Practicing with the Planets: For the Love of Venus
Hello and Happy Friday! Welcome to another post on Practicing with the Planets. I wanted to check in today because February is a particular month — not only is it Black History Month, but it also marks the beginning of the countdown to Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year. In February, we are surrounded by symbols of love and Venusian energy in the form of pink and red hearts and red and gold lanterns illuminating our path forward. This is a great time to embrace this energy and allow it to lead us towards new growth opportunities and beautiful experiences.
I also have a tradition of doing Black History Valentine’s readings on my platforms. 2024 is the second year I’ll focus on topics that reflect the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in relationships and popular culture. Additionally, Venus is currently in Capricorn and will soon move into Aquarius, making Friday a perfect day to write about my Venus practice from an astrological, spiritual, and mythological perspective. As someone with a natal Venus in Capricorn, I am always excited to explore the relationship between Venus and Saturn.
Many people consider the relationship between Venus and Saturn astrologically harmonious, with Saturn finding favor in Venusian signs like Libra. Venus in Capricorn takes a grounded and practical approach to what is typically considered a pleasure-seeking planet. Even though we usually view Venus as the Planet or Goddess of Love, the astrological equivalent of Aphrodite, it’s crucial to examine Venus as a planetary and spiritual energy.
“Worship to the land
A girl from the planet (to the planet)
I can’t help the way I’m feeling
Goddess of love, please take me to your leader
I can’t help I keep on dancin’.”
Much of what we think we know about planets reflects their visual appearance, often misleading us about their true nature. For example, Venus, Earth’s sister planet, casts shadows on our planet. Despite having no moons, Venus goes through phases that make it look like the child of the Moon and Mars when viewed from the outside. As a result, Venus has inspired artists and explorers throughout history due to its radiant and bright aura, making it a significant planet to practice with during the monthly moon cycles.
In astrology, Venus indicates one’s preferences for giving and receiving love and desires to satisfy and be satisfied. This energy could manifest in various ways, from hobbies and interests to closest relationships. Venus is about discovering beauty and harmony within oneself and the outside world. Its energy radiates love and beauty, and it can effortlessly attract new opportunities towards you.
Bath and Body Works: On Ritual History and the Mythology of Venusian Practice
In my research on Venusian energy, I refer to the mythology of various queens, rulers, and goddesses, paying close attention to the rituals and practices of these ancient individuals who understood the significance of presentation. From Egyptian Pharaohs such as Cleopatra VII to Queen Elizabeth I, a wealth of history compared female rulers to Venus or embodied Venusian energy in their daily routines.
For example, bathing rituals are an essential aspect of embodying the energy of Venus. Many rulers have used these rituals and signature scents throughout history to represent their power and femininity. Himalayan Pink Salt or milk baths are an excellent base for ritual work on Venus Day. Add fresh, dried, or crushed rose petals and rosehip oil to your bath. Parsley, rosemary, and cinnamon are additional herbs you can add to enhance the experience, and flowers such as pansies and orchids represent the Capricorn and Aquarius seasons.
Another way to embody the energy of Venus is through the practice of ecstatic dance. This ancient form of meditation involves allowing your body to move freely to the rhythm of your chosen music and intention. Unlike traditional dance, the focus is not on perfecting choreography or specific moves but on channeling the energy, vibrations, and frequency of sound through your body. During a Venus ritual, you can set an intention for your dance, choose the emotions or affirmations you want to tap into, and then allow yourself to move in whatever feels natural.
You can also use ecstatic dance to create a trance-like state by feeling into the music and atmosphere. For example, the performance piece “Dance of the Moon” depicts multiple dancers using bathing rituals and ecstatic dance to connect with Shakti energy or feminine power. We can see this connection represented through dance, both in water and on land, as a way to ground ourselves and commune with nature.
In the current season, Venus and Mars are in Capricorn, which means connecting to feminine earth energy is essential in today’s astrology. Therefore, it is an excellent time to focus on how you want to connect with the earth and your body. You should also ask yourself what you are attracting and manifesting into your life and how you are doing it, especially as Venusian energy is closely related to manifestation and attraction magic.
Moon Manifestation and Building Your Weekly Venus Ritual
During Venus Days, you can focus on your manifestation work by creating rituals you can perform every Friday. This month is the perfect opportunity to engage in activities that inspire creativity and open your heart. You can connect to Venus energy by creating artwork, beautifying your home and body, and moving your furniture. You can also try a new look by wearing a particular outfit or experimenting with a new hairstyle.
To manifest more love and romance, you can write love letters to yourself or your partner(s) as part of your Venus Day ritual. However, if you want to manifest the career of your dreams, then the current Venus in Capricorn period is an excellent time to focus on that. You can redesign your resume or buy a new work wardrobe to dress for your desired career.
However, it is also essential to address any limiting beliefs that you might have about Venusian energy, especially when it comes to negative beliefs about money and manifestation. For example, statements that reflect lack and negativity (i.e., “I need this opportunity” or “Money is evil”) reflect the opposite of Venusian energy and can unintentionally sabotage the ritual work that you are doing. Therefore, create positive mental associations with your goals and future achievements.
Both green and pink colors hold significant resonance when manifesting self-love and money, which is why obtaining candles or crystals in these colors can be helpful. Crystals like rose quartz, rhodonite, green aventurine, and jade can enhance any manifestation work. These stones can amplify your efforts towards loving yourself and others and help bring more abundance and fertility into your life, supporting your personal, professional, and financial growth.
Jade stones also hold special significance this month, as we enter the Lunar New Year, signified through red and gold. Many rituals during this time are similar to those that reflect Venusian energy. These rituals focus on clearing old energy to invite good luck and prosperity. It is also a time to honor ancestors and reunite with family members through offerings and gift-giving.
One such tradition involves giving red envelopes filled with money to signify the reception of more wealth and abundance in your life. Therefore, February is full of opportunities for manifestation and new beginnings across cultural traditions. Consequently, I hope you find this series instructive in creating your ritual practice, and I wish you a beautiful Venus Day and a happy Aquarius Season!
