Mercury – Sun
The teacher dictates homework to the class. Here, the theme of structuring, understanding, and implementing the law is resolved through the material of creating or destroying an object. A typical Mercury–Sun situation is a municipal authority meeting regarding impending unrest in the city, say, the threat of an unauthorized rally. The work of a midwife, who precisely guides the laboring woman, operates on Mercury–Sun energy; if the birth proceeds normally, the woman herself experiences it on Sun–Mercury energy. A sketch project is executed on Mercury–Sun energy, embedding the core features and structures of the future object. A more precise example is the preparation of the structure for a serious document, such as a state law. What should be reflected in the Constitution? To answer this, one must directly connect with the state egregore, which will not provide the exact text of the nation’s main law but will certainly have an opinion on its structure, key content points, and even the name of the state (not to be confused with the name of the country, which is given by the ethnic egregore). Insufficient Mercury–Sun energy—particularly insufficient attention to the laws governing the life of the object being created or newly born—manifests later (sometimes immediately) in its fate, and the Mercury–Sun situation transforms into a Sun–Mercury one: thus, the authorities’ neglect of citizens’ needs ends. The reader is invited to find an analogue of such events in their inner world.
Mercury – Moon
The government allocates budget funds for social security.
In the Mercury–Moon genre, with Mercury in Virgo, books on child-rearing are written. They provide rules and recipes for better care of the rising generation, as well as developmental laws parents must consider. Far subtler is the matter of the child’s individual traits—the laws of their personal development and interaction with the environment (both natural and social). A significant portion of the parents’ Mercury–Moon energy must be directed toward understanding these laws, for even if general laws applicable to all children exist and are well described, they refract through the child’s specific circumstances to create unique structures that are better utilized than forcibly reshaped.
The distinction between Moon–Mercury and Mercury–Moon energies must be made. The former sparks efforts under the banner of care, manifesting in the material of some form of order; the latter carries a much colder, detached character, its essence being the search for laws and their enforcement through the creation of structures—on the material of care for the object. Very often in the family egregore, the Moon–Mercury energy of the mother (“Now it’s time to go for a walk; it’s good for your health”) is perceived by the children as Mercury–Moon, rigidly imposing their own structures. Genuine Mercury–Moon activity is exceedingly difficult, and many people—including government officials—undertake it only to fail, later attempting
He conceals it, playing the psychological game “I only wanted to help you,” which is based on the substitution of a much less responsible Moon-Mercury position for the Mercury-Moon one.
Mercury — Mercury. Christians unite in a hierarchically organized Church. This is the energy of structuring structures and laws, revealing meta-laws and meta-structures that organize the structures of the object. Rare is the state and even rarer is the family that rises to comprehending the Mercury-Mercury energetic level. Laws regulating lawmaking activities, both in higher state bodies and “locally,” are most often formulated quite arbitrarily and without any ulterior motive regarding the fact that for the state egregore they constitute a direct interest. This is connected to the fact that any complex object is built as a hierarchy of structures and, accordingly, laws, with the higher levels of the hierarchy often being completely unlike the lower ones — this applies not only to their elements but also to organizing structures and laws. And although the lower elements of the hierarchy often almost directly feel the upper ones and more of their characteristic structures, the latter play an important role in the life of the former. Thus, on the Mercury-Mercury energy, the understanding of the multi-level or “vertical” structure of the object and the differentiation of types of laws occurs; typically Mercury-Mercury is the structure of the organism considered in this work, in which each body has its own laws, and moreover, is governed by a higher one that intervenes not only in the meditation of the given but also in its structures — even (to a certain extent) in the laws that create them.
In a family, a lack of Mercury-Mercury energy is felt when, for some reason, the established principles of dividing responsibilities for organizing life cease to function and it becomes necessary to think about their qualitative change. This often happens when a family with one child aged 5 or older has a new baby, and the parents catastrophically lack the strength and time — then the older child is assigned certain quite “adult” responsibilities, and to define them correctly, a consultation with the family egregore at the Mercury-Mercury level is needed.
Mercury — Venus
A tea poured into the midst of tense business negotiations. After building a hierarchical structure of the object, one can quickly realize that it is still insufficient. It will be dead, and the living water that gives it the ability to exist is precisely the energy of the Mercury-Venus level.
On the physical plane, Mercury-Venus energy provides lubrication in moving joints — the joints of the physical body and the bearings of turbines. It ensures the smooth shifting of gears in a car, invented the yellow traffic light, inflatable chambers of a bicycle, and the intersections of highways. Mercury-Venus energy on the causal plane is vividly expressed in social rituals: earlier these were curtsies and hat-tipping, now — specific greetings and polite preliminary conversations on given topics: price increases and taxes, the weather, etc.
Mercury-Venus energy is characterized by politeness, delicacy, some softening of sharp corners and protruding joints that are openly highlighted in Mercury-Mercury situations. Drapery, external decoration of functional nodes and units requires precisely Mercury-Venus efforts, the result of which will be the impression of transforming a rigid Mercury-Mercury hierarchy into a softened single, albeit structurally functional whole: for example, a car, albeit still imperfect, partially amateurishly designed, a device, but the rigidity of the law standing behind them is already softened.
Thus, the purpose of Mercury-Venus energy is to soften the action of the law through mutual adaptation of reality to it and it to reality — often through some additional measures. It is very interesting how this energy manifests in communication when a person feels that they are speaking too rigidly, expressively, and schematically: suddenly pauses appear in their speech, introductory words, sentences lengthen, examples and comparisons arise, as well as appeals to the experience of the interlocutor, smiles, and many other means that distinguish politeness.
Mercury — Mars
A coach composes a program for figure skaters. This is the energy where structures are created that truly embody the law when there is no doubt about its existence and effectiveness. The Mercury-Mars level is characterized by clear structuring of forms, but the structures themselves, like the laws that created them, may be completely invisible to a superficial observer. Such are the modern car and personal computer — their functionality is obvious to the consumer, but the internal structure is much more complex and is revealed to them only indirectly and to the extent necessary.
On Mercury-Mars energy, effective and stable rituals are created in the family that embody the main family structures, the division of responsibilities, and accountability, with household members often not pondering why they behave in a certain way in a given situation, but clearly feeling that the family order depends on this, and violating Mercury-Mars forms causes family discord. In every family, there are such often hidden behind ordinary actions but very effective techniques for maintaining order, and the spheres of their manifestation are largely determined by the position of Mercury in the sign. For example, Mercury-Mars rituals with a Cancer Mercury may manifest in quite emotional scenes or even scandals that family members arrange for each other over various external reasons, and only long and careful observation can reveal their organizing, structuring, and guiding role in the family. Mercury-Mars vibrations of a Scorpio Mercury will give a family where clear structuring of family programs occurs through the hidden accumulation of certain emotional moods — typical of the family in Agatha Christie’s novels, where at some point a murder occurs, and the spouses inevitably suspect each other. (The author does not mean to say that Mercury in Scorpio will necessarily give a family with criminal inclinations — but careful monitoring of the emotional background of what is happening and the general emotional tone here is necessary).
Mercury — Jupiter
Diplomats conduct negotiations on the agenda of a summit meeting. On Mercury-Jupiter energy, structures are created that ensure the unity of the object and even the entire system of its connections with the external world. The Mercury-Mars perfection of individual substructures, including hierarchical ones, is insufficient for the final formation of a single structure of the object — because, for example, they are often incompatible with each other, provide contradictory functions, etc., and the task of creating a universal, encompassing structure, often in many respects more subtle than on Mercury, is carried out by Mercury-Jupiter energy.
In the state egregore, various interdepartmental commissions, higher planning bodies, national reconciliation governments, etc., work on it; in a computer, this role is taken by the operating system, which allocates time and memory between other (user) programs and maintains communication with external devices.
A typical Mercury-Jupiter situation arises at a family council that determines the main directions of effort, the basic structure of financial income and expenses, etc. At the same time, depending on the position of Mercury in the sign, the forms and accents of the discussion can vary: for example, an Aries Mercury will raise the discussion to a fundamental height, historical examples will be drawn upon, samples from the field of foreign policy, moral sayings of philosophers, etc., will be involved.
In matters of a firm, the Mercury-Jupiter energy forms the general structure of its external and internal activities and their interconnections, which sometimes involve the most unexpected elements (typically discussed in meetings under the “miscellaneous” section), and resolving conflicts between occasionally opposing interests of different departments requires subtle diplomacy and wisdom, largely derived from the firm’s egregore but not always perceived by its leaders.
Mercury–Saturn: The Marathon Runner enters the second wind. Under this energy, the laws of the internal life of the object, the principles of its interaction with the environment, and the structures supporting them undergo practical testing, where it becomes clear whether there is the Divine Will for the existence and operation of these structures or not, as well as what they actually provide.
Among the Jews, despite their deep respect for their sages (tzaddikim), there is a rule: laws introduced by the latter are considered valid only if accepted by the people, and thus, the Mercury-Jupiter constructs are tested by the Mercury-Saturn situation (the author emphasizes that this is not the case here). The main essence of the Mercury-Saturn energy lies in the fact that no law or structure, revealed and created without considering the specific conditions of the environment and life within it, leaves the object any chance of existence within that law and based on its structures—both must be supported by the external and internal life of the object; the energy of this support (or destruction), i.e., the structurally conscious biocenosis, is the Mercury-Saturn energy.
The anti-Mercury-Saturn idea is to enter the organized world, consume it maximally, and leave behind a pile of waste; processing yields the opposite aspiration: to find a structural symbiosis between oneself and the world and depart from reality, elevating both its and one’s own evolutionary level—which, of course, sounds like pure idealism, as it contradicts the second law of thermodynamics… the world with both of them.
A strong Mercury gives a person whose life is governed and requires governance by laws to a greater extent than they anticipate. In general, a strong planet always sharply raises the question of balancing the active and passive manifestations of its principle; in this case, the problem of balancing efforts arises: those directed toward understanding the laws governing the person and those spent on creating rules and structures regulating their life and activities. Until a person with a strong Mercury finds such a balance, they are tossed from one extreme to the other: either they resort to voluntarism, convincing themselves that their life fully depends on how clearly they regulate it and attempt to subordinate both internal and, primarily, external reality to personally established laws, rhythms, and laws of their life, adapting to them as much as possible, considering them absolutely independent of their will and determining their life down to the smallest details. However, both positions prove untenable: this person is not satisfied with just one type of effort alone; they must both carefully study the imperative laws and structures for them and bring a certain order within and around themselves, doing both in a coordinated manner. The material on which all this will unfold is shown by Mercury’s position in the sign, house, and its aspects.
A strong Mercury in the horoscope of a couple will bring them a great deal of chaos in relationships and numerous problems requiring partners to establish a regimen in conversations and a clear division of responsibilities in all areas, including the most intimate—but this will prove insufficient, as the couple’s egregore manifests “out of thin air” its own laws and demands that are impossible. Processing will not be easy, but it will enable (the person, couple, family, state, firm, book) not only to create a reality with its own laws but also to extend it to the external world.
A weak Mercury often signifies a person who treats laws in general rather carelessly, and regarding themselves and their circumstances in particular. They rarely realize that they must necessarily submit to some strict rules or establish them—whether for themselves or others does not matter. They look at people who rigidly adhere to a regimen or control those around them with some bewilderment, poorly understanding why all this is necessary: for them, uncontrolled freedom does not necessarily or immediately turn into chaos and confusion—in both external and internal life. On the other hand, they find it difficult to submit to order and listen to it even when it is clearly transmitted from the subtle world, and it will seem utterly impossible to entrust them with taming a chaotic situation and quickly imposing clear order—though, when processing Mercury and not being overly constrained by time and resources, they can sometimes do this more skillfully and better. This last circumstance is very important; in general, the weakness of a planet in the horoscope means low sensitivity of the person to its crude energies, but the possibility of hearing its higher vibrations; therefore, a person with a weak Mercury is unlikely to make a good administrator, but their philosophical observations may prove very profound.
A firm director with a weak Mercury will find it very difficult to establish clear and regularly controlled work routines for their employees, but this does not mean the firm will operate poorly; however, it is unlikely advisable to pay employees a fixed salary—it would be better to consider some bonus system (not necessarily directly) tied to the quality of work. A harmonious Mercury will give a person who surprisingly accurately feels the real laws it is better to submit to rather than the opposite and effortlessly uses them to their advantage. If they need to impose order somewhere, they will most often do so easily and not necessarily with their own hands: this is a natural leader (and sometimes, if necessary, also a prophet and seer), but one should not think they will strive to take on the most difficult and poorly controlled situations; as a rule, such do not appear in their path. Their problems are of a different order: among other things, boredom and the inability to escape the order of things they themselves have created, which sucks them in like a swamp (even if externally it may be furnished with very comfortable structures: soft furniture and thick carpets in the office, an attentive and cautious secretary). For families and states with a harmonious Mercury, it is very difficult to understand others who lack this fortunate quality. The reality around them not only arranges convenient laws for them—it also spreads to a certain distance around, preventing them from seeing the subtle, ugly, disharmonious laws defining the reality of others—their troubles seem to them no more than random occurrences that, of course, have no chance of continuing.
Processing here is difficult, as it requires a significant expansion of consciousness, but it grants the person great opportunities to spread the harmonious laws of their own fate throughout the world; if they rest on their laurels, harmonious structures will gradually tighten around all their bodies, parasites will take hold, and escaping the resulting trap (initially soft) will become incredibly difficult, and the person whose main law becomes shameless parasitism is a pitiful sight; however, they will amass a rich alms, inevitably drawing the attention of the external world.
A afflicted Mercury does not provide a simple, easy, or understandable life; sometimes, to adapt to it in any way, the person must bend like a question mark or fold three times, or, less pleasantly, force others to do the same. With harmonious Sun and Moon, the poor adaptability of the person to the laws of their own life may not manifest immediately (sometimes it is repressed into the subconscious for a lifetime), but even in this case, over the years, doubt creeps into their soul: something is wrong with me, I somehow do not fit into the external world as a whole.In other words, a person with afflicted Mercury can confidently expect chronic failure (especially in areas indicated by Mercury’s sign, house, and aspects) as long as they rely on socially accepted laws—whether explicitly stated or implied. However, by accepting some fundamental personal trait—i.e., their difference from the average social individual—and intuitively grasping, at least broadly, the specific and often inconvenient (and initially very uncomfortable) yet comprehensible laws of their own existence, they not only adapt to them but gradually discover their unique convenience—for themselves alone—and develop the ability to thrive in circumstances that are unbearable from any other perspective.
The second part of their concern involves the constant chaotic situations that seem to call for their help in restoring order. Here, they often find themselves in trouble at first: either they take on the wrong task, do it at the wrong time, or in the wrong way, or everything goes well except that instead of gratitude, they are dismissed with shame, their efforts unrecognized. The temptation here lies in hasty and harsh imposition of their own laws, and at a higher level—in unrealistic demands on themselves and the situation being ordered: if an egregore gives you a broom to sweep the floor, don’t expect the floor to be as sterile as an operating room; though, of course, if you work there as a janitor, that’s another matter.
Mercury in signs
The position of Mercury in a sign reveals the area where a person is most capable of establishing laws and order—and at the same time most in need of doing so. Lack of effort in this area quickly leads to highly negative consequences. Working with Mercury is best done in the sign it occupies; however, this is easier said than done. Moreover, the challenges of searching for and establishing laws and structures arise for every person in every zodiacal channel without exception, and they most often need to be resolved using the very material on which they emerge.
So what is the purpose of Mercury’s position in a sign? First, it accentuates Mercury-related issues—the most pressing ones for the person, whether they acknowledge them or suppress them in the subconscious, precisely in the area defined by Mercury’s sign. Second, and equally important, this area will inevitably resonate with any Mercury activation, wherever it occurs. How the person hears and responds to this resonance largely determines the resolution of the original Mercury problem.
Mercury in Aries
The content of a person’s life lies somewhat apart from them, making it easier to perceive. In its refined form, this aspect embodies the archetype of the religious sage: a pandit, a tzaddik, a guru—someone who can see the refraction of a person’s mission as a law governing their core life programs or the rules that shape their existential values. This law is not expressed in ordinary words (nor in numbers or mathematical formulas), but when at least partially understood, it grants the person the ability to steer the main course of their life with remarkable precision—a gift few receive, and usually only in the second half of life.
Mercury in Aries sharply highlights the need to precisely structure values in alignment with the movement of an ideal. Any situation involving the search, creation, or enforcement of a law is unconsciously interpreted by the person as spiritually meaningful, sometimes leading to socially inappropriate (and even poorly understood by themselves) intensity of perception and reaction. At a low level, such a person tends toward petty philosophizing on any topic, cheap generalizations, and heated but abstract reasoning in cases where a concrete approach, real understanding, or action would be more appropriate. They may sincerely believe that ordering their values is more than enough and that everything else will follow, struggling to grasp that others might have entirely different ideas of order.
At the same time, honestly bringing their values into order—extracting them, even partially, from the depths of the subconscious and examining them through the lens of the Supreme Ethical Law—feels daunting and terrifying. Their chaotic complex lies in the subconscious conviction that they are utterly incapable of aligning their core life programs with clarity—like a hare fleeing from a fox…
Mercury in Taurus
A person who knows how events will unfold is usually too vast to fit into them. If Mercury in Aries symbolizes the Jewish sage who knows the general direction, Mercury in Taurus belongs to his wife, who knows how things should be in every case. In its refined form, this aspect grants a distinctive practical wisdom highly valued by society: the person senses the laws (and to some extent can influence them) that govern the flow of events based on the interaction of the main aspirations and values of those involved.
On a societal scale, this could manifest as the gift of a great economist who can revitalize an economy through an effective tax system and state subsidies, or the talent of a skilledA diplomat capable of smoothing over acute interethnic conflicts in negotiations, which typically have a buddhic and even atmic nature but manifest causally according to quite specific laws, may be more visible to someone with Mercury in Taurus than to others. Taurus Mercury tempts one toward an overly concrete understanding of the law in general, especially at a low level of development, when the very concept of “events” is perceived as crude and earthly. Then their ideas about the laws of existence, thought, and emotional (not to mention spiritual) life will be extremely primitive, or they may even deny them altogether: from their perspective, a law is something that manifests in a clear structure of events, and seeing it in the flow of emotions or the leaps of thought is difficult even for a professional.
It is hard to converse with a Mercurial Taurus, even if they are highly developed; their logic presses down, though they are not inclined to argue: you feel the direct influence of their own structures that facilitate the transition from the buddhic plane to the causal one. If your own similar structures are weaker (and if your Mercury is not in Taurus, they most likely are, at least in a head-on interaction), the formation of the flow of events will be shaped by this, and it is a powerful (though not always unpleasant) experience.
The chaotic complex of Mercurial Taurus is the fear that the laws governing the formation of the flow of events are understood by them insufficiently and imposed on reality inadequately, and that something unforeseen will soon occur, causing events to spiral into chaos beyond control from the buddhic plane. For example, a wife who has developed effective psychological game methods to manage her husband may secretly fear: what if one day he notices how old she has become and leaves her for a younger, more beautiful woman?
Mercury in Gemini
True understanding of events comes much later—the realization of how not to understand them. Dispositor. This person is naturally gifted with much, but it is important not to dissipate it through trivialities. Here, the theme of seeking and establishing laws (or at least posing the question) is resolved through the material of mental modeling of the flow of events—more precisely, the sharp turns, stops, and dead ends within it. Mercury in Gemini is meant to seek the laws and structures by which causal dead ends and difficulties are (or should be) comprehended; this can be called the laws of applied thought, and for each person they are largely individual.
Thus, the main theme of Mercury in Gemini is the search for adequate rules to interpret difficult events and situations within various mental symbolic systems, where the word “adequate” primarily carries subjective meaning: adequate to the reality of the person themselves. Only deep processing of the aspect grants the ability to see and develop interpretive laws of life’s flow that are applicable and effective for others. Until that happens, Mercury in Gemini tends to impose on others—sometimes impressively—ways of interpreting event dead ends, unaware that to others, their comments are no more than pretty rattles.
A significant problem for this person is recognizing that law and order in the lives of others are often not merely mental categories but something else entirely, and that the most correct interpretation of a difficulty is often insufficient to resolve it.
The chaotic complex in this case lies in the secret fear of the inadequacy of the rules one applies to interpret the causal flow: what if, they fear, something happens that I cannot explain clearly, and someone connects my careless words and exposes me to public ridicule, like a village fool? What if I have long been a fool in my own eyes?
Mercury in Cancer
If you cannot truly rejoice, will you be able to do something worthwhile for humanity? Here, the problem of order must be resolved by the person primarily through the material of their emotional reactions. In other words, it is crucial for them to learn to understand their own feelings, especially reactions to one mental meditation or another. Yogis say: thoughts give rise to feelings, and Mercury experiences this as no one else does; moreover, they can quite accurately notice which thoughts produce which feelings and, with a certain directness, extrapolate these observations onto others.
In general, the presence of a planet in Cancer gives a person an elevated level of emotionality, especially in situations of its activity. Mercury in Cancer means heightened emotional sensitivity in situations where order must be established or submitted to, and this trait may be completely incomprehensible to others—and even to the person themselves. Yet it is precisely such people who start rebellions and uprisings against tyranny; it is they who often cannot pass by injustice that does not directly concern them. In the family and at work, such a person may be poorly tolerated, especially with afflicted Mercury, when their ideas about law and justice will be more than peculiar. Still, they serve as an important indicator of the quality of order and law enforcement in the groups and situations where they appear.
Mercury in Cancer must learn two things: first, to understand that an emotional reaction to disorder, law violation, or structural breakdown is not everything—sometimes one must think, sometimes act, and sometimes repent; and second, not to expect similar reactions from others in such cases, nor to assume that emotional indifference is a sign of disengagement.
The chaotic complex of Mercury in Cancer is the uncertainty about the nature and controllability of one’s emotional reactions to external and internal events (or rather, to their interpretation). The person secretly fears for themselves: what if my sincere reaction to a teacher’s illness is triumph? What if the thought of the coming Kingdom of Heaven evokes nothing in me but dull melancholy?
Mercury in Leo
Female beauty is a matter of action, not reflection. Do not think that a person with Mercury in Leo responds to situations requiring submission to law or organizing structure solely through their physiology, but their heightened bioenergetic reaction in such cases will be noticeable. Where Mercury in Gemini will ponder long and tediously, Mercury in Leo will feel an energetic surge, be unable to sit still, and struggle to control their gestures.
In general, processing the Leo channel is a subtle matter of self-knowledge and self-regulation, scarcely explored in modern Western culture. “Learn to master yourself”; “Do not give free rein to your feelings, but neither suppress them too much”—such instructions and limitations are all modern astrological pedagogy offers, assuming the rest is something the individual must master on their own. Who can and who cannot; however, with Mercury in Leo, a person can learn many effective rules and techniques for transforming residual emotions that have played their part into positive bioenergetic potential. True, these rules and methods will initially work only for themselves, but through practice, they can master this art well enough to teach it to others.
If a person does not learn this at least for themselves, they will fall into a rather unpleasant position: any situation requiring the application of Mercurial energy (i.e., obedience to laws, their enforcement, or their creation) will strike the etheric body, which, over time, will lose its defenses and begin to ail, followed by physical illness.
The chaotic complex of Mercury in Leo is the uncertainty in one’s ability to cope with etheric reactions that follow emotional stimuli. Typical examples include “bear” illness, fear of blushing, or stuttering in high-pressure situations.
Mercury in Virgo
A discussion about Divine Being seems futile to me: Who else could so regularly and purposefully give me a knock on the head? Dispositor. This person grasps laws and rules through the movements of their physical body, which is subject to the etheric driver.First of all, this implies a strong dependence of a person on the interaction between the etheric and physical bodies: they must necessarily grasp at least the basic rules of physical behavior during characteristic etheric overstrains and discomforts to avoid physical illnesses and injuries. Typically, a person with Mercury in Virgo has known since childhood certain “undesirable” traits in their physical behavior, such as an increased tendency to injury in situations of deep agitation: they will either bump into a table corner, knock over a cup, or simply develop bruises, abrasions, or strains seemingly out of nowhere. As a rule, over the years, ways of compensation appear, such as a calming breathing system, skills like autogenic training, special gymnastics, etc., but chronic diseases of internal organs also manifest, exacerbated by the intensification of Mercurial energy and issues.
Mercury in Virgo tends to perceive the search for and implementation of the laws of Virgo primarily as purely material, even in cases where they appear to be purely emotional, mental, or even worldview in nature. At least, it is very difficult for them to imagine a law that does not have a purely physical manifestation, and they struggle to understand that others may think differently. They do not object to the idea that sometimes order must be brought to the mind (excuse the expression) — but if done properly, it cannot fail to affect the world of physical objects?! The chaotic complex of Virgo Mercury is, above all, uncertainty in their ability to perform the necessary physical action. Generally, this person is physically talented, for example, they may become a decent dancer, but achieving complete ease and naturalness in movement is very difficult for them unless these movements are honed over years of practice. Projections of this complex onto the external world are also likely — uncertainty in interacting with objects and in the objects themselves.
As compensation, Virgo Mercury may become an acrobat or a heavyweight athlete, but true overcoming of the complex always follows an indirect path.
Mercury in Libra
In general, it can be said that health issues manifest positively for them. In this person’s life, structural care for their health will play an important role; concepts such as sleep and eating routines, systematic walks (jogs) in the fresh air, regular gymnastics — which others may find unbearably tedious — will be not only natural but also a necessary part of their life. Even in childhood, their mother will notice how crucial routine is for them, and the child will largely establish it themselves, sharply protesting against its disruption: through crying, a decline in tone and mood, digestive issues, and the only way to restore balance will be to listen to the voice of their nature and return to the necessary routine of existence.
Of course, in adulthood, few people listen to their physical body, let alone its requests for restorative routines, but Libra Mercury hears them much more clearly than others and often complies, knowing from experience that otherwise things will only get worse: their well-being will sharply deteriorate, and chronic conditions may flare up. If you ask this person what the most tangible law of life is, they will likely answer that it is the law of the correspondence between health and the physical efforts expended. Moreover, all situations requiring submission to a law or establishing any rules (for themselves or others) will resonate bioenergetically for Libra Mercury: they will experience difficulties with food assimilation, sleep disturbances, their usual gymnastics will prove less effective than usual, or something similar, and overcoming these difficulties will be directly tied to resolving the original Mercurial issue, even if it seems unrelated to their health (for example, organizing a changed situation).
The chaotic complex of Libra Mercury is the fear for their energy tone and health in general: will I be able to maintain it with the proper routine? Will I collapse without strength or fall ill with a terrible disease one day, despite all my efforts?
Mercury in Scorpio
Having evolved beyond the animal, the person is delighted. Scorpio Mercury (perhaps unknowingly) is an expert in the following: according to what laws do the fruits of their bioenergetic experiences become the foundation for emotional meditations, and what kind of foundation exactly? If this person is at all inclined toward self-observation, they will notice even in youth (sometimes earlier) how greatly their general mood background depends on their well-being, energy tone, level of satiety, etc.; alongside general patterns (e.g., hungry — therefore angry), their own rules emerge (e.g., conditions for morning dysphoria and ways to combat it: until I drink my first cup of coffee, it’s better not to approach me — everyone hates me!).
Usually, Scorpio Mercury clearly tracks the specifics of their negative emotional states in cases of bioenergetic discomfort, illness, poor tone, etc. However, with effort, they can also clearly observe the positive emotional effects of proper nutrition, hardening, communion with natural elements, and other health-promoting measures. The latter observations are of immense importance to Scorpio Mercury because they help compensate for the hidden emotional tension that always arises in situations where they must submit to rules, impose order, establish laws, and ensure their observance.
Scorpio Mercury tends to react emotionally to situations of law and order violations, but not with direct negative emotion (as is typical of Cancer Mercury), but by accumulating related negative energies (potential irritation, indignation, anger, aggression) deep within the astral grounds. Processing here, as expected, necessarily includes working with the higher bodies (developing sufficiently elevated life positions); only after this can the chaotic complex of Scorpio Mercury be softened: the fear of emotional uncontrollability amid etheric aggression, both of their own body (illness, weakness of tone, poor nutrition) and the environment (cold, insufficient comfort, etc.).
Mercury in Sagittarius
How are the feelings of a rabbit before a python related to the python’s thoughts about the rabbit? The problem of establishing a law and submitting to it is resolved by Sagittarius Mercury primarily through the material of forming a mindset from the fruits of emotional meditations. Mercury in Sagittarius grants such abilities, but the person rarely realizes them, at least regarding themselves personally. More often, they are noticeable in group situations: when passions subside somewhat and the question arises, “What exactly are we making all this noise about?” — Sagittarius Mercury reveals that a certain structured foundation has formed in their mind, on which a mental meditation can take place, providing an answer to the question posed. Whether this mental meditation succeeds and to what extent depends not only on Mercury’s aspects but also on the level of development of the person’s mental body.
In general, transforming the fruits of emotional meditations into a somewhat cultured and orderly mental foundation is challenging work and, from the perspective of society, highly suspicious — both for mentally oriented and astrally oriented layers. The first category believes thoughts should not (or cannot) depend on feelings and subconsciously tries to block or ignore the Sagittarius channel, while the second views the fruits of emotional meditations as an independent value not subject to sending from the astral body anywhere. However, for Sagittarius Mercury, it is vital to learn how to properly structure the fruits of emotions by directing them into the mental body; otherwise, their mental foundation will gradually fall into complete disrepair, cluttered and littered, capable only of producing meager mental weeds.On a high level, this person is capable of transmuting the turbulent sea of emotions into a clear mental structure, for example, expressing in a few words what weighs on an entire collective, thereby shifting the group’s problem from the astral to the mental level. Abuse of this talent can produce a cunning demagogue, skillfully directing the collective’s emotions into the mental channel he desires.
This person struggles to understand both themselves and others, as any situation requiring submission to law, order, and structure resonates emotionally within them. They must transform the results of these emotions into an ordered mindset—but neither this circumstance nor (even less so) the reactions of others to the same situation are obvious to them. (The focus is on the event where mental impressions must be clearly structured, while emotions are irrelevant.)
The chaotic complex of Sagittarian Mercury is a secret fear of one’s inability to create a clear mental tuning after intense emotional meditation. What if understanding does not occur and my thoughts remain as amorphous and chaotic as my feelings?
Mercury in Capricorn
When reflecting, do not try to reach conclusions. But once they arrive, accept them as part of your own knowledge. This is an aspect of the practical philosopher, yet the person must grasp two circumstances in time. The first is that for them, practical philosophy—laws under which the outcomes of mental meditation become the foundation for future events—is vitally important and responsible, as it largely bears the burden of all their work in establishing order, enforcing laws, and creating structures.
The second, no less important, circumstance is that other people may be entirely different. For a 9th-house Mercury, structuring primarily means a certain material activity, which the Capricorn Mercury often has no real interest in at the core of their soul. Thus, this aspect often yields extremes: either the person is exceedingly effective in situations requiring order, and everyone feels this, or they engage in vague, minor philosophy with pretensions to some benefit that no one but them (and even they themselves) can perceive.
Working with this aspect follows two main lines. First, the person learns to carefully select the best results of their reflections and only then send them to the causal body, transforming them into the foundation for future actions. Second, they learn not to program the future (the more precisely, the better!) but to carefully prepare the ground for it, leaving room for events that truly unfold—whose seeds (they suspect) are carried by the Taurus current from the buddhic body.
In Mercurial situations, this person appears as a rigidly mental pragmatist, even more so than a Taurus Mercury, though they have some basis for this. The difference is that one should not interpret the search for the moral law (Mercury in Aries) as a mere mental exercise with a necessary practical outcome—but for Capricorn Mercury, elements of the latter are essential in the former.
The chaotic complex of Capricorn Mercury is doubt in one’s ability to transform the fruits of reflection into a sufficiently structured causal foundation. I have many thoughts, all different—what if I fail to deduce them properly and events unfold just as crooked and askew?
Mercury in Aquarius
And it happens: to delay listening to eternal wisdom! This is an aspect of the sage who can extract lessons from unfolding events, strengthening and enriching the foundation of the buddhic body. In general, Aquarius embodies the principle of reality for the higher body (the soul), forcing it to adjust the programs of its development in accordance with what transpires on this earthly plane (the causal and lower levels).
Mercury in Aquarius signifies the ability (and to a large extent, the necessity) to carry out Aquarian transmissions in an orderly manner, creating clear structures of buddhic foundations. Subjectively, this is experienced, for example, as a clear distribution of the soul’s energies according to the main life programs of the individual: each time a causal meditation concludes and its fruit—some existential conclusion—ripens, it is transmitted by Aquarius as a certain informational-energy flow into the following
the flow is clearly distributed across the buddhic ground, supporting certain values and programs while weakening others. The complexity here lies, first, in the fact that a person does not always consciously recognize their own values, second, in the fact that among them there is always a certain number of false ones, and third, the laws by which causal outcomes transform into the foundation for changes in the existential (value) worldview are extremely subtle and vast. This is precisely why there are far fewer wise people than intelligent ones. This person’s life is not easy, as fate demands elements of such wisdom from them in every situation where it is necessary to submit to the law, establish structure, or bring order (even if only on their own desk or kitchen table). The constant temptation of the Mercurial Aquarius is to draw cheap conclusions from events, for example, reinforcing nihilistic life positions (“in the grand scheme of things, nothing good can possibly happen to me anyway”). On the other hand, they must understand that the element of worldview correction, so important to them in Mercurial situations, may be completely insignificant to others and even perceived by them as cheap demagoguery aimed at evading concrete action.
The chaotic complex of the Aquarian Mercury is the fear of existential meaninglessness of specific efforts, which may, more often than not, undermine the value system when the outcomes of events irrefutably reveal its disorder and complete inefficacy.
Mercury: “What is interesting to God in me? Probably the opposite of what is interesting to me in Him.” At a high level of processing, this aspect grants the person insight into the laws governing the transmission of information from the buddhic plane to the atmic—something religious language calls confession. Thus, a saint with Mercury in Pisces can (of course, with God’s help) write a prayer that opens the path to God for many of their contemporaries. In atheistic times, the role of such a penitent path is often taken by literary works with a moral undertone; at least in Russia (both imperial and Soviet), such tendencies were very strong.
One of the main challenges in understanding and processing the Piscean channel lies in the fact that the material for inner confession is not thoughts or actions, but the fruits of buddhic processes of restructuring the existential worldview—processes that the person barely perceives, primarily due to the subtlety of their essence. How and by what laws these meta-values transform into the atmic ground, strengthening (or weakening) the person spiritually, remains one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The Piscean Mercury comes closest to this mystery, at least regarding the nature of its own Piscean channel.
Thus, Mercury in Pisces is essentially the aspect of the religious philosopher, though the person themselves may not realize it and sometimes be infinitely distant from such matters as confession, repentance, or religiosity. However, in situations where the Piscean Mercury must submit to or establish a certain law or order, it reveals an incomprehensible vagueness of focus, tied to the difficulty of viewing such situations in their purely social or dense (ether-physical) aspect. Subconsciously, they still adhere to higher laws, as if in this moment God is personally observing them, and it is better to show Him everything as it is (well, except for minor, trivial sins that might, with luck, be concealed). Most likely, this person has the gift of a confessor, and even without wishing it, many people will open their souls to them—and the Piscean Mercury must understand that in such moments, it is God who listens through them, and they must not interfere with Their divine purpose through their own vain thoughts and feelings.
The chaotic complex of the Piscean Mercury is extremely difficult to grasp, as it is an exceptionally subtle subconscious program. It can be roughly described as the fear of the futility of any soulful effort, which ultimately does not aid in fulfilling the mission and may even disrupt it entirely.
Chapter 4. VENUS
The Anahata phase of the evolution of the energy principle. Rules Taurus and Libra.
Keywords: life; love; grace; sense of humor; invisible Divine presence.
“And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)
When a desperate mother brings her child to a psychologist with a variety of complaints ranging from rudeness at home, disobedience, and compulsive nose-picking to chronic Ds in school and an attempt to rob a beer crate, the psychologist may respond with an unexpected and incomprehensible accusation: “The child is chronically deprived of your love.” “But how can that be?” the distraught mother will exclaim. “I love them so much—what more could they possibly need from me?”
Indeed, what is needed for a home to feel inviting? First, it must be built (solar energy) and provide protection from the environment (the roof must not leak), as well as regulated means of communication with it (doors, windows)—this is lunar energy. For example, it must include several types of rooms (living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, pantry), heating systems, and wiring—this requires Mercurial energy.
But for the home to feel cozy, so that entering it feels like being invited—joyfully, tenderly, gently, and at least sincerely—to live there, that is the mark of Venusian energy, which fills the home with life, love, grace, or, in other words, an invisible but distinctly palpable Divine presence.
The defining feature of Venusian energy is its directionality—in a certain sense, the opposite of how we usually imagine the flow of energy. Venusian energy can radiate outward, much like a flower emits its fragrance, but it cannot be imposed imperatively: even if a bee or butterfly is captivated by the scent and finds it irresistibly alluring, their behavior still largely depends on themselves, and it cannot be strictly controlled by the fragrance alone.
In this sense, the common accusation that loved ones sometimes hurl at one another—”You don’t love me!”—is energetically incorrect, as it implies something like: “I am not receiving enough of your love energy.” But the energy of love (Venusian) cannot be sent directly to the recipient in the manner of Mercurial energy (which governs their life)—it only creates a field around them that the object of love may perceive.
However, let us not get ahead of ourselves and discuss Venusian expressions in a paired union prematurely. First, we must understand what the primary source of Venusian energy is for a person, and the answer to this question is the same across all religions: it is God. A person loves someone (a mother, wife, child, friend, beloved) or something (a homeland, a place, a profession, an idea) to the extent that God reveals Himself to them through the object of love—but reveals Himself secretly, through a special (Venusian) emanation that makes the person tremble, rise up, and exclaim, “Wonderful!”—always in relation to a specific person or object, behind which God Himself carefully conceals His presence.
A beautiful description of such an experience is provided by Bhagavan Shri Rajneesh in the book The Perfect Master (an interpretation of Hasidic parables):
“You have probably heard of the famous hound, Rin Tin Tin. His trainer was asked to describe Rin Tin Tin. He tried to do so, but the dog’s qualities were not so easily described. So he stammered, mumbled, and finally said, ‘Rin Tin Tin is God in the form of a dog!'”
This reflects the search for God, which manifests in love (the path of bhakti yoga). The true feeling of invisible Divine presence in anything—a beloved person or idea, a familiar landscape or a stormy horizon—is, above all, natural and non-coercive.
Я не змушую себе їх любити: швидше, навпаки, я відчуваю, як невимовна Божественна любов некерованим потоком ллється через них на мене, буквально розриваючи моє серце, яке намагається відповісти зустрічним почуттям і виявляється явно, очевидно не в силах цього зробити, настільки мало потоку Божественної радості і насолоди я можу запропонувати світові своїми слабкими силами і серцем, що тремтить як овечий хвіст. Тому настільки характерні для епохи Риб заклики до любові, що походять як від релігійних, так і мирських моральних проповідниківHere the author, as an astrologer, allows himself to express some disagreement with the statement of Swami Vivekananda that this is the simplest and most natural of all paths of spiritual ascent. True, these words must be understood correctly—for example, in the context of “Practical Vedanta,” where it is directly stated that religiosity itself is a rare gift that can only be obtained as a result of constant clashes with one’s lower nature… In any case, without an irreconcilable daily struggle with one’s egoism and narrow-mindedness, nothing serious can be worked out directly, but indirectly, it does not become any less intense.
What is the reason for this harshness?
***
At the first level of working through Venus, love, if one may put it this way, is too good and attractive and presents a huge temptation for the ego: there is a strong desire to close oneself off from the world (including from the beloved object) and to consume all the Venusian energy personally, without sharing it with anyone. This kind of egoism creates a kind of semi-permeable membrane that allows love toward a person to pass through but not love from them in return. The life position, most often barely conscious, in such cases is approximately as follows: “You love me, love me, let me at least feel a little warmth and goodness from it, since my whole life I have only been hurt and oppressed, and my heart has frozen completely for others. Now it is thawing a little—then, look, I will return your love.”
The result of the emergence of such a semi-permeable membrane is a narrowing of perception (a person is interested not in the object itself but only in their own positive feelings in connection with it) and a limited vision of the object—and therefore of the Divine light shining through it: the semi-permeable membrane tends to become completely impermeable, and love…
The exception to this rule is objects entirely or partially connected with a person’s existential destiny and falling within the sphere of their immediate interests (including purely egoistic ones). Every person loves someone or something—let us admit that we sometimes hesitate to call the feelings of a lazy person toward their bed, a glutton toward the food they devour, or even an absolutely egocentric mother toward her child “love” in the best sense of the word—but here Venusian manifestations are evident, albeit at a lower level, for even the most complete egoist, God reveals Himself, and sometimes quite vividly and tangibly, so much so that higher Venusian vibrations are long perceived by him as absolutely ephemeral.
The paradox in transitioning to the second level of working through Venus is that, from the perspective of consciousness, the situation does not qualitatively change: I can still love only those objects that are essentially (buddhically) perceived as my own, i.e., I do not share their fate or my own. The difference lies elsewhere: first, the feelings accompanying love change (their vibrations increase), and second, a desire arises to open up to the object of love and do something for it.
This is characteristic of the second level of working through Venus, when a person experiences a vague idea of joint meditation with the object of love—not necessarily emotional, perhaps mental or causal (“We will live together, share difficulties, and overcome obstacles”). Of course, this idea is initially understood quite primitively (if a flower pleases you—pluck it and smell it; if a girl pleases you—call her and smile and/or take her number; if a landscape pleases you—designate it as the place of your final rest), but it is precisely in this that the main direction of the narrowness of consciousness lies, which initially—from the perspective of the collective unconscious—directly relates to it.
Here we encounter—and not for the first time—the dual function of social egregors that regulate and standardize. Personal egoism and the narrowness of an individual’s perception are largely conditioned by direct influences from the collective unconscious, which has a very definite opinion about what falls within the sphere of my personal interests and what does not, and it harshly suppresses any attempts to expand this sphere. Thus, the struggle for expansion becomes a war with the social egregor, which knows exactly whom, what, in which situation, and to what extent I can love—and no further! It is quite difficult to go against this kind of collective social control, but it performs an extremely important protective function, saving the social individual from overly strong Venusian activation. Perhaps he feels a little bored and even doubts whether love exists at all, or rather, whether it is the invention of poets and excitable women—but at least he will not become a victim of passions that very quickly push him to the brink not only of social existence but sometimes outright madness.
For God threatens a person in any of His aspects, and even one of the seemingly most harmless (at first glance) energetic vibrations becomes unbearable as its power increases and it more intensively illuminates the atmic body and plane. It can even be said that some of humanity’s most terrible crimes, both individual and collective, have been inspired by Venus, and the destruction of Troy is an archetypal example. When God reveals Himself as too bright, unbearable radiance for the psyche, a person reacts with madness: he begins to strive for the object of love fanatically, forgetting absolutely everything else, including moral constraints, a sense of duty and responsibility, and even the instinct of self-preservation.
At the third level of working through Venus, a person begins to see the different faces of love and the different effects it produces both on himself and on the beloved object. First of all, he learns to recognize its dark face—the light of the Divine, to which, whether he wants it or not, his lower, sometimes outright animal nature reacts first, finding power over it and forcing him to degrade overall. At a low, outright level, this can manifest as a passion for drugs or sexuality that crosses all social boundaries; however, much more often, the dark face of love appears in a relatively socialized form—for example, in the form of love for another person (mother, child, husband, lover…), in the form of a hobby or passion that absorbs all his interests (e.g., stamp collecting, a cat, or a parrot), and so on. All of this can completely block a person from the world, but at the third level of working through Venus, he is still capable, at some point, of recognizing this, acknowledging his love as largely his own personal demons and significantly reducing its role in his life—both on the buddhic and causal planes.
On the other hand, a person learns to see the beloved object in a more differentiated way, in such a way that analysis does not kill his love. If at the second level, seeing any flaws in the object is equivalent to ending love for it (the position: “If I love him, he is perfect for me”), and a person reacts extremely painfully to criticism of the beloved being, essentially not accepting it at all, then at the third level, the perception changes. Now it is possible to dissect the object of love, to see its flaws (which only make it more endearing), as well as the small demons and imps that dart merrily around it. These little devils are certainly charming, but a person simultaneously sees the harm they cause to the beloved being (acting as parasites) and is often inclined to fight them—not because they themselves displease him, not at all, but solely to protect the beloved being—its energy, its energy.
Here, for the first time, the problem arises that a person is unaware of at the first two levels of working through Venus: it turns out that in order to convey one’s love to the object, special efforts are required, otherwise it will be intercepted along the way by various predators, including the beloved being’s own little demons, and then it will turn out that nothing good will come of my—best and purest—love for him, except for the strengthening of his egoism and the flourishing of various vices. But even without considering predators, the beloved being may not notice my love at all, even if it is expressed in the most obvious and unambiguous way…We see that at the third level of Venus processing, a person does not naturally succeed in meditations with an object of love—he still needs to somehow convey and express his love for it, but to do so adequately. Venusian energy provides a natural glow, but not directed illumination—this is more the domain of Mars; however, at the third level of Venus processing, it is very difficult for a person to understand this, and he suffers from unexpressed love, poor understanding, and sometimes horrendous effects of his actions, forgetting (or more often outright failing to realize) that he is illuminated (and sanctified) by love first and foremost for himself, and only secondarily for the surrounding world.
At the fourth level of Venus processing, a person rethinks the nature of her energy flows in many ways—primarily as a whole. It becomes quite clear to him that conveying love to another is no easier than finding it oneself—and both require divine liberation, and not a whit less. From this perspective, the mistake of a young mother who thinks something like, “I will love my child dearly, and from this she will grow up kind and good,” becomes obvious. Yes, precisely that—but on the condition that her love is received by the child—and achieving success in this is not as easy as it may initially seem. The same problems arise for any person walking the path of love, and at the fourth level of Venus processing, he understands that they are insoluble in such a setting: a flower in bloom is beautiful in appearance and spreads its fragrance across the entire glade, yet for some reason only two or three bees out of the entire swarm pay attention to its beauty. You cannot force someone to be sweet against their will, as the proverb rightly notes—and in this case, nothing more accurate could be said.
The main challenge facing a person at the fourth level of Venus processing is to see the themes associated with this planet as fundamentally asymmetrical—and to learn in love the art of sublimation and transference. In other words, the truth is that some objects evoke our love, while others demand it, and a person is not given the choice of either. Just as the Moon, illuminated by the Sun, casts reflected light onto the night surface of the Earth rather than returning it to the daytime luminary.
***
As with other phases of the evolution of the energy principle, the Venusian (anahata) one gives rise to specific parasites; some of them are described below. The first category of Venusian parasites is activated when God begins to reveal Himself to a person in one object or another—simply put, when love dawns upon a person; the second category, on the contrary, is activated when a person is internally overflowing with love and begins to transmit it to the world, becoming a source of light and grace for it.
One should not think (this will be discussed further in this section) that love is experienced only or primarily emotionally; if there is such a setting in the collective unconscious, it is connected with the role of the astral body as a criterion for the reality of experience: what does not evoke an emotional response is considered unreal, illusory, something like a phantom. This, of course, is unjust, especially since emotions may come later, but in an age dominated by mental energies and constructs, it can serve as a certain antidote to them: if ancient wisdom declared, “I think, therefore I am,” then the modern person, trying to distance himself from the mental plane, lives by “I feel, therefore I am.” However, when it comes to love—or more precisely, the perception of God—it would be a gross mistake and profanation to reduce both to emotional reactions, especially in their primitive understanding.
God reveals Himself to a person primarily as beauty, encompassing not only material forms but also ideas, sometimes of a highly abstract nature (atmanic). Sometimes certain values and virtues appear inexplicably beautiful (buddhic plane), and sometimes it is unusual coincidences, elegant turns of events, or splendid outcomes of well-planned (heavenly) actions. In all these cases, there is no pronounced emotional reaction, or it is not significant, and on this basis, the gray voice of the social egregore devalues the experience, even though it may have been quite genuine and powerful.
Thus, the first of the Venusian parasites we will consider is the Skeptic, whose position sounds, for example, like this: “Prove to me that what I see is truly God and not someone else.” The Skeptic cares little about the fact that God is behind the object and as such should not be visible; but even if that is the case, one can always question the very experiences of a person: “Did you really see divine light?” It is difficult for him to recognize its existence and significance for himself. The Skeptic’s favorite rhetorical question (as he presents it) is: “So what?” — “Well, you liked today’s sunrise, a woman on the street smiled at you, the ends of a ledger came together without visible cause, and even the bakery was selling your favorite pie—so what? What does this prove, and what, in the grand scheme of things, does it change in your life? You won’t start asserting on these grounds that God exists and personally took care of you four times today.” A person with a strong Skeptic internally leads a rather joyless and grace-less existence, because a developed Skeptic can consume almost all the Venusian emanation coming from the world to its host; externally, such a person is easily recognized by a remarkable (to the point of unnaturalness) ingratitude for any selfless acts directed toward them: they initially receive them with extreme suspicion (“What do you want from me in return?”), and upon realizing their genuine benevolent nature, accept them as a matter of course and with a sense of guilt: “I must have missed something, overlooked something, or failed to do enough…”
To a certain extent, the opposite of the Skeptic is the Ardent Beloved, who destroys any divine phenomenon with the powerful strike of his enthusiasm. “How beautiful! No, look how beautiful it is! I haven’t seen anything as beautiful since my youth, when I lived in pre-war Prague, and let me tell you, the beer there was something else entirely. Yes, that was beer, real beer!” It is clear that from the fleeting initial aesthetic impression to the end of this monologue, nothing remains—the entire Venusian energy is quietly consumed by the Ardent Beloved. But his main sphere of activity, of course, is interpersonal relationships. He must feel—and, as they say, he does not miss an opportunity, though in reality the person feels nothing at all or close to it. The charm instantly vanishes, transforming at best into a garish picture.
“I love in you your youth, your carefree manners, your slender waist, your long legs, the swan-like curve of your neck, and the firm set of your chin, as well as your gray round eyes, your nose without a hint of a hump, and your alluring knees. My feelings for you are so strong that I am ready to race after you to the ends of the earth in a car I will earn myself.”
In the female variant, similar promises might sound like this:
“— If I were a queen,” says one girl, “I would prepare a feast for the entire Christian world.”
“— If I were a queen,” says her sister, “I would weave linen for the whole wide world.”
“— If I were a queen,” says the third sister, “I would bear a mighty warrior for my father the tsar.”
(A. Pushkin)
The difference between the sisters in the fairy tale and the Ardent Beloved lies in the fact that the former were capable of fulfilling their promises, while he never is.She absorbs Venusian energy in any quantity and quality, and in response spews out poisonous clouds of dissatisfaction and ingratitude: toward the world in general and especially toward the unfortunate Venusian donor. Thus, the person receives a very important lesson (the meaning of which is not understood immediately): his love cannot be focused, nor can it be directed at an arbitrarily chosen object; moreover, he may have to wait and search for a long time until he finds someone or something that truly needs this love. The result of several consecutive encounters on life’s path with figures of the previous type, prone to parasitize on his love, is a subconscious protective reaction that sets the slogan: “No one needs your love, and in any case it will only bring you trouble.” After this, the question arises of (at least partial) protection from the beloved object, in accordance with the proverb “love to love, but don’t show your whole ass,” as well as of the possible personal consumption of the love energy that was meant for the outside world. And here grows an internal parasite by the name of Beloved, far more dangerous than all external ones: with its help, the person learns to comfortably, cozily, and safely consume the Venusian energy he himself generates. The position is roughly this: “I know I must convey certain feelings to you or do something for you, but for some time I’ll warm myself in this energy—until favorable circumstances arise and complete confidence in safety appears.” Of course, neither of these can ever be achieved, and the Venusian energy is devoured by the parasite that overlays the image of the object. For example, I feel a certain tension toward an acquaintance who lacks my support and certain words of sincere gratitude—which I clearly owe him. At the same time, I fear that if I honestly do this, for a moment I’ll find myself in his power and he could—if he wishes—play a nasty psychological game with me or simply assert himself at my expense. What am I to do? Instantly, the Beloved comes to the rescue, overlaying the imagined image of the acquaintance, and now in my imagination and in complete safety I play out the scene I need—that is, I speak the words of support and gratitude, the (entirely real!) Venusian energy of which is devoured by the Beloved, after which my inner tension even turns to joy. True, at the subsequent real meeting with this acquaintance, some tension arises—he expects at least a grateful glance from me, but doesn’t even get that (since I no longer have any excess Venusian energy), and in frustration thinks something about me or himself.
Bad things (for example, “he has no conscience at all” or “perhaps I am somehow to blame before him”), but to voice a complaint aloud is impossible: the lack of love in relationships society allows to discuss only in such intimate pair unions as lover — mistress, husband — wife or father — child. Which of the readers would dare to seriously tell his boss: “You do not love me enough!?”
Now let us consider the manifestations of Venusian energy in various collectives. The theme of love in a pair union is probably one of the most widespread in world culture, but views on love of men and women in the eras of Pisces and Aquarius will probably diverge absolutely cardinally — to the extent that the most poignant and touching plots for the passing era will be regarded by the coming one as severe psychic aberrations. The leading themes of love plots of the last centuries are the themes of ownership of the beloved being and supremacy of love and the affects connected with it over all other energies and structures present in the world. Here we see everywhere exclusively the dark face of love, even in those cases when self-sacrificing feats are performed for the sake of the beloved being — but still the lover is driven by passions and desires to ultimately possess the beloved; no wonder in all fairy-tales with a happy ending the hero somehow looks unnatural and insecure: “…they lived happily and prospered.” What kind of prosperity — it is unclear, but if purely material, then it somehow turns out vulgarly base…
Probably, in the Aquarian era love in a pair union, especially between different sexes, will be regarded as a circumstance that provides an opportunity for especially intensive pair work — at first this is mainly coordination of occult organisms separately, and then, when the program of the pair egregore becomes clear, its implementation in life. Conflicts in pair relationships are perceived as signs of unfinished work, a kind of flaws in pair work, but instead the dynamics of pair relationships and growing over time opportunities of the pair gain primary interest, accompanied by a transformation of mutual love — a theme practically undeveloped today. Ordinary love and devotion on the part of the wife will not suffice here — something else is needed, but what exactly? The author, however, does not intend to answer these questions — they merely illustrate possible accents of Aquarian interests in this topic.
The family is traditionally considered a source of love, at least for its members. However, in essence its main functions are still lunar-Mercurial, that is, care for the household and certain structuring of their life, and as for Venusian energies, it depends on each case; one can also look at the position and aspects of Venus in the family horoscope. On the other hand, to live in a family where the main energetic is solar-lunar-Mercurial, and the influence of Venus is weak, is quite difficult. Venus gives life meaning — not philosophical, but at least existential; in other words, when the Venusian vibration disappears, life loses all meaning and taste and turns into mere existence. When Venus is activated, the family seems to be illuminated by light, although nothing may happen externally; however, many conflicts resolve by themselves, boys fight with breaks and not so fiercely, and girls suddenly become similar to angels, even though it is unclear where they learned it.
Venus in the family is felt as a luxury — something that, from the point of view of the Sun, the Moon and Mercury, could well not exist. Nice clothes for the household members and bright decoration of holidays, gifts to children and adults on their birthdays, music lessons, emphasized attention to refined and polite manners — all these are Venusian influences, provided they are not accompanied by coercion and are perceived with enthusiasm. Aesthetic upbringing begins not with a bright bow on a girl or nice pants on a boy — rather with the nightgown of the mother who gets up at night to the baby, and the apron in which she serves food to the children. Likewise, a girl’s rude behavior toward her mother stems from disrespect toward the latter on the part of the grandmother, which children perfectly sense and absorb — not only through imitation, but also perceiving direct instructions of the family egregore.
In a family with strong Venus there can be much sentimentality and whimsy; on the table and in the cupboard one will not know the count of various sweets, and constant hugs and kisses of children, especially teenagers, with their parents may have an unmistakably sexual tinge — yet remaining within the necessary limits. Likely favorites surrounded by a flock of Venusian parasites, but a random guest in this family will most likely be greeted with a smile and offered tea with enough sugar and cookies.
The question of the state’s love for the citizen has been discussed for a long time; at least Plato did not pass it by with his attention. Experience, unfortunately, shows that the more love and care for the people are emblazoned on the banner of the state system, the faster they turn into barbed wire and a slave system of coercion in all spheres of existence of that same people. Therefore, the author will venture to express a hypothesis that is, however, consistent with the main content of this chapter: it is better when the state’s love for its (and even more so foreign) people finds an indirect, rather than direct, expression. At first glance it seems that the main functions of the state (in peacetime) are performed on Mercurial energy, since they consist in creating and maintaining certain structures and establishing order. However, no law and no structure can be implemented and materialized except by people who will interpret the will of the authorities in relation to local conditions and within their understanding so that little remains of the original legislative act — and the difference between the initial idea and its implementation largely consists in those Venusian vibrations. With a strong unrefined Venus, the state apparatus will be distinguished by an increased love for itself: privileges, corruption, a developed system of state awards and other encouragements that higher officials and citizens who have particularly distinguished themselves before the state egregore receive, say, patriotic writers and especially song-poets, will emerge. Processing of Venus gives love expressed in reasonable social programs that correspond to the evolutionary level of the people and are adapted to its national character; here much will be said by the position of Venus in the sign, house and its aspects. A weak Venus in the state horoscope is by no means a guarantee against corruption; yet still orders and other regalia, as well as state prizes, are issued here with less pomp. The best government or a popular president will not cause a wave of popular love — yet with the right policy they can find great real support amid moderate, evenly positive feelings of the population.
Venus in the horoscope of a firm will show the ways and forms of manifestation of love in working conditions — first of all, of the management toward subordinates and vice versa. Venusian energies soften official relationships, especially hierarchical ones. They manifest in polite address, respect for someone else’s time and circumstances, a sense of humor (about oneself), the ability to smile instead of getting angry, tact, softness of manners… the skill to overcome one’s own tediousness and to put a period in time. The question of which energies an administrator should mainly operate on, for example, solar, lunar, Mercurial or Venusian, is resolved depending on many factors, which include the evolutionary level of the firm and its employees, and even its leading energies determined by the specifics of its activity. Therefore one cannot say that Venusian management is better than Mercurial — in many cases the former only feeds parasites and therefore is not only ineffective, but also consciously inadequate. A typical example of this is the grading system in schools and the examination system in higher educational institutions and even universities. It is completely obvious that to study a year-long course one needs to spend a year or so; preparation for the corresponding exam usually takes about a week and gives nothing except overloading the short-term memory with some chaotic set of information that, two or three days after the exam, is almost completely (over 90%) erased from the student’s head.
Thus, the role of an exam for a diligent student is zero — he already knows the subject, so why would he need silly memory tests? For an unscrupulous student, an exam is a certain game situation where a handful of sand is evaluated, which will soon slip through his fingers anyway… However, neither students nor teachers can do without the exam system, and it will not be abolished anytime soon. The problem here is not the laziness of individual students: the esoteric meaning of the exam system lies in the fact that it supports certain rigid buddhic and causal structures corresponding to the nature of knowledge taught in modern schools and universities — one must break through with an axe, and there is no other way.
True knowledge of the talus bone begins when a person learns to feel it within themselves while walking — and how many modern anatomists can boast of this? In the horoscope of a book, Venus will show the ways the author depicts female figures, as well as love in the broadest sense of the word. The most vividly, venereal scenes related to eating emerge in mediocre writers: here, as a rule, a good knowledge of the subject is felt. Writing love scenes between a man and a woman is much more difficult, since even life itself is crushed under rigid literary stereotypes, from which it is no easier for a private individual to escape than for a writer.
But venerean influence is not only manifested in love scenes and natural beauties. A book is always written for a certain reader, whose image, more or less vividly, is present in the writer’s consciousness, and much in the book depends on how the latter relates to the former. For example, a strong Venus in the horoscope of a book can produce the effect of the author’s extraordinary love for himself, and he will try to express this love through the material of a novel or a collection of poems — not worrying at all about the reader’s reaction, who may be surprised by such an abundance of self-love in the lyrical hero or even the author himself.
Working on Venus probably begins with the author learning to respect the reader and not put himself above them; and only much later does the understanding come that a book is written by the egregore of language on one side and the reader’s egregore on the other, while the writer himself, with all his “creative laboratory,” plays only an auxiliary role — if, of course, he is a real writer.
* * *
Next, we will consider seven levels of manifestation of venerean energy, which should not be confused with the levels of processing described above; generally speaking, each level of manifestation requires separate processing, often very different from the processing of others.
Venus — Sun
Ivan the Fool rescues a beautiful princess from a monster. This love manifests when the object is on the verge of death; then, sometimes quite unexpectedly for a person, it may turn out that the fate of the first is not at all indifferent to the second.
Strangely enough, many paired and even family relationships exist precisely on this venerean vibration: love for a partner manifests only when he or she is on the verge of leaving my life (or family) — yet the feelings felt are very real! Of course, any periodically repeated situation tends to turn into a game where all feelings are falsified, but nevertheless, many people who live according to the rescuer scenario, that is, realize themselves in situations (sometimes very stretched over time) of saving a victim from the inevitable feeling of love, exist only on venerean-solar vibrations.
At this moment, God appears to a person in His suffering and dying aspect, perhaps the most expressive of all.
Another variant of the manifestation of venerean-solar vibrations is love for an object that is about to be born, but whose fate has not yet been finally decided. In theory, this energy should be used by midwives and members of admissions committees, but only a few rise to this level.
A curious sight is presented by a mother whose love for her children is concentrated on venerean-solar energies: she is genuinely interested only in children in her womb and newborns, or, at best, infants up to a year old — she treats older children quite coolly, except in cases of serious illness. Intuitive children can take advantage of this, speculating on illnesses and dangers.
Venus — Moon
Guests at a wedding give gifts to the newlyweds. Here, love finds less dramatic forms and circumstances of its manifestation.
Venerean-lunar vibrations are characteristic of God manifesting Himself as a caring and asking for care aspect. The latter is represented in many fairy tales, where the hero meets a creature that asks for help, and later turns out to be a powerful helper — if the hero passes the sensitivity test on a venerean-lunar request.
Venerean-lunar vibrations are easy to distinguish from lunar-venerean ones. Even in childhood, the difference is obvious: if Moon-Venus is an ordinary kind and caring mother, then Venus-Moon is a powerful fairy capable of turning a pumpkin into a carriage, a rat into a coachman, and sending a girl to a prince’s palace. In adulthood, a similar role is played by love that transforms an ordinary girl into a beautiful princess, the devoted care for whom becomes the limit of dreams for a lovesick young man (Venus-Moon). Often, after a few years of marriage, the passion of feelings fades, and the infatuation of the Venus-Moon type turns into good care of the lunar-venerean kind, which, of course, is much better than nothing, but has nothing to do with the original magic touch.
Much rarer is the ability to translate love into venerean-lunar vibrations — an occupation that, by its external form, is care, but its main content is precisely love. It is difficult to explain what this actually means; for example, a host strokes a dog, and a loving mother makes sandwiches for her son to take to school, and she doesn’t really care how many vitamins and biologically active substances they contain — that is, of course, important, but not the main thing.
Venus — Mercury
A scientist sees the first glimpses of a discovery. Here, God reveals Himself to a person as law, structure, rules — or, conversely, reveals to him the heart to implement a particular law or order in life.
What, apart from career and mercenary considerations, makes a young person apply to a law faculty? Strangely enough, it is often the belief that people can and should subordinate their lives to certain laws that correspond to the nature of social life and, when implemented, significantly improve it. Mercury will say: “Law above all.” Venus, including Venus-Mercury, will never say so, because for her, above all, is God and His love, but in this case, the latter manifests through the law, which one can try to discover, and if it is discovered — to implement.
Venerean-mercurial energy illuminates both activities with Divine light, but only for the person themselves; to others, they most often appear as an amateur, because professionalism comes only at the level of Mars (in the case of Mars-Mercury). However, there are many areas where, when establishing order, it is better not to become a professional — for example, when regulating the lives of one’s children. Where venerean-mercurial energy is lacking, one can try to switch to mercurial-venerean — if the subject is ready to perceive it, and the person is able to hold onto it steadily, without slipping into mercurial-venerean, mercurial-mercurial, or even mercurial.
Venerean-mercurial vibrations are characteristic of a good sermon in the Christian spirit, whose pathos lies in the necessity or, at least, the highest desirability of adhering to the laws of conscience and goodness. Slipping into the mercurial-venerean level occurs when polite arguments are used as imperatives (“or you will burn in the fiery Gehenna”); the mercurial-mercurial level is civil legislation (“whoever sins will pay a fine”), and the mercurial-solar level is criminal (“heretics — to the stake”).Venus — Venus
My personal soul comes into contact with the world soul. This is not merely a level; it is a turning point in religious consciousness where it becomes clear that, apart from Divine love, a person needs nothing, and if it is present in sufficient measure, the world also needs nothing more from them. At this stage, all unnecessary external forms disappear—or, if you will, the ulterior motives that accompanied the perception of the beloved object and the influence upon it: in the case of Venus–Moon, this is care; Venus–Mercury, structure and order.
Thus we look at a landscape or a work of art: first we examine it piece by piece, somehow comparing the parts with one another, and then suddenly meditation lifts the viewer from the Venus–Mercury vibrations to the Venus–Venus vibrations. They stop seeing any details; all analytical words leave their mind, and an ecstatic exclamation escapes their lips: “Ah!”—or rather, some ethereal moan expressing the highest degree of inexpressible rapture. A person who has mastered the steady Venus–Venus energy flow may be justly considered a saint. Essentially, this is the first—and also the most difficult—step on the path of bhakti, once taken, a person truly understands, sees, and feels with absolute clarity that everything that happens in this world—even the smallest event—is possible only by the grace of God. They feel it well (as well as the places and circumstances where it is lacking), and this gives them a sense of participation in Divine Providence, yet at the same time a feeling of complete personal helplessness and, moreover, the godlessness of any personal initiative not directly initiated by Divine love. Such a person finds it very difficult to understand that their achievements are not the limit of evolutionary development, and that the efforts of others—seemingly lacking grace in their view—may in their reality be entirely constructive and meaningful.
In general, it must be said that levels coinciding with the phase (Sun–Sun, Moon–Moon, etc.) create a psychologically extremely stable reality, overcoming which requires substantial sacrifice; this applies to Venus–Venus perhaps more than to any other.
Venus — Mars
At a popular singer’s concert. Here God reveals Himself to a person through forms that seem perfect—at least as long as they are illuminated by Venus–Mars vibrations. This is the level of correct perception of art by its admirers—those who are, however, incapable of serious independent creativity, which becomes possible only at the Mars–Venus level. On the other hand, the radiance of love at the Venus–Mars level inevitably demands amateurish, dilettantish expression, and here a person should not orient themselves toward the creations of great masters (or rather, demand such a level of themselves), but should express themselves like a butterfly flitting over a flower meadow. With Venus in Virgo, the phrase can be understood almost literally: one may sign up for a dance class—or simply allow one’s body to move as it pleases (though the latter is not so easy, as it is constrained by rigid stereotypes, yet overcoming any of them will bring Virgo Venus immense joy).
The Venus–Mars level is very important in the family—it is preparation for future Mars vibrations, meaning mastery and professionalism in the best sense of these words—but this is not all. Besides one’s profession, a person also has the rest of life, and there is a great difference between living it in unexpressed or expressed love; Venus–Mars is the initial and very convenient step from the first to the second, provided one steps on it in time.
Venus — Jupiter
The vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Here God reveals Himself to a person in a total way: for example, in the form of a revelation of a comprehensive worldview or a universal philosophical concept (Venus in Aries), or a sudden change in fate that elevates a person to a higher social stratum (Venus in Taurus). More likely, however, these fortunate circumstances (in the case of Venus’s affliction, they may be unfortunate) will, as they say, shine but not materialize (for the latter, Jupiterian vibrations are needed): the single and universal philosophical concept will merely smile gently at its creator, while others will not receive it (amateur philosophers); a beautiful beloved with a comital title and inherited estate will somehow avoid the topic of marriage and meeting their mother.
The challenge here is to perceive—sometimes very subtly—the love that synthesizes the world into a single whole, which God sends through quite specific people and circumstances, and not to profane it into lower vibrations, not even Venus–Mars, let alone Moon–Jupiter or Moon–Venus.
With Venus in Libra, the inclusion of Venus–Jupiter energy may manifest in a person encountering a healing system capable of curing them of all serious ailments, sealing etheric holes, and elevating them to a new bioenergetic level—and they will almost see themselves healed and believe in the effort required to achieve this beyond the freely received Venus–Jupiter vibrations (in this case, Jupiter–Moon vibrations will likely be needed).
Venus — Saturn
“Do not close your doors—let them remain open.” (B. Okudzhava)
Venus–Jupiter energy allows a person to feel and express love for the world as a whole while remaining somewhat distant and independent from it. Venus–Saturn energies are needed so as not to lose these feelings entirely upon entering and immersing oneself in the world. In principle, this is a very difficult test for it, since the principle of love is, above all, the principle of openness and merging, which threatens a person with great troubles and directly contradicts the basic egoistic stance of separating the subject from the environment, which (the environment) may indeed be very threatening.
On the other hand, there are people who are naturally capable of perceiving and radiating love precisely on its Saturnian vibrations, that is, in the course of their direct life: they feel how the trees rejoice in them, dogs smile, and birds chirp, yet they do not dwell on this, considering it the norm of their being—just as the joy that opens the human heart to them does not seem too pleasant.
A person with strong and stable Venus–Saturn energy transforms the entire world around them with their love, unnoticeably and without volition adapting it to themselves—but this is perceived naturally, without coercion, and often the change is almost imperceptible yet very significant: the world around becomes brighter, lighter, and as if rainbow-hued.
Conversely, weak Venus–Saturn energy forces a person to fear the world, to shut themselves off from it, to see in it only a source of all manner of unpleasantness—but this does not mean that love is altogether alien to such a person: it is quite possible that the vibrations most natural for them are Venus–Sun, mostly Venusian, and they live mainly on those.
One should not think this is bad: pure Venus–Saturn vibrations are by nature rather cold; they correspond roughly to the following life stance: “I accept and love you only as long as you are near me and to the extent that you enter my life; and then, as they say, out of sight, out of mind.”
For a holy hermit who receives a hundred visitors a day and truly spiritually shepherds them, such a position may be natural and even necessary, but to receive it from a member of one’s own family (as a father or child) is not particularly pleasant, at least if the horoscope reveals a fate in which love will play a large role, even if the person never reflects on it. In any case, God will always smile on them from some direction—but not always will the person wish to seek that direction, to the great detriment of both themselves and the world.
This is a difficult situation, since in our time the talents of the lover, the connoisseur, the amateur dilettante are not valued in society and are even partly despised. What is the use of knowing ballet or having read Kant’s Prolegomena in the original if your main profession is a construction engineer?However, it is precisely these countless but deeply enthusiastic and, in their own way, diligent readers, viewers, and listeners—admirers of great talents—who never even dream of ascending to their heights. These very people not only serve as the soil in which such talents grow and later find firm support but also possess their own inherent value. Until Venus is worked through, this person will unthinkingly abuse the Divine love pouring in from all sides: speculating on their charm and the feelings of the opposite sex, carelessly relying on their “luck,” and assuming everything is fine. Working through Venus grants the ability to become a source of grace, though the paths to its revelation will be far from straightforward. A weak Venus means life lived, if not in twilight, then at least in diffused light. Almost everywhere, except for narrow areas indicated by the planet’s position in sign and house, the person will poorly grasp what Divine presence is and how it differs from Divine absence. In many respects, this may not be so bad, as it reduces the passions and seductive temptations that often elude this person entirely—just as a modern city dweller might fail to understand their great-great-grandfather’s passion for horses. This should not be taken to mean that a weak Venus symbolizes an inability to perceive love or radiate grace—far from it—but both aspects of life remain unaccented, passing more as background than foreground. Vulgar erotic scenes in films or even casual conversations about love may shock them, not due to excessive morality, but because such matters are not meant to be the focus of direct attention. Where this mindset comes from, a person with a weak Venus will likely struggle to explain.
They possess a deep inner chastity that their surroundings would do well to emulate. Harmonious Venus endows a person with numerous innocent virtues and, in many cases, an easygoing nature. At least, when prompted with, “Why so glum? Your troubles aren’t that serious—try looking at things more lightly,” they are likely to respond with a grateful smile and, “Yes, of course, you’re right” (with an afflicted Venus, the response would more likely be a distorted scowl!). Where God and fate smile most brightly upon a person is first revealed by Venus’s position in the sign. Venus in Virgo with a trine to Jupiter in Capricorn offers chances in beauty contests; if there is also a sextile to Saturn, one might consider a ballet career. With harmonious Venus in Pisces, one could become a clergyman, and even in secular professions, their words will be received as effective sermons. Harmonious Venus in Aquarius may produce a scholar or philosopher whose works are distinguished by extraordinary beauty and elegance; if a mathematician, they will be drawn to abstract concepts—generalizations and quintessences of more concrete and technically complex theories.
But, as the reader understands, even harmonious Venus only grants the perception of light from future (or past) great discoveries—whether humanitarian or natural-scientific in nature. The main discovery, often small, harmonious Venus seems to bring to the person daily, and they must learn not to overlook it so that, in time, they might share at least some of their revelations with a world waiting for: “Nature in a graceful sarafan, With head held high to heaven, All day plays on its organ—The patter of little ones, The rustle of forests, and the dances of groves, And in the grove, the laughter of forget-me-nots.” (N. Zabolotsky, “Poem of Rain”)
Afflicted Venus sharply poses the problem of love—both heavenly and earthly—in a person’s life, and it is highly unlikely they will easily manage with just one or harmoniously combine both. Here, God turns His mocking, changeable face toward the person—not as a hero, but as a jester, and it is often unclear how seriously to take what unfolds: tragedy, tragicomedy, or outright farce. The first circumstance a person with afflicted Venus must acknowledge (usually intuitively grasped around age twenty but admitted to themselves much later) is that in matters of love and grace, they never succeed “like other people.” Sometimes love overwhelms them unexpectedly—yet not under the conditions or for the reasons they might have expected—and vanishes just as inexplicably and suddenly. Most often, this involves a barely comprehensible substitution, where one feeling masquerades as another, creating situations of heightened magical power—precisely the kind many writers crave yet are utterly unable to convey on paper.
For afflicted Venus, the blending of divine faces is characteristic: God appears before the person alternately in lofty and seductively lowly guises, whose reflected light falls upon the world, forcing them to either prostrate in awe, plunge into the abyss, or recoil in horror upon finding themselves on the edge of the precipice. Afflicted Venus offers many temptations: from the temptation to worship an evil god while rejecting the good as hypocritical, to the mundane manipulation of people for selfish gain using the magical means this person is abundantly endowed with from birth. The working-through process is complex and, at a certain stage, requires abandoning all “charms” except those naturally accompanying ordinary human behavior—a sacrifice that, for afflicted Venus, is immense and difficult for others, especially those with weak Venus, to comprehend.
Initially, afflicted Venus may feel that without its passions and magic, life is meaningless—why live at all? Only the horrifying consequences (for others and themselves) eventually force them to adjust their behavior, partially restraining and refining themselves—but even this path is strewn more with thorns than rose petals.
Venus in the Signs
The position of Venus in the sign reveals in what forms, images, and circumstances God manifests Himself to the person and what are the most convenient and natural ways for them to express love—when it overflows and demands expression. On the other hand, the position of Venus in the sign should not be taken too literally, as if other forms of love are inaccessible to the person or they are incapable of expressing themselves in any way other than what the Venusian sign dictates.
When interpreting a specific horoscope, one should consider, first, the applying aspects of Venus, and second, to some extent, its influence on the sign of the corresponding *sect* (day or night), in addition to the sign it occupies. For example, a Venus-Moon opposition with Venus in Aries and the Moon in Libra will impart Venusian influence to Libra and, additionally, Leo (Leo is the *sect* sign corresponding to Aries as the *sect* sign). But even if in the chart Venus is in Aries and does not aspect Virgo or Mercury, it cannot be said that the person cannot dance gracefully or caress tenderly—simply the main internal accents of their loving expressions lie entirely outside the physical plane.
The position of Venus in the sign also reveals the area where the person suffers from the Cinderella complex—that is, where they feel a desperate need for love and bitterly feel its lack. Venus in Aries
The beloved eclipsed my sun. Why, when he left, did I find myself in impenetrable darkness? Love enters this person’s life as something total: a value sent by God Himself, who chose to reveal Himself through it. For this mode of perception, details and even events that do not fit the main concept are unimportant: as long as love lasts, nothing seems capable of diminishing or narrowing it. Generally, this is a difficult position, as the person instinctively seeks God’s love in its highest, *atman* expression—and constantly feels deceived, since after the initial, truly *atmanic* spark follows a much denser, earthly continuation that Arian Venus neither needs nor, in the grand scheme, finds interesting. Their inner demands for love are extremely high: love must alter their existential worldview and value system, and transform life in all its essential aspects. Any attempt to accept something (subjectively) lesser as love usually ends in failure.On the other hand, this aspect often fosters inflated and largely naive-romantic ideas about the future beloved, on which all unresolved inner problems of a person are projected. When the long-awaited beloved falls under this unbearable burden, the Cinderella complex is revived, which in this case inevitably takes on a globally worldview character, for example: “No one who loves me and will love me is capable of embracing me fully, with all my external and internal possibilities and problems.” With afflicted Venus, this may sound much harsher and more bitter, while with harmonious Venus, it may come across softly, as if with a hint of regret. What is difficult about loving such a person? They perceive what is happening in an overly generalized way, and it is hard to impress them with anything concrete. On the other hand, it is very difficult for them to explain that love must find its material expression: what they want to do themselves, they will do (despite resistance), while everything else will seem to them a mere fiction, a whim of the partner that does not deserve serious attention. And when love departs, they stop expending their emotional energy on you, and only then do you realize what you have lost.
Venus in Taurus
The beloved came barefoot after the rain. Is this not happiness? Ruler.
If for Aries Venus love is primarily a lofty emotional and value-based experience, then Taurus Venus perceives it as a series of events in which it feels an unmistakable Divine presence. The most vivid manifestation of love from the perspective of Taurus Venus is the harmonious and almost miraculous resolution of a karmic contradiction or a deadlock. You want to get tickets to a sold-out theater performance, for which people have been queuing for six months—and suddenly an almost stranger calls and offers to go tomorrow. Or a great uncle blocks your path late at night—but it quickly turns out he just wants to ask for a light and nothing more.
Taurus Venus experiences love as a sequence of bright, happy events and beautiful deeds; unlike Aries Venus, it can (as it seems to itself) concretely say why it loves its beloved: he is so attentive, kisses your hand (or cheek) so tenderly, brings flowers every time so touchingly, has such a direct gaze, and so on. With a strongly activated Taurus Venus, a person may feel that they have become a value in the eyes of God and can now ask Him for any events, and all their wishes will be fulfilled—a well-known fairy-tale motif. Unfortunately, Venus often shines but does not warm, and three wishes granted by the golden fish do little to improve life in practice, but they reinforce the Taurus Venus Cinderella complex, which in this case sounds something like: “Whoever loves me will never truly be able to please me.”
When this complex extends to the sexual sphere, it can lead to serious issues (up to impotence and frigidity), the only solution to which lies in renouncing any claims and demands.
Venus in Gemini
The sweetheart blushed and stammered at the meeting. Does this mean they truly love? Can the reader rejoice in the thoughts that come to them? If not, let them find someone with Venus in Gemini and learn from them: they know how.
For a person with Venus in Gemini, God reveals Himself by interpreting the events unfolding around them, the twists and turns, and dead ends—this can manifest in very different ways depending on the aspects of Venus: “Freedom is when you forget your patronymic before a tyrant, and saliva in the mouth is sweeter than Shirin’s halva doesn’t drip from a blue eye,” as Joseph Brodsky asserts, and a reader with Venus in Gemini is likely to agree. Freethinking (in the broadest sense) is often its companion, especially if these words are understood not only in their political meaning. This is why Venus in Gemini is difficult to process: God does not like clichés or templates; He either manifests beyond them or overcomes them, transforming and expanding them, effectively destroying them—which naturally does not please the collective unconscious or the person themselves.
Thus, Venus in Gemini is often concretely witty, but its best thoughts and interpretations sometimes fail to reach the person’s consciousness, getting distorted or censored by the unconscious—both personal and collective—beyond recognition. It is very difficult to dare not only to say but even to think: “The emperor has no clothes!”—even if later it turns out to be a discovery on par with Copernicus’s.
The Cinderella complex of Venus in Gemini sounds like: “But the most interesting (important, relevant, or sexual) thing is never shown to me!”
Love with this person is never boring—until it starts to seem unbearably superficial: how much can one keep chatting and interpreting instead of acting or feeling? Still, it will be easy for you to please them: ask what book (or film) they have just read and what they think about it—but try not to lose the thread of their reasoning, and above all, do not doze off while listening: they will not forgive you for that.
“No,” the sweetheart replied.
Oh, the delight of her refusals! Just please, do not envy her. And in general, yoga teaches that love is the greatest misfortune in a person’s life, at least if approached emotionally—and here there is no other way.
A strong Venus promises the person many emotional joys and temptations that are poorly understood by others; in turn, it is very difficult for them to understand certain reactions, say, of Venus in Gemini. Here, the phenomenon of God is experienced as an emotional response to mental twists and dead ends, and what seems mentally unsolvable suddenly turns out to be the cause of emotional enlightenment and fleeting bliss—but this cannot be explained, only experienced.
When God reveals Himself through emotional reactions, it is a powerful experience; the emotion feels pure, elevated, and beautiful—but the next astral meditation often lowers its level, pollutes it, and adapts it to the needs of the ego, making it difficult for the person to see and even harder to overcome.
In love, a strong Venus is often paradoxical: sometimes extraordinarily subtle, sometimes just as cruelly indifferent to the partner’s feelings—it all depends on whether this aspect of their behavior (or rather, its interpretation) falls within the sphere illuminated by their Venus. If it does, they react emotionally as if it were their own; if not, as if it were completely alien, and it is hard to get used to this. They react sharply to words, often twisting their meaning entirely: the emotional response here is often unpredictable and largely depends on the overall context of the relationship.
With Venus afflicted, psychological and social difficulties are possible: a tough nut for a psychoanalyst. The Cinderella complex depends on the level of aspect processing: at a low level, it is “No one loves me (emotionally),” and at a higher level, “I lack sufficient emotional sensitivity to higher vibrations.”
Venus in Leo
The beloved brought me a bouquet of flowers. Oh, his embrace! No one can embrace you with such intensity as Leo Venus; and if they press their hand to their heart and, looking into your eyes, ask for something, you will not be able to resist: if not the gaze or the gesture, then the timbre of their voice will ultimately subdue you.
Here, God reveals Himself in the sensations accompanying emotions, and thus almost physically—living proof against the usual notions of His presence in the highest mountain spheres, manifesting only in the most subtle, purely spiritual emanations. This does not mean, of course, that Leo Venus perceives God only ethereally—but in love situations, there will certainly be a subtle bioenergetic response: a characteristic inner trembling when love arrives, and a special deep excitement when a person expresses it.
It is very difficult for Leo Venus to understand philosophical, mental, or superficially emotional forms of expressing and manifesting love—they tend to see these as parodies or falsifications of true feelings. In love, they may seem primitively simple and naive, but in the simplest embraces and kisses, not to mention a walk in the forest, they often experience revelations and grace far deeper than a superficial observer might assume.Don’t forget to caress her and give her a beautiful dress—and she will literally glow with love, and then beside her you will be able to feel the divinity of ordinary things (including your own physical body) and the magic of touching them.
Cinderella Complex: “I am not loved enough and am embraced with insufficient feeling”; when sublimated, this complex may acquire a slightly different expression: “I am not loved enough (emotionally) and therefore am not dressed comfortably or beautifully enough.”
Venus in Virgo
A matter of morning toothbrushing. What a bold movement of the tip of her nose! This aspect gives divine manifestations through the physical plane, and here they may be the hardest to recognize. Sexual and gastronomic joys are perceived mainly through the etheric body, while the physical plane as such is given to a person in sensation very little. His “eye sees,” but his “tooth does not bite,” oriented also mainly toward ethereal matter. To some extent his hands feel it, yet they too are substantially distracted by ethereal moments: after groping an object with eyes closed, you can describe its texture, the kind of material it is made from—that is, give an ethereal description—far more easily than determine its form.
In love, a ninth-house Venus is attached to purely material details that speak volumes to an experienced writer yet mean nothing to most people—moreover, they can prove absolutely destructive to the aesthetic and romantic feelings of others: in situations where they look at the physical plane with a distracted gaze, a ninth-house Venus looks. She can see God in a seam and fall in love with a man watching him make and eat a sausage sandwich, and neither his height nor the width of his shoulders or smile will play any role in her feelings—but what is important to her in the physical plane and body she will not be able to shut her eyes to, even if she wants to.
For her, love unaccompanied by sufficiently definite gestures on the physical plane is incomprehensible, and when it comes to foreplay and sexual technique she may have, if not rigid, then quite strict rules that a partner would do well to learn and follow, since they are more essential to her than one might think.
A ninth-house Venus came into the world to show it the beauty and perfection of the physical plane; yet before that she must learn to feel its grace herself. Her Cinderella Complex: “I am physically unattractive; the entire world is ugly.”
around me, even if he dressed in fine clothes — upon closer inspection, it still fails to withstand any criticism.”
Venus in Libra The dance of a butterfly over an anthill after the rain. In general, planets in rising channels manifest less obviously and vividly than in descending ones — in the first case, a more or less benign soil is prepared, but what will grow on it is determined by other circumstances (by the corresponding descending channel of the body).
God is present in such ordinary things from the perspective of a philistine, etc. Here we will see tourists, amateur athletes (sometimes contemptuously called fitness enthusiasts), naturopaths, and holistic health enthusiasts who certainly could not explain why they engage in their activities with such passion and love: in our civilized time, it is somehow awkward to admit that one is crazy.
When this person falls in love, amazing things happen to their energy; when Libran Venus feels wonderful, it sometimes cannot help but admire itself.
A damaged Venus can give a tendency toward pornography or sexual perversions — though the latter concept is too broad. In any case, Libran Venus is gifted as a sexual partner and can teach you much — if it first learns itself or if you are willing. At a high level, it can grasp and master the concept of ethereal purity; alongside this, abilities in healing and the intuitive gift of a therapeutic physician develop, but this is a long path and difficult to traverse on Venusian energies alone.
Cinderella Complex: “My beloved does not take enough care of me (physically), and that is why I feel unwell and fall ill” — often in a sexual context, but not only in it.
Venus in Scorpio Like an infant in anger biting its mother’s breast. Bitter tears for both.
Scorpio Venus can precisely indicate where the boundary lies between a human and an animal: it lies in the ability for kindness and a sense of humor, which is acquired on the emotional plane. At least it possesses these qualities itself (unless Venus and the chart as a whole are too damaged). This person sees God (or His catastrophic absence) as they rise from their animal-biological, or rather, ethereal depths to the (relative) heights of astral experiences — that is, emotions.
What kind of moments are these? Well, for example, immediately after waking from sleep, or an hour after eating, or after sudden ethereal stress (jumping aside from a dog that rushed at them barking loudly). After the fast or slow ethereal meditation is completed and its fruits travel through Scorpio into the astral body, Venus fills them with distinctly perceptible emotional grace; the person does not just think but literally feels: “How good!” And it is not about good digestion or saved trousers, but about the direct perception of Divine love, which magically transforms the astral soil…
Can a person with Venus in Scorpio be evil? Unfortunately, yes, and vengeful too, because the presence of Venus in the zodiacal channel does not mean constant and total Divine light within it, but only promises its source — often quite capricious. And Scorpio Venus, sensing that love should exist but for some reason does not, looks for the culprit — and usually finds one easily.
“How dare you, you dog, not love me and reject my love?! What more do you want, you wretch?!”
Here is the Cinderella Complex: “The world does not love and pamper me (ethereally) enough, and that is why I am indifferent to everything (I hate everyone)” — the syndrome of Princess Nesmiana.
