August 4th ~ 11th
Venus Mandala
The most important thing in life is knowing the most important things in life. ~ David F. Jakielo
On August 13th, retrograde Venus will conjunct the Sun at 20º Leo 28’. There are two sorts of conjunctions that Venus makes with the Sun. One is when Venus is perigee, or at its closest point in its orbit to the Earth. This is the inferior conjunction of Venus. The other is when Venus is at its furthest point from the Earth, or apogee. For that conjunction Venus is on the other side of the Sun. The inferior conjunction only occurs when Venus is retrograde, and when Venus and the Earth are on the same side of the Sun. And it is this conjunction on August 13th, that begins the 584-day synodic cycle of Venus.
Much like the New Moon each month, this is the New Venus cycle, at which point Venus will disappear from the evening sky, and appear to be consumed by the light of the Sun, as it will be rising and setting with the Sun. This also marks the end of Venus’s evening star phase, for after several weeks, when Venus emerges enough away from the Sun’s rays, it will rise as a Morning Star in the East.
When planets are so very close to the Sun, they disappear from the night sky. They rise and set with the Sun by day. And so these planets, obscured by the light of the Sun King only exist to serve him. But when they are exactly conjunct the Sun, something extraordinary happens. It’s as if the planet is then admitted into the throne room, the very heart of the Sun, where they briefly find favor with the monarch, and become King for the day. So it is with retrograde Venus on August 13th.
When retrograde Venus is exactly conjunct the Sun, or cazimi, it is time to get to the heart of the matter. This is where we come face to face with our priorities and values. This includes how well we value ourselves and what we have to offer. This is where we will set the tone for the duration of the next 584-day Venus cycle.
On the day of the inferior conjunction Sun and Venus will be trine the centaur Chiron. But before we even get there, on August 9th, Venus will square off with changeable Uranus, gradually slowing for its own retrograde station on August 28th. Venus/Uranus: a shift in perception; a change in a relationship; something new and different changes the picture; a sudden surprise; being shown that we don’t always have to keep doing things the way that we have in the past. The universe appears to be shifting, and is bringing us along for the ride.
Relationships loom large with this cycle of Venus which began as the Nodes of the Moon moved back into Aries, and Venus-ruled Libra. But so do all things Libra-related. This can change the nature, the status and the way we do relationships. But it can also:
open us up to receiving
recognize the necessity for self-care
put the focus on your own needs and desires
Life is as simple as these three questions: What do I want? Why do I want it? And, how will I achieve it? ~ Shannon L. Alder
These are the 3 questions that are burning in our hearts this week as Venus approaches its inferior conjunction on August 13th. Because of what we learn at the Venus/Uranus square this week, we can open ourselves up to a higher level of acceptance and understanding. And because of this we can then find opportunities for healing and reconciliation.
What are those things and people that are most meaningful to you, and that you would like to see yourself focusing on over the next year? Why are these meaningful to you, and what are the steps that you can take, or what can you incorporate into your daily routines to make these more of a priority? A weekly phone call? A personal note? A date night? An hour each day to focus on your art, your spiritual practice, your inner well-being, your joy? Make it real. Make it simple and sustainable, and make it achievable.
In this nascent beginning of the new Venus cycle, a time of pure potential, we are being asked to think of ways that we can practically make our dreams and hopes for the future a closer and more achievable, reality. In order to make the most of the Venus/Uranus square this week, allow yourself to be flexible and open to whatever changes may be occurring, without sacrificing your most heart felt desires, loves, priorities and values. For it will be these that you will want to serve as the baseline for the next 19 months going forward.
For this week’s horoscopes, click below: