Artist: Janna Dorothy
Venus, planet of love, relationships, and abundance, is currently conjunct Pluto, meaning that these two are sitting tight together from our earthly point of view, and consequently intertwining the topics that they both rule.
The planetary function of Pluto is to magnify and obsess, so be aware whenever you catch yourself making a mountain out of a molehill, especially in regard to relationships. Pluto has a way of unraveling our ability to contain our deepest vulnerabilities, even at times producing the impulse to respond with fear and control to that which we find ourselves most sensitive to.
Venus conjoined Pluto is also roughly sextile both Mars in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces, further indicating the importance of sharpening our sight in light of any murkiness, especially when the distortions and illusions in question are actually the product of our own defensiveness. This astro weather asks that we examine how past hurts have warped our vision such that we hyper-fixate on potential problems and possibly lose sight of the bigger picture in the process.
Balance is required in order to more honestly assess both ourselves and others, as well as in regard to how we moderate our emotions when our buttons get pushed.
Remember: We experienced a Taurus/Scorpio eclipse on November 19 and wrapped up the Sagittarius/Gemini eclipse cycle on December 4. Venus entered its retrograde shadow on November 17 and will finally station retrograde on December 19.
Eclipses correspond to fated events and herald major revelations. Venus retrograde is always a time of delay, pause, and review when it comes to our relationships with others, as well as to abundance in general. Venus in Capricorn in particular asks us to define whether our sources of joy are truly sustainable. And as mentioned, Pluto adds some fear and potential control issues into the mix.
This winter is, therefore, largely a mire of discomfort and ambiguity as the universe confronts us with unsettling, question-raising thoughts and situations. It’s a time for us to wrestle with our understanding of love, harmony, and our ability to receive blessings from the universe. If we can bear to face the shadows within ourselves, our hidden fears may in fact direct us to a light-bringing clarification of our fundamental needs and desires, as well as shift us to a new phase of life.
Though we may want to control what’s unfolding, the real beauty lies in surrendering to the process. Some within the collective may find some clues or clarity as soon as January or February, given that Venus resumes direct motion on January 29, 2022. But otherwise, most of us can expect a fresh chapter of brightness, energy and activity in April with the start of Aries season, especially given Venus’ full exit from its retrograde shadow in March.
Questions for this season:
What current events are triggering old wounds?
How do my fears distort my ability to accurately perceive and appropriately respond to situations?
I.e., Are my fears true? Are they useful?
What needs to be in place for me to feel that a relationship has long-term potential, or at least meets my essential needs at this moment in time?
What, in fact, are my needs when it comes to being in relationship with other people?