Retrograde Season, the Virgo Dark Moon, and the Brain's Four Happiness Chemicals

Well, here we are still (mostly) in retrograde season, with Mars freshly retrograde in Aries, and rolling right into a dark moon in Virgo.  I am really feeling this, so I thought I would share something practical for working with these energies.

Things are uncertain, and I think it is safe to say many of us having been dealing with some level of fear in our day to day lives for some time now.

Retrograde season began in late April/early May, as Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto all stationed retrograde in Capricorn.  They have been retracing their steps all summer.  Jupiter was the first to station direct on September 12th, and this brings some relief and new moon blessings this week too, but Saturn, Pluto, and Mars are all still in reverse. Saturn will station on September 28th, and then Pluto will follow suit on October 4th, wrapping up our return to forward motion as far as the summer retrogrades in Capricorn are concerned.  However, Mars will remain retrograde in Aries until November 13th and will be challenging the planets in Capricorn, so really, we won't be out of the woods with this until then.

Retrogrades bring a review, and also are karmic.  They are helpful, but also bring growth, especially when there is a square aspect involved like Mars retrograde in Aries this fall squaring up to Saturn in Capricorn as it stations direct.  Saturn is karma and fear, and can be felt as restriction, isolation, and depression; Mars is our passion and self-assertion - Mars is the warrior, our courage - so when it is moving backwards it can also show us where fear has been hiding deep within.  When it gets brought up, like now, we get to move through it to access what is on the other side, our authenticity, our authority, our courage, and our true sovereignty.

Right now we are in a dark moon, which is the three days preceding a new moon, and the deepest part of the lunar cycle.  The dark moon is when we turn inward and release.  Things bubbling up feel strong and extra uncomfortable because we are able to access deeper layers during this lunar phase.  Dark moons are always about supporting ourselves in the stillness that allows deep inner insight and release.  This is the magic that super powers the coming new moon - the deeper we dive, the higher we will be able to rise.  

Self-care and nourishment during dark moons are key, and especially for this Virgo dark moon that precedes the Virgo new moon.  Virgo forms the healing axis of the zodiac along with Pisces, with Virgo ruling the earthly plane and Pisces the spiritual.  For every bit of relentless perfectionism and over-criticism that Virgo might bring, Pisces has the compassion and forgiveness to dissolve the fear and pain.  

Virgo rules the rituals and routines that keep us healthy and happy and of service in the mundane realms.  We happen to all be here with a human that needs our care to function at its highest level here on the earth-plane.  

With this in mind, I have been doing some research, on the four "happiness chemicals" in the brain, dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphin, and ways to boost them!  

​Here it is!

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