Venus - a matter of taste, beauty and balance

Venus glyph

If you've ever gazed up at the night sky and seen Venus shining bright and beautiful, you will already have absorbed some of the qualities that this planet represents. Cool, silvery and also mysterious, Venus appears sometimes as the evening star, and sometimes as the morning star. The beauty of this planet is elusive and intriguing as it seems to move about in the sky. 

Aesthetics of food

 In astrological psychology, Venus represents the drive to be selective and choose, using discrimination. Venus is associated with our ability to form relationships, to develop and express our aestheic tastes and preferences, to pursue what is harmonious and beautiful and, as a sensory organ, to use our physical sense of taste. The energies of Venus will be as fully engaged when you're eating a meal, as when you're visiting an art gallery, deciding on a colour scheme or forming a new friendship.

17.6.1980 at 14.12 in Lynwood, CA, USA

This is the chart of tennis player Venus Williams. Appropriately her full name is Venus Ebony Starr Williams. Her chart vibrates with energy and the aspects form an image of what could be viewed as the trajectory of her movements and the tennis ball as she runs about the court. What is interesting is that her Gemini Sun is conjunct Venus on the Balance Point of the 9th house. Any planet conjunct the Sun is likely to confer a close identification with the energies and qualities of that planet, so it's not altogether surprising that Williams is glamorous and tastefully attired both on and off the court. Planets on a Balance Point will have an ease of expression.

In the current Book of the Month, The Planets and their Psychological Meaning Bruno and Louise Huber describe the qualities  of Venus, along with all the other planets, in depth and detail. The book is available from the APA Bookshop.

 

 And I here talk about Venus on my YouTube channel.

 

Astrology and the Language of the Body

In Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote "What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason", and Leonardo da Vinci made his now-famous drawing of a man with arms wide-spread, inside a circle and a square. Both are celebrations of the human body, and of the potential the body offers in terms of experiencing the environment and the world around us.

We can turn to astrological psychology and the natal chart to help understand the body, and its need for health and well-being. Saturn is the planet which gives us a sense of ourselves through the body - Saturn is matter, the physical, with structures and systems at work in the body such as the skeletal system, the digestive system, the respiratory system and so on. These are all organised into a cohesive whole with each system interdependent. When these systems are functioning healthily, we are healthy.

The House Axes

Chart with tension on 4/10 axis

Using the House axes in the chart we can identify problems which can arise in the body, on the physical level. Tension in the natal chart is created by oppositions aspects or by a stellium of planets in a house. On the vertical 4/10 Individuality house axis this tension can give information about, for example, back and postural problems. On the horizontal 1/7 Encounter axis and the 6/12 Existence axis, tensions here can tell us about potential problems with the immune system. Bruno Huber studied and researched this in depth, lecturing and writing about medical astrology and how to use it alongside astrological psychology.

The attribution of the 5 senses is made to planets Mars, Venus, Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter. Saturn is related to our tactile function; Jupiter is vision and sight, Mars our sense of smell.

You can find out much more about this in the Pisces Book of the Month, Astrology 2: Family, Relationships and Health, which includes an article by Bruno Huber on The Language of the Body. His Results of 20 years Research into Medical Astrology is covered in the Astrological Seminars Vol. 1 booklet available only from the APA Bookshop

Astrology, Relationships and Click Horoscopes

Moons trine or maybe conjunct!

When looking at relationships between two people, a conventional chart comparison (synastry) will seek out aspects between a planet in a sign in one person's chart, and a planet in a sign in the other person's. For example, the Moon in Cancer my chart might be in a 120 degrees apart trine aspect relationship with the Moon in Cancer in your chart. This could suggest a nice cosy chummy emotional loving relationship between us. But if our Moons were in different signs or a 90 degrees apart square relationship, it could be a very different story because we could fall out, get huffy, get hurt and misunderstand each other's feelings. This is the conventional approach.

Houses 1,2 and 3

The Huber approach, using astrological psychology, looks at the charts of both people in the relationship, but rather than starting with the Zodiac Sign and the planets, we start with the Houses. What we're looking for are any spatial relationships which might exist between two people. And spatial relationships are important because they are where we share the same physical spaces with each other. These can be found in the 12 Houses of the chart; the houses are where we live out our lives and express ourselves in the environment and the wider world around us. 

At its very simplest, using Click Horoscopes involves looking at the two charts together and finding out if both people share any planetary placements in the same house. For example, my 4th house Saturn and your 4th house Neptune would form a Click, but we might run into difficulties because your lack of organisation and laissez-faire approach to home and family life alongside my drive and need to be organised in this area of life would probably drive us both rather crazy! So we'd have to work things out between us and find a compromise, which is what relationship is all about.

Planets which make Clicks symbolise areas of life where we'll find things either easier, or more challenging, in a relationship. Two Suns in the same house/area of life expression could become a power struggle. Two Moons could signify a lot of emotion, two Mercury's endless chatter and an ongoing need to get a word in edgeways or have the last word, and so on......and of course, it's never as simple as this. 

To get a really accurate understanding of how potential clicks would manifest in a relationship, the position by both sign and house have to be considered, and a comprehensive overview of how to use Clicks is outlined in the current Book of the Month - 

  Astrolog 2: Family, Relationships & Health.   

The contents of the book cover exactly what is said in the title.  Included in the book is a chapter on Clicks by Louise Huber, which is recommended reading if you want to know more and try this technique out. The chapter title -  Relationship as a Developmental Process - Click Horoscopes on Three Levels - gives an idea of the content and the subject is covered in considerable depth. 

Here's a basic example of some Clicks which gives an idea of how this technique can be used - but a lot more detail than this is required to give a reliable and valid assessment. I recommend you read the book, and the boooklet on Clicks only available from the APA Bookshop.

Chart A

Both charts have Clicks between the transpersonal planets - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Uranus and Pluto are in the 9th house in both charts, making a Click, but they are at different positions by both sign and house, so this has to be considered, along with Neptune in the 11th for both charts. Again, Neptune's position by sign and house will offer fine tuning to the assessment of the relationship.

Chart B

Chart A's 1st house Moon Clicks with Chart B's 1st house Sun. 

Chart A's 2nd house Sun Clicks with Chart B's 2nd house Moon.

What does this suggest to you about the relationship? I'd like to hear your responses please....based on what you've read, do you think they are a compatible couple?

Nature v Nurture - The Family Model

In my book The Cosmic Egg Timer, I include a chapter giving guidelines on how to use the Family Model in the natal chart. Looking at the position of Sun, Moon and Saturn a lot can be learned about the Mother/Father/Child relationships which existed as the individual was growing up.

Sun at the top

The Sun symbolises the will and the mind, and aspects of the personality which relate to "self" - self-confidence, self-esteem and self-identity. When we're young, we're not yet ready to take on board developing these things for ourself, so we project our own Sun on to the person in the family who we assume is playing out that role - it's usually dad, but in these days of changes in family structures, it can also be mum. In such cases, the child will look to the mother to fulfil both parenting roles. Ideally, the Sun in the chart will be placed above the horizon, preferably near the top. Needless to say, it doesn't always happen this way; variations and what they suggest are discussed in The Cosmic Egg Timer.

Saturn at the bottom

Saturn in the chart is symbolic of our physical self (see previous post on the ego planets) as well as security in all its different manifestations. Security means different things to different people, but one thing's for sure: we all need to feel secure, especially when a child. Who is the first person to offer such security and protection? Mother of course, so we tend to project our own Saturn on to her. She's the one who gives out the rules and guidelines of how things should be as we grow up. Please don't fall into the trap of gasping and rejecting Saturn as mother when you may be attached to thinking of the Moon as mother. Mum can be Saturnian and loving at the same time. She (or the person who fulfils this role) is usually the one who keeps us on track. Ideally, Saturn will be placed below the horizon in the chart and you can read more of why this is in the book.

Moon in 7th

Moon represents our inner child and how we express ourselves through our feelings (again, see my previous post on the ego planets) so it won't come as a big surprise to discover that the Moon symbolises the child - ourselves as we grew up - in the context of the Family Model. The Moon is best placed in the chart where it can make and receive contact with others. A 7th house placement is ideal, but not too many things in the chart fall into the category of "ideal", so let's say that the Moon is likely to be well-placed if it's somewhere in the region of the DC, where it has the best chance of connecting with others.

You'll find much more about the Family Model in my co-authored book The Cosmic Egg Timer, where family relationships, family dominance, and specific bonding between child and one or both parents is covered. The book is available as an ebook and as a paperback.

Comment by A. Gregory, newcomer to astrology, on The Cosmic Egg Timer:

"This impressive book explains astrological psychology clearly in a logical and progressive manner. It enabled me to examine my own chart, and those of family and friends. I came away with a deeper awareness of myself, and greater understanding of astrology. It has left me wanting to know more!"

Sun, Moon, Saturn - the Ego Planets

Ego planets shown in red

How is 2014 going for you so far? Have you set goals, made resolutions, yearn for things to get better for you in the year ahead? Are you leaving it to chance, fate and good luck for the year ahead, or are you willing to engage in making things improve and go your way, on your terms? Here's how you might go about this, using your ego planets.

We identify with our own sense of self through the ego, and in astrological psychology the planets which represent the ego in a natal chart are Sun, Moon and Saturn.  They are always shown in red in the chart because of their significance and importance. Ego planets operate at a more conscious level and large portions of life are lived through them. The qualities, drives and energies that these three planets represent are closely linked with the physical, emotional and mental aspects of what it is to be human.

Saturn provides structure and gives a sense of the physical self.

Moon conveys our emotional responses and gives a sense of self via feelings.

Sun allows us to connect with the will, the ability to make choices and gain self awareness through the use of the mind.

All three planets can be functioning a various stages of consciousness - are they asleep, waking or awake? Are you using them to the best of your ability to gain the most you can from your daily interactions and relationships? If you're interested in your own personal growth, and want to get the best you can out of life, you can learn to wake these planets up so they are working more effectively for you.

Engaging with the Cardinal energy of the Sun you can begin to tap into your ability to be creative; connecting with the Mutable energy of the Moon you can become more comfortable and proficient at expressing your feelings and learning to ask for your emotional needs to be recognised and met in relationships; and with Saturn's Fixed energy you can pursue your security needs alongside becoming more structured and organised in your life.

Book of the Month

What I've written here is a short extract from my co-authored book, The Cosmic Egg Timer, where you can read about the psychological drives associated with the ego planets, and can get some ideas about how to move through 2014 in a more awake way, making the things that you want to happen for yourself actually happen, rather than leaving it all to chance - or to what sun sign astrologers tell you!