Decan: 10°-19° Virgo

Dates 2024: 3-12 September 2024

Ruling planet/luminary: Venus

Zodiac sign : Virgo ~ Mutable Earth 🜃

Tarot card: 9 of Pentacles

Golden Dawn Title: Lord of Material Gain

Associated Major Arcana:

The Empress (Venus) & The Hermit (Virgo)

Independent, self-sufficient, accomplished

The character in the 9 of Pentacles is very much in her element. Comfortable, contented, grounded, connected. She’s simultaneously arrived at her destination and continues to enjoy the journey. A proper grown-up channelling the strength and beauty of the Empress as she stands sovereign and solo in her beautiful garden.

Self-sufficient, she is perhaps guided by an inner light – The Hermit – and no longer has to follow all the rules laid down by society. She has the confidence and the resources and has earned the right to follow her own path.

Or isolated, self-conscious, alone

Yet, Venus is in her fall in Virgo. There may be some discomfort here even if it is not immediately visible.

Safe in her garden the 9 of Pentacles has her defences up, not unlike the battle-worn 9 of Wands, who stands on guard at her boundaries, protecting herself and all she has fought for against intruders real or imagined. Except that, our lady of Virgo II is presenting a perfect front – no wounds or bandages to see here.

And who can blame her? It’s not always easy being strong, independent and self-sufficient as a woman in a world that was built for men by men. But holding up that front of perfected isolation must be hard work at times and lonely.

As with previous Decans, I have found it useful to look at some keywords to see what ideas they may spark about the current Decan of Virgo III

The rise of the single Cat woman

Single, childless women who live alone (or aspire to) and present as happy, independent, and successful are somewhat threatening to some. Perhaps because it makes them question their own choices. And, if she has a cat… well that’s all the more reason to ridicule, harass or even persecute her.

Hmm, ain’t that an age-old story?

Happily, the rise of the single/childless Cat Woman is a thing right now. The comfortable truth is that calling someone and Crazy Cat Woman just isn’t the insult that it used to be.

I’d love to put a cat in this Tarot card somehow… perhaps I will.

Prompts for 9 of Pentacles ~ Venus in Virgo

When you look around you, at where you are and what surrounds you…

Ask yourself:

• What have you achieved that you can be proud of?
• How do you honour and acknowledge how far you have come?
• Are you taking good care of yourself, mind and body?
• What acts of self-care and love could you show yourself today?
• How can I better parent myself in my current situation for the best outcome?
• How do you foster supportive relationships in your life?

Observations and synchronicities ~ on Virgo II

I’m making space here to return to over the coming days of Virgo II to add any thoughts, ideas and synchronicities as they arise…

So, at the time of writing, the New Moon is in Virgo. The message that I am getting loud and clear is to get my house in order: finances, health, work. I definitely need to recommit to the healthy routines I was attempting to establish before the ‘disruption’ and general ‘luxury’ of summer.

And what better poster girl could there be for focussing on self-care and getting one’s life on track than 9 of Pentacles in the 2nd Decan of Virgo?

It also happens to be my big sister’s birthday on 3 September. Happy birthday, Dom Dom. My favourite of all Virgos and a long-time supporter and defender of mine.

Update: Saturday 7 September

I stumbled across this today.

Now, Helen Mirren. She’s a pretty perfect Poster Goddess for the 9 of Pentacles right there and her advice is to “Make your own rules”.

Notes on the Decan Walk 2024/25

For more information on Decans, Astrology and Tarot and how they all synchronise please read this Substack article by Rebeka Kulcsar-Kurdi and T. Susan Chang’s 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot.

And, if you care to join me for this continuing solar return, you’ll find me on Facebook and Instagram hanging out on the corner of #decanwalk2024 and #decanastrology And I will be following @astroco_op and @tsusanchang

Here’s to another trip around the Sun!