Virgo:
The Virgin
The constellation of Virgo is often connected to Greek goddess Astraea, the star maiden. Goddess of innocence and purity, Astraea is the daughter of Astraeus (god of dusk) and Eos (goddess of dawn).
In the dawn of time, the Titan Prometheus was asked to create the human race. He did not like how man was treated by the gods, and so stole fire and delivered it to the people. Zeus was furious, and in addition to punishing Prometheus, he tasked Hephaistos and Athena to create the first woman. Her name was Pandora. She was beautiful and inquisitive. Upon her arrival on Earth, Zeus gave Pandora a storage jar for her keeping, inside were gifts from each of the gods but she was told not to open it. But her curiosity got the better of her and open it she did. All manner of evil was released into the world. The last, lingering gift in the jar was hope. A single blessing to ease suffering brought to Earth to further punish Prometheus. Earth quickly became unbearable. So the gods returned to Olympus, one by one, until Astraea was the only one left. Eventually she also fled to the Heavens and became the constellation Virgo.
House of Virgo
The Sixth House is called the House of Health. It turns out that our physical body craves balance and homeostasis. This requres regular food intake when we are hungry, daily maintenence like brushing our teeth, and consistent sleep patterns for renewal. Surprisingly, many of these tasks thrive in schedules and routines. This means that the House of Virgo really focuses on the tasks in which we engage every day. It is a practical house. It looks to the daily minutia of life: How will I dress today? Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean? Do I have time to workout? Have the fish been fed? Our energy and stamina are built in this house. Because our physical image is closely connected to good nutrition and health, this house can have a huge impact on our sense of self.
One of the important benefits of maintaining good health is building our strength so that we can manage adversity. This too shapes our sense of self. When we are in balance, it takes really dramatic events to knock us off our game. When we have neglected our routines, it is much easier to be thrown out of whack. This is a house of modesty instead of extremes. Tim McGraw sings about this in “Meanwhile back at momma’s”.
The Magic of Virgo
Correspondences
Order: Sixth
Dates: August 23 to September 22
Element: Earth
Season: Summer
Quality: Mutable (Changing)
Ruling Planet: Mercury
Exalted Planet: Venus
Principle: Routine
Governs: Skin, Filters
Tarot: Hermit
Science of Virgo
Astronomy
Degrees of Sky: 1294
Total Stars: 96
Stars with Planets: 29
Main Stars: 9-15
Brightest Star: Spica (magnitude of 0.97)
NASA Dates: September 16 – October 30
The Personality of Virgo
Strengths
Precise
Analytical
Observant
Helpful
Reliable
Sincere
Dedicated
Weaknesses
Skeptical
Fussy
Inflexible
Cold
Unpredictable
Indecisive
Perfectionist
Likes
Health
Books
Nature
Organization
Goals
Being social
Individuality
Dislikes
Rudeness
Asking for help
Leading
Crowds
Vulgarity
Being unprepared
Uncertainty
Forgive.
Breathe.
Live.
The moon has entered Virgo,
the wind shifts, blows up from the Delta, cools this valley,
and you are not beaten; the children sing, it is Bach,
and you are brave, alive, and human.