Virgo Season
VIRGO
August 22nd - September 22nd
Exacting, Attractive, Intelligent , Communicative, Obsessive
The carefree, brazen attitude pervading late summer shifts into something more disciplined and anxious for many reasons - academia re-emerges, sunny days retreat into a gooey, golden haze that gives way to purple twilight, and, oh yeah, Virgo takes the reins from Leo and sucks away all the fun, admonishing us for even thinking about taking another week for laziness. Traditionally represented by a virginal, flower crowned maiden, (we'll examine that patriarchal, problematic trope some other day) Virgos can always be guaranteed to bring free form fun to an end, or at least to visibly, condescendingly judge the rest of us for indulging in such frippery. Irritating though they may be, these smarty pants often make a good point - it is time to buckle down and make detailed plans for the closing of the Gregorian calendar year - to harvest the last summer bounty, experience the last summer vacation, and clear the mind of vice to make way for productivity. Fine, Virgo. We fucking get it. Take your flower crown (or vegan leather crown, whichever) and move along.
ELEMENT
Earth signs revel in the practical - what to eat, how to pay, where to lay ones head - these are important pillars of existence on the earthly plane. While this material focus makes Taurus lazy and Capricorn miserly, Virgo has a different approach of obsessive communication and a martyr-like dedication to work. Notebooks and mystic manuals can mean the world to this earth sign, in that they provide clear steps for achievement in whatever field Virgo wishes to engage. A Taurus may eschew situations that provoke discomfort, regardless of possible benefits.
Capricorn can turn down anything that lacks overt material benefit - if they're putting in the work, they want that reward. But Virgo rarely gives up, because they believe that failure only occurs if they have failed to perfect all involved systems and processes. To balance out a bit of this obsessive perfectionism, try surrounding your Virgo with heart openers like Green Opal or creativity boosters like Citrine, stones which encourage the user to engage with intuition and compassion just as strongly as rational process.
MODALITY
"Baby, I've been waiting,
I've been waiting night and day.
I didn't see the time,
I waited half my life away.
There were lots of invitations
and I know you sent me some,
but I was waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come. ."
Leonard Cohen
Mutable signs can think on their feet (Gemini), quickly forgive trespasses (Pisces), and find joy and hilarity in the demolition of well laid plans (Sagittarius). Virgo is particularly adept at dispensing with positions or ideals that prove faulty and embracing new solutions, as long as they have thoroughly examined every aspect of a situation. Therein lies the rub that Virgo finds themselves in all too frequently - the examination and vacillation between decisions can grind progress to a halt as they wait for an even more perfect solution to unmask itself. Tools for grounding and stabilizing like candles and incense can help Virgo to narrow focus and look inward, because at a certain point these late summer beauties need to make a decision and commit to it. The frankincense/bergamot punch of this soy candle smells beautiful enough to be allowed in Virgos domain, but will also help them shut out indecision and unhelpful outside opinions.
TAROT
The Hermit is a curiously zen figure, walking a lonely path illuminated only by their strength of will. Often depicted robed and bearded as indications of wisdom and experience, The Hermit is on a journey to serve themselves and no one else, and this card indicates a need to separate oneself from crowd noise, from groupthink, and simply mine the internal self for a better approach to the external world. Beware, though, maidens - The Hermit in reverse indicates slavery to ones own ego and perspective. Smugly ignoring other input and ideas will ultimately lead to failure, and you hate that. Detailed decks with airrily pretty aesthetics like this one were practically designed with Virgo in mind, down to the fussy, antiqued backing. We know you hate the idea of even needing it, Virgo, but you'll internalize advice much more gently if it's wrapped in flowers and details. *looks around at Virgo's neat, curated house and outfit*
Yes, that checks out.
STYLE
"Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants."
Karl Lagerfeld
The irascible grande dame of fashion may have had an elitist bent, but Karl Lagerfeld's love of comfort and sloth was not the engine that propelled Chanel to the top of an elite fashion culture (perish the thought) - his very Virgo love of detailed perfection and thousand hour work weeks did that. The devil isn't in the details for Virgo (that's Capricorn) - God and heaven is. Steer the Virgos in your life to well crafted wovens that project intelligence and beauty, dresses and tunics with crocheted overlay and intarsia, and delicate enameled jewelry that lays just right on their pretty little collarbones. (You could also just compliment their collarbones and watch them light up from the inside.)
Waspy waists are a key Virgo trait, as these scions of health rule digestion and the stomach, so belts and harnesses that accentuate this area are perfect for more adventurous, maybe even slightly naughty Virgos. They're rare, but they're out there.
MUSIC
"Be kind to me, or treat me mean...I'll make the most of it - I'm an extraordinary machine."
Fiona Apple
In addition to the ranks of disturbingly normal people with psychotic tendencies*, Virgo positively dominates the field of wordy, poetic musicians with prolific careers. Summer's end claims Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Florence Welch, Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, Crissy Hinde, and Mark Ronson as it's own maidens, which leads us to wonder, as we wind down to this introspective, poetic soundtrack... do any non-Virgo songwriters even exist?
*Stephen Miller, Ed Gein, and Lea Michele are all Virgos. I said what I said.