We start the month with the Sun in Virgo and the Moon in Taurus, an earthy, practical energy to kick off September. Our personal planets, Mercury and Mars, have completed their retrograde; they are moving forward again, which comes as a welcome relief to most. Saturn, our planet of structure and boundaries, completes his retrograde and begins moving direct on September 6. At this point, all planets that can be seen with the naked eye are moving forward again. This energy should inspire us to move forward with our plans.

We have a New Moon in Virgo on September 9 at 2:01pm. In “yogastrology”, Virgo is connected to the nervous system, making this a good time to start a breathing or meditation practice that quiets the mind and soothes the nerves. Virgo is a competent, independent energy, however, we should remember that we cannot fix all problems and we must release the desire to do so.

Mercury enters Libra on September 21, just a day before the Sun embodies this cardinal balanced energy. What we do and what we say should be in synchronization during this time.

The Sun enters Libra on September 22, ushering in the Autumn Equinox. The word, “equinox”, comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night). At this point, the amount of darkness and light are equal to each other. This time of year has become connected to harvest and reaping the fruits of our labor. 

Here are three ways to honor the Autumn equinox: 

• Make a gratitude list of everything we are thankful for as a way of reaping our inner harvest.

• Get outside and connect with nature. Visit an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch.

• Restore balance in the home by doing a fall deep cleaning. Get rid of anything no longer needed to make space for the new season.

We end the month with a Full Moon in Aries on September 24 at 10:52pm. This energy mirrors the dichotomy of the equinox. A Full Moon represents an ending while Aries encourages a new beginning. Use this energy to release something that no longer serves in order to make room for something new. 

Michele Leigh is an astrologer, author and yoga teacher. A practitioner of ancient techniques, she is an active member of OPA (Organization for Professional Astrology). Connect at [email protected].