During this month of Virgo, we feel the urge to be of Service.  Sometimes this desire to serve has us offering suggestions for perfection within some project which will bring out the picky nature of this Virgo influence.  This is all fine and good until someone gets hurt.

I recently exchanged an e-mail with a very nice lady who mentioned how hard it was to deal with people who think it’s better to say what’s on their mind and be truthful no matter what the effect their truth has upon the other person – all in the name of “good intensions.”  They think that plain and truthful speaking is better (more healthy) than keeping their true feelings hidden.  While it’s true that bottling up negative emotion is not healthy, it’s also not healthy to send negative vibrations toward another person either.  I, personally, would rather say nothing if I couldn’t find a positive way to voice my opinion.

Dr. Emoto’s work with the effects of emotional vibrations upon water clearly shows that transmitted thought has definite effects upon whatever it is aimed at.  Since the human body is about 70% water, how much do you think our thoughts affect our health – or the health of those we interact with?

I'm in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.  Here in the South it's generally understood that "it's better to be polite than it is to be right."  One of the unwritten common-sense small-town understandings is "thou shall not piss off thy neighbor," or anyone else you might meet or talk to, because in a small town what goes around comes back around very quickly.  The lady you cut off trying to get a parking space at the grocery store may turn out to be the lady at the DMV or the teller at your bank, or in some other important position where they can return some unkindness right back at you - if you’re not careful.

Learning a high regard for harmony is exactly what I like about the idea of a community or neighborhood which is brought together based on the same spiritual concepts... aware that the Law of Cause and Effect means that whatever you do comes back to you in one way or another.  

We recognize Mother Nature's natural laws and always want them working in our favor in order to be more proficient in achieving our magical goals.  

One of the ways we can place emphasis on the good and the beautiful is by attending regular gatherings where everyone comes to express:

*  An insight or spiritual realization
*  A dream or vision that seems important
*  Sharing some Truth that Mother Nature has revealed to them while out in the forest
*  or just express our Gratitudes for what we appreciate in our lives.  

This is a time when we can feel safe and comfortable to share our deeper thoughts and express who we really are down deep.  From the sharing of these insights we have the opportunity to see each other as the spiritual beings we really are.  This creates a ‘group mind’ or group ideal which continually reminds us of all our blessings and how good our lives really are.

In this way we emphasize the good, the beautiful and the awe inspired marvelous nature of our existence, and de-emphasize or down-play whatever our frustrations may be.  After a time of joining in such a meeting of the minds, we find ourselves beginning to look for things to talk about in these gatherings as we go about our daily life.  We begin to focus on the good and the beautiful, and discover that where we find beauty, there lies Truth.  We create an opportunity to share these inspiration thoughts, and think them together, because we are know that whatever a person thinks about enough will show up in their experience.  Therefore, if we place emphasis on the good and the beautiful, then that's what we get more of within our experience.  As a result of this sacred sharing in service to each other, our lives can only improve!  

It's always good to have the Law of Cause and Effect working in one's favor!

•    Can you discriminate between the kind of talk that feels good, and the kind that feels bad?  
•    Does it matter to you how you treat other people?  
•    Can you see the Law of Cause and Effect at work in your life?  
•    If you find yourself wanting to offer a suggestion in order to be of service, will your comments inspire a positive response?  

If what goes around comes back around, what’s waiting for you in your future?

It’s worth thinking about…

Virgo: "I Analyze"
1st Decan Influence: "Discrimination"

August 24th – September 2nd

Virgo’s cardinal influence is "Discrimination," the ability to perceive differences.  This word, like many, has undergone some change in connotation in common usage.  Unfortunately the change has been on the negative side and leaves us with an impression that "discrimination" is an undesirable thing.

The word has been applied to the injustices of racial slurs.  The fact is that it comes from the Latin "discrimino", which actually means the ability to analyze, the capacity to perceive the parts of a thing and thus break it down into its just parts.  Clearly, this is wise.  

A "discriminating person" has come to imply a fussy or "picky" one, a trait we also see in many Virgos.  However, in its pure sense, the word only means the ability to differentiate things from one another, an analytical process without which we would be hard put to be wise.  

The relationship between the ability to discriminate and the capacity to live wisely is borne forth most clearly in the Message of Virgo:  “Determine thy path with care, that you may follow the steep, narrow, and unused trail to perfection, but not the broad pleasant ways of the mortal world.” Discriminate and analyze, for only thus can you determine the path of Wisdom.
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For more on the lessons of VIRGO see:  http://druidcraft.us/astrology.htm
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What is a Decan?  Each astrological sign is approximately 30 degrees in width and is divided into three 10-day portions called decans, which represent the (1) Cardinal, (2) Fixed, & (3) Mutable phases of the influence. Each decan is assigned a Word that further defines the sign and the influences we ALL feel during that 10-day portion of the astrological month.

Why study the influence?  In the Druidic Craft of the Wise, we are taught that in order to become proficient in our magical practice we need to progress spiritually toward the Perfected state of the Creators, our Spiritual Parents, and elder brothers and sisters, the gods and angels.  To do this, we need to assimilate all the strengths of each zodiacal sign and overcome the weaknesses.  

Study help: To help us acquire the strengths of each sign we are urged to meditate upon the meaning of the current decan, to find quotable quotes and words of wisdom to help us understand how we can apply these strengths in our own personality.  

Post the quotes that speak to you on your bathroom mirror or computer monitor to help remind you of these qualities, and share the best with others, that we all might benefit on our Way to Perfection.

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VIRGO'S DISCRIMINATING ANALYSIS
~ by Misty-Eve*
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VIRGO
August 24 - September 23

Divine Influence = " I ANALYZE "
Virgo’s Message = "Look! God's truth is everywhere!"

Key Word = Service

Element = Earth
Quality = Mutable

Ruling Planet = Mercury
Mercury’s Command = "Discriminate and Analyze"

If the lesson of life is to learn to love, then finding ways to express this love becomes a sacred duty in service to the Gods.  Those who are full of tension/hate, haven't learned the importance of this sacred duty.

Those who discipline themselves to maintain relaxed emotions and love become shining examples of this divine energy by reflecting this love to those around them. 

The best example of this loving energy at work is found by expressing this love in deeds.

To align the vibration of our conscious thoughts with Source Energy at the core of our being, we must freely choose to do so in ways that will an example of the love that shines through us from our Creators.  When we do this, we are then aligning our actions harmoniously with the divine love within the core of our being.  Aligning our thoughts and actions with this Creative Power makes us more powerful magically.

This love MUST be expressed by ACTIONS, not by mere philosophical ideas.  There are endless ways to express your love for others by your actions.  Words are ACTIONS - tell those you love that you love them. You can't do it too often. Then make the rest of your actions tell the same story.

After all, if you do not love your brothers and sisters, whom you have seen, how can you say that you love our Celestial Parents, whom you have not seen? There is nothing else YOU can give Them that They don’t already have, but your SERVICE.

How many ways can YOU find to be of Service this month?

It’s worth thinking about…

We have come into this life with a particular vibration determined by the set of weaknesses we’re here to overcome and the set of strengths we’re here to acquire – prearranged before birth.  Life becomes a journey through the circumstances we attract to us with the vibrational frequency of our thoughts.

The Law of Attraction says that which is like unto itself is drawn.  Therefore, as we learn from life’s experiences, our vibrational frequency raises until we finally no longer attract the lessons we have already learned.  Instead we move into a new frequency which attracts a new set of lessons.

Everything happens for a reason, even if we can’t see it at the time.  Many times the reason can’t be seen until we look back upon the situation and realize that if that hadn’t happened then we wouldn’t have made the choices that have brought us where we are today.

During this Cancerian month of examining our FEELINGS it’s time to reflect upon what happens to our emotions when we experience Loss. There are many things we can lose that bring about this feeling of loss.

My husband and I are separating this week-end.  I finally got my car back yesterday, so he no longer feels the need to stay to help me get around, and he has plans of his own that have been delayed while he has been helping me.  So, I guess, today's the day, that he will complete his move into his new place, and my daughter and I will begin our own new life as well.

The loss of a loved one can be changed into joy if you look at all the accomplishments and achievements of that person, and how much they’ve changed your own life because of your experience with them.

He found an old picture of himself just before we met and we were laughing about how he now looks 20 years younger and much more confident about himself and his own path.  He's changed quite a bit in many good ways since we first met.  He told me that he's learned quite a bit from me.  He's learned that living is for finding one's joy and following the trail of that in order to blossom and finally bloom into the person he was meant to be.  His bud is bursting open, and he yearns to be who he really is.  There can be no greater joy than that!  For HIM, I am exceedingly happy.

The loss of a spouse, a job or a particular life-style can be changed into the excitement of looking for a new experience.
 
When you experience loss what do YOU do?  Do you allow yourself to make the worst of it, dwelling on how life will never be the same again?  Or do you turn your thoughts instead toward examining what has opened to you now that this former experience has passed?  

It has been said that God never shuts a door without opening a window.  I've heard this reminder a LOT from my girlfriends lately.  The trick to finding the open window, though, lies in turning away from the closed door, and beginning the search for the new opening.

When something tragic happens, how long does it take you to turn around?

Do you try to make the best of things, or the worst of things?  Do label the circumstances of your life as ‘bad’ or ‘good’ and then reject the bad, even though change must come in order to bring you something better?  

It’s worth thinking about…