In our current era, the Sun travels through the constellation of the Virgin Priestess (shown below) also referred to as the Virgo constellation (it is less confusing to the alternate name) from September 17 to October 30 no matter where you are on the planet. (See explanation in the comments below).

The Sun travels through the seasonal sign of Virgo from August 23 to September 22.

Once upon a long time ago the Sun was with the constellation of the Virgin Priestess in August and was a time ancient cultures celebrated the sovereign feminine as she journeyed with the light of the Sun.

August 15
On August 15 in our current era the Sun is around 22 Leo located in the head of the Lion constellation. Over time the Sun shifts backward one degree every 72 years, or precesses through the constellations. So essentially what we refer to as the month of August finds the Sun in the head of the Lion though once upon a time this time of the year was when the Sun was in the constellation of the Virgin Priestess. Now the Sun travels through this constellation from September 17 to October 30 due to that backward movement.

Ras Elased Borealis is the closest star to the Sun on August 15 in our current era. This star is located in the head of the Lion (now at 22 Leo) and in the Sickle of Stars that ends with the bright star Regulus marking the Heart of the Lion.

When the Sun is with the stars in the head of the Lion it is illuminating the gifts of the mind (ideally balanced with the heart) as its primary intent. However, the Sun also shines a light on the shadow of the mind when consumed by a need for self importance and being in charge.

It is interesting to note the mental justification so many these days have for their nefarious deeds towards others who are seen as abhorrent, wrong, bad, evil, impure, immoral, despicable, unworthy, unacceptable etc. as a way to  elevate their own significance and importance. It brings to mind the quote from Madeline L’Engle in her book  A Swiftly Tilting Planet

“Hate hurts the hater more than the hated.”

I imagine the opposite is true for those who practice being love, loving others, expressing love suggesting:

Love helps those who Love more than the Loved.

AND with love everyone benefits, its a Win Win! At this time we could energize the possibilities of greater love for one another – realizing that even though it doesn’t always seem like it – whatever we do to any else we do to ourselves, bringing to mind another saying:

“What Goes Around, Comes Around!”

August 15 is now celebrated as the Feast Day of the assumption of Mother Mary. This date was chosen as a way to shift the focus from what was considered Pagan Goddess worship to the Virgin Mary. Note: the original meaning of Virgin was different than what we think of today. There was a time when it meant a woman whole unto her self (not married or owned by man). As the christianity took over the meaning of the word virgin changed.

Catholics celebrate the Assumption of Mary at the time when Mary was said to have risen up to heaven and passed into eternal life or when “Mary” representing the divine feminine was assumed or absorbed by the light of the Sun/Son.

Cosmologically speaking, the Sun passing through the constellation of the Virgin did correspond to the mid-August time frame but now due to prescession of the signs (or seasons) through the constellations the Sun passes through this constellation in late September and October reaching Spica the primary star of the Virgin Priestess and the Divine Feminine around mid-October. Manly P Hall said it this way:

 At the end of eight months, when the sun-god, having increased, traverses the eighth sign, he absorbs the celestial Virgin in his fiery course, and she disappears in the midst of the luminous rays…. This phenomenon, which takes place every year about the middle of August (in the current era this is occurring in October) … The Roman calendar of Columella marks the death or disappearance of Virgo (the constellation of the Virgin Priestess) at this period. This is where the Catholics place the Feast of the Assumption, or the reunion of the Virgin to her Son, formerly called the feast of the Passage of the Virgin. The ancient Greeks and Romans fix the assumption of Astraea, who is also this same Virgin, on that day.  ~From The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall

There is evidence that suggests August 15 once corresponded to when the Sun was in close alignment with the Fixed Star Regulus, in the Lion constellation. However, the Sun is no longer aligned with Regulus on Aug 15 but rather reaches its exact conjunction on August 23.

The story of the Virgin Priestess or assumption of Mary comes from the time when her constellation was assumed by the Sun and is part of an even older star mythology. We might imagine its time for a new story and new dates to celebrate the Divine Feminine with the Sun, the source of light and life for our planet!

From  a Facebook Post on August 15 that included Mercury being with Regulus
I always love your posts so much thank you dear Cayelin!

I’m a little confused how does regulus have anything to do with mother Mary? I thought this was about Spica?

Maybe even though August 15 doesn’t link up with Spica anymore, it’s still a good harvest time tropically and so still sort of has a harvest Spica energy.
I assume Spica is the wheat held up by the virgin in the same Virgo. ?

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My response

None of this is easy to understand especially since we named the constellations the same names as the seasonal signs. I mentioned Regulus because that is where Mercury is right now and the Sun will be exact with Regulus on August 22. Regulus is currently overlaid by the seasonal sign of Virgo at 0° Virgo 10′.

The Sun passes through the seasonal sign of Virgo 30 days before the September Equinox and is in the constellation of the Lion for most of that time entering the Priestess constellation around September 19.

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You are correct – the Sun doesn’t catch up to Spica (now at 24° Libra 10′) until around October 16. And yes Spica is seen as the wheat or corn in the hand of the Goddess or Virgin Priestess or Mother Mary depending on your point of view. Other perspectives say this is where she is holding the scales of justice based on the fact that the constellation of the Scales is right there.

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And I would also add this is because of the precessional cycle meaning that all the signs move through all the constellations over 26,000 years. That is why the story of Mary or the Virgin Priestess being assumed by the Sun has shifted to the October Season when once a upon a time when the tradition of the Sun Assuming the Virgin Priestess Constellation wasn’t celebrated in August in the Leo season or month of August. As I mentioned this timing was used by the Catholic Church to discourage the more ancient tradition of celebrating the Goddess being with the Sun that happened around this time many centuries ago.