Image credit: Johfa Busschart Virgo: The Analyst. The Perfectionist. The Holistic Healer. The Provider of Practical Nurturance and Service. The Goddess Who Merges Heaven and Earth.
As you can see from those descriptions, Virgo is so much more than the modern stereotypes would have us believe. She has the reputation of being the prudish one, the chaste and pure physical virgin who cleans and polishes the floors every Saturday morning before 10 AM without fail. But in reality, Virgo is so much more than that. At the most basic level, Virgo is the archetype that represents the mastery of skills, and the perfect clarity of perception and honest self-assessment to know what needs to be done in order to move closer to creating something ideal. At best, she strives for purity of form on all levels. The Virgin is really about the creation of structures that are as clean, streamlined and well-functioning as possible so things flow beautifully - think of having a healthy, grounded physical self so spiritual energies of love, compassion, and intuition can dance through, creating a merger of Heaven and Earth.
Her deepest longings and motivations, conscious or unconscious, are to create vessels through which Divinity can flow freely: a sublime work of art, a beautiful home, an award-winning stage performance, the truest essence of her own Goddess-self.
As a lightworker and healer, I believe that we are moving toward a greater sense of Oneness and merger of Heaven and Earth, and the pursuit of ideal form in any endeavor is a respectable one that moves us closer to that goal. We wouldn't achieve anything of quality or lasting value without it. We all want to achieve something great, whatever that happens to be based on our unique gifts and talents. But the darker side of this impulse is the spiral downward into true perfectionism - the perpetual self-judgment and fear of not attaining perfection to the point that we don't achieve what we're fully capable of because we don't even try...or get so far and quit outright because we don't think we can do thing "A" as well as others. It's the sort of brutal self-honesty that renders us prisoners in our own unrealistic perceptions of what is "good enough," and what is not.
Having said all that, enter this full moon's dominant theme: the release of crippling self-criticism and the need to give unconditional love and appreciation to ourselves. It's no surprise that I've read articles by numerous astrologers who have honed in on this issue, and one very candid article by Jessica at Moonkissed Astrology that describes her own struggle with high standards really resonated with me in particular (Jessica, by the way, is a brilliant astrologer that I happen to look up to quite a bit as I continue to hone and refine my abilities as an astrologer!). Sure, we're likely to have a greater focus on health/wellness and focusing on routines now since those issues are connected to Virgo too, but deep struggles with perfectionism seem to dominate this time around.
Jessica's struggles aren't necessarily all that different from my own. On Tuesday night, I found myself in an all-out meltdown in a session with a longtime spiritual mentor, excavating layers of perceived helplessness, shame, and failure. Not surprisingly, we discovered that the root of my suffering was the fact that I was not recognizing and appreciating all that I have accomplished, and trusting in all that I am honing, refining, and creating now. Like others who have strong Virgo energies in the birth chart (mine is a Virgo midheaven, along with heavy Capricorn/Saturn influence on my Mercury), I have battled with crippling perfectionism for years, and am slowly beginning to tunnel out. These tendencies certainly aren't cornered to one part of my life, either: they have dogged me in body image/health and wellness, musical abilities, academics, and so much more.
Maybe by way of the influences of Pluto and Chiron, in combination with the incredibly magical and synchronistic energies that the Jupiter-Uranus trine is bringing into this cathartic full moon, Tuesday's session was a real epiphany for me. I was faced with two choices: indulge in my own Plutonian feelings of darkness and hopelessness, or diligently end the negative self-talk and get real about all the incredible things I've got going. Maybe for the first time ever, I really "got" just how important it is to acknowledge all the things I've accomplished, and the need to clearly see how primed I am for success of all kinds in the future. I'm discovering that real liberation lies in loving me unconditionally - perceived faults and all - and in extending some robust appreciation to myself for all the hard work I've done. I'm slowly learning that it's safe and beneficial for me to let go of harsh self-judgment, if for no other reason than it just doesn't feel good. I'm learning that it's safe and beneficial for me to share my gifts while working to improve my abilities, as humbling and intimidating as that may be sometimes - that's the healthy way to express Virgo's energies.
If you're feeling like you aren't enough, I'm here to tell you that you are indeed enough - you are exactly who and where you are supposed to be in this moment - and that it's prime time to let all that other stuff go. This full moon is calling us to release the self-imposed restrictions of our own expectations and to do what we can, where we're at, with the resources and skills we have now. If we want to achieve our highest potential and let our Divine gifts shine, it's essential that we build a foundation of self-love in much the same way we would extend love and appreciation to another.
**What are you experiencing at this full moon time? Are you willing to love and approve of yourself and release unrealistic expectations that hold you back? Wishing you love, light, and blessings this day and always!**
© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2015. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this site and writer with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
As you can see from those descriptions, Virgo is so much more than the modern stereotypes would have us believe. She has the reputation of being the prudish one, the chaste and pure physical virgin who cleans and polishes the floors every Saturday morning before 10 AM without fail. But in reality, Virgo is so much more than that. At the most basic level, Virgo is the archetype that represents the mastery of skills, and the perfect clarity of perception and honest self-assessment to know what needs to be done in order to move closer to creating something ideal. At best, she strives for purity of form on all levels. The Virgin is really about the creation of structures that are as clean, streamlined and well-functioning as possible so things flow beautifully - think of having a healthy, grounded physical self so spiritual energies of love, compassion, and intuition can dance through, creating a merger of Heaven and Earth.
Her deepest longings and motivations, conscious or unconscious, are to create vessels through which Divinity can flow freely: a sublime work of art, a beautiful home, an award-winning stage performance, the truest essence of her own Goddess-self.
As a lightworker and healer, I believe that we are moving toward a greater sense of Oneness and merger of Heaven and Earth, and the pursuit of ideal form in any endeavor is a respectable one that moves us closer to that goal. We wouldn't achieve anything of quality or lasting value without it. We all want to achieve something great, whatever that happens to be based on our unique gifts and talents. But the darker side of this impulse is the spiral downward into true perfectionism - the perpetual self-judgment and fear of not attaining perfection to the point that we don't achieve what we're fully capable of because we don't even try...or get so far and quit outright because we don't think we can do thing "A" as well as others. It's the sort of brutal self-honesty that renders us prisoners in our own unrealistic perceptions of what is "good enough," and what is not.
Having said all that, enter this full moon's dominant theme: the release of crippling self-criticism and the need to give unconditional love and appreciation to ourselves. It's no surprise that I've read articles by numerous astrologers who have honed in on this issue, and one very candid article by Jessica at Moonkissed Astrology that describes her own struggle with high standards really resonated with me in particular (Jessica, by the way, is a brilliant astrologer that I happen to look up to quite a bit as I continue to hone and refine my abilities as an astrologer!). Sure, we're likely to have a greater focus on health/wellness and focusing on routines now since those issues are connected to Virgo too, but deep struggles with perfectionism seem to dominate this time around.
Jessica's struggles aren't necessarily all that different from my own. On Tuesday night, I found myself in an all-out meltdown in a session with a longtime spiritual mentor, excavating layers of perceived helplessness, shame, and failure. Not surprisingly, we discovered that the root of my suffering was the fact that I was not recognizing and appreciating all that I have accomplished, and trusting in all that I am honing, refining, and creating now. Like others who have strong Virgo energies in the birth chart (mine is a Virgo midheaven, along with heavy Capricorn/Saturn influence on my Mercury), I have battled with crippling perfectionism for years, and am slowly beginning to tunnel out. These tendencies certainly aren't cornered to one part of my life, either: they have dogged me in body image/health and wellness, musical abilities, academics, and so much more.
Maybe by way of the influences of Pluto and Chiron, in combination with the incredibly magical and synchronistic energies that the Jupiter-Uranus trine is bringing into this cathartic full moon, Tuesday's session was a real epiphany for me. I was faced with two choices: indulge in my own Plutonian feelings of darkness and hopelessness, or diligently end the negative self-talk and get real about all the incredible things I've got going. Maybe for the first time ever, I really "got" just how important it is to acknowledge all the things I've accomplished, and the need to clearly see how primed I am for success of all kinds in the future. I'm discovering that real liberation lies in loving me unconditionally - perceived faults and all - and in extending some robust appreciation to myself for all the hard work I've done. I'm slowly learning that it's safe and beneficial for me to let go of harsh self-judgment, if for no other reason than it just doesn't feel good. I'm learning that it's safe and beneficial for me to share my gifts while working to improve my abilities, as humbling and intimidating as that may be sometimes - that's the healthy way to express Virgo's energies.
If you're feeling like you aren't enough, I'm here to tell you that you are indeed enough - you are exactly who and where you are supposed to be in this moment - and that it's prime time to let all that other stuff go. This full moon is calling us to release the self-imposed restrictions of our own expectations and to do what we can, where we're at, with the resources and skills we have now. If we want to achieve our highest potential and let our Divine gifts shine, it's essential that we build a foundation of self-love in much the same way we would extend love and appreciation to another.
**What are you experiencing at this full moon time? Are you willing to love and approve of yourself and release unrealistic expectations that hold you back? Wishing you love, light, and blessings this day and always!**
© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2015. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this site and writer with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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