THE SUN

As the Sun's radiance both animates and illumines life on Earth, the Sun has long been a universal symbol of life energy, vitality and consciousness. As the unifying power center of the solar system it also symbolizes the focusing power of will and the conscious purpose directing will toward performing specific acts.

The types of activities solar power animates are represented by the Moon and the planets. The symbolic situation is similar to what happens when we try to harness physical solar energy for practical purposes on Earth. Solar energy pervades the biosphere, but we can't plug a toaster into a sunbeam. Unless solar energy is concentrated in a specific way, at a particular time and place, it is too diffuse and unfocused for practical use.

The power of the Sun similarly pervades the entire solar system. The Sun's magnetic field apparently emanates from its Northern Hemisphere and stretches out in every direction. The solar wind carries a stream of charged particles through interplanetary space, reaching to the orbit of Saturn (and perhaps Pluto). Somewhere on the fringes of interstellar space, the stream reverses itself and returns toward the Sun's Southern Hemisphere. The Moon and the planets (including the Earth) each represent one kind of concentration, specialization or adaptation of the solar tide, one focusing direction of purpose and will.

Leyla Rael

SUN IN VIRGO

Keynote: The power of individuality manifests through selective analysis.

Symbol: Chemists in a laboratory test the purity of various drugs.

People with the Sun in Virgo have a consuming desire for perfection, especially with regard to their work. This is not an easy placement because the work of nature is still far from perfected and the Earth itself is only slowly evolving toward an ideal state. Therefore the Virgoan is frequently frustrated in their efforts to tidy up their small corner of the universe. Yet they toil without much visible reward and, gradually the results of their labors become evident.

Virgoans accomplish much of the drudgery of the world. They are essentially practical, not because they disbelieve the metaphysical verities, but because they already have more than enough to busy their hearts and their minds. Their philosophy maintains that the kingdom of heaven is won through selfless service, and their efforts are directed toward making life more tolerable for people here on Earth. They believe that cleanliness is next to godliness –- or is the first step in that direction.

The Virgoan mind is acute, discriminating and methodical. With nimble Mercury held down by a concrete earth sign, this person is more of a plodder than a sprinter. Their efficiency may be impaired by a tendency to fret over trifles that other less conscientious souls would dismiss or fail to notice. In consequence they are sometimes accused of ‘missing the forest for the trees’. They need to make a special effort to gather up the details they so readily analyze and to re-synthesize them into a comprehensive whole.

Too often the Virgoan belittles what ought to be big. This hypercritical attitude is hardly conducive to romance and may delay marriage – sometimes permanently – while the search continues for the perfect mate. Once the choice is made and the knot is tied, however, the chastity for which the sign is renowned makes the Virgoan a faithful spouse, who expects the same from their mate.

The meticulousness of this sign finds an appropriate outlet in matters relating to diet, hygiene, and sanitation. Virgoans are often accused of being fussy, but these servers of the race are welcome to be as exacting as they please when their attention is centered on the selection and preparation of food and medicine, or the maintenance of sanitary conditions. They are especially suited to the medical professions since their discriminating minds are directed by a genuine impulse to be of practical assistance to people in need. Many are capable dieticians, nurses, pathologists, pharmacists, and laboratory technicians.

Virgo people are invaluable in business as accountants and secretaries. Other congenial professions are teaching, writing, and research. As editors and proofreaders they are unexcelled. Seldom assertive, they manage in a reserved way to make themselves indispensable to whatever organization they are serving. Their predilection for routine and order may lead to a career in one of the military services. Women of this sign make exemplary housewives, and their willingness and capability are such that they are often called upon to work outside the home.

The Virgoan’s vices are their virtues carried to excess. They can be factual to the point of tedium. Attention to minutiae may degenerate into hairsplitting, and their insistence on keeping everything in its proper place can fray the nerves. They are prone to hypochondria but generally lead a long and happy life because they pamper themselves. They regard their body as an instrument to be maintained in the best possible condition, and they expect it to give them faithful service in return.

Virgo rules both work and health. For many members of this sign, the conditions of their employment, and the satisfaction or dissatisfaction they feel in the performance of necessary duties, are intimately connected with their physical and mental well-being. It is, therefore, very important for the Virgoan to find their proper niche in life. If their job is not in some appropriate field, they will be at odds with themselves and will suffer in body and mind. They can maintain a steady routine and work in unassuming ways, like a small jewel in a complicated watch, and should take special care to select an occupation where their critical attention to detail can be put to practical use and their reliability appreciated.

Astrology, the Divine Science

Mindfire