Venus in Aries

Afrodite (Aphrodite) 

by Nils Bergslien (1853-1928, Norway)

When I first learned about Venus being astrologically ‘weak’ and often unproductive in Aries, my first reaction was disappointment. It sounded sort of sad to me.

Then I came to better understand the idea of the astrological Venus, which in many ways very, very different from what we think of Venus – or Aphrodite – as the goddess of beauty and allure, she who is adored, ogled and admired by all.

Actually, if you read a lot of mythology, in time you learn that the standing there (or lying there) being gloriously beautiful is just one part of the Venus myth. Venus is not only pretty feisty, but she sets up a lot of challenges for those of us who are mere mortals...which leads to realizing that all of Greek (and Roman) myth is an exercise is describing how and why humans operate as they do.

And once you get there, it all begins to make better astrological sense.

Venus represents our ability to attract, and thus to bring about a new circumstance. Venus is not about luxury per se, Venus is about whatever we do so that we have that moment of luxuriating.

Once I got that far, it slowly dawned on me why Venus is the astrological ruler of Taurus, sign of our personal resources and the self worth and self respect which causes us to put those things to good use. I came to understanding why Venus as ruler of Libra represents not the appearance or the performance which garners all that love, but the (Taurean) resources devoted to that appearance and performance, and that the Libra Venus really only lasts when its not a veneer, but the expression of our truest Taurean being. When it’s not, the Libra-Venus concept becomes beauty is only skin deep.

Aha, I said.

The hardest thing for me to understand was probably why Venus is exalted in Pisces, which seems odd for someone who has Venus natally in Pisces, but that’s one of those karmic ironies: sometimes the ‘what we are’ is the thing we learn last.

Anyway…it finally occurred to me that Venus is exalted in Pisces because Pisces is that deep ocean of emotionality which all humanity originates in, and in the end, lives in. Human beings are always emotional critters…it’s really only to the extent that we understand and can work with and grow into accepting our emotions that we can harness our intellect or life with any sense of ‘sinking in.’ Without that, we skate by. We make do. We rush through the moment, staying busy so we don’t sink in and become immersed in how we really feel about life.

Being willing to feel…being willing to understand that every human being and every creature which has ever existed arises from this same deep well of sentience is the Pisces challenge – and why so many of us have such a hard time with that universal sense of Piscean compassion.

After all, we cannot teach that we do not know. And when that’s applied to Venus, in the universally  emotional sign of Pisces that means we will not receive the compassion we know not how to give.

Compassion, love, care…it’s all part of that equation.

And it was once that I reached that point that I understood why Venus is awkward in Aries. Venus is a connective precept, and in Aries there is only the I-me-my of life.

All planets are weak (or awkward) in the sign (or in this case, signs) which are opposite those which they rule or are exalted in. In this case, Aries is in opposition to Libra, where Venus is the idea which connects – as opposed to Venus in Pisces, which is the feeling which connects…and Venus in Taurus, which is the ability TO connect.

But since every placement – no matter how testing it is – has a positive sign, then the question became how is Venus in Aries a positive?

Aries being the ‘first person personal’ sign, my best answer comes from Aries as a fiery sign which can create the image which motivates us to do something. In Aries, Venus asks us to motivate ourselves. The tough part is there is no cheering section. And during the next three (plus) weeks of Venus in Aries, we can’t expect much in the way of applause.

For some this will feel isolating. Some will enjoy the feeling of independence or the opportunity to experience a little peace and quiet. But for most of us, Venus in Aries - whatever else it is, always includes some sense of feeling like you're on your own. That can be because there isn't anyone around, because no one is available (or able) to help you...or because you've decided to take an independent position or course of action.

And sometimes that's what you need to do. Sometimes it's pure folly - true! But sometimes we drown by surrendering ourselves to the expectations of others. Or some tradition or habit which has outlived its appropriateness, or which doesn't fit your current situation.

Solitude by Frederick Leighton

(c. 1890, oil on canvas, Maryhill Museum of Art, Washington)

 
Venus enters Aries on March 22nd at 3:16 in the morning UT/+0 time. It will be in Aries until April 15th (which those in the USA will recognize as Income Tax due-day.) For this to be happening while Pluto is hunkered down in 11 Capricorn (the degree it will go retrograde at during April) is a metaphysical image of a challenge we each will feel in our own Venus-in-Aries sort of way. Since Venus will square Pluto at the end of this month (the 30th or 31st, depending what time zone you’re in) and that by then Venus will be running in tandem with the Sun is an indication of focus.

Which for some will be an ‘over-focusing on self’ in all it’s myopic non-glory, yes.

But there are some up sides here. During these days (which, given orbs on transit we can broaden to March 28th through April 2nd, give or take)…during these days the Sun-Venus will be conjunct Uranus. That means things aren't entirely in our control. Leaving ourselves open to new ideas is far (far!) better than trying to hold on here, as Uranus respresents those life forces and moments which change our outlook.

Even our life.

Sun-Venus will also be sextile to Jupiter in Gemini. This represents a moment of recognition, though with Jupiter being in Gemini (not Jupiter’s best sign) and Venus’ position in Aries we may be finding out things we would rather not hear, but need to know and think through.

Since at this point Venus and the Sun will also be in an inconjunct to Saturn in Scorpio retrograde, there is a sense of ‘regrouping’ here. Saturn’s opposing Venus’ most primal sign of rulership (Taurus) while Venus is in a sign of detriment (that’s the astrological term for ‘in opposition to sign of rulership’) is a sign that what we’ve been doing with our life…which probably amounts to priorities and how we’ve been going about doing what we’ve been doing…is going through a general period of personal scrutiny.

And when we won’t do that scrutiny, life will (of course!) prompt us to scrutinize those things either through things which happen to us or relationships with, or reactions from others.

Need I add that May is going to bring a Taurus Solar Eclipse as well?

We’re hearing this whole ‘the cost of life’ and discussions of values and what’s valuable all around us. The Venus lesson tells us that ultimately, we do have to care about what we do to or about others, but that our ability to do so is vitally about us.

And therein lies the rub – particularly the Venus-in-Aries rub. Nobody likes being wrong. Nobody likes not being able to do what they want to do. Nobody likes having to deal with the idea that they can’t have what they want now (deferred gratification) or that they’ve made a bad bet, be that financial or (even ouchier) with your life.

Alas, the handwriting is on the solar systemic wall (wherever that is). Because we have talked about this Venus-Sun conjunction occurring in aspect to Jupiter and Saturn we know (astrologically, at least) that this is about what we are building (or have built) in our life. Jupiter and Saturn are the ‘generational’ planets. Personally and individuality they are about what we do in this world and the world as we experience it or are supported-or-hindered by that world.

That Venus catches up to Mars about the time the whole Sun-Venus-Jupiter-Saturn thing shapes up speaks to our desire to make things work. And for some, this is a sign of (Venus in Aries) disappointments which can (Mars in Aries) really strike to the core.

Then again, this may be just what you need to get off the stick (or sticking point) and do something about your life. In fact, since even once the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn thing lets go Venus and Mars will still be running in tandem, this is a great time to get things done.

It’s also a time which may spark some rather feisty (read: serious) personal conflicts. Though Venus-Mars is known as passion, there’s nothing which says this has to be the passion of love.

Diesen Kuss der Ganzen Welt (Gustav Klimt, 1902)

Trust me, nothing says that – especially here. So while this can be a time for passionate love, there's a decent chance that expressions of love will now be...well, let's say just a touch self-serving. Not that such things don't have their place. It may be a moment when it’s ‘their turn’ to get the family (or relationship) focus. Or when someone needs your help or you need to make some sort of sacrifice. Or even when in your own life you need to shift 'passionate priorities' or not give so much attention to something which is your passion because something else needs your attention.

Just understand: this is likely to be a testy time for bargains, whether with yourself or others. So don’t blame “them,” make peace with yourself. Don't go all bonkers because you need to stop doing what you want to be doing in order to take care of something which in its own right is a real and valid problem. Knowing why you do what you do (preferably before you do it) is essential during these days. This can also be as much a time time for flagrant displays of disrespect as adoration.

Mars and Venus will continue running in tandem for the duration of Venus’ passage through Aries – which by the by, includes the Pluto station, which should be a very intense period which for some will be very trying in an internal sort of way nobody likes to deal with.

Life is asking that we change modes. May ills personal and societal are coming out now and we’re bound to see the worst in some. Efforts to blame others will abound. But in the end, if we can’t play nice with others, if we can’t keep things balanced enough that we recognize that to have a good life we have to care about building and maintaining a healthy world and society…those flaws are ours and they will be driven home.

The universe is not cruel – it’s just not partial. We don’t like that, perhaps. But it is not just a truth, it’s the very sort of truth Venus in Aries is meant to bring into focus so that the whole of our life has more balance...which in whether we know it or not, makes everything we are, everything we do more worthwhile.

You know, more beautiful.

And that's the Venus positive.
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Sun in Gemini: Mental Flooding

 Gemini by Mikalojus Konstantina Ciurlionis (1907)

The Sun’s move from Taurus into Gemini at 9:22am (UT/+0) on May 21st represents a move from ‘what we have on hand’ to ‘what are we going to do with it’ (or about it). It’s a yearly progression and very much part of life as we know it. The (Aries) infant is born and though it doesn’t know much about life, it knows it needs to survive. Then the (Taurus) baby begins to enjoy life and develop likes and dislikes. The ego which is so direct and simplistic (yes/no!) in Aries becomes ‘I want’ and ‘I don’t like that you’re not giving it to me!’ in Taurus…all of which leads – or maybe even motivates the shift into Gemini.

Gemini as sign of mentality is rather akin to the toddler stage of learning to be mobile. And as we learn to be mobile, we learn how with mobility comes an increased opportunity for discovery. And increased choices. And ever more to see.

From this comes the pop-astrology attitude that Gemini’s can never make up their mind. And while that may be true, when we consider that Gemini is actually the polarity sign to Sagittarius (which is all about figuring out how to get things moving in our life so as to achieve our aims) (yes, replete with detours, road blocks, pot holes and speed bumps!)….Gemini is actually all about learning so that we can make a choice, and from that choice build something. Something worth our time and worthy of our effort. Something which will get us where we want to go.

Gemini is the real world ideal of life as a jig saw puzzle. We can sit there and consider each piece in turn, yes. We can be careless and lose some of our pieces. Yes. But if our life and thus our goals in life (and life goals) are represented by the assembled jigsaw, then a.) we’d better focus on assembling the puzzle. And that b.) requires having some priorities about how we use our time. Plus c.) since life is the most extraordinary of jig saw puzzles, maybe we’d better get some tips on gig saw assembly from those who have done the job right while not allowing ourselves to get distracted along the way by other matters (or at least not distracted for very long – see item ‘b.’)

Gemini is about choosing to get things done. It’s about choosing what you want to get done. It’s about choosing how you go about getting to the goal and everything you need to learn along the way to move the job of being human from toddler-hood to full fledged adult replete with sound operational parameters.

And that last bit adds in one more issue: realism. In Gemini we have the facts and the status quo as it exists…and the goal: what life could be. Gemini is all about understanding the dotted line between these two polarities, and that life is what it is until we change it…and changing it takes work, most of all in and on ourselves. Or at least first within the Self.

Gemini asks that we know the fact and build on the fact by adding to our knowledge. It’s the first sign of the four mutable signs of the zodiac, ‘mutable’ here meaning changing through experimentation and learning how, or better. 

The zodiac's mutable signs

So while the Sun is in Gemini – which would be for about the next month – this is a time to think things through. And what with a solar eclipse about to grace us come June 1st in Gemini, we can all expect to learn much, change our minds about things and to have life teach us better.

As the Sun enters Gemini, we also have asteroid Orpheus entering Cancer, signaling a distinct moment of considerable self-doubt. Orpheus having been a gifted guy, he seemed to concentrate more on his own feelings of the moment than the repercussions of his choices. Ultimately, he loses out on what he really treasures (the fair maiden Eurydike) because he cannot govern himself and his actions. He figuratively...then literally...loses his head.

This is a warning to us all. And with Orpheus entering Cancer, the stakes are personal and serious. Those who gamble – or who have been gambling – things which really matter to them may now realize that they have by sheer careless lack of self control (maturity, maybe?) cost themselves…and others…greatly.

Where things go wrong now, yes, they really are because you lost your head. Or because you've denied what actually lies inside that head...which would be the alternative form of 'losing' - the refusing to find and use one's mind. You may not mind it...but others might!

This doesn’t get any prettier when we consider that at this moment Charybdis (the monster of effort) is conjunct fixed star Scheat.

You remember Scheat, right? The star which represents how society poo-poo’ed Galileo when he said that Earth went around the Sun because it didn’t fit what they wanted to believe at the time?

Conjunct Charbydis, we have the image of chorusing displeasure of the ‘we don’t want to hear it!’ kind which goes unfortunately well with Orpheus in Cancer (alas…some pictures are painted so well!) …and the keynote here is that you didn’t try hard enough or long enough. 

Combined that with Sun in Gemini – especially with an eclipse about to happen? It’s so a recipe for much ill will, much denial of what things actually take and what human capacity really is…all against the fact that yes, a lot of people really have been goofing off, cutting corners and living in fantasies so they can simply avoid living in and dealing with reality.

Last but not least we have Venus conjunct Mars conjunct Hamal. Hamal and the degree it’s currently positioned at (7 Taurus) we talked at length about yesterday (see the last post). Mercury (our minds) are moving on…but as they do that, our sense of wanting to make things right – at least for us – (Venus/Mars) has increased.

 Venus Showing Mars her Doves making a Nest in his Helmet

by Joseph Marie Vien (1768)

Yes, for many a person this is going to be one hot date night! But at the same time, there are a lot of issues which are likely to crop up now which really have to do with the person we are and how we either haven’t done enough to communicate that to someone else…or we’ve so gone overboard in humoring ourselves, in doing what we want to do that in our drive and need to scratch our psyche’s itch we’ve actually hurt others.

And some of those are going to be people that we love. Others we may not love, but they have the power and ability to really clout us one good!

With Drakonia still on station, we may hope to ‘play’ the part or the game or our luck until something ‘plays’ out. And that may work. Then again, it might not.

Sun in Gemini says this is a time to think things through. Bothering to consider all the possibilities and permutations and choosing your course of action in full knowledge of same surely seems the most productive course. It may not be everything you want, but maybe you’d rather be saved-by-the-Self than sorry?

Venus Re-enters Scorpio: Sticking With our Considerations

 Venus and Mercury over Paris

photo credit: Josselin Desmars

Today, a few miscellaneous notes and thoughts on this long, long (long...!) Venus cycle!

The 2008 Venus-in-Scorpio period was late September into October: pretty much when economies around the world began to crumble like so many stacks of crackers hit with a mallet. Mars having joined Venus in Scorpio was the proverbial one-two punch...and certainly serious testimony to Mars/Venus not always being such a plus!

It's all in what we do, people. When we exceed the bounds, we find ourselves what...? Out of bounds, yes!

Venus' 2009 romp through Scorpio began on November 8th (after the US presidential election) and ran to December 1st. If we all remember, this was a time of great fiscal furor around the world.

The Mars-in-Leo touch during this time (describing a natural "whole sign" square between planets) describes rather well how people around the world expressed various mixtures of optimism, disgust, impatience, hope and frustration. Squares are funny things - they are aspects of great strength if/were determination and resources described by both 'corners' of the aspect (in this case, Venus and Mars') are harnessed in equal tandem...and all sorts of headache when we linger in only one point of view. Or cling to the problem instead of opting to find and implement a solution.

Venus and Mars are a pair of lore and mythic proportions. Astrologically, they are far more than about romance and intimate moments, too - they are the premier partners of the greater lunar principle of feeling and response to situational input. So wherever Venus is, it's always good to consider where Mars is, too.

And yes, whatever the sign relationship between them is.

Our retrospect now bringing us into 2010, April had Venus in Taurus with Mars in Leo...the oppositional aspect to Venus in Scorpio/Mars in Leo (Taurus being opposite Scorpio). This is another square, but where the Leo/Scorpio square of 2009 emphasized 'doing,' this 2010 square emphasized 'what's this going to do or give to/for me?' And I think if we all look at news reels for the time, we see that's pretty much what was going on. When things are desperate, everyone gets into an 'okay, something's got to be done' mode. When things then ease up even the littlest bit, a lot of people start thinking more personally.

Or...well, let's be honest here: more selfishly and short-sightedly.

Venus went back into Scorpio mode as of September 8th, 2010 - with Mars joining it in Scorpio about a week later. Remembering that this is the same whole-sign combination which ran when world economies took a tumble, this illuminates how personal planets set a mood but outer planets describe the dynamics.

It would take a good quarter mile of blog space to describe the difference between 2008 and 2010, so we'll just go with the idea that back then we were heading into a dissolving-stripping down process and now we are trying to decide how to rebuild: Venus/Mars as the symbol of creation in progress.

Which yes, does put a whole light on "other" activities!

As we've discussed elsewhere on the blog, Venus in Scorpio tends to be about wanting to get what you want out of some situation when the better road to travel is seeing what is possible to GET out of any situation. One is personal, the other is more global: looking for results and estimating from that what everyone can get in terms of what each person wants.

And that's a really (REALLY) important idea when it comes to anything in Scorpio: we don't get to define to others what they want. We have to ask. And when we can't ask, the default has to be opting for formats which will allow everyone to choose for themselves.

 

This requires thinking the problem through...which hardly anybody associates with Scorpio! And yet...and yet...Scorpio really only works when we think about what we are doing and choose based on understanding the risks and the values which are causing us to take those risks. Inevitably, those we go 'after' under Scorpio influences can be made to "pay," but in the long run, there is a price. Justice is one thing - and it's not Scorpionic. Vengeance is Scorpionic, as is abject sacrifice. And neither of them are classed as Scorpio pluses.

 

So we all had this really sticky, sluggish, emotionally daunting, frustrating, self-confronting time while Venus was in Scorpio. It went retrograde on October 8th, and we felt even more confined.

 

Some of us opted to use Venus retrograde as a time to size things up and get real about our lives - a good and positive use of influence. And as Venus backed into Libra on November 8th, things turned relational and we all began considering how we really should invest a little more...and maybe a little more fairly in relationships of every nature and kind.

As Venus came onto its two-day station 'allowance' (to go direct on November 18th), we got at least one interesting display of how such cycles work - the November 16th news of a royal engagement coming out of Britain.

Clarence House is the official London residence of

Charles, Prince of Wales and sons William and Harry -

and thus the 'source' of the announcement

of William's engagement.

That it happened just before the station tells us that this is an event yet to come. That it happened with Venus actually in Libra at the time described well the news being about relationships...both of the betrothed (to each other) and as a couple, with the world.

For the 'royal watchers' in you: buzz can be expected to continue for yet a bit...with Mars currently in Sagittarius we're all looking for something new to think about and some sense of 'yes, there's more which can happen.'


And yet, there is something of an aura of 'did I go to sleep?' 'Is this still a dream?'

It's as if we all fell asleep beneath a tree which dropped leaves all over us. Now we've awoken and we're shaking off the leaves and getting them out of our hair. We're almost ready to go again.

And reality will hit soon enough - as Mars enters Capricorn in early December. Not to worry - a double dose of hard reality is on the way, folks!

 

But between the station of November 18th and now, all has seemed more or less pretty buoyant. Lighter. Less oppressive. Almost...unguided.

Then...enter the shark theme: as of November 30th (at 34 minutes past midnight UT/+0), Venus will re-enter Scorpio. With Mars in Sagittarius until early December, the question is one of proportion - what for us and what for others? Have we learned that everyone has rights...or at least should have rights? Have we learned that to have a good life in this world the world itself has to be healthy and functional?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Given that Venus will not clear the shadow of its retrograde (the degrees involved in said recent retrograde) until December 20th, we can expect lingering effects of recent events to hold over until that time. With Mars shifting into Capricorn in early December as mentioned...? And Mercury going retrograde shortly thereafter?

Let's just say the question is as it ever was: have we learned that our security and happiness really does depend on everyone else having a modicum of security and happiness?

Sure, we all know this in theory...we even know it at our core. But will we live it? Can we live that talk and walk that walk?

That's the Venus/Scorpio question.