The Sun enters Virgo II tomorrow on 2 September 2019, at 2:28 pm local time (which happens to be EDT at the moment). What does that mean? It means that it’s time for my fifth astrology column!

I write my column based in part on the work of Austin Coppock in 36 Faces, and part on the rising sign. Austin’s book details the meanings of the Decans or faces, the traditional ancient Egyptian division of the twelve signs of the Zodiac into thirds. This gives us thirty-six (36) 10-day ‘weeks’ throughout the year, and a little bit more of the 37th/1st. The entry of the Sun into each Decan is the moment that I choose to write the column for. The second element of the column is the rising sign. So, rather than relying on a Sun Sign forecast (where everyone born in the same thirty days has the same paragraph), this column is based on everyone who was born with the same sign on the eastern horizon, the Ascendant. Right now, on September 1 as I write this, Virgo II is almost on the eastern horizon at dawn. However, in late November, the degrees of the sky currently associated with Virgo II will be rising around midnight. Once early April rolls around, Virgo will be rising in the late afternoon or early evening, just as the Sun is crawling toward sunset. My procedure is that I calculate the chart for the moment of the Sun’s entry into a new Decan, and then read the chart as if the reader’s rising sign were still in the same place, with the planets illuminating specific topics and themes around the chart.

In the first part of the column, I’ll be unpacking the planetary placements as they currently stand; and in the second I’ll give some advice to people who share the same rising sign. This is not a Sun-sign astrology column and you shouldn’t necessarily read the sign where your Sun is, but rather which sign was on the eastern horizon at the moment of your birth. This chart will be valid until 12 September 2019, when the Sun will enter Virgo III.

Planetary Placements

As the Sun enters Virgo II, it’s early afternoon, and the Sun shares Virgo with Mercury, Mars, and Venus. All three of the planets are under the beams of the Sun, suggesting that they’re considerably weaker than usual, and less able to manifest their plans and portents in the world. The Sun’s placement in Virgo II enlivens the image of the hammer and anvil — the place where heat, pressure, and resistance meet to perform work and create change. Of these planets, only Mercury is truly at home in Virgo; Venus is in its fall here, and Mars is peregrine, as in the Sun.

This quartet of planets is also trine to the ongoing thuggery of Saturn, Pluto and the South Node in Capricorn — such that each group is lending their support and aid to the other.

The Moon, inconjunct to the Sun and his crew, is nonethless square to Saturn and associates, and waxing in the 27th Mansion — associated with guardianship and the protection of resources against predation and waste, the 27th indicates greater caution and conservatism on the rise in the face of indicators of trouble, difficulty and limitation.

Jupiter remains in the undulating countryside of Sagittarius, the place of its rulership. Currently direct in Sagittarius II, which Austin Coppock called “The Bridle” in his book 36 Faces — the tool for signaling and managing an easily-frightened and potentially-unruly beast that’s much larger than us — we can

The Transpersonal Planets have their own stories to tell — Pluto keeps company with Saturn in rough and overgrown Capricorn, Neptune stirs the marshy waters of Pisces, and Uranus brings upheavals to the lazy, fertile fields of Taurus. From these we can see that we can find wealth under stones where we haven’t looked before, surprises in the parts of our lives where changes arises frequently, and overturned apple carts in the parts of our lives that used to be comfortable.

It’s going to be an interesting ten days.

Rising Sign Horoscopes

A rising sign horoscope is based on the position of one’s Ascendant. This is the place that was on the eastern horizon at the moment of your birth, and the sign that the Ascendant is in. If your Ascendant is in Sagittarius, for example, you’ll find that Jupiter is just about to come over the horizon; your ruling star is coming into its own, and you’re likely to become yourself again — expansive, knowledgeable, gracious, noble, and generous (and Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces ascendants are likely to sense that their time is not yet come). If you’re an Aries ascendant, though, you’re likely to find that you’re seeking closure on several fronts, and looking to bring several stories to their conclusion (and Taurus isn’t quite sure it’s time to seek closure… but it might be worthwhile to be planning for some wrap-up, once you get around to it). Gemini Ascendants are thinking it’s time to take a break from public life and to withdraw into the internal world for a little while (and Cancer, Leo and Virgo Ascendants — your sense may be that this week sees your current life stories past their prime, and looking for some denoument). Libra Ascendant (and to a lesser extent Scorpio Ascendants) — your star is either rising or risen, and you’re either cresting the wave or feeling the current carrying you upwards and onwards. Make sure you use this positive momentum while you can.

Sagittarius: Your ruling planet is on the ascendant, and you’ll find that you have some opportunities to ‘step out’ in a public way about who you are and what you do. Watch that waistline though — Jupiter brings more than just an expansive personality. Your sense of self harmonizes with your social ambitions, but it’s also a good idea to protect what you have. It would be nice if your career could take top-honors for a change, but it would be better to focus on your friends and alliances for now. In terms of career, you’re driven to create and to communicate a vision. However, any effort to shine or make yourself known in the world is likely to pay off… later. Home goes through a few upheavals, work has some surprises to fling your way. Financial matters create constraints, although there may be some unexpectedly-pleasant gigs with monetary rewards, right in your neighborhood or among your own family members. Any partner is likely to be in a rough place right now, feeling like life is passing them by, even though it isn’t. It may be time to get away from a safe place; your own dreams and goals are likely to be just that — visions rather than reality.

Capricorn: Your inner life probably feels darkly luminous right now, like some of those cave-fungi that glow with green radiance. Skills and talents that you long thought wasted are being used well; however, it’s slightly galling that your partner is getting more attention than you are. Still, there’s a financial reward that’s coming out of meeting professional goals, although it comes with some unexpected pleasures; there’s a lot that needs doing to harmonize the neighborhood so all the parts sing together. Home is comfortable, even dreamy, these days, which is good because certain parts of your professional labors are reaching their sunset; you won’t have to do that much longer. There do seem to be a lot of nit-picky details, though, most of it behind-the-scenes. Some major travel might be part of the next ten days, including a visit to an industrial heartland where your analytical capacities will find good fruit. In social spaces, it’s likely that you’ll easily find fault with friends these days — but it’s important to offer the corrective and not simply the critique. Think surgery, not sword-play. It’s also possible that you need some time on your own, contemplating your religious path and reassessing if it’s serving you as much as you serve it.

Aquarius: A lot of hard work on yourself may bring a tiny (minuscule!) financial reward in the next ten days; it may not seem worth the trouble right now, but there’s benefits in mastering some aspect of your self regardless of whether it pays. A major project involving a lot of money entrusted to you is requiring all your attention and focus, at least in part because it’s making significant waves in your own financial picture; all you want to do is hang around town and try that new restaurant with your sibling… and you should make time for that, although a genuinely-supportive idea is more likely to be found hiking in the wilderness or watching a TV show about lightning while lazing on the couch. Put a damper on your own pleasures for now —place more focus on the necessary nurturing of your genuine labors, and less on the toxic thoughts and perceived limitations that rise when you are alone. Expand your circle of friends: go out with people you haven’t seen in a while, or make time for someone new. Your relationship is probably having its moment in the heat of the forge over the next ten days; remember that temper is not just how loud and angry you get, but also how you become both firm and flexible. Quench some of that heat — and be rigid only where it’s necessary, while remaining open to other guidances. There are travel or learning opportunities to consider, but an overall-conservative (or self-preservative) attitude is likely healthy right now.

Pisces: I get it. You want to make waves; you’re feeling stirred up and thrashing about in every direction — and yet your partners (romantic, business) seem to be getting all the shine these days. No one sees the drive, the creativity, the communication, the practical and actionable advice that you’re pouring into them… and they’re getting all the credit for this forgery! Big changes in your immediate neighborhood, and the boundaries you’re placing on how you interact with your circle of friends, are supporting and expanding this current state of affairs which can appear so practically toxic. Concentrating more on your own pleasure could improve the situation for you, but your partner is still likely to hog the spotlight. You may be up for an award sometime soon — and you should be, given how hot and sweaty you’ve been getting, how many hours you’ve labored with bent back to get substantially better at your work, and how the scope of your work has expanded as you’ve taken on this leadership role. However, you’re not likely to be taken seriously until you’ve shown that you can manage the budget and restrain costs, and preserve wealth. Put some attention toward that goal, and the next ten days may see an improvement.

Aries: You’ve got big dreams right now, and no clear way to achieve them; if anything, you’re finding there’s a serious tension between the dream — and holding on to what you have. You’re lonely in your relationship (if you have one), but you’re not ready to go out and find a new one, at least in part because your finances are in upheaval, and your rare solo hours are filled with mental anarchy that’s difficult to calm. A good many of your favorite neighborhood places are closed, or don’t have the same vibe. Access to your siblings and close friends is restricted (or they’re away, or being unusually vile, or busy with travel or starting school); and you’re wanting ‘home’ to be more normal than ever. Fun? You see it, you want it, but it’s work to get it — and really, these days, is there anything that isn’t work?? Career seems limited too — all work and no reward. Everything seems to be caught up in this fight for self-preservation. If you have the ability, a religious or spiritual trip or pilgrimage may be in order: a shrine, a holy well, even a side-altar in a cathedral where you can light a candle and ask for help… asking a friend or two to hire you for a side-gig (or even a handout) might not be a bad thing.

Taurus: Experiencing personal upheavals? Is your body revolting against the current regime? You’re putting investing much on attaining your personal pleasures, and not getting return on investment. Your personal finances are in decline, you’re spending less energy on your own neighborhood and immediate circle, and way too much time and energy on “getting away” — yet there’s no away that will assuage your search for some sort of quietude, or at least an enemy, to push back against. Career goals, and actual work, are of heightened interest, but you also have a health issue that’s worrisome (it’s likely to turn out fine — more the result of hyper focus than genuine trouble); see a doctor if your fears are too hefty. A subordinate or servant has made themselves scarce or less visible — it’s a good time to check in on them to see if their efforts have borne fruit. An upcoming trip is going to be enjoyable, but also not everything you want it to be. It’s a good time to seek money for your professional but unpaid work. You have some water to carry for friends and allies, too — you’ve borrowed against their goodwill for a while, and it’s time to give back so the alliances remain strong.

Gemini: Does it feel like your star is setting? Does your world feel turned upside-down right now? Are your divine capacities running up against your very human limitations? That’s normal, of course, and you can take some honor and some shine from the dignity that’s attached to your partner (romantic or business). You’ve got some money-issues to work out, still — you’ve successfully put up a wall that defends what you have from predation and expense; but your handling of other people’s resources could use some work, and there’s an expensive mess in the future if you don’t give it your attention now. A lot of diligence, communication and creativity can be lavished on your household right now, but the result of all that analysis and nit-picky detail may be a showpiece that’s merely practical and not warm… delay the moment of “done!” a little longer, and wait to see what will balance the work in late September; a little surprise, and a little roughness around the edges, will support a higher-quality solution in due time. A surprise trip for work may come up, that leads to financial gain later on. Some solitude, or a retreat from the world, may be your dream — but now is not the time; get lost in your own thoughts, not in the wider world, for now.

Cancer: You’re feeling more, and feeling more yourself these days, and looking at your partner (business or pleasure) with a sense of duty or responsibility rather than love. These feelings will pass in time — but it may be a long time before they pass. Try to shed some of this toxicity: separate your sense of care for the person, from your responsibility to them. Define these things separately for now, and recognize that they may need more of you right now than you want to give; but that has nothing to do with your love (or lack of love) for them. You have to define these values first, and then act according to the values you hold rather than the current needs. The neighborhood is currently sunny, but any work you’re doing to improve matters is likely invisible. It will yield rewards later, so don’t stop — just recognize that it will go uncredited no matter how much you do.

Leo: Your finances are under some intense scrutiny at the moment, and it’s taking all your intelligence and creativity to keep investments both flexible and performing. The recent turbulence in markets, and expected legacies from others, haven’t worked out quite as you planned; you’re likely spending more time close to home and in the company of extended family, than taking that dream vacation in horse country or to sightsee among the bricks of your favorite old towns. Some time in languid relaxation may be needed, under the hands of a skilled massage therapist or at your preferred spa. You need to put up some boundaries at work, but you can’t afford to skip out on your duties there, either. A partner’s financial windfall brings some lucre your way, as does a bargain in a local shop. Your creative skills are under a bushel basket these days, rather than on a lamp stand, and some upheavals in your normally-comfortable professional settings are requiring more behind-the-scenes communication and remediation than you originally thought. You’re going to have to let the light die on a few friendships that aren’t serving you well; their ethical violations seem to carry more weight than you anticipated. Some new acquaintances may appear to fill the void, but it’s also ok to take some more solo time for now.

Virgo: You probably haven’t been this malleable and open to changes of habit in a while. Any habit you can set up in the next ten days, with rigor and discipline, is likely to continue: creative pursuits, fitness goals, health and diet, development of written or spoken communication skills… they’re all open to you. Once the middle of September appears, though, you might be stuck like that for a while. Your mom might have warned you about letting your face stick like that, remember? Choose new habits carefully, and great expectations shall flourish. Finances require some care here, though — making conservative estimates, rather than relying on your midnight impossible dreams, is probably wise; focus on preserving what you have rather than what might come your way. It’s not quite a good time to ask for a raise, but some kinds of creative projects are likely to pay, especially if you can turn discarded trash into new treasure. If you’re looking into a new living situation, it’s worthwhile to think bigger, and look for a place that can support your spiritual practice (be it a simple meditation before work or a midnight drum circle in your back yard). You’re not having much fun these days, aside from the practicalities of establishing and maintaining certain boundaries and frontiers around your territory; you’ve been weeding your garden, I’m sure, and eating the fruits of your labors. However, your love-life is probably a bit chaotic; every time the tide goes in or out, the landscape of your relationships looks a bit different… and that’s not likely to change any time soon. You’re also going to have to review and re-master material you’ve studied for a long time, and finding unexpected treasures in ground you thought you’d thoroughly plowed and seeded before. A good thing, too — some projects in your career are approaching shutdown phase, and you may find that your hours there are curtailed or cut short: be prepared for a leap of faith. Some time in the company of your more emotionally-sensitive friends is needful; or maybe just some headphones plugged into something heavy, gothic or operatic.

Libra: You’re likely working hard to preserve some balance in your life for yourself these days, because it feels like you’re operating at peak performance — and everyone wants a piece of you. Unfortunately you’re doing your best work on your own, with all your focus on changing just one thing: why can’t people just go away long enough for you to finish?? Establish special boundaries at home for yourself: invite company over less, and be rude to those who try to intrude if necessary. At the same time, be expansive in your immediate surroundings. Walk every day, eat at neighborhood places, and call your brother or your sister often. In those conversations, draw back the bow, and name what you’re aiming at: a big dream, self preservation, a big career move, or leaving a legacy for the future. Just remember: no one ever dies thinking, “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.” Spending some of your fortune on some little enjoyments will repay itself later, in unexpectedly fertile ways; your children may also be experiencing some good fortune of their own.

Scorpio: You may feel like you’re stuck in someone else’s shadow over the next ten days. You’re driven to perform, there are high expectations — but your every action is going to be analyzed even as you’re railroaded into a specific path or program. It may feel stifling or contained. Remember, though, that this constraint comes with new financial opportunities and personal growth. Your older ‘siblings’ and long-time friends are there to support you as you take on greater responsibilities, of course — and if vast quantities of alcohol and smoke are consumed, well —one or two nights in a row probably won’t kill you. Good fortune comes home to roost for a while, although your old entertainments will make some waves. Next up in this journey is putting in some vision time thinking about what comes next in your work life. The surprises of your relationships are going to keep coming, of course, bringing long-term changes to what you thought was stable ground. Don’t set your sights on inheritances for the moment; you’re more likely to face a tax issue than a relatives’s last grand gesture. More travel is likely to come your way, still, though it may be exhausting; you’d rather be “at home” even if it’s not clear where “home” is these days. In career matters, be flexible and willing to change, at least for now. The next twenty sunrises should see a direction and structure firm up, but for the moment show that you’ve got an edge and some sizzle, and you’re ready to bend to an employer’s need.