Category Archives: Venus

From the Movies, With Love

13 Sunday Feb 2022

Posted by in astrology, Media, The Social System, Valentine Thoughts, Venus

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Here we see a pair of lovers respecting the old Hayes Code, which required one foot on the floor if a movie showed two people in bed. ‘The Lovers’ By Giulio Romano c1525 {{PD}}

Tongue-in-cheek suggestions for Valentine viewing, offered with potential after-viewing coping remedies, from an article in ECLIPSE, with editing and additions. Seems appropriate, as we have Venus and Mars together in Capricorn (looking at the nitty-gritty of relationships, wanting to know the limits, the boundaries, and to feel secure), the Moon in Cancer stepping hard on our feelings as of this writing, and Luna opposing Pluto and a 29 degree Mercury, suggesting we’re desperate to get our heads straight about how we feel. It may seem we’re both required to celebrate relationships and given no way to express any feelings that aren’t 100% positive–and that’s not healthy. I think it helps to inspect others’ relationships, and movies let us do just that–here are some of my favorites. Happy Valentine’s Day!

                Blue Valentine  (2010) Saturn, in the person of Ryan Gosling, is happy with his life–he goes to work, is a husband and father, and has no aspirations, wanting only to continue the status quo; Venus, played by Michelle Williams, is into pleasure, but also a bit of a seeker, in worldly terms, and what ultimately leads to the painful disintegration of their marriage is the way in which he fails to suffer from the same gnawing discontent she does. At one point they go away to a theme motel; their choices are ‘Cupid’s Cove’ or the ‘Future Room’–I can’t help but think things would’ve gone better if they’d opted out of spending time in the cold, tinny blue light that exposed the future they would never have. Watch something like The Proposal (2009), to revive your faith in relationships, ’cause Ryan Reynolds can fix anything, or get outside in the sunshine or use your SAD light. And maybe some cookies.

                Stealing Heaven  (1988) It’s been years since I saw this movie, but it’s a hard core love story–who else but those irrevocably drawn together would defy the system (one where an academic was expected to be celibate, and where females weren’t supposed to be educated) and end up beaten, bruised, and in a nunnery? The movie details the story of real-life Medieval lovers Héloïse and Abélard, as they struggle with questions and conventions of the day, including whether it’s more noble to serve God with chastity, or to celebrate God with earthly pleasures (Jupiter wants it all, doesn’t he?) Two aspirin, washed down with a martini in celebration of the fact that human castration isn’t part of the college curriculum nowadays.

                The Wings of the Dove (1997) A true love triangle where no one gets what they want. We see a pair of lovers (Helena Bonham Carter and Linus Roache) who are stymied by a mutual lack of money in their desire to be together and yet not incur the wrath of her well-to-do aunt (the icy Charlotte Rampling). Enter “the wealthiest orphan in the world” (Alison Elliot) who immediately befriends the pair and persuades them to come to Venice–and a plan, misshapen and virtually unspoken until late in the game, materializes, since the orphan *cough* *cough* is on her way out. Staged with some of the most sumptuous Nouveau costuming I’ve ever seen, and then there’s Venice–what more could you want? Only 1 glass of wine, lingered over while gazing sadly at the sunset. With a special thought given for all those for whom love (Venus) is, one way or another, spoiled by the subject of money (Venus). From the novel by Henry James.

The House of Mirth  (2000) Ladies! There comes a point when pride must go by the wayside, and we must settle–but that couldn’t be what Edith Wharton meant, could it? The story of Lily Bart is one that emphasizes how important it is to understand the social milieu in which you move and, most especially, your place in it. Lily doesn’t; one seemingly small disaster after another ensues, creating a slow motion fiasco. Jupiter, then, in the form of society, is the villain here. Lily, sure she’s a never-fading Venus, shows in her own soft way many of the goddess’s worst qualities, incarnate. With Gillian Anderson excellent in the title role. What would Lily do, in the present day? With any luck, she might not take herself so seriously. This story is a lesson in not seeing one’s physical Beingness as a commodity, given in exchange for the social position and monetary sustenance we think we deserve–invariably, we’ll get the measure wrong. With a suggestion to sort one’s Love inclinations from one’s material needs, for our own safety. Three Motrin, two glasses of wine, and a search on Facebook for old boyfriends

Melancholia (2011) Much of the movie centers on a wedding, and it’s difficult to understand why the bride (Kirsten Dunst) is so on-again, off-again in her attitude–until the bigger picture comes into focus. Relationship dynamics are all-consuming for the short-sighted and the blithely ignorant, and the viewer comes to see that the bride’s melancholy springs from her canary-in-the-coal-mine sensibilities: she knows what’s coming, even as she doesn’t know what’s coming, and acts accordingly. Sumptuously shot, with some amazing sequences, from the ever-upsetting Lars Von Trier. If you’d like to see more of his takes on relationships, may I recommend the harrowing AntiChrist, and the thoroughly dispiriting Breaking the Waves, or the amazing Midsommar (2019) by another upbeat guy, Ari Aster. Post-viewing for any of these movies: sort through your affairs, get right with your God, and then take a long nap.

The Heat (2013) Not a romance but a babemance, and an example of how even women who are nothing alike will have more in common with each other than with any man, if they can only see it. An argument for being Self-possessed and supportive, even as you refuse to wait for a sense of completion through a romantic partner. You’re all right just as you are, ladies (and gents). Recommended: Girls’ Night Out, or order a pizza, to share or just for you, or do whatever you want–it’s your life.

Venus Retrograde 19 December 2021: A Personal Renaissance

09 Thursday Dec 2021

Posted by in astrology, Sun-Venus Inferior Conjunction, Transits and Cycles, Venus, Venus Direction, Venus Retrograde

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Venus is a little more serious in Capricorn–here she is being serious about the Arts: ‘Venus of Poetry’ By Julio Romero de Torres 1913 {{PD}}

Our only imperative in this life is to be. It’s easy to forget that–or maybe, never to learn that, surrounded by a social order that promotes doing and action, that sees value only in what we create, give, or make happen. We receive a message of perpetual pressure to do, to measure ourselves by what we achieve, by the stack of qualifications, money and assets we accumulate, and by the accolades we manage to drag back to our cave (the best cave we can find!) and pile up, dragon-like. We ‘reward’ ourselves with treats, pampering, or even something as essential as rest, when we feel we’ve ‘earned’ them, with our crime being we should value ourselves just because we exist; we are no less worthy for what we don’t do, for the rat race we choose not to run.

Venus in Capricorn can support that societal valuation that we are what we do or what we have, but turning retrograde in this sign offers a new perspective, a potential for freeing ourselves from the link between our impact on the material world and the worthiness of our existence that we may see as natural when it’s anything but. When Venus takes up apparent backward motion we may be able to see the true worth of our efforts, see the genuine usefulness as well as the unreasonable constraints imposed by the status quo, may show us how playing by the rules and judging ourselves by the social order has made appreciation of ourselves just as we are less possible, less obvious, and may have persuaded us that we don’t have worth, unless we conform. Well that’s a crock.

Add to this state the way Venus in Capricorn will pass over Pluto just before going retrograde in the wee hours PST of the 19th, at 26 Capricorn 29. That suggests that just before turnaround we’ll get a glimpse, flashback, or awe-inspiring preview of immense change, a re-making, a re-birth, or a permanent ending that’s coming our way–and that may shake our foundations that are built in Love, relationship certainties, partnership, or financial security. It will be almost impossible to separate our current Plutonian view/ issues from the Venus retrograde–though they may have nothing to do with each other at all.

Pluto will give Venus retro a shadow she doesn’t normally carry, even at times of regression and review, and we are very likely to perceive this as inherent to Venusian matters at this time, rather than as shading provided by the brooding, ultra-serious lord of the Underworld. In Capricorn, this may look like guilt (especially guilt over not being what we consider productive), or like shame (at having our nose to the grindstone, and so missing some Venusian aspect we should’ve attended to), or it could bring a kind of morbid insistence on re-hashing a failed relationship, financial venture, or investment from the past.

Since Venus retrograde is a period of reconnoitering relationships, experimenting with aesthetics and interactions, and trying new, Venus-related activities of the House where this happens, the Houses that Venus rules, and the House where she is placed (the retrograde occurs in the same sign, and so often the same House with Placidus, absolutely the same House with Whole Sign) every 8 years, we are likely to re-visit whatever was cooking the last time Venus turned around here–and that’s where the Plutonian shadow may temporarily fall. The emphasis is always on the matters of the House where the retro occurs, with other Venus-connected factors of secondary relevance, unless receiving an aspect from the transiting body. Sometimes issues dealt with the last time she retrograded here come back in new forms; other times the very same issue springs to life once again, in the very same shape, as if no time has passed at all–and this time around, we are likely to be overly focused on the ways in which something didn’t work, was destroyed or lost, or on our own part in permanent change that the retro cycle prompts us to re-examine and mourn–and that’s even if we are fully aware the change was necessary, or we’re happy with the way things turned out.

This might seem the more obvious choice to illustrate this post. ‘La Nascita di Venere’ (The Birth of Venus) By Sandro Botticelli c1485 {{PD}}

It can feel like deja vu all over again, as they say, when Venus turns backward in the same area every 8 years; it may take a little detective work to see the consistencies and connections to the last time, or it may slap us right in the face with a sense that we’ve been unsuccessful in resolving the issue–or that, not having chosen definitively the last time around, we’re being given the same choice (or opportunity) again.

Also notable may be the way Venus turns around just short of quincunxing the Earth. That suggests that we won’t get the entire meaning of Venus’ retro phase, particularly the implications for our material situation, until later, when Venus finally makes another aspect to Earth/ Sun, slated to happen when Venus meets the Sun in Inferior Conjunction, 8-9 January 2022.

At the time of Inferior Conjunction the two, Sun and Venus, will be roughly semi-square Jupiter in Pisces–so look for big effects, sometimes world or social sphere events mirroring or echoing personal ones, and look immediately for the spiritual ‘message’ delivered by relationships or financial situations–they’ll be telling, but despite new revelations, save choices for after direction, early hours PST of 29 January. Venus will go direct with her first major contact being the Moon, just entered into Capricorn at the moment of direction and slated to meet Venus in just under one day. Emotions rush in, feelings become clear and probably undeniable, and intuition speaks loudly of the meaning of what’s happened during the retrograde.

That’s when we return to our customary tastes and relationship state-of-mind–and when we’re in the best position to assess our findings from the retro period. That’s when we have our personal renaissance, having re-visited and refreshed matters of the natal House where the retro occurs, and re-gained clear consciousness of both Venusian facets of our lives, and the worth of ourselves, being, just as we are.

Venus Retrograde 2018 Experimental Passions

04 Thursday Oct 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, future events in the sky, Retrogrades + Directions, Venus, Venus Retrograde

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‘Femme nue’, 1889 By Jean-Léon Gérôme {{PD}}

Venus currently appears stationary, and will begin apparent backward motion on October 5th at 10 Scorpio 50 (and a skosh), 12:05 PM PDT. Every 8 years Venus retrogrades at just a few degrees less in the same sign; last retro in Scorpio began October 7th 2010 at 13 Scorpio 13. We look back to what happened at that time for clues as to what will appear this time; the House of the natal chart where the retrograde falls will tell you what subjects, individuals, or groups will potentially be prominent. These issues may be the same as last time Venus went retro here, they even may pick up exactly where they left off, or another topic represented by the House may come forward, and there’s the possibility that the Venus retro effect may spill over into the matters of the Houses of the natal chart ruled by Venus, as well as Venus’ usual themes of ‘Love & Money’.

Venus’ turnaround prompts us to pull back on aesthetic choices, to reconsider friendships, partnerships, or love interests, to review investments of all kinds, to experiment in these areas. Suddenly we wake up one day and long to try something new in one or another Venus ruled arena; as this retro is in Scorpio, we are likely to dig, excavate, research, our need to find ‘the Truth’ urgent and emotionally stirring, with all the consequent (and probably predictable) upset this brings to relationships, values, or financial situations. We’ll be drawn, one way or another, into a Venusian ‘cave’–how and how deeply we choose to explore it is the retrograde journey.

During the retrograde we may decide to resuscitate some Venusian interest. We could go back to making Art, making money, or making Love, reconnect with an ex-, reach out to a lost friendship, dabble in new income sources, or look to handle our funds or interactions differently than before. What we cherish or find rewarding comes into focus–though we could say it loses its usual focus, giving us a different viewpoint than we are accustomed to–and we may see temporary circumstances that turn as much on finding what doesn’t work for us as by locating what does.

The retro period frees us from the usual Venusian constraints we apply (indicated by the natal Venus placement by House and most especially by sign), but caution from the get-go is necessary: what we may not see is that our judgments made under the influence of the retro may not hold, may in fact revolt or upset us when Venus is once again direct. We need to remain cognizant of the experimental nature of a Venus retrograde–the trick is to venture out of our comfort zones, try new things, but to do so without destroying what already is–though that judgment may come later, once the goddess goes direct.

Who holds emotional power within relationships may be at issue, and the choice to regenerate contacts that may have withered may come before us. Passions of all stripe may be re-ignited, and passion may be the measure against which we judge all things at this time. Does it fire us up, does it move us, does it reach us deep inside? Venus in Scorpio will let us know if it does–or maybe even more important, if it doesn’t–and one thing we can know is that our experiences now will reach into our emotional depths. Feelings that may have been hidden could see the light–and of course, once released that djinn can’t be shoved back into the bottle.

By Max Slevogt 1896 {{PD}}

What we must remember, though, is that our tastes and preferences change shape during the retro; tried-and-true preferences give way to the exotic or strange, or especially with Scorpio, to the dark impulse or forbidden, the urge toward complete obliteration, transformation, or change, the seduction of the extreme. What we fall in or out of love with may or may not better reflect who we really are–it all depends on so many things.

What have you always wanted to try, in line with subjects of the House placement of the retro within the natal chart, but it crossed a line for you? You may be presented with that very thing (or go out seeking it!) between now and 16 November–and add to that Mercury’s retrograde in Sagittarius as soon as Venus completes her apparent backward motion, suggesting that out from under the altered tastes of Venus retro we must immediately re-think our actions or what we’ve learned (Merc in Sagittarius, a Fire sign). Take the hint: during this Venus retro we are likely to do some things we later question; that means changes should be easily un-doable–dying the hair pink, yes! Getting a tattoo, no! Dating someone new, sure! Getting married spur-of-the-moment, nope!

Aspects made soon after the retrograde period begins, or aspects occurring at the turnaround point, often clue us in to the nature of the retro itself, and certainly to the circumstances early in the period. This time, other than a sextile from the Moon once she changes sign, Venus’ first aspect will be a square to Mars in Aquarius. That occurs 10th-11th of October and is accompanied by a conjunction from the Moon to Venus. This suggests that we likely meet at least some consequences of our actions during the retro–and these may show too much of a tendency to intellectualize the Will, perhaps divorcing it from the raw want that Venus can stir, and possibly underestimating the emotional impact our choices will have, on our own egos, or on our ability to continue to exercise our Will.

The retro period offers situations and circumstances that allow us to reconsider our values, to reassess where and on whom we spend our Venus energy, where we give or invest our Love, our cooperation, what we are willing to do in exchange for life giving material support or Soul-enhancing affections.  Happening in Scorpio, we need to remember during the retrograde that what we’re ultimately aiming for is better discovering or understanding the Truth that drives each of us forward–and from there, how well we receive and process and make use of that information is up to us.

Winter is coming! Photo by me

I’ll be taking some time off, so no daily reports for a while. I will pop back in randomly and do plan on reporting on New and Full Moons, and of course will be checking mail and orders. Hoping to finally finish my Moon book–right now I’m working on the Lunar relationship between Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, and just finished a Juno-heavy Lunar look at Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. Thank you to all my readers, to those who offer support in all forms, and to my clients–you keep me hopping!! and I love you for it 🙂

Just a Little AstroEssence 19 September 2017 Trust Yourself

18 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image, Venus

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Maestro della madonna della bilancia, madona col bambino, s.elisabetta e s.michele, 1510 ca. Photo By Sailko – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30211792

Venus enters Virgo and at the same time contra-parallels Pallas; what could possibly be unwise about attending to what needs service, to accounting for things, about seeing to the harvest, about fussing over the details, and getting it all done in relationships and finances? More than about the physical situation, this may be about what’s in our heads: we think we’re rejecting fantasy, processing clearly and logically, showing our best, most-attuned-to-reality thinking, but the thing is we’re so bent on avoiding setting off old wounds, or on dodging new hurts, that we throw out the creative baby with the bath water, and in our haste invite accident and the unexpected (which, to be fair, includes the potential for serendipity and revelation, the spark of inventive idea–Merc opp Neptune and sesquiquadrate Uranus, Sun opp Chiron). Of course, we’re always offered a way to deal with such friction, and this time it’s through instinct and accessing what we know-but-don’t-know–and that requires a kind of relaxing into our own knowledge, trusting ourselves to know and then follow through on what’s best for us (Sun trine Sedna).

Today’s word image is a cry for help, heard just as you’re falling asleep. That liminal space between consciousness and sleep is typically a place where you can be conscious of what’s in the psychic atmosphere but is not yet overt; this image suggests we’re aware of distress somewhere that we could assist with, but which has not ‘surfaced’ in some obvious way in the material world. Who needs help, and what can, or are you willing, to offer?

New Moon post here–

Just a Little AstroEssence 31 July 2017 Below Consciousness

30 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image, Venus

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Félix Vallotton, 1913 – ‘La nuit au léger brouillard’ {{PD}}

It’s all whispered intuitions, knowing-but-not-knowing, messages sent and received below consciousness, relationships overflowing with caring (but with Venus entering Cancer, sometimes that comes with strings, doesn’t it?) and the suggestion from some that Love and Money are really the same thing–so hand it over! Clarity of thought is an almost impossible goal at this time; stick with the already-known, and don’t mix assets and affections–if we do, we’re bound to get the ratios wrong.

‘At the beach of Trouville’ (1870) Claude Monet {{PD}}

Today’s word image is: three women at the beach ask a stranger to take their picture. This evokes a holiday feel, and one the participants want to memorialize. What are you memorializing, taking a mental picture of, right now? Are you sentimentalizing it, imbuing it with meaning it might not really have? Do you fear it won’t last? Or are those in the ‘snapshot’ truly important to you, with the picture capturing that link forever? And is attention in this direction making you miss some other activity or details you might do better to notice?

I hope your week gets off to a great start!

Your Week 14-20 April 2017 A Taste of What’s Holding You Back

12 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, Inferior Conjunction, Pluto, Retrogrades + Directions, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image, Venus

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‘Merchant’s Wife at Tea’ By Boris Kustodiev 1917 {{PD}}

Friday the 14th we see a perfect blending of ego and action urge with instincts, making for highly successful actions and choices as long as we go totally on those programmed and in-built inclinations. Problems arise from too much conscious attention to values and priorities; this is a time when we quite literally do best to think as little as possible, and to follow the spontaneous instinctive spark we carry within–otherwise, we tie ourselves in knots trying to make material and everyday circumstances meet a ‘purity standard’ that belongs better as an ideal.

Today’s word image is the actor John Wayne. Even when I was a child, he was considered a symbol of American values–but when we inspect those values now, we see their flaws: the embrace of Manifest Destiny, which inherently carries the idea of White superiority; the romanticization of the Western way of life, including its misogynist bent, its assumption of ‘Christian’ values as right and superior, and its lack of regard for both the best interests of animals/ the land, and the rights of other cultures, especially indigenous ones; the idea of rugged individualism, a pernicious code echoing the ‘each man for himself’, ‘survival of the fittest’ ideal which celebrates Self-reliance to an absurd degree, as well as justifying unfettered greed and exploitation, and as fuel for sanctimonious refusal to help others; the romance with guns, which continues today. It may be too much to say we should look at our own ‘John Wayne attitudes’, some way in which we are unquestioningly sure we are carrying the banner of right, or making assumptions about privilege due–it may be enough to look around for and make note of where these ugly Western assumptions may still permeate our thinking, our beliefs about ourselves, our country, or our way of life.

Venus goes direct on the 15th, at 26 Pisces 54; this sends it back toward a re-perfection of that square with Saturn. We get a last taste of barriers, restrictions, obstacles, or required discipline–or we see the cost of those restrictions, or the cost of not having applied them, or what we’ve lost by following (or not following) ‘the rules’, especially as it pertains to relationships. This may present a last, bitter pill, or could show us the difficulty associated with getting what we desire, and though tough, could be the point of delivery–it’s all dependent on previous experience with this square, and the individual impact through the natal chart, especially the unique relationship of each person to the Saturn concepts (which generally dictate whether the retro period represents a ‘taking away’ or an ‘opening the way’).

There’s also a perfection of a Juno sesquiquadrate to the North Node, which on the surface might not seem like much–but when we combine it with the Venus-Saturn effect, with Venus finally leaving her retro phase, we may find, especially if we are female, that empowerment options and circumstances that should help us build our desired future will not be easily exercised. We may find that the patriarchy, the establishment, authorities, elders, or rule-enforcers put obstacles in our way, or try to suppress or stop us. Gaining empowerment is possible, as long as we are willing to work around or be flexible, in terms of those demands or restrictions being made on us.

Today’s word image is a hand-tooled leather bridle. As lovely as the workmanship on one can be, a bridle is essentially an instrument of control, one that works because of the pain it causes (via the metal bit to the sensitive mouth of a horse or other animal). Is there some external control, applied by someone else, that you’re allowing, out of fear of pain if you don’t? What freedom have you allowed to be ‘bridled’, willingly or not? Have you been indoctrinated with the idea that certain behaviors aren’t allowed, that it would be uncivilized (or unladylike, or unmanly) to indulge in them? What’s allowing someone else to ride you–that is, keep on top of you or your performance, in some way–and so control you?

On the 16th we surf an unusually smooth and pleasant minor ‘wave’ of harmonies and sychronicities. Values aid the operation of instincts, actions and choices utilize our most unique skills, and cooperation, especially cooperation between complementary elements (anima and animus, man-woman, assertive and receptive, yin and yang) flows with little effort. It all comes naturally, with the result being that we find the energy and spark to handle what we’ve been ignoring or denying, and in doing so find our personal empowerment options strengthened and elevated.

By Paolo Monti – Available in the BEIC digital library and uploaded in partnership with BEIC Foundation.The image comes from the Fondo Paolo Monti, owned by BEIC and located in the Civico Archivio Fotografico of Milan.This work is free and may be used by anyone for any purpose.

Today’s word image is a single blue balloon, floating up and away from a crowd. That is one of the saddest sights, I think, because it means some child lost their hold; that precious, fleeting pleasure of balloon ownership is, for some probably distraught young one, no more. I find the temporary nature of a balloon part of its appeal; like a flower, you know it doesn’t have a long life–and the fact that they float and fly has always made them special, too. What short-lived pleasure in your life has recently expired? Did you ever think it might simply be practice for enjoying in the moment, and letting go?

By the 17th the real world, as it is right now, is in our faces–and if we handle issues willingly, openly, we find opportunities plentiful and our ability to act unhindered. The issues revolve around deception (by others or our own of ourselves), reality as it is, rather than as we’d like it to be, and how healthy our choices are, at this time; if we can be straight with ourselves over these matters, we will find our personal effectiveness goes beyond anything we’ve been imagining, and that opportunity and support from the social sphere are attracted without any special effort on our part.

Today’s word image is a spider that dangles from a single thread of spider silk above the head of an unsuspecting individual. If you’re afraid of spiders, this might give you the heebie-jeebies–and nobody, frightened of arachnids or not, wants a creepy-crawly in their hair. This may alert us to something undesirable that is ‘hanging over our heads’–and yet we don’t know it, or are not conscious that it poses such a ‘threat’. Maybe the solution is to ‘look up’–or maybe just look around carefully, to be more aware of our surroundings at all times. 

On the 18th we once again see personal power aided by our ability to allow our instincts to call the shots; too, thinking is in line with, and attention is on, the future, allowing us to consciously guide things in the direction we’d like to go. So what’s not working? Wounds around relationships and finances may derail the entire day, unless we are able to set resentments and fears aside and simply listen to the internal pulse of call and intuitive response, without letting negative thoughts intrude.

Today’s word image is an empty closet. You’ve got nothing to hide, right? Or is this a reminder that you’ve got plenty of room, some place clean and ready to hold your things?

On the 19th what we have previously ignored now gets our full attention–and in providing that, we gain in wisdom, practicality, and our ability to affect circumstances. The world is our oyster–and we are poised to start a fresh ‘pearl’, via the Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury–which is precise about 11:01 PM Pacific time, and occurs just after the Sun’s entry into Taurus. This suggests that the seed planted here may be a physical one, the start of something materially significant, the beginning of a project, idea, or condition that has a material impact, or one involving the senses or sense-perceptions. Just a few hours later, on the 20th, Pluto retrogrades at 19 Capricorn 23, and soon thereafter we see Merc shift back into Aries. This subtly alters our retro period thinking; we change from considering material matters, comfort, and consequences to the potentials behind action and Self-responsibility. We start to consider that we are the ones who can do something about ‘it’. As a backdrop to this, Pluto’s change in apparent direction may simply emphasize the darkness, or the destructive tendencies, inherent in the forces of evolution, transformation, and change. Pluto’s retrograde gives us new appreciation for how close we may be standing to the precipice, and how much more carefully we might want to move–or giving us the urge to either back away to safety, or to jump.

By Dwayne Albert – Originally from en.wikipedia; description page was here., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2974795

Today’s word image is a pair of sleeping dogs. Do we ‘let them lie’, as in the saying, or are they not performing as they should, barking when trouble approaches? Either there’s a topic not to be touched at present, or an early warning system is down.

23 September 2016 Abandon

22 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image, Venus

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Photo By Paolo Villa - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51243514

Photo By Paolo Villa – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51243514

The AstroEssence: we have confidence today; for most this results in the kind of abandon that facilitates a willingness to act, that tunes in to highest values, skills, and priorities, and applies some power thinking and planning to make goals happen, but for a few revenge, past hurt (especially in relationships or over finances), and competitive concerns over status and privilege drive a destructive attempt to grab all the power and authority for themselves. This, as you can guess, is not the way to behave. ‘Earth’ yourself, whether by actually putting your bare feet on the ground or by getting your hands ‘dirty’ with something fundamental literally, as in gardening or sculpture, or figuratively, by doing something like handling money or buying property–in any case, put those plans to work in a way that illustrates for you the way you can have a solid impact on your world. If you need to persuade, today’s the day, but don’t be surprised if the result is a (probably slightly negative) shift in finances or relationships (Chiron trine Vesta, Mercury trine Pluto and semi-sq Venus, Earth parallel Ceres and sesq Juno)

Venusian urges can be very exhilarated on first entering the world of Scorpionic feeling. The Foam Sprite (1895) Herbert James Draper {{PD}}

Venusian urges can be very exhilarated, at first entering the world of Scorpionic feeling–it’s dark and a little scary in there. The Foam Sprite (1895) Herbert James Draper {{PD}}

Venus enters Scorpio and unless you’re down with a little mystery, a little sexuality, a little Truth-telling, a little secret-keeping, then you may be a tad uncomfortable as the planet of Love and Money enters the realm of the hidden, the unknown, the devastating, the dark, an area populated by agents of change and transformation, these two latter often driven by emotion (Water sign).

Today’s word image is a crowbar. The main use of a crowbar is to pry something open. Are you trying to force something, a revelation from someone else, your own inclusion in something, access to something you want? On occasion we may inadvertently push forward with something, not quite comprehending its (and our) true state; we may need to consider that if sheer force is the only thing that gets us what we want, we may not have a right to it at all.

For those born with the Sun at 1 Libra: you may be undergoing a subtle assessment in the asset or relationship department, in preparation for expansion, getting ‘more’, or in expectation of leaving for distant horizons. You may feel secure in these areas, as if you can count on things to stay the same while you seek to express your freedom–think again. You can’t ask for all the license you’re claiming and still expect others to stay static, waiting for your decision as to whether they’ll be part of your life or not. Be optimistic and take opportunities, even as you think carefully about what you might lose, if you go chasing the dream. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

27 February 2016 The Meaning of Beauty

26 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Venus

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'Musicienne du silence' Arthur Hacker c1900 {{PD}}

Something beautiful today catches your eye–and sends you a message. ‘Musicienne du silence’ Arthur Hacker c1900 {{PD}}

Beauty is our visual, psychic, and spiritual clue as to what’s wise today, with the state of relationships and finances providing info on the smart move, or the profitable one; and the loving option is another indicator of which way to turn. It’s a good thing we have this guideline, because our thinking is thrown off by the social sphere or by a bias that wants ‘more’ or ‘bigger’, which won’t necessarily serve us best; in this case, the ‘Beauty’ of something, or the kindness of someone, leads us toward what’s new, original, unique, and ultimately supremely creative, formed in the shape of our ideals (Perfecting today: Venus conjoins Pallas, Merc qnx Jupiter, Sun nov Uranus–and the Sun is due to conjoin Neptune on the 28th)

What’s your Venus in? That’s where you’ll find your image/ symbol of the day, something meant to act as a synchronous signal to you pointing out ‘what’, ‘which way’, or even ‘who’ or ‘how’. A few thoughts: in Aries you might see the beauty in anger (maybe in some righteous cause); in Taurus in things that bring comfort, or indulging in luxury; in Gemini in words or communications, in beautiful thoughts; in Cancer in the examination of something just changed (based on its ruler, the ever-changing Moon); in Leo you might see the beauty behind the pride; in Virgo the beauty in the details; in Libra in the partner, or in good manners; in Scorpio in the darkness, the mystery; in Sagittarius in reaching out, or in sharing knowledge or in the ‘facts’; in Capricorn there’s beauty in boundaries, appreciation for order and the structure of things; in Aquarius open the Self to a Higher Understanding; in Pisces beauty is found in recognizing (whether you want to or not!) the Oneness of All.

Revealing and fun: Simple Profections at Kelly’s Astrology

29-30 December 2015 Caring About the Future

28 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Venus

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Hans Thoma 1887 {{PD}}

Hans Thoma 1887 {{PD}}

With Venus’ entry into Sagittarius, we’re looking toward the horizon, as far ahead as we can, into the distance, if not into the future; what we need to know is that our outlook, though it seems focused on relationships and/ or finances, is actually influenced by those things we’re ignoring or denying, or those things about which we’re enraged, that are linked to relationships or finances. This has two effects: it makes us reactionary in thought and action, and it inspires us to think outside our usual box. Grab on to the inspiration–it can be truly original in the way it informs our more typical expressions, giving them real style–and separate (if possible) any thoughts or ideas from a sense of anger–anything that comes forward and is infested with outrage or vengeance will waste our energy and squander the imaginative energies that are ours for the tapping. Take aim carefully; at this time it’s as easy to destroy or be mislead as it is to create (Venus enters Sagittarius and is semi-square Pluto and Black Moon Lilith, Merc sq Mars and nov Neptune, Sun sxt Neptune)

Enjoy your day!

Venus Into Scorpio: Hacking the Darkness

03 Thursday Dec 2015

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Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - 'Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld' 1860 {{PD}}

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot – ‘Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld’ 1860 {{PD}}

Here’s something we need to get clear on: Venus is not, on her own, a sweetness-and-light kind of energy; when we portray her that way, we conveniently forget that she signifies jealousy, envy, a particular kind of want that’s like lust, and a gluttony (literal or symbolic) that desires whatever it desires, without boundaries or end, and this on top of standing for Love, Money, Beauty, talents, and all other assets. She is appetite, a kind of monstrous need, monstrous because it doesn’t know satiation or restraint. Sign placement can offer those things, put reins on expression, give the appetite form, focus, and purpose–and in Scorpio we see a Venus that wants to know the Truth, that carries a vortex of passion crushing as a black hole, that holds at her receptive center a mystery, and a question: What lies beneath?

Scorpio beckons us to go below consciousness, to look beneath the day-to-day, to venture into unexplored or hidden or even denied territory, and Venus is want, she is desire, she looks to bond, to blend, to cooperate, and so drives that attempt to, in the modern vernacular, hack the Scorpionic darkness. Here she becomes concerned with what is behind the curtain, under the polite invitation or excuse, curious about the attitude lurking beneath the etiquette and the passionate heart hidden by the prim, sugary smile. Venus in Scorpio sees the beauty in death, decay, in trash and what’s used, discarded, broken; she also sees beauty (and finds love) in what’s ugly. If we were to name a Venus in Scorpio fairy tale, it might be Beauty and the Beast, or anything where the discerning eye sees potential in what others have agreed to overlook, to declare useless, valueless, vulgar, obscene.

Venus in Scorpio always reminds me of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; it’s a story of dealing with the darkness that tells us the only way to retrieve your Love from the confines of Hades (the personal one found in the negative Venusian traits, located in the caves of Scorpio or the contact of Venus to Pluto) is restraint, in Self-discipline, looking only toward what’s ahead, as to look back will cause you to lose what you want most, a future filled with light, that knows loss and so extraordinarily values what has been saved.

It’s interesting that beautiful young Orpheus had immense power and charm derived from his singing and playing of the lyre, with these being related to that other Venus sign, Taurus, ruler of the throat and voice. Eurydice is the woman he loved, whom he married and who died on their wedding day, bitten by a viper as she walked with her maids through a field. Orpheus mourned, but out of desolation came the desire to go to the Underworld himself, to rescue his love. He felt he could play for Pluto and Proserpina and in moving them persuade them to allow Eurydice to return to the world. He believed his playing would be powerful in Hell in the same way it drew all living things to him on Earth, and even moved objects in Nature–and it was. Milton says that Orpheus’ performance, “Drew iron tears down Pluto’s cheek, and made Hell grant what Love did seek.”

There was one condition: Orpheus could lead Eurydice out, but he was not to look back at her until they had reached the surface. In symbolic terms this is the restraint and Self-discipline that is required for any safe journey to and return from the Underworld; it is what’s required to survive in our current form the entry into and exit from a world that’s not our own, and most importantly, to successfully bring back something of worth, something we love. Even Pluto’s bride, Proserpina/ Persephone, was warned that she would be unable to return to the surface if she ate while in Hades, as she was still alive when taken there–and she ate 6 pomegranate seeds, binding her for 6 months of the year to the darkness.

It was a long path that Orpheus took to climb out pf Hell, one that wound through what seemed like an endless series of Scorpionic caves, and he had to trust that Eurydice was following behind. He was told that no matter what, he wasn’t to look at her until both were completely above ground. Orpheus climbed and eventually the blackness turned to twilight, and then to a gray like sunrise, and Orpheus was consumed with fear that Eurydice wasn’t following, that she might need help–he heard nothing at all behind him–and he turned to look at his love, only to see her disappear from the mouth of the cave, returned to the land of the dead–and of course, he was barred from a second foray as long as he lived; entry to the Underworld is unnatural for the living, and to consciously pass between the two is a privilege the gods never grant twice.

On the 4th we have, besides Venus’ entry to Scorpio, a Mercury-Jupiter square. This alerts us to the potential for exaggerated communications, and that our own thoughts could run away from us, blown into something impossible to realize. It could also promise some difficulty accepting facts, conflict over beliefs, and both criticism and discovery, with the potential for confusion as to which is the source of what, as each body sits in a sign ruled by the other.

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