Mia Manamea
Venus: A Cheat Sheet
Attraction & Attractiveness | Beauty | Joy | The Pleasure Principle
The Agent of: Harmony & balance | Beauty & Pleasure | Joy & comfort | Social relatedness | Lust, love, and intimacy | Sensual gratification | Self and object consistency
Psychological Function: The pleasure principle. Venus is the function that wants to create internal and external stability by creating or seeking out things that feel good.
Verbs Associated: To attracted/be attracted | Pleasure; Engage or experience | Beautify | Cooperate & Socialize | Negotiate & Compromise
What does this planet represent?
Traditionally, Venus is ruled by both Taurus and Libra. For these reasons we see two “faces” or slightly different expressions of this planet. The Taurean influence makes Venus seek security, comfort, pleasure, and sameness. At the same time Libra wants beauty, harmony, cooperation, relationships, and balance. The two signs are fairly similar in their likes and dislikes. The striking difference lies in Taurus’ appreciation for simplicity whilst Libra prizes luxury (or, elevated peace).
Joyful vs. Depressed
With all its cautionary warnings, lust can be the perfect gateway to a fulfilling relationship and life. It is the very fuel used to ignite the fire in our spirit. A healthy Venus brings out the best, most attractive parts, of us in the face of someone we feel passionate about. When it’s been activated, we see the world through loving lenses. We feel safe enough to give and receive true love.
Things get messy when the illusion of lust dissipates and we’re forced to accept that our partner is not who we have made him or her out to be in our minds. That, in truth, we have been projecting an image of our “perfect partner” onto this individual-- who, by the way, is completely unaware of the schema you’ve built. When Venus is running rampid it continuously ignores the conscious mind's discovery of “the other,” and insists that the partner become who and what it wants. This can get sticky as the partner may feel pressured to become someone s/he is not; in turn, abandoning who they really are.
Natural placement, rise, fall, and detriment?
Venus has a natural affinity to Taurus and Libra. It is exalted or happiest, in Pisces. When in Scorpio or Aries, Venus is in its detriment. It falls in Virgo.
Venus Through The Signs
Aries: Bold, fiery, and spontaneous; Adventure seeking; Self-centered; Passionate; Independent; Warrior; Magnanimous; Impatient; Intolerant; Child-like; Falls in and out of love quickly; Needs to learn and practice courage in interpersonal relationships.
Taurus: Slow and steady; Practical and grounded; Reliable and resourceful; Appreciates quality food and comfortable clothing; Enjoys being out in nature; Affectionate and demonstrative; Devoted and loyal; Doesn’t like “wasting” time; Possessive; Utilizes the five senses; Seeks physical and material representations of security; Romantic and sensual; Needs to learn the art of simplicity and serenity.
Gemini: Flirty and fickle; Goes with the flow; Needs freedom; Seeks intellectual stimulation; Asks a lot of questions and finds the answers; Endlessly curious; An eternal student and teacher; Social, but for personal gain; Selfish and self-serving; Duality; “Peter Pan Syndrome”; Gossipy and talkative; Charming, clever, and witty; Jack of all trades, master of none; Fashionable; Relevant; Funny and entertaining;
Cancer: Netflix and chill; Prize close, personal, and intimate relationships; Lives for their friends, family, and chosen “clan” or group; Likes food and all things comfy; Loyal and loving; Dependable; Seeks security both emotionally and materially; Sneakishly needy; Protective of their emotions and the people they care about; Emotional and moody; Interest in history/family lineage; Reminisces on past experiences; Emotionally possessive; Excellent home-makers; Needs to
Leo: Wants attention, affection, and applause; Grand expressions of love; Dramatic and/or passionate; Craves admiration; Colorful; Full of life; Joyful; Childlike spirit; Loyal and dignified; Proud, even boastful; Demanding and demonstrative lovers; Show offs; Big-hearted; Actors and actresses on the stage of life; Active; Creative; Thesbian;
Virgo: Dedicated and devoted; Service-oriented; Critical and caring; Pays attention to details; Slow to open in relationships; Not flirty or “fun”; Demonstrates love through acts of service; Excellent listeners; Practical, grounded, and rational; Reliable; Quietly kind; Naturally feels guilty when they self-indulge.
Libra: Charming; Alluring; Sophisticated; Stylish; Kind; Well-mannered; Superficial or shallow; Just & Fair; Gifted negotiator, mediator, Plays devil's advocate; Chatty; Flirty; Looks for intellectual stimulation; Flaky; Idealizes and romanticizes relationships; Compromises; Prizes harmony, peace, and luxury; Cares about skin/make-up/clothes/appearance; Gifted conversationalist; Needs to learn that the quality of the immediate external world does not define one's inner world.
Scorpio: Intense and committed; Sexually charged; Secretive; Private; Strategic; Obsessive and/or extremely focused; Emotional and psychological warriors; Investigators; Suspicious and uneasy in matters of the heart; Controlling and penetrating; Craves enmeshment; Demands trust and loyalty; Vengeful when angry or feels betrayed; “An eye for an eye” mentality; Wants ownership and power; Emotionally deep; Needs to learn
Sagittarius: Magnanimous; Wise fire; Philosophical; Educated and an educator; Needs to stretch the mind, body, and heart; Preachy; Joyous; Overly indulgent and optimistic; Flirty and non-committal; A jokester and jerk; Suffers from foot-in-mouth syndrome; Religious or spiritual; Ever-evolving; Committed to growth and expansion; Excellent escape artists; Demands diversity; Honest and direct; Loud and uncut; Needs to learn
Capricorn: Values tradition, structure, and status; Impressive degree of self-control; Practical and reliable; Goal-oriented; Has an eye on the long-term plan; Doesn’t waste time or energy; Demands respect and unwavering commitment; Workaholic; Fears instability; Discriminating taste; Concerned about the future; Age backwards;
Aquarius: Seeks intellectual stimulation; Not discriminating or judgemental; Interested in conspiracy theories; Future-oriented thinker; Likes being seen as rebellious and unique; Rule breakers; Unconventional approach to love and life; Freedom seeking; Independent; Appreciates friendships; Unselfish; Goal-oriented; Standoffish and detached; Struggles to express or embody emotions; An airy feel to them; Needs to learn
Pisces: Dreamers; Romantics; Emotional; Changeable; Face dancer and shape shifter; Bounce between victims and healers; Giving and forgiving; Understanding; Lacks boundaries; Absorbs their environment; Speaks and responds well to poetry and art; Creative; Goddess/Godlike; Receptive and reactive; Hard to pin down; Needs freedom to roam freely; Fibbers (usually to save someone’s feelings or because they lack assertiveness); Wears rose colored glasses; Sees the best in even the worst people;