The Virgin archetype is associated with purity, applied primarily to young girls. The Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome lived in service to a Goddess and were often severely punished if they lost their virginity. The Virgin Mother of Jesus represents the purity of motherhood, bringing forth the perfect form of male life, a God. Your identification with the Virgin needs to be explored symbolically as a pattern that represents an association with purity as well as the beginning point of creation. To bring forth virgin ideas is as much an aspect of this archetype as its application to maintaining virginal aspects of Mother Nature, as in virgin forests.
All archetypes have a physical expression and an energetic expression, and there are many ways to look at an archetype. At the physical level the Virgin archetype in today’s society is understood to be a woman who has never had sex. However, in the temple days virgins did have sex. Historically, the virgin was considered to be a woman who was free—nobody could control her.
Queen Elizabeth I assumed the Virgin archetype without her even knowing it. History shows that Elizabeth was not a Virgin, but she was called the Virgin Queen. Perhaps she was not even aware of Greek mythology when she said, “I think I will refer to myself as a Virgin Queen.” We will never know for sure whether she was aware of the temple-meaning of the virgin. The Virgin archetype cannot be viewed exclusively from the physical level. You may be married; you may be a very serious mother but still have the Virgin archetype. This archetype also symbolizes virgin ideas and exploring virgin territory. Perhaps you do not like virgin temple ideas, but rather prefer new insights from the sacred. Perhaps you do not like to use somebody else’s ideas, rather preferring virgin thought –seeing the world through a temple that is very much a part of your life. The shadow side of the Virgin is the prudish disgust with or fear of genuine sensuality. Resisting sex not to save one’s energy for other endeavors, but because it seems inherently repellent, is not a virtue but a denial of an essential aspect of oneself. Celibate Monks or Nuns ideally learn to channel their sexual energy rather than merely repressing it.
Film Reference: Kirstin Dunst in The Virgin Suicides
All archetypes have a physical expression and an energetic expression, and there are many ways to look at an archetype. At the physical level the Virgin archetype in today’s society is understood to be a woman who has never had sex. However, in the temple days virgins did have sex. Historically, the virgin was considered to be a woman who was free—nobody could control her.
Queen Elizabeth I assumed the Virgin archetype without her even knowing it. History shows that Elizabeth was not a Virgin, but she was called the Virgin Queen. Perhaps she was not even aware of Greek mythology when she said, “I think I will refer to myself as a Virgin Queen.” We will never know for sure whether she was aware of the temple-meaning of the virgin. The Virgin archetype cannot be viewed exclusively from the physical level. You may be married; you may be a very serious mother but still have the Virgin archetype. This archetype also symbolizes virgin ideas and exploring virgin territory. Perhaps you do not like virgin temple ideas, but rather prefer new insights from the sacred. Perhaps you do not like to use somebody else’s ideas, rather preferring virgin thought –seeing the world through a temple that is very much a part of your life. The shadow side of the Virgin is the prudish disgust with or fear of genuine sensuality. Resisting sex not to save one’s energy for other endeavors, but because it seems inherently repellent, is not a virtue but a denial of an essential aspect of oneself. Celibate Monks or Nuns ideally learn to channel their sexual energy rather than merely repressing it.
Film Reference: Kirstin Dunst in The Virgin Suicides