Venus

In Greco-Roman mythology Venus was the goddess of love and beauty. The astrological archetype of Venus is associated with harmony. Where we experience harmony in the world, such as in the composition of a painting, in the symmetry of a beautiful face, in the three-part harmony of a song, we tend encounter pleasure. Thus Venus is also associated with pleasure. This includes sensuality as well as the pleasure of socially amicable company. Thus Venus is associated with sexuality, but also with friendship and social pleasantries. One of the most profound harmonies we can experience is striking a common chord with another being. Thus one of the most profound reflections of Venus is love.

Because we tend to value that which brings us pleasure, Venus also reflects value, and as such can be associated with valuable things, including money.

Because we associate harmony with beauty, Venus is also associated with that which is beautiful. This includes everything from a beautiful person to a beautiful act. Venus shows a particular resonance with the beauty of artistic creation.

Venus does not have an action principle all its own, like Mars does, so Venus acts upon the world by the law of attraction, i.e. attracting that which it desires through its expression of harmony, pleasure and beauty.

The other planets aligned with Venus in our birth chart reflect the ways in which we experience and express beauty, value and love in our lives, including artistic expression.