Few generalizations can be made about any of the twelve Zodiac signs; however, I find this to be particularly true in the case of Virgo and its opposite sign, Pisces. That said, as the only mutable earth sign of the Zodiac (Pisces is a water sign), Virgo symbolizes “the empty vessel,” whose purpose in life is self-discovery.
As a result, Virgo suns tend to go through many phases in life, trying on different personas as they go. As a result, Virgo can be a deceptively self-involved creature, as for no other sign is the paradox of service to others v. service to self such a life-defining conundrum.
In ancient astrology Virgo, or the 6th house of the birth chart with which Virgo is associated, symbolized the theme of slavery and indentured servitude. So indeed, it follows that themes of self-sacrifice, self-care and the creation of a strong individual identity–apart from their compulsive, sometimes delusional ideas of dedicating their lives to “helping” others–are paramount.
And yet, skilled as Virgo is at making their way through life–often to the top of their fields and often from nothing–the toll of emotional compartmentalization, combined with Virgo’s notorious pursuit of perfection, is usually far greater than Virgo accounts for. Thus the reason why Virgo in particular, of all the Zodiac signs, is most prone to falling victim to the so-called “Mid-Life Crisis,” often in the most cliche of fashions (read: Porsche, younger wife, dyed hair–the works).
Alas, in no greater case are such Virgo complexes evident as in the birth chart of the infamous Lance Armstrong, who boasts not only his Sun but Moon and Mercury in Virgo, with an overall emphasis Virgo-ness throughout his chart and very obvious when we look at how his life has played out.
No Water Signs = Chronic Dehydration
When analyzing any astrological chart, it’s imperative to begin by looking at the relative distribution of planets in terms of the Elements—Fire, Air, Earth, Water—and Modes—Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable—as an imbalance here will determine the general nature of the individual, describing what motivates them as well as their inherent tendencies.
In the case of Lance Armstrong’s chart, he has a notable lack of planets in Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces).
Lance also has a predominance of planets placed in Mutable signs—every planet in his chart aside from his natal Venus, Mars and Uranus fall in the Mutable signs of Virgo (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Pluto), Gemini (Saturn) and Sagittarius (Jupiter, Neptune). When someone has an overwhelming number of planets in Mutable signs, duality dominates his life. Much like the strange case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, you may see one person on the surface, but there is always another side of the person underneath, unseen.
With this, it’s important to note that his mutable planets all fall in Cardinal houses—in this case, the 1st house (Identity), 7th house (Committed Partnerships) and 10th (Career and Public Image)—which in turn highlights his natal mutability to the nth degree. In other words, he’ll be one person in his own mind (1st house), yet unconsciously be quite another in both his committed partnerships (7th house) and in his dealings with the public and in his pursuit of winning (10th house).
A point to note: though sweeping statements about astrological signs are often made, it’s key to point out that his Virgo planets all fall in different decans of the sign, which gives them each a different flavor. His Mercury, for instance, is comfortable in decan one, as Mercury is this decan’s natural ruler, while his Sun and Pluto fall in decan three of Virgo, sub-ruled by Venus, heightening his power of attraction as well as his desire for recognition and overall ambitious, acquisitive nature.
With his stellium of planets in Virgo in the earthy 10th house of his chart—the house associated with Saturn and the sign of Capricorn—his ambitious nature is readily apparent from the get-go. Those born with a strong 10th house will always be unsatisfied in life unless they are the Boss, needing to not only achieve but be recognized for their achievements by a larger audience. They simply need to “win.” Not hard to see how this falls in line with exactly what Lance Armstrong reveled most in: being the “face” of professional cycling.
Mutable Stellium: Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hide
To get straight to the breakdown of his Virgo stellium (no pun intended), he’s not your average Virgo Sun, as he’s what I call a “double Virgo,” having both his natal Sun and Moon in this sign. This gives him a heavy saturation of Virgo energy, as his Mercury and Pluto fall in this sign as well.
Being rooted in the Present moment: this is the blessing & curse of the Mutable signs, as it allows them to block out or strategically forget any wrongs committed or suffered in the Past + thoughts of any future consequences that could block them from achieving what they want to do now.
But what happens when “now” is past? The obvious upside here is that anything & everything is possible when one forever lives in the “now”; but perhaps the less obvious downside is that, if our past does to some extent inform our present, and our present informs our future, this habit of forgetting so ubiquitous among the Mutable signs doesn’t exactly allow for much consistency, does it?
To live constantly in the state of “now” is to live constantly in a frenetic state of motion. “Now” is always changing and as a result, so is the personal narrative. Donald Trump—a double Mutable (Sun in Gemini/Moon in Sagittarius)—is a man whose life/persona/image is one constantly changing story. Doesn’t exactly inspire much trust, does it? Growth and maturity requires the individual to reflect.
This is the rub for those with Mutable-heavy charts. The implications are that the person will always have something of a “Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde” complex, and will often be flaky, lack self-awareness or always need to be “right.” Why? To be wrong takes time to realize. Just as self-awareness requires the ability to reflect on past actions and events.
Moon Square Saturn: Emotional Distance
His Moon, though, falls in the less auspicious decan two of Virgo (10° - 19°), sub-ruled by harsh, restrictive Saturn. Not only that, but his Moon in Virgo is at a tense angle to Saturn in Gemini in his 7th house, constantly pitting his need to achieve in his career and the obsession with maintaining his public image (10th house) against the demands (Saturn) of his committed, one-to-one partnerships, both personal and professional (7th house).
For instance, his romantic partners may respect his achievements and his focused, goal-oriented nature yet feel an acute emotional distance with him on the interpersonal front, particularly when it comes to communication (Saturn in Gemini).
To be fair, Moon square Saturn is one of the harshest natal aspects in astrology, as the Moon represents our inner child, our earliest conditioning, and our experience of nurturing, often representing the Mother herself. Lance, of course, was always public about his intense attachment to and love for his Mother, often citing her as his greatest inspiration for his goal-oriented mindset.
Not surprising that coming from humble beginnings would make one want to achieve something better, for both himself and his Mother; but in Lance’s chart it’s more intense than that. With Moon in Virgo decan two square Saturn, Mother would’ve been seen as a Martyr figure: self-sacrificing, dutiful and committed to her son yet at the same time a figure who inspired deep feelings of guilt and neediness.
“Achieving” = “Pleasing Mom” in the case of Moon square Saturn, and the demands of Saturn can never be ignored. This, naturally, puts pressure on a kid, whether intentionally or not—more specifically, in Lance’s case, pressure to get out there and bring home that bacon. Considering all this, it’s not surprising then that much of his public statement surrounding his Mother have focused on his desire to do just that: to make his Mother proud through material advancement and public recognition of his success.
Mars Trine Uranus: Speed Racer
Noteworthy among the planetary lineup in Lance’s chart is his natal Mars in Aquarius, which forms a tight alignment with Uranus in Libra in his 3rd and 11th houses, respectively. Mars’ placement in the birth chart is significant for all individuals, as it represents our most animalistic nature, impulses and instinctual desires.
In Lance’s chart, Mars in Aquarius stands out, as its nature stands in stark contrast to the dominance of Earth and Mutable signs. Aquarius is far different from Virgo, for example, in that while Virgo has endless patience for dwelling on the details, Aquarius is all about the Big Picture. Virgo looks at the trees; Aquarius only sees the forest.
More importantly though, the fact that his Mars falls in the sign of Aquarius means he not only has physical stamina and endurance (Fixed), but shows that what he’s able to accomplish physically lies almost entirely in the power of his mind (Aquarius is an Air sign, after all). With his mutable stellium in Virgo, plus multiple most of his other planets in mutable signs (e.g., Saturn in Gemini, Jupiter-Neptune in Sagittarius), duality is in his fundamental nature. Not so for Aquarius, though.
Planets in Aquarius are obsessive in the extreme, and can function on (quite literally) air until they meet their goals. And once Aquarius gets fixed on achieving something? It’s best to just get out of their way, because there’s no stopping them once they hit “Go.”
In Lance’s chart, his Mars in Aquarius is indicative of his staunch pursuit of the title, the sacrifice of his physical body—Aquarius suns, for instance, are known to push through physical limitations by relying entirely on the power of the mind alone, often to an unhealthy degree—and his self-professed desire to win at all costs.
This desire, in turn, is amplified in Lance’s chart by Mars’ exact alignment to Uranus in Libra, which serves to literally “speed him up,” Uranus being the proverbial “crack-cocaine” of the planets, thus driving him to succeed at endeavors that demand a pace as unnatural as that of professional cycling. It suits him perfectly. And with the North Node in Aquarius adjoining his Mars? Well, despite whatever outcomes, Lance was born with a need for speed.
Sun-Pluto in Virgo: Ego, Hubris & Paranoia
If Uranus is the crack-cocaine of the planetary influences, then consider Pluto the steroids. Dwarf planet though it may be, Pluto packs a powerful punch when it forms a significant alignment with another planet in the birth chart—especially the Sun or Moon. Such is the case in Lance Armstrong’s chart, as he has his Sun and Pluto cozied up next to each other in Virgo decan three.
Now, Pluto does not do well in the sign of Virgo, as Pluto, like Jupiter, amplifies whatever it touches. In the case of Lance’s chart, for instance, his Sun-Pluto conjunction both enhances his power of attraction and makes him a lone wolf, much like Scorpio. Secretive in the extreme, Sun-Pluto in Virgo is mysterious, never revealing their true motives and never afraid apply pressure where they feel pressure is needed when it comes to getting their way.
Unlike the generally kind, gentle nature of planets in Virgo Decan three, with Sun-Pluto in Virgo comes a sense of deep, unconscious ruthlessness and explosive impatience (already indicated in Lance’s chart by his Mars-Uranus trine) when it comes to achieving his personal goals.
Jupiter-Neptune: Idealism v. Delusion
I’ll just say it: Virgo can have the tendency to be controlling and, without the proper aspects, can often live a life prominently lacking in self-awareness. For Lance Armstrong, this is particularly true, as he was born with not just his Sun but his Moon and Mercury in Virgo, but with an exact conjunction between Jupiter and Neptune at 0° of Sagittarius.
Jupiter conjunct Neptune, especially in the mutable fire sign of Sagittarius, is an incredibly powerful aspect, bestowing the individual with idealism, inspiration and the kind of charisma that has the potential to attract incredible wealth. With Jupiter-Neptune in exact alignment in his 1st house of Self, Identity and Personal Self-Expression, Lance quite literally embodies these qualities, allowing him to effortlessly attract wealth through his natural charisma and idealistic nature.
On the other hand, while Jupiter-Neptune is a wellspring of inspiration, this aspect is notorious for clouding one’s judgment, leading one to confuse fact with fiction and, in a weaker chart such as Lance’s, there’s compassion that belies a certain lack of courage to make their idealistic pursuits into a lasting reality.
This is obvious when looking at the trajectory of Lance Armstrong’s life, particularly as it pertains to the ambitious goals of not just dominating the field of professional cycling, but of creating a foundation whose goal was to eradicate cancers of all types—which, if you think about it, sounds good, but is entirely impractical for one foundation to achieve.
In addition, on a personal level, while this type of aspect does not on its own signify paranoid tendencies, it’s likely to exaggerate paranoia in a person whose chart contains other astrological aspects that predispose them to it. Such is the case with Lance, as his natal Sun-Pluto conjunction in Virgo makes him both ambitious and paranoid in the extreme. And let’s face it: paranoia will destroy the relationships and business partnerships essential to accomplishing the mission of any foundation.
Venus = Relationship Karma
Though there could be multiple arguments made regarding the impetus for Lance’s undoing. However, the one I find most compelling based on his birth chart is the fact that he didn’t just capitalize on his gleaming Venus, sitting pretty at 1° of Libra; instead, he abused his innate power of attraction (Venus) to win friends and influence people (to do what he wanted).
If we’re to believe the rule of three, meaning that if there are at least three separate indicators of a pattern in an astrological chart, then it’s safe to assume that this pattern will play out in life, then Lance’s chart certainly shows that it was indeed ultimately going to be how he treated OTHERS (7th house) that would dictate his fate.
Why? Because his Venus, placed in amicable Libra, gave him the gift of the power to win friends and influence people. But if you use those people for your own ends, ultimately screwing them over, do you really expect to, well, win?
Venus, you see, is especially important in Lance’s chart, as it rules his 7th house of close personal associates. And was it not his teammates, business partners and closest confidantes, alienated by his abuse of power and denial of friendship (if that friendship wasn’t going to benefit him materially) who ultimately “outed” him to the press and, eventually, to the authorities? Exactly. Add to the mix Saturn in this. Lance has Saturn prominently placed in his 7th house, in the early degrees of Gemini, further highlighting the fact that should his lies catch up to him, he’d inevitably be taken to task by none other than his closest partners.
It sure didn’t look good when then-girlfriend Sheryl Crowe (Aquarius) left him, practically at the moment news broke of Lance’s doping (or allegations thereof). And it was certainly the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, when he came clean in his famous interview with Oprah (yep, also an Aquarius). (Word to the Virgo Wise? To an Aquarius sun it is rarely advisable for you to lie). Then you have his the two tensest aspects in his chart: his Moon-Mercury in Virgo in a tight square to that Saturn in Gemini, both Mutable signs.
Along with the North Node and Midheaven, Saturn is the planetary symbol of our purpose in life. And with Saturn at a tight angle to his natal Moon and Mercury, any lying, obfuscating or games he might’ve played with his closest comrades (7th house) would inevitably lead to the demise of his much sought-after reputation and social status (10th house). With so much emphasis on mutable signs of Gemini and Virgo, at odds with one another in the angular 7th and 10th houses, it was in his nature to lie (or, in his mind, to “do whatever it takes”) to get to the get the gold.
But at the expense of what? What is winning? Ending up alone in a room of trophies, without a leg to stand on and no one left who trusts you? Nope. Didn’t think so. This is what I mean when I say that Virgo’s ability to compartmentalize their emotions–to pretend that “everything is fine!”—becomes less of an asset and more of a crutch as time goes on, leading to emotional tolls (and bills) they never thought to account for. That is, until they’ve lost it all.
