I know this is an old topic, and I hope it's ok for me to post here. But I'm new to this site, and I really enjoyed reading all of these posts, the past couple of days. I wish I'd have been here previously, to be able to comment in a timely manner.
I think I may have something of value to add, in regards to the Virgo Archetype, and the question that was posed, as to which sign correlates to Distortion. What I'm adding to this old post, is still in connection to Virgo, as well. Not just Distortion. I'm hoping to not only answer, with my opinion, as to which sign correlates to Distortion, but to also show how this is connected to Virgo.
So here goes. I only hope it makes sense and I'm able to keep this as concise as possible.
Hi Ellen,
Yes I can see your point about the relationship between patriarchy and the lack of mentoring relationships within primarily immigrant cultures. You wrote: "If one considers the whole phenomenon of forced immigration to be a result of the patriarchy (domination, violence towards others, ownership/possession, resulting in massive displacement of populations, etc.), one can see patriarchy at play to some degree." Thank you for helping me to understand. And yet the archetype continues to exist in various forms within patriarchy; so perhaps my point was that they are not mutually exclusive and can coexist.
I'm glad my thoughts were helpful. Just asking the question helped me to formulate an answer, so I am learning in the process as well.
JJ
"If one considers the whole phenomenon of forced immigration to be a result of the patriarchy (domination, violence towards others, ownership/possession, resulting in massive displacement of populations, etc.), one can see patriarchy at play to some degree."
In my mind, I think 'Bingo'.
If Patriarchy = Distortion, Distortion = Gemini.
Gemini is the sign associated with Distortion. Virgo comes after and cleans the mess up. Gemini seems to be individual facts, where as Virgo takes on the role of synthesis. Virgo says, "Your grammar, Gemini, is witty, but horrific. Please dot your "i's" and cross your "t's". I before e, except after c, and swell, ain't and y'all, are really hideous ways for you to be communicating."
Sagittarius is natural law, and it's polarity point is Gemini. Sagittarius is expansion, and foreign lands, learning about other cultures, long distance travels, and seeing the bigger picture. It is the higher truth, and Virgo works to clean up any mess Sagittarius's Polarity point, Gemini, may have left behind, so we can get back to the Natural Law.
Gemini has all of the pieces of the puzzle, Virgo takes the time to find out where each of the pieces of the puzzle fit together, and once that is done, we have the bigger picture in Sagittarius. Then we hang it on a wall as Art, and call it Pisces.
Gemini is associated with short trips. Our neighbors. Roads. Streets. Anyone who has traveled in a small rural town, can clearly see 'trickery' at work on the roads signs, which point to direction only obvious to people who have lived there a very long time.
Gemini is also correlated to our siblings. Siblings are important, because they are the first people that we come to know in life. The glimpse of someone outside of myself. The first instinct of another.
But, a group of siblings, is not even described as a whole set, it is not all encompassing, and their roles are not inherently equal in the typical mindset of a family, be it American or not, and be it that their parents love them 'differently but equally'. This is a global assumption, that is inherent even in a persons psychology of who they are, and what they represent from the youngest age, and what role they first had in life.
We have "Big Brother" "Little Brother" "Middle Brother", "Big Sister", "Little Sister" "Middle Sister", "Twin Sister", "Half-sister", "Half-Brother", "Adopted Sister", "Adopted Brother", "Step-Sister", "Step-Brother", "The First Born", "The Baby", "The Middle Child"...down to "Adopted Older Sister", "Adopted Older Brother", ect., ect. This is disregarding the fact of the children often playing the role of parent, and vice versa, and which family member really had dominion over that particular household, the mother, father, grandfather, landlord, ect.
One of the first things we learn in life, is categorization. "I am the child of John and Jane, and my brother is Billy, and my sister is Lucy. I am 5 years old. I live on such and such street, and I have a dog named Spot. I am named Mary, and this is my life." We are told who we are. We are given name badges to wear to school, so the teachers can point us to the correct bus in Kindergarten, often in Uniforms, or clothing which clearly distinguishes us as children. Children who live on this street, please stand here. Children who live on that street, please stand here.
When first learning communication, learning to read, even story books are typical of roles, and the pictures are very typical pictures of what a typical, nuclear family would appear. The women are in dresses, the men are in jeans or slacks. There is typically one boy child, and one girl child, and the male is typically the elder, the care taker of his younger sister.
Take India for example, where 99% of all marriages, are still arranged marriages. Their caste system, is only a larger version, of categorization, that was previously mentioned with siblings roles, in the American family (although siblings roles are even more highly pronounced in India).
An arranged marriage takes place, by the parents selecting a partner for their child, of a specific caste, a specific skin tone, a specific salary, and a specific village/city of origin, a specific education, and so forth. This is so the Son-in-law, or the Daughter-in-law, will be able to most easily fit into the family dynamics.
Let me try to make what I see clear, with an example from the chart of India, when they won Independence.
August 15th, 1947 at 12 am.
Uranus was deposited in the 1st house in Gemini when India actually gained their Independence. If Sagittarius is the Higher Truth, and Gemini lost sight with the Higher Truth, the only thing left is bare facts, pieces of a puzzle, that do not fit together to form something larger, and more encompassing. With Uranus in Gemini being so prominently placed in the 1st house, one may gather that there is Traumatic experience for India, with categorization of it's neighbors, or siblings. My daughter should marry a Brahmin, because otherwise, what would the neighbors think? My daughter cannot make more money than her husband...what would the neighbors think?
The chart also has four planets, placed in Leo, in the 3rd house, including Pluto. Since the South Node of India is in Scorpio in the 6th house, Pluto in the 3rd house conjunct Mercury, is even more important, and India is most definitely a male dominated Society.
One could also reference Hitler's Pluto in Gemini and Neptune in Gemini conjunction in the 8th house. If Gemini were indeed connected with Race ideas, (As I am postulating), and the 8th house is purification or death or cleansing, and Pluto is obsession, Racial Cleansing becomes loud and clear with this marker alone.
"Blonde hair, blue, white skin, tall...You may live." "Dark skin, brown eyes, black hair, Jewish...Get on the train with the others."
Criticism, is the result of categorization (Gemini) gone awry. Self-hatred, or criticism, is connected with Virgo. The parts of something, versus the whole, are deeply analyzed in Virgo.
"Massive Displacement of Populations."
Another example, perhaps the most absolutely profound example of Patriarchy and where it can lead, and it's association with Gemini, and Trauma, would be in the chart of the Hiroshima Bombing.
Uranus was in Gemini, exactly conjunct the Midheaven and to a lesser degree, conjunct Mars, at the time of bombing. There is no great example I can think of, than Patriarchal displacement on a massive scale, as it relates to the state of mankind. Uranus's ruler, Mercury, was in Virgo in the 12th house. I believe this could speak to ongoing health issues related with the bombing.
But Distortion, the first square to come from the Matrix in Pisces, the Polarity of Higher Truth in Sagittarius, the area which Virgo, (sharing a planet Mercury) has to come in and do major house cleaning? That is in Gemini, and the power of this sign shouldn't be underestimated, although funnily enough, Mercury is often underestimated. Is Gemini/Mercury, associated with Patriarchy specifically? No. In Hiroshima's chart, Saturn was the ruler of the South Node, with Saturn in uncomfortable Cancer in the 10th. But, Mercury/Gemini/3rd house, seems to open doors for Distortion of truth, and Patriarchy is one example of that.
So, how, inherently, is Gemini associated with Distortion, as I see it? Because it is associated with Categorization, and without a balance with Sagittarius and Natural Law and Knowledge, Gemini could distort our perceptions of ourselves, and our neighbors. The concept of "do unto others as you would have done unto yourself", or "Love thy neighbor", are made impossible when labels, and differences, and heritage and country, are made so prominent. Virgo plays a role in purifying these problems. If Virgo is criticism of self, then the onslaught of Gemini is also clearly understood in "Seperate but equal", when the young child is asked what color doll is more beautiful, in Brown v. Board of Education, and the White doll is chosen, again, and again, and again, by the African-American primary school students.
"The plaintiffs in Brown asserted that this system of racial separation, while masquerading as providing separate but equal treatment of both white and black Americans, instead perpetuated inferior accommodations, services, and treatment for black Americans." -Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_EducationCategorization, and specifically focusing on differences, instead of what connects us, can lead to self-criticism, as shown in Virgo's shadow side. It is up to Virgo to synthesis this, and prepare what is learned for the fire of Sagittarius.
I hope that I stayed as close to the topic as possible, but this really intrigued me. If I said anything out of line, or innappropriate, please point that out. If I should avoid posting on topics this old, please tell me. I thought it would fit with the subject material. As I stated, I'm new to this forumand EA, and although I read the rules, I understand if I've broken any, but not unless I'm told.
)
Thanks,
pattycr
