September is a busy month in 2024! With the Eclipses happening, it will be a highly transformative month. The eclipses will create shifts and changes in different areas of our lives, and this energy fluxes throughout the month. Their energy can ripple for a month, both before and after they happen. They can bring about endings, beginnings, and breakthroughs. The Eclipses will dominate the cosmic skies and will have a strong influence on our emotions and relationships. We can feel the effects of Eclipses before and after they happen, and their energy can be felt for weeks or even months!
There is a Pisces Lunar Eclipse on September 17th and another on October 2nd. During this period, we can expect intense emotions and deep insights. September and October will have similar energy, and the transformational changes of September will continue into October. We may not fully recognize the transformation until the end of October or beyond. It is important to allow the process to unfold in its own time. Embrace change and stay open to the possibilities the Universe offers you.
In the first part of the month, focus on health and building inner strength by prioritizing self-care and focusing on activities that promote well-being. Adopt healthy habits, set boundaries, and protect your energy. In the second half of the month, surrender to the Universe’s guidance but also stand up for yourself for what you believe in and assert your boundaries. Find a balance between surrendering and maintaining control by surrendering to the flow of life while taking responsibility for your actions. Pay attention to what needs to be let go of and what needs to be taken charge of. Reflect on what no longer serves you and take proactive steps towards positive change. Conserve your energy and find nurturing ways to take care of yourself.
By the end of September, there will be a sense of closure and anticipation for what October will bring. Take some time to reflect on the lessons learned and set intentions for the coming month.
September 2024 Transits
Sep 1 – Uranus Retrograde in Taurus
Sep 1 – Pluto Rx enters Capricorn
Sep 2 – New Moon in Virgo
Sep 2 – Mercury in Leo Trine Chiron in Aries Rx
Sep 3 – Mars in Gemini Square Neptune in Pisces Rx
Sep 4 – Mars enters Cancer
Sep 4 – Venus in Libra conjuncts Black Moon Lilith in Libra and South Node in Libra
Sep 7 – Mercury in Leo Square Uranus in Taurus Rx
Sep 8 – Pallas enters Sagittarius
Sep 8 – Sun in Virgo Opposite Saturn in Pisces Rx
Sep 9 – Mercury enters Virgo
Sep 11 – First Quarter Moon in Sagittarius
Sep 12 – Sun in Venus Square Jupiter in Gemini
Sep 17 – Full Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces
Sep 19 – Sun in Virgo Trine Uranus in Taurus Rx
Sep 20 – Saturn in Pisces Rx quintile Uranus in Taurus Rx
Sep 21 – Sun in Virgo Opposite Neptune in Pisces Rx
Sep 22 – Sun enters Libra
Sep 22 – Mabon/Autumn Equinox
Sep 22 – Sun in Libra trine Pluto in Capricorn Rx
Sep 22 – Venus in Libra Square Pluto in Capricorn Rx
Sep 23 – Venus enters Scorpio
Sep 24 – Last Quarter Moon in Taurus
Sep 25 – Saturn in Pisces Rx semi-square Pluto in Capricorn Rx
Sep 26 – Mercury enters Libra
Sep 30 – Sun in Libra Conjunct Mercury in Virgo
September 2024 Important Dates
September 2 - New Moon in Virgo
The Virgo New Moon brings chill vibes, giving us hope! We might feel more sure about where we’re headed, or we could see a light at the end of a tunnel with a situation we’ve been dealing with. Connected to the Pisces Lunar Eclipse, this New Moon might give us a heads-up on what’s coming. It’s time to plant some seeds under this New Moon – they won’t be ready for harvest yet, but they’ll bloom in the months ahead.
This new moon is also vibing with an opposition to Saturn in Pisces, but hey, no need to freak out. When Saturn is in the mix, it’s all about long-term plans and projects. So, it’s a great time to kickstart that new routine, try out a fresh health kick, and make some solid promises to yourself about all things Virgo in your life. Jupiter is calling the shots for this new moon, hanging out in Gemini. If you want something done, you’ll have to put your thinking cap on and use your skills to make it happen.
New Moon in Virgo Affirmation: Today, I embrace hope. I am excited about my possibilities. I can handle any challenges that come my way.
🌑 Moon: New in Virgo
🪄 Spellwork Recommended: Self-care, overcoming obstacles, health matters, creating opportunities
🎯 Activity: Heart Health Bath! This month, try a heart health bath ceremony! There is no better way to use this Virgo energy to get ready for the eclipse season ahead. You can use our Amāre Bath Salts or Rosa Bath Bomb or create your own. If you plan to create your own, add rose petals, jasmine flowers, Hibiscus (and be ready for some pink water!), eucalyptus, and rosemary!
September 17 - Full Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces - Supermoon (Full Harvest Moon)
Welcome to Eclipse Season! We’re in for the first eclipse on the Virgo/Pisces axis. The Pisces Lunar Eclipse is unique because it gives us a little preview of what will come under the Virgo-Pisces Eclipse cycle that will kick off next year. During the full moon, this partial lunar eclipse is at the 25th degree of Pisces. Think back to six months ago when we had the Pisces new moon and see what’s happened since then – you’ll notice a moment of clarity.
Eclipses follow an 18-month cycle, so we’re just at the beginning of what this Eclipse cycle has in store for us. Eclipses are like destiny’s surprises and can feel a bit scary. But, lucky for us, this eclipse is connected to Jupiter in Gemini. Jupiter might be dealing with some challenges from Mercury and Saturn, but it’s still getting positive vibes from Venus in Libra.
The Pisces Lunar Eclipse is likely to bring closure to a chapter. If lingering issues from earlier in the year still need to be dealt with, this Eclipse might bring some resolution. While there may be some intense vibes around this Eclipse, and perhaps we’ll have to let go of something in our lives, Eclipses put us right where we need to be.
Because this Eclipse is happening in sensitive Pisces, our inner wisdom will be our best compass. Remember to tune in to our intuition and be selective about the energy we surround ourselves with. It will be a September to remember, so get to work planting your seeds. A fruitful fall awaits!
Why Is It Called the Harvest Moon?
The full Moon in September 2024 marks a time to reap what was sewn in the spring. After months of soaking in life-giving rays from the Sun and rainwater from the clouds—combined with careful tending from gardeners and farmers—there are grains to be stored and fruits and vegetables to be canned. It’s a time to celebrate summer’s bounty while preparing for long, cold winter months when large swaths of land go dormant.
September is a critical month for harvesting crops in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the northern reaches.
It’s little wonder that the full Moon occurring closest to the autumn equinox is called the Harvest Moon. And it’s challenging to think of another full Moon that is more widely recognized by a single name immortalized in songs, films, and video games. A farming simulation video game, Harvest Moon Western Markets, was released in 1996 (over a decade before FarmVille became popular).
The Harvest Moon isn’t exclusively a September event because the full Moon closest to the autumn equinox is given this moniker. Every few years, October (rather than September) hosts this Moon that once was critical to European farmers. Before electricity and tractors with lights used to harvest crops all night, farmers relied on the Harvest Moon’s light to extend workdays when fields were most bountiful.
Religious observations and myths surrounding the autumn equinox are as plentiful as the crops. Romans held a festival for the goddess of fruits and growing things. Ancient Greek mythology tells the story of Persephone’s annual return to the Underworld, which saddens her mother, Demeter, the harvest goddess. During these months, Demeter refused to make plants grow, explaining the winter months every year.
The Moon Festival in China is a national holiday corresponding to the full Moon on the autumn equinox. Also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese and Vietnamese communities celebrate the abundance of the harvest at this time. This season, mooncakes filled with lotus, sesame seeds, a duck egg, or dried fruits are popular treats.
Among Christians, Michaelmas is a minor festival. The Catholic church is the branch of Christianity most likely to celebrate the Feast of Michael and All Angels these days. Centuries ago, servants in England were paid after the harvest around Michaelmas in late September.
Alternate Harvest Moon Names
Likewise, many Native American peoples recognized this Moon for marking the seasonal change and time of harvest. Known as the “Autumn Moon” to the Passamaquoddy in present-day Northeast United States, it is “After Harvest” in the language of the Kalapuya in the Pacific Northwest and called the “Moon Of Full Harvest” by the Hopi in the Southwest.
(Harvest Moon Information by Daniel Higgins – The Old Farmer’s Almanac)
Full Moon Affirmation: I clear myself of negative thoughts
🌕 Moon: Full in Pisces
🪄 Spellwork Recommended: Releasing, cord removals, breaking bad habits, gratitude, ancestral work.
🎯 Activity: Releasing ceremony – This is a simple ceremony to release a painful part of your life or your past that may be standing in the way of you moving forward.
For this ceremony, you will need the following:
- Black candle
- Banishing incense (you can also use an elemental earth incense blend or any earth-ruled herbs as incense)
- Banishing or Cleansing Oil
- Fire-poof container, black marker & pen
- A printout of a photo representing a moment or person you are releasing – be sure you are also in the photo!
Charge your candle with what you are releasing. Light your incense. Look at your photo and reflect on why you are releasing that situation or person. Once you have that image clear in your head, take the pen, flip the paper over, and write down everything this person or situation makes you feel you are releasing. For example, you could say, “small, incompetent, sad, klutzy, etc..” Once you have written down everything you are releasing, flip the photo over and use the black marker to black out any part of yourself. If the image had only an arm or leg, black it out. If the image had your face, black it out as well. Once all parts of you are blacked out from the picture, light it with the candle and drop it in the fire-proof container. Watch as it burns away, taking all those negative feelings you wrote on the paper. Once done, scatter the ashes outside your property, or you can flush the ashes down the toilet if you are not on a “well” plumbing system (you don’t want the ashes to stay on your property!)
September 22 - Mabon/Autumn Equinox
The Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun during the Equinoxes, resulting in nearly equal daylight and darkness worldwide. Equinox comes from the Latin words “equal” and “night.” This phenomenon causes approximately 12 hours of day and night at the equator, with longer days at higher latitudes due to the sun taking more time to rise and set.
This time of equality is a great time to work on personal balancing. How are your masculine and feminine energies balancing out? What does your work/Life balance look like? If you feel out of sorts, there is no better day to work on finding balance in your life.
Mabon is also the second harvest festival, part of one of the eight sacred days of Wheel of the Year. During Mabon, we celebrate the bulk of the harvest, which many call pagan Thanksgiving. This is a time for gratitude and to share the good blessings you received with family and friends during the year!
Mabon Affirmation: Every person on this planet enriches my life in some way or another. I am thankful to all.
🌖 Moon: Waning Gibbous in Gemini
🪄 Spellwork Recommended: Self-care, manifestation, gratitude
🎯 Activity: Community Gratitude Dinner. A community dinner is a great way to celebrate this time of the year! Generally, a potluck is the best way to do it; that way, everyone has a hand in the feast, just as in past times, everyone in the community would have a hand in the harvest! Before you begin, create sacred space in your favorite way, offer some incense (generally, fall scents work great, or you can purchase some Mabon Incense just for the occasion!). Use a fall-colored candle (Yellow or Orange are my favorites) at the center of the feast, and have everyone go around in a circle sharing what they are most thankful for this year and what blessings they received that they want to share with everyone else. Once everyone has gone, then dig in and enjoy the feast!
September 22 - Libra Season Begins
Libra is ruled by the planet Venus, which, in astrology, rules pleasure, social engagements, art, and adornments. Venus is also the ancient Roman goddess of Love and beauty, with her Greek counterpart, Aphrodite. The symbol of Libras is the image of the scales, which represents balance and harmony—something that most Libras strive for!
Libras are generally active, artistic and creative, easygoing, social butterflies, diplomatic, and highly value beauty: beauty within themselves, their surroundings, nature, and the people they encounter. Ruled by Venus, Libras are also considered to be the quintessential romantics of the zodiac. They are typically easy to like and very charming. Libras are people who treasure healthy and balanced partnerships, romantic and otherwise.
Venus rules Libra, so this is also a powerful time to lean into our Venus qualities. Spend time creating beauty in your environment and within, focus on your finances, and make time for friends. Libra season wants us to prioritize our relationships—so make sure you start to think about who gets to occupy your time. With Venus, the ruling planet of Libra, moving into Scorpio simultaneously (and staying there until October 17), your tolerance for surface-level relationships wanes, so think about who and what you are devoting your energies to and why. This is a time to strive for balance!
Libra Season Affirmation: I create harmony by maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
🌖 Moon: Waning Gibbous in Gemini
🪄 Spellwork Recommended: Self-care, balance, relationships, social situations
🎯 Activity: Balance your life – Draw a circle and cut it into equal chunks, label them the different main parts of your life (examples: school, work, sleep, food, sex, hobbies, etc.) and go through and rate each area on a scale of 1 to 10 of how satisfied you are with that area of your life, then adjust accordingly to what you need to pay more attention to. Now look at the numbers you assigned – the ones with the highest and lowest numbers are probably out of balance.
Use a card deck to pull 2 cards for each area of your life. One card will tell you what some of the things you need to STOP doing to bring that area into balance are, and the other will tell you what some things you need to START doing to achieve balance. Use the guidance from the cards and your intuition to create a balanced plan!
