Beyond the Projections: Venus opposing Neptune

Venus between Mars and Neptune; by Giovanni Battista Zelotti; oil on canvas, 1555.

Over the next several days, the planet Venus (the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure) will be opposing the planet Neptune (the planet of illusion, mysticism, and cultural idealism). The exact opposition will peak on Oct. 16, just a day before Mars and Jupiter conjoin in tropical Virgo. So, over the next few days, be mindful of your projections—what you’re projecting to others and what you’re projecting onto others. That is to say, what you are presenting yourself to be and how it is you perceive another person. In modern astrology, we say that Neptune is a “higher” vibration of Venus, which means that it is an expression of Venusian beauty and idealism within a higher octave. Neptune relates to experiences of a transcendent nature, often overwhelming to the individual. Thus, Neptune seeks to dissolve our ego-based attitudes and perceptions to allow one access to the “higher self”. As the final barrier of ego, Neptune is like the cell wall separating the self from the deeper reaches of the unconscious—the realm of the soul.

This opposition may allow you to step back and observe your projections for what they are. You can easily be fooled right now if you take anything at face value. That’s not to say that beauty is ultimately deceptive, but that beauty represents an ideal of perfection which we as human beings can only strive to become—to get closer to the “divine”. Under any combination of Neptune and Venus, idealism runs rampant. Romanticism and fantasy become incredibly influential. That’s not to say that we’re all being fooled right now—that love and pleasure represents a temptation, trick, or snare. This stage of the cycle requires full consciousness and full disclosure of intentions and feelings. If you are honest and upfront about what you want, you will represent yourself more truthfully and allow those projections to dissolve to ultimately reveal the higher expression of the opposition: true soul contact.

There’s something incredibly magical about staring into another person’s eyes and seeing them as they actually are. There’s also something incredibly frightening and vulnerable about it too. And the emergence of your fears will allow you to explore just where they’re truly coming from. This is a time to open your heart to someone—not just romantically or sexually, but equally to anyone you find closest to you. Neptune seeks to dissolve those facades that are not in alignment with whom you truly are or who someone else truly is. The fear points to the root of the issue—what you don’t want to face: that true soul contact, when it’s really authentic, melts away the barriers revealing the wounds in your heart you don’t wish to acknowledge. It is through the disillusionment, when we allow it to happen, that we eventually find the clarity we’re seeking.

So what are you really projecting onto another person? Always, how we perceive another person stems from our own constructions of reality. We project something within ourselves. If we don’t like it, we often blame the other person for having so many faults or that they couldn’t live up to the ideal we created for them. Rarely, do we ever see people as they truly are. If you don’t like me, it’s your problem. It stems from your own issues. And that’s fine. We don’t need to cut through all of our crap in one day, or even in one lifetime. But simply acknowledging that, that how you perceive another person comes from a distorted perspective of yourself, you can let go of projecting blame and ultimately heal and move on. Let’s be mindful of this truth over the next several days. Mars and Jupiter will conjoin the following day (Oct. 17). In the “lower” expression, our false projections can lead to petty arguments or outbursts that may be unnecessary had we represented ourselves more authentically.

The conjunction of Mars and Jupiter represents the beginning of a cycle of conscious and courageous expansion toward self-improvement. Ultimately, we are seeking to move assertively in the direction of experiences that will take us to a better place and help us move in alignment with our evolutionary potential. Getting hung up over petty details, or spinning your wheels over the ramifications of inauthentic self-expression will likely distract you from what you need to be focusing on right now. If you ride this wave consciously and fearlessly, you will be on a direct pathway toward more wholeness and toward the attainment of your ideals. What do you need to work on now? If you continue to move past the illusions, past the projections, and beyond the blame, pain and denial, eventually, you will come to see clearly what needs to happen next and just where your energy needs to go. And it requires work and conscious effort to see reality as it truly is. While that may be a never-ending process, every step, hypothetically speaking, brings you closer to wholeness and the truth within your soul.

For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, visit my readings/consultations page for readings options and pricing. 

The Sweetness of Union: New Moon in Libra 2015

A Venus and Jupiter conjunction in March 2011; taken in Jíloviště, Czech Republic; photo by PetrS, Wikimedia Commons.

New Moon @ 19 Libra 20'

October 12, 2015

8:06 PM Eastern

5:06 PM Pacific

Mercury recently turned stationary direct (Oct. 9) after its retrograde cycle through the sign of Libra. After three weeks of reshuffling, reorienting or stepping back, you may be feeling as if things are slowly going back to normal, whatever that is for you. And as Mercury gradually builds back its direct momentum, the Sun and Moon conjoin in Libra to initiate the new lunar cycle. Libra highlights your ability to relate and find commonality with others. There is a strong social streak to Libra, and you may notice that your desire to connect to create harmony and understanding is particularly pronounced.

The challenge that accompanies this lunation lies in the New Moon’s opposition to Uranus in Aries, as well as the building conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in Virgo. It may feel as if many things are hanging in the air—suspended in some sense of stasis. The polarity of Libra and Aries symbolizes that primal yin and yang, the dichotomy of chaos/initiation and order/integration. A New Moon brings in a new wave of potential, and a fresh perspective waiting to germinate within the psyche. On the one end, there is the stability of what works and what is known. On the other end is the potential for a fresh start and a new adventure.

Uranus seeks independence and always brings about that insatiable desire to stay true to yourself no matter what. At what point does “keeping the peace” suffocate individual self-expression and the freedom to be yourself? And conversely, when does too much focus on your own needs and direction eliminate any possibility of equanimity and understanding in your relationships? Balancing the two is never easy, and sometimes you need to swing more in one direction to balance out the other. This lunation won’t give you a clear answer. You will only know by turning inward and reflecting on what needs to happen.

But one thing is clear. At this point, your perspective has changed. You’ve had some time to sleep on some things (about three weeks to be exact). If it’s ever going to be clear, it’s going to be now. Use this lunar cycle to gather the courage and strength to begin stepping consciously toward the direction that will bring about more balance in your life as well the opportunity for further growth and change. Both ends of this New Moon must be heard and integrated; freedom and compromise must find their place. But ultimately, I believe, we are here to grow always toward new experience. What has outlived its purpose in your life may need to stay in the past. And the future, well, that’s up to you to create.

Mars is approaching a conjunction to Jupiter in Virgo and will be exact on Oct. 17. This conjunction appears to be one piece of a building archetypal drama currently unfolding in the sky. Venus will conjoin Jupiter on Oct. 25 and then Mars and Venus will conjoin on Nov. 2. Again, we can’t help but notice the correlation between these conjunctions and the current emphasis in Libra. Relationships are seemingly the main focus here. And relationships take on many shapes and forms, from intimate to platonic or professional. Mars and Jupiter in Virgo can highlight certain flaws in people you are closest to, flaws that may seem petty yet they have enough power to ignite a conversation about it.

In its lower expression, Mars and Jupiter can correlate to the ignition of petty arguments over laundry, dirty dishes, or a messy bed. In its higher expression, the ability to assert yourself and your observations in a clear, direct, and calm manner. Remember, that while Virgo always looks for room for improvement, absolute perfection is ultimately an unrealistic goal or expectation. From another perspective, Mars and Jupiter can stimulate the impetus to attain something you desperately desire. In Virgo, you are likely to feel compelled to enhance your competence or performance, or to reach for an experience that will benefit further evolutionary growth. This fleeting conjunction opens a window of opportunity, one that will need to be acted upon before you miss out. But remember that Mars and Jupiter may equally tempt you to take on too much, creating the potential of overwhelming or injuring yourself in the process. Be mindful of what you’re capable of and your limitations.

Venus will conjoin Jupiter following Mars (Oct. 25). This is the third conjunction of Venus and Jupiter this year. If you reflect back on the previous two conjunctions, but particularly the first (Jul. 1), you may notice that events occurring at that time are coming back into focus in some way, or that you are coming to a different place in your relationship to what had transpired. The first conjunction could have related to separation, moving away from something you wanted to gain clarity and a renewed perspective. To quote one of my favorite writers (Jason Horsley), “the sweetness of union can only draw flavor from the pain of separation.” This month’s final conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may relate to a final conclusion about a particular “object of desire”. Is the separation ultimately a good thing, or can you simply not live without it? You will likely to come to a sound conclusion, but framed within the context of improving your life and furthering personal growth (Virgo).

Venus and Jupiter will conjoin within orb of contact with Mars and will receive an opposition from Chiron in Pisces. This final conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may open up an opportunity to bring wholeness and healing to particular relationships. That may require taking direct action and assessing your attitude toward some people in your life. With their placement in Virgo, you are given a chance to heal any wounds or toxic emotional baggage that may have been accumulated. Jupiter and Venus coming into contact with Chiron can open up heart wounds that have been buried or forgotten. These wounds may reemerge to find integration within consciousness. And ultimately, this conjunction symbolizes that the time has come to face your feelings head on and to trust what the moment brings to your attention. If you can balance between taking the initiative and surrendering to the process at hand, you have the potential to come to a more balanced and conscious place in your relationships.

Finally, at the beginning of November, Mars and Venus will conjoin one last time until Oct. 2017 (after two previous conjunctions, Feb. 21 and Aug. 31 of this year). This rather “sexy” conjunction finds itself in the sign of the Virgin. Rather ironic? Because of that association, Virgo is often perceived to be overtly conservative, but that doesn’t mean that Virgo can’t be sexy or enjoy great sex. I mean, take a look at the late 1960’s and its association with the Uranus and Pluto conjunction in Virgo. Free love was everywhere. Of course, Pluto and Uranus were simply breaking the collective free of its prudish shackles, introducing an “earthy” and natural sense of sexuality that had been lost from modern, western consciousness. Venus and Mars conjoining in Virgo represent the ignition of the sexual instinct guided consciously, and toward the betterment of each person involved.

This final conjunction of Mars and Venus may be rather symbolic for you, tying together the events occurring during the last two, earlier this year and at the end of August. These two planets won’t conjoin at all in 2016, so it’s time we choose to integrate them. On a psychological level, these conjunctions in Virgo urge us, in some way, to improve ourselves and our relationships with those closest to us. The rest of this month may have you placing your attention on the need for independence and freedom as well as your need to maintain the relationships in your life that truly matter. This is a time to rise above petty issues and to take accountability to communicate yourself clearly and honestly. And the highest understanding of Libra is that our relationships are a direct reflection of fragments within our own psyches. Look carefully and soberly at your interactions over the coming weeks. You may notice that many issues may not only lie within that person, but may be projections of your own mind and your own issues. When you accept that, that only you are ultimately responsible for those projections, you can stop blaming and take back your power to truly live your life and follow your own path. It might take some work and conscious effort, but the results will certainly be worth it. 

If you're interested in a personal reading, please send me an e-mail directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, visit my readings/consultations page on my blog for reading options and pricing.