Virgo through the eyes of Tarot

When I was preparing my Virgo tarot, it naturally made me think of the cards linked to my own zodiac sign. I have already addressed this topic privately, as I am sure many of you have done.

To understand myself better, I gathered the Virgo-related cards from astrology and numerology and created the following cards:

Astrologically

8 of Pentacles 9 of Pentacles 10 of Pentacles Numerologically: The Hermit 8 of Pentacles 9 of Pentacles 10 of Pentacles

• 9 of Swords 9 of Pentacles
• 9 of Wands 9 of Cups
• The Moon is a celestial body.
• The Sun is a powerful force.

We can also incorporate the following to complete the Golden Dawn associations:

The Ace of Wands, the Queen of Swords, the King of Pentacles, the Princess (Page of Wands) and the Queen of Swords.

In this article, we'll look at the closest associations to Virgo. That said, exploring these additional cards can help you notice more details in your Virgo alignments and personality, as well as blend other decks together for a deeper, more varied flavor.

The hermit

The Hermit is probably the best-known Virgo association in tarot. In everything he does, he seeks isolation, spirituality, and great achievement.

Of course, the various Hermits you'll find in the plethora of tarot decks currently available will each have their own distinctive flavor, as well as a departure or modification from those we know from the Tarot de Marseille, the Crowley-Harris Thoth, and the Rider Waite-Smith.

Our Hermit is depicted as a more personal and polite individual who is in tune and aware of the sensitivity around him in nature. He may try to hide, but he has no qualms about revealing himself to us.

The Hermit can be an external force or an individual who enters our lives as a guide or mentor.

The Hermit is often seen as an internal process of searching, of going within and touching the foundation of our core, but the Hermit can also be an external force or individual who enters our lives as a guide or mentor.

We can think of it as a life-changing, all-encompassing experience, and in many ways it is, but it is also true that even a brief, incidental encounter with a bright light can leave an indelible impression on us.

The earth element is related to Virgo and the Hermit; it is a solid and pragmatic element, and as such, the Hermit's influence and assistance are typically practical as well as spiritual.

When you're not meditating, real life happens, and your tarot reader is more than willing to help you make better decisions.

Time, Virgo and the Hermit

Ancient Time, or Father Time, was another name for the Hermit in older decks, and his image is the same as the Hermit: old, white-bearded, robed, and usually alone.

The lamp and staff we see with the Hermit today are the only distinctions between them. As he was a representation of Saturn, Father Time carried an hourglass and a scythe.

Chronos, or time itself, was its name among the ancient Greeks. Historians disagree as to whether Chronos and Chronus are the same person or two separate individuals who became confused over time.

The story of Saturn/Cronos can be read in full here, but in short, it signifies the passage of time and the harvest of life, especially the harvest.

This representation is more in keeping with the aspect of the earth that we associate with the Hermit, as well as with the season: the late summer harvest.

It is interesting to consider the Hermit's astrological and elemental associations, and how Father Time matches this better than the Hermit. In fact, the Hermit is astrologically associated with Saturn in Aquarius.

This seems to be a good mix of the unconventionality of Aquarius and the maturity and stability of Saturn.

It also makes more sense to me that the Hermit has an Aquarian link rather than a Virgo one, as I've only seen a basic association between the Hermit and the Virgo sign for a long time.

The Hermit and Virgo

Apart from the elemental bond that unites them, Virgo can be cynical, analytical, annoying and a real pain. Virgos, on the other hand, get things done; they are practical and efficient. They want to be the best, which means competing among themselves more than with others.

They have good hand-eye coordination, usually have green fingers, and can apply themselves to anything they want to study or improve.

However, when we compare these two different sets of qualities, we can find more than just an elementary basic bond.

The Hermit seeks the spiritual high of the mountain top, while Virgo seeks the gratification of finishing first, increasing their record, and being recognized as a leader in their profession.

They both look for ways to help others. In life, Virgo achieves this in practical ways, and the Hermit exemplifies this by holding his lantern from the top of the mountain to guide others. I'll get to that in a moment.

While it's true that Virgo can be described as a perfectionist (which can be both a blessing and a curse), I think striving more accurately describes us.

I think the number nine may explain why the most effective worriers I know are all Virgos (all with stomach disorders, IBS, and food allergies), and I think the number nine may explain why.

The number 9

The number nine and the four corresponding pips of the minor arcana correlate beautifully, no matter where you get your numerological advice.

The ennead (9), the first square of an odd number (33) was the ennead. Since it was one digit short of the perfect number, 10, it was associated with failure and inadequacy.

Because of the nine months of its embryonic development, it was called the number of man. Ocean and horizon are two of the buzzwords in the book, because for the ancients, these concepts had no boundaries.

Because there is nothing beyond the infinite 10, nine is the unlimited number. Since it contained all the numbers within itself, it was called a boundary and a restriction. It was called the sphere of air because it surrounded the numbers in the same way that air surrounds the earth.

Since it was a reversed 6, the 9 was thought to be malevolent.

The Number 9 and the Minor Arcana

When we consider the nines of the minor arcana, we can understand how this paradox manifests itself. The active elemental cards, the 9 of Wands (fire) and the 9 of Swords (air), aren't doing much.

The 9 of Wands seems to be standing still, which is a bit contradictory. Of course, the 9 of Pentacles (earth) and the 9 of Cups (water), both passive elemental suits, seem to believe they have reached their peak, even though they haven't.

The 9 of Pentacles is content with the solitary aspect of success (so Hermit-esque) and has not yet joined the rest of the family, while the 9 of Cups sees one last push of bliss to satiety: enjoy yourself before joining the family in satisfaction and unity. As a result, passive suits continue to progress.

What does this have to do with Virgo?

A Virgo goes all out, or goes all out, in everything they do. On the 9 of Swords, Virgos will find themselves stressed out all night and without sleep.

In the 9 of Wands you will find yourself willing to fight, but not wanting to strike first; you are defenders, not aggressors. You find happiness and pleasure in unexpected places. You associate yourself with the happy moments of the 9 of Cups.

Virgos enjoy their surroundings differently than Tauruses, who are in sensory heaven when surrounded by beauty.

Virgos love their garden because they have planted everything and cultivated it; they like their house because each of the objects on display is not only the fruit of their work, but also the result of hours of agonizing contemplation before deciding between two vases… The 9 of Pentacles also represents the outcome of the struggle of the 3 of Pentacles, as well as the salvation of the 4 of Pentacles.

Naturally, Virgo feels more at home here than the other nines.

Virgos around the world will recognize their likes, dislikes, delights, sufferings, efforts and a host of other peculiarities in all of these cards.

We could spend the whole day here… Surprisingly, because he is not a ten, he keeps going, he does not settle, he is always willing. This is both the blessing and the curse of Virgo, because once he starts, he cannot stop.

Being a perfectionist is a pain in the ass.

Contradictions in Virgo

For many years, I attributed my dual character to the series of two in my numerological chart.

From my point of view, two is perceived as duality, polarity: it is one made double, so there are always two ones in conflict, always pushing and pulling for dominance.

It wasn't until recently that what had been right under my nose all along became apparent: my connection to Gemini through Mercury.

I have Virgo repeating, plus my Moon in Gemini and a few other placements. But it is Mercury's planetary link to Virgo that is most crucial. It is the planet that rules the twins in Virgo and Gemini. This makes sense now.

Only Virgo has a relationship with Gemini, although Gemini is not significant in my chart. Together, Earth and Air. Earth and Air oppose each other in the Platonic system, which was constructed by the Golden Dawn through its system of elemental dignities.

They are, according to the Golden Dawn, antagonistic to each other. It's no wonder that Virgos (and Geminis, for that matter) are successful in a variety of life issues and situations that seem to be contradictory.

The worrying 9 of Swords and the serene 9 of Pentacles are one and the same; the tense, guarded position of the 9 of Wands juxtaposed with the peaceful, joyful 9 of Cups makes sense now.

Virgo is tense as a result of its astrological and elemental interaction with Gemini.

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