Wendy Cicchetti

Virgo is the first sign where we are able to put the needs of others ahead of our own personal needs. Although Virgo still does not recognize individuals as such (Libra is the first sign in which we understand that the "group" is made up of other individuals like ourselves), Virgo is where the seed of this idea is planted.

Virgo is a mutable earth sign. As a mutable sign, Virgo is involved in the processes of healing, adaptation, and change, and is fundamentally concerned with completing things and becoming whole. As an earth sign, Virgo operates in the realm of the physical, of the material, and of the practical. Virgo, then, is concerned with completing and perfecting the physical plane. In the Northern Hemisphere, where astrology originated, Virgo is associated with the time of the harvest, and indeed, the virgin that Virgo is associated with is the Vestal Virgin. The Vestal Virgins (dedicated to the service of the goddess Vesta, the keeper of the flame) were responsible for sorting through the harvest each year and selecting the best grains, the finest seeds to be held back and protected until they could be planted for the next year's harvest.

The planet Mercury both rules and is exalted in the sign of Virgo, making Virgo by far the most mental and intellectually oriented of the earth signs. Mercury represents the ability to think, to reason, to apply logic, to make connections and to discriminate. Mercury also represents dexterity and speed, both of thought and of action. Virgo has the ability to quickly assess any given situation, and to perform complex analyses and evaluations. With Virgo, details are everything. Virgo energy is extremely efficient and precise, and is the very embodiment of the idea of constant, never-ending improvement. Virgo has a tendency to become too focused on the little things, however, and, like Mercury, has a difficult time seeing the big picture. Virgo paints with a very fine brush but sometimes broader strokes are more appropriate for the job.

The stereotypical embodiment of Virgo energy is the Felix Unger character from Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple: a fussy, obsessive neat-freak who absolutely could not sleep at night if he thought someone had neglected to vacuum under the sofa cushions in the guest bedroom. This is certainly not a typical expression of Virgo energy, although it is one example of what can happen when Virgo energy gets out of control. One thing that many people with a strong Virgo emphasis in their charts will tell you is that they're not necessarily very good housekeepers. Just because they are acutely aware of how disorganized their physical environment is doesn't mean that they have the drive to actually do anything about it!

Criticism is a natural expression of Virgo energy, and when the criticism is given with compassion, and when it's constructive (and most importantly. when it is asked for in the first place!), it can be extremely helpful. Virgo doesn't miss much; but Virgo can easily become overly critical, both of the self and of others, and offer advice when it's not welcome. If Virgo falls into this trap of criticizing everything, then Virgo loses the ability to enjoy or appreciate anything at all. The hardest and most important lesson for Virgo to learn is that perfection is a process, not a destination. We can always improve, but we must also take the time to appreciate our accomplishments along the way.

Not surprisingly, planets in Virgo become extremely precise and efficient. Planets in Virgo also become far more focused on the physical plane, as well as significantly more left-brained. Virgo may be an earth sign, but it still operates in the mental realms. Emotional planets, such as the Moon and Venus, gain stability and perspective, but also lose some of their freedom to express emotions. The planets that have the most difficulty in Virgo are the planets that lean toward the spiritual and the metaphysical. Jupiter in particular has a difficult time in Virgo: the planet that represents our ability to have faith is not very comfortable in the sign that is motivated by the need to have proof.