The earth signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn in astrology, are our guides into the full embodiment of being human. Even when they don’t take precedence in an individual’s birth chart, they are relevant to the ways we encounter and engage the physical, practical aspects of life.
Taking the earth signs individually, we can get a sense of what those physical aspects are. Taurus, first earth sign, represents our experience of our senses and body, comfort, pleasure, and enjoyment. It relates to the stability of our physical world, rooted in our security needs of food, shelter and material sufficiency. Second earth sign Virgo is where we refine our physical experience through discernment, choice, and action towards true wellbeing. The Virgo desire is to refine, improve and uplift habits of health and work to their optimum, for instance, tempering the Taurean tendency for overindulgence. Final earth sign Capricorn represents climbing the mountain of attainment, where we forego pleasure, comfort, and practicality for a higher ideal of achievement or service to family or community. It’s where we can hone our personal needs and resources to reach for the mountaintop of manifestation.
All earth signs are a strong focus in our current evolutionary climate. This focus is amplified now by the presence of Black Moon Lilith in Virgo, October 2023 to May 2024.
At the entry point to Virgo in early October, Venus was conjunct Lilith and fixed star Regulus at 0 Virgo, amping up our creative Feminine power and potential. This was a dramatic entrance and activation of the sign of purity and practicality, emphasising what I’m calling ‘sovereignty in service.’ Moreover, this combination was opposing Wise Elder Saturn at 0 Pisces. This energetic synergy acts like an anchor from the ocean of consciousness to body-mind, calling us to full heart-centred individuality in service to our true soul purpose. In exploring the earth sign Virgo, we may begin to understand and engage exactly what that means to each of us. It’s not to be found in some grandiose idealistic picture of ‘Soul Purpose’. Its core lies in relationship to our own wellbeing, our full health in every element of body-mind as the anchor of soul here on Earth. As we reclaim that alignment with our own nature, we become more fully enabled in caring for Mother Nature.
Virgo is the sign that represents the mind-body synergy. It’s ruled by Mercury, planet of our mental processes, perception, communication, learning and travel. As an earth sign, Virgo is focused (through the mind’s view) on the body and its natural systems, the working practices and practicalities of life. Following the sign of heart-centred individuality Leo, Virgo is where we feel called to express our uniqueness through work or service. It’s one of the signs that provides a sense of purpose. Purpose is driven by what feels deeply of value to us as individuals, it’s what we wish to devote our energies to, hence an ancient association with priestess energy. It’s where we experience dedication, devotion, and ritual in service through our self to what deeply matters beyond our self.
Aligned with Mercury – like our minds, constantly on the move – Virgo is at home with the little things, the details, the subtleties, how things fit together to create an efficient working system (or not). Think of the differently orientated refined skills displayed by an accountant, seamstress, personnel manager, nutritionist, or nurse, they all have the common thread of Virgo energy. Noticing what needs balancing, reorientating, reorganising, or improving is a key Virgo trait.
When we clean the house, clear the clutter, fix, or organise something, we’re in Virgo mode. When we clean our teeth, cook a healthy meal, uplift our fitness habits, or practice yoga, we’re being Virgoan. This second earth signs is particularly focused on the small daily rituals that can make a difference to life, that maintain our fullest health and wellbeing. Connection to nature, natural and holistic remedies, tools, and techniques, are all aspects of the mid-body alignment that Virgo signifies. It’s about discerning what’s needed and engaging it devotedly through habit, ritual, or practice. Naturally this supports our wellbeing, yet every sign has its shadow.
Virgo loves to improve, refine, and purify. Yet every strength has its nemesis contained within it. In Virgo, what is healthy can easily become an obsession. Virgo’s ‘bad press’ is the perfectionist or puritan, a Mr or Mrs fix-it. With this detail-orientated sign we must become awake to fixating on ‘what’s wrong’, worrying and nit-picking, rather than seeing the bigger picture beyond ‘right and wrong’, or taking action to remedy and uplift what is seen. With Lilith in Virgo what we focus on mentally is strongly highlighted for better or worse.
Black Moon Lilith in any sign highlights its extremes of genius and brilliance, or its shadows. Often both are strongly experienced, as Lilith is a Soul Mother energy calling us to evolve our relationship to both dark and light.
Lilith in Virgo highlights our faculty of discernment and where it moves to the extremes of harshness, criticism, honed towards ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’, and what seem to be our failures. The key perspective of ‘what’s wrong with me (or him/her/them’ as a projection) is particularly sharp, even cruel. Other mental states can tend towards neurotic, hypochondriac, or hypervigilant. As Lilith sensitises every aspect of the sign it traverses, we are called to be very discerning about the effect of mental projection on our bodies and health, as well as the over-use of the mind. Psychosomatic reactions may be highlighted as our body-mind systems are extra-sensitised during this time, especially to environmental pollution and toxins of any kind. Allergic or digestive reactions may be heightened. It’s a time of purification. Any habits that are not serving true wellbeing, for instance over-working, too much alcohol or screen time, need an overhaul.
This Dark Feminine placement is active in Virgo until 29 June 2024. The gifts of its placement lie in what this human body truly is in terms of its energy and consciousness potentials. We realise the gifts not only through clearing the physical system, along with our habits, but in becoming awake to the sensational reality of our body – its true magic. Astrologer Kelley Hunter describes this placement as the opportunity to discover the body as an ‘alchemical vessel’. We are enriched in the opportunity for an extra-fine attunement to the gifts of nature, food, plants, and nature spirits. Plant medicine and holistic systems such as acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, flower essences and crystals are highlighted. It’s about honouring our natural instinctual intelligence as to what’s needed for our fullest wellbeing. Lilith’s link with the shadows of being woman, our bodies, our blood, the dark dance of sexuality and shame, what’s ‘clean’ or ‘dirty’ are also emphasised. She asks we bring to light what is hidden in the shadows.
Our body-being could be considered as an elaborate patchwork of diverse hues, created over a lifetime, constantly changing yet always whole. The calling of Virgo asks you to discern what aspects of self and your life have become faded, dull, lifeless, or mechanical. What needs a tweak, a polish, a rubbing down? How does the mirror of your perspective contribute to your overall wellbeing or diminish it, in the smallest ways. Virgo asks that we notice the subtleties, not just in what can be improved, but in true appreciation. Become awake to how a tiny switch of perception turns life around. This is where Lilith’s energy can have free rein if we are awake to it. This is where a simple shift creates what we would call miracles.
This is a profound opportunity to discover and engage the truth that ‘we are nature’. Our bodies are the beautiful natural vessel for our soul’s journey. Humility is a key Virgo quality, aligned with its ancient priestess connection and linked to the earthy foundation of our bodies. Priestess connection asks, ‘What do you make sacred?’ ‘What do you ritualise as sacred?’ Surely the vessel of our soul’s embodiment is sacred. Do you treat your body as such? Lilith in Virgo calls you to do so.
Lilith’s energy is potent and supportive at the upcoming Lunar Eclipse at 5 Taurus on 28 October. We’re encouraged to become clearer on making small changes in habits, particularly related to mental health, working practices, wellbeing, that support our capacity to be of service. Committing to sacred practices and rituals that deeply ground your soul connection is vital. We can’t be of service if we’re running on empty. We cannot commit fully to our soul’s work if we are lacking in wellbeing. The two are intricately linked.
More to come on Lilith’s alignments as she becomes active with Blessing-giver Jupiter and Awakener Uranus in Taurus early next year. Meanwhile, I invite you to join my online event ‘Sovereignty in Service’ about Lilith’s placement and journey through Virgo, on Zoom 11.00GMT Sunday 29 October. Book in here.
