Astrology Explored

May 2, 2008

Venus made her way into Taurus yesterday, a good placement for her. Venus likes the Taurean emphasis on sensual delights. Venus is an ancient goddess, her provenance going back to the beginnings of civilization. The first planet we see in the evening and and the morning, despite her playgirl image, Venus is an important player in the pantheon of ancient dieties.

The word “planet�? means traveler, and the gods and goddesses traversed the ancient world. The first identity thieves, the ancient deities would merge their identity with a similar local gods and goddess, and take on their names and attributes. In Babylonia she was Ishtar, where she ruled sex, fertility, love and war. The sacred whore, this powerful goddess had more than her share of Plutonian themes in her love relationships. Her greatest threat against the other gods and goddesses when she was angered was that she would break the gates of heaven and earth and unleash the dead upon the living. She probably had to move on for her own good. She next materialized as the goddess Astarte, retaining her associations with sex, love and war. It was as Astarte, that she become associated with the bull, donning the head of a bull to demonstrate her authority. In Egypt, she is Isis, probably the most powerful of all the deities, having acquired the power to resurrect the dead. Revered as the sacred mother, she was a powerful magician. Her greatest claim to fame was reanimating her murdered husband, the god Osiris, long enough to impregnate herself with their only child. Egypt was a difficult and tragic life, so again, on the road she went, resuming her identity as Astarte, and eventually morphing in the identity of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and sensual delights. She shed her responsibilites as a war goddess, handing them over very nicely to the Goddess of Discord, Eris, and went on to live the high life partying and seducing as many lovers as she could. She could be very manipulative when she so chose. It was her offer to playboy Paris to give him the most beautiful woman in the world if he would chose her as the most fair of all the goddesses that started the Trojan war. Aphrodite later took the name of Venus as her Roman name where she continued her role as the goddess of sex.

Though Venus seems to have softened her party line in her many incarnations, it is important not to underestimate her power. It is under her spell that we make many critical decisions, who we love and how we love them. Venus in your chart shows what you are willing to do to get what you want. We must not forgot that though themes of power and control are played out through Pluto, Venus has a long history of maniputative plots of her own. It is interesting that Venus in the sky now is taking up where the Sun in Taurus left off, making a hypnotic grand trine with Pluto and Saturn. We can expect the themes of power, control and sex to make headlines this upcoming week. It has already started. Just as Venus strolled into Taurus, the D. C. Madam, Deborah Jean Palfry was found dead at her mother’s home.

For the upcoming week:

Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo–One can’t help to be jealous of your good fortune, as the planetary gods smile upon you. You know you’ve worked your keister off to get where you are, but to others it seems that you’ve had everything handed to you on a silver platter. Try to remember that when someone envious says something that may not be totally fair. Take the high road, because I am sure they did mean it for the comment to come off as it did.

Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces–You should use this week’s stars to do something totally unexpected. For you, this will work, as you are able to figure out a way to pull it off without blowing yourself out of the water. HInt: Show the boss what you are really made of.

Gemini, Libra and Aquarius–Been wool gathering lately? Have you found yourself cruising on the highway of life without thinking about where you are going? If so, you should be careful in motion, as you aren’t keeping your eyes on the road. Get some sleep, will ya?

Aries, Leo and Sagittarius–Feeling a little lonely? Are other people too busy to pay attention to you? Feeling that everyone else is getting cookies and milk and all you are getting are the crumbs? So the planets aren’t playing to your strengths, but you are shining star anyway. The world would be a much duller place without your bright light.

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astrology, horoscopes, zodiac, weekly forecast, Venus