Element: Earth Modality:
Mutable Ruling
Planet: Mercury
Personality Traits: Discriminating,
Analytical, Practical, Meticulous, Modest, Clean
General Compatibility: Capricorn, Taurus
Color:
Forest Green, Emerald Green
Gemstones: Emerald, Jade, Malachite, Tourmaline
Foods: Spinach, Seeds, Endive,
Escarole, Parsley, Yogurt
He was in logic a great critic,
Profoundly skill'd in analytic;
He could distinguish and divide
A hair 'twixt south and south-west side.
—SAMUEL BUTLER
Virgo, the sixth sign of the zodiac, is
symbolized by the Virgin Maiden holding a staff of wheat. Contrary to
the romantic image this might conjure in your mind, she's not holding
the wheat as a peace offering, nor as a gesture of commitment to some
altruistic cause. Virgos are not given to such impracticality. Their
feet planted firmly on the ground, they are more concerned with the
pragmatic aspects of living than with idealistic flights of fancy. In
the hand of the virgin, the staff of grain is more apt to represent
her childlike innocence, her purity of thought and purpose, and the
simplicity of her lifestyle. The order of the universe, even to its
tiniest wonder, is also represented in the stalk of grain, signifying
the Virgoan inclination to perfection and attention to detail. By
their symbol, you can infer the special identification these natives
have with the fields of life-giving grain. Just as gentle breezes
over golden grasses cause clusters of grain to sway to and fro, Virgo
natives sway with the breezes of expediency around them. The wheat
stalks are firmly rooted in the ground, however, signifying Virgos'
ties to practical reality. Just as the wheat is resigned to its
ultimate purpose as life-giving sustenance, Virgos dedicate
themselves in service to others as part of their spiritual transformation.
You'd probably not call Virgos self-sacrificing, but there is a
subconscious element of servitude in their personalities which never
fails to come through. You'll have no trouble recognizing it in
examples so obvious as maids, butlers, servants, or domestic help of
all types, as these occupations will have their share of
September-born, but check out the birthdays of the boss's secretary,
the plumber, the gardener, or the man who retiled your kitchen floor,
and you'll be surprised at how many of them are Virgos. These natives
will usually have some sort of practical or technical ability, and
they're not opposed to working up a little hard-earned sweat now and
then. With the more intellectual of this sign, you'll find
secretaries, clerks, accountants, art and literary critics,
efficiency experts, scientists, doctors, researchers, statisticians,
etc., all performing the many tasks or providing the services so
necessary in our daily lives. In many respects, those under Virgo
influence are the worker bees of society, relegated to the many areas
of specialization upon which rest all business and commerce.
Physically, Virgos may exemplify many of the qualities associated
with the symbol of their sign, the virgin maiden. Their features are
small, regular and refined, sometimes tending to a feminine delicacy.
The face is fastidious and intelligent with a pleasant accommodating
air, especially around the eyes. The expression is frank and simple
although there may sometimes be a look of nervous apprehension
typified in a furrowing of the brow, as if the native were
preoccupied in thought, or in mental review of a particular problem
or analysis. The forehead is usually high, the nose thin with
sometimes a tendency to flaring in the nostrils. The hair, whether
light or dark, often has a mixture of shade, giving the effects of
highlights or muddiness of tone, and characteristically may stand up
and away from the forehead. In all respects, the Virgo countenance is
one of fine distinction, combining the qualities of intellectualism,
refinement and an earthy simplicity. The frames of September-born
will range from small to medium, and there is a very regular
proportioning to the limbs and general body structure. There may be a
peculiarity to the walk, either a limp, a bounce, or a shuffling of
the feet. The whole general tendency of the native, in any case, is
toward reserve, refinement, and economy of movement.
It is a twist of irony that although a majority of Virgos happen to
end up in occupations of service, they are often accused of
selfishness. This is really quite unfair, for their seeming
self-centeredness is appearance only, attributed to them for their
somewhat reserved exterior. They'll be Johnny-on-the-spot when you
need help doing your taxes, filling out a job or a loan application,
getting your financial affairs in order, or solving a technical or
work-related problem. They'll work tirelessly expecting neither
compensation or praise, deriving satisfaction from the work itself
and from the knowledge that they've been able to help out. Virgos,
however, are not particularly giving of the heart. Owing to their
rulership by Mercury, these natives can be intellectual, quite
capable in aspects of mind, but sometimes lacking in matters of
emotion. To some of the more flamboyant signs, this can be
interpreted as coldness, but to those who can see beneath the Virgoan
image of self-reserve, there is to be found a purity and genuineness
of intention that is anything but unfeeling.
The Virgo native is sometimes his own undoing as far as other
people's opinions of him are concerned, for as much as his
intellectuality makes him capable of analysis, it also makes him apt
to criticize. He'll find it hard to admire your newly-painted
automobile and at the same time not point out a slight overlapping of
paint or some other minute defect in workmanship. His intentions are
the best; he genuinely wants to be helpful, but his timing or
approach is not always appropriate to the situation, and he may
naturally engender resentment from others. September-born might do
better giving the result of all their analysis without further
comment, but they find it hard to accept imperfection in the world
and are constantly trying to right incongruities wherever they find
them. Nothing escapes their perfectionist's eye. September-born will
notice the tiniest water spots on your crystal glasses or that ugly
coffee stain on your living room sofa, and then think nothing of
casually mentioning it during the course of a conversation. When
they're finished scrutinizing your belongings, they'll scrutinize
you! Be sure your make-up is applied just right, or that you use your
best dandruff shampoo if you wish to avoid your Virgo friend's
condescending glances. In rooting out imperfection, these natives
leave no stone unturned.
These perfectionists of the zodiac aren't above self criticism
either. They'll always be meticulously dressed and groomed, and will
exercise at least a modicum of restraint in almost every aspect of
their behavior. If they happen to fall prey to a social or hygienic faux
pas, they are all too painfully aware of it and will correct the
oversight immediately. They won't need you pointing it out to them as
they themselves might point out your faults. They are just as
critical of themselves as they are of others, and perhaps even less
forgiving. They are rarely liable to breeches of social etiquette; in
many respects Virgos are the epitome of social grace and propriety.
They have their mode of behavior almost down to a script, knowing
just what to say at a particular moment or for any given set of
circumstances. Their words are not usually spontaneous, but the
result of careful thought and hours of mental practice in the correct
ways of handling any given situation. Their mental preparedness may
actually be a cover-up for shyness and their own inner fear of
criticism, which is why so many of these natives can lack
spontaneity. In fact, it may be said that the Virgo native has so
adept a critical faculty only because he is critical of himself
first. His criticism of things and people around him is testimony to
his own deep-seated fears.
For all his mental prowess, the Virgo is still a child at heart. His
vision of the world retains the crystal clarity of youth before it
has become clouded by emotional storms. The Virgo native somehow
seems to stay above the emotional complications of life's experiences
by intellectually analyzing all that he sees around him, placing
everything in neat little categories. Seeing things as they really
are, he thus foregoes the need to view his experience through
rose-colored glasses. This is quite admirable, but in practice it can
sometimes lead to awkwardness in social situations. After hearing
that you'd recently broken off a long-term relationship, your Virgo
friend will think nothing of telling you there's more than one fish
in the sea. A friend of mine who had lost a pet parakeet of eight
years recently had a Virgo friend comment to her, "Why be so
upset? You can always go out and buy a new one. " Their analyses
may be correct enough; they'll look at the facts as they see them,
but Virgos' terse appraisals can sometimes lack regard for your feelings.
Just as they are fastidious in their personal appearance, Virgos will
be painfully meticulous in the appearance and management of their
households. The Virgoan home will be the model of cleanliness and
efficiency right down to the set of matching towels hanging perfectly
neat and clean in the bathroom and the pen and notebook holder
sitting handily by the telephone. You won't find dirt in the corners,
under the carpets or even behind the refrigerator, nor will you find
'dust bunnies' on top of the china cabinet or under the beds. When
Virgos clean, they'll start with the closets first and work their way
to the center of a room instead of the other way around. They have a
positive aversion to dirt, and if they're not taking their usual two
or three showers a day, they'll be cleaning out the kitchen cupboards
or tidying up the attic. Every once in a while you'll find one or two September-born
who will have a streak of sloppiness, but check out their dresser
drawers or silverware trove, and you'll find the socks and
undergarments in perfectly ordered arrangement and the tableware
polished in neat little stacks. Not only will their homes look like
something out of Better Homes and Gardens, they'll be run with
almost military efficiency. A list of 'things to buy' will grace
every Virgo's kitchen wall, and meals will be served at regular times
each day. When a Virgo invites you over for dinner at seven, he means
seven and not five minutes after, or he'll start without you. Show up
too late, and you might be just in time for dessert and coffee. Time
is important to these individuals, and all their activities, not the
least of which is their cleaning assignments, will conform to a very
definite time schedule.
Virgos rarely suffer from ill-health and deservedly so, for they are
extremely health conscious. They put so much time and effort into the
pursuit of health, in fact, it is not surprising that many of them
live to a ripe old age. Health food stores, health spas, and the
health section of your local library or book store are favorite
haunts of September-born, not to mention the chiropractor's or
doctor's office for their regular health maintenance. They'll be able
to relate in scientific detail all the latest theories regarding
health, nutrition and diet, and they'll probably have tried them all
out, too. They'll be perfectly willing to try out any new health
product or nutritional theory, provided it is based on sound
scientific evidence, of course. The Virgo native is too pragmatic to
follow vague or questionable techniques unless they proceed from
verifiable scientific premises. Their concern for health, however,
can sometimes go overboard. A goodly share of hypochondriacs are born
under this sign, and they'll have undying faith in modern medicine as
the answer to their many ills, real or imagined. A look into any
Virgo's medicine cabinet will verify this avidity. You'll find
palliatives for almost any ailment from acid indigestion to headaches
to ulcers. Commercials advertising different cold formulas for
different kinds of coughs are definitely geared to these natives; the
typical Virgo is likely to have a bottle of each, just in case.
———————————————
Excerpted from The Astrology Diet,
Copyright © by Jon Stevens. All rights reserved.
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