What is relationship?
When are we not in relationship to something?
Our partner, family members, pets, community, our living earth, the cosmos, and our own selves – the way we experience the world teaches us about who we at the deepest levels.
When reading charts, we look at the planet Venus, the 7th house and its ruler, and aspects etc, to understand the nature and quality of relationships in a person’s life. At the most basic level, the 7th is the house of relationship & others – representing everyone that is opposite to the self, which is represented by the 1st house.
The 7th is the reflection of the 1st. Our relationships with the external world and others symbolically reflect and serve as a barometer to our relationship with ourselves.
Some people believe they are to find and meet their soul mate, twin flame, partner in crime. Others find constant problems in relationship, in one way or another, due to various unresolved karmic factors. Not everyone is meant to be involved in personal relationship. Their ‘fortunes’ lie elsewhere. It is difficult for the western mind to come to terms with this, since culture, media and movies sell the ideas of romance and love in a superficial sense, making those who may be in fact, better off on their own, feel as though there is something inherently lacking with their lives.
Relationships are complex, or simple, if we learn to simplify ourselves. Analysing the strength of the 7th house, and its ruler as well as the planet Venus helps us to understand the psychological and energetic strengths and weaknesses that can catalyse dysfunction.
Conflict is always a part of life, but with detachment and self-awareness, there is more internal space, as the knee-jerk reactions subside and clear out of our psyches. Naturally inner peace radiates out toward all our relations.
“If there is no enemy within, there is no enemy without”
In the deepest sense, one can walk through life and see every interaction as a teaching – every feeling and emotion that is conjured through an interaction with another is an indication of what is happening within oneself – As the great Ramana Maharishi says when one of his disciples asks how we should treat others, he replies:
“There are no others”
And this is a powerful notion – when we can take a step back when riled, when we can breathe through the triggers, when we can pause before reaction, when we can see past our own needs and look at the greater play occurring, then the need to be right, the fear of being wrong, the blame, finger pointing and chaos can lessen and diminish. Relationships give one of the greatest and most potent opportunities for growth. Changes certainly don’t happen overnight, they occur gradually, with time, patience, tears, compassion, forgiveness, solitude, meditation, contemplation, therapy, friends and, practice, practice practice. – This is the idea, with our lifetimes to put into practice.
Everyone seems to be looking for the right person, but no – one wants to be the right person.
So, what does Venus mean?
Shukra is the sanskrit name for Venus. This word translates as “white, clear, bright and lucid” Shukra governs the water element in our body, (along with moon) – the ‘essences’ of the body (sperm and ovum) as well as the liquid and mucous membranes. Venus is related to the Kapha dosha of Ayurveda. A well placed Venus shows itself in well nourished hair, bright eyes, soft skin and a calm, nurturing and compassionate nature.
Venus also represents how we love, what we value, our style & tastes. It relates to our relationship to the feminine, to the receptive aspect of ourselves. Venus connects us to pleasures, luxuries, comforts, artistic abilities & procreative capacity.
A weak or challenged Venus is in fact, good for spiritual pursuits, since it can deny materialistic pleasure and comforts, therefore waking us up from the illusions of the material world. For a soul who’s desire is to rise upward on the spiritual path, relationships are one of the bindings that eventually fall away at some point of an individual’s evolution.
Many great artists, scientists and spiritual leaders have transformed and expanded their capacity for devotion toward creativity, humanity & the benefit of all beings, rather than the inherently limiting forms of personal love marriage/relationship and the family unit. This is the path of Bhakti Yoga.
But I don’t want to be a monk on a mountain…
That’s ok, neither do I.
So how to reconcile these conflicts?
Libra is the sign of compromise. Most people with planets in libra, or who have a strong Venus can be masters of compromise, learning the delicate art of putting one’s needs aside for the greater purpose of the relationship. Easier said than done. Welcome to the world of soap operas.
Venus retrograde is currently occurring in her own sign of Libra. The retrograde began on the 6/10 and lasts till the 17/11 (Southern hemisphere). A debilitated Sun will be joining her, creating combustion and potential transformations, fights and stress, especially between 26/10 and 28/10. Fragile egos may be thrown around. Relationship themes have been highlighted quite strongly over the last year as Jupiter, the great teacher of wisdom and truth has also been transiting through Libra. Jupiter has recently just moved into Scorpio. (more on Jupiter in Scorpio in the next blog )
As Venus moves through Libra themes around love, relationships, marriage and romance are highlighted. Libra is also the sign of business and contractual arrangements, so there will be some things to think about before making changes to an existing business, or starting a new one. Creativity may feel blocked or stifled, a good time to perfect and tidy up loose ends. Relationships that have been rocky may end, or existing ones can deepen as issues are brought to the surface and have an opportunity to be transformed.
Venus retrograde can help us get in touch with what we truly desire from our partnerships and relationships. What do we truly value? How do we want to love and be loved? This current backspin can bring up issues from the last time Venus was retro, around 18 months ago (mar/april ’17)
A good time for reflections on how to create more harmony and beauty in our lives through right relationship to self – and others
Enjoy the motions!
With Love,
Darinka
Presently I take time to make these blog posts as I like to sit and feel and experience the energies rather than just write the information down from a book. Life is always happening, karma is always playing out – when you see the subtlety of energies working with or against each other, when you experience these forces inside yourself – that is the real learning. Sources of knowledge and wisdom serve to clarify and understand the personal experience.
If you like what you read and would like to know more about your own chart and how the planetary energies are affecting you personally, I offer consultations in person or over skype. I have been studying Jyotish for a number of years and have gained so much from applying the insights and knowledge to my life.
Life is an adventure, an exploration of the universe, self and others. X
Darinka Maja 