VIRGO (August 22-September 22)

Origin/Representation
In every culture, Virgo has always been represented by a woman, usually referred to as a "virgin." The meaning of that word has changed over the years, however; the ancients described it as the age span between puberty and marriage, as in "maiden" (this age span used to be quite short—women usually married around age 15). In any case, the virgin was the personification of justice and proper behavior, since she was "pure." Today, these qualities can still be seen in many Virgos—they seem to know the correct way to dress for a social function and can judge a person's character rather easily. And, Virgos carry their childhood innocence with them into adulthood, longer than any other sign.
Virgo is ruled by Mercury, along with Gemini— for this reason, many Virgos get along harmoniously with Geminis. And the Mercury influence can also be felt on Wednesday (the French mercredi again), the sign's favorite day.
Virgo is an earth sign, as you might expect, since it falls during the month in which most crops are harvested. In fact, the woman that symbolizes Virgo is usually depicted with a sheath, or ears of corn.
Positive Qualities
Ironically, most of your best qualities are often seen by other people as your worst. It wasn't always so: in ancient times, when priorities were different, yours was the most prized of the signs. Now, it is often the most disliked. Fear not, though—you're just misunderstood.
You're more complex than others give you credit for. As a Mercury sign, your head rules your heart, but this doesn't mean you're cold and unfeeling. On the contrary, your sensitivity is unmatched by any other sign except Pisces. It's often unseen, however, because you tend to be quite shy and reserved. This explains why Virgos are so generous—you want deeply to be loved, so you demonstrate this by going out of your way to be of service to others. You care for them, you do favors for them, you find just the right gift, and above all you give them your loyalty. Because of your shyness, you believe that once you've found someone special, you should do your best to keep them.
Mercury is a sign of intellect, so you're also quite smart. You're particulary adept at analysis and logic—many Virgos are scientists, doctors, and engineers for this reason. You also notice details more than any other sign—and this serves you well in a variety of careers: writer, editor (Mercury rules words), surgeon, even secretary.
You have a great work ethic—you're disciplined, highly organized, punctual, and tireless. (Much has been made of Virgos and neatness as well, but it's usually overstated.) Many Virgos find themselves at an economic disadvantage early in life, so they become extremely motivated to succeed as a result, and most achieve comfortable, if not lavish, means.
Finally, you're a perfectionist. When you tackle a project, you do it right, to the nth degree. You believe you have to be the best at it, so you study, you practice, you go the extra mile, you apply all your little advantages—smarts, hard work, and especially analysis—to get that edge. Once you've conquered it, you like to share it with people, but this often leads to your biggest fault...
Trouble Areas
Because of your perfectionism, you're a critic. Too often, in fact, you're overly critical. Usually, you don't mean to be. You've figured something out, and you want to tell people. But they think you're condescending to them, or worse, placing unrealistic expectations on them. They grant you your expertise, but they often mistake your snaring for rubbing it in. Many professional critics in the literary and entertainment fields are Virgos, and virtually all chose their profession because they believe in an ideal, in making the world— and their art—as close to perfect as possible. Unrealistic, perhaps, and this is why many are resented.
Even more troubling is your self-criticism. You often vent your harshest words on your own flaws. If you're not the best at something, you flog yourself into working harder until you either succeed or give up. Because you're not very social, you can have a hard time with the opposite sex. Your perfectionism compounds the problem, limiting the field. And when you do find a mate, you often become too critical, scaring him or her away. All of this, obviously, can add up to misery at any stage of the game. The important thing is to realize that everyone has certain strengths and weaknesses. Learn to appreciate your special gifts and accept your flaws—if you punish yourself for them, you'll just prolong your agony.
One more thing: people often mistake your shyness for aloof coldness. When you do converse, you're more comfortable talking business or in-tellectualizing, not spilling your darkest secrets. Thus, you easily give the impression of preferring to be alone (Greta Garbo, of "I just vant to be alone" fame, was a Virgo), so others keep their distance as a result. In fact, you want company, but you're picky. Make sure those you're interested in know you like them, and why. Watch your body language—don't stand with your arms folded over your chest, or avoid eye contact. You're a detail specialist, so use these little details to lead a happier life.
Physical Qualities and Activities
You're probably not big and strong, like a Taurus, but of medium or even wiry build. As a sign of Mercury, you're more head-oriented than body-oriented, but you believe in treating your body right. Many Virgos are vegetarians, because it's important to you to eat for nutrition's sake, not so much for sensual pleasure.
You're not team-oriented, because you're so reserved, and you're not built for it anyway. Most of your exercise is solo, or with one friend. You especially like sports that involve regular, rhythmic movement, such as running, walking, cycling, or dancing.
In the sign-body continuum, Virgo rules the digestive system, so take extra care of this area. Eat a nutritious, high fiber diet to avoid problems with the colon or intestines.
Preferences
Your house is neat. For some reason, neatness is the quality most strongly identified with Virgos. Although this is true, it's not extreme. You don't spend every day scrubbing the bathroom tiles, or bug-bombing your house, or holing yourself up in a germ-free prison like Howard Hughes. But you do pay attention to the little things: you keep track of important papers, and throw away the trash regularly (you're definitely not a pack rat); you do all the little chores—dishes, making the bed, that sort of thing, by habit; and you keep your belongings ordered (your record collection is no doubt alphabetized).
This instinct extends to dress. You wouldn't think of wearing clothes that didn't match, or wearing jeans to an important business function-you don't have the flair to get away with that. You really hate red—it attracts too much attention, and that's not you—preferring softer, blend-in-the-crowd colors like earthy blues, greens/and gray. Any patterns will be small.
Occupations/Financial Profile
It's very rare to see a Virgo on the unemployment line, and just as rare to see one riding in a limousine. Most Virgos fall short of the millions, but live on comfortable salaries.
You are perhaps the most employable sign of all, based on your work ethic, your intellect, and your desire to be the best. You're the one that quietly works his way up the career ladder, usually behind the scenes. Your analytical mind solves problems easily, and this gets you promoted.
Your lone weakness, financially, is a tendency to gamble. It's as if, knowing you're so stable, you need the excitement of the big kill to add spice to your financial life. Indeed, some Virgos have been known to succeed as professional gamblers, but only when they apply themselves using the same analytical faculties and work ethic that are usually saved for more traditional vocations. It's okay to have fun with it here and there, but don't make it a habit unless you're a dedicated pro.
As mentioned earlier, there are many Virgos in the medical profession, because it combines highly refined skills, a quiet demeanor, and a way to be of service to people. The Russian physiologist Pavlov, of Pavlov's dog fame, was a Virgo, as is the great caretaker of the people, Mother Teresa. We also find them in the military (again, attention to detail, service to others, and a structure to blend into) and teaching (detail, service, structure, and sharing learned information).
Because of the Mercury influence, many Virgos become great writers and composers: on the musical side, there's Leonard Bernstein and Claude Debussy (whose work symbolizes many Virgo qualities: it's quiet, introverted, and moves in regular rhythmic patterns); the great country songwriter George Jones, the rather introverted jazzman Branf ord Marsalis; the shy Buddy Holly; and perhaps most Virgoan of all, Michael Jackson—shy, sensitive, and obsessed with perfection, physically and professionally. The list of writers includes Leo Tolstoi, Goethe, Bret Harte, and O. Henry (all of whom expressed the misery of aloneness).
The famous Virgo actors tend to be introverted as well: the late River Phoenix, Ingrid Bergman, Anne Bancroft, Jeremy Irons, Richard Gere, Marlee Matlin, Sophia Loren, Twiggy, and of course, Greta Garbo. Other Virgo media personalities include the reserved newsmen Dan Rather and Charles Kuralt, quieter politicians such as former president Lyndon Johnson and senator Geraldine Ferraro, perfectionistic filmmakers Oliver Stone and Richard Attenborough, and hard-working athletes Jimmy Connors and Cal Ripken, Jr.
Love and Relationships
There are two main hindrances to success in love for you: shyness and perfectionism. So even if you do encounter someone you consider worthy of your heart (and that's rare), you still have to overcome your natural reserve to win them over. Moreover, once you're in the relationship, you have to be careful not to be overly critical— make sure your partner understands your perfectionist ideals right away, or you're in for a rocky road.
Your natural opposite, Pisces, is also your most ideal partner. Every quality you lack is ample in Pisces, and vice-versa, so no problem in this marriage is unsolvable, and every day is interesting. You enjoy the Piscean imagination and free-flowing creativity, while they need you to bring them back to reality.
You're also compatible with Taurus and Capricorn, your fellow earth signs: in the former, Taurus supplies the big heart while you provide the headiness; in the latter, the two of you work so hard to such a degree of perfection that, if you were business partners, you could dominate your field.
You should avoid Aries (too bossy and will not tolerate your pickiness), Libra (completely unable to take your criticism) and Aquarius (this can be either intensely wrong or surprisingly compatible, but most of the time you're at each other's throats).