Virgo, the sixth sign of the zodiac, is symbolized by the Virgin Maiden holding a staff of wheat. Contrary to the romantic image this might conjure in your mind, she's not holding the wheat as a peace offering, nor as a gesture of commitment to some altruistic cause. Virgos are not given to such impracticality. Their feet planted firmly on the ground, they are more concerned with the pragmatic aspects of living than with idealistic flights of fancy. In the hand of the virgin, the staff of grain is more apt to represent her childlike innocence, her purity of thought and purpose, and the simplicity of her lifestyle. The order of the universe, even to its tiniest wonder, is also represented in the stalk of grain, signifying the Virgoan inclination to perfection and attention to detail. By their symbol, you can infer the special identification these natives have with the fields of life-giving grain. Just as gentle breezes over golden grasses cause clusters of grain to sway to and fro, Virgo natives sway with the breezes of expediency around them. The wheat stalks are firmly rooted in the ground, however, signifying Virgos' ties to practical reality. Just as the wheat is resigned to its ultimate purpose as life-giving sustenance, Virgos dedicate themselves in service to others as part of their spiritual transformation.
You'd probably not call Virgos self-sacrificing, but there is a subconscious element of servitude in their personalities which never fails to come through. You'll have no trouble recognizing it in examples so obvious as maids, butlers, servants, or domestic help of all types, as these occupations will have their share of September-born, but check out the birthdays of the boss's secretary, the plumber, the gardener, or the man who retiled your kitchen floor, and you'll be surprised at how many of them are Virgos. These natives will usually have some sort of practical or technical ability, and they're not opposed to working up a little hard-earned sweat now and then. With the more intellectual of this sign, you'll find secretaries, clerks, accountants, art and literary critics, efficiency experts, scientists, doctors, researchers, statisticians, etc., all performing the many tasks or providing the services so necessary in our daily lives. In many respects, those under Virgo influence are the worker bees of society, relegated to the many areas of specialization upon which rest all business and commerce.
Physically, Virgos may exemplify many of the qualities associated with the symbol of their sign, the virgin maiden. Their features are small, regular and refined, sometimes tending to a feminine delicacy. The face is fastidious and intelligent with a pleasant accommodating air, especially around the eyes. The expression is frank and simple although there may sometimes be a look of nervous apprehension typified in a furrowing of the brow, as if the native were preoccupied in thought, or in mental review of a particular problem or analysis. The forehead is usually high, the nose thin with sometimes a tendency to flaring in the nostrils. The hair, whether light or dark, often has a mixture of shade, giving the effects of highlights or muddiness of tone, and characteristically may stand up and away from the forehead. In all respects, the Virgo countenance is one of fine distinction, combining the qualities of intellectualism, refinement and an earthy simplicity. The frames of September-born will range from small to medium, and there is a very regular proportioning to the limbs and general body structure. There may be a peculiarity to the walk, either a limp, a bounce, or a shuffling of the feet. The whole general tendency of the native, in any case, is toward reserve, refinement, and economy of movement.
It is a twist of irony that although a majority of Virgos happen to end up in occupations of service, they are often accused of selfishness. This is really quite unfair, for their seeming self-centeredness is appearance only, attributed to them for their somewhat reserved exterior. They'll be Johnny-on-the-spot when you need help doing your taxes, filling out a job or a loan application, getting your financial affairs in order, or solving a technical or work-related problem. They'll work tirelessly expecting neither compensation or praise, deriving satisfaction from the work itself and from the knowledge that they've been able to help out. Virgos, however, are not particularly giving of the heart. Owing to their rulership by Mercury, these natives can be intellectual, quite capable in aspects of mind, but sometimes lacking in matters of emotion. To some of the more flamboyant signs, this can be interpreted as coldness, but to those who can see beneath the Virgoan image of self-reserve, there is to be found a purity and genuineness of intention that is anything but unfeeling.
The Virgo native is sometimes his own undoing as far as other people's opinions of him are concerned, for as much as his intellectuality makes him capable of analysis, it also makes him apt to criticize. He'll find it hard to admire your newly-painted automobile and at the same time not point out a slight overlapping of paint or some other minute defect in workmanship. His intentions are the best; he genuinely wants to be helpful, but his timing or approach is not always appropriate to the situation, and he may naturally engender resentment from others. September-born might do better giving the result of all their analysis without further comment, but they find it hard to accept imperfection in the world and are constantly trying to right incongruities wherever they find them. Nothing escapes their perfectionist's eye. September-born will notice the tiniest water spots on your crystal glasses or that ugly coffee stain on your living room sofa, and then think nothing of casually mentioning it during the course of a conversation. When they're finished scrutinizing your belongings, they'll scrutinize you! Be sure your make-up is applied just right, or that you use your best dandruff shampoo if you wish to avoid your Virgo friend's condescending glances. In rooting out imperfection, these natives leave no stone unturned.
These perfectionists of the zodiac aren't above self criticism either. They'll always be meticulously dressed and groomed, and will exercise at least a modicum of restraint in almost every aspect of their behavior. If they happen to fall prey to a social or hygienic faux pas, they are all too painfully aware of it and will correct the oversight immediately. They won't need you pointing it out to them as they themselves might point out your faults. They are just as critical of themselves as they are of others, and perhaps even less forgiving. They are rarely liable to breeches of social etiquette; in many respects Virgos are the epitome of social grace and propriety. They have their mode of behavior almost down to a script, knowing just what to say at a particular moment or for any given set of circumstances. Their words are not usually spontaneous, but the result of careful thought and hours of mental practice in the correct ways of handling any given situation. Their mental preparedness may actually be a cover-up for shyness and their own inner fear of criticism, which is why so many of these natives can lack spontaneity. In fact, it may be said that the Virgo native has so adept a critical faculty only because he is critical of himself first. His criticism of things and people around him is testimony to his own deep-seated fears.
For all his mental prowess, the Virgo is still a child at heart. His vision of the world retains the crystal clarity of youth before it has become clouded by emotional storms. The Virgo native somehow seems to stay above the emotional complications of life's experiences by intellectually analyzing all that he sees around him, placing everything in neat little categories. Seeing things as they really are, he thus foregoes the need to view his experience through rose-colored glasses. This is quite admirable, but in practice it can sometimes lead to awkwardness in social situations. After hearing that you'd recently broken off a long-term relationship, your Virgo friend will think nothing of telling you there's more than one fish in the sea. A friend of mine who had lost a pet parakeet of eight years recently had a Virgo friend comment to her, "Why be so upset? You can always go out and buy a new one. " Their analyses may be correct enough; they'll look at the facts as they see them, but Virgos' terse appraisals can sometimes lack regard for your feelings.
Just as they are fastidious in their personal appearance, Virgos will be painfully meticulous in the appearance and management of their households. The Virgoan home will be the model of cleanliness and efficiency right down to the set of matching towels hanging perfectly neat and clean in the bathroom and the pen and notebook holder sitting handily by the telephone. You won't find dirt in the corners, under the carpets or even behind the refrigerator, nor will you find 'dust bunnies' on top of the china cabinet or under the beds. When Virgos clean, they'll start with the closets first and work their way to the center of a room instead of the other way around. They have a positive aversion to dirt, and if they're not taking their usual two or three showers a day, they'll be cleaning out the kitchen cupboards or tidying up the attic. Every once in a while you'll find one or two September-born who will have a streak of sloppiness, but check out their dresser drawers or silverware trove, and you'll find the socks and undergarments in perfectly ordered arrangement and the tableware polished in neat little stacks. Not only will their homes look like something out of Better Homes and Gardens, they'll be run with almost military efficiency. A list of 'things to buy' will grace every Virgo's kitchen wall, and meals will be served at regular times each day. When a Virgo invites you over for dinner at seven, he means seven and not five minutes after, or he'll start without you. Show up too late, and you might be just in time for dessert and coffee. Time is important to these individuals, and all their activities, not the least of which is their cleaning assignments, will conform to a very definite time schedule.
Virgos rarely suffer from ill-health and deservedly so, for they are extremely health conscious. They put so much time and effort into the pursuit of health, in fact, it is not surprising that many of them live to a ripe old age. Health food stores, health spas, and the health section of your local library or book store are favorite haunts of September-born, not to mention the chiropractor's or doctor's office for their regular health maintenance. They'll be able to relate in scientific detail all the latest theories regarding health, nutrition and diet, and they'll probably have tried them all out, too. They'll be perfectly willing to try out any new health product or nutritional theory, provided it is based on sound scientific evidence, of course. The Virgo native is too pragmatic to follow vague or questionable techniques unless they proceed from verifiable scientific premises. Their concern for health, however, can sometimes go overboard. A goodly share of hypochondriacs are born under this sign, and they'll have undying faith in modern medicine as the answer to their many ills, real or imagined. A look into any Virgo's medicine cabinet will verify this avidity. You'll find palliatives for almost any ailment from acid indigestion to headaches to ulcers. Commercials advertising different cold formulas for different kinds of coughs are definitely geared to these natives; the typical Virgo is likely to have a bottle of each, just in case.