Venus and Mars: A Dance Among the Stars

Hello there,
On Wednesday, February 21-23 we will be experiencing a Venus and Mars conjunction or joining in Aquarius. This energy mirrors that of the Venus retrograde in Leo from the summer of 2023. Venus and Mars operate in cycles. Venus in an 8-year cycle, forming a loose pentagram, and Mars in a roughly 2-year cycle. Like their namesakes do in mythology, these planets circle around each other. Coming together and parting in a dance takes roughly 4 years for Venus and 3 years for Mars.

Venus and Mars have historically been associated with feminine and masculine energy. Both planets, though, are present in everyone’s charts. Thus, it is essential to examine your personal relationship to the energies associated with these planets regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

This conjunction will have the highest impact on those with direct aspects of their natal planets to this current transit. Collectively, though, we will all experience the impact of the celestial dance of Venus and Mars, specifically with the energies of Aquarius. Therefore, let us start by taking a look at the sign of Aquarius.

Aquarius

Aquarius energy is known to inspire, guide, instruct, guard, protect, and attempt/struggle to get us to do what is right. Aquarius is the last of the fixed signs in the Western zodiac. As an Air sign, Aquarius takes a mental approach to life. Symbolically, Aquarius represents the Ideal Man or an Angel: the immortal messenger to mankind from the gods. This energy translates as the perfected being who has liberated himself from the limitations of time and space (Saturn and Jupiter) to fly between heaven and earth with lofty concepts.

Aquarius is ruled traditionally by scientific Saturn. According to modern astrology, Aquarius is ruled by mental Uranus. Let’s take a closer look at the mythology surrounding Saturn and Uranus. From a Greek perspective, Uranus was literally heaven (sky above). Kronos (Saturn) cuts off Uranus’s member and tosses it into the sea. This can be interpreted as being abruptly cut off from our creativity/power (Wands energy in tarot).

During Aquarian times, choosing the right companions and guides is very important. As a fixed sign, Aquarius cares deeply about loyalty, fidelity, and trust. Aquarius is thought to care deeply about their friends and chosen family. With it’s connection to the 11th house, this indicates being deeply connected to friendship/community. Both of these can lead to feeling hurt by being cut off.

In Aquarian times, and specifically during Uranus transits, be on the lookout for the opportunity that awaits from the ending: The Lesson of Conscious Awareness telling us to – Wake Up!! Stay Alert!!

Kamilah Rose

These energies are coming together as a form of the individuation journey. This can referenced through the Arthurian legends and the Grail Quest. Here, we may be offered the Bitter Chalice in the form of a sudden severance from a job, loss of friendship, end of a romantic partnership, death in the family, estrangement, and ousting from the group. If we sleep on this moment, we may miss the Angel who guides or allows access to the blissful cup of rebirth.

To successfully meet this rebirth, we have to be courageous – using the energy of the Leo polarity. Leo, ruled by the sun, can represent the totality of self or our consciousness, while its opposing planet would be the luminary moon, ruler of Cancer, as a representation of our unconscious. When Aquarius is activated by transit or progression, we are invited to connect to the light of our conscious self, which provides us with the courage to face the cutting off of our most profound connections if they are not in alignment with the truth of who we are.

Venus and Mars

Let us start with the Venus cycle. Venus, over 8 years, moves from inferior (Venus between Earth<Venus<Sun) to superior conjunction (Earth<Sun<Venus). This follows Venus’ journey during its retrograde as it leaves the underworld. Venus is invisible to us; it is hidden behind the sun, and the Morning Star rises in the East. In retrograde, Venus, behind the sun, brings our attention to what we value in our relationships and connections when we are forced to focus genuinely on ourselves. The recent Venus retrograde in Leo emphasized this energy of understanding who we are, how we express ourselves, and having the courage to stand firm as fixed fire, directing our will towards OURSELVES as leaders in OUR life. From there, we can then meet each other on equal ground. Thus, we explored ourselves intimately. Venus, during its rise as the morning star, will turn direct and continue to increase in brightness until it reaches its highest point in the sky.

From there, Venus decreases its brightness and height in the sky until it becomes invisible, hidden by the light of the Sun. Venus appears again as the Evening Star after the superior conjunction. As Venus ends its time as the Evening Star, it loses visibility, increasing in speed and going retrograde as it awaits its time to restart its cycle. Venus is then reborn again as the Morning Star. In 2024, Venus has a superior conjunction to the Sun on June 4th in the sign of Gemini. From there Venus will return to aspects of it’s dance with Mars. As such, let’s take a look at the Mars cycle.

Similarly, Mars also spends time as a Morning Star in conjunction with the Sun. Venus, though, as the brightest planet in our solar system, is easier to see than Mars. From there, it continues to climb in the morning sky until it stations retrograde. Here, we can apply the principles of a retrograde to Martian characteristics within whichever sign it is currently in. During Mars retrograde, it reaches its maximum distance from the Earth and brightness. From there, Mars opposes the Sun stationing direct, which signals the end of its retrograde. Mars is then reborn as the Evening Star.

Mythology and Inner Work

According to Jung, the archetypes of the shadow, anima, and animus are all within the unconscious. The shadow would be the unconscious parts of yourself that are socially and culturally unacceptable, thus repressed. The shadow will also include the parts of yourself that have the greatest potential, but would threaten your current reality the most if acted on. The anima, meaning soul, would be the internal feminine and the animus, meaning spirit, would be the internal masculine for feminine. When we identify consciously as feminine or masculine, internally we may assert that the anima or animus is the not-I. When we do not engage with our internal selves, we project those or push them out onto other people. Thus, inner work is the process of identifying these archetypes, where they are being projected, engaging with them, and integrating them.

Archetypes such as the shadow, the mother, the wise old man, the trickster, the child, and the maiden just to name a few, exist not only within us, but are explored externally as well through mythology, fairytales, legends, and folklore. Mythology can reveal quite a bit about how we perceive the energies of Venus and Mars. Particularly in cultures where gender and sex are presented in a binary, the division of Venus and Mars can show us how gendered behaviors, emotions, and perceptions may be projected onto us or how we may project them onto others. One can find myths with characters who are assigned that planet, or who carry the qualities of that planet. Watch how they interact, what they experience, the lessons they learn, and the results of their actions. This can then be applied to your current circumstances as a way to navigate your personal individuation journey.

Individuation invites us to see ourselves as whole. They help us to understand that another person cannot carry the weight of a projected archetype such as Venus or Mars. When we attempt to put that energy unto someone else we unjustly burden them and disconnect from ourselves.

Venus and Mars in Aquarius

To conclude this adventure into the energies of Venus and Mars, let’s take a look at how these planets assert themselves in the energy of Aquarius.

Venus in Aquarius: I am self-aware and self-possessed. I make my own decisions about what intimacy looks and means to me. I know what is expected of me by society, my family, and my culture. I decide though what I will and will not accept of those expectations. I appreciate and desire for my partners to respect my decisions, freedom, and independence. A partner who is also their own person, who makes decisions for themselves when it comes to connections and intimacy.

• I commit to finding out for myself what my needs and desires are. I venture out on my own in a path of self-discovery and knowledge. I can think for myself and find it exciting to explore what works for me.
• I allow myself to be vulnerable with others and not separate myself on the basis of fear of rejection or judgment. Others on the same path will welcome me, and I them.

Mars in Aquarius: I will fight for my ability to be MYSELF. To discover what makes me unique and defend that with every bit of power I have. I set strong boundaries and do not allow others to bend or break them. I may not be free to choose what others expect of me, but I am free to choose who I will be.

When Venus and Mars come together, we have all of the elements engaged.

• The desire for justice, balance, and fairness with Air.
• The beauty of peace, abundance, and sensuality with Earth.
• The Fire of life, vitality, and rebirth.
• The depths of the unconscious, healing, endings, and ancestral Waters.

If you would like to delve deeper into your personal work, schedule some time with me HERE.

With love,

Kamilah Rose