Hello Lovelies!
Welcome to Scrying Within, a monthly forecast series where we look to the stars, the cards, the moon, and the seasons to help renew our relationship with cyclical nature and hone our intuition.
Let’s dive into September.
Summer is coming to an end in the Northern hemisphere, inching toward Autumn. In the South, Winter is giving way to Spring.
For some, this comes as a relief. For others, loss. Which one are you feeling? It can be both. At the same time.
September is a potent time for reflection, especially on the heels of eclipse season, which marked nearly all of August. So first, the retrospect:
Summertime Sadness(?):
Last month hit different. Frankly, the whole summer did.
With Mercury in Cancer (retrograding most of July before moving direct) until August 9th, the messenger planet weaved its way through the watery cardinal sign that carries echos of home, foundations, and emotional safety. For nearly two months.
This hit me hard.
Did it hit hard for you?
I tend to forget that one aspect of Mercury’s mythos comes from Hermes, messenger of the gods in Greek mythology. I also tend to forget that Hermes travelled through in-between places. They moved freely between realms – Olympus, Earth, and the Underworld.
So Mercury Rx in Cancer waded us into deep waters of time: the stories from our past that are dragging us down, the narratives of our present trying to keep us afloat, the dreams of our future that we’re yearning to swim toward.
These waters were uncomfortable. They held both depth and breadth. It felt like I was treading alone, without assistance. Nothing to help me float. If you’ve ever experienced treading water for a prolonged time then you know how taxing it becomes, the toll it takes on both your limbs and mind.
It’s draining. And so was this Mercury Rx.
But none of it need be for naught.
It was an invitation, an exquisite set up for what it accompanied and what came after. Jupiter moved into Leo nearly the same day Mercury stationed Rx in Cancer, the very sign the former had been occupying for a year.
So there was a tugging that took place. Mercury asked you to travel into the past, not only from the last year where Jupiter’s journey expanded certain areas of your life, but much farther back. Farther than you wished.
I was deep in the waters of years gone by, venturing into abandoned coves of hurt, and dreaming of faces I’d said goodbye to more than a decade ago.
I wrote letters to ghosts that haunted my waking life, spectres I once loved yet could not hold onto. I rummaged around in old drawers where previous passions, ideas, goals, and longings had been tucked away. I ransacked them all, desperate to find answers, trying to welcome back meaning.
I’ve needed both this year.
So, Mercury in Cancer offered us travel to the places we once called – or still call – home, and Jupiter in Leo ushered in newfound sunlight to heart-led places, spaces, and faces we’d banished to the dark. Both asked us to unpack the stories surrounding them, and to decide what actually fits with the now and the soon-to-be.
Because both eventually bled into a Lunar Node shift on July 26th. The nodes are, arguably, my favourite part of Astrology. I feel like most astrologers have an obsession with these karmic points. Because that’s what they are: mathematical points in the sky associated with the moon’s orbit crossing paths with the Sun as it’s circled by Earth.
But their mythos comes from Vedic Astrology, and it’s fascinating. Rahu and Keto, two severed halves of a demon. Rahu (North node) is the devouring mouth: the unfulfilled desires, ambitions, lessons we are insatiably ingesting and working to embody. Keto (South node) is the swishing tail: the ancient wisdom, past life experiences, and comfortable skills we’re digesting and working to release.
The Lunar nodes had previously been travelling on the Pisces/Virgo axis since 2025, a story told in seven acts. September 17th 2024 was Act I. August 27th was Act VI. Both with a partial eclipse in Pisces.
The final act comes February 2027, so I’ll get into that then. For now, look to the houses that hold Pisces and Virgo and you’ll gain deeper insight into the lessons you’ve been learning (gracefully, or kicking and screaming.)
But August 12th, along with February 17th, were the first two chapters in the Aquarius/Leo story. For me, it’s my nodal return. It might be for you as well if you were born within the 1989 to 1990 mark, or 2007-2009, 1970-1972, 1952-1953, or even 1933-1935. The Lunar nodes take about 18.5 years to cycle through the twelve signs.
So.
What is this current axis activating in your birth chart? Check which houses (or book a reading with me!) to get a glimpse into what the next two years are unfolding for you. Jupiter (planet of expansion) is resting in the same sign as the south node for the next year, which brings a unique experience to the journey. The former will be expanding aspects around your Leo placements while the South Node works to release and transmute them.
That was just the recap.
Let’s move onto what’s ahead for September.
Virgo Season:
The sun has been in Virgo since August 23 and will be until Sept 22 when it moves into Libra, ushering in the Autumn Equinox (or Mabon, if you celebrate.) For the first half of the month we’re continuing to work with Virgo sensibilities, mostly in the second and third deacon – associated with Nine of Pentacles and Ten of Pentacles in Tarot.
A little on that in a second.
Ruled by Mercury – planet of communication (writing, speech, symbols, etc,) as well as thinking, learning, and reasoning – Virgo is a mutable earth sign. It wants to ground these Mercurian energies as it transforms them. This often manifests through analyzing, discerning, organizing, and strategizing.
Virgo has the ability to see large systems, break them down and build them back up in a more efficient and serviceable way.
But there’s a fierceness to the Virgo Archetype that often goes unnoticed. It’s fuelled by the desire to see things through as perfectly as possible. Virgo energy (especially congregated in a stellium) can move through fear in a incredibly courageous way. I’ve taken to calling it precision bravery.
I see this concept reflected in tarot as well. Virgo is attached to The Hermit card. The Rider Waite Smith deck, along with many others, show an image of a solitary figure shrouded in darkness, holding a lantern.
Being Major Arcana, it’s a big scale invitation and, being number 9, the invitation requires introspection for greater self-awareness. The card is asking for a deep and reflective journey within ourselves, in preparation for necessary changes and a need for something new.
It’s also permission to do this in solitude.
One of Virgo’s gifts is being able to analyze big projects, factoring in both the systems and elements involved. It loves to refine. But I believe a quieter skill is the ability to move, act, and shift even when the big picture feels shrouded. That’s where its precision bravery comes in.
The Hermit’s lantern leads the way, but it can only illuminate a small area. Virgo energy, much like the lantern, utilizes small and discernible actions to shift circumstances, placing one foot in front of the other within the limited light around them.
And sometimes, you need to be alone while you do it. Not without support, that’s different. But some challenges require solitude from us, or we require solitude to move through certain challenges. Either way, the Virgo archetype reminds us that we are capable of finding our way through the dark, one reachable step at a time.
And maybe this act is de-cluttering a chaotic room, or tidying a house that’s exploded with activity. Or it’s going through a box of disorganized bills, cleansing an altar, or clearing out a fridge. Or it could be heavier, like going through the items of a loved one who has passed on, or dividing assets in a divorce, or adjusting to a new routine after an accident.
All of these tasks can feel insurmountable when gazed at head on, and calling on Virgo energy (or a Virgo placement friend!) can help break the journey into smaller, touchable steps.
The Deacons:
As I mentioned before, the first section of September puts us in the second and third deacon of Virgo. If you feel called to work with deacons, Sept 4th to 14th can be a great time to connect with the Nine of Pentacles, an incredible tonic for Virgo’s shadow: perfectionism.
For those ten days (or more, or less, or none at all!) call on the Nine of Pentacles to help you notice the bounty around you. With every breath, movement, or task you do.
Can you whisper a little more gratitude into yourself? Can you pause and reach for a small moment of sweetness, especially when you’re in the middle of a big project/endeavour?
If it feels safe to do so, can you take a second to bask in the harvest of who you are and what you’ve done? The battles you’ve fought and the journeys you’ve traversed to get here now.
The third deacon of Virgo is associated with the Ten of Pentacles, often connected with legacy. It asks us to contemplate what we have built/are building, and is it truly something we wish to leave behind. If so, will it outlast us once we’re gone?
In Soul Tarot (created by Lindsay Mack, and one of the types I’m learning and weaving into my practice), the Tens are symbols of completion. They are both a cycle coming to an end as a new one begins. The Ten of Pentacles is an invitation to reflect on what cycles are ending, what is being released in favour of creating space for the new and, most importantly, ritualizing the release.
It’s an invitation to witness and honour what you are saying goodbye to. A funeral of sorts. A divine passing. Breathing attention, intention, and direction into the release. Sept 15 to the 22nd is an opportunity to work with this energy, but again, only if you feel called to it.
So.
That’s what the Sun in Virgo is inviting for most of September. In the Northern hemisphere, our bodies and minds are preparing for Autumn, the harvest before the shedding. In the Southern, it’s preparing for the bloom and blossoming of Spring.
Virgo season is an incredible time to take stock of the last few months: what has been gained and what has been lost, what needs to be received and what needs to be released, what has worked and what hasn’t?
Which leads us into the New Moon.
New Moon in Virgo:
It’s happening on Friday September 11th at 18° Virgo. If you want to work with the lunar cycles this month, I’ve made a four-phase cheat sheet below.
So. Being that,
- it’s a new moon,
- it’s the first one after Eclipse season,
- it’s the first Virgo new moon off the Lunar nodes axis,
this one feels like a potent time to begin something challenging. What invitations have you been sensing within yourself that you would like to accept? What intentions would you like to set, planting new seeds to grow for the next six months?
Because this is the other quiet thing about Virgo: its underlying motivation for everything is care. Virgo is attached to the sixth house, where routine and health and schedules and service live. Remember, Virgo is mutable earth. At its core, it wants to foster daily rhythms that tend to the body and the world. That’s what’s under all the efficiency.
All that attention to detail is in honour of creating a flow that cares for yourself and others.
The moon also rules daily rhythms. Our internal flow. Our changeability and what we need around that, at any given time. As Lindsay Mack always says: the moon is always there, but their form changes. Sometimes they’re completely dark, sometimes they’re fully illuminated. The shape changes, but their presence is constant.
So having the moon in Virgo, a new one at that, could be a gentle invitation for you to plant seeds around finding a flow that works with your own unique rhythms. Not the one capitalism, white supremacy, or even certain family members say you should have. Yours. One that aligns with yourself, your needs, your community, and the Land. With as much care as possible.
This is also a great time, both leading up to the New Moon and a few days after, to let yourself witness those big dreams resting in your heart (the kind Jupiter in Leo may be amplifying). Use this moon to call in Virgo’s energy, allowing yourself to break those giant dreams and grand creative projects down into small, reachable steps.
What feels possible to start right now? What feels manageable to begin?
Virgo isn’t showy, it wants to shift things in an efficient, grounded, and serviceable way. It wants to move in a manner that will stick, that will be truly helpful to you and others. Long term.
Take some time to sit in solitude, reach for your own inner lantern, and take one step at a time.
Libra season:
I’m going to save a deep dive for next month, but here are the (relative) cliff notes.
Eleven days after the New Moon, the Autumn Equinox (Or Mabon) is upon us. On September 22, day and night hold equal light.
Libra is the cardinal air sign, heralding change from Summer to Fall. Its polarity, Aries, is cardinal fire which ushers in Spring. The latter has a full moon at the end of this month which I’ll get into shortly, but let’s talk about its counterpart.
Libra is an interesting cardinal sign in the Northern Hemisphere because it wants to bring in newness during a time of release. The days start to get shorter; darkness sets in sooner and lasts longer. The trees burst forth with stunning vibrancy before shedding their leaves in what feels like an instant.
So for the last nine days of the month, during the first deacon of Libra (which is associated with the Two of Swords,) it’s a great moment to pause. Like really pause.
The Two of Swords card represents intentional respite, especially mentally. I often hear this message when I pull it: there’s a choice to be made, but it doesn’t need to be now. Taking your time doesn’t always mean you’re avoiding.
And the beautiful burst of colour in autumn, a blend of orange and crimson with dashes of yellow provide a warmth to the respite. It feels like a polarizing combo of both nostalgia and fernweh, fullness and emptiness.
I never want time to stand still more than when I see autumn trees, picturesque in all their burnished glory.
So lean into the pause, and ask what’s resting in it.
Full Moon in Aries:
Rounding out the month on Saturday September 26th, we have the Full Moon in Aries at 3°. This could perhaps be a denouement for any intentions/rituals/spell-work you did back on April 17th, during the Aries New Moon.
Whatever seeds you planted then, you’re gaining a much bigger sense of clarity and fulfillment around it now. With the sun resting in Libra, there’s a dance happening between the two Luminaries, as there always is during a Full Moon.
Libra, the air sign of harmony, balance, and collaboration, associated with the Justice card in Tarot, provides the back drop to the moon’s illumination. Libra energy, at its core, helps us discern the difference between our truth and the truth. It helps us witness the gap between what we want and what is actually happening. We can’t bridge a gap if we don’t see it’s there.
So the sun in Libra is helping you view the cracks and chasms within those new moon intentions set six months ago, and the Aries moon is giving you the courage to process the emotions first before doing anything about it.
What clarity have you gained around the goals you made back in April? What emotions have arisen within you because of that clarity? Is it grief? Anger? Frustration? Relief? Joy?
Witness. Pause. Then make a choice.
And let it all lead you into the next month, knowing that you can go at your own pace, one step at a time.
Other Transits:
Here’s a list of a few transits and dates to keep your eyes on. I’m not going to dive into them because I don’t want to lol. And also, there are so many amazing astrologers providing weekly transit essays/videos/podcasts that can break these down for you (some of my faves: Altar of Stars, FarStellar, Mar Alejandra)
Sept 8 – Venus in Libra Trines North Node in Aquarius
Sept 10 – Venus enters Scorpio, opposing Chiron in Taurus (0°), Mercury enters Libra, Uranus stations Rx in Gemini, New Moon in Virgo.
Sept 17 – Chiron retrogrades back into Aries (one final time)
Sept 26 – Sun in Libra Trines Pluto Rx in Aquarius + Full Moon in Aries
Sept 30 – Mars enters Scorpio
Final Thoughts:
Take your time as much and as often as you can. Some of you may be in an incredibly expansive period, with lots on the go, and others may be in a contractive moment, feeling stalled as hell. Do your best to slow down either way, taking heart in the bounty around you (if it’s mentally/emotionally feasible and within your reach to do so.)
Allow yourself moments to pause.
Especially in the Northern Hemisphere, when you notice the trees changing colour, and in the Southern, when the first signs of life start popping up around you.
That’s all for now. Hope you enjoyed the first rendition of Scrying Within! If you did, please like, comment, share, and subcribe. It shows your support in a tangible way and will warm my heart immensely.
See you in October, Lovelies.
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