The Venus – Saturn/Pluto Love Health Check, Opening Floodgates and the Magic of Truth
If you want to see the sign and degree of the planets in your own or any other natal chart – so you can check these against the signs and degrees important this week – here’s the link to Astrotheme. Enter your data into the boxes provided:
https://www.astrotheme.com/horoscope_chart_sign_ascendant.php
The Astrology Blog 18 February 2019
All times given are stated in GMT
‘Now there’s no welcome look in your eyes when I reach for you,
And you’re starting to criticize little things I do ….’
– The Righteous Brothers, You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
We have some significant events packed into the next seven days, which between them indicate that some things are coming to an end whilst others are taking shape. In the process of writing this blog I realised that this is a far more complicated picture than at first it seemed. So I’ve tried to explain the bigger picture astrology, as well as the details of this week’s main features.
We start with the annual Venus – Saturn conjunction, followed by the annual Venus – Pluto conjunction at the end of the week. Mercury also links up with Saturn and Pluto by sextile (two signs apart). Here’s the sequence:
Monday 18 February
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Venus conjunct Saturn 16 Capricorn 10.53
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Sun ingress Pisces 23.05
Wednesday 20 February
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Mercury 17 Pisces sextile Saturn 17 Capricorn 02.40
Saturday 23 February
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Venus conjunct Pluto 22 Capricorn 03.51
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Mercury 22 Pisces sextile Pluto 22 Capricorn 17.16
To give you the astronomy, Mercury and Venus both stay close to the Sun. Mercury never more than 27 degrees away and Venus never more than 46 degrees away – and therefore these planets also have a cycle of about one year.
This is why in any horoscope Mercury is always either in the same sign as the Sun, or one sign either side, and Venus up to two signs either side. No other aspects are astronomically possible.
Owing to retrograde periods there are times in the year when they’re travelling faster than others, so their journey is not linear like the Sun’s (who moves at a constant speed of 1 degree a day). In the course of their year’s journey through the 12 signs, they’ll also make conjunctions to all of the slower moving planets.
Three of those conjunctions fall this week. And, as you’ll see from the above list, two of these involve Venus who catches up first with Saturn and then with Pluto.
Saturn and Pluto
Just to sidetrack slightly, even though you can see from the above data that Saturn and Pluto are currently only 6 degrees apart, the huge Saturn – Pluto conjunction itself won’t be exact until 12 January 2020, at 23 Capricorn.
Saturn and Pluto are so slow moving and meandering that it takes a long time for them to reach the same point. Astrologers are already talking about this looming mega event in the astrological calendar.
What’s the big deal? To put it in perspective the last one was in November 1982 (the UK big recession) and the next one will be in June 2053. So it’s an extremely rare event and, whichever way you look at it, a serious one.
To summarize the symbolic roles of these two giants:
Saturn
Saturn’s main principle is contraction – the opposite to Jupiter’s expansion. If Jupiter is ‘yes’, Saturn is ‘no’. He is the bringer of solemnity, restriction, obstacles, boundaries and endings, ultimately death.
Saturn is the enemy of the ‘Lights’ of life, the Sun and Moon, being in detriment in their signs of dignity, Cancer and Leo.
He rules authority, career, duty and responsibility. His nature is pessimistic, realistic and serious.
Pluto
Pluto’s main principle is endings/beginnings, often starting with loss, death of the old and the birth of the new:
- Darkness, obsessions, addictions
- Starting from scratch
- Those who are physically or emotionally absent
- Transformative processes, deep healing
- Resourcefulness
- Secrets, taboos
- Power, abuse of power
- Uncompromising
- Empowerment, wealth and control
So both of these planets have their constructive qualities but both are also about endings in one form or another.
When working together they can be very heavy, reflecting overbearing people or overwhelming situations. Things over which we have little or no power, challenges or responsibilities we’d really rather not have.
Everything from Brexit to being broke. At worst this deathly duo basically do a demolition job that then requires us mere mortals to rise from the ashes. It’s death/rebirth symbolism of the toughest kind.
I always ask my students not to glamourise the outer planets, especially Pluto as the textbooks tend to latch on to the ‘transformation’ keyword. This is so much prettier than talking about things poisonous or black holes! Yes Pluto transforms, but he kills off first. It’s a transformative process rather than an overnight sensation or any kind of magic wand. It takes a long time.
Venus
For now, the main point to bear in mind is that Venus catches up with Saturn and Pluto once every 10 to 14 months. Here are the last, current and next dates of these conjunctions:
Venus Conjunct Saturn
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25 December 2017 – 0 Capricorn
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18 February 2019 – 16 Capricorn
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11 December 2019 – 22 Capricorn
Venus Conjunct Pluto
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9 January 2018 – 19 Capricorn
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22 February 2019 – 22 Capricorn
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13 December 2019 – 22 Capricorn
So, this is like double whammy because Saturn and Pluto are also catching up with each other. In other words, Venus is playing into the Saturn – Pluto conjunction even though it’s 11 months away from exactitude.
Venus is primarily about who, what and how we love so the symbolism is unmistakable. For some, this is all about the rumbles and grumbles of a relationship needing some serious attention. For some, this is already the end of the road.
A decision to stay in a troubled relationship and fight for it, will need total commitment and fearless investigation.
At worst, Venus – Pluto symbolism correlates in mythology to the rape of Persephone. If a relationship is clearly toxic or already abusive you will need courage and coping strategies to get out of it and heal from it.
When we talk about domestic abuse the natural image is to see women as the victim, but it happens both ways, which is still a major taboo in our culture.
There was a lead story on the BBC just this morning on this subject, including the research that finds ‘While one in six men will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives, only one in 20 will ever seek help’.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/81a8f303-5849-45b8-85a0-e8532b5d948b
What Defines a Toxic or Co-dependent Relationship?
What’s the difference between normal ups and downs, and being in a toxic relationship?
If you answer yes to some or all of the points on this rather uncomfortable checklist you’ll know the answer. These points have been edited by me (but are not created by me). They are recognized by psychology as major symptoms of unhealthy and emotionally destructive relationships.
There are many more points which could be added, but these are the most common and the most obvious. It’s written for ‘you‘ but remember it also applies to the ‘other‘ – primarily partner, but also any other significant one to one relationship.
I wish someone had given me this list about 15 years ago. Pass it on to anyone who might benefit:
- Is it noticeably you always making the effort? Eg to talk, to arrange jobs or dates, aiming to please and so on…
- When you try to talk or arrange things is your partner/other person unresponsive, overly defensive, easily angered or contemptuous? Did you know that contempt is classed as emotional violence?
- Do they generally ignore, criticize, patronize or blame? Is blaming or anger a “first response”? Do you therefore walk on eggshells?
- Does your happiness depend solely on the state of your relationship? This is possibly the biggest red flag that you’re in a co-dependent relationship, which is characterized by continual, increasing and often overwhelming feelings of insecurity or jealousy.
- Are you consumed with your relationship, eg obsessing over the smallest details? Are the ‘highs’ very short lived?
- Do you frequently attempt to rationalize or excuse your partner’s/another’s behavior?
- Are you feeling trapped in the relationship? Do you stay because you feel guilty about wanting out?
- Have you stopped wanting sex or any kind of physical intimacy?
If you answered yes
…to enough of these points to make you sit up and think, then these are the important steps to take as soon as you can. If you answered yes to all of these points and your jaw hit the table, act immediately:
- Seek help
- Express your feelings – even if it’s just writing them down
- Make a decision
- Surround yourself with positivity – ie positive people, things that make you feel good
- Stick with your decision … toxic people can be very manipulative and seductive …
Read more of Kristen Fuller’s article on this excellent website:
What else can Venus – Saturn/Pluto signify?
Venus is the love planet, so primarily it’s all about relationship and relating issues. Attached or single it’s a great time for an emotional and mental health check:
- To get a clearer understanding of how you operate in a relationship, e.g. what your own anger or rejection triggers are
- Why things have gone wrong in the past and how you can learn from your own experience.
- If you were to write a cosmic order for a partner now, what would be on the list? It will almost certainly be hugely different from what you wanted say ten years ago.
- Overhaul your ideas and rewrite your script.
If you’re venturing into a new relationship, the top advice is to start off as you mean to go on. No pretending. No making excuses for behavior that you secretly know you wouldn’t tolerate if you weren’t in the first flush of romance! Early detection counts for a lot.
Think of it as pouring concrete – it doesn’t take long for it to set into the right or wrong shape.
Venus is also women
So tend to any female friendship in trouble or a girlfriend in crisis, and make your children your priority.
Venus rules money
Put finances in order, get budgeting, plan ahead and don’t throw good money after bad.
Mercury and Saturn/Pluto
All of the above is underlined and amplified by Mercury also playing into the Saturn – Pluto alliance.
As Mercury makes sextiles (harmonious) to both planets this is fabulous symbolism for deep thinking and mental strength.
Mercury is the talking cure, doing the paperwork and great at solution finding. Whether you’re dealing with major issues or nagging anxieties – getting things out into the open is the way to open the floodgates, especially now that Mercury is in Pisces, sign of Mutable Water.
Let it flow, let it show. You can only lean on a cupboard door for so long, at some point you have to step away and let things tumble out.
Mercury, Neptune and the Full Moon
Mercury continues to play a dominant role throughout the rest of the week, including again an annual Mercury – Neptune conjunction. Here are the last, current and next dates for this major aspect:
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25 February 2018 – 13 Pisces
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19 February 2019 15 Pisces | 24 March 2019 17 Pisces | 2 April 2019 17 Pisces
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3 April 2020 – 19 Pisces
So, this time around the Mercury – Neptune conjunction forms three times.
Why? This is because Mercury next week will start slowing down in readiness for turning retrograde in two weeks time.
And this also explains why, Mercury and Venus who are both playing into Saturn/Pluto in the same week, don’t catch up with each other.
Confused yet?? In other words, they get very close in their alliance as they travel through the same degrees but two signs apart. They even get as close as one degree apart, but then Mercury starts to slow down and drop behind.
What might this all mean?
As above, so below.
A talk, a promise, a deal etc might nearly happen but fall apart at the last minute.
Or the things that come together now will be characterized by Neptunian issues and have to be reworked.
Start by considering the nature of Mercury now in Pisces, one of his signs of ‘detriment’ – from Be Your Own Astrologer:
Mercury in Pisces
The tricky side to this Mercury is distortion of the truth, from white lies to outright deception.
Jeffrey Archer, with the double whammy of Mercury in Pisces in a challenging opposition to Neptune, is a textbook example. Here is the weaver of tales, the consummate story teller, the man whose books have sold 250 million copies, but whose political career was blighted by scandal – eventually leading to imprisonment for perjury.
When is it ‘right’ and when is it ‘wrong’ to smudge the line between fact and fantasy? It’s all about appropriateness. In a work of fiction it’s a gift, in a courtroom it’s a criminal offence.
So any Mercury – Neptune combination is the stuff of dreams, romance and soaring creativity, but the flipside is illusion or deception.
It would be nice to be crystal clear about these aspects, but unfortunately it really can swing either way. Proceed with caution, avoid idealizing and keep doing reality checks. If something doesn’t add up, it doesn’t add up for a reason….
Still with me? There’s more! The first Mercury – Neptune conjunction falls within hours of the Full Moon, and then goes on to square up to Jupiter. Here’s the sequence:
Monday 18 February
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Sun ingress Pisces 23.05
Tuesday 19 February
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Mercury conjunct Neptune 15 Pisces 06.38
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Full Moon 1 Virgo 15.53
Friday 22 February
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Mercury 21 Pisces square Jupiter 21 Sagittarius 20.41
So the emotional tides are high and feelings are sloshing around all over the place. Squares to Mr Big Jupiter also indicate things escalating or some “over the top” quality that feels very uncontainable.
And the Full Moon (get ready for the domestics) in careful but critical Virgo can also bring niggling matters into the light, which can then be another factor in opening floodgates.
So now you can see what I meant by this being a more complex week than it at first seemed.
Top advice is one day at a time, but not to be afraid of connecting with your own or other people’s feelings, no matter how uncomfortable.
Keep your feet on the floor and get to the truth.
I’ve often quoted before, something that Sagittarius therapist Lena Hjeltman said to me many years ago – which I’ve never forgotten and has often worked wonders – ‘Something magical happens when we work with the truth’.
Until next week
With love from Greece
Joanna