Welcome to Virgo Sun!

I'm thrilled that the sun went into Virgo recently. Leo sun is nice and all--it's got a nice, lazy, self-indulgent vibe going on in the sign the sun rules naturally--but I much prefer "let's get back to business" Mercury-ruled Virgo.

It's a great time for starting new learning projects. Many of us are going back to school, and the Virgo sun is a gentle reminder that it's time to wake up and put our thinking caps back on. Actually, now is a great time to learn anything; Mercury rules facts and comprehension. So even if "school" isn't in the cards for you now, remember that you don't need to be in a classroom to learn things. Even if it's just a new technique for something you already do well, learning will keep you young, and Virgo sun will help you understand and retain what you're learning. And you are NEVER to old to learn. Say that and you should probably throw in the towel now, because being open to learning new things helps you evolve.

One of the key words for Virgo is health. With my recent hospital stay, the message came a little earlier for me, but the message is the same: Take responsibility for your health and reap the benefits, or don't...you will see the consequences eventually. And many health problems do NOT crop up overnight, folks. Now we all know the things that we shouldn't do that have a negative impact on our lives, the vast majority of which come from doing things we enjoy to excess. Virgo's message is one of reasonableness and discrimination; sun sign Virgos know that to be choosy is to live long and well. If you're having health problems, now's the time to see a doctor. I know you've been putting off. One of my excuses was, "Well...I thought that would resolve on its own." I'm not suggesting you go to the doctor if you sneeze twice in a day, but if a problem is going on for more than a week, you should probably bite the bullet and go in and have it checked. Many people choose not to see a doctor to avoid the lectures and the judgment, but small problems can become big problems. Smaller ones are easier to fix.

Speaking of health, for those of you who have asked about my health, thanks very much for your concern. I am on the mend and pretty close to being back to normal. No surgery needed but I still have some numbness/tingling in my legs. The only thing that can help me improve the condition is weight loss and strengthening my core muscles. Since I started a new diet plan and am seeing a personal trainer, both of these are already begun. 

Another key area ruled by Virgo is our day-to-day job and other responsibilities. Let's talk about moderation again. Many years ago, I used to spend my personal time looking at work email. My Virgo wife gently reminded me on a great many occasions that I'm not being paid for that time, so why couldn't it wait until I was on the clock? The message finally got through. Are you working too hard, taking work home, or working long hours? Yes, the economy sucks and no one wants to lose a job. But when do you these things you set a precedent, and then you're expected to have your work phone on you all the time so you can read and respond to emails in real time. Go in, work hard, and when your shift is over, come home and relax, and play hard, too. It's always great to get some overtime, but again, working too much can hurt you, too. If you're too sick or tired to spend your money, what good is it? Rest and relaxation are just as important as activity.

I will admit that I am VERY guilty of working too much, and my Virgo wife definitely keeps on top of how much I toil. Some nights I will come home from work, do a reading or two, work on an astrology chart, or write, only finding time for dinner. But that's getting more rare. I'm doing a better job at pacing myself and actually taking the time to sit and watch television or play a game. Over the years, I've gotten better...Saturn is a bastard of a taskmaster and I've finally been able to slowly ease away from working constantly. But when the sun moves into Virgo, it's to remind me to take better care of myself so I can give more effort to the projects that are important to me. If someone calls me for help and I can't stay awake because I got home late for work and it pushed by whole schedule back, then I'm not being very helpful.

Virgo also rules service to others. If you can put your ego on the back burner and understand that Virgos are discriminating--notice I did NOT use words like nit-picking or fussy--and trying to HELP you, I guarantee you will get far in life. They are the troubleshooters of the Zodiac. Got a great plan? A Virgo can make it even better or point out potential stumbling blocks. It's because they step back and look at the DETAILS. We can learn a lot simply by paying attention and not trying to do 27 things at once. Multi-tasking has its place, but I often wonder if we're sacrificing quality for quantity or speed. Gemini folks, I know this will be very difficult for you to understand, but hear me out. Virgo sun reminds us to look carefully at everything. Again, you can pick up a TON of information that will be helpful to you later on.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy Virgo sun. I plan to take advantage of it by doing some more writing; I'm still at 35K and hope that I'll be done a rough draft by Halloween. Am I asking too much of myself again? Possibly. But we shall see. 

While Virgos are usually very humble and don't like tooting their own horns, I'd like to do it for them. VIRGOS ROCK. :)