Mercury–Venus Square

(Transit. Mercury → Natal Venus)

Avesalom Podvodny. Aspects

Mercury square: If a thought has occurred to you but fails to find expression in words, it means it was poorly invited. The Mercury square creates significant difficulties for a person in integrating the Planet’s principle with rational thinking and speech. The interpretation depends on which of the two—Mercury or the Planet—is stronger in the aspect. If Mercury prevails, the person will regard their own (sometimes others’) thoughts and reasoning related to the Planet as extremely important and intelligent in situations connected with the Planet, although these thoughts often distort the planetary principle, since the person does not truly understand it rationally, even if some of their other ideas may indeed be valid. If, however, the Planet is stronger in the square, thinking as a whole will remain under its disharmonious influence—distorted, trivialized, narrowed, etc. The Planet will intrude rudely into the style of the sign where Mercury is located and partially suppress it. Generally, the Mercury square is characterized by a strong mental preoccupation with the Planet’s issues and spheres of influence, accompanied initially by a distorted intellect, which typically perceives and understands the essence of matters in a fragmented way—sometimes accurate and deep, but mostly unsatisfactory, which the person themselves finds extremely difficult to believe, even after a series of disappointments. The level of integration of this aspect is clearly reflected in the quality of speech when the person talks about planetary matters (provided they speak relatively calmly, i.e., from Mercury, not from Mars). At a low level of integration, the person is often inclined to study (lecture) others, asserting themselves at others’ expense, yet without truly understanding the subject they are discussing. Working through this aspect requires systematic effort to fill the gaps in mental perception of the planetary principle and to abandon direct mental pressure upon it, which leads to crude profanation (as well as a tendency toward intellectual speculation). Next, one must learn to overcome the unnatural mental dullness that arises when attempting to understand something new about the Planet (the subconscious resistance can be very strong, even leading to severe depression or an inability to read a text), and not give in to emotional outbursts that resist the development of deep understanding of the Planets. Venus square: Human relationships are rarely truly human. The Venus square creates difficulties for a person in the spheres ruled by the Planet, particularly in social interactions, where they frequently encounter rudeness, poor mutual understanding, and inappropriate behavior in society. In these areas, the person feels drawn to others; they desire love colored by the Planet’s principle (e.g., Jupiter—luxurious), understanding, and deep involvement in social life, yet at the same time they are capricious, intolerant, fail to understand much, and, most importantly, do not feel fulfilled in their interactions with people—destinies end in bitter disappointment. Generally, karmic programs symbolized by the square often begin quite auspiciously and even promisingly, resembling a trine; only when the person becomes sufficiently involved (emotionally, mentally, and existentially) do they begin to feel resistance, heaviness, and the necessity of hard work. Even the Sun–Mars square can begin its manifestation as a harsh blow of fate appearing as an attractive adventure. Regarding Venus squares, their typical initial joy and emotional engagement are characteristic; even the most unfortunate (later) love still begins with bright moments, which (not only for those possessing the Venus square) should be approached with caution and attention. At a low level, the Venus square produces disharmonious social egoism combined with a tendency toward victimhood. In other words, if the person has weak energy, society dislikes them and sacrifices them (in situations where the Planet is active) without anesthesia; if, however, the person possesses sufficient strength, they themselves distort the lives of those around them, attempting (crudely and clumsily) to use others for selfish purposes, causing others to feel worse while they themselves do not feel better (beyond a fleeting moment, followed by disappointment). This person will have very peculiar and sharp aesthetic preferences (sometimes crude) in the Planet’s spheres of influence, which are difficult to satisfy—resulting in capriciousness at a low level, but at a high level, conversely, an original creative signature in art. Generally, the Venus square brings great difficulties on the path to art (but also a strong inner need for it), including poor teachers or problematic relationships with them; if the person succeeds, they will grow mainly through inner effort and as an autodidact, always feeling internally uncertain: “Is this truly genuine art?” (just as the Mercury square brings persistent doubts: “Are my thoughts truly intelligent?”—even when widely recognized as such). This is undoubtedly unpleasant, yet it prevents the person from becoming complacent with their achievements—something generally characteristic of the square aspect.