on virgo season

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today, the sun moves into the mercury-ruled mutable earth of virgo. with my tarotscopes retired, i hope you're all enjoying these slightly less structured, more curiosity-informed musings on each new zodiacal season.

let's get into it.

as the sign of mutable earth, virgo combines flexibility, adaptability, and a capacity for change with stability, responsibility, and patience. mutable signs tend to finish up projects, ambitions, goals, or transitions that were initiated with cardinal signs and carried through with fixed signs, preparing us for a new season to begin. there's an attention to detail and sense of precision in this sign, an ability to work hard for tangible results, that we often associate with the sign of virgo. in people with significant virgo placements, these are often the folks seen as organizers: the polishers, the perfectionists, the make-everything-shiny people who fix last-minute errors and have a keen eye for what may be missing.

but virgo is far more than obsessive reviews of work we've done, or scouring for mistakes. virgo isn't just a rigorous copyeditor. as diana rose harper recently shared in a gorgeous series of posts on instagram, thinking of zodiacal signs as places rather than people can offer a much richer and more expansive perspective on these energies. what happens in a virgo landscape? what is changed?

in the correspondences of the hermetic order of the golden dawn, virgo is associated with the hermit archetype. this association of virgo and hermit is reinforced by the months in which virgo season occurs: while we are still in august, the sweltering tail end of summer here in the northeast and the eighth month of the year, the bulk of virgo season falls in september, month nine. more on that in a minute.

although the word hermit in our modern-day usage speaks mainly to a reclusive nature, in stories hermits are known primarily for their wisdom. with journeys of heroes and anti-heroes, there is often a moment when a road block is hit: some precious object must be procured, some training must be received, some knowledge must be shared. progress cannot continue without this vital thing, a thing that is precious and valuable and sometimes closely guarded, hidden and protected. and so in order to move forward, the main character goes on a quest to find the sage, the hidden temple, the cloistered library, where such knowledge is stored. sometimes they have to prove their worth in order to access it, other times all they have to do is ask.

cue the training montage. the hermit shares what they know, the hero levels up some skill set or knowledge base, and eventually the main character leaves this sanctuary behind for the next phase of their quest to begin, while the hermit stays behind, knowing that their role in this particular story is complete.

the hermit continues to nourish and tend their sacred space, their hard-won information, their "carefully-preserved genius."

the hermit understands their task, their mission, their value. and when we step into the hermit's energy, we share what we know, we polish and shine, we offer what we can. we dig deep, look at every detail, consider all that we have access to both without and within. but we also are clear on our role - we bring a neutral sort of support, an ability to see the big picture. hermits contribute to the cause, are generous with their time and talent, but ultimately are also allowing things to continue in their own way.

in the same way, the number nine is the final digit in the pythagorean sequence, one that is deeply aware of where they fall in this larger cycle. nine is philosophical and philanthropic, devoted yet detached, supporting others while also remaining committed to a specific role. nine recognizes when things are finished, and helps us to prepare for whatever new beginning is hovering around the edges of our consciousness. nine doesn't try to change what has happened, but instead holds space for reflection, for transition, for letting go.

in other words, both the hermit archetype and the number nine have a deep sense of self-awareness, a pride and recognition in the gifts they have to offer. they know that this phase of the story is absolutely essential, that progress cannot continue without it. they know that they are deeply needed.

remember that the hermit and the moon are both in this nine constellation, archetypes of mystery and the subconscious, of exploring the depths, of recognizing what can be known and what can never be known. with these cards, we know that there are things we cannot see, cannot know, cannot change. but we also honor the agency that we do have, the places where we make a distinct and powerful difference. who are we becoming? what are we leaving behind? what are we reaching for?

as we move into virgo season, pay attention. what is your role? where are you in the various cycles of your life? what are you sharing, and what are you harvesting? what are you preparing to plant next?

what are you offering to others, and what are you holding back for yourself?

wishing you a beautiful, restorative, and joyful virgo season, friends.