If it were true that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, one might hypothesize that only women utilize the Venus energy in their astrology charts while men use only the Mars energy, which of course, is incorrect.  We are all under the influence of both of these planetary energies to varying degrees.  Both have significant roles to play in how we express our desires and how we act.

Most people will be familiar with artist Sandro Botticelli’s Venus.  A full-grown woman stands on a seashell veiled by her magnificent golden hair.  She was born of the sea foam, beautiful, sensual, aesthetically perfect. Venus as the ‘Goddess of Love’ enjoys a high profile.  The textbooks contain many stories about her dealings with mortals and immortals.  In Greek myth she is known as Aphrodite, mother to the twins Eros and Anteros.  She who was responsible for the Trojan War, an event that was initiated by the question of which of three Goddesses was most beautiful.

In astrology, Venus is ‘exalted’ in Pisces, for it was from Neptune’s domain that Venus arose.  You will recall that Neptune is the ‘ruler’ of Pisces.  It is helpful to remember the connection Venus bears to the ocean, for water expresses sensitivity and emotion.  With Venus that emotion is specifically related to love and represents man’s primal desire for sex and relationships.

The sensitivity Venus imbues us with can at times tend toward sensuality or can be concerned directly with our five senses and their development.  The senses are what allow us to be affected by our surroundings.  Hence Venus’s love of harmony, beauty, peace.
With a fine ‘ear’ or ‘eye’ or ‘touch’ one can easily be aroused and influenced by music, painting, or sculpture thus our association of art with Venus.  She appreciates but can also be quite talented at any artistic endeavor she chooses to study.

As the brightest planet in the sky and the first ‘star’ to appear at sunset, Venus represents our ability to ‘shine’, to be sociable.  Venus is the pleasing side of our personality without which it would be difficult to have successful, loving relationships.

Venus ‘rules’ both the sign Taurus and the sign Libra and is therefore associated with the second and the seventh houses.  It is in Taurus that our desire for physical contact with another develops after having fully explored the nature of the self in Aries.

It is here also that we desire beautiful objects with which to make ourselves feel secure in our physical environment.  In Libra man has evolved to the point where he wishes harmonious and balanced existence with a partner and thus the relationship aspect of Venus became a primary concern, a seventh house issue.

Though Venus represents the ideals of love, beauty and perfect relationship these pursuits can drive one to be possessive, jealous, haughty, and selfish.  These are the Anteros qualities of Venus and are traits experienced by many people to varying degrees. How Venus energies affect you personally will of course depend upon in which house and sign this planet is found.  Also to be considered, are aspects to Venus from other planets in the chart.

In medical astrology, Venus rules the mineral copper and the vitamins niacin and E. With its rulership of Taurus and Libra it has affect on those areas of the body associated with these signs, the throat, kidneys and thyroid.  It also rules the venous circulatory system.  Veins differ from arteries in that they are larger, more abundant and have thinner walls.  They have valves, which prevent the backward flow of blood circulation.

If Venus is heavily aspected in a chart it is possible to be lacking in the above mentioned mineral or vitamins or it is possible to have irregularities in one of the areas of the body ruled by Venus.  Our sense of taste of course is related to Venus and thus our attitude toward food what we like and dislike and how much.

So, though Venus may be considered a benevolent planet, it can be the source of certain physical ailments.  For example, it has been established that challenging aspects between Jupiter and Venus are frequently present in the charts of diabetics. 

To recap, the following are some keywords for Venus: Beauty, love, sociability, femininity, gentleness, cooperation.  These are basic concepts associated with Venus.  Positive aspects include harmony, refinement, affection, consideration, and responsiveness.  Negative qualities to the above are in order indolence, ostentation, possessiveness, selfishness, oversensitivity.

Mars, God of War, was the son of Jupiter and Juno.  According to Greek mythology (Aries was how he was known) he was not a very popular God as he dealt in the world of violence and battle.  He created discordant situations with his impetuous behavior, rushing into battle without thinking or preparing.  Only Venus (Goddess of Love) and Pluto (God of the Underworld) appreciated Mars, the former for his passionate loving and the latter for scores of dead delivered to his realm.

In Roman myth Mars was given many more attributes, as war was part of Roman life.  He was responsible for fields and herds, fertility and gave inspiration to new projects and ideas. Thought is not a Mars trait.  Action is.  Sometimes it is necessary to remind us of this when considering the natal chart.  Mars represents our basic instincts-to survive, to continue the species.  It represents our animal self. 

When Mars operates at its higher vibration it adheres to one interpretation of its original symbol, the orb of light beneath the cross of matter.  Mars was seen as the force responsible for the creation of matter from spirit.  Another interpretation of the symbol describes the lower vibration of Mars where desire for egocentric gain becomes more important than the Spirit aspect from which all creativity comes.

The modern symbol for Mars, the orb of light from which an arrow points up and out to the right, reminds us of Mars’ virility.  Mars is the active male energy and represents drive, ambition, initiative.  It is exalted in Capricorn which naturally inhabits the tenth house and shows us where our ambition lies.

Mars gives us the strength to overcome obstacles in our life and the will to push forward, to surge ahead.  Mars in the natal chart can demonstrate our courage to succeed, our bravado, which, if negatively aspected, can become overly aggressive and single- mindedly, determined.  If Mars has few aspects or is in detriment (Taurus/Libra) or fall (Cancer) it can indicate one with little ambition and difficulty managing those aspects of life which relate to basic survival.

Someone with a ‘short fuse’ probably has Mars highlighted in one way or another in their chart.  A ‘temper’ certainly can be part of the Mars energy.  Struggles that take place precipitated by Mars relate to both internal struggle as well as external.  Each one of us tries to appear strong in our outer environment but there is also a need to develop a strong internal self.

It is through the strength of self-knowledge that we can turn our will from selfish pursuits to that of service to humanity.  Self-reliance and self-discipline are often characteristics of leaders who have shaped mankind’s destiny.  Leadership is certainly an aspect of those people with a well-situated Mars.

Those with Mars strong in their charts may also excel at sports where an excess of energy is needed.  A highlighted Mars more generally, lends support to whatever field one chooses as a career.  It is important to look at the position of Mars, or any planet, by house and sign combining the characteristics of all three to give a more rounded picture of an individuals abilities.

In medical astrology Mars occupies a very important position.  It is the fuel that feeds our engines.  It rules the vitamins B-12, folic acid and fatty acids and the minerals chlorine, cobalt, iron, molybdenum, phosphorus, selenium and sodium.  If Mars is recipient of several challenging aspects a deficiency in one or more of the above is a possibility.

As ruler of Aries, Mars is associated with the head and any ailments, which might afflict this area of the body.  Anyone who suffers from migraine headaches will have pressure placed on Mars natally or may be susceptible to transiting planets when they aspect the natal Mars.
 Mars has rulership over the blood, muscles and adrenal glands and is a clear indication of how much ‘get up and go’ each of us has.  It can be responsible for anemia, inflammations, and the malfunction of the organ affiliated with the sign in which it is placed.

To sum up, the following are some keywords for Mars: energy, impulsiveness, leadership, courage, independence, forcefulness.  These are basic traits while positive traits are enthusiasm, spontaneity, assertiveness, heroism, fearlessness, construction.  The negative side is domination, violence, argumentative, foolhardy, cruelty, and destruction.

Patricia is a spiritual counselor who uses astrology, tarot, and psychic guidance to promote your personal development and healing.  She is available for readings in person or by phone.  To make an appointment call (805) 966-9272 or (805) 455-5063. 

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