a ritual for the virgo new moon
virgo and the act of devotion
Happy (almost) new moon in Virgo!
The new moon is exact at 9:39pm ET tomorrow (9/14), lining up with the sun at 21° Virgo. I love new moons and I love Virgo energy (and I think that they support each other perfectly), so this one feels especially ripe for making magic — practical magic, actually!
First off, a quick primer on new moons: every 28 days, the moon meets up with the sun at the same degree of the same sign, resulting in a new moon. This marks the start of a new 28-day cycle, where the moon waxes (or grows bigger each day) to its full point, and then wanes (or gets smaller each day) until we reach our next new moon. That process of new-to-full-back-to-new-again (aka one lunar cycle) takes us through a range of different energies, but it all starts at the new moon. Because of that, new moons bring with them themes of new beginnings, fresh starts, and a feeling of hitting the reset button. I like to think of new moons as a mini new year — one that we get to enjoy every month!
Now for a dive into the sign of Virgo: Virgo is the mutable earth sign of the zodiac, which is a fancy way of saying that it has a grounded, rooted energy (earth), but with a side of flexibility and movement (mutable.) When we think about earth signs, we can think about things like getting present in (and tending to) our physical bodies, connecting with the earth around us and the ground beneath us, taking stock of our material possessions and our core needs, and setting goals and crafting plans. Virgo is a sign that prioritizes attention to detail, so it wants us to get down to the nitty gritty: what would it look like for us to “get things in order”? Where can we bring structure and specific, intentional action into our lives in order to feel more secure and resourced?
When I think about Virgo energy, I think about things like organizing and taking inventory of my belongings (rearranging, decluttering, and donating what I no longer need), setting up routines, rituals, and systems that will bring more ease and flow into my life (morning routines, to-do lists, and setting a regular time to check in with myself), and making sure that my basic needs are being met (or — in my case this season — realizing that they aren’t exactly being met, and asking myself how I can work to improve my daily routines in order to better meet them.)
A word that I’ve often heard associated with the sign of Virgo from some of my favorite astrologically-minded folks is devotion. This new moon marks a perfect time to reflect on what it is that we’re devoted to, as well as how we show our devotion. Virgo energy is also concerned with being of service — both to others and to our own dreams — so we can think about the ways in which we prioritize, nurture, and regularly show up for the people and things in our lives that we want to show our devotion to and live in service of.
Personally, I’ve been able to identify where my devotion lies simply by taking a look at where my time and attention regularly goes on a day-to-day basis. I was recently lamenting to someone that I’m terrible at sticking with routines and rituals (something that I touched on here): that despite my best efforts, I never seem to be able to get to bed at a reasonable hour (or wake up on time, for that matter), feed myself at regular intervals, or consistently carve out time for the practices that make me feel grounded and empowered. She pointed out that while that may be true, it’s not showing up for things as a whole that I struggle with, because I show up for my work day after day, even when I don’t feel like it. Through my commitment to my business, I’ve shown that I can be devoted — I’m just maybe not devoted to everything in my life. Taking a look at where I tend to direct my energy and effort makes it pretty clear that I’m fully dedicated to my career, my work-related responsibilities, and to serving others, but not so much to taking care of myself.
With this Virgo new moon, I’m planning to work towards changing that. I’m taking some time to reflect on why it’s been so hard for me to stay devoted to maintaining my own physical and mental health, and what small changes I can make to bring more balance into my life and prove my devotion to my own wellbeing. New moons are a perfect time to implement new habits, and Virgo season is a great time for bringing in structure, so I plan to spend the next couple of weeks — the waxing phase of this Virgo-led moon cycle, and the final days of Virgo season — focusing on overhauling my routines, one small step at a time.
With all of that in mind, I put together a simple ritual that you can use to honor the Virgo new moon and your own devotions, if you feel called. Feel free to adjust the actions and objects as you see fit to make it your own.
Build a simple altar: grab a candle to act as the centerpiece, so you can light it to open your ritual and extinguish it when you’re done (any candle will work, just be sure to light it on a steady surface & away from anything flammable!) Bring in any other objects that feel aligned with Virgo energy (natural materials from outside like stones, twigs, or sprigs of herbs & other plants work great) along with anything that represents the areas of life that you’re ready to show your devotion to (think personal items that remind you of the people, projects, or passions that you’re committing or re-committing yourself to this season.)
Clear your mind: light your candle, close your eyes, and take some deep, cleansing breaths. Give yourself a few minutes to breathe deeply and try to come into the present moment, clearing your mind of chatter as best you can. If you find your thoughts taking over, gently shift your attention back your breath or your physical body.
Make a list: once you feel calm and centered, grab a piece of paper and make a list of the things that you’re devoting yourself to this season: anything in your life that you’re committed to showing up for and nurturing day after day. This might include relationships, communities, creative practices, your work (any work that you feel called to do — not just what pays the bills), causes, or hobbies and passion projects. When you’re done, place your list on your altar.
Make a plan: Virgo loves a detailed, actionable plan, so take some time to think about each item on your list and write down one tangible way that you can show your devotion. If you’re devoted to a person or relationship, how might you be able to express your love and care through your actions? When it comes to the practices or projects that you’re devoted to, can you create dedicated time (or maybe a physical space) to focus on them? What resources are you able to allocate to the causes that you’re devoted to?
Stay inspired: use your list to inspire you throughout the rest of this lunar cycle (and beyond), keeping in mind that the goal isn’t perfection, but more mindfulness. While you may not be able to commit to all of the actions you wrote down all of the time, hopefully this exercise will inspire you to prioritize the things that mean the most to you. Keep your list somewhere where you’ll see it often, and when you feel disconnected or uninspired, see if you can renew your devotion to something on your list that you may have lost touch with. ✷