Astrological Blueprint
Planetary Ruler: Mercury
Mode: Mutable
Element: Earth
Archetype of Virgo
Virgo is a mutable earth sign. Perhaps contradictory, and hard to understand. How can the most dense, still element be in the mode of mutable? The mode associated with the most change, and transition. Virgo is a sharp turn from Leo, who rules self expression and self orientation. With Virgo we are musing over our own excellence, servitude and systemic perfection. There is a precise mental fire to Virgo, and an unparalleled pragmatism that humbles the ego and breeds humility.
The image of the virgin is often associated with Virgo. Thanks to many years of western imperialism and religious conditioning, this word has us making associations with sexual purity. The archetype of the virgin has nothing to do with sexuality; it is the concept of purity.
Purity in the sense of being unaffected by the conditions of the world, that the integrity and intentions are pure. When our intentions come from a place of servitude, they are integral. There is no room for the ego to conflate the experience, there is no room for anything but the betterment of humanity.
Virgo season straddles summer and the descent into fall. Where the blazing joy of Leo still illuminates our spirit, as we feel the chill creeping into the morning air. There is a paradox in the season of transition, the mutable signs. Change can be challenging, it can go against our human nature, we can be very resistant to it.
This is where we lean in to the mutability of life, and the only constant being change. If you are weathering the wind this season, consider taking some of the herbs below.
In the body
Virgo has a reputation for being detail oriented and the organizer, and this is wonderfully represented in the organ system associations. The primary organs ruled by Virgo are the liver, small intestine and pancreas.
The liver is the master of purification and sorting everything that comes into the body. All that is absorbed into the blood stream has to stop by the liver to get the stamp of safety approval, before moving on to systemic circulation. The liver is the checks and balances system of the body, and lends itself to the archetype of "detail oriented". If the liver wasn't so detail oriented, we would have toxins running through our veins!
Secondary associations are the nervous system and the enteric nervous system (the nerves in your gut!)
Herbal Actions
Nutritive, Relaxing nervines, Sedative nervines, Antispasmodic, Bitter, Cholagogue, Choleretic (if you dont, know what those last two mean, check out the herbal actions cheat sheet)
Herbal Allies
Yellow Dock - rumex crispus
One of the herbalists favourite liver herbs, Yellow Dock is a stimulant to the liver and digestive system. Have no fear, this is a gentle stimulation that increases gastric juices like stomach acid and essential enzymes. Virgo can be prone to dryness, atrophy and a build up of metabolic wastes. Yellow dock eases congestion, and assists the body in expelling waste aka the digestive process.
This plant is especially useful for those who have skin conditions that arise from liver congestion and dysbiosis. Rumex will cool down inflammation, and make the body more efficient at digestion. Even aiding in iron absorption!
Blue Vervain - Verbena hastata
Verbena is a bitter nervine, having a unique action on the nervous system via the digestion. The bitter taste stimulates the vagus nerve, and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system response. One of the best ways to cope with anxiety and disregulation is to incorporate herbs and practices taht stimulate and tone the vagus nerve. Some examples are: Humming, singing, gargling, ginger tea, and nature immersion. Verbena is one of the most indicated plants for people with a lot of Virgo or Mercurial energy. A true remedy for the type A person who can't seem to sit down and be still.
We often forget that stress is a major factor that influences liver and gut health. The more stressed you are, the more work your liver has to do. Using a plant like Blue vervain can ease the stress and tension of the nervous system while decreasing the workload of the liver. Like many bitter plants, this is a cooling remedy be careful when taking this plant as Virgo is a cold sign already.
Find Blue Vervain in our bestselling Unwind tincture
Wood Betony - Stachys betonica
The power of this plant lies in its ability to connect and soothe the nervous system and the digestion. Indicated for those people with get "nervous belly" or digestive disturbance with stress. We have a massive amount of nerves in our gut, 2/3 the size of the brain to be exact. This is called the enteric nervous system, and why so much of our mental health and neurotransmitter health is dependant on a healthy microbiome and optimally functioning digestive organs.
Wood betony is suited for those who loose their apatite , or struggle with hunger cues. There in an intelligence of this plant that helps us balance the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system responses. Along with it being antispasmodic to the gut, it will help with gas, bloating, indigestion and food sensitivites.
Ashwagandha - withania somnifera
Ashwagandha is a sanskrit word that roughly translates to “strength of a thousand horses”, it is said to give the person a deep strength and virility. Having adaptogenic qualities, Ashwagandha helps us balance our stress response and down regulate cortisol. While simultaneously decreasing inflammation, and modulating the immune system.
Many Ayurvedic prescriptions say to gently boil the roots in milk, add ghee and sip as a bedtime tea. This ritual of tea making is a remedy for the Virgo archetype who overthinks and has a hard time slowing down. The fats from the ghee are beneficial to the nervous system (primarily made of fats) and the dry tissues that this earth sign often faces. Pair that with a herbal infused body oil, and that is the perfect night time routine for any Virgo / Vata constitution.
There is emerging evidence that Withania is helpful for learning, memory and ADHD. Safe for children and the elderly
Agrimony - Agrimonia eupatoria
A mercury ruled plant and remedy for the Vata, or air dominant constitution. Relaxing tension while having an astringent action, performing a balancing act to the tissues and perfecting their tone. Astringent plants can help balance the earth and water elements of the body. We want our tissues to be moist, to easily be able to transport water in and out of the tissues as metabolism requires. The astringent action gives our tissues the right "tightness" to keep water inside, but allow it to flow out seamlessly when it is required. This action is particularily useful in cases of leaky gut and loose stools.
Agrimony has an affinity to the liver and gallbladder, stimulating the function and tonifying the digestive system. As a bitter plant, Agrimony helps drain fluids from the body and process toxins. This is considered to be a gentle bitter, and a digestive tonic.
Ritual Herbs
- Western Red Cedar
- Rosemary
- Lavender
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