Introducing... Miss Solar System!
Venus has the distinction of being the only planet in our solar system named after a female deity. We might think of the astrological Venus as the quintessential feminine. Like a beauty queen, she is beautiful, loving, charismatic, alluring, and drawn to all that glitters.
Article Series: The Astrological Venus
Venus has traditionally represented a woman's own sense of sexuality, desire, beauty and attractiveness. Traditionally, Venus in a man's chart symbolizes the kind of woman he is attracted to and will marry.
However, today's world is a much more complex and inclusive place than it was when these concepts began being associated with the movements of the planet Venus. Venus now tends to represent the Yin, receptive, creative or "Right-Brain" side of both men and women. Venus is everyone's experience of attraction ― both being attracted to something (or someone) and attracting something or someone to you.
Venus therefore represents everyone's approach to relationships, what we look for in a partner, and what we bring to our relationship with our partners. Venus also represents our approach to the things we draw to us, and therefore it signifies our money, income, possessions, resources and anything that we have.
This is the first in a series of articles about the astrology of the planet Venus, including Venus retrograde. Venus only goes retrograde every year and a half, compared with most other planets that go retrograde once a year, or Mercury that goes retrograde three times a year! To understand what Venus retrograde means, we must first explore what Venus means in general. Therefore, I have begun with a number of articles that explore the mythology of Venus, the ways that Venus rules Libra and Taurus, and how Venus does and doesn't reflect our experience of feelings and emotions.
Key Concepts for Venus
For your convenience, I've included a list of astrological keywords associated with the planet Venus.
FEMALE PRINCIPLE ― Beautiful, loving, charming, charismatic, alluring.
LOVE ― Beauty, charm, affection, adoration, pleasure, sex appeal, attraction, erotic desire.
RELATIONSHIPS ― Marriage, committed relationships, business partnerships.
INTERACTION ― Socializing, relating, give-and-take, our style of relating, feedback, reflection, mirroring.
BEAUTY ― Fashion, crafts, music, the arts, gentleness, and anything that uplifts the appearance or experience of something to make it beautiful, elegant, refined and pleasant.
COOPERATION ― Diplomacy, agreements, negotiation, strategy, compromise, alliance, mutual anything.
MATERIAL ABUNDANCE ― Money, finances, resources, possessions, assets, income and material values.
SENSORY PLEASURES ― Food (especially sweet or rich food), massage, touch, perfume, music, art.
© 2005 Wendy Guy, All rights reserved. This content may not be copied or used without the expressed permission of the author. Painting The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, 1485, via Wikiart.org.