Virgo

(24 August to 22 September)

Animal: squirrel.
Birds: parrot, magpie.
Colour: grey, green, brown.
Day: Wednesday.
Origin and glyph: The Egyptian goddess of grain (Nidaba) was probably the origin, and in old pictures the Virgin is shown bearing an ear of corn and holding a child; the glyph is the female genitalia.
Ruling planet and groupings: Mercury; feminine, mutable and earth.
Flowers: bright small flowers, e.g. buttercup, Madonna lily, cornflower, valerian.
Food: root vegetables.
Gemstone: cornelian, jade, diamond, jasper, sardonyx (a white/brown banded variety of onyx).
Metals: platinum for Virgo; quicksilver for Mercury.
Numbers: ten for Virgo; five for Mercury.
Tree: hazel, nut producing varieties.

The Sun enters the zodiacal sign Virgo on approximately August 24 every year and leaves it on September 21. However, the influence of this sign does not begin to be fully exerted until about a week after the Sun's entry, being diluted by the force of the preceding sign, Leo. Therefore, persons born between August 24 and 27 are also partly ruled by Leo, and should consult the characteristics given by that sign as well.

Virgoans are traditionally shy and modest, hard-working and practical and yet, perhaps, rather dull. They have a well-developed tendency to criticize both themselves and others, and often allow this to go too far. If a positive tenor is applied to Virgoan traits, it results in someone who works hard, is sensible and intelligent, and very good at detailed tasks.

Being essentially a worker, Virgoans are not interested in taking the lead but more in completing a task to the best of their ability. There is a likelihood that Virgoans will be worriers, and they often worry about nothing at all, which can be misconstrued or counterproductive. However, their own positive qualities are the best tools to deal with such problems. Virgo people are nearly always worried about something. I'licy want everything to be in order, and they spend lots of time planning to ensure perfect results every time. They are incredibly conscientious and have such a tight check on things that for instance, they seldom have money problems.

It is not easy to criticise a Virgo, because they get terribly hurt. They find things hard enough as it is, because they feel that they never really live up to their own high standards. Virgo people cannot get on with people who have sudden crazy whims. Don't expect your Virgo partner to get up in the middle of the night to make a lasagne just because you are hungry and can't sleep. They think that there is a time and place for everything.

The negative and earthy sign Virgo is associated with intellectual power, and subjects of Virgo are distinguished by the keenness of their wits and their remarkable discrimination. They are, perhaps, the most calm, level-headed and practical of all the twelve types, for they seldom allow a vestige of sentiment or affection to interfere with, or bias, their judgment or conduct. Indeed, it is probable that sentiment is very shallow in Virgo people, for even the superior types are notable for their selfishness. At the same time, these characteristics have a useful function to fulfil, for they act as a wholesome check upon the more impulsive and expansive types; and, by their critical judgment and cool reasoning ability, natives of Virgo help to avert many errors and catastrophes that would not be foreseen by more rash and emotional people until too late.

Virgo people are pliant and adaptable. They can readily vary their manner and behaviour to suit the company in which they find themselves; while their tactfulness may often amount to servility. But this is not the result of fear; it is usually part of a deliberate plan or scheme, carefully prepared beforehand, and with a definite end in view.

Virgo people are not usually acquisitive, but, should one born under this sign set his or her heart upon anything, he or she will stop at nothing to attain it, and, if he or she is of a lower type, he or she may display the most extraordinary cunning, hypocrisy and cold-blooded guile. Not even human life stands in the way of a person of the undeveloped Virgo type when once his or her mind has become fixed upon a definite aim. This type is also capable of displaying greater cruelty than any other; he or she can commit the most shocking injustices and barbarities in cold blood, and nothing will move him or her to pity when he or she is actuated by hatred or self-interest.

Subjects of Virgo have the love of inquiry developed to the utmost; they are never satisfied to take anything on trust, but must always find out for themselves. Accordingly, under this sign many famous philosophers, mathematicians, and scientific investigators have been born.

Generally Virgo people are modest and reserved; they shrink from publicity, and will not talk readily about their own affairs, preferring to criticize the actions of others and analyse their motives. They are lacking in enthusiasm, and show reluctance to fall in with the plans of others or to assist them in any way. They are entirely individual and quite lacking in camaraderie and the 'team spirit.' When pursuing their own objects, which they do in a steadfast, practical and matter-of-fact manner, they will listen noncommit-tally to the advice of others, but will seldom act upon it.

Their lack of sentiment makes them very slow to anger, but they are equally slow to forgive, and seldom compose a quarrel of their own accord. But they can swallow resentment and put their pride in their pocket when they consider it to be in their own interests to do so.

Virgo subjects are precise and methodical in all that they do, and have a great respect for law, order and precedent and for the achievements of the past. They are fond of harmony and elegance, and their taste is restrained and austere; but their imagination is decidedly limited, and is far exceeded by their reasoning powers. They are very fond of reading, and are able to remember very clearly a great deal of what they read and see.

The weaker varieties of this type are cunning, capricious and cruel in the extreme, cynical, unduly critical, caustic in their speech and perpetually finding fault. They are also snobbish, servile and excessively selfish.