The human design gates of virgo season
Virgo is symbolized by the maiden.
Is this useful or not? Am I useful or not?
Virgo season lends itself to these types of questions. As a Mercury-ruled sign, Virgo tends to have many questions that reflect its analytical and discerning mind. After all, this is the sign of the pragmatist, the skeptic, and the master craftsperson.
Virgo's dedication to improvement and honing one's skills goes perfectly with this time of year when we transition from summer to fall and from vacation to school and/or work.
To be honest, at times descriptions of Virgo can come across as quite serious (hardworking/organized/perfectionist/detail-oriented/reliable/critical), but the truth is, Virgo, you can do/be Virgo in whatever way you want!
In fact, I've recently become obsessed with a certain Virgo Manifestor.
While comedy may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Virgo, Amy Poehler is a comedian, actress, voice artist, producer, writer, and now host of the delightful podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, which premiered in March of this year.
What's so refreshing about Amy's podcast, and what has made it so popular, is that she's doing it her own way (as Manifestors do).
Despite Amy's Virgo placements (Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Pluto), the description of the show makes clear that it "is not about trying to make you better or giving advice. Amy just wants to have a good time." And her podcast is most definitely a good time.
If you're not familiar with her work, Amy was a regular on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, the lead on the sitcom Parks and Recreation, and the voice of the character Joy in Pixar's Inside Out movies. She has also starred in comedies like Mean Girls and Baby Mama and has produced shows like Broad City and Russian Doll.
Basically, Amy has been making an impact (as Manifestors do) by making people laugh for a long time, and she has now brought her star power to the podcasting world.
So if you're yearning for more laughter and joy in your day (and, let's be real, who isn't these days?), you can't go wrong listening to Amy interview stars like Katherine Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Seth Meyers, and Adam Scott. Many of the guests are her friends in real life, so there's a genuine warmth and ease in the conversations.
Her podcast has also introduced me to people I didn't know anything about, like the Indian-American comedian and writer Zarna Garg, who went from being a lawyer to a stand-up comic! Truly, Zarna's episode is so inspiring, moving, and funny and proves that it's never too late to pivot.
Even though Amy jokes that she's only giving 25% on her podcast (which she points out is still equivalent to someone else's 75%--hello Virgo), it's clear that she's always prepared (she even loves having a laptop with her to be able to look things up on the spot). And although she's already an exceptional interviewer, you can tell that she continues to refine her interviewing skills, and her quick wit is always on display.
(Not surprisingly, Amy has human design Gate 13, the Listener, which makes her guests feel safe opening up to her.)
Amy is a great combination of the boldness of the Manifestor and the groundedness and dedication of Virgo.
In a career, Virgo is at its best when it feels useful, when it can employ its analytical skills to discern patterns and make improvements, and when it can continue to hone its craft over time.
A lack of order and systems can throw off Virgo and unrealistic expectations around perfection can cause Virgo to burn out.
Even if your Sun is not in Virgo, if you have Virgo placements (especially your Ascendant or Midheaven or your Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars), you may find yourself resonating with these Virgo needs in your work.
During Virgo season, the Sun is moving through the following human design gates:
Gate 29 (Commitment) in the Sacral Center: the ability to commit to life and persevere, especially when you discover your passion and trust in your body's intuition; the key is to be discerning with your commitments.
Gate 59 (Bonding) in the Sacral Center: the energy to procreate, whether sexually or through creative pursuits, and to create an aura of intimacy with another effortlessly; the key is to wait for the right people and the right projects to appear rather than rushing into bonds prematurely.
Gate 40 (Provider) in the Will Center: the ability to work hard and the will to provide for your family, community, and/or business; the key is to set explicit boundaries with others around your work and to make sure you get sufficient time to be alone and to rest.
Gate 64 (Patience) in the Head Center: the mental pressure to make sense of the past, especially when you get sudden downloads of images and memories, and to understand that confusion is a natural part of your process; the key is accepting that clarity will come with time.
Gate 47 (Revelation) in the Ajna: the mental pressure to find meaning in past experiences, whether yours or those of others, and to wait for such realizations; the key is being aware that your mindset determines your reality.
Gate 6 (Discernment) in the Emotional Center: the ability to discern which emotional and intimate connections are worth fostering; the key is to be aware that a fear of intimacy, and a nervousness about revealing yourself, can be found here.
Gate 46 (Resoluteness) in the Identity Center: a natural determination and the ability to be in the right place at the right time when you love your body and surrender to the flow of your life; the key is to let go of expectations when you enter into experiences.
Note that both Gate 29 and Gate 46 are cusp gates. Gate 29 begins in Leo and moves into Virgo while Gate 46 begins in Virgo and moves into Libra.
Are any of these gates defined (colored in) in your bodygraph? If so, you have consistent access to the energy of the defined gate(s), and you are impacting others with this energy through your very presence.
If these gates are open or undefined (white) in your bodygraph, then your experience of these gates is more fluid. You are temporarily taking in and amplifying the energy of any open or undefined gates through your interactions with other people and/or through planetary transits that activate these gates for you.
Whatever is white in our bodygraph, whether it is a gate, channel, or energy center, is a potential area of growth and wisdom for us as we gain different perspectives on that energy throughout our life.
As a reminder, we each have all of the chart; what varies is our experience of the chart based on our specific placements.
