Venus: Her Cycles, Symbols, and Myths / by Anne Massey. (Special Topics in Astrology series) Llewellyn, c2006. – 200 p. ISBN: 0-7387-0991-3 $17.95
In the Fellowship of Isis, we love to learn about goddesses, and the divine feminine within everything. This book will give you a deeper understanding of the magic and mysteries of the planet Venus and its effect on our being.
This delightful book presents a wealth of information about the role of the planet Venus in astrology and astronomy, its impact on architecture and the other arts, and its archetypal qualities. It does this in a lively and articulate way.
The author evokes layer upon layer of archetypes related to both the goddess and planet Venus. This multi-faceted approach, which makes use of mathematics as well as literature, engages both sides of the brain, and provides a rich and deep understanding of the many ways this planet’s energy express themselves. The author’s purpose is to illustrate the nature and essence of Venus “through myth, fairy tale, and contemporary Venus archetypes, while investigating this feminine archetype beyond Roman and Greek mythology.”
The focus is on teaching how to recognize the archetypes and energy of Venus wherever they occur. The physical patterns traced by Venus in the sky and in the arts, which are based on the division of the circle into 5 parts of 72 degrees each, are explored in the introduction, which studies the significance the symbol of Venus, and the significance and effect of its astronomical cycles.
Chapter one introduces the qualities and characteristics of the Venus archetype in myths and fairy tales, and tells how to recognize its expressions.
Chapter 2 presents some unique perspectives relating to how the cycles of Venus work, and how to make the most of them. The basics of Venus’s astronomical behavior are clarified. There are some amazing insights here, including ways in which these cycles have impacted society and culture from prehistoric times to the middle ages. The mysteries of Venus’s mathematical and geometric language are studies in depth. Included are many real-life examples and illustrations of how Venus affects us. If you are a fan of The DaVinco Code, you will love this chapter! Conjunctions, inferior conjunctions, stations, retrogrades, phases, and much more are examined in detail, and the dynamics of every point in these cycles made clear. You will be pleased to come away with an understanding of how your place in the many cycles of Venus plays out in your life.
Chapter 3 provides tips into how to discover and express the energy of Venus in every area of your life, and how to structure your life to make the most of the opportunities Venus brings.
Chapter 4 reviews the significance of Venus stations, and their effect on marriage and fertility.
Chapter 5 tells how to bring harmony into your life through awareness of the phases of the planet Venus, what is the nature of waxing, waning, new, and full Venus energy, and how to align yourself with it to best advantage.
Chapter 6 goes into house placement of Venus, which tells what we desire and love. It makes sense of the meanings and roles of the various houses, and focuses on value, which is integral to the 2nd house nature of Venus.
Chapter 7 discusses Venus aspects, and chapter 8 addresses Venus in the signs.
Chapter 9 describes Venus retrogrades, and how they help us in terms of the karmic lessons involved. They are discussed in terms of the descent and ascent of the goddess Ishtar, who is Venus as morning and evening stars. It provides tools and insights for our coping with periods of Descent to the Underworld and return from it in our own lives.
The next 2 chapters discuss the effect of Venus on love and marriage as it travels through each of the signs.
Chapter 12 discusses the occultations of Venus in various signs, and how this affects society and culture, and what kinds of changes can result.
Chapter 13 introduces 5 feminine archetypes related to Venus.
The appendixes contain astrological data pertaining to Venus, its cycles, and phases; so that you can track these points in your own life. There are also 4 interesting pentagram charts, based on a variety of stations and phases, which provide a unique tool for understanding the cycles of Venus and their impact.
This book will make you feel immersed in layer upon layer of every shade and hue of Venus energy, and you will come away with a new appreciation of this planet. People who feel that the impact of Venus is insignificant when compared with such heavy-duty taskmasters as the planet Saturn, will be pleased to discover the depth and nuance of the many ways this planetary energy expresses itself within many important areas of life..
The ways and places in which the Venus archetype and energy may be found is revealed. If you are concerned with the transmutation of the Venus energy in your life, this book will be most helpful. Your awareness and comprehension of Venus will be deepened. When you go to interpret the changing energy of the transits of Venus in your life, or to understand the significance of its placement in the sky at your birth, or to plan a Venus ritual, or honor Venus in any way, you will be armed with multi-dimensional associations. Now is a perfect time to dive deeply into Venus, and immerse yourself in her essence.
Venus appearts in many of the FOI rituals, as both planet and goddess. This book will expand as well as deepen your awareness of the many ways in which the power of Venus is at work in the cosmos.
Plan to read and enjoy this book, it will help you appreciate Venus in a new and original way; and it will provide you with some tools for transformation and transmutation, as well as enjoyment and celebration.
