Virgo I: Very Demure, Very Mindful

By Wandia Mugo

There's a pomegranate tree outside my grandmother's house. It's a very apt representation of a tree bearing fruit, which is Austin Coppock's description of this decan.

Virgo as Persephone

Via the Eleusinian mysteries, Virgo was Persephone, daughter of Demeter, goddess of agriculture. Hades coveted Persephone, so he kidnapped and took her to the underworld. This made Demeter angry and she demanded Persephone's return. Zeus, however, couldn't decide against Hades, his brother, or Demeter, his sister.

Before, it was always springtime. Demeter, in her grief, abandoned her role as an earth goddess, and the earth became barren; Zeus grew concerned and demanded Persephone be returned to her mother, but he told Persephone not to eat anything until she returned.

Naturally and diabolically, Hades gave her a pomegranate. Due to this trickery, she had to return to the underworld four months a year, we call this winter. Persephone was reunited with her mother every spring.

Virgo energy is familiar with death; almost, we improve situations, we fix, we analyze, and we perfect. We are eerily familiar with LOSS as a natural process. We understand deeply the value of deforming something to give life to another.

I have my sun in the first decan of Virgo. Using Chaldean Rulership, this decan is ruled by the Sun. Using Triplicity Rulership, this decan is ruled by Mercury. Mercury's exaltation also happens in Virgo. Virgo is mutable earth. If Pisces is the water on the shore, Virgo is the sand that shifts beneath it.

Here lies a humble and mindful face. One that is willing to observe and fully appreciate nature and creation.  Modesty is one of the many words associated with this decan, the sun's brightness being used to illuminate others' abilities. I love plants, animals, the earth but even more nature's processes.

Austin Coppock elaborates on mindfulness using the story of Themis from the Hellenistic era, "a Titaness whose role was to teach observance of divine law, a concept synonymous with her name in ancient Greek. Divine law was clear­ly differentiated from the laws of men. In many stories Themis served as a wise advisor to Zeus, counseling the "prudence” which became this decan’s name in later centuries. In her role as an oracular goddess, wise Themis also revealed the laws of creation to men. She was said to have presided at the famous Oracle at Delphi after having inherited the role from her mother, the earth titaness Gaia. She is said to have spoken to those in trance with the voice of the earth."

A lot of traits attributed to Virgo lean toward the critical, nit-picky, and anal side, granted that sometimes, this is the shadow side of this energy. I'd like to give another perspective.

For a cleansing to happen, there first has to be a humble observation that dirt exists, there then has to be an intentional decision made, we identify the type of stain and choose our cleaning products, we fetch clean water, we immerse our garment and scrub the stain out, we then get another clean pail of water and rinse our garments. After several washes, our garment is clean and we can now put it out to dry.

Speaking of clothes, some ascribe a lack of fashion sense to this decan. “ A maiden wrapped in a cloak and wearing worn out clothes” This emphasizes the humility of this decan. The clothes are tattered from working on the land. A picture of Demeter comes to mind, in the quest to find her daughter, Persephone, she concealed her radiance with a cloak. In a personal sense, I love earthy color palettes, softer pastels and white, there’s a tendency to want to blend with the earth and nature. A true minimalist.

Another example is in the plowing of land. The Picatrix shows a girl holding a pomegranate (like Persephone). There’s talk of sowing, plowing, germinating, gathering grapes and good living. Agrippa’s version highlights the “getting of wealth”, “ordering of diet” and “peopling” We can only reap if we’re willing to dirty our clothes. The harvest signifies death, the end of a season in order to sustain life and usher in another season. 

This decan is about looking at the sanctity of a mundane process. It's about being so immersed in the details while practicing delayed gratification. This is tedious work; think about it: when you wash your dishes, are you present? What is the color of the stain? The texture of the cup? Does the soap smell of Lavender or Lemon? What emotion does that evoke for you? Are you grateful for the objects that hold your food/drink, that participate in your nourishment?

The 8 of Pentacles, The Sun & The Hermit

The Virgo I Decan corresponds to the 8 of Pentacles in the Minor Arcana, referencing the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.

The Major Arcana card that corresponds to the Virgo archetype is The Hermit. A harbinger of solitude and knowledge. The Hermit represents deep introspection and looking inward. This can look like deep spiritual enlightenment.

Prudence is associated with this decan, especially with the 8 of Pentacles. It is the ability to judge between virtuous and vicious actions, concerning appropriate actions at a given time and place. Although prudence itself does not perform any actions and is concerned solely with knowledge, all virtues are regulated by it.

I think of Prudence as “reading the room” in a way that maintains balance and harmony. In a way that allows people to rally with you. It is looking at how things REALLY work instead of how we wish them to work. Because only in the right conditions (sun, rain, wind) can a tree take root, grow and bear fruit.

The 8 of Pentacles shows a person immersed in their work. We see them outside, away from their house, sitting on a well-built bench inscribing a pentacle. They are trying to line up the pentacles as best as they can, they hang them on a tree, one after the other. They are working on their final one, fully immersed in their craft, with a laser-sharp focus.

We also notice the two light sources, one from the sun and the other, from the lamp held by the hermit. A guiding light, an illumination of the details, increasing vision, focus and productivity.

Repetition is a key theme here, Pentacle after Pentacle.

As a structural and software engineer, I have a deep appreciation for mathematics and science. The Fibonacci sequence (a series of steadily increasing numbers in which each number (the Fibonacci number) is the sum of the two preceding numbers) particularly reminds me of the beauty of repetition as it is witnessed throughout nature.

The sequence is as follows: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144 and on to infinity.

In nature, this sequence occurs repetitively;

Spiral patterns in sunflower seed heads, pine cones, pineapples and cauliflower, growth of branches from one split point to two to three and so on, A honeybee colony, hurricane and tornado patterns, proportions of the human body(one nose, two eyes, three segments to each limb and five fingers on each hand). Stunning.

The Power of Awareness and the Current State of the World

It would be an injustice if I did not speak of the events happening currently in the world. A huge part of this decan lies in the noticing. The Palestinian and Congo genocides come to mind. The Sudan War and the Femicide crisis as well as the corruption and extra-judicial killings in Kenya (my home country).

There is a dire need to be aware of the state of the world and the parties at play. This is a reminder to educate yourselves, observe and learn. Certain parties benefit from your ignorance, so I encourage everyone reading this to get out of their comfort zones and arm themselves with knowledge.

Meticulous Michael

Michael Jackson has his Sun, Part of Fortune, and Pluto in the first decan of Virgo.

The Sun represents our will power, life purpose and goals, hopes for the future, confidence in yourself, sense of importance, your heart, your nobility, your self-esteem, pride, creative play.

Michael is unanimously known as the King of Pop. His star shone extremely bright. Some of his accolades include:

• Being the most awarded artist in history.

• He won 13 Grammy Awards including a sweeping 8 the one night of 1984

• A Grammy Living Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

• 86 Billboard Awards

• 26 American Music Awards, more than any other artist.

• American Music Awards "Artist of the Century" and "Artist of the 1980s."

• 31 Guinness World Records, including Best Selling Album in History Thriller, which has sold an estimated 65 million copies worldwide.

• 85 MTV Awards

• 8 World Music Awards

• 13 number-one singles on the Billboard 100, more than any other male artist

• First artist to have a Billboard 100 top ten single in five different decades: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s

• Estimated 400 million records sold worldwide

• Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a member of The Jackson Five and as a solo artist

• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Jackson Five and as a solo artist

These accolades didn't come without grit and a somewhat dark underbelly. Michael's parents, Joseph and Katherine Jackson, were musically gifted, and they both had musical aspirations.

Joseph, their father, pushed his children, including Michael, who was the 8th born, to pursue music; he had them rehearse five hours a day after school. He was said to beat them with a belt buckle, tree branch, or electrical cord if they got a dance step wrong. Of course, I find this extreme, I don't believe in corporal punishment as someone who experienced this in our school education system.

Joseph molded his sons into a musical group that launched in the 1960s and would later be known as The Jackson 5. This group first consisted of Michael's older brothers, Tito, Jermaine and Jackie. Michael later joined them at the age of 5 and became the group's lead vocalist. He quickly became beloved, impressing people with his vocal range and his ability to convey very complex emotions at such an early age. This was the seed. His older brother Marlon later joined the group and The Jackson 5 was born.

Michael and his brothers spent a lot of time rehearsing. They built an audience by playing local gigs and later moved to opening for renowned RnB artists such as Gladys Knight. Here, they caught the attention of Motown Records' founder and were signed. They moved to LA and lived with Diana Ross and Motown Founder, Berry Gordy. Their careers flourished as they launched their first album, with the song "I Want You Back" reaching No. 1 on the Billboard, Hot 100 charts.

They were super successful, they went on tour and even had their self-titled cartoon show. Things under the surface were crumbling as Joseph, their father wanted more creative control over his sons' careers. In 1976, the group and Motown separated.

Michael had begun his solo career while still in the group. He had already released his debut album Got to Be There in 1971 at age 13, his sophomore album followed in 1972, another Music and Me in 1973 followed by Forever, Michael his final album under Motown Records in 1975. As he achieved more success, Michael pivoted into acting, perfect for that mutable sun. He was in the film The Wiz as the scarecrow. During this time he frequented the Studio 54 nightclub where he was exposed to hip-hop music.

Michael achieved his breakthrough with his album Off The Wall produced by Quincy Jones, whom he met while working on The Wiz. The critics named this one of the best pop albums ever made as it marked a more complex sound separating Michael from his youth. This success brought more attention to The Jackson 5 as he was still performing with his brothers at this time. Michael still contemplated his exit from the group, so he went on his final tour with his brothers in 1983 to support Victory, the album, which held the most successful single, his duet with Mick Jagger.

In 1982, Michael released Thriller, his sixth solo album. As of August 2021, Guinness World Records still acknowledged it as the top-selling album ever, with 67 million copies sold globally and 34 million units in the United States. It remained on the charts for 80 weeks post-release, dominating the No. 1 position for 37 weeks. Additionally, it produced seven Top 10 hits, such as "Thriller," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Human Nature," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)."

The album received 12 Grammy Award nominations and secured eight wins, setting records at the time. Jackson also directed an elaborate music video for the title track, "Thriller," with filmmaker John Landis. This 14-minute mini-movie, featuring a horror plot and Jackson dancing with zombies, premiered on MTV in 1983 and was acclaimed as one of the greatest music videos ever. It was the first music video selected for the National Film Registry in 2009.

During a 1983 television special honoring Motown, Jackson performed his No. 1 hit "Billie Jean" and introduced the moonwalk, a signature move he had learned from R&B musician Jeffrey Daniel. This dance further propelled the success of the already popular Thriller album. The New York Times described Jackson as a "musical phenomenon," emphasizing his unparalleled influence in the world of pop music.

At Michael Jackson's height of stardom, Michael signed a $5 million promotional deal with PepsiCo targeted at the youth. This didn't go smoothly as he filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo where pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire resulting in second and third-degree burns. He had surgery to repair his scalp which is where he started experimenting with plastic surgery shortly after. His appearance would dramatically change in the coming years.

Collaborating with Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson co-wrote "We Are the World," a charity single to benefit USA for Africa. The project featured an array of music icons such as Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. The song emerged as one of the best-selling singles ever and reportedly raised over $75 million for humanitarian efforts to combat poverty in Africa.

Five years after Thriller, he released his album Bad. It wasn't as successful as Thriller(sales-wise) but still had 5 No 1 hits. Martin Scorsese directed one of the videos that featured Wesley Snipes and tackled themes of drug violence. Michael spent more than a year on the road promoting this album. In 1988, Michael bought the Neverland Ranch, 2700 acres of property, that became his home and a private amusement park that he owned until 2005. He named it after the island from Peter Pan, the fairy tale, and included a zoo and a 50-seat movie theater, a train, and a Ferris wheel. The man was an escapist, I mean he was a Pisces Ascendant.

We can see the dedication that Michael put into his craft, he was gifted, and he went ahead to nurture that gift every day even under abusive circumstances. The accolades came as a consequence. This was the epitome of his Sun and Fortune in Virgo Decan I. He immersed himself in the mundane processes of his art, he learned from those who preceded him and this is what fortified his legendary artistry.

The Fall of the STAR

Michael has his Pluto in this Decan of Virgo. Pluto tells us a story of POWER—the presence of it and the abuse of it. My teacher calls Pluto the auditor general of the solar system. Pluto brings transformation through very painful lessons and in the mutable sign of Virgo, the outcome has no face. Here we truly have to learn detachment. Pluto is fear and consequences.

Rumors about Michael Jackson started circulating. People said that Michael was lightening his skin to appear more white and that he was sleeping in an oxygen chamber to increase his lifespan. In 1993, Michael agreed to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey to quiet these rumors. During the interview, he talked about his battle with Vitiligo, a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. He also highlighted his father's abuse.

Michael released his eighth studio album, Dangerous in 1991 which included the famous single "Black or White". In the video were sexual gestures and damaging property which left some viewers upset. Michael removed some scenes and apologized. As his popularity increased, he went on to perform at the 1993 SuperBowl HalfTime Show.

In 1993, he also encountered his first allegations of fondling a 13-year-old boy. Michael Jackson was known for having sleepovers with boys at his Neverland Ranch, this was however the public charge of wrongdoing. Michael proceeded to settle with the boy's family outside of court.

In a 2003 documentary, journalist Martin Bashir spent several months with Michael. They discussed Michael's relationship with children. Michael admitted to still having children sleep over at his ranch where he admitted to sharing his bed with the children.

When asked he stated “Why can’t you share your bed? That’s the most loving thing to do, to share your bed with someone,”

Michael's career declined as his new album HIStory had a tepid reception. HIStory was his most personal album detailing his child abuse allegations and vexation of his treatment by the media. The song "They Don't Care About Us" received criticism for Jackson's use of an anti-semitic slur.

In 2001, Michael released his final studio album, Invincible, which cost $ 30 million to produce, the most expensive album ever made. The themes of the album were Jackson's objections to the media, isolation, and other social issues. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts but still faced heavy criticism.

At this time Michael was having legal issues with Sony over owning his masters so much that Michael called the Sony Music Chairman then a racist who exploits Black artists. In 2002, Michael was heavily criticized for dangling his baby son Blanket over a balcony as he was greeting fans in Berlin, Germany. In an interview afterward he defended himself saying that his fans wanted to see his son and that his action was born out of innocence.

In 2003, Michael faced more legal issues. He was arrested on charges related to incidents with a 13-year-old boy which included lewd conduct with a minor, conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion. In 2005, a trial was held, the media scrutiny was unreal and 130 people testified. Michael's accuser described on videotape how he had been given wine and molested. The jury did find issues with this testimony. On June 14, 2005, he was acquitted of all charges.

Jackson died in June of 2009. After suffering a cardiac arrest in his home. CPR attempts failed and he was rushed to the hospital where he passed on. In a coroner's report that was released in February 2010, Jackson's cause of death was determined to be acute propofol intoxication, indicating a fatal overdose of a combination of prescription drugs, which included sedatives such as midazolam, diazepam, and lidocaine.

It was later revealed that Michael's physician, Dr Conrad Murray had been aiding him in taking sedative drugs to help him sleep at night. Michael had developed an addiction to propofol, Michael called it milk, according to Murray. Murray had been administering a 50mg dose every evening and was attempting to wean Michael off the drug around the time of his death.

A police investigation revealed that Murray wasn't licensed to prescribe most controlled drugs in the state of California. Murray was scrutinized as the evidence indicated that the established protocol for administering propofol was not followed, and essential equipment for patient monitoring, precise dosing, and resuscitation was lacking.

Michael's death was ruled a HOMICIDE and Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011. He was sentenced to four years, the maximum sentence.

Beyond Michael

After his death, Michael's earning potential skyrocketed. He has inspired multiple biographies and two Cirque du Soleil shows. His debts have been settled. In 2017 he became one of the top-earning dead celebrities for the fifth straight year, earning $75 million.

This is the most obvious tell of Michael's Pluto in Virgo, Decan 1, a tree bearing fruit after the painful loss of Michael himself, leaving behind an undeniable legacy.

Florence The Maiden

I love Florence Welch, I love indie and folk music so Florence is a huge part of my creative escapism. I especially adore her aura. I love the calmness her art evokes in me. I feel like a forest fairy listening to her music.

Florence has her Sun in the first decan of Virgo.

The Sun represents our will power, life purpose and goals, hopes for the future, confidence in yourself, sense of importance, your heart, your nobility, your self-esteem, pride, creative play.

In a recent Vogue interview, she described her creative process as an awakening. She has been working on her sobriety and insisted that rest and reflection are a crucial part of her process.

“I never used to notice the seasons,” she realizes. “My life was too chaotic. I would blink and it would be a different season. Now, I notice when the crocuses are coming up, I notice when the snowdrops are appearing.”

Another manifestation of this decan in Florence's life appears in her home and personal space. Her London Townhouse is an intricate and meticulously organized space and the cherry on top, her beautiful outdoor garden! An interview with Nowhere 8 years ago illustrates this perfectly.

Watch it here:

We notice Florence and her need for alone time, meditation and reflection as a main part of her artistic process and her being.

Greenery and plants are extremely important for grounding. Gardening and farming are one of my favorite symbiotic relationships. Take care of the earth and she won't hesitate to pour back into you.

Conclusion

Nurturing is a huge theme of this decan, pouring energy into the smallest things, especially those that seem insignificant. Hands in the dirt, head in the sun and soul with nature. Always exercising PRUDENCE.

The “bad” and “good” go in tandem. Virgo is not afraid to get down and dirty, despite a lot of pop astrology suggesting such. It’s a process. We honor the mess as much as we honor the cleanliness because we understand that one cannot exist without the other.

I know this was a long read but it’s the perfect way to illustrate the essence of this Decan. Did you get to the end and internalize the details or did your mind wander off? Both answers are valid. You can always go back again and again, in whatever you choose to do.

Mastery is waiting for you on the other side.

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About the Author

Wandia Mugo, Eng (she/her) creatively known as Wandiology is a Civil, Structural and Software Engineer. She is also a Creative Makeup Artist honing her 5H Venus Mars conjunction in Cancer. A native of Nairobi, Kenya (born and raised), she always believed she was multifaceted so when she stumbled into astrology, she belonged. Currently pursuing an astrology degree she believes that it is a powerful framework for personal and spiritual growth and transformation.

Wandia is a Virgo Sun (Decan I), Aries Moon and is ruled by an 11H Capricorn Jupiter. She practices both modern and traditional techniques mostly destigmatizing astrology in Kenya and Africa by teaching astrology within her local and international community (on the ground and through her astrology podcast linked below) She is an avid seeker of knowledge, forever learning and course correcting.

Instagram: Wandiology
Twitter: Wandiology
YouTube: The Wandiology Podcast
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Apple Podcasts: The Wandiology Podcast
Patreon: Wandia Wandia

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References

Chang, T. S. (2021). 36 secrets: A decanic journey through the minor arcana of the tarot. Anima Mundi Press.

Coppock, A. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Why Does the Fibonacci Sequence Appear So Often in Nature?: https://science.howstuffworks.com/math-concepts/fibonacci-nature.htm

Florence Welch Blooms Into Her True Self in The Awakening:https://www.vogue.com/sponsored/article/florence-welch-blooms-into-her-true-self-in-the-awakening#:~:text=In%20the%20first%20act%20in,awakening%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20tells%20Vogue.

Michael Jackson: https://www.biography.com/musicians/michael-jackson#who-was-michael-jackson