Quote of the week

“Your work is your responsibility, not its result. Never let the fruits of your actions be your motive. Nor give in to inaction.”

― Bhagavad Gita 2.47-49

Venus moves out of dignity this week into the sign of Virgo (5 September) where the environment can be quite hostile to the Venusian ways. Indulgence, enjoyment, leisure, romance, luxuries and play will be pushed aside as pragmatism and productivity takes over. It’s the case of Cinderella leaving the ball and becoming a servant again. Expect this to be the case until the end of the month when Venus finishes her stay in Virgo. This placement of Venus can be employed to undertake jobs in the garden, domestic duties and spring cleaning as it will dutifully serve and offer cleanliness and purity. Behind a beautiful landscape is many hours of toil and labour – this month will be a chance for you to roll up your sleeves and leave that tiara on the shelf.

Even if you decide to forego the work and instead continue the extravagant ways of Venus in Leo (the previous sign of Venus), you may find that the vibes aren’t quite there to fully enjoy the moment anyway. That ‘to-do’ list circling in your head may sabotage your ability to relax and enjoy. Furthermore, with Mercury Stationing Retrograde on 10 September, there’s likely to be disruptions in plans if you’re filling up your social calendar too much. This phase of the Mercury cycle calls for us to go within and retract from the external world. Therefore, those that are too occupied with the outer world are subject to more disruptions, delays and detours of their plans and activities. If you can intentionally move inwards through the actions of service and labour, there are significant realisations that could be had from this process.

However, the temptation to connect with others will be strong, given the Full Moon in Pisces occurs on the same day as the Mercury Retrograde. If anything, the strength of the Moon will amplify the effects of the Mercury Retrograde, bringing situations and events of its nature strongly to your attention – ie. reversals, delays, mishappenings. The Piscean nature combined with the Mercury Retrograde could potentially bring confused states and miscommunications too. This configuration is much better suited to withdrawing from the external world and into the rich sanctuary of your inner life. You could choose to experience Mercury Retrograde’s disruptive nature by putting yourself out there in the world, or you could receive the deep messages of the Retrograde by creating a space for stillness. The choice is yours.

I’m reminded of the practice of Karma Yoga which is possibly a great solution to ride through this month with. As one of the four main pillars of Hindu spirituality, Karma Yoga is the path of unselfish action performed to benefit others without reward or recognition. The mindfulness under which karma yoga is performed is meditation in action.  The scriptures explain that the act of selfless service can lead to one’s true liberation. 

Venus in Virgo happens to be ruled by Mercury, who is in Libra, a Venus sign. They both rule each other from positions that are more humbling in nature with respect to their condition and phase. We know that Venus in Virgo wants to work and Mercury Retrograde wants to deepen and withdraw, so Karma Yoga’s practice of liberation through selfless service seems fitting here. 

Both Venus and Mercury can’t see each other from adjacent signs – a condition astrologers call ‘aversion’, meaning that two planets can’t acknowledge or support each other – another fitting symbolism for Karma Yoga’s core principle of service without recognition.

And as the universe would have it, the very next day the Sun trines Uranus (11 September) – the planet most known for its liberating forces. It’s as though the elements of Karma Yoga are bundled up into this week’s transits and presented to us as a solution for the month ahead. The supportive trine of the Sun and Uranus suggests that there is a sense of freedom, excitement, truth, sovereignty and liberation that we could end our week on if you can look at things from a unique perspective. Considering your duties and obligations as a pathway towards your freedom (ie. Karma Yoga) may seem paradoxical, but challenge yourself to contemplate this during the week.

Moksha

Moksha is a sanskrit word that translates to the concepts of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation and release. It’s something that I chant to myself at times when I feel angst or inflexibly fixated on my desire for an outcome.

Chanting ‘Moksha’ helps me to release the grasp on the idea that’s causing me to fret. It helps to pull me into a bigger space where I can see this situation as just a small moment in one of the many fleeting lives, within eternity. By chanting this simple word in my head, it can really free me from worry and liberate me.

You too may like to try chanting Moksha this week as you plough into your work. May it bring you the liberation and bliss that you deserve.

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See you next Sunday for the next installment of planetary news.

Shu xx