We enter Virgo Season on Saturday, August 22nd. Virgo is an earth sign so we are drawn back from the fun and playful fire energy of Leo towards a more practical and grounded energy. Right in time for school to start and the shorter days urging us to prioritize what work needs to get done! This cycle pre-ceded a new moon is Leo calling us to our hearts, our most authentic expression of who we are and a call towards a greater vibrance of being! It is time to get focused on worthy efforts near and dear to our heart that allow us to to embody the best version of ourself we can be..because it feels good!
Virgo Basics 101
The archetype of Virgo centers around themes of improvement and perfecting by processing like analyzing & sorting.
Virgo rules our digestive system and so think of this on many levels..how we digest our food to how we digest our experiences, we must break it down and assimilate the nutrients in order to receive the benefits. The more nutrient dense the food (experience), the more beneficial it is for our body. Virgo energy prioritizes those practices and rituals that allow us to enhance the quality of our experiences and may reveal what needs to be weeded out as it provides no value. . Bottom line, Virgo wants to achieve the ideal..be it in health, in state of being, or in apprenticeship to its dutiful efforts with work or service to humanity.
What does this take? Mindfulness and dedication of our efforts to that which serves us. Mercury is the planetary ruler to expect to feel the mind churning this month with analyzing the facts and prioritizing what is necessary and unnecessary. But the earth aspect of Virgo will require us to put in the effort to experience the results. This sign tends to be a diligent worker often associated with service work or healing work!
The dark side
Every archetype has a shadow or dark side and with Virgo, the addiction to perfectionism is no stranger. “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” (Voltaire) and “Better a diamond with a flaw then a pebble without.” (Confucius). Many things worth doing and worth doing badly. Don’t let the aim of perfection stop you from doing something with a worthy aim. Another shadow side of this hard working sign, is the service offered being made at the expense of the giver. Have you ever known someone in their act of service to humanity lose sight of their own health or wellbeing? I know personally I can dish out advice at times that I fail to personally utilize. The elixir for the shadow is to put on your own oxygen mask before putting one on another. Especially with this new moon in Leo, it is important that the work that we aspire to offer the world is given from a place of inner joy and delight. A cheerful giver vs the resentful martyr..nothing beats doing what we love while and realizing that it services society too!
How to work with this cycle?
This Virgo cycle is conjunct Mercury in Virgo so we get some extra umph to the mercurial aspect of focusing our mind on what is going to move us towards a better place of being. Merge this energy with the new moon is Leo adding a more personal and heartfelt flair and you have an aim for “efforts that enhance your vitality and allow you to show us as your best self”. I liken this to a new IOS. For me I want to show up as the new Jill ios 13.0 . Full of new enhancements and new tricks.
>Where in your life do you feel like you are settling? Holding yourself back?
>What does your ideal self look, feel and act like?
>So what practice can you add or remove from your life that will help you be the best you?
>What daily commitments can you make towards an effort in the right direction of your success?
Take some hints from Marie Condo in “ The Magical Art of Tidying Up” and start with sorting. Needed versus Not Needed in your life. Then choose what you keep or discard based on joy. Does it bring you joy? If not, discard it! Make space to bring in the people, experiences and things that delight you!
Then take small steps towards that ideal. Keep it simple, silly or other known as the KISS)method. Better to take one step or start with a small commitment than to bite off more than you can and end up not doing it. So, be it in the area of your health and wellness, or in pursuit of your personal life, relationships or even a work project, this is the month for bringing awareness to why you do what you do and its effect! Does it bring you closer to your most vibrant self?
Mind/Body Integration
If you want to work with this concept through movement and enhance your health, join me for Yoga this month. We are each choosing a pose, practice or area of the body to improve this month. We will also work on improving our digestion (which also improves your immunity). I will be teaching lots of simple practices that you can infuse into your daily routine to enhance your health and vitality.
Aromatherapy is a powerful tool to use in ritual to support your intentions as well as to support your mental and emotional wellbeing. For Virgo, my seasonal spray is “Worthy Focus” designed to support you staying true to your priorities! “Clarity” is my roll on blend to help ease too much mental activity and leave you with a clear mind. I also recommend “ Sattva” and “Forest Walk” to ground you yet keep your mind calm. You can purchase my blends here. Use them with intention!!