Namaste Friends,

Michael’s 50th birthday was yesterday August 26th! Happy Birthday to my soulmate, my halfside, my dearest friend. Michael is a special breed, in that I know very few people who have his discipline and devotion and discernment. He is a pure Virgo through and through.

We just entered Virgo season on the 22nd of August, which is about the same time that everyone gets back to school and their routines. Summer is ramping down and the steadiness of fall is slowly rolling in. Gladly so.

It gets to be too much to be constantly in social mode or go-go gadget mode-to use the catch phrase of days gone by. Its important to find some down time and quiet the mind.

The wheel is turning toward fall equinox this month. We come into equal days and nights. We start to find some balance and rhythm again after a long exhilarating play in the summer sun.

Its not surprising that in the late summer we transition from Leo, the sun sign, to Virgo, the sign of discernment, discipline, and devotion. Its time to turn our gaze inward toward our spiritual heart (hridyam) to get clear, centered, and connected to our True Self, or our High Self.

Virgo means “One who chooses Themselves”. The symbol depicts a beautiful maiden holding a sheath of wheat with a halo of light around her. The vestal virgin archetype. These young girls were chosen to hold the torch for living a pure and chaste life-in efforts to keep the pure goodness of life alive and well. They were taught discernment around the choices we are given in life. They are able to hold themselves steady and true to their heart while they review their choices.

As we enter the sign of Virgo-the Universe is asking us to look through this lens right now. The Sun is shining in Virgo saying this is the focus people: make good choices and put your health and wellbeing as a high priority.

Virgos who are true to their form strive for homeostatis- a balanced state of well-being where everything is working for the greater good and in its natural flow or ritam. They become disciplined, use discernment and  are devoted to finding that harmony. They want to be the best version of themselves- mind, body, and spirit.

If Virgos are out of balance, they usually show up as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or hypervigilant. They go from having a healthy sense of Self to being self-centered or having a distorted sense of self.

Usually very critical of themselves and others.

Astraea, (pronounced “Es-stray-ya”), the Greek goddess whose name means Star, is often said to be the embodiment of Virgo. She was the daughter of Dawn and Dusk, and was the last earth-bound Goddess to leave the human civilization, after Nemesis and Shame left. She stayed as long as she could- trying to help us remember who we truly were before we fell into an age of greed, lust and anger.  Astraea was a beacon of Light and Love in an era that was beginning to fall toward selfishness and hatred. The Golden Age of truth, purity, compassion, generosity, and loving kindness had crumbled to the dark desires of the Iron Age, where the ego reared its ugly head.

Astraea is said to have decided all was lost and returned herself to the Beyond and was cast as the constellation Virgo. So when we cycle around the wheel each year and enter Virgo- it’s a nudge to be the “ones who choose themselves”-to make good choices for ourselves and for the collective. As I said in my last newsletter, we are slowly beginning to rise out of the ashes of a long, dark period. But that doesn’t just happen. We have to do the work-we have to keep our eye on the prize. Which in this case the prize is lovingkindness, peace and harmony on earth. It is living to our fullest potential. It is knowing a depth of Love that heals all wounds and sustains a state of bliss that is beyond anything we can imagine. We can return back to the ways of the Golden Age, or the Satya Yuga.

This might be a stretch, but if the Universe had a non-profit, Virgo is the ultimate NGO. It reminds us to be of service to the greater good and bring more Light into the world; To be the embodiment of Astraea and shine like a Star and be a beacon of light for others. And to apply discernment, discipline, and devotion to this cause.

‘Tis the season to return to ourselves. Build our tapas– or inner fire-so we can withstand the temptations to cave to our unhealthy desires.  Find healthy replacements for some of the negative habits, patterns, or addictions we have developed through repetitive use.  For example, when I got pregnant with my oldest son Max, a mere 24 years ago- I was a pack-a-day smoker. I knew I couldn’t continue that nasty habit any longer so I took up yoga as an alternative to my craving of nicotine. It worked. I haven’t had a ciggy since then.

Ironically, love of myself never got me to quit…but love of my unborn son was what it took. I learned a valuable lesson-I always believed I could never quit because I was too deep in the addiction. So I never really gave it my full discernment, discipline and devotion. This is where the Virgo lens is a good looking glass for all of us. Most of us have a need for a little clean-up on aisle 9 in the supermarket of our soul. And with a little tapas applied, we can find ourselves free and clear of the things that hold us back. I learned that I can change if I really want to-I just have to value myself enough to do it.

Remember, if something pulls you away from being in your highest Light, then choose to pass it by. Put a high value on yourself. Trust your inner knowing; if it doesn’t feel right -don’t do it. That’s discernment in action. Do something that does feel right instead.

So lets go get our back-to-school supplies-Now is the time. Who doesn’t love school supplies? You might not have a need for TrapperKeepers anymore, but the School of Life has a list of needs for you. Go to the supermarket of your soul and get these things:

1. Quiet time-Stillness
2. Tapas/inner fire/Self-Discipline
3. Strong dose of Self-Worth
4. Devotion to your High Self
5. Daily health routine for Mind/Body/Spirit
6. Discernemnt-make good choices
7. Trust-all of this is entirely why you are here.
8. Kindness-its the only currency that will never lose its value.
9. Truth-Be honest-including with yourself
10. Last but not least, Dancing Shoes-to help you move joyfully through this dance of life.

May you step into autumn with a sense of health and well-being, come to your mat as part of establishing those healthy routines. Now is the time…

Much love Star Beings,

Katrina