Virgo's Path to Perfection
by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #2, August 23, 1999
The Sun entered Virgo Monday August 23 1999, and will be in this part of the Zodiac through September 22. While the Sun is in a particular sign, we feel the effects of its energy. We are lead to work on the lessons it has to teach us. We are supported with the powers and insights that it has to offer. It is beneficial to consciously orient our attention to the gifts that it is bringing us during this 30-31 day period.(1)
This is also true while the Moon is in a particular sign, and intensely true when both the Sun and the Moon are in the same sign. While the Sun is in Virgo, the moon will also be in Virgo September 8 from 7:57am(PST-Pacific Standard Time) till 2:16pm (PST) September 10. During that time there is a New Moon in Virgo September 9 at 2:03pm (PST) The New Moon is the best time to set goals for that sign for the coming year. We have two and a half weeks, while the Sun is in Virgo, to figure out what these goals are.
Each sign of the Zodiac offers us a special way of being. Each sign is a different aspect of the unfoldment of a complete human being. As we move through the Zodiac cultivating the attributes of each cycle of growth and development, we experience more and more wholeness. When the Sun is in a particular sign, it is an opportune time to discover and explore its unique qualities. When the Sun is shining through Virgo, it is a propitious time to incorporate the practical, meticulous, analytical and discriminating qualities of this Earth sign into our being.
Each sign of the Zodiac is associated with (or ruled by) a Planet. Traditionally Virgo is ruled by Mercury, which explains its discriminating intellect and ability to analyze details. Some astrologers also associate Virgo with the asteroid Chiron which orbits between Saturn and Uranus. I feel that Chiron helps complete our understanding of Virgo. Chiron is the wounded-healer. Virgo energy is concerned with health and healing. Many great healers are Virgos. When Chiron gets in touch with its own wounds and heals itself, it is able to offer its healing gifts to the world.
Chiron bridges the personal planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) with the impersonal planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto). Virgo energy plays a pivotal role in transitioning to the Aquarian Age because it perceives the Truth with its powerful mind and holds the pole on Earth to manifest it.
Chiron is symbolically the bridge between the inner and outer aspects of our psyche. The bridge is crossed through our personal healing journey which includes the care of our body through appropriate exercise and nutrition and care of our Soul through the recognition of our own gifts and perfection. Virgo energy feels compelled to express itself through work and service. What greater healing than to work hard offering our gifts to the world!
Virgo's Perfectionism
Each sign has its bad reputation. People with their sun sign in Virgo have the reputation of being nit-picky, fastidious, perfectionists, obsessed with details and often workaholics and worriers. I have had Virgos themselves tell me, "My need to analyze everything drives me crazy". I have also heard disorganized non-Virgos wish for "more Virgo energy". Two days after the Sun went into Virgo, I personally found myself compelled during my morning yoga to get up and organize something in my room. One friend, with prominent, but not Sun, Virgo energy, told me that someone who interpreted speech patterns, said that his need for order and cleanliness in his life, meant that physical order brought him closer to the Divine.
Before we make too many generalizations, it is important to point out that we each have every sign of the Zodiac in our natal chart. If our Moon, Ascendant or Rising Sign (where the Sun appeared in the sky when we were born) or any of the other planets are in Virgo, we too incorporate Virgo energy into our psyche and need to align with its highest expression to find peace and wholeness. If we have none of the above in Virgo, it is still there in some House (area of life) of our natal chart willing, but perhaps not demanding us, to use its energy and its gifts.
One of Virgo's challenges is to accept, not complain about or get upset by, mistakes and imperfections. For Virgos this requires a reframe of the concept of perfection. The goal of Virgo's commanding desire for perfection, is to actually experience the reality of perfection in the Universe and in one's Self. And most fortunately for all of us, the Universe is a perfect place. Our human quest is to align ourselves with this perfection.
Perfect does not mean that everything is the way we want it to be. Perfect means everything is the way it is! Perfect does not mean that everything is goody-goody and all bad or evil has been eliminated. Perfect means that the law of cause and effect is calibrated precisely for everyone and everything, every where. What we put out, we get back. What we project, we attract, and we are all One in this cosmic dance. All our stories, conversations, wishes, dreams, curses, fears, tantrums interact with each other, and fit together like a cosmic jigsaw puzzle.
Free will gives us the choice of how we want to interact. We get to make our own decisions about what we want to contribute to the cosmic soup. And the taste of the soup depends upon what we offer to the pot. If the majority of us offer fear and anger, we get wars and environmental destruction. If a critical mass of us offers service and love, we get peace and joy. And everyone of us is doing exactly what we have to do that this time and place to learn, grow and elevate ourselves to place where we consciously perceive and live by this law.
This perfect alignment of cause and effect sooner or later leads us to observe some basic facts of life including the following. There is a constant interaction and co-creation taking place between our inner and outer realities. Each one influences the other. One of the main challenges of life is to maintain an equilibrium between the two and to align both our inner psyche and our outer environment so that they positively impact and support each other.
Our goal is to align our inner and outer environments with the cosmic flow and with the perfected energy of our Soul. The process of attaining this goal includes everything from the very mundane to the spiritually exalted. As we make progress at both ends of the spectrum, we realize that they are not only mutually supportive, they are perhaps the very same thing, just different manifestations of the Divine. Let's explore how we achieve both outer and inner alignment.
Outer Alignment
How can our outer environments help us reach personal and cosmic alignment? If it is true that everything is interconnected, and we are assuming this is true, the more our outer environments are in order, they more they will support our inner order. And the more we desire inner order, the more we will be motivated to put our physical plane into order.
Years ago someone told me about one course which used outer alignment to create personal alignment. I don't remember the name of the course but I will call it the Clean Your Closet Course. (CYC Course for short) The first class consisted of one assignment - put order into your life, clean and organize your closets and drawers, get rid of what you do not use or want, pay your bills, clean up your debts; and do whatever else you can think of to clean up your scene - wash your car, feng shui your house (this was not included but it is a good idea), sew the rips in your clothes. The list could go on. The participants had 3 months "to get their external worlds together".
Virgos must have loved this course! I bet they felt very validated! Imagine the enthusiasm and the reverence, that they must have brought to the whole process. Not to mention the joy they must have felt when the perfection they sought in mundane cleanliness and order started to produce magical results.
As Virgos and non-Virgos alike organized their lives, amazing things started to happen - new jobs, new relationships, new opportunities - all of which were not planned or sought out. In sum, the external cleansing created the space for new events and possibilities to manifest.
It has been over twenty years since I heard about the CYC Course and I have enrolled myself in my own version of it many times. Whenever I feel stuck or things aren't happening fast enough for me, I either take a full- on course or at least a refresher until the energy opens up and things start to move forward to my satisfaction. Actually organization is an on-going process in my life.
As we know, there is a constant interaction between our inner and outer environments. Inner order through yoga and meditation and other spiritual practices creates the desire and space for outer order. Outer order creates a stable environment in which to pursue inner order. That is why we have churches, meditation rooms, dojo's - places consecrated to a particular spiritual activity where the energy and the intention support our journey. The point is that whether you are just beginning or continuing your yoga and meditation practice, your progress will be greatly enhanced by planning your own CYC Course. Begin wherever you feel most appropriate for you, but be sure to include cleaning up your living space and creating a special place to do yoga and meditation.
As a culture we are very externally oriented. One of our biggest life challenges is to be able to actually focus on our own thoughts and energy. Our thoughts and energy do create our inner and outer realities, so if we want to consciously participate in what we create, we have to be able to connect and interact with our own psyche and vibration. The question is HOW do we turn our sensors to ourselves? How can we get our own attention?
The outer part of the answer is that we have to organize our lives enough so we can relax and focus on ourselves. If our external life is chaotic, it will command our attention. We will, by necessity, be trying to figure out what to do next, how to establish safety or how to get our needs met. Or the chaos may simply provide so much stimulation that we are drawn towards it and away from ourselves. If we are distracted, preoccupied or upset, the prevailing circumstances will demand our attention and use our energy. It takes an harmonious, non-disruptive environment to be able to focus on ourselves. It takes a supportive environment to be able to pull our attention into ourselves.
My Experience
I am in fact writing this article because I recently had this experience in my morning meditation. Over the past few weeks I have organized many things in my personal life including, fixing my car, buying a new bed, defragging and increasing the RAM on my computer, organizing my closet, purchasing a file cabinet and filing and marking all my papers, etc. The day before I washed my car, vacuumed and dusted the house, washed clothes, completed many things on my to-do list, cleaned out and filed more e-mails from my inbox.
During my meditation I experienced that I could actually focus on my own energy in a more powerful way than before and that this was a result of the satisfaction that I felt from the level of organization that I was achieving. I realized that if I simply aligned my own energy in a very peaceful way that I could attract to me the wool rug I want for my office/bedroom. Totally in keeping with Virgo energy, I want something very practical, yet beautiful, that will unify the energy in my room. I set my intention, and in fact wrote it down, and then did my morning meditations in a way that I was really present to their power and sweetness.
For the record, less than a minute after completing my morning practice, someone called me who wanted to place an order for my yoga manuals within a few weeks. (I stated in my goal that I wanted results by the end of August which is in 1½ weeks.) I am going to keep track of the results this time. In any case, I took this call as confirmation from the Universe.
Inner Alignment
There are many levels of self-awareness. Our major awareness is about the appearance of our body. But we want to cultivate more subtle energetic awareness where we can feel and be present to the energy in and around our body. Then we can begin to distinguish between different energies, e.g. between emotions, levels of comfort, and the energies of each of our chakras.
The above is important because it is at these finer levels of energy that we can influence how we co-create our reality. To change our reality, we have to change our energy. There are two basic ways to do so.
First, we can change our reality simply by creating alignment within ourselves. To do so we have to be able to bring our attention to ourselves and our own energy. In this chaotic world of over stimulation and manipulation and control, focusing on ourselves is a very challenging task. That is why we discussed the importance of creating order in the areas of our external world that we have control over. Alignment in our environment facilitates self-focus, which is a prerequisite for inner alignment. In turn our inner alignment creates changes in our outer environment. And to complete the interaction, the more we consolidate our own energy, the more we want order around ourselves and are motivated to take the necessary action to achieve it. Inner organization stimulates the need and desire to create organization in all aspects of one's life.
Outer and inner alignment can be related respectively to the tasks of scandisk and defrag of one's computer. To keep our computer functioning we have to perform these two operations on a regular basis. Scanning the disc or the hard drive, locates and puts back into place major areas that have been displaced or mis-aligned. Defragmentation goes deeper into the files "cells" and reorganizes them by getting rid of wasted space and putting everything back in an orderly fashion. It is fun to watch the screen while this process is going on. Visually you can see the screen with thousands of tiny squares being reorganized. The same principles apply to our own lives.
To align ourselves with our environment and with the Universe, we have to smooth out our own edges. We have to "scan" what isn't working for us or needs cleaning up and do what needs to be done to bring us back on track. We also have to make peace within ourselves. To cultivate a peaceful inner space and a balanced emotional state, we have to "defragment" ourselves, make peace with all aspects of our being and connect with our center where we experience our own oneness. When we do so, we experience our presence as both calm and vital.
When our energy is coherent and harmonious, it aligns with universal energies. It is this alignment that attracts things to us with little or no effort. It is this alignment that makes it possible to set goals and watch circumstances in our life unfold to bring them into manifestation. Intention, setting goals and prayer are the second way we participate in co-creation. We get specific about what we want. We direct our energy to achieve certain results.
Pranayama and Mantras
How do we align our energy with the energy of the Universe? Pranayama or the art and science of breathing is one powerful method. There are many Pranayama exercises which include both passively, but attentively, being with the breath and controlling the breath. Chanting mantras is another very powerful technique for creating a peaceful and harmonious presence. Kundalini Yoga offers many meditations which combine both rhythmic breathing and internal chanting of a divine mantra. While breathing or chanting we become the vibration. We synchronize ourselves with the harmony, the love and the energy that they create. The power of the breath and the mantra creates this effect even if we are distracted. In fact, over time Pranayama and mantra meditation help us reach a state where through conscious focus, we are not distracted.
The real power of manifestation and pleasure comes when we can hold our attention on our breath and mantra and on the effects that they are creating in our own psyche and energy field. Our goal is to reach the state where we are aware of what we are doing and enjoying the process.
Order is the nature of the Universe. Order is a critical requirement for manifestation. As we establish order in our inner and outer environments, we become one with universal order. There is no more powerful way to manifest than to pull in possibilities to ourselves by the nature and the power of our own presence. The more we consolidate our energy, the more we magnetize to ourselves. Training ourselves to be magnets is the best game in town.
During the month of Virgo is an appropriate time of the year to devote time to our inner and outer alignment. Here are two exercises that will help you take advantage of the available energy.
Outer Alignment - Clean Your Closet Exercise
- Make a list of what needs to be cleaned out or cleaned up in your life.
- Make a schedule of when and how each can be accomplished.
- Commit to doing something every day.
- Watch for and make a journal of your results.
- Enjoy the process.
Virgo Alignment Meditation Exercises
Virgo is an Earth sign with acute mental capabilities. (Capricorn and Taurus are the other Earth signs.) When the Sun is in an Earth sign, it is easier to stay in our bodies and to connect with the Earth, both of which are necessary to manifest. Take advantage of this time to be in your body by feeling and being present to your physical sensations. Make your meditations full body meditations.
Stillpoint Meditation
Virgo's healing is to use the power of the mind to be present to and enjoy the physical body. Virgo has the power to penetrate to the still point at both the third eye, where it sees the Truth, and at the base of the first chakra, where it feels the Truth. Meditating on the Earth element at the base of the spine brings one to a point of total stillness. Since the mind is so volatile it is harder to reach this point of stillness. Bringing oneself to the point of stillness at the first chakra and then connecting the first to the sixth, facilitates the task of entering the eye of the storm. From this center point, Virgo is able to discern what works for it and what doesn't and to make appropriate choices. If you want another center point to play with, extend a tail from the base of your spine to the center of the Earth, where by the way, we all join as One.
Inner Alignment Meditation
The goal is to feel your own energy in your body and be able to change it by either tuning into or altering your own breath, by chanting a divine mantra or both.
Sit quietly. Feel the sensations in your body. Get in touch with any tightness, tenseness, stress, aches and pains, as well as feelings of well-being.
There are many ways to meditate on the breath and mantras. Here are some easy, yet powerful basic guidelines or options. Connect to the sound, the feeling and the rhythm of your breath in your body. Continue while adding the mantra SAT NAM to the breath. During the inhale mentally hear SAT. During the exhale, mentally hear NAM. Or chant to a tape with a mantra that you enjoy.
Become one with your breath and the sensations it produces in your body, with the mantra or both. If you are chanting, first feel the essence of the meaning of the words. Then simply merge with the sounds until you experience sensations of peace and harmony in your body.
Early in the process, after you feel connected, set a goal and intend that your state of being will attract it to you. Release it and do not think about it any more. Trust yourself and the Universe.
Then continue to breath or chant focusing your attention only on your state of being and creating more peace and pleasure in your being. Continue for 11, 22 or 31 minutes.
To complete, consolidate your presence by feeling all the good feelings at once for one or so minutes.
As you go about your day, maintain or return to this state as much as possible. This can be done by returning to your breath or mentally listening to the mantra. The goal is to be able to hold this state during your daily activities.
The Gift of Virgo: Perfection through Self-Love
Our goal is to experience that as we change, our life changes and that we have the power to manifest through our own inner alignment. There is a deep sense of pleasure that comes to us when we experience this level of personal empowerment. There is not only the mental and psychological satisfaction. This sense of well-being radiates through our whole body. Learn to get in touch with it and hold on to these pleasurable feelings as they flow through your body. They are the seeds of even more manifestation and more pleasure.
In fact, it is these sensations that reorient our attention towards ourselves. When it feels so good to be in our bodies, the physical sensations seize our attention. When we have reached the stage where we desire and choose to be with these feelings of well-being over external or mental attention, our true inner journey has been launched. This feeling is the seed of self-love. We love the feeling and the feeling is ourselves.
It is through self-love that we experience inner and outer perfection. As our awareness expands and our hearts open, we witness the operation of Divine perfection through the law of cause and effect. What we put out, we get back. What others put out, they get back. Said in other words, God takes care of everything and everybody. What a relief for the Virgo part of our being. We don't need to try to control anything and anybody. All we need to do is to align with our Selves. What is the true nature of our Selves? The Virgo aspect of our being is the Priest and the Priestess.
Dress elegantly this month to facilitate your alignment with the highest expression of Virgo. Have fun connecting with your Soul perfection, past lives as Saints and Sages and inner Priest and Priestess, while the Sun shines through the Virgo sky!
References and Footnotes
1. You will find a more detailed astrological analysis in Issue 25 under the title Virgo - Perfecting Humanness.
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