Full Moon in Virgo: The 8 of Pentacles [February 2021]

Full Moon in Virgo 2021

This month’s Full Moon is on Saturday, February 27 at 12:17am Pacific Time. The Full Moon in Virgo is at 8° 57′ with Venus and Neptune sharing a presence with the Sun in Pisces.

The Full Moon is a time of culmination, fulfillment, and spiritual realization. The subconscious and psychic Moon is in a state of maximum illumination. At this stage in her process, she brings our daily affairs to a head and demonstrates that certain themes and patterns are at work behind our experiences.

Questions to ask on the Full Moon:

• What has happened in my life in the last two weeks?
• How have I seen the seeds of the last New Moon taking root?
• What was happening during the last New Moon in Virgo and how is that coming to fruition now?

What was Started in September 2020?

This Full Moon in Virgo is part of a larger cycle that began with the last New Moon in Virgo. The date of this New Moon was September 17, 2020. Looking back at your calendar, journal, or emails, what was going on for you around this time? How are these issues shaping up now? To hone in on the particulars, look to the house where Virgo falls in your chart. Also consider the planets in your chart that tie in to the current cycle.

The New Moon in September was at 25° 00′ Virgo, forming an exact trine to hard-working Saturn in Capricorn.

An Exalted Venus in Pisces Hides Behind the Sun

Venus, the planet of love and attachments, entered emotionally aware Pisces on Thursday, February 25. Venus is Exalted in compassionate Pisces, meaning that she gains strength and dignity here. In soulful Pisces, she shows some of her best traits. Romantic, artistic, empathic, and selfless, she facilitates bonding and dissolving boundaries.

However, she hides under the beams of the Sun the entire time that she’s here. The radiant Sun outshines her until Venus emerges as the Evening Star in May. Venus Cazimi, her conjunction to the Sun, happens in late March after the Spring Equinox, when Venus and the Sun are in Aries. Although benefic Venus is in her Detriment in Aries, she acts in service to the Exalted Solar God during their special counsel on March 26.

The End of Mercury Retrograde

The Full Moon in Virgo is ruled by the messenger of the Gods, Mercury. We’re in a period of resolution until Mercury clears his Shadow on March 12, the day before the New Moon in Pisces. This means that the next two weeks, from the Full Moon to the New Moon, will focus on resolving issues and thought processes initiated around mid-January. It’s time to fully integrate the lessons of this Mercury Retrograde period!

The Full Moon can move these ideas and themes more to the front of our awareness. Look to events that center around the Full Moon for a clue about the significance of the entire Retrograde journey. Virgo energy seeks to organize the data and information that we’ve acquired along the way. Integrating past, present, and future as Mercury slowly picks up the pace will allow us to make the most of this powerfully Aquarian Retrograde journey.

The First Decan of Virgo: The 8 of Pentacles

The Moon is Full in the first decan of Virgo, which corresponds to the 8 of Pentacles card in the Minor Arcana of the Tarot. This part of Virgo is ruled by the Sun and Mercury. This is the Lord of Prudence, signifying diligence. Under this decan, we patiently wait for the fruit to ripen on the bough of the tree, tending to our studies and practices. This is not about seeing the end results, but enjoying the process. It’s a time to integrate important lessons by Doing and being present physically in the moment.

Numerology: The Number Eight

Numerologically, the month of March 2021 is ruled by the number Eight. The number Eight is associated with power, organization, and material savvy. Success goes beyond the tangible products or Pentacles hanging above our work benches, however. There’s a spiritual element as well, which is represented by the mindfulness and attention given to the task by the skilled artisan in the card.

The number Eight nicely matches the energy of methodical Virgo. Be “in the zone” with your work. It may be unfinished or taking longer than expected, but try not to sweat a timeline as much (that’s what I’m telling myself with this late blog post, ha-ha). What matters now is that you do the work: commit to the process for the sake of the process, not the end-product. Each Pentacle that you craft will be more efficient and more accurate than the last.

The Eights in the Minor Arcana of the Tarot (8 of Wands, 8 of Cups, 8 of Swords, & 8 of Pentacles)

In the overall story told from Ace to 10 of each suit, the Eights are concerned with making a decision and taking action. This is a turning point — the beginning of the final home stretch. We have to know by this point where it’s all going. It’s time to commit to the pure energy of the suit. Wands: Act fast. Cups: Follow your heart. Swords: Learn all the things. Pentacles: Do the work.

In the 8 of Wands, Lord of Swiftness, taking action is inevitable as events take on their own momentum; messages are coming in and you have to think quickly and stay on your toes. The 8 of Cups shows us deciding to walk away from situations that have become emotionally stagnant or draining, taking a spiritual pilgrimage away from the drama. When it comes to the Air element and the suit of Swords, however, we face indecision and inaction: too many possibilities cloud the mind and we have to struggle with contradictions.

The 8 of Pentacles simply presents a pupil who has chosen to dedicate himself to the task. As we round out the last two weeks of this Moon and the Mercury Retrograde shadow zone, find practical ways to apply what you’ve learned. As the pendulum swings to bring us more and more free-flowing Pisces energy in the next month, forget about perfect. We’re all in a process of becoming.