August 2022's New Moon In Virgo Is Annoying (Sorry)

Not all new moons are potent cosmic moments for “manifesting” and “planting new seeds.” Some new moon lunations are weighed down by tough aspects to other planets; some are eclipses; and some, like August 2022’s new moon in Virgo, are straight up annoying. This is no hate towards Virgos — only the utmost respect for astrology’s perfectionist! — but the new moon on August 27 definitely comes equipped with the sign’s critical energy.

That being said, August 2022’s new moon in Virgo is not all doom and gloom. While it may not be the best moment for bringing your dream life into existence, its magic can be better utilized in true Virgo fashion: by undertaking rigorous internal inventory. The new moon in Virgo goes fully dark at 4:17 a.m. EST on August 27 — find out out to make the most of it, below.

Virgo 101

Sitting at the halfway point of the zodiac, Virgo is the last of the “personal” signs. The mutable earth sign is the final stop before the journey expands with the highs and lows of partnership, family, and society — aka Libra through Pisces.

“The human deluge will render us but a drop in an ocean, but for a brief moment of perfection, Virgo asserts the power of an individual body,” writes NYLON astrologer David Odyssey. “The mortal coil is Virgo’s temple, its last battleground, and its site of metamorphosis. They are the high priests, embodying and wrestling with elemental forces.”

The new moon squares Mars in Gemini

Mars kicked off its whopping seven-month residency in Gemini on August 20 (for reference, Mars typically stays in a single sign for approximately two months) and one of its first orders of business is to square the new moon in Virgo.

“When Mars enters Gemini, it can explore a vast range of talents, options, and possibilities,” says Odyssey. “But with that choice comes indecision, ambiguity, and paralysis; like scrolling for a streaming movie, never deciding on one, and losing interest along the way.”

In astrology, squares are 90-degree angle relationships between planets of the same modality, and often point to a moment of tension. With Virgo’s often harsh sense of criticism bumping up with Mars, the fiery planet of battles, it’s important to move cautiously and take notes. Whatever house the new moon transits in your own birth chart is where to focus on renegotiations. Read for your rising sign in NYLON’s August 2022 horoscope for more details.

How to work with the new moon in Virgo

Just because August 2022’s new moon in Virgo doesn’t have the best conditions for manifesting, doesn’t mean it’s a useless transit. Go into this lunation with a little more gentleness for yourself; Virgo loves to nitpick about the details for the benefit of the system as a whole, so use its focused energy to clean out the gunk in your life. Yes, it’s more annoying than just writing down your goals, but a little precision under this new moon will go a long way.