Venus is entering Virgo, the sign of her fall. This is Venus’s least favorite place to be, the place where she must accomplish her Venusian tasks using Mercury’s tools. When Venus is in Virgo, we are driven by the need to discern, serve, and perfect. And while that has its merits, it can also be heartbreaking.
Take the story of Astraea, the original Virgo.
Humanity wasn’t always like this. There was once a period, so far in the past as to defy memory, in which humans were perfect. They were kind and loving, living simple lives without warfare and strife. During this time, the gods walked among them. And there was one goddess in particular who loved humanity most of all.
Astraea adored them for their simplicity, and she took great joy in passing down guidance and helping shape society. Her merciful heart meant she spent her days urging humans to be kind and learn the joy of serving each other. She loved them, and they loved her right back. They came to her to dispense justice or mercy, they rejoiced in her generous abundance, and they were honored to be considered her children.
But, as always, the good times couldn’t last. Astraea noticed that with each passing generation, humans were changing. They became cruel and filled with avarice. They discovered weapons and began to conquer each other. They were simply no longer perfect.
One by one, the gods withdrew from the earth to live on lofty Olympus. But Astraea, loving humans as she did, decided to stay. She walked among the people and tried to remind them of their own greatness. She mediated disputes and urged them to lay down their arms. She pointed out their many flaws, but the more urgent her pleas, the more flaws seemed to appear. She served them with everything she had, but they never seemed to improve.
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She drew up her strength and shouted with all the might of her heavenly voice, “Humanity! Do you not see? You have abandoned the ways of your forebears and forgotten their glory! Now you have become imperfect, and unless you change your ways, your children will be worse still! Heed my words and allow me to fix you!”
But the humans just stared at her.
Astraea, heart wrenched with anguish, called upon mighty Jupiter, king of the gods, to take her away from earth and humanity’s wickedness. Taking pity on her, Jupiter heeded her request and placed her aloft in the skies, where she became the constellation Virgo.
The people, for their part, simply shrugged and returned to their tasks. Life had changed. People had changed. Astraea was glorious, no question, but if she couldn’t accept and understand them as they were, then maybe her leaving was for the best.
Astraea embodies the best and worst of Venus in Virgo. She was tireless in her service, infallible in her kindness, and truly made life better for everyone. But Virgo’s desire to make things perfect eventually caused her to lose touch with humanity’s value and instead see nothing but flaws. And then Virgo’s famous discernment turned to pickiness and disgust as the people she loved failed to live up to the potential she saw in each of them. But no one likes to be considered a project, and so humanity rejected her in turn.
Venus in Virgo can be a beautiful thing, and the world would be a mess without it. But let Astraea’s story be a cautionary tale. Love isn’t in the details. Mercury’s tools just won’t work. In fact, love is one area in which a little imperfection can be perfect after all.
How do you feel about Astraea’s story? Do you think she did the right thing? Have you ever had to turn your back for similar reasons? Where is your Venus?
Venus in Virgo here ? and it’s this Libra’s least favorite place for Venus to be, also. I am flawed beyond belief, and lived most of my life up to a short time ago as if ALLLLL my flaws were under a giant magnifying glass that’s visible and being broadcast for everyone I encounter to see. Expecting others to love you unconditionally and without judgment is difficult when you can’t even do that for yourself. That’s been a “fun” life lesson ?
I love this myth Midara. Beautifully written and so touching. Though I don’t have Venus in Virgo, I have Moon in Virgo and my heartbreaks everyday when I see what is going on with people and the way they behave and treat our beautiful planet and each other. Though I do feel in that, that there is room for compassion to understand that Humanity is not done and each person is here for some reason and to learn their lessons, no matter how much I personally just don’t get it. Like Astraea, I have to turn my back and just let it be. A Higher Purpose has got to be looking out for us. At least that is what I hope.
May A
“But no one likes to be considered a project, and so humanity rejected her in turn.” My JSJ (Jin Shin Jytsu) teacher and good friend often refers to physical conditions: arthritis, chronic attitudes etc. as ‘projects.’ To read your article and the use of ‘project’ in this complex made me laugh, at first, and then … ain’t it the truth?
Venus is in Sag, conjunct Jupiter in my Natal Chart. Feeling the love IS DIFFERENT than analyzing the feeling. Doesn’t quite get to the heart.
The mythology is so informing. Not the same, but kinda sorta like, being able to feel and express anger when you feel it instead of stuffing it down to make my guts and stomach feel it all, fuming inside.
I too have a Venus in Virgo along with 2 stelliums in 6 , 7th house, and Libra sun, Leo , true Node and Moon, Aries rising. I did dance and sing an awful lot this life !!! And a Mercury, Mars, Neptune in Scorpio, and Both Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn = way over there balancing those stelliums. Explains so much- did I really set this up – is it really my soul up there in the stars???? I fully believe so. I have some serious gaps in astrology knowledge, but I am strongly connected to those stars.
My Virgo rising mother kept a perfect, tidy house and trained six children to be the same without nagging. Children imitate. It just became the most natural thing: “there’s a place for everything and everything in its place” equals order. The feeling of disorder made her uncomfortable and now, so it is with me. I suspect it is a feeling of freedom to let it all hang loose but I can’t get there. My ambition to leave an unmade bed has yet to be fulfilled. : )
Venus in Virgo 12th House. Like Astrea I have been withdrawing from peer contact little by little, as to have now built my life on isolation and self-sufficiency (my Pluto is in the 12th as well). I of course always have seemed weird to others, ostracized, rejected, despite my selfless service, which was of course taken for granted. I used to compare myself to a’Sin Eater’, absorbing and then transmuting others’ negativity, till I woke up to the fact that I needed to extricate myself from this. It hasn’t been easy, and my current isolation isn’t easy as well, but at least it is less abrasive to my crystal-like extreme sense of right and wrong. And yes, I am picky, and yes I have high standards, but at least I feel immaculately clean, now, and that’s what most matters to the Soul. I so wish I could join Astrea in the Heavens, far far away from this tainted planet..
Beautifuly said, i agree and feel with you on everything you said.
“Mercury’s tools just won’t work”
what are mercury tools- and why don’t they work???
I have Venus in Virgo conjunct Pluto and Mercury. I learned early in life not to criticize (at least aloud!) as my mom did a lot and it just tended to backfire. I probably turned criticism onto myself too much. But my Venus is also sextile Neptune and Jupiter, and I have Moon-Uranus in Leo, which says let people be themselves. I do try to gently push my loved ones to take care of their health (Virgo) and feed them good healthy things.
It’s like finding that one characteristic you don’t like in an otherwise perfect lover (mental, spiritual or physical). You just can’t put it our of your mind. It becomes an obsession!
I busted a gut at her standing up and screaming to the people only to have them turn a deaf ear. Been there. Until someone told me ‘you can’t care that much. I began to explore that and yes eventually accepted humans for what they are. I am not leaving the planet about it, just turning my back on the ruffians as much as possible. What a great myth. I am Venus in cancer natally, now progressed to libra. Astraea is at 0 degrees Aries 5th house cusp opposing Mercury by 4 degrees and squaring Juno by 5 degrees. I’ve learned to use my cancer moon as a sensor to humanity/inhumanity. It really is my saving grace in the end. People are who they are. No use screaming about it. Too funny! Thanks for the myth telling.
The person of my Astraen experience is that I am not meant to spear head the fight. I was encouraged to do so but when I did none of those people backed me. So I learned that it is not my job. It was a heavy burden.
Beautiful, Midara!
Love the story, so beautiful. Thank you for sharing, Midara.
I understand Astrea’s choice.She had to leave humanity, there were no other way. And yeap, it’s a story of humans right until this moment,- how to make choices, to acquiece to all kinds human shism or to make loving, graceful, kind,truthful ethical and aesthetic choices which accordingly will undoubdately lead to a loving, graceful, kind, truthful LiFe for all of humanity and all Kingdoms on this beautiful Mother Earth.
I’m a Libra with Venus in Virgo. And I swing back and forth, every day, between wanting to get along with everybody, and saying “Fuck Off” to the human race while storming off and giving the finger!!
#TeamAstraea
(Wanting to say Fuck Off and give the finger, not actually doing it, lol)
Wish I could correct my own comments. Hope I was understood!
I am Virgo and my Venus is in Libra(2nd H) conjuct Uranus
…Grrrrrrr
Virgo in House 2 making Venus fall in House 6.
What does that mean, anyone?.