Venus!

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The planet Venus in you chart tells a couple of different things. It shows where you attract things easily, how you act within relationships (romantic and non-romantic) and deals with your personal resources. It deals with the finer luxuries of life, but can also deal with vanities. So lets take a look at Venus through the signs and houses:

Aries/First- Self-centered at times within relationships, you are still generous with partners. You love the beginning stages of a relationship, with the butterflies, and you keep it going with lots of spontaneous activity. You are more likely to earn more resources, if you follow through on your high initiative capability, but watch out for splurging, as you are prone to spur of the moment purchases. Try to not jump in to financial deals, carefully weigh the risks.

Taurus/Second- Sensual in relationships, you are a true romantic. As far as priorities go, love and security are at the top. You enjoy the finer things in life (especially food) and surround yourself with beautiful things. Your hard work ethic makes it easy for you to obtain a higher income, and you are thrifty, always looking for a good deal.

Gemini/Third- The same thing everyday is not the way to keep you happy. You are excited by variety, which may manifest as multiple partners, or very spontaneous activities. You require a partner who stimulates you mentally, and you can be quite flirty in general. Watch that spending though, as it will deplete your money sources. Many people with this aspect will balance two jobs. 

Cancer/Fourth- Love can be emotionally gratifying or heartbreaking, as you are super sensitive regarding matters of the heart. You give all of your heart to someone, and only move forward when you feel completely comfortable with the situation. You do have a tendency of mothering everyone, which can become detrimental if it turns in to "smothering". This can also affect your need for security. Financially, you may gather resources through savings and home ownership.

Leo/Fifth- You tend to become the center of attention, whether you meant to or not. People are drawn to your warmth and energy. You enjoy the social scene. In matters of the heart, you are loyal and passionate. You have the ability to make much money, which satisfies your need for socializing, but be careful with money matters.

Virgo/Sixth- Venus in Virgo natives tend to be picky and idealize any partners they have, which can often set them up for disappointment. Many people with this aspect actually choose to remain single. In a relationship, you can be caring and sensual, but sometimes, you can become the force that lets you partner get away with their shortcomings. Emotionally, you analyze your feelings, with the emotions and thoughts being so intertwined, it might be hard to tell which is which. Like Taurus, your work ethic provides a higher than average earning potential, but watch out for impulsive buys.

Libra/Seventh- Venus in this aspect gives the native the need for a partner. You may mistake the need for partner as a sign of love, so make sure you look at what your motivations truly are within a relationship. You seem to know what makes people tick, giving you extra insight in to those you associate with, which helps you to avoid conflict. It is important that you surround yourself with comfortable things, and luxury items, as you enjoy the more aesthetic parts of life.

Scorpio/Eighth- Chaos surrounds your relationships, often because any insecurities trigger negative traits, like jealousy. No one really knows what you are feeling deep down, as you hide it well. Tight with your money, you know how to manage it well, and you have higher earning potential with this placement. Very protective of those you love, you never forget a slight from someone who harms you or your loved ones.

Sagittarius/Ninth- Not one to be tied down within a relationship, you leave one the minute you feel that being threatened. It is important that you have partners that allow you to do what you wanna do. Very outgoing and optimistic, you generally do not care about financial matters, you feel like you somehow always have what you need. Save up for periods when money is tighter.

Capricorn/Tenth- Only complete security will allow the Capricorn in Venus native to show their affections. They are very private, never engaging in PDA. Sometimes, they might enter in to a partnership for status or financial reasons. You're conservative nature blends in to the financial realm, and your hard working nature can bring about money, although watch out for spending, just to prove you have it.

Aquarius/Eleventh- Aloof and distant, but interested in people, you generally tend to stick more to friends, although your ideal partner is a best friend. Like the Venus in Sagittarius native, you need someone who can let you be independent, and embrace your quirkiness. Often erratic in saving versus spending, try to set up a budget will help to stabilize this area of your life.

Pisces/Twelfth- Sensitive and a romantic, you are often lonely without someone else to share life with. Sentimental, you remember all of the big moments within a relationship. Often, people with this placement need someone else to manage their budget, often ending up in debt. 

(Reference: Complete Book of Astrology by Kris Brandt Riske, MA)

So what if Venus is retrograde within your chart?

It may not allow you to come out of your shell fully. You only let yourself completely out socially when you are 100% comfortable with those around you. You might doubt the affections of others, become completely absorbed in relationships, and not feel that others feel enough for you. You also may feel that relating to other people is awkward, and not natural. 

Mercury Retrograde!

It is coming up on that time of year...again...where we are about to enter Mercury Retrograde. This phrase has gotten a pretty bad rap in the modern astrology community, often being the catch-all for any bad luck. I'm sure you have thought of it yourself, that any time anything goes wrong, "Is Mercury in retrograde?"

So what is Mercury retrograde? Every so often, usually about three to four times a year, our view of Mercury from Earth, looks as though it is spinning backwards. The first and last day of this movement, are viewed as Stationary, either Retrograde or Direct, whether it is going in to retrograde, or changing back to forward motion (Direct). If you were born during a retrograde period of any planet, the planet in your chart is typically accompanied by a Rx. If it was stationary (either retrograde or direct) there will be an S. This can affect how a planets influence manifests itself in your life. People who are born in Mercury retrograde, will often be more introspective, versus being outspoken. They tend to be more shy in their younger years, until one day, they begin to express themselves more easily, usually when an adult. With Mercury ruling thinking and communication, the retrograde motion focuses this aspect more internally than externally. If you were born while the planet was Stationary, then it is believed that the aspects of that planet or more prominent than a normal moving planet. So someone born in Mercury Stationary would be more focused on their thinking and communication, and it would be a more important part of that persons life.

Now of course, those affected by Mercury in retrograde will vary. Those who have a strong Mercury influence in their chart (Sun, Moon, Ascendant) in Gemini or Virgo, tend to be more affected than those who are not. Also, it depends on where Mercury is transiting your chart, any planets it is affecting within your natal chart, and sometimes, just how aware you are of this influence.

So what exactly is affected within a Mercury retrograde? Communications are a large factor, with things not coming out right, spelling errors, miscommunication, etc. Also, transportation, as Mercury rules short-distance travel. Electronics might seem particularly fickle at this time as well. It is advised that you do not make any super important decisions, sign any legal documents, take trips, or get married under this influence. Often, things that weren't done right the first time Mercury passed through those signs, will be revisited as it travels retrograde. This is a great time to do things that never got finished, although its also a time you are more prone to making mistakes.

This upcoming retrograde cycle, begins on October 4, 2014. The retrograde period of this cycle will be from 2° Scorpio-16° Libra (October 25).  To really understand how to look at a Mercury Retrograde cycle, its important to know some terms. It is not just important to look and be mindful the day that Mercury turns retrograde, but actually as it is first travelling through the signs that it will be retrograde in (September 14-October 4). A retrograde period actually causes a planet to travel through an area of the zodiac 3 times, first direct, then it moves backwards at retrograde, and then forward again, through the initial direct period. It is said that the first movement through the zodiac sign, gives it an initial perspective, the retrograde causes you to approach the same situations from a different perspective, than the period after the retrograde movement, is the integration of both of the prior movements through the sign.

So lets grab your charts, and take a look!

First, you need to figure out which houses are affected by the signs in the Retrograde, in this case, Libra and Scorpio. To find your house rulers, check out THIS POST. My 11th House is ruled by Libra, and my 12th House, although my 12th House is also kind of in Scorpio. So Mercury right now will be doing a little dance through my 11th house, and a little in to my 12th House. Not only will those houses be affected, but any house that is ruled by Gemini and Virgo (8th and 10th for me). 

Firstly, Mercury retrograde will mostly be in Libra, so at this time, any communications regarding partnership need to be heavily analyzed. Scrutinize every contract signed. You might feel as though things are not fair with how people treat you, and you might find yourself in more fights with your significant other. Indecisiveness may rear its head, so try not to analyze everything to death. The couple of days it is in Scorpio, be mindful of not telling anyone anything you don't mind becoming public knowledge, and watch for your tendencies to manipulate others, or to obsessively brood about situations. Be careful regarding any sexual decisions, or shared financial decisions.

With the retrograde mostly being in my 11th House, I will be paying close attention to any communications with friends, and making sure to not jump to any hasty decisions, and to try to be more understanding regarding anything they say. It may come out here who real friends are, and to help me reorganize my support structure. Here is a great link explaining mercury retrograde throughout your individual chart, and what kinds of things to be on the lookout for. 

Having Gemini and Virgo on my 10th and 8th House cusps, I am going to pay SUPER attention to my shared finances, especially with the Scorpio influence in this period, and to make sure that I am expressing myself clearly within my career aspect of my life. 

What are you going to do about this time period? How are you expecting it to impact the next couple of weeks?

The 6th House of Your Natal Chart

The 6th House of your natal chart rules a couple areas within your life. The sixth house is referred to as the house of "work and service". Any planet in this house, or sign on the cusp here, is going to affect your daily habits, work (not necessarily career) and service. Also health, animals, and relationships with your employer and/or coworkers.

Virgo naturally rules this house, however, the odds are that yours is not, unless you are an Aries rising. The different signs on this cusp might affect how you approach your daily habits, daily work, your health and relationships with those in the workplace. Here's a brief synopsis:

Aries/Mars- They take the initiative in the workplace, and are ambitious, however, relationships with their coworkers might be affected by the desire to be in charge, and you prefer a fast paced work environment. Work accidents are likely, due to Aries being a rush-in type of person. Make sure you follow safety protocol. Aries rules the head, so any malady here, such as headaches, may be common.

Taurus/Venus- These people are hard workers, and are reliable, although might be a little slow, and do things on their own time. They need a workplace that is comfortable, and prefer a slower one. They are likely to do things the same way every time, and hate changes to the procedures. Taurus rules the throat, so they might be susceptible to throat issues health wise.

Gemini/Mercury- These people need to multi-task to accomplish projects, and to not get bored. They prefer to work with their hands. Their short attention span might make it hard for them to keep a job. They need an active and fast paced job, with many different tasks they must accomplish. They are susceptible to nervous tension, so it is important to do things daily which help to alleviate this.

Cancer/Moon- These people are those co-workers which are the mom in the workplace. They always try to feed those around them, and make sure they are taken care of. They need a workplace that is calm, and one with a family undertone. They can get emotionally tied to their jobs, making it hard to leave. When nervous tension strikes, it may manifest in stomach issues, with Cancer ruling the stomach.

Leo/Sun- They take pride in their work, and always try to do their job the best that they can, although any sort of criticism (sontructive or not) can be detrimental. They like to be in charge, and hate being under someones elses "reign". Leo rules the heart, so there might be some ailments here.

Virgo/Mercury- Analytical and methodical, they pay attention to the details (so much so that they may get lost in them). These are the "ultimate workers", always doing far more than often required. They do expect to get reimbursed for all that they do, and have an environment that is clean. Nervous tension and intestinal ailments are common.

Libra/Venus- Focusing on relationships, they need a workplace that is drama-free. They need a job which often works with others and they make great managers. Libra rules the kidney, lower back and appendix, so you might keep an eye on health issues in those areas.

Scorpio/Pluto- These people are extremely hard workers, that can push themselves to the extreme when trying to accomplish a goal- no matter who gets trampled underneath them. Overexertion is an issue here to be mindful of, often resulting in injury and illness. They often take charge in the work setting, and prefer to not work with others, to maintain complete control.

Sagittarius/Jupiter- Optimistic and enthusiastic attitudes are what they offer to those working around them. They prefer autonomy over strict ruling of their work and they prefer a work environment where they don't feel trapped, and one that allows them many opportunities to interact with those they work with. Sagittarius rules the hips, thighs and sciatic region, so watch for ailments here.

Capricorn/Saturn- Organized and ambitious, they expect those also in the workplace to do the same. Always doing more than their responsibilities, they can turn in to workaholics. They often keep their work life and personal life separate. Capricorn rules the skeletal system, knees, teeth and skin, so there might be health issues here with this placement.

Aquarius/Uranus- These people need high autonomy in their work field, and often they might find themselves making up their own rules, if those currently instated do not meet their needs. Aquarius rules the circulatory system, calves and ankles, so there might be a weakness here.

Pisces/Neptune- Pisces needs a calm and drama-free workplace. They are generally compassionate and helpful to those they work with on a good day. They also do well in work where they can access their creative side, as routine work are not for them. Pisces rules feet, so be aware here.

How Do You Figure Out Your House Rulers?

Thinking about my post yesterday, I realized not everyone might be able to figure out which sign rules their house, or what is significant about that, so I will be occasionally adding these little tidbits of information, and compiling them for an easy reference.

So here is my birth chart. If you would like to get your birth chart to go along with this little tutorial, you can go to astro.com, or alabe.com. All you need is your date of birth, location of birth, and time. If you don't know the time, try noon. It won't be exact, but its what typically astrologers use when the time is unknown. 

The Zodiac Signs:

Aries- ♈

Taurus- ♉

Gemini- ♊

Cancer- ♋

Leo- ♌

Virgo- ♍

Libra- ♎

Scorpio- ♏

Sagittarius- ♐

Capricorn- ♑

Aquarius- ♒

Pisces- ♓

You will find these symbols surrounding your chart, in the outer wheel. Everyone has all of these energies in their chart, it just depends on how much each one is concentrated in your chart, but we will get to that later. Now that we have the reference list, lets get in to the houses. The houses are the sections which look like pieces of pie in the chart. They vary in size in this chart due to the chart system used. In some chart systems, they are the same size, 30 degrees. In my chart, you see the bold line that is on the left side, directly horizontal? This is the line which tells us the ruler of this house, otherwise known as the house cusp. You will see in my chart that it is intersecting the sign Scorpio in my chart. The first house starts at this cusp, and continues to the next intersecting line counter-clockwise. You will see this line intersects Sagittarius. This begins the second house, and the second house is said to ruled by Sagittarius. This house continues to the next intersecting line. The third intersecting line is on Capricorn, and this rules my third house. 

Now, you will see that the next line skips an entire sign! This can get confusing in some charts, but not to fret, its very easy to figure out. You just skip this sign ruling a house, and continue on. So my fourth house is not ruled by Aquarius, it is Pisces (barely). Now, carrying on to the next intersecting line, we get to the 5th House. This is the one I mentioned in my post yesterday. You will see that my line hits Aries. Then, that house is very small, and my 6th House line also hits Aries (because we had skipped a sign earlier, remember?) Continue around your chart in this fashion, always just looking at the line that hits the sign to determine the ruler.