In my mind, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio seasons form a Threefold Goddess Path devoted to the Purification Rites of the Heart—rites that unfold through the purification of the body, the self, and the emotional or subtle body. This trinity is the essence of the sun’s voyage through this archetypal landscape, a journey also associated with the Egyptian goddess trinity of Nekhbet, Ma’at, and Bast—whom I’ll elaborate on later.
We can see this threefold path reflected physically in the tending of the earth: preparing the harvest, stores, and medicines to see us through the winter, and tuning our attention to the shifting, nourishing needs of our bodies through realignment (Virgo/Mutable Earth). We see it in our interactions with others—the individuals who form a greater whole with whom we dance. It is a balancing act that can only be achieved with grace as we forge new bonds, gather the village, and share our stores and harvests (Libra/Cardinal Air), guiding us into the Dark Night.
Here, we dive into the deep wellspring of our being. We reach out to a lover to know our innermost self, realize, break, and reinforce the bonds of our interconnectedness, and peer into the secret mysteries in the silent, subterranean depths of our souls (Scorpio/Fixed Water)—all so a new way of being can eventually be illumined (Sagittarius/Mutable Fire) and seeded into a new world (Winter Solstice/Capricorn/Cardinal Earth). Together, we unify our dreams for the future and nurture the new seed within, so it may be birthed with the astrological new year (Aquarius through Aries seasons).
And so, the Wheel turns.
This is the shared journey of us all, and one I have always found poetically represented by the three Egyptian goddesses: Nekhbet, Ma’at, and Bast—especially as it relates to the personal, individuated, archetypal voyage of the soul through this threefold landscape.
Vultures are the perfect symbol for Virgo—and thereby Nekhbet—particularly when considering their biological and ecological function, their earthy element. Though carrion eaters and heralds of death often remind us of Scorpio, Nekhbet’s wingspan reaches across the scales of Ma’at, over the temple arches, bridging the gap between the material, earthly body and the immaterial, subtle body. But vultures are more than scavengers; by consuming carrion, they cleanse the ecosystem of pollutants, preventing the spread of disease—akin to Virgo’s focus on bodily and earthly purification. I use the word concentration because Virgo’s rulership by Mercury brings an airy, thought-oriented quality—a daily meditation that emphasizes the mind-body link and the twin cleansing that takes place, as in the science of yoga, so the body can be thoroughly laved. Vultures also embody this mercurial side of Virgo: their keen vision allows them to see and ride thermals, using their energies wisely as they glide on the earth’s natural currents.
As mentioned, Nekhbet was often depicted in her vulture form above temple arches. In this way, she presided over the mysteries, serving as the alchemical bridge linking our dual nature to the universal—the cosmos itself. As Watcher of the Rites and guardian of the inner temple, she guides us with her wings, transitioning the seasons from the waning of summer to the deepest reaches of autumn.
Held in suspension between light and dark is Ma’at, who weighs the heart against her feather on her scales. If the heart is lightened by the purification rites of the body that Nekhbet initiated, it is ready for its transfiguration. The symbolic link with Libra and its scales is well known, so I’ll be brief. As an air sign, Libra is linked to the cosmic law embodied by Ma’at. Here, Venus can be seen as the heart itself, and individuated experience is intimately coupled with the other—subject and object in relation. Only through this mirror can we see our differences that simultaneously unite us. In seeing the world this way, we are separate but connected in symbiosis. This is the meaning of the Weighing of the Heart: we must ask ourselves if we have been living in right relation to all that surrounds us. For what we do to others, we do to ourselves. The inner and outer cosmos—within and without—are one.
Bastet, in her early form, was a lioness warrior goddess of the sun. As Egypt’s kingdoms shifted, she took on her more familiar form of Bast, the feline goddess presiding over fertility rites, whose priestesses performed sacred sexuality practices linked to the serpent-fire mysteries. This dual nature resembles the Scorpio archetype, especially considering Mars as the traditional ruler. Mars in Scorpio is about the fierce inner fire used to defend with ruthless determination—accentuated by the fixed water quality, as opposed to the brash, bursting will of Aries—and the primal passion of sexuality. Both are will-forces of self-annihilation, leading to ego death—a choice never made lightly. Just as the rites of initiation and the shamanic arts can never be taken lightly, they require the conscious will to leap into the proverbial serpent’s maw and embrace ego death—a preparation that began with Nekhbet and the purification rites of body and mind.
On the inner journey, Virgo prepares the body for the ritual ego death to come. We cleanse the body and mind through our daily actions, so we can reach a place of inner harmony—the domain of Libra.
Here, we prepare the pageantry of the rite. We don beautiful, elegant garments, view the world with the heart-mind connectivity found in reciprocity, and, with purified vision, see the beauty that surrounds us. A beauty poised to wither, allowing us to appreciate and hold gratitude for all that has sustained us and everything we’ve experienced throughout the year—granting peace of mind through recapitulation and letting go.
With a clear mind, we garb ourselves in simple robes and enter the inner sanctum of our heart. The ritual begins. We raise the cup, bring it to our lips, and drink the soma. The lights go out. There is nothing but darkness and your quiet breath. Somewhere deep inside, or perhaps at a great distance, comes the drip—the trickling of water, the stirring of shakti—its echo resonating through this subterranean cavern with its ancient riverways, where all your darkest fears and hidden desires flow. All you can do is surrender to the deepest recesses of your soul—fully letting go and bearing honest, complete witness.
As the last rite of purification of the heart is complete, as the darkest reaches are illuminated, the heart’s radiance begins its triumphant return to the world—exultant from its own annihilation and eager to share its newfound wisdom with the collective (Sagittarius into Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces seasons).
