Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon my Darlings!   This week’s Femme Fatale Friday is a bit different, as I will be discussing the only zodiac sign depicted as a female, and my personal Sun and Moon sign, Virgo.   In particular, I want to discuss the archetype of Virgo as a Priestess and a Healer, since this is part of the archetype that I definitely resonate with, even if my Leo Ascendent long made me wonder about my Virgo nature (before I understood how the big three of Sun Moon and Rising played a role in astrology).    As Virgo season is ending, with the Autumnal Equinox (the official date of the Equinox this year is tomorrow), I thought that this was a perfect time to ruminate on her energy!   In fact, today is the last day of the sign of Virgo before the Sun moves into Libra, making this post an interesting way to end Virgo’s time in the sky.

Virgo is a zodiac sign that has long been associated with a few different Greek Goddesses.   Many associate her with Persephone, in particular, because the time when Virgo is in the sky leads into the Autumnal Equinox and is often seen as the period in which Persephone goes into the Underworld, while she returns to the land of the living to be with her mother around the Vernal Equinox in the Spring.   Others associate Virgo with Persephone’s mother Demeter, who is the Goddess of the Harvest, again aligning with the time of year when Virgo rules the night sky!    It should also be noted that the famed Eleusinian Mysteries, which were devoted to Demeter and Persephone, likely took place in September during ancient times!   Finally, some align Virgo with Astraea, who was the last Goddess to live amongst the humans in Greek myth.    

Now that I have gone over some of the Greek mythic associations with Virgo, let’s get into the Priestess energy!   Virgo is a mutable Earth Sign that rules the night sky from August 23rd through September 22nd.   She is mutable because she holds within her the energy of change.   The Priestess is very much an archetype that does exactly that.    She is there to help midwife changes in the lives of those whom she holds and to whom she provides counsel.   The Priestess is also the Divine Messenger from Goddess to the human race.    The Priestess is the channel and conduit of Divine Inspiration, making her an excellent initiatrix into the Mystery Traditions!   This changeable nature, or in other terms mercurial temperament is directly related to Virgo’s ruling planet of Mercury.   With the Earth element of Virgo providing grounded stability to her nature, we see her efficiency, resourcefulness, and skills as something that makes for an important aspect of the Priestess archetype as well.   Being able to find interesting, or resourceful, ways to provide comfort or speak of the nature of Goddess is one of the greatest Priestess skills!    As far as being a Healer, the Priestess is intimately entwined with the Healer, as she often acts as an emotional healer to those to whom she provides counsel!

Finally, to round out this Femme Fatale Friday, I also want to give a small nod to my two most beloved Goddesses and how they can relate to the Virgo energy.   Obviously, my Matron, Morgan le Fay is always portrayed as a High Priestess of the Ninefold Sisterhood of Avalon!    As far as Blodeuwedd is concerned, the connection to the Earth element and the mutability of the changing of seasons lends a deep reminder of Blodeuwedd’s tale of deep change and attainment of Sovereignty!

I hope that you have enjoyed this brief overview of Virgo and her relationship with the Priestess archetype.   What is your favorite, or least favorite, aspect of the Virgo archetype?   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a Virgo image that spoke to me.  I found the image on https://popularvedicscience.com/astrology/virgo-zodiac-sign/

Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services!    I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon!  Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/

Further Reading

• The Element Encyclopedia of Birthdays by Theresa Cheung
• https://www.astrology.com/zodiac-signs/virgo