Venus In Capricorn: Getting Your Due

For those of us whom consistently find ourselves in the "everything is perfect save for one or two fatal flaws" type of relationship with a partner, career, or financial issue--Venus in Capricorn asks us to get real. Associated with the very tangible element of earth and the very practical, no-nonsense energy of planet Saturn, Capricorn is all about the realistic approach towards getting what we want. Capricorn asks "Is it realistic? Is it valuable?" Since Venus is the planet associated with money, values, and love; in Capricorn she asks from us an honest appraisal--am I getting my due?

Maybe we find ourselves in a job where we are being underpaid and undervalued; maybe in our effort to keep up with appearances we are living well outside of our means; or maybe, like so many, we find ourselves in a relationship where our most basic needs (trust, respect, reciprocation) are not being met. What do we do? Again, Venus in Capricorn asks us to get real. How? Perhaps we finally learn how to ask for what we deserve; perhaps we learn the necessity of moderation; or better yet, perhaps we learn not to settle for less. This earthy lady knows how to hold out for what she’s worth.

What is our vision for our romantic and financial life? Maybe we have become really good at knowing what it is we don't want out of life, but what is it that we do want? To what are we giving our attention? Venus will be in Capricorn from now until February 2, 2013. Getting clear about what we wish to accomplish over the next 11 months takes special precedence now while we are still riding the high that comes when starting fresh. How will we attract the love and abundance that we not only need but also deserve? The answer is right in front of us, babies. So let’s get to work.

Healing What Hurts: The Birth Chart As A Guide

As an astrologer it's a no-brainer that I am a strong believer that our birth charts offer us clues about those worn and torn parts of us that are in need of healing; the parts of us that have accrued damage over the course of our lifetime due to resentments and hurts. When I look at a tough aspect in the natal chart, like a square, opposition, and sometimes the conjunction I don't see the bearer as a hopeless victim or as someone doomed to a life of failure and unhappiness. What I see is an opportunity for change. I see the chance for a person to manifest the relationships and situations that he or she truly wants in life.

I'll further explain what I mean:

I know a man who for the purposes of anonymity, we'll call George. George was born with his Moon in Libra square his Venus in Capricorn. This means that when it comes to relationships (namely with women as represented by the feminine energy of the Moon and Venus), his Moon’s needs (emotional) conflict with what he loves or deems desirable (Venus). In this case, when it comes to relationship--the area of life where we most use our Moon and Venusian energy, George is comforted by a woman who reminds him of his mother (Moon). However, he attracts and is attracted to women (Venus) who are nothing like mom (Moon). George is totally conflicted by what he needs vs. what he wants. As many of us know, this is a common issue in love. 

Since the Moon in our charts can represent our mother or the kind of nurturing energy we received as children, George probably experienced a mom that was clingy, overly self-sacrificing, and possibly manipulative; as such is Libran energy expressed in a disempowered way. Somewhere in his emotional makeup, George must have deemed or learned to deem his mother's energy as unacceptable and therefore with his Capricorn Venus, he disassociates himself from mom loving women that are detached and self-preserving (the double edged swords of Cap!).   

Unfortunately as a result of this push-pull dynamic, George is encumbered with tumultuous, short-lived relationships because his couple-oriented Moon (Libra) is put off by the Capricorn-like coldness of his lovers. A part of him is afraid of losing his independence but can’t stand being alone. Out of fear and discomfort, George then finds himself taking on his “moonish” qualities in the unhealed dynamic--he becomes clingy and manipulative thereby turning his lovers off. What George doesn't realize is that this tough aspect between his Moon and Venus is an opportunity for him to heal his hang-ups about relationships. This aspect along with the rest of his chart shows his evolutionary mission is to heal and be healed by deep lasting bonds. George is here to learn that there is strength in vulnerability.

In its essence, the birth chart is a guideline, a map. It gives us a clue as to how things work internally on the emotional, spiritual, and physical levels. When we take the time out to tap into the power of our charts, what we actually find is how best to tap into the power of ourselves. We can see where we need to heal and just how to do it.

.

The End of the (Work) World: How The Universe is Conspiring to Give Us the Good Life

It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)—REM

Earlier this year I left an unfulfilling (well paid) job to follow my heart. No safety net. No new position in the works. Up and out. Gone. Goodbye. 

Why in the world would I risk security (or a shallow example of it) for the pain and anxiety associated with jumping into the unknown? Because I had to. It was though my very life depended on whether or not I gathered the courage to take the leap and answer my true calling. In short, I needed to follow my heart. 

Now here I am months later, answering my calling by way of astrology, where I work helping others answer their own. Am I happy? Yes. Has this journey been easy? No. Yet every day, the Universe offers me comfort and validation that every choice that I have made that has led me up to this point has been the right one.

In talking to some of my clients I have found that I have not been alone in wanting more out of my professional life--then yesterday I serendipitously found this article "The Siren Call of Starting Over" in Psychology Today. 

What I deduced from this information being presented to me is that the outer planets (the planets associated with serious transformation) are aligned to redefine what work (among other things) means for us. Work is important because this is where we focus a lot of our time and energy. Work brings us material comfort. But what if we could actually do work that brings us both material AND emotional comfort? In the old days, we had to choose. Blessed was the person that could find that needle in the haystack job that offered both options. However, change is afoot. 

Yesterday, I sent out a few tweets highlighting my thoughts on this planetary activity. Though brief, I decided to post them below because I think they speak to the heart of this shifting energy:

• Saturn & Pluto have traded homes; Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto in Capricorn. Neptune is in her home sign of Pisces; Uranus in trailblazing Aries.

• Saturn in Scorpio asks for more depth in our everyday transactions; such as work. Hence, this trend of feeling dissatisfied with the daily grind.

• Pluto in Capricorn asks us to reprogram old systems. The work world as we know it has shifted. The past is fading. The status quo is nil.

• Neptune in Pisces aims to connect us back to Spirit; we are all connected and it shows. When we work to improve life for others, we improve our own lives.

• Uranus in Aries asks us to think outside the box and follow our own lead. Where in our careers can we be the innovators & do we have the courage?

• Couple the current planetary energy with the oncoming cosmic shift of 12.21.12 and yeah, we totally have some work to do--new work, fulfilling work. Fresh starts, anyone?

Before I sign off, I want to leave you with this beautiful quote that I found by way of a couple ladies that I look up to professionally--the AstroTwins. It's a quote from philosopher and teacher, Terence McKenna. He states: 

“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it's a feather bed.”

Word.

Mars In Capricorn: Working the Earth

"Sure they'll work over-time. Matter of fact they'll work all night if that's what it takes."

 -Kim Rogers-Gallagher on Mars in Capricorn; Astrology for the Light Side of the Brain

Since Mars, the planet of sex and ambition, is in Capricorn from now (actually November 16th)  until December 25th I thought that the quote above along with this video from Tyrese--a Capricorn--would be apropos. Ha!

Mars in Capricorn will be providing us the support we need to get the job done (whatever project that may be)--start to finish. Just make sure to leave a little room for fun.*winkity-wink*