Values and Venus in the Houses
Are you in touch with your values? Believe it or not, values seem to be an area of life that very few people are in touch with.
Over the past month, Jacki Smith and I have explored Venus in relation to what we value on our radio show Keep It Magic. In my last blog post, I focused on Venus through the signs and the importance of aligning your values with your horoscope in order to achieve ultimate fulfillment. This post will focus on Venus in the houses.
If you need a copy of your horoscope to find out what house your Venus falls in please be sure to get a copy for free here.
A Bit about Houses:
Before I get into explaining houses, let me first recap the major components of a horoscope.
Planets – Planets are like actors. They are the dynamic energies or psychological drives in the horoscope. They create certain patterns of energy within the individual that helps develop the whole of their personality.
Signs – Signs are the clothes that they actors wear. Each sign colors the way that the actor acts and governs his expression. For example, Mars in a police outifit is going to act different than Mars in a laboratory smock, but the planets nature will remain the same. In this case, Venus in Taurus will react based on the natural aptitude of the signs, whereas; Venus in Cancer will respond differently. Regardless, Venus nature will remain Venus meaning that she will have an urge towards relationships, finances, and values.
Now, let’s get to houses!
Planets are the actors and signs are the clothes that the actors wear. Houses are the stage or the backdrop where the planets perform. So, you can look at all 12 houses as different sets that the actors perform their dialogue. Since this blog is about Venus, the house that Venus is in will describe the area of life or field of experience where her action is occurring. Hence, the easiest stage of experience for you to discover your values.
Venus in the Houses
The First House – The first house of an astrology chart is probably the most important because it describes how you see the world and your particular journey in life. It provides us with a sense that our own individual lives are different from everyone else’s and that we are in effect unique individuals that share the journey of life with others. Venus being in the first reflects what we first must value more so than anything else is ourselves. Now, this can be a tall order for someone with Venus in the first because it’s natural tendency is to relate with others and can at times give in to others needs too easily in order to make them happy. So, it is necessary for them to find a balance and equilibrium in their relationships with others and by doing so will provide them with the ability to experience true joy and happiness in their lives. If Venus is well aspected in the first house then the ability to value oneself and develop self-esteem and confidence will come easily. However, if Venus is badly aspected then issues such as low self-esteem, lack of confidence in one’s ability to get what they desire, and often severe shyness could obstruct the natural development of the planet.
The Second House – The traditional meaning of the 2nd house is money and physical possessions, and this interpretation is true on a basic level. However, getting to the roots of what money and physical possessions may represent is the key to understanding this house. In many ways, our quest for income and money is to go out into the world and purchase goods or services that give us joy. Why would you purchase a $100 bottle of perfume if it didn’t make you smell pretty, or attract others to you, or make you feel more attractive? However, on its deepest level the 2nd house reflects what we hope to gain in life. If you have Venus in the 2nd house Venus values money and financial resources for the security that it brings than the quest for objects – although a beautiful object is not going to be turned away. Further, Venus in the 2nd values fairness and diplomatic tact. After all, the easiest way for you to get what you desire is by giving others honey rather than vinegar. This is a powerful placement because Venus is the natural ruler of the 2nd house and unless it is badly aspected (squares, oppositions) the ability to gather resources and use them effectively should occur with ease. If it is badly aspected, then issues such as financial dependence, relationship compulsions, and eating disorders could be problematic.
The Third House: Communication, language, early education and brothers and sisters are the staple meanings of the third house. Yet, what is language and why do we need to speak? Simply put, our ability to communicate provides us with an ability to express ourselves as unique individuals and allows us to learn the rules, laws, and limitations of our environment. We learn to perceive, discern, act, and react to the conditions around us. Venus placed in this house signifies a natural ability to see the more harmonious aspects of life. These are the people that always see the glass as half full rather than half empty. For Venus in the third, a love of expression, communication, and usually positive relationships with brothers and sisters allows them to function more gracefully in an often volatile society. Positive aspects to Venus will only enhance the positive attitudes and qualities of this placement. However, if Venus is badly aspected often ones attitudes towards life are unrealistic and can result in disappointment or depression.
The Fourth House: The fourth house is traditionally attributed to one’s early childhood, the home, and the father figure. It is the house of our roots and the essence that we spring from. So, the key to understanding how to work with this house is by realizing that the qualities (sign, planets, and aspects) that exist within your fourth house represent the qualities that are deeply imbedded within you. It’s the psychological and spiritual milk you were fed on at birth. Venus in the 4th house values peace and harmony within the home and is willing to do anything to achieve it. Often times, she becomes the mediator of any strife or discord which occurs within the household and loves to keep the peace. If Venus is well aspected usually the early childhood is a positive experience that allows those born under Venus’ influence in this house to have a positive view of life. However, if Venus is badly aspected problems regarding an idealized vision of life could result in deep feelings of insecurity and dependence on others in order to fulfill ones needs.
The Fifth House: The fifth house is naturally associated with the Sun. The Sun in the horoscope is the center of the personality of the individual or the psychological ego. It is our urge to continually become more of who we are and to develop ourselves creatively. Venus in the fifth house deeply values the Self. For those with Venus in the 5th house it is necessary that they attempt to find creative outlets where they are inspired and fulfill an inner mission rather than simply going through life only performing tasks to please those around them. Further, since the 5th house also rules offspring, children are of high importance. If Venus is well aspected then achieving one’s personal happiness will be rather easy and enhanced by the other planet(s). If Venus is badly aspected, then one might have a struggle in finding out what they truly enjoy in life and having the ability to go out and create what they desire.
The Sixth House: The sixth house is probably the most difficult house for Venus to be in. The nature of the house reflects the ordinary mundane world of responsibilities and duties that we need to perform in order to survive and function as a productive human being. So, this is often a difficult position for Venus to be placed in because her natural aptitude is a bit stymied. When Venus is in this house, she tends to value service to others and the practical side of life. She values her tidy house, her cooking utensils, and the vacuum cleaner with all its gadgets that allow her to perform an efficient job. Further, she values cleanliness, good hygiene, and can at times become rather obsessive about ritualistic habits. If Venus is well aspected, then she can get along with life’s simplicities and make the most of them. If Venus is badly aspect, then one can have problems being able to cope with life and may live in a constant state of discontent until the aspects are fully integrated.
The 7th house: Venus has three houses in the horoscope that she has natural affinity. We met the first one in the 2nd house and later on we will find out her affinity to the 12th house. However, the 7th house which reflects our ability to need and have relationships is one of Venus’ deepest values. Venus in mythology is the architect of relationships. She is not concerned with whether or not a relationship is healthy or if its a complete disaster, she simply likes them and she likes getting people in them. On the psychological level, this reflects that we all have a need to relate to others and Venus values this the most when she is in the 7th house. However, since Venus relates through other individuals in the 7th if she is badly aspected she could become overly dependent on others or suffer from relationship disorders. If she is positively aspected, relationships should come with ease.
The 8th house: An interpretation of the 8th house in astrological textbooks gives you a curious description of inheritance, shared resources death, and taxes – all of which are valid interpretations despite being rather unhelpful for the person looking for personal insight. So, what does this house really represent? The most valid tool is the exploration of the word inheritance and its implications of ‘something’ that is passed down from ones parents or something received due to no effort on one’s own part. Most people do not earn an inheritance, it’s their birthright. In this context, the deeper roots of the 8th house reflect what we inherit on not only in the mundane world, yet the psychological and biological world as well. Another way of reading this house is shared resources. Simply put, it’s what a couple has together – the good, the bad, and even the psychological garbage that two people bring to the table. In other words, once you get involved in a relationship there is something that changes within the individual to the point that they are no longer able to go back to being the person they were before the relationship. Hence, the word ‘shared’ is actually less about money and tangible possessions and more of a transformative word that involves the inner chemical combination of two peoples inner selves.
Venus in the 8th house is rather tricky and a bit peculiar. First of all, Venus would much rather not deal with psychological issues or chemical transformations. Venus is really more concerned with just the combining of the chemicals and whatever those results may be is irrelevant. Venus is concerned with making sure that everything shared in a relationship is beautiful, beneficial, and of value. As long as Venus is able to find that value (no matter how dysfunctional it may be), she is fine with this position. Venus well aspected in the 8th house reflects that one can get on easily with the combined resources of the relationship – no matter how difficult they may be. She can roll with the punches because the relationship is considered beautiful and of value. However, if Venus is badly aspected the more jealous, vindictive, and manipulative sides of Venus can easily erupt. If Venus is in the 8th house it is imperative that one remains very grounded in reality, otherwise the more human dimension of relationships (which are often very messy and complicated) can tend to take over which often leads to bitterness and frustration.
The 9th house: A modern interpretation of the 9th house is rather simple – it’s what you believe and the experiences that you went through in order to get there. For many this involves a combination of life experience, some hard knocks, life exploration, and education. Venus in the 8th house values a peaceful and harmonious belief system that provides one with joy and happiness. This placement is not real concerned with the problematic issues of the outer world as long as everything in the real world is enjoyable. Often Venus in this house signifies someone that values religious or spiritual beliefs or any idealistic system that brings the world into some form of harmony and balance. After all, life is an adventure and it should be enjoyed! If Venus is well aspected in the 9th house, one is happy with the beliefs and seems to be able to manage them rather well. However, if Venus is badly aspected it can lead towards proselytizing, dogma, and indignation.
The 10th house: The midheaven of the chart or the 10th house is the way the outer world sees us. In many ways, it’s like an adjective that describes the individual. It governs our career and vocations, our social structure, and since the Mother figure is the primary care giver that provides us with a sense of values during our formative years, it represents her as well. Venus placed in the 10th house reflects the need to be seen for one’s style, one’s grace, one’s beauty and as a harmonious figure in society. She is very concerned with how others perceive her because it provides her with a sense of value to be attractive to others. If Venus is well aspected, then Venus can be a social pillar of the community whose styles and trends influence others. However, if she is badly aspected, opinions of what others think may override any of her aesthetic sensibilities. There is a necessity with this placement to be able to juggle the outer world opinions with one’s own individuality.
The 11th house: Earlier we visited the 8th house and the deeper collective under currents of the family psyche. In the 11th house we begin to move away from our personal drives, ambitions, and our relationship to the others around us and begin to realize we are part of a large group or a large organism that connects together in order for the whole system to evolve. Sounds complex, huh? Traditional textbooks label the 11th house as friends, clubs, and groups, yet in order to fully understand the 11th house one must realize the basic essence of what this means. It is through our interaction with others, associations, and personal interest that we begin to relate to others in a broader capacity. To put this into a single keyword, perhaps a better keyword for the 11th house would be networking.
Venus placed in the 11th values friendship and networking above everything else. In many ways, the group becomes the beloved. People with this placement have a natural tendency to harmonize with group activities and/or keep peace and happiness within the group. Further, with Venus in the 11th the collective group ideals matter because they make one feel connected and admired by the greater unity of the whole. If Venus is well aspected, it will be easy for one to navigate through the waters of the collective mind. Interests in politics, social circles, or group ideals and hobbies may be important for those with Venus in the 11th. However, if Venus is badly aspected one might feel alienated from the group, have difficulties relating to others, or might have a deep fear of being rejected in social circles.
The 12th house: The 12th house is one of the most mysterious houses of the horoscope and even the best of astrologers have difficulties delving into its very deep waters. There are a whole list of keywords that apply to this particular house such as jails, institutions, karma, secret enemies, and self-undoing that although they paint a valid picture of the house on the surface level, in modern astrology it takes a bit of word play and effort to get to the roots of one of the most problematic regions of the horoscope. For this blog post (and I will discuss the 12th house in depth in a future post), I am going to focus on the key word “secret enemies”. However, in this context our secret enemies are not usually those people that are plotting to get us, yet the unresolved components of ourselves (compulsions, fears, apprehensions) which tend to creep out at the most inopportune time.
Venus has a natural affinity for the 12th house because of her exalted relationship with the sign of Pisces. In mythology, Venus (Aphrodite) is born out of the castration of Uranus by his son Saturn. Saturn tosses the severed testicles into the sea and out rises Aphrodite. There are many ways that you can interpret this, however; one of the most applicable to the 12th house is that through familial pain and ancestral dynamics we often find what we value the most. As a counseling astrologer, I have noticed that relationships are usually very difficult for this placement because the need to be in relationship is often greater than allowing another individual to be who they are. This can be extremely disappointing to Venus in the 12th house because they tend to experience a lot of pain and frustration in their relationship life and are often attracted to individuals that are not really available to them. Further, problems with dysfunctional relationships might be an “ancestral curse” – meaning that for several generations sacrificing oneself for a relationship may be a major issue. On a more positive note, Venus in harmonious aspects with Venus can lead to artistic creativity and the love of the arts or it can enable to the person with this placement to be a deeply caring individual who often finds themselves in jobs and careers where sacrifice or service to others is part of their job description. However, difficult placements (especially to the outer planets) can lead to relationship difficulties, dependencies, and a loss of self. It is very important that individuals with Venus in the 12th house try to retain their own identities while swimming through such deep waters.
For more information on Venus in the houses be sure to listen to our latest episode of Keep It Magic.
If you have questions about your Venus placement, leave a comment and I will get back to you!
Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Book a Reading with Storm at the top of the page.
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