Venus has left her retrograde shadow, the eclipses have concluded until next spring, and Mercury is slowly making its way through its retrograde shadow, soon to emerge. Now that all the fury and frenzy is over, what’s next? It occurred to me that the shifting sands of time is now upon us. The old story has ended and we are soon opening a new one, about to write Chapter 1. As the former chapter terminates, we are asking ourselves how we navigate this transitionary era.
The Shifting Sands of our Current Mutable Dilemma
With the entry of Venus into Virgo on the 8th of October, all of the planets find themselves in mutable signs. Secondarily in Cardinal Signs. NOTHING is Fixed at Present. In the book Mythic Astrology (1993) I wrote about mutable as this: “The only thing constant is change.” That quote can be traced back to the Roman poet Ovid from Metamorphoses, himself a mutable Pisces. So change is a constant of life, but in the mutable signs, it finds its season.
Of the four elements, fire leads the brigade at present. With mutable/fire (Sagittarius signature) ruling the affairs of the day, I would say there’s a mass migratory movement in process. This goes from Syrian refugees on the move, to immigration concerns everywhere. Speaking of immigration, it is bound to be the hot topic of 2016, as the next long Mars retrograde period will take place in Sagittarius, coupled with Saturn, from March through September, with a brief back-track into Scorpio. A hot topic and issue!
The excess of mutable/cardinal deals with individuals and families, even those with the most fixed planetary signature in their charts, to pull up their roots, give up their (false) security, take a look at their foundation and watch it slowly begin to dissolve and mutate. The most striking image from the news recently was the floods in South Carolina, uprooting homes and buildings. The news anchor said something to the effect of: “this flood is enough to raise the dead, literally” as he showed images of gravestones torn from their foundations, floating through flooded fields and streets. (Grievances to victims of situations like this and prayers that the re-settling process flows expediently.)
That says a lot about the state of our current affairs. I would advise that we not get stuck in a fixed belief system that makes us think the way things are at this moment is where they will be tomorrow. For Cardinal oriented people, this is actually very good news. Cardinal loves to morph into the next phase of life and do it quickly and painlessly. The best feature of mutable is their endless quest for exploration, which occurs as much internally as it does externally. So even if you’re not on the migratory path of movement at this time, keep your mind open to allow the dissolution of painful memories, that they be washed away, and cleansed. Earth is in a purification process and so are we in body, mind, spirit.
Current Planetary Line-Up, beginning with Outers and moving to Inners, as of Oct 14, 2015:
Pluto – Capricorn (Cardinal) – for many more years
Neptune – Pisces (Mutable) – for many more years
Uranus – Aries (Cardinal) – for several more years
Chiron – Pisces (Mutable) – for several more years
Saturn – Sagittarius (Mutable) – for 2 more years
Jupiter – Virgo – (Mutable) – for 1 more year
Mars – Virgo (Mutable) – until November 12
Venus – Virgo (Mutable) – until November 8
Mercury – Libra (Cardinal) – until November 1
Sun – Libra (Cardinal) = for 9 more days
Nodes – Libra/Aries (Cardinal) about to change to Virgo/Pisces (Mutable)
Another feature of so much mutable and cardinal action would be the weather. If the weather prediction models are true, there is the expectation of a sizable El Nino in the Western U.S. for Fall 2015/Winter 2016. I would not hesitate to believe this based on all these mutables, the ones that are best suited to carrying powerful winds and storms our way, quickly, from long distance.
Mantra: Keep Movin! If not your body, surely your mind. The Cosmos is, why not us?
Warning: Don’t get too soggy in the process!
The Venus Star Life Transits: Lecture & Presentation
March 14-15, 2014 Tuscon Astrologers Guild, Tuscon, AZ
This will be second appearance of the Venus Star Point material in Tucson–the last presentation was in early 2012. This time, join Arielle Guttman for a fascinating discussion of how these Star Points pinpoint important life events. The current transiting Venus Star Point for 2014 is at 21 Capricorn, Morning Star. Find out what this means for the world and what this means for you. Using the transiting Venus Star, we will uncover important world transits (the Friday lecture) and on Saturday, the workshop will show you how to use the transiting Star of Venus to illuminate the most important events of your life.
Where is your Eros and how do you tap into its unlimited stream of buoyancy?
For astrologers, the Venus Star pattern contains a previously unopened treasure trove of interpretation tools – simple, elegant and complete unto itself. Tracked against the zodiac, the five signs of the Venus Star are expressed in immeasurable ways. While natal Venus is viewed from the point she occupied on her path around the Sun against the zodiac, this Venus – the Venus Star Point ® – is based on the Sun-Venus conjunction prior to one’s birth. Thus, Venus, Earth and Sun are all in alignment, pulsing the light of the Sun through the heart of Venus to Earth, weaving a heart-centered pattern inside each of us in the womb. The result is the eros principle, an unconscious motivator for what makes an individual make important life choices – personally or in relationship – and gives specific definition to where the inborn talent resides.
Relationships are analyzed from a new point of view using the Star Points of Venus. Venus, as a transiting star with five points, looks at relationships from the way these star points interact with one another to form some unique conclusions. There are three types of pairings cited in the relationship section of Venus Star Rising. They are: Twin Star Mates (same VSP), Creative Star Mates (one point away on the Star) and Karmic Star Mates (two points away on the Star). Additionally, every VSP is fed by two points and feeds two points, giving a continual flow of energy circulating and energizing throughout the Star.
The Aries Venus Star Point era: 1929 to 2038
On March 28, 2013 the VSP changes from Gemini to Aries. Aries is a cardinal, fire sign that pronounces the beginning of all things, as it is the undisputed “first” sign of the zodiac associated with the birth or re-birth of all things, including nature, as it is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. This Star, being born on Holy Week – or might we rename it Holy **** Week – is dramatic, intense, transformative and pulsing with the ferocious passion of a newborn spring bulb that forces its way from the dark underground regions of the earth into the light of consciousness – and grabs our attention in the process. For Holy Week, as the Aries VSP is joined by Sun, Venus, Mars and Uranus in Aries, all squaring Pluto, intense sudden and somewhat shocking recent events in the Vatican with the resignation of Pope Benedict will keep the eyes of the world gazing upon the newly elected Pope St. Francis (born Dec 17, 1936, Buenos Aires, Argentina). A Sagittarius Sun with Saturn in Pisces (both symbols of Catholicism), he is a Cancer VSP, indicating that his heart directs him to be a true Father to his people. But coming to power in this Aries VSP cycle will force him to do much more than any of his recent predecessors have done to earn the Church the respect and devotion it so desperately needs in the time of such huge allegations of controversy involving sex, money and power.
Both the time period of an Aries VSP along with individuals who are born with an Aries VSP are activists for all things Venus. This is due to the Aries rulership of Mars, so Venus and Mars are combined, giving a definitely strong individuality and character to such people. They are everything from anti-war demonstrators to journalists who are unafraid to report the horrors of the system that others find acceptable, people who improve the environment or fight for the rights of those who can’t fight for themselves. They are fearless, charismatic and confident. The time periods of an Aries VSP often give these anti-war protestors something to do, as they are times when threats of war are persistently pursued by leaders who are aligned with battle as the means to their end.
Aries VSP Individuals
Some Aries VSP individuals, who have lived their lives in a proactive way, pushing against obstacles at every turn, include the following:
Jane Fonda: born December 21, 1937 (Sagittarius Sun, Aries VSP)
An actress and anti-war protest reluctant folk hero, Jane Fonda, in typical Aries VSP fashion, has done it all. Both a liberal and a feminist, her voice has been influential in bringing awareness to many social and political issues of her time, since the 1960s when she began protesting her government’s role in Vietnam and more recently in Iraq. Through a long film career, there have been huge successes and some lukewarm reception to her roles. She has constantly been scrutinized for her role in the anti-war movement, especially in North Vietnam in 1972, forcing an Aries VSP like herself into something they truly detest – having to defend their actions and apologize for doing or saying something that, in the moment, was an act of courageous sincerity. Her huge success in the fitness book and video industry has turned her into a self-made entrepreneur and role-model for other women. Having turned her attention to feminist issues, she is a powerful voice in examining how women – and violence against them via the media – have had a negative impact on society.
Bob Dylan: born May 24, 1941 (Gemini Sun, Aries VSP)
It is not uncommon for Aries VSPs to be the first at something, engaging in it with their own brand of personal protest against “the system”. The reluctant hero of the protest movement of the 1960s, Dylan was one of the first to take two musical genres –folk and rock-and merge them into the anthems that ultimately resulted in profoundly shaping mass consciousness around major social and political issues of the times. Many of his ballads, turned protest marching songs, were prophetic. The Times They Are a Changing was released in January 1964. In cosmic synchronicity, in June of that same year the Venus Star Point terminated the sign of Cancer where it had transited for over 100 years and ushered in the Gemini VSP. When a planet transits the cardinal axis, it often does pinpoint a major turning point in world affairs. In this case, it was the point of the new Venus Star and the song in the self-titled album that would become the musical mantra of the era.
Princess Diana of Wales: born July 1, 1961 (Cancer Sun, Aries VSP)
The former Princess of Wales, possessing all manner of charisma and charm, took her Aries VSP to uncharted territory when she essentially became a whistle-blower for the royal hierarchy she found herself married into. Presenting her case (her story) via interviews and biography that would stir up a tidal wave of controversy for the royal family, not since the likes of Edward VIII, who exactly sixty years earlier, abdicated the throne for the woman he loved. Now, in a new, 1990s style scandal for the royals, Diana and Charles would divorce. For the first time in her life, Diana now was in possession of her own voice, an important concept for an Aries VSP. This resulted in an even larger celebrity presence than she already held, garnering huge support from women all over the world that identified with and related to her struggle for personal validation. This necessary struggle is confirmed by her VSP ruler Mars in Virgo conjunct Pluto and North Node. Personal empowerment through struggle and letting go was her destiny. The resulting new voice gave her a platform to respond to the atrocities of war via her campaign against landmines and her compassionate and heart-felt contributions to children’s charities, hospitals and the AIDS crisis.
Barack Obama: born Aug 4, 1961 (Leo Sun, Aries VSP)
There is always a precocious nature to individuals with an Aries VSP. Consider President Obama, who became not only the youngest president ever elected to that office, but also the first African-American ever to hold that office. To say that he sprints through life is an understatement. When outside authority imposes itself upon an Aries type, they must show considerable restraint to not engage in open warfare. This has been one of the criticisms of Obama’s supporters – they want to see him empowered to exert force on the opposition. Instead, with ruler of Aries, Mars in Virgo, he analyzes the pros and cons and ultimately acts from compassionate and somewhat humble service. The Aries VSP detests waiting and abhors the red-tape loopholes that forces issues from going straight to the finish line. This makes his current job doubly challenging, as all Congress has done to him is make him stop, wait and wait and wait some more. Daughter Sasha is also an Aries VSP – her father’s daughter.
J.K. Rowling: born July 31, 1965 (Leo Sun, Aries VSP)
Aries VSP Rowling has become another first: author of the best-selling book series in history (over 400 million sold) and the U.K.’s best-selling author. As creator of the Harry Potter brand, which is worth $15 billion world-wide, she continues to break records in sales and popularity with the release of each subsequent book in the series. She is also credited with helping to bring a new generation of computer crazed youth back to books- in- print reading, perhaps contributing in a way to forestalling the demise of the declining books-in-print industry which, up until the demand for the electronic book, has seen steady growth for five and a half centuries, since the invention of the printing press in 1450. Like Jane Fonda, there is no reason to believe that Rowling will ever slow down, turning her attention to considerable more creative pursuits, with a bit of social and political protest thrown in for good measure.
Michael Phelps: born June 30, 1985 (Cancer Sun, Aries VSP)
The VSP or Eros point of Michael Phelps, the most-decorated gold medal Olympic winner (22 medals), is in the sign of Aries, a fire sign that relates to action, energy and leadership. Aries is a competitive sign and while most Aries VSPs compete in less obvious ways, it is Phelps who is held to rigorous standards in competitive swimming for much of his life. Furthermore, his Aries VSP makes an exact square to Mars, the astrological ruler of Aries and of competitive sports, which also sits alongside of his Sun, the point of the chart which represents personal leadership. It is further fitting that both Sun and Mars are in the watery sign of Cancer, and it is immersed in the element of water that Phelps has shown his stealth and prowess.
The Venus Star Point Teacher Training Program
To find out more about the VSPs of the individuals in this article and also your own VSP and how it works its magic in your life, come to the VSP Training Program in April. Astrologers and practitioners of other therapies or healing techniques that help others with self-help and self- empowerment tools, come to the VSP training program.
Join us for the first-ever Venus Star Point teacher training and certification program onApril 11-15, 2013 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Contact: arielle@sophiavenus.com or visit: www.dev.sophiavenus.com.
Download the pdf program description and registration form here
Order the book: Venus Star Rising, here
Sign up for a personalized Venus Star Point reading here
This training is for astrologers and non-astrologers alike, professionals who wish to enhance their personal practices with a simple, yet elegant tool called The Venus Star Point ® that will help the people you help. Whether you are an astrologer, therapist, healer, human resources coach, parent, teacher, mentor or just interested in gaining new insights for yourself, you will benefit from the awareness that the Venus Star Point adds to your repertoire. If you are interested in the domain that Venus represents – such as love, beauty, harmony and peace – and learning how to better connect with others for relationship enhancement, you will gain valuable insights from this material. You will also gain a deep understanding and appreciation for the Venus Star as the celestial heartbeat of our solar system, connecting to the greater cycles of time and how that translates into particular occurrences in the world around us.
The tools introduced in this workshop will help people determine their personal gifts and talents and how to use them most effectively in the world. The Venus Star Point (VSP) will give you a deep understanding of how partnership choices are made and the results of those choices.
For complete course description, price and registration information, including an option for a pre-registration discount to this event, please email: book@sophiavenus.com or arielle@sophiavenus.com.
For more about the Venus Star and its influence, go to the website:
www.dev.sophiavenus.com. There, you will find numerous articles and blogs demonstrating its usefulness and effectiveness in everyday life.
Arielle Guttman has authored five books in astrology over a 38-year career as an astrologer. She has always sought to make astrology accessible to people, both inside and outside of the astrological community, seeing it as an incredible tool for personal growth, awareness and understanding of the cycles of time that we traverse in our journey through life. For more about Arielle, go to:
The location of this workshop is the Puerta de la Luna Conference Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, centrally located to all points in Santa Fe, and very close to I-25 and St. Francis Drive. For those coming from out of state, you may use the Albuquerque International Sunport where flights to most cities are available. Albuquerque is located 62 miles from Santa Fe. You may either rent a car at the airport or take the Santa Fe Shuttle, which has several drop-off points in Santa Fe. The Santa Fe regional airport has recently opened up direct flights to: Denver, Los Angeles and Dallas.
People who complete the training will be awarded a Certificate of Completion. People who complete the optional certification exam will be awarded with a Certificate of Completion as well as a Certificate of Professional Competency and may apply for this certification up to six months following the seminar.
THE VENUS STAR POINT – GEMINI MORNING STAR – JUNE 2012 TO MARCH 2013
The Venus Transit of 2012 occurred in June, the last time in our lives we will witness this phenomenal event. The next, very rare transit does not occur until 2117. Venus, representing the feminine archetype, was visible in front of the Sun for this transit. Concurrently, this has been called the “Year of the Woman”. Witnessing what happened this year in the Olympics with female athletes, we got a glimpse of this. Recently, the female Russian punk group known as “The Pussy Riot” has been sentenced to two years in jail for publicly opposing the policies of their leader Putin and his government. They have been quoted as saying that they are freer, even in prison, than the people who don’t resist that regime and who are subject to quietly submitting to strong-armed government policies that continue to chisel away at the peoples’ freedom. They are receiving enormous support in other parts of the world, as well as from high profile celebs such as Sting, Madonna, and Paul McCartney. And, if that weren’t enough for The Year of the Woman, even more recently, the Augusta National Golf Club, that has existed for 80 years as a very exclusive “Men Only” club, has recently opened its doors to female membership and participation. Stay tuned for more events such as this during the current Venus Star cycle.
The first and second Uranus-Pluto squares are following the recent Venus Star Point cycle which assumed a Morning Star position this past June, also action-oriented in nature. The Maya saw this position of Venus as the warrior goddess. It’s true that people will be motivated to take action in this cycle due to the energy that both these planetary configurations stimulate. As a result, you may see a tendency to act on impulse, say or do things that you seem compelled to do at the moment and disregard the consequences of such actions until much later.
The Morning Star position of Venus runs from June 2012 to March 2013, activating the Gemini Star Point. On June 5th at the Venus Transit, Venus began its 584 day cycle which initiates itself as a dazzling light in the morning, pre-dawn sky – “Venus Lucifer” as she was called by the ancients. As Luci-fera, she announces the break of day and heralds the morning sun. You could also see her in this modality as the “rooster” position. The five-pointed Venus Star inspires the rooster’s five-pointed cock-a-doodle-do, calling us to make haste while the Sun shines. The Sabian Symbol for the 16th degree of Gemini where this Venus Transit occurred is: “A Woman Activist in an Emotional Speech Dramatizing Her Cause”. Now we have two degrees being activated this year by very dramatic types of people, espousing their causes. The veiled prophet and the woman activist. Looks like another politically charged time.
The twins of the Gemini Star are highlighted in the current Venus cycle, suggesting the desire to take action in two different directions at once. This also mirrors the Uranus degree where the man is successfully expressing himself in two realms simultaneosly. This could also point to turning away from actions previously undertaken before June and getting started in a new phase of operations. The need for communicating what you are up to and listening to what others have to say is a big factor in the success of any joint undertaking at this time. Disagreements may occur, and the temporary solution may just be to agree to disagree, shake hands and re-group. Some of this can be seen in the media’s rendition of the political scene each day. What the candidates are having a difficult time doing is conceding to one another that they are fundamentally of a different ilk and may never see eye to eye on any situation. Instead of battering away at the opposition’s ideas and methodologies in an attempt to ram one’s own point of view down their throats, another approach is to simply acknowledge that there are enormous differences or two very opposite points of view on the same situation. The bridge of mutual support and understanding may seem like it’s collapsing around us now. And while the bridge may not be re-built immediately – a more opportune time for its rebuilding will eventually occur.
Beginning May 15th and running through June 27th, Venus will be in
retrograde.
Retrograde, the apparent reverse position of a planet from Earth’s view, is
a phenomenon we are just beginning to understand and use in a productive
way. With each planet, the retrograde means something a little different.
For instance, when Mercury, the messenger planet is retrograde, people seem
to “know” it intuitively, because that’s usually when communication and
transportation break-downs occur more frequently.
When Venus turns retrograde, we take a closer look and may reverse our
feelings on things that once were pleasing to us — our core values. This
may point to relationships, investments and possessions. Do they still mean
the same to us as they once did? Do we still need them, and if so, do we
need to make adjustments in order to preserve them? Are we paying a higher
price to have them than we know? So, if the things we value most in life are
under microscopic scrutiny during the Venus retrograde period, we might even
adopt an ancient practice that was in place for the Venus retrograde period
and try to live without those “things” or live in a much simpler way during
this time period. As to relationships — it’s not necessary to live without
them — but it might be helpful to spend more time in solitary, in a place
that allows us to listen to the heart’s promptings, without too much outside
distraction or interference.
Venus goes retrograde once every 1.6 years
…(a mathematical value known as “phi”). At a fixed position in the sky,
Venus will begin to slow its speed, appear to stop and reverse direction
before she turns back around and picks up normal speed again. This year it
happens for 44 days. Most of the time it occurs between 40-42 days. If we
were to mimic the pattern of Venus, we too might do likewise. The 2012 Venus
retrograde cycle is more important one than we’ve had for more than a
century, since incorporated into it is the Transit of Venus (see
www.transitofvenus.org).
The “Transit of Venus” — June 5-6, 2012
In 2004 we witnessed the first transit of Venus in our lifetimes. This is
the second, as they always transit in pairs. What is the transit of Venus?
It’s akin to an eclipse. When we view an eclipse of the Sun by the Moon, we
are used to seeing the solar disk partially or entirely in shadow because of
their relative size. With Venus, we will observe a small black dot moving
across the solar disk, similar to the image below, taken by NASA during the
2004 Transit.
Venus Transit 2004
Venus changes phases and changes signs
At the occurrence of the Venus transit in June, Venus will move from an Evening Star where it has been shining ever so brightly for these last eight months, to a Morning Star. That means that you will not be seeing it shining brightly after sunset in the western sky for awhile. Now, look for it in the east, before sunrise, about a week to ten days after the June 5th cazimi, when Venus, moving in retrograde motion, “kisses” the Sun, moving in direct
motion. This is a conjunction and for a few hours will be a “cazimi” at which point the Gemini Star Point will occur. The Venus Star Point (R) is what is produced from this kiss of Venus by the Sun. It is one of five Morning Star cazimis that will, over an eight year period, trace an almost perfect pentagram – five pointed star – around the zodiac. The last Morning Star cazimi occurred 1.6 years ago — October 28, 2010 — when the Scorpio Venus Star Point was initiated. In observing the effects of the cazimi, it is clear that they are powerfully energized, sensitive points which will respond to transits by other planets passing over the point. For an indepth analysis of this point, see _Venus Star Rising: A New Cosmology for the 21st Century (2011, Sophia Venus Productions).
If you know the sensitive degrees of your own chart, check out the table
below to see how Venus and her Star have been orbiting in your own personal
world for these past eight years. Keep in mind that the Venus Star Points
referred to in this way are usually NOT your natal Venus position, though in
rare cases they can be, when you are born very close to the Venus Star Point
date. If you know the zodiac, draw a circle with the twelve signs and
connect the dots between these degrees. A beautiful five pointed star
appears. This is unique to Venus — and though the other planets have their
own beautiful patterns, none other than Venus creates this five-pointed star
in its orbital cycle. MS=Morning Star; ES=Evening Star:
Jun 8 2004 MS 17 Gemini 54‘
Mar 30 2005 ES 10 Aries 31‘
Jan 13 2006 MS 23 Capricorn 39‘
Oct 27 2006 ES 04 Scorpio 11‘
Aug 17 2007 MS 24 Leo 50‘
Jun 8 2008 ES 18 Gemini 43‘
Mar 27 2009 MS 07 Aries 15‘
Jan 11 2010 ES 21 Capricorn 32‘
Oct 28 2010 MS 05 Scorpio 30‘
Aug 16 2011 ES 23 Leo 18‘
Jun 5 2012 MS 15 Gemini 45′
Mar 28 2013 ES 08 Aries 10′
Jan 11 2014 MS 21 Capricorn 11′
Oct 25 2014 ES 01 Scorpio 49
Other Planetary Activity accompanying the Venus Retrograde Cycle
There are some other very unusual planetary occurrences operating during the
Venus retrograde cycle, including: May 15 Venus turns retrograde
May 20 An Annular Solar Eclipse at 0 Gemini
June 4 A Partial Lunar Eclipse at 14 Sagittarius
June 5 The Venus Transit
June 20 The Summer Solstice
June 24 Uranus squares Pluto (1 of 7) — or — The First Drum Beat of
Change
June 27 Venus turns direct
All of these times are worthy of taking a ceremonial stance. Honor and pay
respect to them as if they were a holiday. One practice that is helpful
during amplified Venus periods such as this, is the Venus Mudra, as given on
pages 346-347 of Venus Star Rising. A short video appears here to help guide
you through it.
For more information on how the Venus Star Point is operating in the world
and in your personal life, check out the blogs at:
www.dev.sophiavenus.com
For personal appearances on the Venus Star Point, follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/VenusStarRising
For more viewing about the Venus Star Point, check out YouTube — Venus Star
Rising channel.
To purchase a copy of Venus Star Rising, go
to:http://www.mirasmartshop.com/Venus-Star-Rising-A-New-Cosmology-for-the-21
st-Century_p_123.html
Venus Star Rising: A New Cosmology for the 21st Century
