symbolism continues in the Yule log cake and festive decorations. Today, Yule remains a period of spiritual reflection and celebration, emphasizing the triumph of light over darkness.

Halloween, a beloved holiday marked by costumes, candy, and eerie decorations, has a rich and multi-cultural history. It traces back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrating the end of harvest and the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead. As Roman and Christian traditions merged with Samhain, the holiday evolved into All Hallows' Eve, eventually becoming Halloween. In America, it transformed further with the blend of various immigrant traditions, giving rise to the modern celebration we cherish today.

Mabon: Mabon, occurring around the autumnal equinox, marks the transition from summer to fall and symbolizes balance and reflection. Named after the Welsh mythological figure Mabon ap Modron, this period echoes themes of harvest and the underworld. Though a modern term, Mabon aligns with ancient harvest celebrations and is observed globally through various festivals, such as the Moon Festival in Asia and Michaelmas in the Christian calendar. This time is a poignant reminder of nature’s cycles and the balance between light and darkness.

Lugh, a central figure in Celtic mythology, is known for his diverse skills and attributes. As a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the grandson of the Fomorian leader Balor, Lugh's birth was prophesied to bring prosperity and overthrow his grandfather. His mastery across various disciplines—warfare, poetry, music, and druidic arts—earned him the title Samildánach, or Master of All Arts. Celebrated during Lughnasadh, his harvest festival in August, Lugh's legacy continues to inspire modern earth-centered spiritual practices, embodying light, knowledge, and creativity.

Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, is celebrated on August 1st or the first harvest Full Moon, marking the start of the harvest season. Named after the Irish god Lugh, it honors his foster mother Tailtiu, who sacrificed herself to prepare the fields for cultivation. This ancient Celtic festival highlights the connection between agricultural cycles and communal celebrations, featuring feasts, games, and gatherings. In modern practices, Lughnasadh is a time for gratitude, reflection, and reconnecting with nature, while its influence also extends to Christian traditions as Lammas, celebrating the first wheat harvest and the offering of bread.