Virgo I: The Art of Mastery

8 of Pentacles, Rider-Waite Tarot

In this installment of my series on the 36 sections of the Zodiac, we explore Virgo I, the first ten degrees of Virgo. This decan is characterized by a commitment to precision, organization, and mastery of one’s craft. Where Leo’s energy is bold and inspirational, Virgo I brings us back to earth, focusing on refining ideas into something tangible and useful. It’s a decan that values process as much as results, emphasizing the importance of steady effort and attention to detail.

In the video below, I’ll discuss how Virgo I’s distinct qualities are reflected in the Eight of Pentacles Tarot card, a card that beautifully symbolizes the dedication and humility needed to bring creative inspiration into the material world. To illustrate this decan’s energy in action, I’ll also look at the chart of writer Kurt Vonnegut, whose methodical approach to his craft and ability to blend dark humor with sharp insight reflect the essence of Virgo I.

Whether you’re revising a project, learning a skill, or simply striving to improve, Virgo I reminds us of the value of showing up each day to work toward our goals. This decan isn’t about flashy achievements but about quietly perfecting what we create, one careful step at a time.

Transcript

Introduction

I continue my series on the 36 sections of the Zodiac today with Virgo I, the first 10 degrees of Virgo. And wow, what a difference in signs between Leo, which is ruled by the sun, and is a fire sign, that's the last sign we covered, and Virgo, which is an earth sign, and it's ruled by Mercury.

So, we move from Leo to Virgo and we're moving from sort of this centering inspirational force to a down-to-earth, pragmatic, analytical, organized, getting-down-to-business kind of sign and that's Virgo.

But what differentiates the first decan of Virgo from the other two decans of Virgo are the planets that rule the decan, and here we have Mercury under the Triplicity System and the Sun under the Chaldean Order. I'll unpack how that impacts this decan, as well as look at some ancient texts and the Tarot and Kabbalah, and then we'll dive deep into the chart of Kurt Vonnegut, who had his ascended degree in this part of Virgo, and he's a famous writer with an attention to detail and a commitment to his craft that is symbolic of this decan of Virgo.

So there's a lot to unpack. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, like and subscribe. It will help people find my content.

The Planetary Rulers of Virgo I, Mercury and the Sun

Let’s start by looking at the planetary rulers of this decan. Virgo as a whole is ruled by Mercury, and this decan is also ruled by Mercury, which amplifies its influence. Mercury brings qualities of intellect, communication, precision, and a focus on details to this decan.

In addition to Mercury, the Sun also rules this decan. When we combine the energies of Mercury and the Sun, we get a unique blend. Mercury’s mental sharpness and analytical nature are enhanced by the Sun’s qualities of illumination, observation, and consistency. Together, they create a decan that emphasizes clarity of thought, focused attention, and the ability to bring ideas into the material world through careful, deliberate effort.

But let's just talk first about who is Mercury. What is that planet all about? Well, Mercury was Hermes in the Greek pantheon, and he was the messenger to the gods. He brought messages from the underworld to the upper world. And he was a trickster figure as well. If you ever read the myths about Hermes when he was a young boy, he played a trick on his older brother, Apollo, where he stole his cows. To cover his tracks, Hermes cleverly made the cows walk backward and hid them in a cave while pretending to be innocent. Eventually, Apollo confronted him, and Zeus stepped in to mediate. Hermes charmed Apollo by gifting him the lyre, which he had just invented, turning a potentially serious conflict into a moment of connection. You have to check out that myth—it’s one of my favorites.

Of course, I have Mercury in this decan, so I'm really familiar with the energy of being the trickster and playing with language and order. That's kind of what Mercury does. Mercury can be really good at business because of that analytic capacity. The planet is good at communication when it's well-placed, oftentimes playing with words or writing or finding ways to order and structure the world that are sometimes humorous. And we're going to see that with Kurt Vonnegut. That's all part of that Mercury playful quality.

When we consider the planetary rulers of this decan—Mercury and the Sun—we gain a deeper understanding of Virgo I's energy.

The Sun, as I’ve mentioned before, is the central body around which all the other planets revolve. It acts as a centering force, symbolizing observation, consciousness, and illumination. The Sun is the light that guides us during the day, representing clarity and awareness of what is visible and knowable. This observational and conscious quality plays an important role in this decan.

Symbolically, the Sun also embodies consistency and reliability. It rises in the east every morning and sets in the west every evening, without fail. This regularity reflects the dedication, steadiness, and fixedness of the energy in this decan.

When you combine the Sun’s qualities with Mercury, the planet of intellect, communication, and precision, and place them in an earth sign like Virgo, you get a strong theme of commitment, attention to detail, and practical accomplishment. Virgo’s earthy nature grounds these celestial forces, channeling their energy into the material world. This combination creates an energy that is focused, consistent, and dedicated to achieving something tangible through careful and deliberate effort.

Ancient Texts and Virgo I

The energy of the first decan of Virgo is reflected in the ancient texts that describe this face. These descriptions capture the qualities of Mercury’s cleverness and attention to detail, the Sun’s presence and focus, and Virgo’s inherent humility and dedication to service. To illustrate, I’ll use a whiteboard to help organize this discussion—a process I’ve been refining over time. My Mercury is in this decan, so it’s no surprise that I’m constantly revising and improving my craft, as the energy of this decan encourages.

When we look at three key ancient texts, we see how they all emphasize this combination of intellect, humility, and the ability to manifest ideas into the world through hard work and refinement.

1. The Javanajataka:
   This text describes the first portion of Virgo as “a black man who possesses a subtle knowledge of crafts and who knows the rules of calculating, cleverness, and storytelling. He is attached to beauty and skill and is determined in his purpose.” This highlights Mercury’s cleverness and attention to precision, as well as dedication to one’s craft.

2. The Picatrix:
   The Picatrix provides an image of humility and service. It describes a beautiful girl, modestly covered with a woolen sheet, holding a pomegranate. This face is associated with sowing, plowing, making trees sprout, gathering grapes, and enjoying the good life. The imagery of the maiden with her simple woolen covering reflects Virgo’s humility, while the focus on agriculture and growth captures Virgo’s ability to bring forth new creations through dedicated work. The Picatrix also notes that this face is excellent for writers and businessmen—those who channel their intellect and effort into manifesting tangible results.

3. Agrippa’s Description:
   Agrippa describes this face as featuring a good maid and a man casting seeds, tying in with the theme of plowing, sowing, and creating growth. There’s a strong emphasis on using one’s careful observation and effort to bring forth something of value into the world.

These texts repeatedly point to the ability of people with planets or points in this decan to manifest their ideas into reality through diligence, humility, and attention to detail.

The Eight of Pentacles in the Tarot

These themes are also reflected in the Eight of Pentacles Tarot card, particularly in the Rider-Waite deck. The card depicts an artisan who has already completed six pentacles and is hard at work on the seventh, with the eighth still to come. This imagery ties directly to the process of refinement and dedication, symbolizing the act of perfecting one’s craft.

The artisan’s appearance highlights Virgo’s humility: he is dressed simply, sitting on a bench, focused solely on his work. His passion is symbolized by his red tights, while his blue smock represents intellect and attention to detail. The setting is unassuming yet purposeful, emphasizing the value of effort over grandeur.

From a Kabbalistic perspective, this card also connects to the relationship between the sefirot Netzach (7) and Hod (8). The artisan is working on the 7th pentacle while the 8th lies on the ground. Netzach represents spiritual inspiration and creativity, while Hod channels that energy into structure, discipline, and tangible results. The artisan’s work on the pentacles reflects this dynamic interplay—taking raw inspiration and methodically transforming it into something real and useful.

Virgo is symbolized by the maiden in the fall, separating the wheat from the chaff. This process reflects Virgo’s humble nature and its focus on service. Whether through agriculture, craftsmanship, or intellectual pursuits, Virgo’s energy is about refining and perfecting, creating something meaningful through careful work. This decan exemplifies the ability to take divine inspiration, ground it in the material world, and offer it as a gift of service and growth.

8 of Pentacles, Rider-Waite Tarot

And we just see he looks happy. He’s lost in his task. We’re going see that when we look at Kurt Vonnegut. When he talks about or gives tips to writers, one of the things he says to them for a good writer is to write for yourself, for the beauty and the joy of the practice.

Of course, he also wanted to be able to support his family with his writing, but he was talking about what ultimately led him to success was that commitment to refining his craft. And so we see that refinement of craft here in the card.

And then here on the eight, we see a resonance with the description of the faces of the decan—or excuse me, the faces or the decan—from the ancient texts where they talked about creativity and sowing and reaping, right? There’s a quality of, through this channeling of the creative force, that we produce something beautiful for the world, and we really see that reflected in this Thoth card, number eight.

Heremetic Kabbalah, the Tree of Life, and the Number 8

Let’s move on to the next topic: the Tree of Life. I’ve mentioned the Kabbalah in past videos, but I haven’t really gone into much detail about what it is. Kabbalah is a mystical system, and the Tree of Life is central to its teachings. It’s the framework I refer to whenever I talk about the Kabbalah.

The Tree of Life represents the descent of divine inspiration through a series of stages. This process is often depicted as a lightning bolt strike that moves from Kether, the highest point, down through the various sefirot, and ultimately into Malkuth, which represents the material world. Kether symbolizes the formless, infinite source of inspiration—pure potential—while Malkuth is where that inspiration manifests in the tangible, physical realm. Together, they illustrate the journey from divine thought to earthly reality.

There’s this idea in the Tree of Life that divine inspiration flows through a series of archetypal stages, representing both the human and divine experience. As this energy descends through the sefirot, it gradually loses some of its initial intensity. The divine spark we receive at the beginning of a project rarely manifests exactly as we envision it by the time it reaches its final form. By the time the energy reaches Malkuth, the tenth sefirah, it has become the finished product—something tangible and real but no longer as pure or boundless as it was at its origin.

Now, let’s connect this to Mercury and Virgo, specifically through the lens of the Eight of Pentacles. In Kabbalah, each card corresponds to a specific sefirah on the Tree of Life. For the Eight of Pentacles, we look to Hod, the eighth sefirah. Hod represents humility, submission, and the intellectual framework that allows us to structure ideas and actions. This sefirah reinforces the energy of this decan: the need to humbly dedicate oneself to the process of hard work and refinement to bring divine inspiration into the material world.

Hod also exists in a dynamic relationship with the sefirah before it, Netzach (the seventh). Netzach symbolizes spiritual ideals, creativity, and the initial spark of inspiration. However, inspiration alone isn’t enough. Hod provides the discipline, structure, and practical framework needed to channel those creative ideas into something real and enduring.

This relationship between Netzach and Hod mirrors the energy of Virgo I. It’s not just about receiving divine inspiration but about doing the work—engaging in the process of refinement, structure, and effort to create something meaningful in the physical world. This perfectly aligns with the message of the Eight of Pentacles: dedicating yourself to mastering your craft and turning inspiration into a finished, material result.

Kurt Vonnegut’s Chart and Advice for Writers

Let’s take a closer look at an example chart: Kurt Vonnegut, the celebrated American novelist, satirist, and social commentator. Vonnegut was known for his sharp wit and dark humor—qualities that reflect Mercury’s trickster energy. Mercury, of course, is deeply tied to writing and communication, and his work exemplifies this planetary influence.

Vonnegut’s body of work includes classics like Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat’s Cradle, and Breakfast of Champions. These novels blend science fiction with biting social commentary, showcasing his ability to use humor and storytelling to critique the world around him. His writing style, marked by precision and cleverness, resonates strongly with the Virgoan qualities of refining and perfecting one’s craft.

Vonnegut’s experiences as a soldier during World War II left an indelible mark on his life and writing. Captured during the Battle of the Bulge, he survived the bombing of Dresden by hiding in a meat locker three stories underground, surrounded by corpses. These harrowing events deeply influenced his perspective and became central themes in his novels, particularly his exploration of death, trauma, and the absurdity of war.

From an astrological perspective, Vonnegut’s Mercury—the ruler of Virgo—is in Scorpio, positioned alongside Jupiter. This placement amplifies Mercury’s influence, giving him an expanded capacity for deep, probing thought and intellectual exploration. Scorpio’s association with themes of death, transformation, and the darker side of life is unmistakable in Vonnegut’s work, as he used his sharp mind and humor to grapple with life’s most difficult realities. His chart perfectly encapsulates the essence of Virgo I: a commitment to crafting something meaningful out of life’s raw materials, no matter how dark or challenging they may be.

Beyond being a prolific writer, Kurt Vonnegut embodied a deeply humble approach to his craft. This humility extended not only to his writing but also to his teaching. He was a faculty member at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa, where he shared his insights with aspiring writers. His advice to students reflected both his grounded nature and his dedication to the art of writing.

Vonnegut emphasized writing with purpose and authenticity, urging writers to center their work on meaningful subjects. “Find a subject that you care about,” he advised. “Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about.” This reflects the solar quality of Virgo I: a deep, heartfelt dedication to creating something valuable and true. While Mercury, as a trickster, can lean toward cleverness for its own sake, Vonnegut reminded writers that genuine care and sincerity are what resonate most with readers.

He also stressed respect for one’s audience, saying, “Why should you examine your writing style with the ideal of improving it? Do so as a mark of respect for your readers, whatever you’re writing. If you scribble your thoughts any which way, your reader will surely feel that you care nothing about them.” This advice reflects his humility and belief in writing as a craft that requires care and discipline. He also spoke of the importance of editing and refining, comparing the process to the artisan in the Eight of Pentacles, diligently working toward perfection. “Your rule must be this: If a sentence, no matter how excellent, does not illuminate your subject in some new and useful way, scratch it out.”

Vonnegut’s commitment to his craft and his respect for both his work and his audience exemplify the core values of Virgo I: humility, care, and the relentless pursuit of mastery.

Conclusion

I’m going to stop the share there, and I hope you enjoyed this. I hope you enjoyed my little improvement project as a Mercury in Virgo, always trying to make these videos a little bit better and more understandable for you as my listeners.

If you did enjoy it, please like and subscribe. It helps people find my content, and come back next week for Virgo II.