Ascendant decan of Virgo: A virgin clad in linen, with an apple or pomegranate
| Sephira/world | Hod in Assiah |
| Associated majors | The Hermit and the Sun |
| Associated minors | Knight-King of Disks |
| Color(s) | Yellowish Brown, flecked white; plus the colors of the associated Majors |
| Colors of the associated Majors | The Hermit: Yellowish Green – Slate Grey – Greenish Grey – Plum The Sun: Orange – Gold Yellow – Rich Amber – Amber, rayed Red |
Welcome to the first decan of Virgo, corresponding to the Eight of Disks. This won’t be the longest post, as there are a lot of other things to patiently tend to here. But it should prudently cover and illuminate what you need to know.
Looking at the magical description of the decan image, the virgin obviously equals Virgo, the Virgin. Linen is associated with purity and humility. The apple or pomegranate suggests Pomona, or maybe Eve. Some of the other decan images specify that her clothing is old, worn out, or dirty, which makes me think of Cinderella, who seems like a very Virgo-like archetype.
The pomegranate she holds, unlike those on the tree, is actually a detailed jeweled construction, a box of exquisite craftsmanship, like a Faberge egg. In the foreground, an enlarged diagram reveals that it contains a miniature golden Sun.
Virgo the sign is ruled by Mercury, the first decan is ruled by the Sun, but ruled by Mercury in the triplicity system, and the Eights are ruled by Mercury. That’s a lot of Mercury, lit by the Sun. Mercury and the Sun are natural companions in the solar system, with little Mercury the planet who most closely orbits our solar center.
Virgo is Mutable Earth, the last sign of summer here in the Northern hemisphere. Still a whole month of calendar summer, but we sense a shift and start to consider preparing for Autumn.
The card is called the Lord of Prudence.
The card combines the humility of the Hermit, with the very much non-humble Sun. The Hermit quietly pays attention, and the Sun shines its light in the lantern he carries, illuminating details so that nothing is missed.
The major deities are:
- Hellenistic: Themis, the female Titan of law and order
- Ptolemaic: Isis, the mighty Queen of Heaven
The decan has associations and significations with sowing and germination, plowing and peopling, and good harvests. Talismanically, the Picatrix suggests using it for skill in writing and business promotion. I’m not in the mood for business promotion (ever, really) but as I’m in the home stretch of this book project (two books, actually) it bodes well.
The card is about attention to detail, and the patient cultivation of things over time yielding dividends.
Perhaps the Virgin of Virgo is the same Virgin who tames the Unicorn or, in the case of the Tarot, the Lion. In the traditional Paths, Leo & Virgo – Strength & The Hermit – balance each other as the influences of Chesed & Gevurah (respectively) on Tiferet, and the last two diagonal paths above Tiferet. “There is Nothing New under the Sun.”