Alice Bailey and Master Djwhal Khul
Virgo, The Virgin
Element: Earth - Which acts as custodian of the ‘Hidden Light of God'
This sign is concerned with the fundamental problem of the relationship of Spirit and Matter. It symbolises the mother principle, the custodian of the hidden, spiritual life protecting and nourishing the germ of the Christ Life, the Divine Consciousness, the Soul. In this sign ‘the valley of deep experience is met, wherein secrets are discovered and eventually brought to light’.
The word ‘secrets’ here refers to esoteric meaning and hidden truths. It is the place of slow, gentle, yet powerful crises and developments which take place in the dark, yet lead to light. Virgo represents ‘the womb of time wherein God’s Plan is slowly matured and brought into manifestation at the appointed time’.
This sign is closely related to the evolution of humanity, and to the process of ‘gestation’ – the gestation of the divine spark through the long stages of
Individualisation (fecundation)
Evolution (the growth of the Christ Child)
Initiation (the assumption of the Virgin)
The true reason for the existence of the human form in its three aspects (the personality) is that of nurturing the germ of the soul, the inner Christ, so that it may come to birth and manifest on Earth. In this Virgo has a particular role: ‘The genius and uniqueness of Virgo is that it produces the form as well as stimulates the life within that form and, therefore, nourishes and energises two lives simultaneously’
The great message of Virgo is “God Immanent” and it is deeply concerned with the fusion of Light and Matter.
Exoteric ruler: Mercury, signifying the versatile energy of the Son of Mind, the Soul. It also brings the influence of the Mediator, the divine Intermediary between the Father (the first aspect) and the Mother (the third aspect of active intelligence), the Christ Child being the second aspect. Here is again, the function of the ‘Messenger of the Gods’.
Esoteric ruler: The Moon, in this case it veils Vulcan, and the endurance aspect of the will-to-be which carries the incarnated Son of God through the experience of the dark time in the womb of matter.
Tasks, goals and opportunities: The Ray influence of Mercury brings opportunity for achieving harmony between soul and form. After a period of conflict, form is enabled to express fully the indwelling Spiritual Being. Virgo offers opportunity for production, silent activity, the slow emergence of soul vibration and the eventual expression of soul through form. The nurturing function of the Mother and the utilisation of form for spiritual purposes give it a keynote of service; this is aided by the stimulus of the positive energies of Vulcan - persistence, endurance, continuity of effort.
To be guarded against: Pre-occupation with form, detail and the mundane; over attachment and possessiveness.
Polar opposite: Pisces – the sign of the World Saviour, with its qualities of renunciation and sacrifice.
Message of the Soul:
“I am the Mother and the Child. I, God, I matter am”.
A poem from Lewis Carroll for Virgo:
‘Only a mustard isn’t a bird’ Alice remarked
‘Right as usual’ said the Duchess ‘what a clear way you have of putting things’
Virgo - The Sixth Seat
Twelve Seats at the Round Table – Edward Matchett & Sir George Trevelyan
Virgo
Virgo represents a major critical phase in which the rational consciousness passes over towards intuitive consciousness, overlighted by the Logos. The entry into the Sixth House is a turning point between the descent of Spirit into matter and its reascent towards the goal of man’s incarnation and destiny. Here is a crisis in human evolution, only to be solved by the developing of a new faculty enabling man to begin to understand his relationship with the Oneness of the whole universe. The energy released brings a new impulse to cooperate with his fellow beings and serve them. This new experience born within man is like a ray of light, transforming consciousness. Here is the beginning of intuition – ‘in-tuition’, a teaching arising from within. We move beyond Leo’s very masculine assertion of the ego to Virgo’s feminine role of receptivity, protection of life, devoted service.
Let the imagination experience Virgo as part of the whole human archetype of energies which anchor themselves in the Body Temple. Move down through Aries head, Bull neck, Twins and Crab, to Lion’s heart, male and strong, and so the area of the solar plexus, seat of this new sensitivity and emotion through which we outstep the self assertion of Leo. Feel the awakening of this new energy that reaches out in what Coleridge called ‘sacred sympathy’, to blend with the feelings and sufferings of other beings. Intuition, empathy, begins to know again that the separate entity is indeed an aspect of the One, and that the separate entity is indeed an aspect of the One, and that the life active in other forms is the same life as in itself.
So my brother and my enemy are also me. In new sensitivity, new receptiveness, new patience of suffering and service, we are drawn to wait upon the proud ego until it begins to see beyond its grand arrogance. We begin, through the mist of tears, to glimpse a new potentiality of wonder, the stirrings of a new dawn of a love which may transmute the proud heart into pure gold. Beyond the warlike striving of the ego and its powerful intellect a new pulse begins to beat, awakening a faculty which can apprehend the reality of the Oneness and Kinship of All Life. O let us learn to serve this Great Thing.
The glyph shows the letter M, the very sound which implies maternity. It stands at the foot of the great cross of the Zodiac, opposite to Pisces, the Christ sign. So here is Mary at the foot of the Cross of her Master. Here is the spirit of sacrifice and service of the world. ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to Thy word’.
Virgo is an Earth sign, linked with the first Earth sign of Taurus, Mother Earth where sexual energy of physical conception was manifest. In Virgo, the magnetic attraction is more spiritual. Mercury is the ruler, giving intelligence that links conscience with intuition through the still small voice within the heart. If Leo man, through his forceful ego, fails to hear that voice, he may fail to pass the point where the wheel of life turns upwards and the ascent of man begins.
Development Exercise for Virgo
Rational Consciousness Passes Over Towards Intuitive Consciousness
Purpose of exercise: To return one’s whole being to a virgin state of response.
Knight Virgo: World Service given in and through the task however small and seemingly insignificant, without selfconsciousness or the seeking of reward. This knight has learned how to ‘intuit’ what the whole is demanding in the moment, and can respond accordingly. He has learned to ‘let-go’ of much that others would judge to be important so that his sensing of need shall be uncluttered by prejudice. It is a ‘virgin’ response of which he is capable in his maturity. The problem –indeed the whole world- is his boss. The knight serves the world totally and gladly, without any notions of ‘doing good’.