Unveiling Venus

I have a thing for documentaries and by "a thing" I mean that I watch them compulsively. Some of my favorites are actually former PBS specials turned film as the case with a NOVA doc I just got from the library about Venus. In honor of the Venus Retrograde beginning tomorrow and the mere fact my moon is conjunct Venus (don't know what that means? neither did I up until a few months ago)  and my sun is in Taurus (ruled by Venus) I feel compelled to share about this intriguing planetary neighbor and muse. I am after all a somewhat perfect example of how the archetype affects us here on Earth with my sugar craving and love for beautifying my environment.

Venus can be seen on clear nights as the second brightest thing in the sky, after the moon, because of its highly reflective clouds. Earth's "sister planet" has 80% covering of volcanic plains. Because the planet is easily visible it has been entrenched in human culture since prehistoric times (okay, so then it wasn't a human culture at that time, but homo erectus...whatever). As fascinated as I am by the history of the planet and similarities to my own home on Earth...the archtypal meaning intrigues me the most.

It's a symbol of the feminine and associated with the element copper in alchemy. When I look at how this beautiful planet shows up in my life it reveals my relational self. I remember what it means to love and treasure the pleasures of life. Venus, like love, is full of eruptions and strange boundaries (cloudlike if you will). To celebrate this Retrograde of Venus that occurs on Venus Day (vendredi in French, in English commonly known as Friday) I plan to be as Venusian as possible - and am still discovering what that means. In the end only through unveiling Venus can we truly see ourselves and what we love.

Today I'm grateful for Internet, pedicures, and Muir Woods.