The Sun In Virgo
The Teaching And Healing Sign
Many happy returns of the day to you, my dear Virgo friends, when for you it comes round once again.
Soul Food For Virgos
May the warm winds of Heaven
Blow softly upon your house,
And may the Great White Spirit
Bless all who enter there.
May your moccasins
Make happy tracks in many snows,
And may a rainbow always be above you
And touch your shoulder.
Prayer from the Cherokee Tradition
Whether you are interested in my interpretation of this sign on your own behalf or that of a loved one, how about copying, pasting and printing this Astro File, or any other – as well as my special blessings – and placing it inside a birthday card, as a special surprise?
Take care and God bless,
Enjoy!
With Love and Light,
Aquarius
Please, note that everything mentioned in this file applies not only when your Sun is in Virgo, but also when:
• Your Sun is in the sixth house, the natural house of Virgo.
• Your Moon is in Virgo or the sixth house.
• Your Ascendant is in Virgo.
• You were born on the 5th, 14th or 23rd day of any month, not merely while the Sun is in Virgo. See also ‘The Sun In Gemini’
Mythology
We shall first consider this aspect, because the mythological background of the planetary ruler of each sign can reveal a great deal about the evolutionary pathway of the human soul in general terms, as well as some of the character traces that are typical for souls born into them. In Roman mythology Mercury represented the fleet-footed messenger of the Gods. Many artworks depict him as a young man with winged sandals or a winged cap. The staff he holds is known as a caduceus. Two snakes are facing each other and winding themselves upwards around it.
Among many other things, since ancient times it has been Mercury’s task to steal the fire of the Gods. This symbolism reveals that, through the channel of the earthly human mind, Mercury in his capacity as God of communications carries the creative ideas, wisdom and knowledge from the highest levels of life, onto the Earth plane. By helping us to make some kind of sense of this temporary existence, Mercury’s gifts lessen our struggle with it. The highest levels of life are constantly trying to help us find a better understanding of ourselves and our environment, so that the wounds that were of necessity inflicted upon ourselves and each other would heal again. That’s what the messenger of the Gods is doing, to this day! Who do you think is writing this, through me?
Mercury’s counterpart in Greek mythology was Hermes; he too carried a caduceus but it was now seen as a symbol of peace. Originally, the staff he carried had been a rod or an olive branch that ended in two shoots and was decorated with garlands or ribbons. They were lager interpreted as two snakes entwined in opposite directions with their heads facing. A pair of wings, as a symbol of Hermes’ speed, was attached to the staff above the snakes. Its similarity to the staff of Asclepius, the healer who carries a staff that is branched at the top and entwined by a single serpent, resulted in modern times in the adoption of the caduceus as a symbol of the physician. These processes have been taking place long before we – by that I mean that you and I in other lifetimes could have been among them – ever thought of giving the names of Hermes and Mercury to the earthly counterpart of the super-conscious mind of our Highest Self. To understand itself and the life it is in the small self has been equipped with a mind that can receive and understand the gifts that Mercury brings from the superconscious realms. Even the very ideas for the names of all those concepts have their origin in the Source, where ultimately all ideas come from and return to.
To this day, the legends that were given to us in the days of yore can provide us with clues about the functioning of the dual nature of humankind. The two snakes represent the streams of consciousness of the earthly, conscious and logical mind, and the super-conscious mind of the Highest mind, the Divine within us. I see the caduceus as our spine. The intention is that through our spiritual practices, meditations, prayers and contemplations, the two snakes should start to work together, so that they gradually wind themselves evenly around each other and their energies rise through the staff of our spine. As the snakes, the two energies, begin to face each other, come into harmony and slowly become one, they are bringing healing and peace to us and our world.
Mercury is the planetary ruler of Gemini and Virgo. The mind of our Highest Self dwells in every human heart and we all need to learn how to unite the only seemingly opposing forces within us. Their struggling ends when we acquire the skill of tuning not only into the energies of our own sign but also that of its polar opposite, in the case of Gemini with Sagittarius, and Virgo with Pisces. To re-establishes our inner connection with the great loving heart of the Universe, where all truth is known, the energies of all two opposing signs in the zodiac need to be united and healed together into one harmoniously functioning unit.
The small still voice of consciousness forever has been the voice of our Highest or God Self. The more the earthly mind devotes itself to serving the purposes of the Highest mind, the more this part takes over, until eventually the two minds have become completely one. As every individual earthly mind is part of the great mind of our world and also of the whole of Creation, the prayers of the Highest are meant to eventually flow through each and every one of us, to bring healing and peace to all life. The voice in every soul’s heart is part of the great loving voice of the soul of all of Creation. This is the place where the wisdom and knowledge of all ages and all worlds are stored, and that is the reason why it knows the answers to all our questions. As soon as one of us has become sufficiently evolved, this soul also speaks through us, in the same way as it once did through the legend of the Master Jesus.
General Observations
The Sun’s transit through Virgo signals harvest time on the Earth plane when, to this day we celebrate the successful bringing of the harvest take place. The Harvest Festival creates opportunities for whose inner eyes have been opened and who are thus capable to perceive the requirements of the higher aspects of life, pause in the general endless human rush after ever more material goodies. For them the time has come for giving thanks and praise not only to God in the highest but also to Mother Earth for the goodness and love she constantly pours into all her children, not merely the human ones. The truly wise ones amongst us do not wait till Harvest Festival comes round but do this each time they partake in something, because they are aware that everything is in truth a gift from Mother Earth and all her kingdoms.
Characteristics
Virgo, the mutable Earth sign, is ruled by Mercury. It is the sixth sign in the zodiac and the sixth house is its natural domain. Mercury is the planetary ruler of both Gemini and Virgo. In Virgo, the teaching and healing sign of the zodiac, the human mind benefits greatly from the stabilising and strengthening effect of our planet’s energies, as it expresses itself through the gentle wisdom of the Earth and thus becomes much steadier than it was in fickle and changeable Gemini, the mutable Air sign.
The signs opposing each other in the zodiac are known as the sleeping partners. Virgo’s is Pisces, co-ruled by the mighty planets Jupiter and Neptune. Their energies, the same as all others, are constantly flowing from the Universal Source on the highest level of live into all lower ones. During their lifetimes in Pisces and Virgo respectively it is easier for human souls to gain direct access to them. Jupiter stands for the Divine aspect that brings the elements of joy, hope, faith and trust into our world. Neptune has always inspired humankind with the ideas for the most exquisite works of art in all fields of endeavour; the creative artist’s Virgo part brings them to perfection. Music, more than anything else, brings us into alignment with Neptune, while all spiritual/religious/philosophical activities take us closer to Jupiter’s heart.
To this day, there is a definite shortage of the highest and most positive aspects of the attributes of these two planets in particular in our world. That is why, at this very special time in the evolution of our race, the planetary Angels urge us all to share any understanding that is found with those around us, so they too can find new joy, hope, faith and trust in the Universe’s great wisdom and the goodness of the life it is providing for us all. Jupiter is a symbolism for the great teacher from the superconscious realms who, through Sagittarius and the ninth house, and Pisces and the twelfth house of the soul and Karma, teaches all human souls to repay their own Karmic debts and those of our whole world. By the end of this evolutionary phase each one of us, through this process, needs to grow into a saviour and redeemer in their own right.
Alas, Virgos are known to be the worriers of the zodiac. Being highly practical and earthbound people, their perception of life can initially be more than somewhat limited. For souls born into this sign the attunement to the vast and expansive energies of Jupiter and Neptune is most beneficial. They counteract better than anything else Virgo’s tendencies to excessive worrying about everything and nothing. Too narrow a vision of life causes a lack of faith and trust in the goodness of life and its Creator. This, in my view, is the very source of all anxieties, not merely Virgos.
Virgo – The Perfectionist
Virgo is the harvest sign of the zodiac. Teaching human souls how to bring in not only the fruits of the Earth but also those of the spirit is its special assignment. The symbol of this sign is a young maiden who holds a sheaf of wheat in her arms. The wheat is a symbolism for the wisdom that is gained by human souls through toiling in the fields of earthly and spiritual human endeavours. And the Virgin stands for one of the aspects of the Great Mother of all life, who in this sign willingly shares her wisdom and understanding with her children of the Earth. As and when the need arises, she guides us into searching for and finding healing in mind, body and soul for ourselves and those around us for the wounds our earthly lessons have of necessity inflicted upon us. That is why, each time human souls spend one of their lifetimes in this sign, they become increasingly interested in the gathering and appreciation of the material and spiritual goods that serve the physical as well as the spiritual needs and concerns of their present plane of life.
Virgo being the teaching and healing sign of the zodiac, the more highly evolved a soul becomes, the more urgently its Highest Self does its best to draw it towards bringing forth these abilities, so they can be developed to their highest potential. Unassumingly and lovingly, frequently in the most humble circumstances and difficult conditions, the Virgin attends to humankind’s greatest needs. One of the finest examples of this is Mother Theresa of Calcutta; born 26th August 1810 she is a Sun Virgo. Her date of birth on its own reveals that she and her life were strongly under the influence of Saturn, i.e. 2+6=8; her destiny number too is 26 = 8.
The Virgin stands for purity and perfection. Qualities that are otherwise exceedingly hard to find on the Earth plane are meant to be developed in her sign. That is why a wonderful sense of cleanliness, wholesomeness and fastidiousness is usually quite noticeable in those who have their Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Virgo or the sixth house. Aware that the perfect can all too easily become the enemy of the good, in their never-ending search for excellence, wise ones take care not to set their sights too high. Having learnt from their own first hand experiences, either during this lifetime or another, that a constant striving and craving for perfection in an imperfect world breeds nothing but dissatisfaction, they stop in their efforts when they realise that something is ‘good enough’, even though they themselves may by no means be satisfied.
Virgo’s aim in life is to achieve the highest possible degree of perfection. Those born into this sign have an inner vision of a perfect world and it takes them a long time to realise that this cannot be matched by anything on the Earth plane. They are highly critical, insecure and by no means self-assuming souls. Having completed one of their creative efforts, they find it exceedingly hard to pluck up the courage to present their gift to the world. In their own eyes, their work may always remain a long way from perfect, in spite of the fact that it is to everybody else. Wise ones, who have learnt from their own experiences what an impossible task seeking perfection can be, take the plunge and let go, when they feel the right moment for doing so has come.
Virgo – The Nagger Of The Zodiac
Young and inexperienced souls during their lifetimes in Virgo are in constant danger of creating problems in their relationships by trying to impose their inner vision of and craving for perfection on the people and the world around them. For as long as they remain unaware that we can only change ourselves, never other people, Virgos all too easily drive others away with their steady barrage of corrections and criticisms. Not many folks are patient enough to be willing to hang around for too long when they have to endure Virgo’s never ending stream of fussing and nagging. Sooner or later, even the most loving ones are likely to take to their heels, leaving poor Virgo once again lonely and stranded – without understanding why this keeps on happening to them.
The quicker Virgos come to understand that love withers and soon flies out of the window in disapproving atmospheres where it is impossible to get anything right, the happier they will be. When too much criticism enters into any relationships, the most ardent lovers take to their heels, sooner rather than later. Taking charge of their critical faculties and learning to control them does more than anything else to improve anyone’s love life. Virgo’s most urgent lesson is learning to relate to those around them through their hearts and not only their heads. Loving and accepting other people just the way they are opens human hearts and souls and teaches them to love totally and unconditionally, the way God loves each one of us.
Virgo’s life improves greatly when they wake up to the fact that although all who are presently dwelling on this planet are still imperfect, notwithstanding the fact that we all carry the seed of perfection within. Ours is a flawed world and that for good and wise reason. If it and we were already perfect, there would be nothing left for us to learn, and there would be no need for us to be here. Much evolutionary progress is possible when Virgo becomes aware of and accepts that the only person that we will ever be able to change is ourselves. They too must learn that is impossible to change others and that as soon as we alter our inner thoughts and attitudes and our outer behaviour patterns, our world changes with us. This is the only way each one of us can do their share of influencing, changing and transforming not only our own world, but the whole of Creation. When we change, everything else miraculously does the same.
Realising these things, instead of wasting their precious time and energy on missions of fault-finding, nagging and disapproval, becoming ever more frustrated and irritable in the process, the wise ones in their midst look for constructive outlets for their critical and analytical faculties. Appreciating that we all have everything inside, the very best and also the worst, enables them to make a conscious effort to search for the good in all people and situations. Most helpful is becoming aware of the power of thought and the importance of positive thinking.
Recommended Reading:
• ‘Positive Thinking’
• ‘The Power of Thought’
Analytical Virgo
One of Virgo’s keyword is ‘I analyse’. This reflects their soul’s inner need for constantly collecting, analysing, digesting and assessing for its mental values everything that comes their way. To be sure, this is a wonderful quality, as only through analysing and relating events, people and things to each other can the hidden meaning of our life’s lessons reveal themselves. The trouble is that when these analytical faculties are overworked and applied to excess they turn into a nuisance to all and sundry, which presents a serious obstacle on the soul’s spiritual progress. But then, the hidden danger in any virtue is that it can all too easily deteriorate into a vice and something that works against us, instead of for us.
Let me give you an example of this. Virgos have the wonderful uncanny natural ability of sensing even the tiniest flaws in everything. This potential gift has its origin in their inner teacher = intuition, and when used in the right way it is an extremely valuable tool. But, when it is employed for constantly criticising everything that comes our way, it turns into something detrimental and destructive, especially in human relationships. No matter how hard we may try to attract people into our lives and wish to keep them there, this kind of behaviour can only push them away from us. The saying: ‘The things that are not said in a partnership are more important than the ones that are said!’ is likely to have been coined either by one of these wise ones or someone who suffered at the hands of one who was as yet unwise.
The way Virgos know intuitively when something is amiss reflects the skill of the Universe and the way it works through Mother Earth, when something goes wrong with any of its beloved creations. This is the eye that never sleeps; always watching it hurries to the rescue and tries to put things right again, for example when we cut our finger. Our body’s defence system kicks in – almost – automatically and the healing process begins. I say almost because whether healing takes place or not, the same as everything else, depends on the will of the Father of all life and on the kind of lesson a soul needs to be taught. God can and does work miracles, but only when they make sense and are justified. The main decisive factor is the Karma the soul has created for itself in previous lifetimes and this one. Souls who have worked hard on changing their thinking and behaviour patterns into positive ones may deserve a miracle and, Karma permitting, it will happen. Some illnesses may not find healing on this level of life, because they represent invaluable soul lessons for all involved, not merely the sufferer.
It needs bearing in mind that every soul’s healing abilities can only develop by working our way through our own painful experiences and suffering; nobody can do it for us. Healing ourselves is an exciting journey of discovery, and as soon as we have found a degree of wisdom we need to share it with anyone who needs it. They are meant to test and try our findings out on themselves; then they need to add their personal insights and learning to ours. In this way the body of knowledge about overcoming all aspects of human suffering slowly increases; this will continue until there is no more suffering on the Earth plane.
The awareness that we are all in this great school of life together, so we can act as teachers and pupils to each other is a great aid for rising above the negative expressions of any of the negative aspects of every sign. This kind of knowledge is a must for Virgos who wish to overcome their persistent unsettling and disturbing feelings of dissatisfaction with themselves and the world they live in, which can otherwise be the bane of their lives. Being aware how extremely touchy and sensitive towards criticism from others they are and how hard they find it to accept it from others, they develop the good habit of practising ‘do as you would like to be done to’; undoubtedly a reference to the law of Karma, if ever there was one. In spite of still feeling an inner urge to dish out disapproval to all and sundry from time to time, they refuse to give in to this. These days they reserve their criticisms for situations and people of whom they know that the constructive kind is valued.
Discrimination
Virgo’s qualities are as valuable as those of any of the others signs, but they too initially merely exist as potentials. As we know by now, the finest and most positive characteristics of each sign are never going to fall into any soul’s lap; they have to be worked for very hard and Virgo is no exception to this rule. But then, Virgos love toiling. Only through constant practice of the virtues and applying them in the right way and in the appropriate situations, can they be integrated and become our soul’s permanent property.
Possibly the most precious and also most urgently required gift that Virgo wants to teach the human soul is discrimination. The ability to differentiate between the things that are important in one’s own affairs and all life, and the ones that are not worth bothering with and are best left alone are waiting to be developed to its highest potential in this sign. When they have mastered this and no longer get tied down unnecessarily by unimportant details, Virgos are capable of becoming great scientists, constructive critics in all fields of endeavour and excellent publishers. No matter into which walk of life they daily work may take them, maintaining the highest degree of perfection achievable will invariably be the main focus of their attention.
As research work offers endless opportunities for doing just this, Virgos feel drawn to it. This is where they really come into their own. Patiently sifting through endless data and facts, sorting the wheat from the chaff, is one of Virgo’s greatest strengths and one of its most positive expressions. Their finest expression and their greatest fulfilment Virgos find in service to others. Wise ones realise that any work on the Earth plane invariably amounts to a form of loving service to the One, who is present in everything that is and who serves all life and us; no-one works harder than S/He does. Bearing this in mind, even the most humble and arduous task becomes a joy.
As the soul lesson of the Earth signs is service, the need to serve humankind in some capacity is felt strongly by those born into them, none more so than Virgo. Through serving others, they can constantly find ways of transforming, renewing and regenerating themselves and their lives. Virgos are industrious and intuitive people; during this lifetime they have the instinctive wisdom of the Earth at their disposal in rich measure. That is why they are particularly suited to the helping and healing professions. Should you ever look for a therapist, here is a secret tip from me. Try to find one in whose birthchart Virgo is strongly configured, i.e. Ascendant, Sun and/or Moon in this sign and also in the sixth house. Such people are likely to do a wonderful job for you, because Virgos are at their best when left to their own devices and given the freedom to go about their business in their own quiet, methodical and thorough way. Given the right conditions, they are willing to take care of endless details and are capable of doing an excellent job, even when the most mundane routine tasks have to be carried out.
Wise ones, not just Virgos, know that the only true freedom anyone can have in this earthly existence is of the spiritual kind. It is the freedom to think and believe what our inner self tells us is true – no matter what anyone else may say. Freedom is being aware once again what we all truly are and then choosing to act on this knowledge. That alone can set us free from the chains and shackles of the karmic ties which we ourselves once created and brought with us into this lifetime! It may not happen this time round, but it will eventually. True freedom on the Earth plane can only be found in loving service to the One; that is the only way we can pay off our Karmic debts and redeem ourselves. Life alone can teach any soul the lessons of humble service and of patience.
Virgos are flexible and adaptable in their approach to life and their response to people and their needs; this is a reflection of the mutability of their sign. Solitary creatures by nature, they love their own space and are not afraid of keeping their own company, the way many people are. In spite of the fact that this may not show overmuch on the surface, they are very independent people too, who do not like it one bit when someone tells them what to do. They very much prefer to do their own thing and go their own sweet way. Extremely reluctant to ask for help, they can sometimes be in danger of depriving themselves of the reward and support they need and have earned, the same as everybody else. Wise ones are aware of this and make sure to ask for help whenever they need it. When trying this for the first few times, they may well find to their surprise that most people are happy enough to oblige, when asked.
Some Of Our Finest Writers Are Virgos
Virgos are avid readers who like nothing better than long chains of words, skilfully strung together like pearls on a precious necklace. In many cases this is a preparation for turning into fine writers in their own right. Virgos are not very good at expressing and communicating their innermost thoughts and feelings to those around them, to put it mildly. When it comes to sharing their considerable natural wisdom and the insights that are coming to them through their own learning, they find it much easier to do so in written rather than spoken words. Writing is one of the fields in which Virgos truly feel at home, where they can give of their best and really come into their own.
To name but a few famous Virgo writers, Leo Tolstoy’s was born 9.9.1828; his main work and gift to our world was ‘War and Peace’. It presents us with probably one of the finest examples of Virgo’s gifts. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German polymath and poet, was born 28.8.1749. The importance of his literary output in the German speaking parts of the world is comparable to that of William Shakespeare in the English-speaking world. Shakespeare himself is believed to have been born 23.4.1564. If this is correct, he was a Sun Taurus with his Moon in Gemini. Who knows, his ascendant may have been in Virgo or his Sun in the sixth house. But even if this was not the case, numerologically the day of his birth breaks down into 2+3 = 5. And the five is ruled by Mercury, the planetary ruler of Gemini and Virgo.
How about D.H. Lawrence, who drew his first breath 11.9.1885? Born on the 11th, he also was strongly under the influence of Pluto and Scorpio; his writing reflects this. For my taste of reading, a combination of Virgo and Scorpio energies seems to provide our world with its most interesting literature. They bring together Virgo’s eye for detail and Scorpio’s need for searching into the depth of the psyche and beyond the experiences of self, others and this world. Yet another Virgo is John Betjeman, born 28.8.1906, he grew up to become the British poet laureate.
The literary output of authors like these richly illustrate Virgo’s potential for fulfilling its highest potential by gathering the spiritual harvest, on behalf of humankind and sharing it with as many as possible. All creative writing efforts connect us with the Source of all being and all creativity. As pointed out earlier, Neptune represents the inspirational aspect of the Divine; in the fullness of time, every soul learns to act as a channel for realising Its ideas and inspirations on the Earth. Virgo’s opposite sign is watery Pisces, co-ruled by Jupiter and Neptune. Through gaining access to the energies of both signs and using them for the highest good of all, souls born into Virgo – more than in any other sign – can bring the ideas and inspirations that are necessary for the healing of ourselves and our whole world.
This is the sign in which the fire of the Gods flows most strongly into the Earth environment, so that all who feel inclined to partake in it are sure to benefit from it. Every soul has the birthright to find healing and become more whole in the process. Virgo is undoubtedly a high and holy sign; and for souls who are interested in genuinely serving the spiritual and physical needs of humankind, it will increasingly unfold ever more of its blessings. Virgo’s and Pisces’ potential for working as channels for the Divine is particularly strong. Souls who willingly respond to this call of their spirit have an excellent chance of growing into true servers, not only of humankind but also of Mother Earth and all her kingdoms.
The writings of all authors I have investigated with the help of their birthcharts clearly demonstrated how everybody’s perception of life is strongly coloured by their Sun sign. I always suspected that the only way anyone can write about and explain life to others is through their own perception; the author’s charts and writings confirmed this. Bearing that in mind, sets me wondering whether the scribe through whom the following Bible quote flowed into our world was a Sun Virgo. ‘Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and upon Thy books all these things were written, even before day was and humankind was brought into existence.’ Psalm 139:16. Seeing myself as imperfect, for in the eyes of God none of us is, if that isn’t Virgo speaking, what is?
Before God Every Soul Stands Alone
Guided and protected by our Highest Self and the Angels, each one of us has to climb the spiritual mountain on their own. The way some of the great spiritual teachers our world has known, for example the Master Jesus and the Lord Buddha, showed us how to go about it in the way they conducted their lives. We are all walking in their footsteps. God and the Angels are waiting to show us the way home into our true nature and to teach one of us how to walk hand in hand with them again, the way we once did. But before any human soul can be reunited with God its consciousness has to be cleansed of all remainders of the feelings that have their origin in its lower earthly nature.
If my own life is anything to go by, the worst of them by far is fear. We ourselves are responsible for what we fill our minds with. Only the best, the highest and holiest, that which furthers our spiritual growth and wellbeing is now allowed to remain part of our consciousness. All beliefs and long held prejudices need to be shed, if in the light of the knowledge we are now finding, they turn out to be outdated and false. People and situations that do not serve our highest good have to be dealt with in like manner. In fact, everything that tries to hold us back in the past and therefore stops the natural progress of our spiritual development must go. With the help of the link provided at the end of this chapter you can read more about this in ‘Learning to Control our Minds’.
The time of the Sun’s transit through Virgo is a wonderful one for attending to this. Early in September 2007 Saturn also moved into this sign. It took until July 2010 until it finally stopped hovering to and from on the Virgo/Libra cusp. The presence of Saturn in any of the signs always signals a time of many tests and trials, of hardships and possibly suffering. Ultimately, this planet’s role is to lead the human soul into spiritual growth, to spiritualise it to such a degree that it becomes aware again of its true nature. Through the suffering our souls have to endure on the Earth plane, our earthly selves grow in understanding and compassion and we develop into better and more compassionate beings.
To find healing the soul energies of those wishing to serve as channels for the Divine, as I believe we are all meant to do, have to be purified in this way. As we know by now, everything begins and ends with us. That is why initially every soul has to attend to its own needs: ‘First healer heal thyself!’ To my mind, the most important and also most daunting task ahead of each one of us is working on overcoming our deepest innermost fears. Saturn’s presence in any of the signs adds to this and is always an indication of difficult times ahead. Many delays and frustrations have to be coped with and much hard work, on all levels of their being, is likely to be required. On top of all that, any kind of contact with Saturn always raises all manner of fears into our conscious awareness. Scary though this is, God and the Angels are waiting to be called upon to help us recognise them for what they truly are: shadows of the past and remnants of experiences long gone. With this new understanding we can release them and let them go, once and for all.
Recommended Reading:
• ‘The Mystery of Saturn’
• ‘Learning to Control our Minds’
Creation – One Gigantic Work Of Art
I see the whole of Creation as one gigantic work of art that is ever evolving and moving forwards and upwards; each one of us is a participant and an integral part of it. Consciously or unconsciously, we are all channels through which the inspiration of the Divine is constantly flowing, to create ever more beauty. The Bible’s wisdom tells us in Ecclesiastes: ‘To everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose under the Sun.’ The Aquarian Age is bringing us a renewed understanding of ourselves and our world; through this the long awaited and much needed healing is taking place.
The planets Jupiter and Neptune play an important part in this; their influence is strongly felt in Virgo through the sign’s inner connection with its polar opposite, Pisces. A fresh grasp of some of the most ancient truths of our world are bringing a renewal of hope, faith, trust and joy into the heart and soul of humankind and that of our whole world. This is Jupiter’s field of action; it rules the optimistic and forward looking sign Sagittarius; together with Neptune it also rules Pisces. Neptune is a symbolism for the highest love vibration of the Universe. The most inspired creative ideas flow from there to be grounded on the Earth plane. Alas, as the Neptunian energies are of the soul, they do not feel at all on this level of life. In our imagination we can tune into them and with the help of prayers and meditations, they can re-connect us with our soul’s yearning and longing for the realms of our true reality and our true inner home.
As pointed out earlier, the main soul lesson of the Earth sign is loving service to all life. Souls born into the Air signs are meant to create goodwill towards all life in action. During lifetimes in one of these signs, the soul develops its intellectual capacities some more. As Virgo combines both these aspects, let no-one be fooled by the quiet and unassuming ways of souls born into this sign. Although it is an Earth sign, its ruler Mercury indicates that it is an intelligent one. Remember, he was the messenger of the Gods of the Ancients, who stole the fire from the Gods – the creative ideas of the Highest; it was he who brought them down to the Earth. Mercury stands for the human capacity to think logically and rationally, for analysing and discriminating. A lifetime in Virgo offers endless opportunities for getting in touch with and developing the intelligence and instinctive wisdom of the Earth to its highest potential.
Recommended Reading:
• ‘How Great Thou Art!’
Healthy Living And Eating
Virgos are refined creatures in conduct and demeanour, but they are also extremely cautious ones who, without being aware of it themselves, can be quite selfish. They have a natural inclination towards all aspects of physical wellbeing, healthy living and eating, and show a lively interest in them. Wise ones appreciate that this is undoubtedly a great virtue and an asset. But, like all of them, this only applies when they are practised in moderation. That is why they take care not to get too wrapped up in themselves and matters of health. No longer focusing on their own health sets them free to serve those around them and pursue careers where their gifts can be put to good use. Working as nutritionists and/or practitioners of one of the many alternative therapies helps them to avoid falling into the trap of becoming the health-nutters and hypochondriacs of the zodiac.
The feminine energy of the Earth is kind, loving, caring and not belligerent, and that is very pleasantly reflected in Virgo’s approach to life. They are seldom aggressive, though the Moon or the Ascendant in one of the Fire signs may also push this aspect into the foreground of their behaviour. Home is important to Virgos; here they feel more secure than anywhere else. Their nervous system is highly geared and needs to be taken good care of. The human mind is a powerful tool and Virgo teaches us that its state has a direct bearing on the health and well-being of our physical bodies. Through positive thinking, everybody has the power of influencing their body to heal itself, whenever something is amiss.
In Virgo is the sign the intimate knowledge of the intelligence and wisdom of the Earth can be accessed much more easily than in any of the other signs. Its knowledge comes to everybody through the constant feedback our physical body is constantly giving us. Learning to pay attention to what it has to say, one learns to appreciate the wonderful abilities of the human body, how it can think and take care of itself. If we support it the right way, by thinking the right thoughts, giving it the right food, exercising it regularly, and treating it generally in good, kind and loving ways, it can mend and heal itself from almost anything. As pointed out earlier, provided that our Karma allows it, with the help and the will of God and the Angels all conditions can be healed.
How To Become A Teacher?
First one has to be taught and the same applies to healers and healing, hence: ‘First healers heal thyself!’ How does one go about it? Healing is a skill and an art form that can only be taught by life itself, i.e. through everybody’s own experiences. It needs bearing in mind that our physical bodies are not our property; they are on loan to us from Mother Earth and are expected to be returned to her in as good condition as possible, at the end of this lifetime. Through the very cells of this body our soul and spirit are always trying to tell us when something is amiss; learning to listen to it and interpret these messages are our task. That is how, as our life progresses and the store of our wisdom increases, each one of us can acquire the gift of knowing instinctively what to do whenever something is ailing us; this is particularly pronounced in Virgo. It is a fact of life that because we live in our bodies we all are potentially our own best doctor who, in case of illness, has a much better idea than anyone else of how to react and what our true needs are.
Many Virgos suffer from a crushing and deep-seated inferiority complex and sense of unworthiness. This is shared by their opposite sign, Pisces, under the influence of the mysterious and unfathomable planet Neptune. Such feelings rise from the inner level of life where, all too aware of its own shortcomings and the errors of all its past lifetimes, the soul kneels in deep submission before God and prays for forgiveness. On the conscious level of the earthly self such feelings are misinterpreted and understood as signs of its own unworthiness. Recognising and accepting them for what they truly are lifts them into the earthly self’s consciousness. From here they can be released by the realisation that in the eyes of God all souls are loved and all are equally precious and worthy.
About Teaching And Learning
Then a teacher said: ‘Speak to us of teaching!’
And the Prophet said: ‘In truth, no-one can reveal anything to you,
Except that which already lies half asleep
In the depths of your own inner knowledge.
Even a teacher who walks among his pupils
In the shadow of the temple, does not give of his own wisdom.
All he can share with you is his faith and lovingness,
And if he is truly wise, he will not ask anyone to enter into
The house of his wisdom. Instead, he will guide each one who
Comes to him to the threshold of their own understanding.
‘An astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space,
But he cannot give you this understanding.
A musician may sing to you and even explain about the rhythm
That is in all space, but he is not the one who can give you the ear
To hear the rhythm or the voice to echo it.
And those who are fluent in the science of numbers,
Can tell you all about their fascinating world,
But again, they can only guide you to it.
One person’s vision cannot lend its wings to another.
In just the same way, each one of stands alone in their knowledge of God,
And their understanding of the purpose and meaning
Of life on the Earth and all life.’
From ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran 1883-1931
Lebanese/American poet
Edited by Aquarius
Serving Humankind’s Earthly Needs
Virgo reflects the aspect of the Divine that attends to and lovingly serves the earthly needs of humankind, no matter what the circumstances may be. Their approach to life is practical, methodical and down to Earth. They are the hardest working people of the zodiac; reliable, conscientious, meticulous and hard working souls, they have a wonderful knack for bringing order into chaotic conditions. Working is the very salt of their existence that makes it worthwhile being alive. Forever in pursuit of perfection, Virgos eye for even the minutest flaws in things, people and concepts, is meant to be turned into one of the most valuable assets of souls born into this sign.
Under the influence of the restless Mercurian energies of their planetary ruler, they are forever in search of something interesting to do and the only true satisfaction they are ever likely to find lies in the realm of work and service. Sitting down and doing nothing for very long is not Virgos. Even when it comes to choosing a hobby, it is frequently something that others would regard as work.
Their gift for patiently attending to even the minutest details makes them into excellent accountants and book-keepers; fine proof-readers and editors; wonderfully devoted nurses; and inspired counsellors, teachers and healers. If, as an employer you are fortunate enough to have one or two Virgos on your staff, do not forget to count your blessings. However, to make the most of them, you are well advised if you provide them with the right working conditions. This includes occasional praise and assurances that all is well. Ideally they need to be given plenty of time, not because they are slow; far from it! It is simply that to do any kind of work to their satisfaction – which is sure to be yours too, as soon as you see the result – they have to be allowed to take their time over doing things. No-one, I guarantee you, can do jobs, especially long and tedious ones, better than Virgo. In their modest and unassuming way, they are – all too often unbeknown to themselves – truly great people.
They dislike anything that is crude or coarse; and there is an attractive sweetness and a lack of aggression in them that endears them to others. Due to their quiet and gentle manner, they usually have few enemies and many friends. Alas, until they have released the earlier mentioned deep inner feelings of inadequacy, they can be over-demanding of their loved ones. Wise ones are aware that everybody has an insecure and frightened inner child that is constantly in need of signs of love and reassurance, but that it is up to us and not to others, to provide the required support. Knowing that constantly seeking it from those around them is extremely wearing on their relationships, the wise ones take their child self by hand and show it through affirmations that all is well and safely in the hands of the Universe.
Such wise ones appreciate that true and lasting self-worth cannot be given by others, because it is a slow and gradual process that grows from within through work that has be done well, whatever its nature may be. That is why, each time they have finished a job, they take a moment to stand back and look with satisfaction upon their accomplishment. This way, they get to know the joy of feeling the buzz, the contentment and happiness that cannot be given by other people because it is a reaction of our inner self, who in this way teaches us the only self-esteem that is truly worth having. The feelings that rise from there into our conscious awareness at such moments show us that we are worthy and loved for what and who we are.
The Digestive System
The physical body’s digestive system is ruled by Virgo. The digestive process consists of three phases: the intake of food, the assimilation of that which is of value and the elimination of that which is of no use. In the daily rush and tumble of Earth life it is all too easy to overlook that our experiences are the mental, emotional and spiritual the food of our soul and spirit, on its evolutionary path way through life, and that the same digestive process has to be applied to them. Our life’s impressions need to be looked at and dealt with by us on a regular basis. It is essential for the wellbeing of our psyche that we analyse them for their nutritional value, because in that way alone can we assess what is still of benefit to us and our life, and what by now has become detrimental and useless ballast in need of discarding. This practice helps us to develop our ability to discriminate and assimilate to the full, and that is particularly important for Virgos.
The purpose and meaning of our earthly experiences is frequently hidden from our own view. Until our inner eyes open and we learn to first and foremost consider the spiritual background of life, our chances for making a great deal of progress a minute. Grasping concepts like the above mentioned change this dramatically. It is the most empowering occurrence imaginable when some of our newly found understanding enables us to let go more easily of situations that have been festering away in our lives and people who could have been bothering us for a long time. If any events of the past have left us suspicious and resentful, this is usually because we did not digest their meaning properly. As a result, the unwanted parts of these experiences could not be eliminated as waste products from our consciousness. If they are allowed to stay there for too long, they may in later life manifest themselves as ill health and sickness in our physical bodies. In Virgo every soul can discover for itself that physical health has far more to do with one’s inner attitudes and feelings towards life than anyone ever thought possible.
Change Of Energies Between Signs
The change of energies, as the Sun moves from one sign into the next on its annual round through the zodiac, is always very marked. For starters, the masculine, active and outgoing signs alternate with the feminine, passive and receptive ones; each has a different approach to life. Furthermore, the Sun moves from Fire signs into Earth ones, from Earth into Air, from Air into Water, and from there back again into Fire. Earth after Fire is like piling a load of soil on top the enthusiastic rush of the fire element. Water after Fire is similar to pouring a bucket full of it on the fire element’s joyous outbursts; in each case its flames are extinguished most successfully. In the case of Water and Fire the result is steam, which may express itself in steaming resentment. As you can see, the energies of each set are not at all compatible, making even harder every soul’s struggles at coming to terms with its earthly existence. Yet, all such things are grist to the mill of our spiritual growth, because they add to the wealth of the experiences we gather. With every new cycle that takes us through the whole zodiac our consciousness becomes more rounded and whole.
All these things contribute to the difficulties souls born into adjoining signs encounter with each other. Leo and Virgo are possibly the most outstanding example of this; another one that comes to mind is the changeover from Pisces to Aries. Let’s have a look at Leo and Virgo first. After the soul’s exploits – some of them rather extravagant – in flamboyant, pompous and outgoing, larger than life Leo, full of itself and the glory of its own being in one lifetime, in the next one the soul comes down to Earth with a bump in Virgo. This time it is going to gather its experiences in the modest, shy, retiring and self-effacing harvest sign of the zodiac, Virgo, where two different types of crops are waiting to be brought in. After Leo’s fun, games, socialising and showing-off, in the next sign the soul discovers the benefits of a more solitary existence. And so it willingly buckles down to getting some serious work done on the Earth plane and also learns to enjoy it.
In the case of cusp born souls, the above described things are part of their wrestling with coming to terms with and reconciling the sometimes very contradictory nature and opposing aims of their two Sun signs. For example Pisces is all about endings and Aries about new beginnings. To my mind, such conflicts can only be resolved through a better understanding of the processes of life. Astrology helps me to recognise life as one huge cycle of deaths and rebirth. Without interruption every new season of gathering experiences flows and grows from the previous one, and all life is eternally moving forwards and upwards onto ever higher and more beautiful levels of existence.
Although on the outer levels of life one often gets the impression of utter chaos, spiritually that is most definitely not the case. The Universe – and we and our lives within it – is unfolding with the precision of one gigantic Swiss clockwork, where nothing is left to chance. Becoming aware of this, which human soul would still have difficulties to humbly kneel in awe and wonder before the splendour and magnificence of the Great Architect’s design of life?
So long as this you fail to see:
That death precedes re-birth!
A gloomy guest you’ll always be,
Upon this darkling Earth.
From: ‘The Soul’s Yearning’
‘Seliges Verlangen’
Goethe
For a better understanding of yourself and your pathway through life,
I recommend the reading of all Sun signs and:
• Introduction To The Sun Signs
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The above is a chapter from ‘My Interpretations Of The Sun Signs’.
If it has whetted your appetite to read more, please follow the link below:
‘My Interpretations Of The Sun Signs’