Mercurial Wanderings under Venus Retrograde…

Venus has turned retrograde with the last full moon in Gemini and has been hovering around Pluto for quite some time now and this post is a reflexive product of it somehow. As usual a mix of personal experience and food for thought which I hope you might find useful, or inspiring, or at least entertaining. 

Mercurial wanderings…

I sometimes find it amusing the way that our society works. Not that I am completely outside of it, of course not. But with the strong Aquarian, Uranian, 11th house and out of bounds emphasis in my natal chart, I confess that it feels like I am ‘out of bounds’ myself most of the time. I don’t think I always fully understand the logic behind some of our taken for granted agreements. 

I see a powerfully strong Capricorn theme when it comes to work ethics, productivity, goals, and visions of success. Ambition is very high rated, material gratification too. But I am also especially thinking about the idea of ‘professionalism’ here. 

When did we stop valuing humanness and buying into this concept that absolute detachment equals a more ‘professional’ and capable approach? Don’t get me wrong, I understand the need for ethics, in a deeper sense, I would say. But the coldness that usually accompanies the generally accepted ‘professionalism’ really hugs me, no, I mean bugs me. 

Another thing that comes to mind is how value is attributed to money and how much not having money has a detrimental effect on self-esteem. It is difficult to value yourself if not having enough money prevents you from having a voice, from making choices and being considered important by other members of society. 

As my secondary progressed ascendant slowly transitions from Sagittarius into Capricorn (it has already made the shift in Solar Arc direction last year), the more I see myself valuing professionalism and the material realm without losing sight of some of the questions stated above. I have most of the time considered myself a freedom loving and informal type of person – always hated the hypocrisy that sometimes being ‘professional’ makes you comply with.

But now I see myself getting increasingly tired of the hippish approach to life and really feeling the need to gather all my professional experience (which by now is kind of considerable as I’m no spring chick anymore…) and put it into one place. Have a brand – (did I really say that?!) – and make a proper income (whatever that means) solo from astrology work. Get myself deeply involved with the potential productivity, which is quite vast considering the possibilities that the internet and digital era offers us.   

You see, these words seem like a great example of what we could be doing during this cycle of retrogradation from Venus in Capricorn. Ask ourselves where we are going and if that place is truly aligned with our core values. I would also say, as I think about the shift that my progressed ascendant seems to be reflecting, this could be a great time for catching up with your shifting values too. What important and major themes in your life are slowly fading and losing their grip on you now? How aligned are you with your natural changes and the resulting new-born values within it? 

Recently, while I was trying to relax and enjoy the holiday season, I decided to reread my last journal – another great thing to do during one of the fast-moving planets’ cycles of retrogradation. It can be wonderfully insightful to be able to see your process and how (surprisingly) congruent it usually is with how you intuitively feel from moment to moment. 

This time I was surprised to see how much had been written about my search for a fulfilling relationship (another relevant topic for this Venus retrograde period) and how to get there by being clear about what I really want – my natal Venus/Neptune square has been transited by Pluto, whilst progressed Venus conjoined natal Saturn.

There is no healthy relationship without healthy boundaries. 

I can’t remember where I read this, or who mentioned it to me, but it is so true. 

In one entry from my journal, I wrote: 

‘Is this what self-worth looks like? Making difficult choices that puts your mental/emotional/physical wellbeing first? I guess so. His love life is a mess that I don’t want to be part of – There is no role for me there, at least, there isn’t a role that I am willing to play.’    

And later I wrote:

‘It is exciting to be able to be more myself and less of what people want me to be’, with the conclusion that more validation coming from within gives space for authenticity to be truly expressed out there. 

If you don’t feel comfortable being yourself around someone, or if that person does not support your authenticity and shows no appreciation for who you are, always making demeaning comments or trying to change you into what they want you to be, it is a sign that this might not be the right relationship for you. 

Remember, you are nobody else’s dream! (that used to be a little note to myself, natal Venus-Neptune’s things…) 

And these thoughts also remind me of psychotherapist Mark Vernon’s great article ‘What is Love?’ where, amongst other things, the author discuss the idea that love grows through conflict – and that in fact, the secret of a successful relationship many times is in our capacity to deal with disagreement and not necessarily in our capacity to love. In his words ‘an inability to handle conflict is a good predictor of divorce’.

According to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ‘experience shows us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking together in the same direction’, and for that to happen, we have the obligation (with ourselves, more than anyone else) to know our values! To be (absolutely) aware of the importance and urgency of asking ourselves: what do I value the most in life, partnerships, career, daily choices, etc?! With Venus retrograde this is the perfect time for you to seriously (Capricorn) and deeply (conjoined Pluto) ask yourself these questions, get to the bottom-line of your core values and how much they might be changing. Cath up with them, ponder on them. Befriend them, for in a way, your values define who you are.

Quick catch up and Composite charts

I am sitting at my new desk now and, although tired, feels great.

Since I came back from my (extended) time spent in Brazil I have been leading a nomadic life, again.

The difference this time though, reflected by my solar arc ascendant (plus progressed Mars) shifting from Sag to Capricorn, is that I was not feeling the adventurous spirit anymore. I was rather looking forward to moving to the right home so I can focus on work and my masters’ thesis!

All I want is to work, be productive, and take my life more seriously than before.

I do not want to waste time anymore with basics like constant moving from place to place, or shopping for food and getting acquainted with yet another kitchen, or trying to find something to wear inside my suitcase.

No.

Last Thursday I moved into my new home in London and I feel truly grateful as I also seem to have found a nice little community – the people I am sharing the house with are friendly and funny and I feel surprisingly at ease around them already.

(Transiting Jupiter is conjoined my Progressed Moon in Aquarius in the 4th house!)

As I begin to catch up with all the big (and the little) important things surrounding settling down, I start to shift my awareness back to astrological work. Slowly I can concentrate again.

My next webinar is planed for mid October (I might have to postpone the date as I haven’t had time to advertise it properly) and it will be about midpoint composite charts.

I love composite charts!

Relationship astrology was one of the things that really got me hooked into astrology many years ago. I was thrilled to discover clues and the opportunity to deepen my understanding of something so profoundly complex like love relationships. (by love, I also mean family ties, friendships, etc).

It fascinates me how much the midway between both people’s Sun, Moon, etc, can be surprisingly revealing about the dynamics of the relationship itself, and more importantly, how the relationship potentially affects each person individually.

For instance I had a relationship with somebody that the composite Sun was right on my natal Venus. It was really obvious how much of a Venusian character I would become every time we were hanging out. I felt really attractive and prone to celebrate my femininity. The relationship’s vital energy and purpose (the Sun) was putting the spot light on that point in my natal chart. It almost felt like I became Venus herself, the goddess of love and beauty, every time I was around that person, even long after we broke up.

A few years later, I had a relationship with somebody that the composite Sun would be right on my natal Saturn and the experience was entirely different, as one would expect. It was so clear how different the whole thing felt! Most of the time I would feel defensive and protective of myself, having a tremendous resistance to relax and surrender. And the funny thing is, I really liked that person.

Strange as it seems, and with all the mystery that still surrounds the why/how or when people get together, composite charts and astrological symbolism in general can be helpful to give us insight into the magic of relating. Insights into who we are becoming and what is valuable to us in that moment.

It is important not to try and impose astrological interpretations instead of looking within and checking in with yourself, but the food for thought is almost always welcome.

And I write these words as a reminder to myself: use it wisely!

Astrology and Seasons!

Omnia tempus habent… (All things have their season) – Ecclesiastes 

As I finish preparing my powerpoint presentation for my webinar tonight on secondary progressions here I am again, feeling baffled with the accuracy of astrological symbolism.

All things have their season, and prognostication is about that. It isn’t (not for me anyway) about predicting what the future holds or what is going to happen exactly, it is about realising your inner (and outer) season. Work with nature rather than against it, you wouldn’t try to harvest things during winter, etc.

There is the right time for everything. And astrological symbolism can help you not only to understand that, but also to align yourself with it. What a wonderful tool, albeit often misunderstood, astrology is.

As my progressed Moon makes its way towards my natal IC, boxes, removals, decorating and furniture permeates many of my conversations as well as my mind. I want to create a proper ‘nest’, a strong base where I can get in touch with my creativity (which will probably be happening once my progressed Moon moves into my 5th house I guesss…) and do more of the work that I love doing. Free myself up from some of the mundane preoccupation and fully dedicate myself to my master’s dissertation and my astrology practice.

Live a life that’s more aligned with what I want to do daily, focus my energy. (I guess I can also hear my progressed ascendant moving to Capricorn here!) I really look forward to being able to focus more and travel less (a little less anyway…).

Are you aware of your secondary progressions right now?!