Spiritually there is a kind of innocence and purity which can often be dedicated to the service of mankind. This quality can often manifest more clearly in dreams than in waking life. In ancient Rome Vestal Virgins served the goddess Vesta as priestesses for thirty years, after which they were free to leave and marry. Most Vestal Virgins preferred to remain single after retirement. Before that, they had to maintain chastity or face a frightening death. In dream parlance, the virginal mind that is, a mind that is free from deception and guile is perhaps more important than physically being a virgin. It is this freedom that often becomes evident in dreams. Dreams of the loss of virginity can suggest the ending of all innocence. To dream of being a virgin suggests a state of dedication and purity, and may symbolize the life of a single, unromantically attached woman, one perhaps known to us. To dream that someone else is a virgin highlights the ideals of integrity and honesty. In a woman's dream such a figure suggests she is in touch with her own psyche, her own essential being. In a man's dream a virgin may symbolize an innocent understanding of romance or a chivalrous approach.