Wondering: What is the meaning of my Venus in astrology?
Alot of people ask me: What does Venus symbolize in astrology? So I wrote this article just for them.
This isn’t like most cut-n-paste blog posts. I’m going to take you on a historical journey through ancient astrology, astronomy and mythology.
Then, we’ll work our way back through the centuries and into more modern times. This way you’ll be ahead of the curve with a better understanding than other astrologers.
Make sure you read to the end. You’ll be able to accurately interpret Venus in your natal chart like a pro.
What Does My Venus Mean in Astrology?
To begin, we’re going to explore Venus from a historical standpoint. We’ll go back in time to the Hellenistic era, come back through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and finally the 20th century. By the end you’ll have a better understanding of what your Venus sign means in astrology than most others.
Venus is one of two benefic planets—the other being Jupiter. Benefic here means ‘beneficial’ or positive.
That means even at it’s worst, Venus still can’t cause much harm.
You’ve probably seen the planet Venus looking up at the evening sky. She is the brightest planet, and she’s a fast mover too. In fact, she’s often been mistaken for a UFO by amateur sky watchers.
The Meaning of Venus in Ancient Hellenistic Astrology
According to Hellenistic astrologer Vettius Valens, Venus represents: mothering, nurture, priesthood, school superintendents, high offices, friendship, companionship, personal property, marriage, singing, precious metals and jewels.
Valens goes on to say that Venus makes “goldspinners, people fond of toys, giving and receiving gifts, good cheer, benefits from royal women, giving high rank.
These are some very positive traits for Venus.
Hence the bright planet brings all types of joy. It’s a leader and artist. It loves relationships, family and community.
To put it simply, Venusians love to give and receive gifts, beautify their surroundings, and make people happy. These traits help them advance in the world rather quickly, to the point in which they reach positions of authority. In other words, they’re pleasing to be around.
If you have a dignified Venus in your chart, people love being with you—and you them.
Venus isn’t vain. In fact, Venusians believe that beauty on the inside is just as important as the outside, and love helping others achieve their best too.
People with a strong Venus take aesthetics very seriously. They might be fashion buffs, or work in design or jewelry. Their tastes are eclectic and they don’t discriminate when it comes to style.
This brings us to our next Hellenistic astrologer, Dorotheus.
The astrologer Dorotheus stated that someone with a well placed Venus will be: “praiseworthy, handsome, well known among kings…well known in cities…have intercourse with the women of the rich…occupy houses of worship…and he will be in good character and will love wealth.”1
Dorotheus is confirming Valens interpretation—The planet Venus symbolizes love, beauty, sex, worship, joy, and leadership.
In the ancient view, Venus represents the ideal feminine. It loves to make the best of every relationship. It loves to beautify the home, live the good life, and be praised for its social standing.
Along these lines, another Hellenistic astrologer, Manetho, wrote that “Venus creates high-priests in purple garments”.
Purple is an allusion to the colors of the Roman political and priestly class. Manetho is saying that someone with a well placed Venus has a strong faith, leadership abilities, and a great reputation.
So great in-fact, that they will rise through the ranks of leadership within their community. People trust and respect them.
Manetho goes on to use words such as ‘Gold, gifts, singing, marriages, and wealthy women’ when describing harmonious Venus aspects.
The Medieval Astrology of Venus
Following the earlier Hellenistic astrologers, the Medieval Al-Qabisi wrote that Venus is: “Feminine, nocturnal, a significator of women…games, ornaments, beauty, dancing, leisure, fornication, love, gold, silver, joy, intoxicating drinks, she believes everyone, maintains the faith.”2
Hence, much like their Hellenistic predecessors, the Medieval astrologers viewed Venus as the ideal feminine.
In the Medieval view, Venus represented beautification, fun, and leisure. She loves people, and they love her. She is all things that bring joy through socialization.
Venus and Renaissance Astrology
After the Medieval astrological period came the Renaissance era.
At this time, William Lilly stated that Venus was: well dignified, doesn’t quarrel, is neat, entangled in love, musical, theatrical, not given to labor, and virtuous.
Lilly is implying that Venus enjoys the good life. It loves the liberal arts, beauty, and simply being at her best. She loves to socialize. She also loves to be creative, if only to spread the love and beauty she feels within.
Lilly is implying that Venus isn’t particularly fond of hard labor, but instead prefers a more sophisticated lifestyle. The dirty work is what her partner Mars is for, after-all.
A 20th Century Look at the Meaning of Venus in Astrology
In the more recent era of the early 1900’s, Aleister Crowley stated that: “Venus is an idealized conception of woman, without any base admixture. She is love, grace, beauty, tenderness and enthusiasm. She inspires art, and wherever she goes it is with dancing and music.”
Crowley agrees with the earlier astrologers, stating that Venus is the “idealized woman”. She is graceful, understands the needs of people, and loves to bring joy wherever she goes. These traits make her a planet that people love to enjoy.
The ideal Venus means dropping everything so that you can concentrate on the people that need it most. It’s giving for the sake of giving. It’s overlooking others faults and making people feel good about themselves.
From the astrological history, we can conclude that Venus represents unconditional love, support, teamwork, aesthetics, creativity, and affection.
I personally have a rather weak Venus aspecting Saturn, so I got lucky when I found a partner with a strong one. You may be surprised at how caring a dignified Venus can be. They’ll certainly encourage you to let your best self shine, even when you don’t feel up to it.
Keep reading for an even better understanding.
The Astronomy of Venus
At this point, you may be wondering how Venus got these astrological significations to begin with.
Is there something special about Venus in the night sky?
Venus in Geocentric Astronomy
The astrologer Chris Brennan makes the case in Hellenistic Astrology, The Study of Fate and Fortune3, that Venus’s significations may stem from her astronomical properties.
Venus, being bright and white, has the opposite meaning of Mars, which is dark and red. These visual, astronomical contrasts then translate to metaphysical significations.
The bright planet Venus became the planet of light and love, while the darker Mars became the planet of darkness, hatred, and war. Their visual contrasts became archetypal as Venus’s signs are always in opposition to Mars’s in the zodiac.
In the elemental scheme of hot, cold, wet, and dry, Hellenistic astrologer Ptolemy states that Venus is moist, but less warm than the other planets.
Along these lines, Ptolemy draws the conclusion that Venus has great moisture due to the vastness of her astronomical light. The only other planet with more light than Venus is the Moon, which rules the oceans. So, naturally, Ptolemy concludes that Venus’s great light makes for moisture.
Gods and Goddesses Representing Venus
Renaissance Occultist Heinrich Agrippa wrote that Venus was called “Aphrodite, because in every sexe (sic), she is found to be of every mind: and she is called Lucifera, i.e. bringing light, bringing the yeers of the Sun to light; and she is called Hesperus, when she follows the Sun, and Phosperus, because she leads through all things though never so hard.”
Agrippa is noting that Venus changes significations depending on her status as a morning star (Lucifera) or an evening star (Hesperus). That means that depending on whether she rises before, or after, the Sun, her significations will slightly shift.
Traditionally, a morning star means that its effects will take place earlier in life, while the opposite is true for an evening star. A morning star also carries more masculine attributes, while an evening star more feminine.
Venus has a complex history in mythology, and this astronomical distinction will be important to remember as we look at her various cultural representations.
The Mesopotamian deity representing Venus was Ishtar, who was known earlier in Sumeria as Inanna, and by the Phoenicians as Astarte.
Ishtar was the third deity in the Sumerian trinity, with her cohorts Sin (The Moon), and Shamash (The Sun).
Ishtar “Manifested both male and female attributes…Ishtar of the evening star was female, while Ishtar of the morning star was male.”4
Consequently, the Venus Goddess changed her attributes depending on her location in front of, or in back of, the Sun. This is the origin of the morning star and evening star delineations.
The Greek version of Venus was Aphrodite, the Goddess of love. She represented beauty, fertility, and sensuality. Yet, in apparent homage to Sumerian lore and astronomy, she also represented maritime affairs, the harmony of the state, and even warfare.
Following the Greeks, the Roman version of Aphrodite was simply “Venus”. She held most of the same Greek attributes, standing for both civic peace and military prowess.
Venus was a symbol of compassion, strength, fertility and nature.
Now when someone asks you: What is the meaning of my Venus in astrology? You can remember Aphrodite.
Technical Details of Venus in Astrology
This section is for those interested in advanced astrology. If that’s not you, you can skip this section and still not skip a beat. But if that sounds like your cup of tea, then read on!
Venus is a feminine planet. She finds her domicile in Libra and Taurus, and has an exaltation in Pisces at 27 degrees5. William Lilly states that her mean motion is 59 minutes and 8 seconds.
Venus is a fast mover—Only Mercury and the Moon are swifter.
In traditional astrology, Venus has an influencing orb of 7 degrees.
This means that when Venus comes within 7 degrees of a planet, you’ll start feeling the effects.
Her lesser planetary years for advanced calculations are 8.
Venus has her joy in the 5th house—known as “good fortune”, in the bottom half of the birthchart. In the joys scheme, the bottom half belongs to the night sect.
The night sect consists of the Moon along with Venus and Mars. Their counterparts in the day sect are the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn.
Venus is the triplicity day lord of earth and water signs, meaning she’s more dignified in those signs.
The bright planet’s day of the week is Friday.
Friday is an etymological growth of the Norse God of love, Freya, which became the English Freyasday, or Friday.
Venus in Medical Astrology
Medical astrology is the art of associating planetary significations with diseases of the body. Ancient doctors relied heavily on astrology to determine the root cause of many illnesses, and to prescribe remedies.
The Renaissance astrologer William Lilly stated that Venus rules “the reins, back, belly, naval, gonorrhea…any disease arising from inordinate lust…impotency, hernia, diabetes, involuntary discharge of urine.”
Lilly is saying that Venus is the planet of the sexual organs, and all that comes with it. This includes the dreaded “venereal” disease.
These Venusian significations then allocate to the surrounding areas of the groin such as the kidneys and bladder.
According to Jane Ridder-Patrick’s ‘A Handbook of Medical Astrology’6, Venus rules the:
- Veins
- Kidneys
- Bladder
- Hormones
- Homeostasis
- Venereal Disease
- Prostate
- Diseases of overindulgence (food, drugs, sex)
- Congestion, swelling, benign tumors
These associations imply that Venus rules pleasurable activities that can come back and bite you.
If you drink to much, your kidneys will have problems. If you have too many sexual partners, you could wind up with a venereal disease. These are the adverse affects of an overactive Venus.
Remember, Venus rules Libra and Taurus, and has an exaltation in Pisces. Pisces is known to be the sign of indulgence, especially drugs. Thus having Venus exalted here—especially in the sixth house—could mean that you are prone to toxicity if you take your bad habits too far.
Vettius Valens writes that Venus rules “the neck, the face, the lips, the sense of smell, the front of the feet to the head, the parts of intercourse, it rules the lungs…Of materials it rules precious stones and fancy jewelry. Of fruits it rules the olive. It is of the night sect, white in color, very greasy in taste.”
Venus in Electional Astrology
Electional astrology is the art of timing something to get the result that you want—But how?
The stars are moving over our heads us in a constant state of flux. Much like your natal chart begins the moment you’re born, an electional chart starts the moment your project is born.
In this way, you can time an event (your metaphorical baby), so that it has the best possible horoscope and gives you the best result.
For instance, you want to start a new relationship, or get married. You’d want to triple check the location of Venus on your wedding hour. If it was harmonious with your partner, and well placed in the sky, your marriage is going to be much better off than otherwise. I’ve seen relationships crash and burn, and when I checked their electional chart, Venus was a disaster.
What is the meaning of Venus in an electional astrology chart?
According to the magical grimoire, the Medieval Picatrix7, the planet Venus causes love and delight between two people.
Hence, if you were to time an event to gain love, you’d want to make Venus an important part of the chart.
For the best result, you’d place Venus in a harmonious configuration with the lord of the ascendant, the Moon, or in the rising sign itself. Then you’d check where Mars was to make sure they were harmonious.
As I’ve discussed previously on this blog, the ascendant lord represents the person making the election, while the Moon represents the situation itself.
As the Moon is extremely important in electional astrology, in a relationship chart always try to make it harmonious with Venus. If that’s not possible, make sure it’s dignified, or in the seventh house. If that still isn’t possible, focus on placing the Moon in a house harmoniously aspecting the ascendant, or at least Venus or Mars.
To go a step further, you’d try to make Venus an evening star (setting after the Sun), which solidifies her status in the night sect. Remember, the night sect is feminine, so also try to place her in a feminine sign.
As the medieval astrologer Abu’Mashar wrote: “If she were western, she will be stronger and her good fortune will appear more, because westernness agrees with the nature of the night and making feminine.”8
Another Medieval astrologer, Sahl Ibn Bishr, writes:
“Venus loosens what Mars binds up.” 9
Venus can soften a vexed Mars and bring him back to her side. This is powerful in electional astrology.
Or, if your goal is to turn someone that dislikes you into an ally, you would also make an electional chart in which Venus aspected Mars harmoniously.
For added power, try to start the election on a Friday (Venus’s day), and at the planetary hour of Venus. But, always make sure the other factors are covered first.
If you need a professional to guide you in choosing your chart, I offer full consultations on when to select the best election.
“As Above, So Below”
Challenging Venus Aspects
Now that we’ve covered the charming side of Venus, let’s dive into the more negative Venusian traits.
We know that Venus creates love, beauty, and a strong sense of community—but what about a weak, or poorly aspected Venus?
The Hellenistic astrologer Firmicus wrote that it was “Venus who made that one an adulterer.”10
Firmicus goes on to say that a poorly placed Venus: “Makes the natives oversexed, unchaste, of ill repute.”11
From Firmicus we can determine that a challenged Venus quickly turns love into lust.
Debilitated Venus can become self serving, vain, arrogant, and wantonly disregardful of societal standards.
With these placements, primal passion takes over and overpowers common decency. Whereas a dignified Venus represents love, happiness and beauty, ill placed Venus is about lust, depression and even sloth.
In fact, a negative Venus might do things that others consider vulgar or unbecoming. They may have many sexual partners, worry only about themselves, drink, do drugs, and be downright hedonistic.
At it’s worst, negative Venus probably won’t worry much about community or environment, but they’ll pretend to—as lying about their beliefs is second nature.
You may have seen a challenged Venus at a bar or frat house.
They’ll use bad pickup lines and slur their words.
They’ll be pushy, think they’re God’s gift to the opposite sex, and surround themselves with equally decadent and orotund people.
Negative Venus chooses to escape reality through drink and drugs, because when they think about their relationships, they get depressed.
In this vein, the 20th century astrologer Raphael wrote that a poor Venus: “Makes the native lewd, low, and indecent, fond of drink and loose women.”12
Also during the 20th century, Rosicrucian Max Heindel wrote that “when Venus is afflicted, all these sublime qualities become tainted…Squares and oppositions turn love to lust…art becomes slovenliness…giving of oneself for others is turned to selfishness…laziness being one of the most prominent characteristics of an afflicted Venus.”
As you can tell, a poorly aspected Venus can make someone a bit of an $@!hole. They’re selfish, insecure, slovenly, and think only of themselves.
If that sounds like someone you know, read-on!
How To Strengthen Venus in Astrology
Now that you understand the ins and outs of Venus, you can learn to make it even stronger, or improve your weak Venus.
Perform the following meditation at least 3 times. Afterward, you’ll start to see big changes in your Venusian manifestations.
This meditation is the best astrological remedy I’ve found to strengthen a weak Venus in astrology. If you follow along diligently, it will enhance your birthchart Venus and bring out your best qualities.
Perform this meditative ritual on a Friday. If that’s hard to accomplish, perform it anyway, it will still work.
In a quiet room, get a white candle and place it facing East. Collect some blooming flowers or pleasant shrubbery from somewhere outside. Place them next to the candle and light some incense if possible.
Now, sit down and breathe slowly.
As you breathe in, feel the light from the candle growing around you.
Visualize the room growing bright with radiant white light. As you breathe out, the light expands and pulsates. With each breath, the candle grows brighter, filling the room.
Visualize the light reaching your internal organs, healing them. Feel it repairing cellular damage. Your kidneys will begin to flush toxins, your cells will heal from the power of this light.
Visualize all of this happening. You’ll feel yourself becoming more vibrant, at peace, even younger. Close your eyes and thank the light for healing you.
After a few minutes, when the entire room seems to be filled with light, breathe in again, and the light will solidify around your torso. As you continue to breathe, see light permeate your skin. Feel it filling the cells of your body, gently massaging them.
Next, with your eyes closed, visualize a clear plexi-glass wall in front of you. Beyond it are all of the people you have caused hardships to. You now stand in a room apart.
A figure cloaked in white emerges from a corner of your room. It slowly asks what you could do differently to help the people across the wall.
You ponder this, and realize that if you were in a better emotional state, you could treat them well.
Nodding, the figure tells you to imagine an ideal person. Someone that wants the best for others, and is willing to act.
You begin to visualize this ideal person. You picture them helping others and receiving love in return.
Soon the white figure behind you transforms. As you look in awe, they transform into a mirror image of yourself.
Yet, you still notice something slightly different. This figure appears to be you, but with all of the qualities of the ideal person you’ve just imagined.
This figure has transformed into you…at your imagined best.
The figure grabs your hands. You smile from the sense of peace and love you get from it.
As you look down, see your body begin to fade. Look at your feet, legs, arms and torso. They soon begin to dissolve into a fine mist.
Yet, as you fade, this other figure is becoming more solid and real. You realize your consciousness is merging with this better, alternate you. As you reach out one last time, the figure steps into your the remnant of your body and solidifies.
The two yous have become one. The old you fades into memory, and only your better half remains.
Smiling, the new you walks to the wall and steps through to the people on the other side. They smile back, and you begin to help them.
As you open your eyes, you know that you have accomplished something great.
For even more ritual meditations and exclusive astrology forecasts, subscribe to my mailing list. Each month I deliver working strategies to make the best of your birthchart and disintegrate your obstacles. Learn to work with the universe, instead of against it, and succeed.
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Conclusion
Hopefully now when someone asks: What is the meaning of my Venus mean in astrology? You’ll know the answer, in-fact you’ve lived it out through the above meditation.
If you liked this article, and want even more tips to strengthen a weak Venus in a horoscope, then sign up for my newsletter. Get advanced astrology, monthly horoscopes, astrological rituals, and more!
Song of Solomon 6:10
Who is this that appears like the dawn,
fair as the moon,
bright as the sun,
majestic as the stars in procession?
Resources:
- Pingree, Dorotheus. Carmen Astrologicum. Abington: Astrology Classics, 2005, 229.
- Abu Mashar & Al Quabisi, Dykes Translation. Introductions to Traditional Astrology. Minnesota: Cazimi Press, 2010, 254.
- Brennan, Chris. Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune. Denver: Amor Fati Publications, 2017, 186.
- Baigent, Michael. Astrology in Ancient Mesopotamia. Rochester: Bear & Company, 2015, 124-225 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Astrology_in_Ancient_Mesopotamia/GUv0oAEACAAJ?hl=en
- Pingree, Dorotheus. Carmen Astrologicum. Abington: Astrology Classics, 2005, 2.
- Ridder-Patrick, Jane. A Handbook of Medical Astrology. United Kingdom: CrabApple Press, 2006, 53 https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Handbook_of_Medical_Astrology/mCvvAAAACAAJ
- Greer, John, and Christopher Warnock. The Complete Picatrix, The Occult Classic of Astrological Magic Liber Atratus Edition. Minneapolis: Adocentyne Press, 2010, 39.
- Abu Mashar & Al Quabisi, Dykes Translation. Introductions to Traditional Astrology. Minnesota: Cazimi Press, 2010, 276.
- MashaAllah, Sahl ibn Bishr, and Ben Dykes. Works of Sahl and Masha’Allah. Minneapolis: Cazimi Press, 2008, 60. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Works_of_Sahl_Masha_allah/Nmt2NAAACAAJ?hl=en
- Maternus, Firmicus. Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice, Brahm Translation. Park Ridge: Noyes Press, 1975, 15.
- Ibid, 94.
- Raphael. Guide to Astrology: Containing a Complete System Of Genethliacal Astrology. London: W. Foulsham & Co., 1905,63-64.
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