Virgo Season Kicks Off With 4 Planets In Retrograde—Here's How To Move Through It

As summer begins to wind down here in the northern hemisphere, that can only mean one thing: Virgo season is upon us. And between a blue moon and slew of retrogrades, this Virgo season couldn't be a better time for some self reflection and recalibration as we prepare for autumn's harvest. Here's what to know.

You can think of Virgo like the dignified editor of the zodiac; It's a particular, practical, and has a keen sense for how to best serve other people—and itself. Virgo does, after all, rule the sixth house of health and service.

Virgo season begins on August 23, so for the next four weeks, consider this season an opportunity to lean into those things, whether you get involved in your community, lean on your favorite self-care practices, or refine your fitness and nutrition routine.

This is a time of year when kids are going back to school and the Earth is brimming with crops for harvest—and so too can we tap into the organization and dedication needed to make the most of this time.

Calling all dreamers! We had a full moon in Aquarius earlier this month, and on August 30, we'll have another, making it a blue moon. And this time, it's in the sign of dreamy and ethereal Pisces. As the AstroTwins recently wrote for mindbodygreen, this blue moon will cast a rosy glow over all your interactions.

According to them, subconscious thoughts will be illuminated under this moon, so get ready for divine downloads. We may all feel more psychic than usual under these moon beams, perhaps more spiritual, and our dreams could even get a boost in intensity.

To that end, the twins suggest capturing messages from your higher mind—and possibly even ancestors and guides—when you're in a meditative state.

To say we've been in the height of retrograde season this summer would be an understatement. We started the month with three of the five outer planets (Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto) in retrograde, along with inner planet Venus retrograde in Leo, and wounded healer Chiron.

If that wasn't enough, Mercury will go retrograde the same day Virgo season begins on August 23, followed by Uranus on August 28.

Looking ahead to September, Jupiter, the planet of luck, will go retrograde in Taurus until December 31. It's all a lot, to be sure—so if it's any consolation, Venus will be back on course and out of retrograde on September 3.

Now, the heads up about the retrogrades is not to scare you. While it can definitely seem daunting to have so many planets awry, think of it more as a chance to retrace your steps and reflect than to worry about messing things up. With Virgo's discerning prowess fueling the skies right now, we can use these retrogrades to refine what's working and what's not.

On August 27, Mars, the planet of action, war, and passion, moves into Libra, a sign that's all about harmony, justice, and relationships with others. As you might have gathered, Mars in Libra is kind of an oxymoron, which is actually why Mars is considered "in detriment" in this sign.

The opposing motivations of Mars and Libra can make it easy to romanticize things that shouldn't be romanticized, or worse, become codependent. As the AstroTwins note, cuffing season is near and the urge to merge will be strong under Mars in Libra, so don't get yourself locked into a serious situation before you’re truly ready.

Instead, use the Libran priorities of harmony and fairness to help you, instead, think about how your words and actions impact others. (Especially since Mercury is in retrograde!)

Finally, as Virgo season rolls on, we'll have a new moon in Virgo on September 14. And while the calendar year tells us that January starts the new year, the astrological new year actually begins with Aries season on the spring equinox. As such, this time of year has its own "mid-year" energy, and the new moon offers an opportunity for a personal check in.

New moons are about planting seeds, looking ahead, and thinking about what you want to achieve until the next new moon, as well as the Virgo full moon six months from now.

Again, this time of year is ripe with back-to-school energy, so use this moon to fuel that energy within yourself, even if you're not literally going back to school. We are all students of life, after all.

Virgo season marks a time of year when we're reaping all that we've sown over the busier months of the year, while simultaneously slowing down and preparing for the quieter months of the year. And while it's only four-weeks long, we clearly have a lot happening in the skies to watch out for.

And when we know what to watch out for, and how to act accordingly, we can tap into the energy of the season and live in better alignment with ourselves and the stars.