Venus "Affliction"

I got an e-mail about the last post, and I thought I would clear a few things up...

When I talk about my "afflicted" Venus, I really should put that in quotation marks. I was being a bit cheeky there in the previous post. I just think it's an amusing way to shut people up when they ask me why I'm not married with kids.

"So...why haven't you gotten married yet? No men in your life? No kids? Why is that?"

I mean, how do you really answer that, anyway?

"Afflicted Venus in the 4th," seems as good an answer as any.

Or maybe: "I'm a Pluto in Libra, and my generation has a lot of soul-crushing, crystallized relationship dynamics to break down. Instead of attracting karmic relationship after karmic relationship into my life to break the old, toxifying constructs down, I choose to process it on my own until I've cleared enough collective debris and the timing is right for a real, long-term dude." Better?

Or how about: "Well, I sense that you and your significant other have about another six months, tops. You're really just buying into what you think a relationship should be and letting some serious problems fester, there, rather than building on true compatibility. I just want to avoid situations like that."

Yeah, "afflicted Venus in the 4th" it is.

It's not actually the definition of afflicted, so that was a bit of a misnomer. Afflicted generally refers to a heavily stressfully aspected planet. My Venus is what they call "in detriment" - in the sign opposite one it rules. Venus rules Taurus and Libra, so it would be considered in detriment in Scorpio or Aries.

(The Sun is considered in detriment in Aquarius, the Moon in Capricorn, Mercury in Sagittarius or Pisces, Venus in Aries or Scorpio, Mars in Libra or Taurus, Jupiter in Gemini, Saturn in Cancer, Uranus in Leo, Neptune in Virgo and Pluto in Taurus. Sort of like a concentrated oppositional energy. Trying to find expression through a sign it lacks compatibility with in certain respects.)

My natal Venus has also just turned retrograde, almost stopped in the sky, so I consider in detriment + just stationed retro to be "afflicted," if only in the general (not astrological) sense of the term. Retrogrades can bring delays and a feeling of going back over old territory to finish off situations begun previously, so there you go. Then being a Sun/Pluto Libra, with Venus as the dispositor of that - it's very influential.

I can see the possibility of someone holding the idea that he/she has a "bad placement" and that causing problems, but for me, it's the opposite. I've lived these dynamics my whole life and wondered why, and the astrological symbol just clarifies what is going on. It helps me to work with the process, tailored to me, instead of trying to set my life up according to the usual rules.

I don't read things in a fatalistic way or tell people, "Oh, you're being punished for past lives. It's your bad karma." *cough* bullshit! *cough* (Although there is often an element of necessary personal growth or adjustment, collective karma is the overwhelming battle these days.)

I believe everything in a birth chart is purposeful. You just have to look deeper sometimes to see the purpose (and benefits) of difficult aspects and placements. That is not to say they're easy or fun things to deal with. My Venus is a bitch, but I sure do love that bitch. I don't go overboard with the supposed "negative" aspects of placements, but I don't believe it's helpful to sugar-coat them, either.

The people I know with the strongest character, morals, integrity and will to help and do the right thing - the people I admire the most - have lived very challenging, often difficult, sometimes hellish lives. They've dealt with knock after knock, and they came out the best stuff humanity has to offer.

From my experience, afflicted planets or planets in detriment are somewhat difficult placements involving a process that requires more time, effort and challenge to master the themes. They're not easy, flowing placements. They're a bit of a bitch and a bit of a mystery, and you have to give it your all to really understand and work with the dynamics. They relate to working out some really tight knots that have existed in the collective for a very long time now.

But these are also often advanced placements, for people with the mad skills, and come with big rewards if they should be mastered. And if not, well, at least we did everything we could, and the next comrade can take it from there.

It's the idea of whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Although with Scorpio/Pluto involved, you often feel that it will end up killing you. (Or sometimes wish it would?) Warning! Super off-colour humour up ahead ---- For Scorpionics/Plutonics, if you haven't fantasized about sucking on the business end of a shotgun before, you're not doing it right.

My particular Venus "affliction" (Venus Rx in Scorpio in the 4th House) has to do with "going back for people" on a soul level, so it's a meaningful placement. A lot of completions of the soul, so to speak. I've travelled to some very odd outposts to reactivate people who had become lost in the set-ups of it all. The interactions triggered necessary endings, transitions or transformations. They got things moving in that alchemical Scorp way. And it was often energetically dangerous stuff because those reinforcing the set-ups don't want people reactivated on that level.

So from an outside perspective, this looks unfortunate to a lot of people. And in a way (on a personal level), it is. But the conditions have been such that I had to give it my all to try to tip the tipping points. My energy up until now went into other things rather than the traditional life with a husband, home, family. I know these things will come if they're meant to. I trust cosmic timing. But this situation does come with it's frustrations. I just try to be completely honest about it and put it into words on the blog for myself and anyone who has similar themes to deal with.

As far as it being a choice to do this work (or to live under any particular conditions), again, these are decisions I've made while taking the collective circumstances into consideration - so considering the conditions I live within on Planet Earth, my particular skills to deal with those conditions, and how things need to change, the amount of "choice" involved is highly limited.

For myself, I know that choices are often made for long-range progress/to assist the collective whole that aren't necessarily the choices that would be made if free will and immediate personal gratification were the only forces at play. (Which is one of the reasons I'm not a proponent of The Secret or the so-called law of attraction.)

I don't believe we're born into a blank slate. I believe we're born into and are connected to what has come before on this planet, what exists at the moment, and what is yet to come. For myself, I know that I have to work with the circumstances as I understand and experience them. I have to understand my own personal context in order to do what I came to do with this life. It's not strictly about me...

I guess it comes down to the fact that the majority of people on this planet seem to think soul or spiritual direction is in the realm of "make believe." They don't understand this type of work or this type of motivation and think I'm just putting off becoming an "adult" and taking my place in the rat race. Not so.

For those who think this isn't work or that it doesn't take any particular skill, I'd suggest they give it a whirl themselves, and then they can make their judgements. As far as astrology, they can learn it, gain some mastery of it, start their own astrology blog, start doing readings and see for themselves.

That's a problem with Virgo energy - it makes things look too easy, as if anyone could do them. Again, have a go at it, and then we'll talk.

As far as dealing with these dynamics, I love myself deeply, and I love the people I'm here for equally as much. That's why I work hard for us.

I'm guilty of helping people who didn't deserve my help in the past. I've also been guilty of continuing to try to help people when they didn't want or maybe didn't know how to use the assistance I was trying to give. I've been bitten in the ass in that way many times. But that's something you have to live and learn and adjust accordingly - also a strong Virgo-Pisces polarity theme.

I'm not actually sure why, but I find that a lot of very good people (the best people, really) are often treated badly by others. I don't think it's a lack of self-worth that "creates" the dynamics. I think it's actually a very strong, unshakeable sense of self, purpose and self-worth that triggers other people, somehow. If you're not insecure in the ways that they are and living life in the ways that they are, they want to somehow make you that insecure. Break you down or push you down.

I think in a way, people are threatened by those who live by their own values and internal guidance/sense of right and wrong. And by those who have simple motives to help and do the right thing.

I'm not sure if it makes THEM feel badly about themselves/resentful and they lash out. Or if it's just that they try to attack what they don't understand. Hard to say, but it sure is irritating.

Venus in Aries Retrograde and Why I'm Crap at Telling You When Mr./Ms. Right is Going to Show Up...

So the big astro news for March (to me, anyway) is the Venus retrograde in Aries. Venus goes retrograde once every 18 months for around 40 - 43 days. The current retrograde begins the evening of March 5, 2009 at 15 degrees Aries and ends April 16/17 (12:35 a.m. MST) at 29 degrees Pisces.

As I said in a previous post, this is significant because 29 degrees Pisces is the last degree of the zodiac. We're also experiencing the final layers of the Piscean Era, in general. So big Piscean "finishing" energy wrapped up with the "fresh start" energy of Aries.

(Quick recap for beginners - a retrograde happens when, because of the movement of the planets, a planet appears from our perspective on Earth to stop in the sky and go backward, retracing the area from which it just came. The planet retraces degrees of the zodiac, then "stops" again, before appearing to move forward. A chance to adjust to shifting gears, shifting energies and internally recalibrate to progressing outer conditions.)

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and the sign related to the individual self. Ruled by Mars, it relates to who we are and what we want. Personal desire. On the most fundamental level, it represents the desire to start again.

After going through the spiritual surrender and dissolution process of the 12th house/Pisces, Aries is where we scream forth in all our might with the raw, powerful will to live (birth). Movement begins again here. We come back into the physical body from the etheric realms and have another go at 'er. ;-)

Venus is the planet relating to things like love, beauty, relationships, what we need (including money), what we value and self-worth. It rules the opposite sign of Aries, Libra.

Libra is about being in relationship to. It seeks balanced, harmonious partnerships with equals. Aries is about the self. So Venus is in the opposite sign of its rulership while it is in Aries, and we are challenged to balance the needs of me with we. We are very aware of our own identities and what we personally want with Venus here, but we have to work with the identities and personal desires of those we are in relationship to in order to get anything done.

Those who generally subvert their own identities and personal desire/will for the sake of harmony in their relationships will be asked to rebalance this. And those who are used to getting their way with others just might not get it so easily. There is always a push and pull when it comes to working with polarity energy.

What we want now is: something new! A fresh, new direction in our relationships and a newly held place for us to be our ever-unfolding true selves within them. We want to be ourselves and to have that work within our relationships - no guilt, no subverting who we really are and what we really want and need.

With Venus in Aries, there is no more compromising ourselves for other people. Unless, of course, you're one of the people who never does the compromising. In that case, the exertion of the other's will might come as quite an affront.

This dynamic was quite apparent in February as we closed the store. I wasn't about to cater to ridiculous demands at this point (not that I ever do, but all the entitlement issues and bourgeois egos sort of bottlenecked last month). Telling horribly entitled mature soul types that they weren't going to get what they wanted (even with Visas and MasterCards at the ready) was pretty sweet, I must say! heh heh

There could be anger (Mars) involved in our relationships on both ends as we deal with balancing needs and wants during this retrograde. We'll see new facets of identity pushing forth in ourselves and in the people around us - surprising but also refreshing. A more powerful will, one we possibly didn't know was there.

And remember - Venus in Aries is most certainly about a fresh start for ourselves and those we're in relationship with, but the Venus retrograde is heading back to the last degree of the zodiac cycle, the degree where any unresolved crap (but also a great deal of spiritual wisdom) has accumulated - 29 degrees Pisces.

Pisces/12th House collects stuff from all the signs that came before. It's a bit of a last stop dumping ground, so anything about our relating/relations that was pushed into our subconscious to be dealt with "later"? Well...later will be Venus on that 29th degree. Mopping up the last messes before we can really push forward into something new in our way of relating with others. We'll be tested one last time here to make sure we REALLY got it, that we really have cleared out and bolstered ourselves around any old Piscean pitfalls.

Venus will station (appear to stop and then turn to move forward again) on this 29th degree, so we're challenged to show mastery with these final Piscean lessons from April 11 to 23.

We're getting it from Venus both coming and going!

One side of the coin will be related to holding the energy of our new consciousness in the face of the old Piscean energy nipping at us, looking for blind spots, weaknesses and ways to get in and sabotage. These dynamics will primarily be set up in our relations with other people. Having the self-worth to say: I want something new and better in my relationships! No more old stuff that's past its expiry date. No more falling for those too-good-to-be-true mirages in our relations with others. No more wishful thinking about the other person or our relationship with them that only ends up screwing us over. No more setting ourselves up for victimization from another...or to do the victimizing. We have to become fully aware of all those old blind spots and seal them up once and for all.

The other side of the coin of retro Venus at 29 Pisces is related to being infused with the masterful spiritual understanding, connection and unconditional love that sign has to offer. To bring this spiritual love, compassion and understanding of ourselves and others into our daily relationships as we go forward.

Any relationships begun recently will have this backdrop going on...some past completion/clearing before you get to the exciting part.

After coming out of Pisces April 23 (under the umbrella of wrapping up tail-end Piscean Age stuff), Venus in Aries really isn't going to take any crap from anyone. Feisty!

Relationships that can't handle who you really are will be left in the dust. With love!

Venus doesn't clear its retrograde shadow until May 20, so nothing completely new until then. However, when Venus goes direct April 16, we'll be raring to go with the new insight we have gained into ourselves and how we interact in relationships...as well as a deeper understanding (from that 29 degree Pisces work) of relationships past and why things went the way they did.

If we receive carefully the love retrograde Venus is trying to give us through this understanding, we should truly have a clean slate as we move forward. Best case scenario, we should be able to clear all the cycles before this one and send them on their way with love. These are the monumental times we're living in! Just think about completing everything there ever was to complete in your relationships (even through ancestral lines) and moving forward from that. We'll be assisted to do so.

Venus Retro Breakdown:

February 1, 2009 - Venus entered its retrograde shadow at 29 degrees Pisces (so we go back over the degrees starting from this point)
March 5, 2009 - Venus goes retrograde at 15 degrees Aries - RETROGRADE BEGINS
April 11, 2009 - Venus hits 29 degrees Pisces going retrograde
April 16, 2009 - Venus stations direct at 29 degrees Pisces - RETROGRADE ENDS
April 23, 2009 - Venus re-enters Aries
May 20, 2009 - Venus clears the retrograde shadow at 15 degrees Aries and we enter new territory

The Spring Equinox occurs March 20 as the Sun leaves Pisces and enters Aries. Here is that Arien birth point again. We've made it out of winter. Life begins again. The days are longer than the nights (in the Northern Hemisphere) from here on in.

There is a very interesting New Moon in Aries March 26. The Sun and Moon come together at 6 degrees Aries conjunct retrograde Venus. Mercury is also in Aries at this time and takes part in the conjunction. The sunshine hits retrograde Venus and we become conscious of, feel and understand what is newly being born in ourselves and in our relationships.

This is a double dose of fresh, "new start" energy. Because this New Moon is in Aries conjunct retro Venus, we should be able to take our first steps into our new selves within our relationships here. A burst of forward motion tailored to us. I know a lot of people (including me) have been feeling stuck, and I hope this New Moon helps propel us out of the shadows.

Then again, I generally feel at a standstill when it comes to Venus/relationship issues, which leads me to the second part of this post: why I'm crap at telling people when Mr./Ms. Right is going to show up...

Now, I completely understand that when consulting someone like an astrologer (or, in a similar vein, a tarot reader, psychic, any kind of reader, actually), people REALLY want to know when their mate is coming along. This is important information and information I really wish I could provide.

I was born with Venus Retrograde in Scorpio in the 4th House. Not only that, but Venus went retrograde one day before I was born, meaning Venus is basically standing still in my birth chart. In Scorpio. Retrograde. In the 4th House. :-)

Anyway, for those of you wondering what all that means, let's just say that I have an atypical experience of Venus. Because of this atypical experience, I'm not the best with more traditional analysis of Venus and relationships - things people commonly want analyzed.

My personal relationships are generally extremely dharmic/karmic and are related to evolutionary desire more so than what I think I want. All my relationships have to be reframed within that context (sigh) with a looooooong, long range vision of what is going on. Using a progressed chart, I'll be dealing with this Venus in Scorpio retrograde and its shadow my entire life. Nothing else. So when I say I have very little free will this lifetime...this is a big part of it.

Unless I want to attract relationships that are irritating at best, damaging and maybe even life-threatening at worst, it's best for me to just deal with and process this stuff inside myself when the universe says so. (4th House)

It's not that there aren't people I like in the world...it's just that once we actually start interacting face-to-face, things generally go awry in that alchemically Scorpionic kind of way.

I think this also relates to Pluto in Libra, in general, in that our generation has to do a whole hell of a lot of work on the front end of these lifetimes to experience, break down, and process out stultifying, abusive and "just not right" relationship dynamics of all sorts. And we attract a whole hell of a lot of relationships designed to be vehicles to do just that...which often doesn't allow for much of the lovey good feelings that Venus is traditionally associated with.

So basically, I can tell you what the purpose of you NOT being in a relationship is. I can talk about the soul growth, the alignment going on and the love you're showing yourself and others long-term by processing things in yourself. I can talk about the internal masculine-feminine rebalancing that is going on these days.

I personally experience the sometimes primal scream-worthy frustration of these conditions, so I can commiserate about the isolation and disappointment and constant experience of waiting, waiting, waiting.

But this information is small comfort, and I realize that.

I can't tell you when Mr. or Ms. Right is going to show his/her lovely face. I really wish I could because that's what we all want to know.

All I can say is I've learned that these trials do have a purpose, even when it feels as if they're going to kill you and/or drive you insane. I can't offer the comfort of saying he or she is just around the corner because I just don't know. I'm not 100% sure how long the solitary confinement will last.

But I can say that I think Pluto in Libras (and anyone taking on this type of soul work) have the possiblity of creating the most beautiful, deeply loving and meaningful relationships this planet has ever seen. That we can bring forward human relations and love relationships truly befitting this beautiful planet - ones that allow for our further mutual soul growth, rather than following patterns and forms that bring misery and dissatisfaction. I strongly feel it's all possible. It's just that we have to work our little hearts out for it. :-)

I read an astrologer on the Web a long time ago saying Libra is a sign that has difficulty finding its true mate. I guess that could be true...and true for the entire generation of Pluto in Libras.

Of course, there are exceptions to this. Many people find their heart's desire relationships early on in life.

But I've always been a person who saves the best for last and gets the hard work out of the way first...so I'm banking on this being the case with relationships, as well.

Another interesting point about this Venus retrograde (brought up by a few other astrologers on the Web - thanks for pointing this out) is that the last time Venus was retrograde in Aries was March/April of 2001.

So take a look at what was going on in your life relationship-wise at that time, and this retro should involve events showing us how we've progressed since then. I guess this Venus retro in Aries could be seen as the release of that cycle...

This really interested me because March/April 2001 was when I met my last boyfriend. That relationship was one of those sometimes blissful, moretimes hellish Scorpionic/Plutonic clearing vehicles for abusive past dynamics. So it'll be interesting to see if anything comes up...if I meet anyone...that will show me where I stand now. It'll be interesting for all of us to see that.