May 2009
The Coupling of Venus & Mars
By Mandi Lockley
Like any couple who have been around the block together more than a few times, often it seems as if Venus and Mars can’t live together and yet they can’t live apart. For the time being though, like it or not, they are bound together by a long, moving conjunction* and they had better make the most of it.
Although these two planets undoubtedly belong together, their seemingly opposite natures are clearly exemplified in many of the keywords used to describe them: love vs. war…action vs. reaction…unite and harmonise vs. divide and conquer…friendship vs. enmity…man vs. woman…similarity vs. difference… reconciliation vs. separation… selfishness vs. selflessness……
This current conjunction of Venus and Mars takes them, inseparably, through the whole of Aries and Taurus, right up until early July when Venus finally gains speed and races off ahead into Gemini. Usually their union is a brief kind of affair, so this long conjunction is rare and has occurred because Mars caught Venus going through a slow patch, just out of her recent retrograde period.
With the conjunction in Aries until early June, Mars has the upper hand. This is because Mars is very comfortable in Aries, the sign he rules. According to traditional astrology, a planet in the sign of its rulership is in its strongest position. Here, it can be its own master and has the power to act, without restraint, according to its own nature. In Mars’ case this means he is free to express himself according to his first instinct, without having to ponder the consequences. He can lead, he can exert force, he can be ‘numero uno’.
Mars is Venus’ host during their passage through Aries, but Mars will learn that his guest is not happy. This is because, in Aries, Venus is in the sign of her detriment. She is debilitated and cannot easily act according to her true nature, which is to please, share and cooperate. She wants romance and courtship, but he just wants quick sex. However, being able to see the other’s point of view and wanting to please are the gifts of Venus, so while she is weak in Aries she may just give herself away a little too easily to Mars’ clumsy seduction techniques. Along the way though, Venus may learn that sometimes it’s OK to give in to the passion and the impulse of the moment.
She may also come to understand that sometimes, when diplomacy and compromise fail, she will be called upon to take up the warrior position. This, in turn, will help her realise that on this path it is simply not possible to please all of the people all of the time.
On 31st May the tables are turned when Mars moves into Taurus, Venus’ sign, where he is in detriment, debilitated. For a few days though, he leaves Venus alone in Aries to ponder on what she has learnt. With Venus in Aries and Mars in Taurus, the two planets are in mutual reception, which means they are in each other’s signs. It is as if Mars is wearing Venus’ shoes and vice versa and while they are both uncomfortable with the fit of the shoes they are wearing, they can gaze at the shoes of the other, those that would fit them perfectly, with love and longing.
On 6th June, the balance is tipped once again, when Venus joins Mars in Taurus. Venus in Taurus is on her home patch, in the sign she rules, so she is now the strong one in the partnership. Mars is no longer in charge of the situation, he is Venus’ guest now and he will find out that Venus in Taurus plays the long game, seeking commitment in return for her loyalty and devotion. Finally able to act according to her true nature she will subject Mars to a long, drawn out foreplay, sensual and cuddly, teasing him, causing him much frustration.
If she does decide to give herself to Mars, and it will be her choice, she will demand, sweetly, that he stick around afterwards, to enjoy the afterglow. But Venus, ever the pleaser, will make sure she gives him something worth sticking around for and will do her very best to make life comfortable and pleasurable for the two of them. Mars in Taurus will then learn, through dealing with his frustration and impatience, that some things really are worth waiting for. He may even come to realise that sometimes taking time to rest and enjoy life’s pleasures is as essential for the true warrior as carrying on with the fight.
Then on 5th July, Venus sashays into Gemini, leaving Mars alone in Taurus for a few days, to relax a little longer. When he also moves into Gemini, on 12th July, the two of them will share be a very brief hello before they both travel onward through the zodiac, hopefully taking some of the lessons they have learned along with them. Until they meet again.
*A conjunction, in astrology, is an aspect formed when two planets occupy the same sign of the zodiac, in roughly the same degree.
The Coupling of Venus & Mars
By Mandi Lockley
Like any couple who have been around the block together more than a few times, often it seems as if Venus and Mars can’t live together and yet they can’t live apart. For the time being though, like it or not, they are bound together by a long, moving conjunction* and they had better make the most of it.
Although these two planets undoubtedly belong together, their seemingly opposite natures are clearly exemplified in many of the keywords used to describe them: love vs. war…action vs. reaction…unite and harmonise vs. divide and conquer…friendship vs. enmity…man vs. woman…similarity vs. difference… reconciliation vs. separation… selfishness vs. selflessness……
This current conjunction of Venus and Mars takes them, inseparably, through the whole of Aries and Taurus, right up until early July when Venus finally gains speed and races off ahead into Gemini. Usually their union is a brief kind of affair, so this long conjunction is rare and has occurred because Mars caught Venus going through a slow patch, just out of her recent retrograde period.
With the conjunction in Aries until early June, Mars has the upper hand. This is because Mars is very comfortable in Aries, the sign he rules. According to traditional astrology, a planet in the sign of its rulership is in its strongest position. Here, it can be its own master and has the power to act, without restraint, according to its own nature. In Mars’ case this means he is free to express himself according to his first instinct, without having to ponder the consequences. He can lead, he can exert force, he can be ‘numero uno’.
Mars is Venus’ host during their passage through Aries, but Mars will learn that his guest is not happy. This is because, in Aries, Venus is in the sign of her detriment. She is debilitated and cannot easily act according to her true nature, which is to please, share and cooperate. She wants romance and courtship, but he just wants quick sex. However, being able to see the other’s point of view and wanting to please are the gifts of Venus, so while she is weak in Aries she may just give herself away a little too easily to Mars’ clumsy seduction techniques. Along the way though, Venus may learn that sometimes it’s OK to give in to the passion and the impulse of the moment.
She may also come to understand that sometimes, when diplomacy and compromise fail, she will be called upon to take up the warrior position. This, in turn, will help her realise that on this path it is simply not possible to please all of the people all of the time.
On 31st May the tables are turned when Mars moves into Taurus, Venus’ sign, where he is in detriment, debilitated. For a few days though, he leaves Venus alone in Aries to ponder on what she has learnt. With Venus in Aries and Mars in Taurus, the two planets are in mutual reception, which means they are in each other’s signs. It is as if Mars is wearing Venus’ shoes and vice versa and while they are both uncomfortable with the fit of the shoes they are wearing, they can gaze at the shoes of the other, those that would fit them perfectly, with love and longing.
On 6th June, the balance is tipped once again, when Venus joins Mars in Taurus. Venus in Taurus is on her home patch, in the sign she rules, so she is now the strong one in the partnership. Mars is no longer in charge of the situation, he is Venus’ guest now and he will find out that Venus in Taurus plays the long game, seeking commitment in return for her loyalty and devotion. Finally able to act according to her true nature she will subject Mars to a long, drawn out foreplay, sensual and cuddly, teasing him, causing him much frustration.
If she does decide to give herself to Mars, and it will be her choice, she will demand, sweetly, that he stick around afterwards, to enjoy the afterglow. But Venus, ever the pleaser, will make sure she gives him something worth sticking around for and will do her very best to make life comfortable and pleasurable for the two of them. Mars in Taurus will then learn, through dealing with his frustration and impatience, that some things really are worth waiting for. He may even come to realise that sometimes taking time to rest and enjoy life’s pleasures is as essential for the true warrior as carrying on with the fight.
Then on 5th July, Venus sashays into Gemini, leaving Mars alone in Taurus for a few days, to relax a little longer. When he also moves into Gemini, on 12th July, the two of them will share be a very brief hello before they both travel onward through the zodiac, hopefully taking some of the lessons they have learned along with them. Until they meet again.
*A conjunction, in astrology, is an aspect formed when two planets occupy the same sign of the zodiac, in roughly the same degree.