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Venus and Mars

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Images by Zodiac Graphics.

VENUS

A planet moves in direct or retrograde motion, according to a specific cycle.  The retrograde period provides information about the relationship between the planet, the Earth, and the Sun, and therefore about creative potential and consciousness.  One key to understanding the significance of the cycle is to look at the aspect the planet makes the Sun when it goes retrograde.

Similar to Mercury, Venus lies within the orbit of the Earth and can not  oppose the Sun.  However, it forms two significant conjunctions with the Sun—interior and exterior (inferior and superior) which color the Venus cycleand the Venus personality.

It takes Venus 225 days to orbit the Sun, and 584 days or 1.6 years for it to complete its synodic phase cycle, from interior conjunction to interior conjunction.  The Venus cycle has some unique characteristics:

1.   Each new phase cycle, from interior conjunction, begins 144 zodiacal degrees earlier than the previous one (forming a biquintile relationship).

2.  When the zodiacal point of the interior conjunctions of five successive phase cycles are joined, covering a period of 8 years, a pentagram is formed.

3.  Each new series of five phase cycles begins with an interior conjunction 2 degrees earlier.

4.  Every 4 years, the exterior conjunction takes place at the same zodiacal degree, and the same day of the year,  as the preceding interior conjunction. 

Interior Conjunction:  Rx as Evening Star, Short Disappearance
The Venus cycle begins at the Interior Conjunction.  Venus is 3 weeks into the Rx period, and is in a short period of darkness as an Evening Star.  She is at perigee and in interior conjunction with the Sun.  The line-up is Earth-Venus-Sun. 

Heliacal Rising Rx as Brilliant Morning Star
After 3-5 days of invisibility, still Rx, she emerges in Heliacal Rising,  rising ahead of the Sun as a Morning Star.  In this phase, she is called Lucifer, or the light bearer.  She is an aggressive Warrior Goddess, with evident brilliance not obscured by the Sun. 

Direct: As Morning Star
Two weeks after Heliacal Rising, she then turns direct, and goes rushing into love and life.

Exterior Conjunction: Direct, Morning Star, and Longer Disappearance for 2 months

Nine months later, she moves into the exterior (superior) conjunction, farthest from the Earth, with the line up as Earth-Sun-Venus, and disappears behind the Sun.  She is out of sight for a longer period of darkness of approximately 60 days. 

Direct: As Evening Star
When she reappears, it is as Hesperus, the Evening Star.  Still Direct, she rises after the Sun, and becomes more visible as she rises a bit later each day.

Rx: As Evening Star to move into Interior Conjunction with the Sun

7 months after her appearance as an  Evening Star, she turns Rx for a 6 week period of recalibration, adjusting her relationship with the Sun.

CURRENT CYCLE: March 6, 2009-October 9, 2010

March 6, 2009
Rx at 15 + Aries;  makes semi-sextile aspect to Sun in Pisces.

March 28, 2009, 3 weeks later 
Still Rx, Interior Conjunction w/ Sun at 7 + Aries, Evening Star, Short Disappearance. Venus is at perigee,  and the line-up is Earth-Venus-Sun. 

April 4, 2009, after 3-5 days of invisibility  Venus, still Rx, has her Heliacal Rising.  She is the aggressive Warrior Goddess, the brilliant Morning Star.
Rising ahead of the Sun, she is called Lucifer, or the light bearer.  Her evident brilliance not obscured by the Sun. 

April 18, 2009, two weeks after Heliacal Rising, Venus turns Direct as Morning Star and goes rushing into love and life.

January, 2010, nine months later, (around the zodiac to 19 + Capricorn),  she disappears for two months behind the Sun.  She is at Exterior Conjunction, Direct, Morning Star.  At  apogee, farthest from the Earth, the line up is Earth-Sun-Venus.

March, 2010, she reeappears, Direct, as Hesperus, the Evening Star.  She rises after the Sun, and becomes more visible as she rises a bit later each day.

October, 2010, she turns Rx again (around the zodiac again to 13 Scorpio 13 ). Still an Evening Star, she remains Rx for a 6 week period of recalibration, adjusting her relationship with the Sun once again, in semi-sextile.

Venus is empowered by the Sun at Interior Conjunction (perigee), turns aggressive as a Morning Star (Lucifer, the Light Bearer), and rushes forward.  Then she retreats at Exterior Conjunction (apogee), and emerges calm as Hesperus, the Evening Star. The diagram below shows the flow of Venus:

Rx Interior Conjunction with Sun as Evening Star, perigee, empowered
Rx heliacal rising, Morning Star, aggressive Warrior Goddess
D as Morning Star, gaining speed and rushing into life

D moves into Exterior Conjunction with Sun, apogee, retreats for 2 months
D reemerges, recuperated as Hesperus, the calm Evening Star.

Rx again, as Evening Star, and moves towards Interior Conjunction.
      


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Diagram used with permission www.soulsign.com.

MARS

Mars lies outside of the Earth’s orbit.  The retrograde cycle of Mars occurs every two years for approximately 3 months.  There are two things to be aware of with the Mars cycle.   Because when retrograde the planet is closest to the Earth (perigee) as it orbits the Sun, its manifestations can be felt on a mundane level. Mars is a good planet to watch with this in mind.  Additionally, the aspect it forms with the Sun can be telling.

Current Mars Retrograde:  December 20, 2009-March 10, 2010
Mars Rx at 19 Leo 42, forming a 10 degree trine with the Sun.  On January 8, it forms a quincunx with the Sun; an opposition on January 30; a quincunx on February 21, and then an out of sign 10 degree trine when Direct on March 10, 2010.