A Via Combusta Venus Retrograde: Reaching Escape Velocity From Old Hurts, Heartbreaks, and Relational Trauma-Prints

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New Moon in Leo Conjunct Venus, the Exterior Conjunction and We Officially Head to the Venus Transit 2012

Leo New Moon Conjunct Venus July 30 

Venus moved out of cardinal, yin Cancer and entered fixed, yang Leo this morning, leaving the last emotional residue of the tense, charged and hyper-disciplined Cardinal Grand Cross energy behind it. 

Masculine action/aggression planet Mars enters Cancer August 3 and tightens the Grand Cross energetic strings to just shy of their breaking points yet again August 8-11 and August 24-25, becoming the final personal planet to activate this formation. 

But the feminine planet of love, values and relationship Venus is currently easing the proceedings as it officially passes out of energetic range. Venus is in Leo just in time for the 7 degree New Moon in Leo July 30 (1:40 p.m. Central) and will be conjunct the Sun-Moon at that time. 

This New Moon conjunct Venus really gets the creative fires burning, with a potent Dark of the Moon period through Cancer and Cardinal Grand Cross territory to fold in as fuel today and tomorrow. 

We’re coming to the end of a two-year, Leo-infused cycle of creative goals and direction, spurred by the Mars in Leo retrograde December 2009 to March 2010. We received an altering of course at that time, finding deeper, newer, fresher, more effective ways to creatively direct ourselves by the guidance of our hearts. 

But as Mars moves through Cardinal Grand Cross territory this August and then through Leo (September 18 - November 10) ahead of the next Mars retrograde in Virgo January 23 to April 13, 2012, we are about to be re-directed yet again down to every last pertinent detail as we work to effectively and practically apply the love in our hearts. 

Old creative fires along with the last vestiges of old romantic flames burn down to ash as the Balsamic Moon moves into Leo (1:16 a.m. July 30) and then through a succession of completion aspects. The 12-hour Dark of the Moon period in Leo July 30 involves quincunx aspects to both Neptune in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn, a conjunction to Venus in Leo and a trine to Uranus Rx in Aries. 

Venus is warm and happy in Leo, but it’s far from simple. The broader context is tugging, pushing, pulling and stressing us. The ghosts of old, wished-for love and old, hoped-for lovers are released here and we’re forced to rapidly adjust under the emotional discomfort of the quincunx aspect to Neptune in Pisces. The love and relationship ideals that we know cannot be, the pleasures we wished for but have not experienced, and the innocence of our hearts that has so many times been disappointed are folded into the alchemical Balsamic Leo Moon fire just before it winks out. There is some definite Dark of the Moon sadness here related to those glimmering Neptunian-Venusian love dreams that did not materialize. 

The loves lost and the ones we never got to experience. The love stays. The open, innocent heart stays. But the wished-for and dreamed-of forms that did not materialize, that were never meant to be, that held only disappointment and longing are released into the mix, and as the Moon becomes new, we’re burned clear. 

Our open, innocent hearts take on a new wisdom here, with deeper understanding as a result of the process remaining as our guide. A new spark is just about here. As we start the month of August – full-on Leo season – that spark lights licks of new fire which will burn bright into new loves, new creative juice and a rejuvenated, warm and sustaining fiery force that fuels us and keeps us moving, powered by love, through the sometimes tricky territory ahead. 

Sun-Venus Exterior Conjunction August 16: Heading to the Venus Retrograde in Gemini and the Venus Transit 2012 

Venus in Leo is heading to its exterior conjunction to the Sun August 16 (7:08 a.m.) and will remain in this conjunction into early September. At the time of the exact conjunction, Venus is at apogee, the furthest point in its orbit from Earth, on the other side of the Sun from the Earth. This Sun-Venus conjunction August 16 is a very nice marker. It is the point at which love planet Venus starts to come closer to us on Earth, heading to its interior conjunction to the Sun during its next retrograde in Gemini which marks perigee or the closest point in its orbit to Earth. 

The next Venus retrograde in Gemini (May 14 to June 26, 2012) is a special one – and not just because it releases us from the Via Combusta Scorpio overlay of the previous fall 2010 Venus retrograde! The Venus retrograde through Gemini in spring 2012 marks the book end to the Venus retrograde in Gemini in May/June 2004, and both those retrogrades involve rare Venus Transits. 

Venus Transits are similar to solar eclipses. They are very precise alignments of the Sun, Venus and Earth when Venus can be viewed against the Sun, traveling in orbit between the Sun and Earth. The Venus Transit in 2004 happened June 8. The Venus Transit in 2012 will happen June 5. 

Venus Transits happen in pairs eight years apart, but they do not happen often. The most recent Venus Transits prior to the 2004/2012 set occurred in December 1874/1882. The next set will occur in December 2117 and 2125. 

At its point of perigee next June, Venusian energy will be flooding the Earth from a much lighter-hearted sign – airy Gemini – with the strong 'backdrop change' energy of the eclipse alignment accessible to us. In Gemini, connections can finally be made. Necessary information can be passed all along the past-present-future continuum, no longer obscured by the Piscean era veils and clouded, confused, wishful thinking related to love and relationship. 

The 2012 Venus retrograde in Gemini has the ability to put multiple layers to rest in much lighter and more immediate ways than the Venus retrograde through Via Combusta Scorpio/Libra. We have the ability to enter a whole new ballgame relationship-wise coming out of the Venus Transit, with old relationship patterns and cycles discharged in one fell swoop, reaching far back into history, balancing in the present moment, and setting a new and refreshing tone for relationship cycles to come as we move fully into the astrological Aquarian era. 

As of the Sun-Venus conjunction August 16, we're officially on our way to this once (or rather twice) in a lifetime event.  

Triple Conjunction in Leo Trine the Sagittarius North Node: New Creative Inspiration August 13 to 21 

Mercury also changes signs today, entering Virgo at 12:59 p.m., the sign of its exaltation, for just a few days. It turns retrograde at 1 degree Virgo at 10:50 p.m. August 2. (The U.S. debt ceiling deadline has more than likely been set for this day so that the decision is made pre-Mercury retrograde.) 

Mercury turns direct again at 18 degrees Leo August 25. 

 Mercury Rx re-enters Leo August 8 and will be involved in a tight triple conjunction with the Sun and Venus at the time of the Sun-Venus exterior conjunction in Leo August 16. 

The Sun and Venus come together at 23 degrees Leo, and Mercury Rx will be there at 24 degrees. 

This Sun-Venus-Mercury conjunction will also be in tight trine to the Sagittarius North Node at 21 degrees. 

The fires of inspiration, love and creative power, newly lit at the July 30 New Moon, are stoked to blazing at the point of this triple conjunction trine North Node, burning away what has served its purpose and lighting our way on the trail up ahead. We can look forward to new applications of the loving creative force that runs through us, broadening our lives in ways that truly excite us and in ways that catalyze the unfolding of new meaning.

Do The Dishes, Baby. That Really Turns Me On.

Relationship planet and cosmic lover Venus is currently coming together with asteroids Vesta (tending the sacred flames we're personally invested in) and Eros (sexual love and beauty) in a late Virgo conjunction, and cleaning out the fridge has never been hotter.

Dusting the blinds or cleaning the shower grout (and doing a realllly good job) is a major turn-on. Little details like adding sprouts to a salad or using an exceptionally well-placed semi-obscure word can really get the motor running. Applying some elbow grease and showing that you're not afraid of a little hard work? Highly attractive.

And someone who flosses regularly? Forget about it. Total babe/dude magnet.

Daily work, words, personal investment, love and sexual undertone are all intermeshed with this conjunction at tail-end Virgo.

Venus and Eros are in almost exact conjunction all this month and up until this fall's Venus retrograde (October 8 - November 18), adding a spicy undertone to the proceedings. Venus has just entered a 27-month period of prominence as the dispositor of Saturn in Libra. This means whatever is going on in Venus' world becomes a major factor in our Saturn in Libra relationship structuring and restructuring work. Paying attention and integrating what we need to from Venus' movement is a major key to Saturnine success.

So at the moment, that means working those Virgoan details and showing off what we've mastered from the Saturn in Virgo transit.

Venus and Eros join Mars in Libra August 6/7 and immediately oppose Uranus-Jupiter in Aries, conjunct Saturn in Libra and square Pluto in Capricorn within the big cardinal t-square. At that point and into early September, being fair and mannered with a refined aesthetic sense really starts to do it for people. A keen awareness of social justice issues? Very sexy. And if you're easy on the eyes, all the better.

With Saturn in Libra's influence, a certain level of restraint and a cultured sense of formality in our relations are suddenly very appealing. Displaying fine breeding and then making potential suitors work for it a bit becomes an integral part of the mating ritual dance. Think Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. All that simmering love and sexual attraction smoking up their stuffy meetings in formal sitting rooms surrounded by sisters and cousins and old aunts and such. Hot.

The conjunctions with Saturn on the early degrees of Libra are an initial maturing checkpoint setting the tone for our relationship work over the next 27 months. With Eros in the mix, the sexual form of our relating and expression of love is right at the forefront. Saturn will give us an initial status report on how we need to become more mature, more respectful or more balanced here. Any ways that loving human relating, especially sexually, has gotten undignified, unequal, unrefined or just plain unlovely will be areas we need to work diligently on while Saturn transits Libra. The current mainstream media-enforced version of human sexuality is pretty much the definition of undignified, unequal, unrefined and unlovely, so we've got a lot of work to do here.

These themes deepen this fall with Venus' retrograde in Scorpio, the sign of, among other things, sex, death, core-level soul connection, spirituality, and deep energy exchange and merger. We've got some brass tacks to get to as far as the interactions between men and women (and men and men, and women and women) and the fair and equitable energy exchange and merger of the feminine and masculine.

This will involve many hidden dynamics generally kept firmly under the collective rug being brought to the surface, often in confronting ways, so expect some volcanic activity - personally, if not on the world stage.

Until then, eat your leafy greens and hang some art to woo the apple of your eye - or to become someone's apple.

Ceres and Pluto and this Fall's Venus Retrograde in Scorpio

The Moon is now just past full in Scorpio and acts as an emotional indicator of what shape we're in heading into next October/November's Venus retrograde in Scorpio.

This Full Moon as precursor brings to light any issues related to our pasts that need addressing: relationship dynamics, etheric attachments that need to be discontinued, crystallized emotional reactions, triggers and habits, and stultifying conditioning that need to be dealt with.

At this Full Moon, these things are ripe for release, and we shed what we can now. Anything we deal with at this point lightens the load on the upcoming Venus retrograde (October 8 - November 18, 2010) and puts us in much better position to use those energies consciously and proactively, instead of receiving the unpleasant Scorpionic burns that force us into conscious action.

A really interesting thing about this Scorpio Full Moon chart, and the subject of this post, is the just-about-exact conjunction of Ceres and Pluto, two bodies that really mean business - especially in the sign of business, Capricorn! Oh, I'm so funny.

Ceres has been making the steely-eyed run up to this guy for a while and is currently at 4 degrees Capricorn, less than one degree from Pluto Rx at 5 degrees. Now, less than a single degree from full contact, she turns retrograde - just hours after the Full Moon in Scorpio. Mmm-hmm.

It's not time. Not just yet, Ceres says. We've got a whole lot of working things out to do before we can actually meet face-to-face and not tear this little planet to shreds in the process.

Mythologically, these two have a long and brutal history between them. Serious Scorp stuff. Going to the mat, hitting where it hurts most, dragging you to hell and back, destroying every single thing you love, rageful, wrathful stuff.

Ceres is pissed. The feminine force (represented by the asteroids) is pissed. And Pluto, well that dude was born pissed. There is brutal hurt here. And the only sign that could possibly contain this complexity of history and emotion and transmute that sort of anger and anguish into something beneficial for all involved is Scorpio.

And guess what? The final show-down, when Ceres and Pluto do finally meet face-to-face in conjunction, happens during the Venus retrograde in Scorpio this fall. You have to love astrology. You just have to.


I'm not a big mythology buff by any stretch. I just work with the very basics in order to understand the astrological energies, so here are the basics of the Ceres-Pluto history so as to understand the dynamics at play:

Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, kidnapped Ceres' (also known as Demeter) daughter Persephone and hauled her off to his dark and twisted underworld to be his Queen.

Ceres is the quintessential Earth Mother, Goddess of plants, especially grains/cereals, the seasons, the harvest and the fertility of the Earth, in general.

When Ceres realized her daughter had been abducted and dragged off to the underworld, she became so depressed, so full of rage and anguish, that she made the cold and the dark descend on the planet, and nothing would grow. Literally, she had the power to destroy life on Earth, and this Mama in anguish for her kidnapped child did just that.

There are a few different versions about how this stalemate between Pluto and Ceres was finally brought to a head and solved.

In one, things got so dire on the planet with the cold and dark and nothing growing that Zeus, King of the Gods, forced Pluto to return Persephone, sending Hermes to retrieve her. Unfortunately, Persephone had eaten some pomegranate seeds while chilling in the underground, and eating any food while you were down there meant you were forced to stay, at least for a portion of the year. Based on the number of seeds she ate, Persephone had to return to the underworld for four months of every year - corresponding with the winter season.

In another version, Hecate, Goddess of magic, witchcraft, childbirth, lunar lore, ghosts, crossroads, gates and walls - a dark feminine figure herself and one brave and wise enough to deal with the underworld - rescued Persephone and brought her back to the land of the living.

And in still another (a version I've personally favoured), Persephone got herself out of there after coming to fully understand the power dynamics going on and realizing if she took action and wiggled and exerted herself in the right ways (properly used her masculine force), she could break her own chains to the underworld and get free. Possibly wishful thinking from a Ceres-Pluto square person with a Scorpio stellium, but I like it.

Regardless of how Persephone was returned, there is definitely some unfinished business between Pluto and Ceres. Ahem. Don't we know it?

This is the subtext of our relations and of the events going on between now and the end of the year. There is a lot of dark emotion being stirred, very ancient. A lot of old wounds being triggered and old distrust. All the aspects of human emotional and relational existence that most people prefer to deny exist, especially relating to the feminine and its historical abuses.

It's interesting that Ceres, when it was discovered in 1801, was classified as the 8th planet. After about 50 years, it was reclassified as an asteroid.

And in 2006, both Pluto and Ceres were reclassified as dwarf planets.

So the playing field has been levelled by this dual reclassification, and now the masculine (Pluto) and the feminine (Ceres) can finally get down to brass tacks. Under these conditons and with a lot of strategic effort, they can come up with a balanced, working partnership with which they can both be satisfied. Or die trying. heh

Really, we're at the brink of destruction on this planet with a hog-tied feminine and a masculine running amok. We're hanging on by a thread, and so we're reminded: the entry points for integration of the feminine are at those points where change can no longer be resisted. That's most points, these days, but successful integration still requires great skill.

Venus in Scorpio relates to, among other things, unequal power dynamics in relationship, domination/subjugation, emotional poisoning, abuse and the hell that unequal relationships put people through.

But it also relates to the deepest, closest, most soul-satisfying and fulfilling of relationships. A true mutually beneficial merger of energy and resources and the creation of a force that can do exponentially more together than it could apart.

There is the potential with this fall's Venus in Scorpio retrograde to clear the way for relationship mergers of that beneficial, soul-deep variety, but only if we clear the distorting detritus and histories that would keep us from that first.

The Ceres-Pluto conjunction this October happens in tight conjunction to the North Node in Capricorn, as well, so the path we're carving out post-Pluto-ingressing-Capricorn-destruction-and-collapse is infused with the energy of this conjunction of feminine and masculine. Committing to concretely addressing the imbalances within all structural set-ups as we go forward. The North Node conjuncts Ceres first, followed by Pluto. The feminine comes out in front...

I love that the asteroids are playing such a strong role in the skies these days. They probably always were, but they're making themselves known with greater force. To me, this represents the feminine stepping up, coming to the decision-making table, making herself heard. She's not screaming or wailing (though she sure feels like it at times, and who could blame her?). She's composed, strong, speaking her wisdom firmly and in measured tones, in such practical, common sensical ways that no one can dispute it. This increases the odds greatly of real influence and integration.

The asteroid Goddesses are also sick and tired of Venus getting all the play - especially when Venus is prone to jealousy, vengefulness, vanity and female back-stabbing and game-playing, all while getting credit for nothing but love and beauty and fanciful delights.

So Ceres (on behalf of the other feminine asteroids) and Venus have a little unfinished business of their own to deal with this fall, but I'm sure with a little effort, they can come away with their own mutually beneficial agreement.

Pallas, transitting Scorpio until early October 2010, also has some things to say on the "bullshitty feminine/masculine dynamics" front. Pallas is the asteroid related to female warrior and truth-teller energy, and in Scorpio, it's not afraid to strike right at the root of the matter.

Meeting Pallas in strip-the-facade-and-get-real Scorpio would more than likely be too much for lovely Venus to bear on top of all that Ceres-Pluto tension, and luckily, Pallas enters Sagittarius before Venus' retrograde in Scorpio. The sign of Scorpio will be ringing with Pallas' blazing trail of truth, though, so there will certainly be no denying the things that need work during Venus' retrograde.

As has been said a million times before, women/the feminine is far more multi-dimensional and diverse than just the loving and pleasing mate (Venus), the mothering nurturer (Moon), or the vindictive, vixen/seductress version of the dark feminine.

The strengthening of position of the feminine asteroids, to me, indicates the unfolding of the true feminine force, in all its glory and all its ugliness - or at least, the potential for that. It's all in how we apply it, of course. Do we have the courage to be honest here and really unfold with integrity and authenticity or do we stay safe (and stuck) in the old, one-dimensional societal feminine constructs, playing the same games and roles and falling into the same traps? Echoes of the 1960s again.

Ceres is the largest asteroid by far, and her power is a suitable match for Pluto. Equal power dynamics is what we're after, and this grand Earth Mama leads the way for the rest of the feminine forces.

She's got back-up, though, as she takes a retrograde breather until August 8 and then goes direct, heading to that October 19 meeting with dear, old Pluto. The feminine forces are with her on this one every step of the way.

At the same time, the feminine is working at a bit of a disadvantage because so much of its previous work and influence have been unrecognized and therefore, unassisted, left to wither on the vine or use huge energy reserves fighting for bare survival.

Again, just as with Black Moon Lilith energy, with due care and attention, we can help the feminine do what needs to be done in our own lives, and doing that is the gift we have to offer these Goddesses. They'll gladly accept.

Earth Trines To Ease Our Minds...

Photo: Willow

The Moon in Taurus conjuncts both Venus and Mars tomorrow morning (Friday) and then trines Saturn in Virgo. All this happens between 7:00 and 11:33 a.m. MDT.

The next morning, Saturday, the Moon moves to 26 Taurus and squares the Aquarius triple conjunction while sextiling Uranus in Pisces (also at 26 degrees).

These Moon aspects connect us emotionally to astro events just up ahead. We can feel them and start to get an emotional handle on them before they happen...

In Taurus, the Moon has an emotionally grounding and stabilizing influence. Thank goodness.

The astro events the Moon is preparing us for are the Venus-Mars conjunction in Taurus, the subsequent trines of Venus and Mars to Saturn in Virgo, and the squares of Venus and Mars in Taurus to the Aquarius bodies (Chiron, Neptune and Jupiter - all moving retrograde) while also sextiling Uranus in Pisces.

First off...the Venus-Mars conjunction in Taurus.

You'll recall that we have recently experienced a Venus retrograde period in Aries, which started a new 18-month Venus cycle. At the same time, we started a new 8-year cycle.

During its retrograde, Venus moved back to 29 Pisces, the final degree of the zodiac, for some relationship closet-cleaning. We turfed out old, dusty relationship dynamics and ghosts of relationships past that were taking up subconscious space.

As Venus was just moving direct again on that 29th degree of Pisces, Mars came along on April 21 and conjuncted it. 29th degree Pisces conjunction of Venus and Mars. Hmm...clearing out layers and layers of relationship dynamics and etheric impressions through spiritual/ancestral lines. Looking for a clean slate in the biggest, most all-encompassing way.

Combine that with almost immediate squares of both Mars and Venus in Aries to Pluto Rx in Capricorn, and we had a potent force designed to cut the crap in our relationships and in how we went about having our needs and wants met within those relationships. Nuclear meltdown time for any relationship detritus holding us back from our most vital, sustaining relations. Including entire relationships that we had outgrown.

As I said in a previous post, relationships that could no longer handle who we really were (or that were never quite right to begin with, all things considered) had to be left in the dust.

So throughout the second half of April, May and the first three weeks of June, Venus has trailed just behind Mars in the zodiac. They moved from the 29th degree of Pisces through Aries and half of Taurus in this formation.

And now Venus finally passes Mars in Taurus. They come together at the 15th degree on Sunday, June 21 at 7:09 a.m.

This has been a long-awaited union. It is with relief that Venus finally meets Mars here, and it should take some of the edge off. We've had a lot of battling, willful energy of late, and now Venus should soften the edges a bit. Here's the love, with Venus in its own sign. Earthy, practical, real, loving. Relaxing into the relationship changes we've made (including with the relationship to ourselves) and seeing that yes, they were all for the better. Getting a handle on where we are now, post-Arien battles and Plutonic meltdowns, and appreciating the new foundations we're building.

Big emphasis on maintaining boundaries. We've just learned a lot about ourselves and our relationships, and now we have to put what we've learned into practise. No falling back into old, habitual patterns.

Just after this conjunction, Venus and then Mars will trine Saturn in Virgo. A nice support for those Saturn in Virgo things we've been struggling with - health, daily work and service, habits, analysis, details, personal discernment, preferences, stripping away the unnecessary, making things right, staying on the right track, creating healthy, functioning systems, etc. If the weight and pressure have become almost unbearable on this front, these trines should offer assistance.

Things have been an immense struggle on the material/physical front for a lot of people. Money, employment, security, stability, trying to get things going in a concrete way...lots of stuck feelings, frustration and dead ends.

But the Sabian Symbol for the degree where Venus and Mars come together is encouraging:

An Old Man is Attempting, With a Degree of Success Unsuspected By Him, To Reveal The Mysteries To a Motley Group.

To me, this, combined with trines to Saturn in Virgo and in light of the Aquarian vibes, suggests that our efforts have not been fruitless. We are making more progress that we can see toward a better future for all.

Venus trines Saturn just after midnight, and Mars trines Saturn at 8:44 a.m. on Monday, June 22.

And all THIS goes down during the Dark of the Moon in Gemini, on its way to the New Moon at 1 degree Cancer at 1:35 p.m., June 22. Some nice, earthy, supportive aspects as we finish the lunar month and begin a new one...

But it just wouldn't be these times we're living in if it were too nice, would it? :)

Immediately after the New Moon in Cancer, the Moon opposes Pluto (2:22 p.m.). And during the wee hours the next morning (1:42 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23), the Sun in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn at 2 degrees of the signs. Yet more Plutonic shedding related to emotion/decision-making, inner wisdom/external progress, home/business. Old school Capricornian structures and old school emotional habits getting the Plutonic meltdown treatment. Breaking down what will no longer sustain along those lines. Letting go of the structures of the past and the emotional ties that bind us to them.

The Moon's movement in Taurus over the next two days is also preparing us for the squares of Venus and Mars in Taurus to Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Aquarius.

Venus and Mars are moving toward these squares now, and we should experience some pressure building toward the end of June. Venus squares these bodies July 1, and Mars does July 6 - the day before the lunar eclipse at 15 degrees Capricorn (trining Saturn in Virgo). A lot of earth energy involved here, which makes me think there will be more concrete progress involved. (Fingers crossed!)

We've already experienced the Sun in Taurus and Mercury in Taurus (three times due to the retrograde) squaring the bodies in Aquarius. This Taurus energy is the grounding, "keeping it real" influence on that triple conjunction - which hasn't been an easy function to play. That triple conjunction has an intense agenda of its own, and staying in the here and now, feet on the ground, has been a challenge, to say the least.

But now, all three bodies in Aquarius - Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter - are moving retrograde. We go back over the territory we've covered since these bodies first came together. This is a good thing because I'm not quite sure just what ground we have covered. haha! So much of it was related to the unseen, energetic realms. A lot of dreamy, dreamy future-oriented stuff, but also with a wounded dystopic vision mixed in there at times. The dangers of not keeping it real were very apparent with this one.

Anyway, I think the Venus-Mars squares will now be able to hold their own with this triad. The earthy, grounded influence should be able to dig in more substantially now that these three bodies are in retrograde motion.

Not only that, but Uranus in Pisces (semi-sextile the Aquarius bodies at 26 degrees) goes retrograde, as well, on June 30. Uranus in Pisces disposits the Aquarius bodies, and Venus and Mars in Taurus will sextile it around the same time they square the Aquarius triple conjunction.

Making the promise of these times a reality. Keeping a realistic, practical outlook and taking concrete steps instead of being swept away/off course by the possibilities and the dreams.

So yes, this means that all three outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto), as well as Chiron and Jupiter will be moving retrograde by July 1. We've got a lot of processing and recalibrating to do related to what we've just experienced. (What WAS that all about? hahaha) There are a lot of pieces we missed the first time over these zodiac degrees (especially with Neptune and Chiron involved), and we need these retros so that we don't get too far ahead of ourselves. Don't think of retrogrades as a negative thing. It's very important that we stay on track, and we now take a sober second look at things while all these bodies are in retrograde motion.

Venus Leaves Aries After Four Months! A New Venus Cycle is Well Underway...

Venus will enter Taurus, the sign of its rulership, at 3:07 a.m. MT tomorrow - Saturday, June 6. So this should take the edge off a little for the weekend.

Taurus is a much more comfortable placement for Venus and this ingress is some relieving news, especially in the midst of all the squares we're dealing with.

(Although, both Mars and Venus in Taurus are heading to...you guessed it! Squares to the Aquarius triple conjunction.)

Venus is the sign of what we love, need and value and how we express these things, especially in relationships. It is not very comfortable in aggressive, me-first Aries. Venus rules Libra (along with Taurus), the sign opposite Aries. So four months in Aries and a very intense retrograde period squaring Pluto in Capricorn has put the Venusian energy through the ringer!

All for good reason, though. Venus needed a good stint of Arien training...building up those Aries muscles of instinct, action, survival and self-preservation. As well as the stripping of relationship detritus from the Pluto connections, related to doing what we have to do to make concrete progress in our lives.

During the retrograde period in Aries, Venus had to deal with all the things it would prefer not to: anger, rage, and corresponding passive aggressiveness coming to a head related to all the crap she puts up with from people, the ways she dulls her flame in order to keep the peace with those around her, the way her personal will and desires are put on the back burner in favour of others,' the ways her identity is subjugated...

We've worked through that stuff over the past four months, and hopefully now we are a lean, mean, well-integrated machine related to these themes. :)

We've become aware, during this retrograde and the squares to Pluto, of relationships and ways of interacting in relationships that have run their course. Relationships that can no longer contain who we really are have been dusted off to make room for more vital ones...or have been gutted and transformed.

There is a new set of rules we started following during this Venus retrograde period. We have to be ourselves 100% and speak up when people project onto us who they (wrongly) think we are. We're expressing a Venus that is no longer willing to put up with any crap. And I like this version much better!

The conjunction of the Sun and retrograde Venus at 6 degrees Aries on March 27, 2009 officially started a new 18-month Venus cycle (the period of time until Venus goes retrograde again).

Venus' next retrograde is in Scorpio in October 2010. (This one is interesting to me because I have Venus just turned Rx in Scorpio in my natal chart, and it is something I will deal with (natally and progressed) my whole life.)

In effect, the recent Venus in Aries retrograde also started a new 8-year Venus cycle and discharged the previous 8-year Venus cycle, as Venus retrogrades in a cycle of the same five signs every eight years. The last time it retrograded in Aries was March 2001 - so we discharged the energy and themes of that cycle during this retrograde. The next time Venus goes retrograde in Aries is March 2017, which will then discharge the 8-year cycle we began in March 2009.

Oh, all these cycles! haha

Venus Cycles

Unless it is retrograde, Venus spends a little under a month in each of the 12 zodiac signs - about 24 - 27 days. It takes 225 days to orbit the Sun/complete one cycle through the zodiac.

Venus has a very regular cycle related to the Sun and Earth, also, and retrogrades every 18 months through the same cycle of five signs (with slight variations/overlap). Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Capricorn (which shifted over time from Aquarius) and Leo. Meaning - Venus retrogrades only happen in one of those five signs, in the same order, and repeat the cycle of signs every eight years.

The points of conjunction of Venus and the Sun during those retrogrades form a pentagram (five-pointed star) pattern in the sky.

During the 18-month period from Venus retrograde to Venus retrograde, Venus conjuncts the Sun twice, once in retrograde motion, once direct.

The conjunction during the retrograde is called the interior conjunction. It is the point of Venus perigee - when Venus is closest to the Earth in its orbit.

Another conjunction of the Sun and Venus happens about 10 months after the interior conjunction as Venus is moving direct, and this is called the exterior conjunction. This conjunction is the point of apogee - when Venus is furthest from the Earth in its orbit.

We just experienced the interior conjunction during the Aries retrograde.

To illustrate the 8-year Venus cycles, here are the patterns of retrograde:

March 1993 - Venus Rx in Aries
October 1994 - Venus Rx in Scorpio
May 1996 - Venus Rx in Gemini
December 1997 - Venus Rx in Aquarius/Capricorn
July 1999 - Venus Rx in Virgo/Leo

March 2001 - Venus Rx in Aries
October 2002 - Venus Rx in Scorpio
May 2004 - Venus Rx in Gemini
December 2005 - Venus Rx in Capricorn (from 1 degree Aquarius)
July 2007 - Venus Rx in Leo

March 2009 - Venus Rx in Aries ** current cycle March 2009 - October 2010**
October 2010 - Venus Rx in Scorpio
May 2012 - Venus Rx in Gemini
December 2013 - Venus Rx in Capricorn
July 2015 - Venus Rx in Leo (from 0 degrees Virgo)

March 2017 - Venus Rx in Aries
October 2018 - Venus Rx in Scorpio
May 2020 - Venus Rx in Gemini
December 2021 - Venus Rx in Capricorn
July 2023 - Venus Rx in Leo

So you can see how Venus retrogrades kick off a new short-term cycle while discharging the previous one (18 months from retrograde to retrograde), as well as a new longer-term cycle (eight years as it cycles through the five signs).

Venus in Aries Leaves the Retrograde Shadow

In honour of Venus in Aries busting out of the retro shadow into new territory tonight (at 15 1/2 degrees Aries or so), I'm linking to a still-relevant post on rejecting false karasses in favour of real, authentic places for our real, authentic selves (no self-censorship) within communities/groups.

Kicking False Karasses to the Curb...

The Moon in Aries conjuncts Venus in Aries tonight at the very same time that Venus leaves the retrograde shadow (9:23 p.m. MT). Oh, astrology.

Mars and Venus in Aries are both heading to sextiles with that Aquarius triple conjunction (Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune), activating these issues again in our lives. Mars in Aries will sextile the bodies in Aquarius May 26 (just after Jupiter conjuncts Chiron (May 23) and just before it conjuncts Neptune (May 27)); Venus will sextile them June 2.

The Venus retro in Aries was designed to strengthen the relationship we have to ourselves. To get in touch with the warrior within - the one who will take no shit from the people around us, who will bow and bend to no one, who will stand up and demand to be heard (and demand that what we're REALLY saying is heard - not what someone THINKS we're saying).

Through the retrograde process, we have hopefully strengthened the relationship to our real, authentic, no-holds-barred selves to the point that we're bringing it all to the table in our interpersonal relationships. All of us. Not downplaying or whitewashing out a bit. Because getting to that place and living from that place is very important now in creating the right place for ourselves within the unfolding Aquarian paradigm.

The Venus retrograde was also designed to strengthen our personal relationship to the constructive, motivating force of our own anger.

Honouring our feelings there, understanding their validity and determining what actions they're asking us to take.

And this leads me to something that really pisses me off that I would like to address now.

And that is the term "rants." I despise this term. Yep, it's a very strong reaction. And when I go to the root of those feelings, I realize I despise this term being applied to my writing/work (and to anyone's, actually) because, to me, this term has been used in the past to invalidate passion and righteous anger. It's a term that seems condescending, making less of that which it refers to.

I see people use this term relating to their own work/point-of-view as a sort of apology for their candor. I also see people using this term to distance themselves from the truths being spoken...making it seem as if the person speaking/writing is an "amusing hothead" and little more. It subtly attempts to invalidate what is being expressed.

And I think it sucks.

I will never apologize for my work or perspective, especially not to make someone feel more comfortable within his or her own mindset. And I will never do myself the dishonour of applying that term to what I do.

The level of self-censorship going on in this culture makes me unbearably sad, but it also disgusts the hell out of me that people will allow themselves to be stifled in these ways. That they will "tone down" what they really think and feel so as to not ruffle any feathers.

I say, ruffle more feathers! If you're speaking the truth from your personal perspective and what you're saying strikes a nerve, that means it's triggering something that is meant to be brought to collective awareness.

But this happens. In a world that constantly resists your point-of-view and rejects what you have to say, people end up questioning their own sanity. (Even though it's the mainstream groupthink that is actually insane.)

Venus in Aries and the Passive Aggressive Epidemic

Passo aggro really is an epidemic these days, isn't it? A symptom of how sick things have gotten and how far from expressing their truth people are, I think.

The current constructs pressure people to put on a happy, smiley face at all times. To keep things harmonious on a surface level and not rock the boat. Everyone is meant to be content, no matter what the conditions. Everything is supposed to be "nice" at all times, especially in the public realm.

So people create this facade self with which to interact. This facade self is always happy, congenial, "positive." It keeps things hunky dory. It's there to give the other person what he or she wants. It will respond to all requests, cater to all needs. It will do things out of a sense of obligation rather than really wanting to do them. It will subvert its own needs to keep other people happy. It will be available at all times. It won't disappoint.

But this just isn't reality.

And the disconnect between the facade self and the truth creates dysfunction. The difference between what the facade self is putting out there in the world and what the real self truly feels and thinks is so big that it becomes an abomination to the soul. It enrages the soul that the facade self swallows what it doesn't want to swallow. That it never speaks up. It's never honest. It's phony, weak, cowardly. It won't stand up for itself or what it really wants, so it goes along to get along...and then bitches about it.

This is a problem a lot of the time with Libra energy (unless it has done the work), especially, as we're seeing, as it relates to Aries energy, but also with Cancer-Libra and Libra-Capricorn squares.

With the Cancer-Libra square, it's the emotional, supportive side of things. The motherly sacrifice. The combo of Cancer and Libra doesn't want to disappoint anyone or make anyone feel bad. It doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, so it takes the supposed easy route and tells people what they want to hear, even when it's not the truth. It agrees to things it doesn't really agree with, and then, yeah...gets passo aggro about it.

With the Capricorn-Libra square the pressure is public/career/business world obligations and what people swallow there related to fitting into those constructs, following those rules to get ahead, taking one's place in the hierarchy and never rocking the boat. Think of how much passo aggro is flying around most office environments these days. Toxic.

This falseness in itself is violent - toward the person being lied to, the person doing the lying, and the social environment, in general. It wastes time and energy and does much more damage than being honest and direct, although, passo aggro people wouldn't see it that way. Just the opposite, actually. People exhibiting passive aggressive behaviour usually think they are being the better person by being "nice." Sacrificing what they really want or think for someone else, for surface-level harmony. They see this as a good thing.

Eventually, the real self has had enough, though, and in desperation, becomes so enraged that the facade self can't keep it contained any longer. The anger just won't allow itself to be stuffed down anymore. And because these people refuse to take responsibility for their anger and emotions in a constructive way, it starts leaking out in sneaky, dirty, poisonous little behaviours:

Avoidance, procrastination, seemingly innocuous little comments that poison with tone and intent, little barbed actions (seemingly unrelated) designed to irritate, refusing to meet time limits (since they didn't want to do what they agreed to do in the first place), dropping the ball, "forgetfulness," shirking resonsibilities, blame, denial, two-faced gossipping, leaving other people holding the bag.

All these behaviours (and more!) are used by passo aggros to keep control and manipulate the people around them.

And trying to confront these passo aggros is like "nailing water to a tree." (Heh heh - thanks, sleepless1111). Frustrating as all hell. Impossible, really. They are slippery fuckers and are either in denial about their behaviour and the damage it causes or feign ignorance. I'm not sure which, possibly both. In my experience, passo aggros generally won't even admit there is anything going on - part of the game to keep them in control.

There's little worse than realizing, weeks or months down the road, that you have been completely poisoned by a sneaky passo aggro. It's like one drop of cyanide at a time until your system is overwhelmed, and repairing the energetic damage takes a whole lot of time and energy.

So why so much of this right now?

Remember that Venus is in Aries, just coming out of a retrograde that was designed to bring this stuff to attention.

Venus is the planet of (among other things) relationship. It rules Libra, which is the opposite sign of Aries (sign of self). So Venus is in the opposite sign of its rulership when in Aries, a not-too-comfortable placement.

You can see how things like Arien exertion of personal will, putting yourself first, using anger as an impetus to action, going after what one really wants, directness, honesty, and the willingness to fight for the survival of the self when necessary can be expressed in healthy ways or in unhealthy ways during Venus' transit through Aries.

There has to be a balance, both internally and externally, of Aries and Libra, me and we. And the balance is pretty messed up in a lot of cases.

There is a societal tendency to demonize those Arien things when speaking in relationship terms, especially for women. Putting yourself first is considered a bad thing (selfish!). Exerting your personal will in relation to another is considered a bad thing (pushy!). Being honest and direct in situations is considered a bad thing (not nice!). Even knowing who you are and what you want in a strong way is looked at suspiciously.

Mothers are taught that they have to put their kids first, their husbands first, their homes first. Men are taught that they have to put their jobs first, their families first, their responsibilities first. And we're all pressured within the current constructs to put on that facade self face. People are made to feel guilty or as if there is something wrong with them when they don't do this.

So as people are demonizing and denying these Arien things (or are existing within constructs that make it very difficult to healthfully express them), the anger comes out in other ways - like insufferable passive aggressive behaviour.

The traditional model for customer service is one of the constructs designed to make it almost impossible to healthfully express these aspects of the self. The usual office environment is, too. This is why you see a lot of passo aggro from people trying to work within these set-ups.

This Venus in Aries retrograde, in particular, is about the radical idea that, yes, we have to put ourselves first. If we don't, no one else will. We have to be honest about ourselves, especially in relationships. We have to trust that our anger impulses are meaningful and that they are guiding us in the right direction when we put them to constructive use.

This means shaking off the social constructs that keep us from expressing Aries/Mars energy in a healthy way, changing our structures to allow for the healthy integration of Aries/Mars - and all twelve energies of the zodiac, if you use astrology as a model.

The Venus in Aries retrograde combined with Mars and Venus in Aries squares to Pluto in Capricorn are forcing the dysfunctional relationships we have to these Aries/Mars things to the surface. We're becoming aware of dysfunctional relationships to our own anger, and we're seeing the damage it causes to stuff it down and deny it - passive aggressive behaviour being one of the worst symptoms of this.

I'm hoping that all the passo aggro being forced to the surface in a public way is going to help break down the constructs keeping people from expressing their real selves in healthy, constructive ways. That people are going to ditch the facade self and reconnect to the real self and re-learn how to trust their own impulses instead of looking for external cues.

I think passive aggressiveness does have a self-worth element (Venus) and that people have to learn to value themselves and their own feelings and desires so that they're not always deferring to the external first and then backtracking. People-pleasing is actually pretty ugly.

But in the end, for me, it comes down to taking responsibility for yourself and the way you interact with others. It's not easy to take on the level of self-examination required to peel away facade self layers and move out of passive aggressive coping behaviours. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication - things a lot of people aren't too keen on in these days of instant answers.

You have to REALLY want to change. As we all know, no one can make a passo aggro do anything he or she doesn't want to do. So the energy is there to support this process, but as always, it's up to the individual to take it on.

All I know is, I'm done with this bullshit.

Remember Y'All...Venus in Aries is Still in the Retrograde Shadow

Venus and Mars are in Aries right now - a warrior, self-survival, putting yourself first kind of sign - and will be all of May. Venus doesn't leave it's retrograde shadow (get into new territory) until May 20 and doesn't get to the much comfier, mellower sign of Taurus (which Venus rules) until June 6. We're still dealing with Venus retrograde themes...

From a previous Venus in Aries Retrograde post:

"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."

For a reminder on the retrograde themes we're dealing with, check here or here.

Venus is also just coming out of it's second square to Pluto in Capricorn, so our relationships are being stripped to the bone reality. Any relationships that can't keep it real will be dusted off to make room for more vital ones.

And passo aggro vibes are par for the course for people who try to bury their anger impulses. Our anger impulses are there for very important reasons, especially now. So any situations in which we force ourselves to "be nice" instead of being real will have a passo aggro edge to them.

Also any job where we are expected to put on a nicey nice facade (working with the public, etc.). The old customer service model is dying, and it's PAINFUL at the moment...(Saturn stationing to go direct in Virgo).

The use of the Divine Feminine is another of these arenas. Bitch is sick of being pigeonholed as the nice, caring, supportive one when she really wants to tell you to stuff it up your ass.

Venus is Direct! On 29 Pisces...

Whew. Let's thank our lucky stars. That retrograde is over.

Now one last broom sweep of all the old cobwebs. Open the window for some fresh air and let the ghosts of relationships past swoosh right on out. Say goodbye to the etheric impressions that have been retrograde visiting. Shake the mat out at the front door and request that only new, satisfying dynamics be allowed to cross our doorsteps. Only those people who are befitting of who we are today. Those related to tired, old karmic patterns are no longer welcome!

And let's listen closely as Venus informs our hearts of who we are now and what we vitally need from our relationships from here on. What new ground we need to break in order to live our heart's desire lives...with people who fulfill our heart's desires. So we can inject new life into areas of Neptunian decay...

Venus Retrograde on the 29th Degree of Pisces : April 11 - 24

Venus is now stationing (slowing) on the 29th degree of Pisces (see previous posts for more info) and will turn direct April 17, re-entering Aries April 24.

I think a helpful thing about astrology is that it gives us an understanding of dynamics and their timing so we can work with whatever is going on rather than against it. This is especially important during retrogrades.

Right now feels, to me, like floating on a raft in the middle of the ocean after a shipwreck. It's calm and sort of relaxing...although also somewhat unsettling due to what just happened and the uncertainty of what happens next.

This particular storm began as Venus went retrograde in Aries (March 5) and Pluto in Capricorn stationed retrograde. The intensity of the storm grew, the waves got choppier and more violent, and the shipwreck happened when retro Venus in Aries squared stationing Pluto in Capricorn (April 3).

Venus is now back in a water sign (Pisces) after feisty fire (Aries), and we're surrendering to where we find ourselves...prostrate on that raft, floating on the waves, possibly still a little choppy in places, recovering from what we've been through and waiting to see what happens next. At the same time, we're too exhausted and fed up to really direct ourselves any which way in particular at the moment.

We're dissolving all that has come before...releasing those relationships and relationship dynamics that no longer suit who we are or who we are in the process of becoming. The last energetic tendrils are pulling away as we float on.

Moving on from the influence of relationships past and their effect on our self-worth is a big theme right now with this Venus retrograde.

So the important thing is to look, deeply, at what Venus is bringing up in and through our relationships so that we can take action on it when Venus re-enters Aries (April 24). That's when we can really put our new direction in motion and move out of the the influence of disappointing and unsustaining relationship patterns past once and for all.

Mars and Uranus come together on Wednesday, April 15 at 24 degrees Pisces, also conjunct Venus on the 29th degree.

We can expect some lightning-quick changes in our lives and our relationships based on where we're heading. A sort of "clearing the slate" feel to things. With Mars coming together with Uranus, I foresee tempers being triggered by any "same old shit" dynamics and the rapid-fire actions we take based on that anger having far-reaching effects. We've had enough.

The Sabian Symbol for the degree where Mars and Uranus come together could not be more fitting in describing the themes:

"The Purging of the Priesthood"

Periodically, there is a need to cleanse and purify motives, leading to a better representation of moral and spiritual values. Sometimes we need to reexamine moral and spiritual sincerity in a person, corporation, community or situation. Getting rid of people or ideals that hold one back can open up situations to more trust, sharing and enjoyment. You may have to dismiss someone, or a group of people, from their duties or from their ability to affect your life in some way. It is easy to lose sight of the ideal through the use of the rationalizing mind, the ego, security issues or emotive passion. However, if someone has not lived up to their responsibilities on some level, often it's best for the future, and one's peace of mind, to be free of them. It may lead to a breakthrough in the understanding of where they've gone "off the rails," as well. Sometimes there's a need to get clearly out of reach of people's "influence."

Pulling away from those last energetic tendrils of relationships past...

We're wrapping up the sometimes exhausting internal reflection that this process entails (the actual retrograde). Breaking through the last of our rose-coloured views of the people and relationships in our lives. Seeing where we deserve better but won't receive it within the current set-ups. Dissolving the influence of past impressions, past idealism. Asking for something better. Demanding it. And loving ourselves through the process...

This part of the process is crucial, of course, so that we don't carry the past forward once Venus turns direct.

Venus Retrograde Re-enters Pisces

Early this morning, retrograde Venus moved back into the 29th (final) degree of Pisces. This is the last degree of the zodiac and corresponds with the last day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. So this is a "last day of winter," wrapping up theme related to relationships (and relationship dynamics) past before we make our real push forward into new relationship territory.

I wrote about this Venus Retrograde when Venus first went retro in Aries March 5.

"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!..."

I also wrote about tapping into our flashes of anger as the impetus to action and new direction within relationships. To use our anger as a guiding force as it shows us what needs to go in our relationship dynamics. Because...

"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!"

New Moon in Aries Conjunct Retrograding Venus: Themes for the Next 28 Days (March 26 - April 24)

Today we have finally clawed our way to a breath of fresh air. Our head pops up out of the Piscean fog, at least for an invigorating look ahead. New Moon in Aries (Sun and Moon coming together at 6 degrees Aries) conjunct Mercury and retrograde Venus. And the Sun, Mercury and Venus continue their conjuncting dance in Aries until March 30.

This winter has seemed interminable in a lot of ways. Some days it feels as if time has stopped altogether. I think this is partially due to Saturn retrograde in Virgo, opposing the past month's Pisces planets. We've all been waiting (im)patiently for spring to finally roll around.

I've especially been waiting for this day for quite some time. I'm not a huge fan of a lot of Pisces energy, especially tail-end Piscean Age Pisces energy. That spacey, floaty, diffuse stuff doesn't do it for me (as it's on my South Node in the 8th house). The "been there, done that, let's move on" vibe gets a bit exasperating...and heavy..and painful.

We've been in the Pisces void long enough, I say! Time for something to start happening! And yet...Pisces has not given up its influence. (Well, for $@%! sakes!) This is disappointing news for those of us really hoping for some movement right now. (me) But I cannot pull a Piscean trick and gloss over reality. We're not free and clear to move ahead just yet. Still more going with the flowing...

Mars, which rules Aries, is in Pisces right now and will be until April 22. (Mars will enter Aries and Venus will re-enter Aries at around the same time. Looking forward to that!) That means, all the planets currently in Aries (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus) are being influenced by Pisces right now, and our fresh start is tied to wrappings up of a spiritual nature - much of which is out of our hands until it is brought up.

The spring-induced recharging of physical energy is also going to take a while longer. *sigh*

With the personal planets in Aries, there is a definite emphasis on our physical bodies. It's just that our physical bodies are still clearing past cycles. As well, our every move, our every cell is infused with the spiritual significance of these times we're living in, and this creates a heavy demand on our attention and energy. The significance of these times is huge and the physical demand is and has been, correspondingly, huge. We carry the energy of the collective - the quiet faith, the whispered hopes, the sustaining dreams of all who have come before us, and all who are yet to come, really. We are their prayers. This responsibility needs to really sink in before we just pop off in our new Arien directions.

Mars in Pisces is not a very comfortable combo. Mars wants new directions, speed, action, physicality at the forefront. But with Mars in Pisces, our physical bodies are carrying the energetic impressions of all that has come before...even through ancestral lines. We feel floaty, dreamy and adrift within the collective - not focused purely in our individual bodies and identities. We're still a bit "touched." Our goals, movements and physicality, in general, are being informed from other levels. Sticky parts of the personal and collective subconscious manifest through the physical body.

Mars in Pisces marks a period when our bodies can feel especially ancient with odd, unexplainable aches and pains. Low physical energy. We have a foot in both worlds at the moment, and we have to give due care and attention to both or we'll be prone to karmic incidents (weird accidents and sicknesses, for example) that bring us back up to speed. We can't drop our spiritual consciousness in favour of pure physicality, but we also can't space out of our bodies, either. It's a somewhat tricky combo.

Mars relates to goals, and our goals now have to take into consideration what we know about ourselves on a spiritual level.

Also known as "Old Souls Don't Belong on Snowboards."

The energy right now reminds me of this. When I was in my late teens/early 20s, I saw people my age skiing and snowboarding and rock climbing and such, and I wondered why I never got to do stuff like that. It didn't seem fair. So when I was living in Whitehorse, I decided to try snowboarding. Wow. Was I ever terrible. Like...reaaaaally terrible. Had zero knack for it at all. When I finally got to the top of the bunny hill (after falling 10 - 15 times on the rope tow), I started down (as per my bf at the time's instructions) and fell backwards onto my tailbone so hard, I blacked out. Searing pain. I lay there dazed for about five minutes before I could get back up. Subsequent efforts went just as well. I actually did go up on the big lift but fell so many times and made so little progress that I had to ride the snowboard down the hill like a toboggan because it was getting dark and the hill was closing. True story. I wish it weren't.

It was as if it were a physical impossibility for me to snowboard.

And it makes me think of lovely English lady Natasha Richardson at age 45 on that ski hill in Quebec.

Sometimes the world just taps you on the shoulder and says, uh uh! I think the trick right now is to listen...but also to not let it discourage you to the point that you hole up in yourself and don't try anything new. Again...tricky combo.

As I've written before, Venus in Aries is heading back to 29 degrees Pisces mid-April. Here is another indication of these fresh start/completion of past cycles themes...this time in relationships (including our relationship with ourself). And another reason I'm excited for that April 22 - 24 period when both Venus and Mars are in Aries. That time feels very fresh, like the final layer falling away and leaving us with a push into exciting new territory.

One more thing to keep in mind now...big, bad Pluto is stationing to go retrograde in Capricorn and is being squared by all the Aries. Our fresh directions occur within that context. So all the business turmoil, the economic meltdowns, the restructuring, the white collar criminality, the lack of hierarchical integrity across the board...we're going back over it, making necessary adjustments and coming to terms internally with what it all means and what it is going to mean.

Pluto goes retrograde April 4 at 3 degrees Capricorn. That's right! We've only dealt with the first three degrees of Cappie. The retrograde period lasts until September 10.

Venus in Aries Retrograde and Anger as a Guiding Force

Anger is helpful. There is nothing unspiritual or shameful about anger. It's there to guide us, as an impetus to action. Anger flares up to tell us something is not quite right and needs to be addressed, to be made right.

There are many situations and circumstances on Planet Earth where anger is necessary, vital. To not feel anger/irritation/annoyance in these situations and circumstances shows that the spirit is broken in some way.

Retrograding Venus in Aries is here now, in part, to strengthen our relationship with our own anger. To help us use it properly, to follow its constructive impulses and to learn to love its wisdom.

Venus in Aries is also making sure we're tapped into the raw power of who we are. That we're not compromising ourselves too much or dulling our flames in any way within our relationships or social settings.

So many times in our relations, we ignore the little warning flares of anger. Libra (ruled by Venus) likes harmony and doesn't want to rock the boat. It will often downplay its own feelings for the supposed greater good of the relationship. The problem is - this is not actually good for the relationship. It creates a level of falsity, and over time those flickers of anger we've ignored and internalized become big resentments.

Those flickers of anger are actually meant to be the impetus to action. They're there to tell us to exert our will and make a move, in whatever direction feels right. When we ignore these signals and subvert our will, even in the tiniest ways, we don't get where we need to be within our relationships and in our lives, in general. We end up in a place that doesn't feel right and isn't what we really, truly want.

Every tiny flicker of anger is purposeful and is trying to tell you something about a move that needs to be made.

We're getting a second chance now with Venus retrograding in Aries to work with these co-mingling forces of love and war and to align with the guiding flickers of annoyance, irritation, and anger within our relations with others. No pretending they're not there!

These themes are especially important for Pluto in Libras (1971 - 1984). Our evolutionary work of "cutting the shit" in relationships and creating true equality hinges a great deal on our mastery of Aries within those relationships. Developing the polarity point to our Pluto placement is crucial to our success.

Because I understand the importance of Aries energy for Pluto in Libras (and being one myself), I feel that there is a misstep within the "spirituality of the day" regarding anger. It is the promotion of the idea that "enlightened" people don't get angry. That we have to purify ourselves of anger and "transcend" anger-inducing circumstances.

Horse hooey.

The anger is there to show us what needs to be changed. Anger is our ally when we align with its raw, constructive directional potential and channel it in productive ways.

It's when we deny our anger, ignore it, and cover it over day-by-day - and maybe more importantly, when we are denied our legitimate anger by others - that it becomes dangerous and spills out in less constructive ways.

Instead of listening to people's frustrations, respecting the perspective, and working to understand and address what is causing the anger, there's a New Agey knee-jerk reaction to talk people out of it, to explain it away according to some motto or creed (that often involves a requirement to become "more evolved" or "more enlightened"). It all just needs to be healed with a cup of medicinal tea and a big old group hug!

Uhhh...no. Healing can only happen when the root causes of the pain and anger are addressed. Anger is a symptom. Again with the treatment of symptoms rather than the more difficult work of getting to the nitty gritty root causes.

When people try to talk me out of my darker feelings and show me the "error" of my ways, all I can think is: the only thing that might help is you being less of a dumbass. Instead of dumping superficial and unsolicited "healing advice" on me, try going a little deeper. Take on your fair share of the consciousness and do something constructive to try to improve circumstances, or honestly, just step aside because we're pretty much done.

So many people seem to instantly feel "more evolved" or wise than a person who is expressing anger, and there is a lazy tendency to write people off as "angry" and "negative," as if this is actual meaningful analysis. The fact that the individual is supposedly fundamentally flawed in these ways creates the problems, they say, not the other way around.

Well, isn't that convenient? Again, this lets the collective off the hook for any group, systemic, or institutional responsibility for righting wrongs. It also lacks any sort of understanding that an individual could be taking on difficult life circumstances in order to understand and bring things to light that the collective has been denying or ignoring for too long. This turns the canary in the coal mine into the problem itself.

We don't move on until these things are addressed. Got it?

When we don't take action on anger's instructional impulses, or when we are made unable to take action due to systemic/institutional set-ups, anger becomes toxic to our systems, creating roiling, resentful rage and/or depression. That's when things can get ugly. Think of a kid being bullied in school who has his initial complaints constantly ignored or downplayed - and then one day just erupts into violence.

I would argue it's the constant writing off of other people's frustrations and anger, and the resulting continuation of the root circumstances, that takes things to that next level - rage.

This is why I am choosing to hammer home this point. The denial and condemnation of anger within the "spirituality of the day," and particularly within New Age ideology, is actually dangerous. Those puppies and unicorns have box cutters, y'all.

But honouring our feelings of anger, listening to them, getting to the root of what is making us angry, and then taking action on it - and making space for this process in relationships and social settings? That's a beautiful thing, and we get a chance to experience that beauty right now.

Kicking False Karasses to the Curb! Retro Venus in Aries Sextile the Aquarius Stellium

Being our true, honest, raw selves is the only way to find and create our new communities. This is the way we enter into relationships with true equals, true comrades.

Stripping down social artifice of all kinds. Stripping away any stifling self-censorship that goes along with belonging to and maintaining status within a group. Finding freedom from and passing out of the crumbling structures of any groups or relations that can't contain who we really are. It takes courage, yes.

This is what is so exciting to me about these times. That we could eschew false karasses and demand our most authentic places within our most suitable communities alongside our most compatible comrades. Awesome.

Here is where living our diversity as individuals creates the collective we desire. It's not about moulding and shaping ourselves to fit within a group. It's about uncovering and living every nuanced aspect of ourselves, no apologies, so that the community forms around us and fits like a malleable, ever-adapting glove. No bending, no bowing, no squishing ourselves into shoes that don't fit just because everyone else we see is wearing them. Every edge, every corner, every variation is necessary for us to find our rightful place. They are not to be downplayed or explained away.

Being disconnected from AstroDispatch (a website that publishes masses of astrology blogs) makes me aware that being connected to that type of community is not for me. My perspective is not for everyone, and I know this. While I liked that it (possibly) made it easier for people who like this blog to find me, I actually realized a degree of self-censorship that I was doing here just because I knew that my blog posts would be out there for the masses to see. That's not something I want to do.

I've always understood that astrology was one of those false karasses. Being into astrology does not equal compatibility. There are as many variations of astrology as there are astrologers and there is no greater likelihood that you'll mesh with someone on that basis than with the general public. In fact, in my experience, it's usually worse odds. A sort of "too many cooks in the kitchen" type of thing.

Some people are like oil and water. They just don't mix. Instead of making that into something that is wrong, why don't we just accept it? Wouldn't that save a lot of confusion and hurt feelings?

From experience, I understand that I'm just not a person who can (or is meant to) bend to the rules of membership. Existing group dynamics always seem to require some sort of personal compromising/conformity to the way of the group, and I just don't agree with that. I guess the only group I'm meant to belong to is the group of people who have similar standards. haha

I really write this blog as a communication to the universe and, as odd as it sounds, to myself. I see it as a breadcrumb trail for myself and, I guess, for other people who find the communication valuable.

I think about younger versions of myself and how rough they had it at times. I think about the rough spots up ahead. And I think about the kind of honest and loving advice and instruction I would like to give myself to make the way a little less treacherous. That's what I try to do with this blog. It's the kind of loving advice and instruction I would like anyone in similar cirumstances to find. A breadcrumb trail through time and space that tells all of us that we're going to make it through. A trail to help us feel less alone because we know someone has been through here before. A trail to show us how to traverse the tricky parts and how to avoid the pitfalls. Something that tells us there are others who understand, even if we can't see anyone up ahead or behind.

Because I know how rough this particular trail is, I won't waste my time with anything that isn't what I consider straight-up real, honest and authentic. There just isn't time for anything else.

So the fact that this blog is not "connected" to any one group or organization is actually useful because I think it makes it more likely that only those who understand this particular breadcrumb trail will find it.

It's like that saying: you don't find many people on the extra mile. And when you do find someone else, it's mighty fine. Mighty fine.

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.