Lecture on Venus

Venus is the most alluring of the planets. Seen as both a morning and evening star, no heavenly body, save the Sun and Moon, has captured the attention of humanity as this bright star has. Many gods and goddesses have been associated with it, from the goddesses Inanna and Ishtar, to the fallen angel Lucifer. Friday is the day in harmony with Venusian energies, named after the Norse goddess Freya, creating Freya’s day. But the planet itself is named after the goddess of love, known to the Greeks as Aphrodite.

Aphrodite is most popularly known as the patron of love and romance, but she is also the goddess of sensuality, pleasure, beauty and relaxation. In some of the myths, she was known for her anger, jealousy and infidelity as well. Although considered one of the twelve Olympians, the main gods of the Greeks, she is most likely a much older goddess, since her birth in the creation tales had to be fit into the myths of the classical Greeks. Her first stories don’t seem to fit. Although some say she is a daughter of Zeus, most myths give a different tale. When Chronos castrated his father, the sky god Uranus, his genitals fell into the ocean. The ocean foamed and frothed, until Venus burst forth from the waves, making her a primal ocean goddess, without real parents. When she reached the shore, flowers bloomed at her feet, following her wherever she went. So she carries the associations of an Earth goddess too. Later she became the champion of love and romance.

Venus captures our attention because it is the brightest of the stars. The planet reflects so much light because of the planets thick atmosphere. Venus has a continuous “green house” effect. Most solar energy gets reflected off this atmosphere, creating the dazzling light, and giving Venus its association with gems and jewels. The energy that does penetrate gets trapped inside, creating a blistering atmosphere that cannot support life as we know it. The energy of Venus, of personal love, is reflected in these characteristics. Our love and emotions can often be dazzling at first glance, but cloudy and obscured when looked at closely. Our memories concerning love are hazy, unlike the memories of Mercury, which lacks an atmosphere that can haze perception. Passion and romance are hot and steamy, and we can feel our blood boil when in a passionate love affair. Once we “get” love, we often don’t want to give it up. We seek to trap and bind it.

Venus is the only planet with a day, or rotation on its axis, longer than its year. Venus’ day is equivalent to 243 earth days while its year, or one complete orbit around the Sun, is only 225 earth days. This is why the goddess is associated with leisure and luxury, and in some people’s minds, laziness and inactivity. Venus takes time to enjoy every second. Venus is sensual. Venus goes its own way, rotating in the opposite direction of all the other planets. The goddess is, after all, free and independent. The Sun rises on her western horizon, always starting with a sense of completion, at least from the Earth person’s view point. Since the Sun sets on the earthly western horizon, we associate it with endings and completion. Many magical traditions also place the element of water at the west, for the endings, and the mysteries of the otherworlds, beyond the ocean. Water is the element of love and healing. The powers of Venus are the pleasures at the end of the day. Venus moves toward completion rather than fresh starts and initiation. Initiation is handled by Venus’ lover, Mars. The goddess of love’s emphasis on the west is the land of endings, sunsets and mysteries.

This planet currently rules two zodiac signs, though many debate her rulership. Taurus and Libra both share Venus. In Taurus, she is the goddess of the earth, physical pleasure, the body, and sensuality. Taurus is associated with resources and money, and Venus can be used in such magic. She attracts, and then holds onto her resources, like the heat of the planet. In Libra, she is the goddess of art, relationship, justice and balance. She is in an air sign, keen on communication between partners and intellectual appreciation of the finer things in life. Both signs have been associated with the color green, as well as pink, making those strong ritual colors to work with when invoking Venus the goddess, or Venus the planet. Copper, which turns green when tarnished, along with many green and blue stones that have copper compounds in them, such as turquoise, azurite and malachite, resonate with Venus. Emerald, however, is the stone most often associated with Venus.

Magic in the sphere of Venus is love and emotion magic. Do spells to find a lover, long term or short term. Do spells to find self love and healing. Venus rules the heart chakra and throat chakra, letting us speak our feelings with clarity and strength. Call on it to heal a broken heart as well. Use it to heal and strengthen relationships of all kinds, because to this goddess, all relationships, friends and family, are based on love.

The power of attraction is the power of Venus. Lodestone, the natural magnetic stone, is a mineral of Venus. Venus attracts things of value to you. If you value money, it will attract that in your magick. If you value the things that money can buy, sensual or intellectual pleasures, Venus will attract that. If you value romance, beauty, or anything at all, Venus can attract it.

Venus energy is great for quick money magic. Green is the color of Venus, the color of money and the color of most vegetation. It is the symbol on this planet for stored solar energy, stored potential. All barter and trade was based on the value of stored energy, be it in grain, animals, or the solar energy reflected in gold. That is why we associate money with green. Also, we cannot have prosperity in our life if we do not love ourselves and feel worthy of prosperity.

Venus energy helps us complete any project. It gives us the final push to complete long standing goals and things that have been shelved. Venus brings us to the reward at the end of the journey, where we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.

When you want to call upon the energies of Venus, do so when this energy is strong. Most people use the power of Venus to attract, so doing work on a waxing Moon, to attract things to you is helpful. But at times, we wish to banish with this energy, such as banishing the pain of a broken heart, so the waning Moon would be more appropriate. All Venusian magick is powerful on Fridays, the day of Venus, and the first hour after sunrise is the first hour of Venus. Also when the Moon or Sun is in the sign of Taurus or Libra is powerful Venus time.

We have a planetary Venus cycle and a personal Venus cycle. During this time, it is great to rest and relax, enjoy the finer things in life, play music, tell stories and make art. It’s a time for inner expression. For the planetary cycle, it is typically Dec 6 to Jan 26. I always thought that strange because I associate Venus with the goddess of flowers its zodiac signs with spring and fall, but the winter is a perfect time to rest and relax. Our personal Venus period starts 260 days after our birthday, and lasts approximately 52 days.

When designing Venus rituals, make them sensual and fun. Don’t try to be too serious. Laughter can be a great form of magic. Invoke all the senses. Use foods, drinks, scents, sounds and textures that are pleasing to you. That will invoke the Venus energy. You can also use the following correspondences in your rituals.

• MINERALS:Amber, Aventurine, Azurite, Calcite, Blue Calcite, Green Calcite, Pink Calcite, Cat’s Eye, Chrysocolla, Chysoprase, Emerald, Hexagonite, Jade, Green Jasper, Kunzite, Kyanite, Lapis Lazuli, Loadstone, Malachite, Peridot, Rose Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Serpentine, Blue Sodalite, Tourmaline, Turquoise, Variscite
• PLANTS: Adam and Eve Root, African Violet, Alder, Alfalfa, Almond, Angelica, Apple, Apricot, Ash, Avocado, Balm of Gilead, Banana, Bay, Bedstraw, Bean, Beets, Bergamot, Bleeding Heart, Blood Root, Boneset, Catnip, Celery, Cherry, Chickpea, Red Clover, Cocoa, Coltsfoot, Columbine, Cosmos, Crocus, Cuckoo-Flower, Cumin, Cypress, Daffodil, Daisies, Damiana, Dittany, Elder, Fern, Foxglove, Gardenia, Geranium, Goldenrod, Goldenseal, Gooseberry, Heart’s Ease, Heather, Hibiscus, Hollyhocks, Horehound, Hyacinth, Hydrangeas, Jade Tree, Jasmine, Jewelweed, Juniper, Kava-Kava, Ladies’ Mantle, Lemon, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Lentil, Lily of the Valley, Lime, Lovage, Lungwort, Marshmallow, Meadowsweet, Moneywort, Motherwort, Orchid, Oregano, Orris Root, Pansy, Parsley, Passion Flower, Passion Fruit, Pear, Pennyroyal, Peony, Peppermint, Periwinkle, Plum, Poppy, Primrose, Radish, Ragweed, Raspberry, Rice, Rose, Sarsaparilla, Self-Heal, Silverweed, Slippery Elm, Spearmint, Star Anise, Strawberry, Sweet pea, Sycamore, Tansy, Thyme, Tulips, Vanilla, Vervain, Vetivert, Violet, Walnut, Watermelon, Wheat, Woodruff, Yarrow

(Be sure to consult a reputable medical herbal before using any herbs topically or internally.)

Besides this list, the aforementioned copper, even copper pennies are great for ritual, as well as sugar and honey. Sweetness is the power of Venus. Experiment. Be daring. Create. Walk with Venus.