All About Virgo
Virgo is known as the Virgin, not as a symbol of inexperience or prudishness, but because the Virgin represents something pure and "untainted," so to speak: perfection. Virgo is about setting one's sights on perfection, or, at least, to know she really did her best in every moment -she is not here to relax!
Like her fellow earth signs, Virgo desires to be a competent and sensible being. She is very 'down to earth' as the saying goes, usually someone who doesn't want to sit in the big chair and lead, but wants to get right down in the trenches and do the work with her own two hands. She is one who knows how to get things done and even has to fight hard to resist the urge to take over a project so that it can be done 'right.' A Virgo probably first said the phrase "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Virgo wants to do things as well and efficiently and for the most benefit as she possibly can.
She is the most restless of her earthly group, being a mutable sign. She is in constant motion, wanting to be better, to improve, and to grow. No sign strives so hard to go out of this world better than she came into it, feeling a great need for progress. She is very good at humble self-assessment, and usually is willing to admit her flaws, but she is modest and doesn't tend to accept compliments as easily as she accepts criticism.
The tool Virgo uses the most is the tool of analysis. She will analyze a situation in order to discover the flaws, pinpointing even the tiniest detail in her effort to improve and perfect. It's natural for her to look for the flaw so she knows what to fix, yet, it's easy for others who do not understand her methods to mistake her for a pessimist. This is not necessarily the case; it's just the most efficient way to go about making things better.
However, humans are imperfect, including Virgo. Of all the signs, she is the most painfully aware of how flawed she is. She is always aware of where she wants to be and where she is, and the comparison can sometimes be devastating if she feels that she is too far from her goal. Virgo can get caught up in her imperfections, feeling her job is too large to accomplish, that she is too flawed to 'fix'. Her need to control her own behaviors can get out of hand, and when it starts to be overwhelming, she may start trying to control circumstances outside of her, since she feels she can't control the chaos within. She criticizes those around her (be careful, she's very good at finding what's wrong with you!) It can be a runaway train - when she's not good enough, nothing else is good enough, and pretty soon she is spiraling downward into depression. If this is happening, you can bet that the voice inside her is hitting her twice as hard as she's dishing out.
What Virgo needs to remember is that her job is to improve, not to be perfect, but to strive for it. She must be patient with the journey. She must embrace acceptance of herself or she can never move on, she'll be forever caught in the loop of her own failures piling up. She also has to make use of another one of her tools: humility. Humility can be a huge comfort to Virgo, because if she can remember that she is human, like the rest of us, she can breathe long enough to take a look at what she's already accomplished, and be a little more patient and realistic about her goals. She will always set the standard very high, but acceptance of her humanity and an attitude of humility can help her overcome the supposed 'failures' she is experiencing. Then she is empowered to actually keep going, rather than paralyzing herself because that harsh inner voice is brow beating her.
Virgo is also known as the sign of service. She has a deep need to feel of use. Virgo wants to practice a craft, acquire a skill (or many!) and offer it in service to the world. It is not enough to just be nice or treat others kindly and it's not specifically the kind of service that prompts one to serve in the line at a soup kitchen. It's more about Virgo giving the gifts she can because of what's she learned, using a real skill to help others. She experiences self-expression by turning her knowledge and the evidence of her hard work outward. Virgo can find profound dignity when she is appreciated for her gifts, yet she does not look to set herself apart as a shining star simply for competition's sake, only to know that she has come as close as she can to her goal: humble perfection, won with her natural gifts of competence, precision, and a sense of responsibility.