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Cinderella, treated as a servant by her stepsisters and stepmother, slaved day and night to meet their endless demands. Though this is a classic Centaury tale, anyone who puts their own needs aside to meet those of another is a candidate for a starring role in a latter-day version of the fable.
In saying the above I'm not saying that it's inherently wrong to transcend one's own ego demands in order to serve others. On the contrary, to do so may be the highest purpose in one's life, provided that the choice has been consciously and freely made.
This is not the case with Centaury people. They are gentle, easy-going people who are all too easily influenced and manipulated by those with stronger wills. They've given themselves little opportunity to explore either their personal needs or their larger purpose in being here, and they readily stifle any faint urges towards independence at the command of a more powerful personality. They may attract and welcome someone to tell them what to do in order in order to avoid making their own decisions.
The man who refuses a wonderful job opportunity three thousand miles away from the home of his healthy, active, and demanding mother, may need Centaury; as may the woman who puts away her desire to learn to draw the human figure because her husband doesn't want her looking at naked bodies.
Often when people are beginning to open up their psychic abilities they fall into an unbalanced Centaury state in which they feel unable to control the flood of impressions they receive.
For those who need it Centaury doesn't quite act as the fairy godmother of the story. Pumpkins don't turn into coaches, and there's no guarantee that Prince Charming will arrive.
What does happen may be far more miraculous: the Centaury person discovers the wonders of exploring a unique self, awakens to a sense of will and purpose. As s/he grows in self-discovery s/he may indeed discover the desire for a life of service. If so, this path will be far more rewarding, both for the one who pursues it and for those who benefit from freely-chosen devotion.
Virgo embodies qualities of dignity and modesty. One might, for example, think of a nun (or monk, priest, etc.) giving up a personal life in favor of one of religious devotion. Modest people are also unlikely to speak up for their own needs.
Thus Centaury is an appropriate Essence for those Virgos who have the classic characteristics of their sign.
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