Venus Retrograde
Yes, this conversation is about Venus, the planet. Yes, this discussion includes the psychosomatic influences of the planet Venus on a human being. Yes, I believe that planets have an impact on us tiny little human beings. This is precisely what astrology introduces as a concept. The concept is that various planets and alignments of those planets give us specific answers to very real and practical problems in our daily lives. The planets can also open doors to contemplation over big questions, like who we are, where we come from, and what our purpose is; but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
You don't have to agree with me or believe in any of the theories I present here, all I ask is that you open your mind to the possibility that something much larger than you could potentially influence your personality and your life.
You see, it might not even be about the planets at all. It's about what these celestial bodies represent. I could pretend the way the moon affects the tides means that all the planets in our Solar System work the same way. There might be some scientific evidence that the moon drives people to act mad or like a lunatic ("Luna" from Roman word meaning the moon) when she is in her full, but not nearly enough research to satisfy a skeptic. I could pretend the nature of our moon is proof that all astrology works somehow, but that doesn't even convince me.
The truth is, I don't know why astrology works. No astrologer in recorded history knows or knew why astrology works. Astrologers (let's say most) have seen time and time again that the ancient symbols which represent something as vague as a celestial body offer meaning to questions that are bigger than us humans. At the same time, this ancient art has an innate ability to present solutions to practical problems.
Unsplash by @simonppt
What I like about astrology is that it is not a dogmatic religion. It is open to interpretations. You may use it as you like or not use it at all. Suit yourself. I am not trying to convince anyone to follow a rigid way of thinking or an established set of principles. This is an open conversation, and I would love to hear your questions, concerns, and thoughts.
What I’ve learned by studying astrology is that I am able to communicate with my own psyche, and at the same time with something bigger than myself. That bigger thing is something I like to call life. (You may have heard of it) Life is in constant communication with all of us, and we are able to decipher her messages only if we keep our eyes focused, our ears tuned in, and our minds sharp.
VENUS
It is best to begin learning this astrological method of communication with life through what is speaking to us the loudest. At this moment in time, it is the planet Venus. Venus has many names: Aphrodite, Ianna, Goddess of Love and Beauty… but why does she speak to us now and what is she trying to say?
Planets do not use words. Planets use life to express what you need to hear. What do I mean by this? There are layers to understanding life, of course; such as mental, physical, biological, psychological, and spiritual, to name a few. The beauty of understanding planetary influences is that these are tangible bodies with astronomical cycles. Planetary astronomy directly correlates to the psychosomatic meanings given to these planets. For one, it is a relief to me as an astrologer to be able to understand the symbolism of the planets through their visual expression. On the other hand, astronomy is a great place to start when it comes to Venus.
VENUS PLANETARY CYCLES
Like Earth, Venus moves in a harmonious cycle. Instead of 365 days, however, it takes Venus 584 days to complete her journey around the Sun. The beginning of a Venus cycle is marked when she comes as close to the Sun as possible. In that way, Venus, who on most days is the brightest star in the sky, becomes invisible. The metaphor in this is undeniable. Venus can still see us, but we can't see her. Thus, our essential needs take a backseat and instead, our expedient desires drive our decisions. More on that later.
The Sun eventually overtakes Venus because the Goddess of Love moves a lot slower, and she reappears to us Earthlings as a morning star. Later, the Sun and Venus meet briefly when Venus begins to rise as an evening star once again, vividly noticeable after sunset. She is the first star in the evening sky. She shines so brightly she is hard to miss.
The above description is the introduction to understanding the Venus dance in the sky. The dance of Venus star is a choreographed repetition that occurs over eight years. Venus's synodic cycles are one of those treasures of the universe that are best seen not told. Here is an image from InterferenceTheory.com that represents the mesmerising flower pattern that Venus cycles create.
If your mind wasn’t already blown by that image, wait until you hear this magical little nugget. Have you heard of the Fibonacci sequence? The sequence that is a miraculous ratio fitting into anything beautiful in the world like: flowers, shells, birds, bees, and, yes, Venus's synodic cycles. That might give you an idea as to what Venus represents in our psyche but how is it helpful for you. Read further to discover the beauty that you have just at the tip of your finger, at the thought of your grey matter, and at the depth of your soul.
VENUS the Psychosomatic Meanings
Let us examine the common meanings associated with Venus. Most of us, when we hear Venus, we immediately think of love, beauty, and femininity. The kind of beauty that inspires love. The kind of love that possesses the soul, eradicates borders, and goes against all the odds. Love that is free-spirited yet takes your breath away; a love that is rebellious by nature; an enemy to parents, authority, and maybe even society. Ironically, it is society that gave Venus her rebellious name. We watch films about undying love, burn off our eardrums with tragic romance songs, and we dream of a love like that because we forget to see love everywhere else.
What if we considered love and beauty from a different angle? Why do we think of romantic love to be different from the love we have for our children or the love towards our occupations? Love is a feeling of warmth, respect, and care. No words could justify a love that can only be felt to be understood.
No, Venus is not only romantic love. She lives at the core of our being and reaches out her tender hands towards what it is we truly need. Most of us are creatures of society raised by television, radio and patterns that our families have followed for generations. Most of us cannot hear the reasonable voice of Venus when she shows us what we need, so instead we grab onto what we want.
When Venus goes retrograde we become tempted by our guilty pleasures; the things we need to let go. The things we might have even seen as a need we will begin to see as a want. This is human nature. We clasp onto our addictions which we believe to fill the emptiness inside us. Addictions that are destructive. You might already know what it is you need to let go of, but usually when we know it’s time to let go of something, we cling onto it even tighter. Think about when you go on a diet. All of the sudden you begin to crave these foods that you are not allowed to have. We cling onto what we are accustomed to. We are afraid to find out what it would be like without the thing which fills that emotional or psychological void.
VENUS Retrograde in GEMINI
Venus is beauty, because through understanding the Venus in your life (astrological chart) you will understand what you truly need for life to be beautiful and fulfilling. When Venus comes close to the Sun and becomes invisible, whatever inauthentic beauty we had in our lives becomes obvious. What do I mean by inauthentic beauty? Things like addictions, lovers that are selfish and cruel, food that sounds good but is actually terrible for you, even that ugly lamp that was such a great bargain but in your heart of hearts you know is atrocious. The beauty that was shiny and shimmering but had no substance will be stripped away and all that will remain is the true essence. The question is: what do you need to see with clarity once Venus goes into the shadow of the sun?