Welcome back everyone!
Happy Virgo Season! I am so excited to share this episode. You may recall that I promised to whip this baby up super fast – and I genuinely tried. As you know, I’m in a million courses. But on top of that, I’ve had to add 9 units of community college to raise my GPA. If you don’t know, I’m really trying to score a spot in CIIS’s Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program, and only 20ish students get accepted at a time. So I’m just trying to increase my chances.
But also – I did record this episode a time before already. I was very unsatisfied with the results, however. So we are here again, take 2!
Today’s episode is focused on Virgo.
Virgo is one of my favorite signs. I find this sign so confusing. Not confusing like – “Someone teach me about Virgo, cause I can’t get it compared to Taurus or Capricorn” but in a way of, “What you choose to do in your life is confusing to me.” And I know they feel the same way towards me. There’s a variety of reasons for why I feel this way, and one of them is the simple fact that in aspects, Aries + Virgo technically make a quincunx, and this aspect is one that is a bit uncomfortable. Lack of common ground.
Thus – I’m in love with the sign. I love things that confuse me, that startle time, and that surprise me. They pique my interest. And I’m all about them.
Not to mention – my family is riddled with Virgo suns and Virgo ascendants. I’m the only one in my immediate family (with the possible exception of one other) who is not a Virgo sun or Virgo ascendant. All of my most impactful teachers or mentors were all Virgo suns or Virgo ascendants. I’m seriously always surrounded by the energy, and I’m genuinely a fan. But also – always on the other foot from where they stand.
_____________________________________________________________________________
There are a lot of quotes and references in this episode. This is because of a few reasons that include the fact that I’m introducing a different perspective of Virgo that differs from the commercialized descriptions usually found on pop-astrology websites.
I know when I am met with information that differs from what I’ve read about, I’m rather critical and full of questions. So to qualm any worries or skepticism re the info I provide, I’m equipped with an arsenal of information to ensure I am not just throwing random opinions at you- but instead providing actual, educated content influenced or directly supplied by universally-recognized astrologers.
That said, I want to emphasize that this episode certainly isn’t covering every little thing about Virgo. But it is jam packed with information to introduce a new perspective and approach to Virgo, and an introduction to the Virgo archetype. Also – friendly disclaimer that this is zeroing in on the Virgo archetype – not your personal version of Virgo which is color coated according to your planets and other signs. Your version of Virgo is affected by the planets and signs that riddle your chart, and thus may be slightly different from these descriptions. That said, lets begin.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get started, let’s tap into the essence of Virgo with some quotes regarding the sign:
Steven Forrest, in his book, The Inner Sky, writes: “The poor virgin is seen as a boring sign, given to pettiness and idiosyncrasies. In truth, there is no sign more exciting. Why? Because there is no sign more eager to grow. Her perfectionism pressures her to change. And her pragmatic realism gives her the means to do it. If this were all there were to Virgo’s strategy, she would be the most selfish of the signs. Everything would revolve around me, my growth, my hang ups. Egoism need not be arrogant. Compulsive personal analysis bestows upon the self a distortedly central position in the universe just as certainly as any messiah complex. Virgo does not succumb to that trap. There is a second dimension to her personality, one that serves to balance her seriousness and self-absorption: this is the sign of the servant.”
Darby Costello, in her book Earth + Air, writes: Virgo is about intricacy. It is the intricacy and subtlety of nature. It is the subtle interweave of each species with the other, and of each species with its local and particular environment. It is the intricacy of the flora and fauna of each environment and the insects and fish and animals that are part of that environment. It is the infinite usefulness of nature with its remedies, its poisons, and its antidotes. It is the infinite permutations of nature with its intricate order of eat-and-be-eaten and use-and-be-used. It is a tiny detail of the smallest flower under the moss under the tree under the fern, which none of us ever sees – exquisite in its delicate shape, and perfectly woven into the chain of being in that particular wood, as is the tallest redwood in California. It is the very delicate and yet incredibly hardy interconnection of all natural life. Planets in Virgo are nervous and shy of exposure. They stand behind their work, not in front of it. They are attuned to the delicacy of the balancing act that goes into keeping anything going.
And she continues at a later point with: Virgo is also the cup of tea you bring your aunt when she has come home from town tired and irritable. It is the polish you put on the underside of the table, so that the wood can be fed from both sides, whether it is seen or not. It is the accounts he keeps so that the incoming and outgoings tally, so that the harvest can feed the community. Is the endless tasks that have to do with maintaining the rhythms and cycles of daily life.
Frank C Clifford, in his book, Getting to the Heart of the Chart, remarks: Virgo is born to be the craftswoman, specialist, and the scrupulous selector. A natural harvester, she separates the wheat from the chaff, and her interest lies in getting to the heart of the matter and of being of service to the greater whole. Relishing the discovery of any detail that is useful and essential, Virgo analyzes to create systematic order and make the world a better place. The most controlling and the idiosyncratic of the signs, she follows the pomp and ceremony of Leo by putting the things back into sequence and ensuring they function economically – all without creating a noticeable fuss. Her gifts of precision and restoration are indispensable.
You’ll notice that none of these descriptions paint the picture we often find of the nit-picky, clean freak, who is incredibly ocd and mega judgy.
Okay! Let’s dive into the building blocks of this sign!
Earth
Beginning with the Virgoic foundations, we turn our attention to the Earth element. Virgo is an Earth sign. Earth signs are very focused on the material + physical world. They approach the world solely according to their senses – what they can see, smell, hear, touch, and taste; interacting with what stands materially before them- that they can interact with in a physical way. They are very practical and realistic (in the tangible sort of sense). With such attention on the real world, they are strongly driven by security in the physical + material sense. They certainly prefer the more concrete, and the more tangible.
Kathrin Hamaker-Zondag (who I’ll refer to as KHZ from this point forward) tells us in her book, Psychological Astrology, “For the earth types, the material world and palpable reality takes pride in place. It is the world of forms discerned by the physical sense organs and grasped by the practical intellect in which someone of this type feels most at home and on which he reposes his trust. Earth is practical, solid, reliable; therefor its subjects are noted for such qualities as perseverance (not to say obstinacy), industry, patience, caution and control. Just as earth is passive and receptive, so someone of the earth type can do nothing without being motivated and inspired by others, who both incite him to action and help him to assimilate his impressions. … he can also have a strong inclination to conform to matter and to become better rooted in material possessions. Often a person of this type identifies himself with his possessions or with the part the world expects him to play or with the task it gives him to fulfill.”
I want to quickly address something KHZ mentions: she touches on that Virgo is receptive and passive. She is saying this because Virgo is a Yin sign, and yin signs are naturally passive + receptive. They are not likely to dynamically charge forward in situations, like the Yang signs. They are more often the recipients of the affects as initiated by the Yang signs.
Bringing in Carl Jung’s personality types, we learn that Virgo, as an Earth sign, is associated with the personality type: Perceptive. KHZ teaches us that Earth types + Perceptive types both share a “sensorial attachment to objects.
She says: For the perceptive type, the sense organs are always their most important means of making contact between the internal and external world. Perception is immediately given and is therefore not subject to the laws of reason as are the conscious functions of thinking and feeling.
In her book, she cites Carl Jung, explaining: ‘There is no other human type that equals the extrovert perceptive type as far as realism is concerned. His objective sense for fact is unusually well developed. The things he experiences sometimes hardly merit the name of “experience”. “ If we were to condense what we know, we’d understand that Virgo is Earth, and Earth is highly sensual, practical, realistic, security-driven, and material-focused.
And please do note that when I say material-focused, I don’t mean that they are superficial and only care about material – I’m indicating that theyre approach is by means of what is materially crossing path with their sense. Some people are emotion-focused, and approach things by way of how it makes them feel. Earth types are material-focused, and approach according to their senses and how they can interact on a physical level. They are focused on what is materially before them in the most realistic sense.
Mutable.
Of the three modalities, Virgo is a mutable sign. Mutable signs (which are Sagittarius, Gemini, Pisces, and Virgo) tend to be versatile, changeable, adaptable, capable of seeing various perspectives, and sometimes scattered.
In consideration of the psychology of a mutable sign, KHZ teaches that mutable signs are those who flow from both the inwardly focused (sub conscious, conscious, emotions) to the externally focused. She says, “Its strength lies in the ability to switch from one mode to the other… “ From internal to external.
As we learn from KHZ, Mutable signs seek “Fresh experiences,” and if they can’t get their hands on fresh experiences, then encounters that stimulate the mind so that it is as if they had a fresh experience.
And fresh experiences are pretty exciting encounters. But we have to consider we are looking at Virgo, which is an Earth sign. And if we remember, Earth strives for security. Earth signs aren’t necessarily ones who will jump at an impulse, and dive head deep into unplanned adventure. Virgo isn’t Sagittarius (a fire Mutable Sign), and would never just jump into a car for a road trip on an hours’ notice, with no money in the bank. So, when we discuss exciting encounters or fresh experiences, I think it’s safe to assume that Virgo will likely opt for exciting encounters that don’t propel them into an adrenaline adventure; but instead one that stimulates their mind, and allows for them to have their own modified kind of adventure that still incites a fresh experience.
That said, Virgo does have to be careful, because it is far too easy for Virgo to get trapped in an inhibited situation simply due to fear of newer or unknown adventures. Virgo has an inner craving to achieve fresh experiences, and it is important that Virgo not suppress this inner need, simply due to overwhelming concern of safety.
**And again – we are looking at the Virgo archetype. So you are a Virgo and mega disagreeing – you very likely have fire in your chart, and that would definitely affect your Virgoic approach.
She also says, “The mutable cross has a need to build bridges – both between the conscious and the unconscious and between situations and people. As [you] will see, the bridge building can be seen inside or outside the individual, but in any case, it does introduce a note a service into the Virg o make up. Also, because a Virgo mind tends to concentrate on form, people born under the sign often like to “save the day’ (to preserve the shape of things).”
Virgo is a sign that is mutable AND ruled by Mercury, and thus bridge building or synthesizing are certainly one of Virgo’s traits. Virgo also shares the service axis with its opposite sign Pisces. And though they share this axis, they certainly have different interpretations and meanings of what it means to be of Service, or even how to approach it.
So, let’s simplify really quickly, and blend what we have learned about Virgo being both EARTH and MUTABLE.
Because we know that Virgo is Earth and has a more physical approach, and because we understand that Virgo is mutable, and can understand it’s desire to bridge + connect; it makes sense that Virgo comes to terms with things, or understands things by using a hands-on approach, and taking things apart, separating them into pieces, and then synthesizing + integrating them in the most practical way; ensuring that the resulting project serves some practical purpose or at the least, can be of use.
KHZ says, “In every situation, Virgos try to serve the world (and even more to serve themselves) by reconciling opposites, fostering understanding between others to solve difficulties.”
As Liz Greene puts it: Virgos are here to order, classify, and synthesize.
So – let’s just take a minute to acknowledge the elephant in the room, and call out the meme-worthy descriptions constantly jabbed at Virgo.
Virgos are neat freaks
Virgos are perfectionists
Virgos are super cold and without feelings
Virgos are so judgemental
And I’ll be honest – can a Virgo have these traits? ABSOLUTELY. Are these traits within the Virgo archetype – ABSOLUTELY. Do these traits define Virgo? No freaking way.
Saying a Virgo is judgmental is equal to saying Aries is aggressive or Scorpio is cynical. Do the sign archetypes have these characteristics within them – totally. Is it the key characteristic the sign walks around with? Definitely not – at least in a developed person.
I think what we have to become aware of, is that Virgo has this internal loud-speaker that is constantly calling out their own inadequacies. And because they are aware that these characteristics (judgy, ocd, etc) take up space within their inadequacies, they lay down to it and accept these statements as who they are. Or, for the more aware Virgo, they use it as a base for why Astrology isn’t correct. But in truth, Virgo is so much more.
And now that we’ve acknowledged some of the more ridiculous statements claiming Virgo – lets go ahead and scrape away our knowledge that we’ve found online, and start with a clean slate.
As Liz Greene says, “To begin with, we can throw away everybody’s favorite image of the eternal ashtray emptier and furniture duster. The neat, orderly, tidy soul with the perfectly balanced bank account and the immaculate kitchen is a picture which send most Virgos into fits a cynical laughter… For some rather elusive reasons- reasons which might just lie, as so much Astrological misunderstanding does, in the attempt during medieval times to Christianize or make moral a symbolic system that is far older and more inclusive than Christianity – Virgo is sadly misinterpreted.”
And I just find that last part so exciting to hear about – “As so much astrological misunderstanding does, in the attempt during medieval times to Christianize or make more a symbolic system that is far older, and more inclusive than Christianity- Virgo is sadly misinterpreted.”
With this information – already we can see that our general understanding of Virgo is a bit of a superficial one – the original picture of Virgo, taken, and contorted to fit some socially constructive image that satisfies a religion – Christianity. Let’s be honest, the image of Virgo – the Virgin, has in some way become synonymous with Mother Mary.
Considering the Virgo’s symbol is the Virgin, what does this symbol actually mean or represent, if not Mother Mary the Virgin; if not the Virgin in the sense of how our today’s world views it?
We have a few images that I think are VERY powerful, and can shed much insight into the original energy of Virgo.
To start off, we must understand that prior to Christianity, Virgo was not associated with traits like virginal, or prudish, or inhibited (as Liz Greene tells us):
“Let’s go back to what the word Virgo once meant. It had, in fact, nothing to do with sexual virginity, but simply meant intact, self-contained. The great mythical figure that stands behind Virgo is the Great goddess, the Magna Mater, and she was no virgin. In fact, she is often portrayed in myth as the great harlot, the fecund one…But she is Virgo in the sense that she is self-possessed, her own person. In early mythology, from which we inherit the figure of the virgin goddess, before the Helene invasion from the north into the agricultural civilizations of the Aegon in around 2000 BC, the goddess did not owe her powers or her status to divine husband as we see her in later mythology. She rode alone, self-contained, husbandless, yet offering her femininity freely as she chose. She was the consort of all life. This is a clue to the deepest meaning of Virgo: a self-possessed psyche, the person who integrated within himself and can therefore give freely because he need not fear losing himself in another. He can choose life’s experiences from his own place of completeness, rather than because his need for finding himself in another drives him into relationships or situations which destroy him or will him.… Virgo is the last of the first half of the zodiac, the cycle of individual development which we mentioned earlier. This means that Virgo in its deepest sense is about the real synthesis and integration of the individual, the refinement and ordering of all the experiences which has come from the first five signs.”
Certainly, a powerful image. Just look at the flavor of this picture Liz Greene has painted for us: this independent, self-contained, fully integrated within the self, possessed psyche, and so much more.
In fact, Virgo is compared to a lot of very incredible and powerful and intelligent entities. Darby Costello compares Virgo to the Egyptian god Thoth [thOth], she says She also compares, and I believe it’s not just her, who compares Virgo to the goddess Demeter, where Darby Costello comments that Virgo has to do with cultivation in all its senses. Demeter, goddess of the grain, who rules over all planting and sewing is a powerful figure in Virgos field.
And I think what’s really key here, is this picture of integration, cultivation. I’m not sure if it’s showing itself to you, but really what we are dialing in on is Virgo’s purpose of self-completion. It’s starting to make more sense for why they are instilled with the purpose of Service.
(As it’s been mentioned a couple of times now by Steven Forrest and KHZ) I really want to point out why Virgo’s purpose is first and foremost Self-Completion or Self-Development:
Not only are we capable of serving the best when we are at our best [but also]
We can’t pour from an empty cup
However, many people who strive to serve others are often coming from an incomplete place, and this is especially for Virgo. The reasoning for this because working on the self can truly suck. It’s not easy. It’s difficult. It’s taxing. It requires confrontation with the self; looking at the mucky parts of ourselves that we would rather push away; dealing with our own internal chaotic mess. And truly – it’s so much easier to focus on other’s issues. It’s so much easier to help others. And the way Virgo sees it – I’ll be fine, I can take it, the world needs my help though.
Not to mention that mutable signs, in times of stress, do often receive their best solutions and answers for self-problems when they are busied with other things. So, though distracting the self can be beneficial to one extent, many Virgos can get caught up in focusing on it to a harmful point.
We have to remember that Virgo cannot fulfill its purpose of integration, cultivation, creating order, naming + classifying things, synthesizing and creating solutions – if it does not do it for itself.
A Virgo who has achieved total self-integration + wholesome completion within the self…that is a Virgo that is so powerful, and capable of creating such powerful impacts; helping so many, and providing the cultivation that others need.
In truth, however, Virgo has this innate ability to discern the inner workings of things. They can look at a computer and immediately know specifically what small random part isn’t working right. They have this gift in which their mind intuitively highlights errors, or things that are broken – that needs correction or purification.
And this intuitive highlighter does not only apply to the external world – but also to their internal world. Virgo is so highly attuned to the discrepancies within themselves. But it’s much easier to tackle the highlighted areas external of them, so they often choose and prefer to do that. When in reality, they are called to bravely face that deep cave that sits within SO THAT they can efficiently provide the service and usefulness they crave to supply.
Mercury
Before we get carried away, lets dive into Mercury as Virgo’s ruler.
Mercury rules both Virgo AND Gemini. Both signs are focused on information, but where Gemini loves to gather a variety of little facts here and there; Virgo only gathers that which is useful, and then organizes them according to the classifications they set. We have to keep in mind that Virgo is very earth, and being of practical mind, they only pursue what makes sense.
And I love exploring Mercury with Virgo because I think it shows us a more playful side of Virgo, that Virgo doesn’t get credit for.
Mercury was a sneaky one. In myth he rules thieves + liars, business transactions + commerce. He is a cunning + snarky son of a bitch, one who loves to play tricks, and has an intense, witty sense of humor. And honestly, Virgo doesn’t run far from its planetary ruler.
Virgos are cunning; they are very smart, and just as detailed and thorough as Scorpio gets credit for. We remember that Virgo is Earth, and Earth strives for material and physical security. As such, and as Liz Green argues, no Virgo would automatically choose or even opt to sit openly where a King sits. This is why it’s a rare day to find a Virgo who sits on the throne (unless of course they have Aries, Leo, or Capricorn in their chart). The reasoning is because it’s a dangerous thing – shots are always fired at the throne – thus it is not a safe place. But Virgo’s already know the work around. They know that the real power spot is behind the throne – and it’s also the most secure, and safest spot. They know that the real person calling the shots is the person who advises the king. So they opt to for not the throne, but behind the throne.
Mercury is also Hermes, who was very talented + smart. He created the first Lyre, and here is a story of that moment, that really explores the cunning + practical mind that most certainly was inherited by Virgo.
There is a story of Hermes speaking to turtle. He was shocked that the turtle would opt to live in a tiny shell, limiting the turtle’s ability to grow large + big. Herme’s was born in a cave, and was working to convince the turtle that it’s life could be transformed if it just left its shell. Hermes wants to swap with the turtle – he would get the turtle’s shell, and the shell would get the huge cavern they both were in. Arguing a very practical argument, and promising that the turtle would transform if he gave in, the turtle finally agreed. Hermes pulled the turtle right out its shell (naturally killing the turtle in the process), and, true to his word, transformed the turtle into something greater – the first lyre – an instrument that would entice and manipulate other gods, and mortals alike.
To Hermes, however, he didn’t see anything wrong with what he did. And his intentions were purely neutral. His intention wasn’t to kill or destroy the turtle – of such practical mind, it was a byproduct in the creation of this new musical instrument. To Hermes, the turtle was living a mundane life, and that was no way to live in his eyes. So he convinced the turtle to agree, and then did the practical thing.
Now – it’s important to note that Hermes is not the Earth element; Mercury is a planet, not an element. But, being the ruler of Virgo, has various stories that align with more practical approaches. And sometimes that practical + rational approach can lead to some cold conclusions. (Also – as a side note, we can also see the crafty part of Virgo in this story with the lyre, as it’s representative of Mercuries creation + talent- and Virgos are known for having great talent within their crafts).
Mercury is also known for speed, for the ability to communicate and translate anything. The only one who could travel between the gods, the underworld, and the mortals, bridging a road of communication + relation that never before existed. He was the messenger – very sharp, quick, and rational.
Virgo
So clearly, Virgo inherited various Mercurial qualities. And hopefully we can see Mercury’s relation in Virgo’s ability to classify, create order, and synthesize.
But what does it mean to Synthesize? Liz Green argues that this word offers a much clearer picture of Virgo, than the word Perfectionism does. She explains that “Synthesis means finding compatible things or ideas or aspects of life which most people find mutually exclusive. Virgo’s compulsion and gift both lie in this area of synthesis. Everything must be fitted together and made to a blend. That means finding out where everything fits by naming it, learning about it, categorizing it, and classifying it.”
Let’s really break this down: Virgo has both
An innate ability to discern what needs fixing; and
An innate ability to create order, classify, and synthesize
Think of this on an external level.
A person who is always creating order, always organizing, always classifying – naming things and putting them where they belong…that’s a person who fits the bill of a clean or organized person. So, okay, we can see why Virgo gets the name of clean or neat.
But in truth – just because Virgo has these abilities, doesn’t mean Virgo will opt to use them around the house and everywhere they go. Or at the very least – Virgo will likely not use them in the way we expect.
Many a Virgo who lives in a mess, but to them, there is absolute order in where everything is placed. Other Virgos live in immaculate households, but don’t you dare look in their car, or in their closet, or on their desk.
Not to mention – some Virgos are externally focused, and others internally focused.
Externally focused Virgos can apply these abilities to their possessions in a manner that reflects what society normally considers clean – or even a particular area, like a closet or kitchen.
Internally focused Virgos apply these abilities to their internal world – their psyche, emotions, memories, etc.
But how does Virgo know what or when to use these innate abilities? How does a Virgo define whether their kitchen should be clean or their closet?
Liz Greene explains that Virgo’s natural approach to any and all is entirely based on two questions: 1. How can I synthesize this? 2. How could this be of use? She argues that if Virgo cannot answer either or both of these questions, then Virgo moves on. To be able to answer these questions, Virgo would need to know how to discriminate.
Virgo’s main driver is the ability to discriminate.
If Virgo is constantly seeking to create order…in a world full of chaos…there is much to be done.
Remember that intuitive highlighter? Imagine that everywhere you go, you have the keen ability to see all the highlighted marks. Calling attention your way because it needs you. It’s needs help, cultivation, order, synthesization. And it doesn’t go away when you look in the mirror – there are even more marks. Everywhere you look is a highlighted mark – that’s so overwhelming.
I don’t know about you, but even just thinking about it creates anxiety in me.
But if we were to truly put things into perspective, imagine you are in a space where there are no telephones or cars, and all of the people around you suddenly fall ill. In one quick glance, somehow you are able to tell exactly what made them ill, and miraculously you have an idea for how to fix all of their ailments, which are clearly different from one another. How do you decide who to help first? Or even whether to help? How do you prioritize the situation?
Virgo’s ability to discriminate is necessary. Virgo’s gift is discrimination comes. Virgo gets a ton of shit for it, but truly, its ability to discriminate is a gift. To discriminate means to know the differences between one thing and another. And this gift allows for Virgo to make educated + practical decisions, that are in Virgo’s best interest.
So again – let’s condense:
Virgo approaches a situation
Virgo asks the two questions: How can I synthesize this? How can this be of use?
Virgo analyzes, discriminates the situation
Virgo makes the call – providing no explanation, reasoning, or justification
And honestly, this is where Virgo can get its name for being cold, heartless, without feelings, or judgmental. But this brain power happens, usually, in just a span of a few moments. And perhaps Virgo cannot articulate where they are coming from, or perhaps Virgo assumes you understand where they are coming from; but unless you ask, they aren’t always going to explain why they brushed you to the side.
I think it’s important that we take a moment to really consider the weight that fills Virgo’s shoes. Virgos have such a strong desire to help others, to be of use. It fulfills them. But in order to do this practically + efficiently, they have to set their sights on the correct situations, circumstances, people, things. They have to set boundaries of what they help, who they help, where they help. And with such a strong desire of helping, imagine the toll of knowing you can’t. Maybe it can’t be prioritized, maybe there is awareness that they aren’t the right ones to help, maybe something isn’t necessarily computing to add up to them getting involved…whatever it is, Virgo makes its call, and sticks with it.
(And I want to make sure I call it out – when saying the word discriminate, I’m obviously not referring to the definition that implies unjust or unfairness to others).
An unbalanced Virgo can obviously go different directions in their extremities:
One way can look like helping too many people, becoming overwrought, and (their security having been breached), their safety feeling questionable
Another way can look like Virgo being upheld with too many boundaries, brushing everyone aside, and manipulating situations as a result
In either case, Virgo can extend itself to qualities that are more controlling and obsessive. A tighter grip can be formed, and anxiety can ensue. They can get stuck in lost fevers, or in loops of “I-told-you-so” syndrome.
So it truly is very important that Virgo practice a healthy balance of helping others and instilling boundaries.
Okay – this episode is miles long, and I’m so sorry for that. But I do want to nab at one more thing. And that is one of the most popular jabs Virgo receives:
Perfectionism. I think this one is best tackled with a quote by Liz Greene: "It has been suggested that perfectionism is a Virgo characteristic. I haven’t found this to be the case. Discrimination, yes. Absolutely. No one is more discriminating than the Virgo. A simple yes or simple no doesn’t work; it’s a yes to this part and possibly to that part and probably no to that middle one unless A or B can be changed, and certainly no to last. Never black and white. Black and white choices imply a simple universe, and to Virgo the universe is rarely simple. It’s more like a huge, boundless jigsaw puzzle, and it drives Virgo crazy if he hasn’t got a picture of the puzzle on the top of the box, before he begins to assemble the puzzle. Discrimination is a finally developed faculty with Virgo."
As Liz Greene breaks down- to be a perfectionist, one must have an ideal of what perfect is, and how it looks, and all those details.
Ultimately, this would imply an idealistic person. But as Liz Greene argues – Virgos are not typically very ideal. Because they are focused on reality. And Liz Greene bounces between saying they are the most realistic sign of the zodiac in a tangible sense. Remember, they focus on whatever is before them. They are the people, when asked if the glass is half empty or half full, that will take one glance, and either fill it up for you, or drink it themselves. There is no philosophical dimension behind it – it’s just a glass of water.
Virgos accept what stands before them. They are reliant on it. And as Liz Greene says – no, perfectionist has ever accepted reality. Perfectionists are caught up in what things *could* look like or should look – not what it actually looks like. Virgo’s don’t care about that. What matters is what stands before them. They understand that more work can get done by just handling what is presently before them, than sitting and dreaming and wondering. They don’t need to wonder. They already know they need to assist in some way, and so they’re doing it.
We must also consider what our definition of perfection is. If the definition of perfection is that things are in working order – then we can call Virgo a perfectionist. But if we consider perfectionism to have a vision of what things should be like – that is something Virgo doesn’t have time (unless they have water or especially fire in their charts). If their senses can’t interact with it, if they can’t answer those two questions, if they can’t classify + synthesize, then Virgo is out. I prefer what Tony Howard says – he says that Virgos purify things. I love that. They don’t perfect them. They purify them.
With all of that said….that’s a wrap.
I’m hoping this made sense. There is a ton of information in this episode – and I’m really just hoping it wasn’t too confusing.
What’s important is that we understand that Virgo’s ultimate goal is to cultivate the self (NOT perfect the self, but develop the self), so that they can then truly be of service to others, and genuinely provide the gentle influences of purification + synthetization to others.
I really hope this episode has impacted you enough to question your own understanding of Virgo. Again, this episode was built with learnings, quotes, and references to + from the brilliant Astrological minds + books:
1. Katherin Hamaker Zondag’s Psychological Astrology AND Planetary Symbolism in the Horoscope
2. Liz Greene’s Astrology for Loves
3. Frank Clifford’s Getting to the Heart of the Chart
4. Steven Forrest’s The Inner Sky
5. Darby Costello’s Earth + Air
6. Tony Howard, a lecture on Zodiac Signs
Please let me know if you have any comments or questions! Thanks!
Comments