VENUS CONJUNCT PLUTO IN CAPRICORN : GODDESS OF THE SHADOWS

When : 12/11/21 - Venus Conjunct Pluto in Capricorn is @ 9:18am Mountain Time. 25°19’.  

“When we allow our greatest fears to arise and simply be, they crumble and disintegrate into unreserved self-love. This is an alchemical process where we become love, radiating and including everything into our being.  This is the end of seeking.”  - Kavitha M Chinnaiyan, Shakti Rising 

Venus, the planet of connection, cohesion, appreciation and love.  Yum, yummy, yum, yum.  Venus is the glue that holds our relationships together, she inspires us to create and enjoy beauty wherever possible.  Venus is sweetness, wetness, pleasure… you get the idea.  She is also our values, what we value and even how we go about valuing what we do.  

Venus’ beauty and intriguing retrograde patterns have inspired humans world wide for thousands of years.

What is Venus up to?

Venus’ Conjunction to Pluto on 12/11/21 (9:17am MST) is important because just one degree and a few days later she will be Stationing Retrograde (12/19/21, 3:35am MST).  And then on Christmas Day (12/25/21, 4:37am MST) Venus and Pluto will Conjunct again.  It is important to point out that when a Planet Stations either Retrograde or Direct, they are moving slow and then stop in the sky - from our perspective on Earth.  The energetic result is that the qualities of that planet are intensified and if you’re paying attention you can feel the gears grinding as the planet changes directions.  

I’m bringing this up because as Venus is Stationing Retrograde she will be conjoined with Pluto - which will intensify the “vibe” that she’s giving off.  Further more, the entire 40-day Venus Retrograde Cycle will be influenced by the intense dynamics of this Station.  On 1/29/22 Venus will Station Direct (11° Capricorn) and the final Conjunction of Venus and Pluto will take place on 3/3/22, where Mars will also join in on the fun!  What this means, is that Venus will form an exact Conjunction with Pluto THREE times (normally Venus Conjuncts Pluto only once), twice at the beginning of the cycle and once at the end.  This is a lot of Venus-Pluto, to say the least.      

Venus Retrograde 

Venus Retrograde happens once every year-and-a-half (so not very often), the last Venus Retrograde took place 5/13/20 - 6/25/20 in Gemini.  Think back to what was going on in your life around that time?  In the United States, riots broke out in response to the death of George Floyd and took over the streets, in the midst of a pandemic.  And others were protesting mask requirements.  Peoples values (Venus) were being re-assessed and re-addressed (Retrograde) and the ideas what were being grappled with were given a very loud voice (Gemini).    

While Mercury Retrograde encourages us to move more slowly in order to be more present with the thoughts and the ideas that surround us, Venus has a more personal agenda.  On a basic level, Venus Retrograde may provide us an internal space to work through relationship challenges.  Also, financial matters may come up at this time and ask to be re-evaluated : what are you spending your money on?  Do these things being value to your life?  What does bring value to your life? Or your creative world may be needing some deep re-vamping.

Essentially, when Venus is retrograde, her influence is symbolically being brought into the “Underworld”.  By early January, Venus will disappear from her Evening Star position (where she has been since April 2021), you may have noticed her beauty in the night sky not long after sunset.  She will conjunct with the Sun and by mid-January she will re-emerge as the Morning Star (where she will be seen in the dark morning hours, before the Sun rises).  This time when she is invisible to our earthly eyes is when she is thought to be in the Underworld. The myth of Inanna is a beautiful illustration of the symbolic journey that human’s have used to explain Venus’ journey into the unseen realms.  

What this indicates for us personally is that we could be pulled more inward and towards the “unseen” parts of our relationships and value-systems.  Whatever we have been ignoring in these areas of our lives, we could be encouraged to really deal with.  Take relationships, financial matters, creative endeavors, etc. slowly and experience them with curiosity.  What is in the shadows of these areas of your life?  This is a time to learn from the shadows.   

Pluto’s Influence

So, what does Pluto have to do with it?  If you will recall, Pluto represents ultimate transformation.  Pluto isn’t afraid to make anyone uncomfortable and works from the baseline of ultimate truth.  If you are working in Pluto territory without absolute transparency and vulnerability be prepared to be put in your place.  Our comfort is not of Pluto’s concern, our transformation into our greatest potential is Pluto’s priority.   

You may notice that the Retrograde cycle (when Venus is invisible) is similar symbolically to Pluto.  Whenever symbols are prominently repeated in an Astrological Chart it suggests that these elements are important and may dominate the “life” of that chart.  This is what is happening here, with the (three) Venus-Pluto Conjunctions, Venus Stationing Retrograde at the first Conjunction, and Venus’ journey through her Retrograde Cycle (the Underworld).  

There is no question that we are entering a time of intense transformation and rebirth in regards to the following : how do we structure our relationships? what brings us pleasure and is it sustainable? how can our creative endeavors bring us more empowerment? are we harboring repressed feelings in how we relate to others and ourselves?

Bringing it Together

Venus entered it’s Retrograde Shadow in mid-November, since then Venus has slowly been working her way toward the first Pluto Conjunction and then into Venus’ Retrograde.  You may already know what themes will be brought up for you at this time.  You may be aware of some much-needed inner work that is knocking at your door.  

As with most transits, the more self-awareness you aim to achieve, the more productive the transit can be.  Take a peaceful, reflective walk in nature, do a calm yoga flow, meditate and/or journal to get in touch with where you are at.  Check-in, and then go deeper.  

Be especially aware of what is happening in your relationships on a more subtle level.  Take note of your financial realm, can you make some adjustments to create a better relationship with money?  And be sure to take some time to create during this Retrograde Cycle (however creativity manifests for you), some unexpected but much needed material may be unearthed. The Goddess of the Shadows will be working with for a little while. Settle in and enjoy.  

Take good care of yourselves, you Beautiful Cosmic Beings.  The love-and-light in me sees and acknowledges the love-and-light in you and in that place we are one.  (Namaste)