This is true for all of us, because we are all human. As humans, part of our story is that as young people, an event creates a deep impact within our unconscious. Whether we attribute it to the perils of childhood, past karma, a big trauma, something subtle, or psychological struggles, all of us has some trigger lurking in the shadow. It is part of our growth and evolution as spiritual beings to come face to face with this inner dragon, and slay it to reveal the gold hiding behind it.

Virgo, as the goddess of the sky, represents our untainted soul, the purity from which we all arise. It strives to hold onto that goodness at every turn — through tending to cleanliness, clarifying its speech, indulging in self-care — and suffers greatly when those elements are neglected. For Virgo, who is ruled by both the planet of communication (Mercury) and the great mentor of the sky, Chiron, the downside of not holding to one’s sense of truth and purity results in a pattern of self-destruction as Virgo is its own worst critic…and enemy.

With Chiron directly opposite our sensitive Virgo new moon, he stands in the way of our forward progress, unless we are willing to take a good, hard look at whatever is “impure” within. Whatever keeps us small, or diminishes our light, represents for us our core wound. Likely, this is something we have run into time and time again as the source of our shame, frustration, or hurt. Underneath the wound, as Chiron is here to show us this month, is the source of our greatest purity and joy…but until we shine light upon it, it remains obscured in darkness.

For us to reclaim our light, rekindle our sense of interconnected innocence and see the universe as working in our favor, we must make powerful Chiron an ally this month and walk with him toward what is uncomfortable, scary, and potentially shameful. If we do this in a safe space, within the context of our spiritual practice, we transform our wound into our strength and move from the wounded victim to the empowered mentor. It is from this place we recover our greatest gift and become the most powerful teacher possible…as we usher others toward the light with our newfound strength.

Alchemical Ritual for the Virgo New Moon: 

Locate a powerful talisman that represents the symbol of a past wound. Gather crystals, sage and a candle and set up a space for your ritual. Light the candle and enter your ritual with the talisman. 

Say out loud the following affirmation: 

May this Virgo new moon energy heal my old wounds and reveal the source of my power. 

Sit in quiet meditation for a few moments with the symbol and observe what arises as a result of its presence. There is no right or wrong, and it is also not necessary to relive or recapitulate past experiences with this practice. Allow it to be as it is, accept it fully, and witness it with the light of awareness. Write on a piece of paper some qualities of the past wound—it doesn’t need to be a complete recounting, just some free-association of the related emotions and energy. 

Now, give yourself permission to allow the lessons of this past wound to evolve. What have you learned as a result? How has it made you stronger? What good has come of it? Immerse yourself in that knowledge, and sit in quiet meditation as you observe what comes up as a result of the shift in perception. Write these qualities down, and as you do, either hold or touch the symbol. This will transform the symbol and you from the inside out. Hold or touch the symbol while you continue to feel the good qualities within. Let those grow, flourish and take root. Cleanse yourself with the sage, and chant Om three times. Close the ritual by snuffing the candle and placing your symbol in plain sight as a reminder of your transformation.
 

By Alanna Kaivalya

Alanna believes Yoga is for everyone and each student can develop the self-empowerment needed to embark on a personal journey to meaningful transformation. On this principle she founded The Kaivalya Yoga Method, a fresh take on yoga emphasizing the individual path while honoring tradition. Teaching students since 2001, teachers since 2003, Alanna has written and developed teacher trainings worldwide for top studios and independently. In January she debuted a comprehensive 200hr-online teacher training with YogaDownload. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, has authored numerous articles and two books: Myths of the Asanas, an accessible practitioner’s guide to stories behind beloved poses; Sacred Sound, a yoga “hymnal,” illustrating the role of chant and mantra in modern practice. Look for her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, in Autumn 2016.She lives in New York City with Roxy the Wonderdog.