A Bald Man and a Chorus Line: Leadership Lessons from the Virgo Eclipse

A new moon is always a time to plant seeds for new beginnings. A solar eclipse, however, is more powerful. It clears the slate, offering endings as well as beginnings, which isn’t always a tidy process. It’s like pulling everything out of a closet. For a moment, it looks like chaos, but only by making that mess can we truly see what fits, what’s outgrown, and what belongs in the next chapter.

Virgo is the sign of refinement, service, health, and order. It rules the details of our daily lives, the way we care for ourselves and others, and the practices that keep us aligned. At 28°, this eclipse carries an energy of urgency and culmination. It’s the final brushstroke before the canvas is revealed, the last rehearsal before the curtain rises. We’re preparing to step into something more public, more relational as Virgo hands the baton to Libra.

And the Sabian symbol for Virgo 28° is “A bald-headed man who has seized power.” On the surface, it speaks to raw authority, control, and decisive will. Yet in the context of this eclipse, it also raises the question: what does power look like when expressed consciously, creatively, and with service in mind? Leadership today is less about seizing control and more about refining the gifts we already hold, and stepping forward with clarity and intention.

For me, this theme became very real recently when I joined the chorus of NZOpera’s Monster in the Maze. It’s been 14 years since I last performed on stage, and I never thought I’d return. But what surprised me wasn’t the stage itself, it was my voice. With just a few weeks of intentional practice, the strength and control I thought I’d lost came rushing back. Strong enough where I wasn’t shying away, and my party trick of reenacting the cowardly lion's roar was whipped out to make the ladies in the dressing room giggle.

I realised that leadership is a lot like singing. The voice is always there, but it requires care, practice, and the courage to use it in front of others. This eclipse reminds us that empowerment often lies in what feels second nature and the tools we’ve carried since childhood, waiting to be dusted off and used with purpose.

Leadership, then, isn’t about domination or control. It’s about refinement. It’s about finding our natural instruments, whether that’s our voice, our vision, or our creativity, and committing to them with presence and integrity.

As I prepare to step more fully into my own path of leadership and building a life and work that is authentically mine, the fear is real. My body is speaking too, throwing tension into my back as if to say, you cannot carry the old weight anymore, clean it up.

This Virgo eclipse is that pause before the performance, the moment to purge what no longer belongs, and to claim authority over our lives in a way that feels aligned and alive. For all of us, it’s an invitation to ask: where does my natural power lie, and how can I refine it into service? How can I use my voice and practice in the mirror before stepping out on stage?

Slow and steady wins the race. The curtain is about to rise.