Big Sky Astrology Podcast Episode 211 – Venus in Scorpio: Deep Dive!
Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is December 4th, 2023. Welcome to Episode 211 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast. This week, Venus enters Scorpio and makes aspects to serious Saturn, and optimistic Jupiter. Neptune turns direct, Mercury helps Jupiter’s big dreams come true, and the Last Quarter Moon in Virgo encourages a practical but not punitive review of what we’ve been up to. And I attempt to answer a listener question about the upcoming transit of Uranus in Gemini.
Virgo Last Quarter Moon (Dec. 4, 2023, 9:49 pm PST)
The week begins with the Moon report and the Last Quarter Moon in Virgo on December 4th at 9:49 p.m. Pacific Time. It’s at 12º48’ Virgo and Sagittarius. The Last Quarter Moon is the time in the lunar cycle for review, for looking back and figuring out what has worked and what hasn’t necessarily worked, and whatever plans or schemes we initiated at the New Moon, and then to take some kind of action That will bring the project to an appropriate conclusion.
The square at the Quarter Moon, between the Sun and the Moon, in this case is showing the tension between Virgo’s rather cautious perfectionism, and the Sun in Sagittarius willingness to leap off a cliff in an impulsive way to joyously pursue big dreams. The Sun in Sagittarius is together with Mars. It is filled with enthusiasm and determination, and it will not be easy to deter the Sun in Sagittarius from whatever great leap it wants to make.
Virgo is ruled by Mercury in careful Capricorn, trine slow and steady Jupiter in Taurus, and is sextile Saturn. So the tension between the two is particularly strong because the Sun and Moon are supported and therefore entrenched in their symbolism. The Moon is on the Sabian symbol 13 Virgo, A strong hand supplanting political hysteria.
If we take the political part of it out, what we’re left with is a symbol that says, simply, keeping a steady hand on our strong and perhaps irrational impulses. Sometimes when we have something in Virgo, it means that we kind of, as I like to say, get wrapped around the axle. We go around and around in our minds in a very self-critical way about things that have not gone as we’d hoped, mistakes that we’ve made or things that we’ve neglected to do.
Remember that when two bodies are in a square aspect to each other – at the Last Quarter Moon, it’s the Sun and the Moon – each of them has to have their voice heard. We can’t just go with one side or the other. So we have to keep ourselves, I think, from letting ourselves get so self-critical or critical of others, as that Moon in Virgo is a little bit apt to do at the moment, and to give ourselves over to the Sagittarius optimism, that’s always looking ahead into the future and curious about the next big thing that’s going to happen.
But we also have to be careful not to let the Sagittarius side of us run us right off a cliff. We need to listen to that Virgo voice that says, take a look at the practical considerations of what we’re doing, and do a little bit of planning, so the two of them can be helpful with each other. The Moon in Virgo is able to formulate a practical plan for going after the things that the Sagittarius Sun really wants to do, along with that highly energized Mars, and also keep the Sagittarius side of things in check a little bit, so we don’t get in over our heads.
This is the Last Quarter Moon in the lunar phase that began with that Scorpio New Moon back on November 13th. So whatever it was that you started or initiated or what got underway around that New Moon, now we’re at the very last part of that cycle and able to look back at where we started and say, have I done everything that I could do to reach the goal that I embarked on then?
These monthly goals of the monthly New Moons are usually for starting a bigger project. They’re for looking ahead at the grand scheme of what we want to accomplish over the next few years, and make some modest beginning.
This is also the Last Quarter Moon in a Lunar Phase Family Cycle that began at the New Moon on September 6, 2021 at 14º38’Virgo. If you can think back or look back, if you keep a journal or some kind of diary, what was it that you were trying to initiate in the area of life described by the house that Virgo is in, in your birth chart, and therefore that New Moon. And Virgo is associated with work, and service, and usefulness, the impulse to help others.
So what was it that you wanted to do then and how are you coming along with it now? Nine months after that New Moon, there was a First Quarter Moon near the same degree of Virgo on June 7, 2022. That would have been a time to take action in this area of your life. Perhaps it was a volunteer opportunity or something you were doing in your job.
Or new skills that you are developing. At the Full Moon in this lunar phase family cycle, which came nine months later, on March 7th, 2023, you got a bigger picture of what it was that was really initiated back at that Virgo New Moon. Sometimes our intention at a New Moon doesn’t end up where we think it’s going to end up.
I think of it as being like a seed packet. And you go out at the New Moon, and you just indiscriminately throw some seeds and hope that something will take root and grow. But you don’t really know until the Full Moon what it is that you’ve planted. And you begin to see plants that look more or less like the ones on the front of the seed packet.
Now we’re at the Last Quarter in this cycle nine months later. And on December 4, we have this Last Quarter Moon in Virgo. And this gives us an opportunity, I think, to look back, to review. And to really think about what we started back at that New Moon. How are things developing in this area of our lives, in this area of our charts, where Virgo lives?
Are we being truly helpful? Are we organizing our work and our efforts in a way that will contribute to our success? But most of all, we have to avoid this punitive inner voice that Virgo can sometimes take on, that is highly critical. Because the more we criticize ourselves, the less we feel in a position to make improvements and to forgive ourselves for whatever hasn’t gone well and to move forward.
Void-of-Course Moon Periods
Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. On December 6th, the Moon in Virgo trines Pluto at 5:50 am Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for about three hours, and then enters Libra at 8:35 am. Hopefully, what this Moon in Virgo is showing us on the tail of the exact Last Quarter is that precision and carefully, well-thought-out plans will be rewarded.
When we have some planet in a trine to Pluto, it usually suggests that the good qualities of the planet making the aspect are being noticed and rewarded by those in positions of power or influence, which are symbolized by Pluto. The thing to focus on here is, not what’s gone wrong, but what has gone right. And the efforts that you’ve been putting forth, that now are about to pay off.
On December 8th, the Moon in Libra squares Pluto at 5:05 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for about two and a half hours and then enters Scorpio at 7:35 pm. Now, at a square, we have two planets in conflict. And the conflict between the Moon in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn is, will you compromise, or demand to have your own way?
Libra is very much inclined towards compromise and seeing the other person’s point of view. And this is in contrast with the Pluto in Capricorn, which is kind of my way or the highway. So, this is a Void-of-Course Moon period coming off this particular square when it’s good to think about: Have you fallen into habits of giving in to what others want too much? Or have you tended to be a little bit of the Pluto figure and demanding to have your own way and not being willing to look at the nuance of a situation? What we’re hoping for is an appropriate level of compromise and mediation, as well as our convictions about the things that are important to us and that we want to do.
Venus enters Scorpio (Dec. 4, 2023, 10:51 am PST)
Venus enters Scorpio on December 4th at 10:51 am Pacific Time. It will be in this sign through December 29th. Venus has been strong in her home sign of Libra since November 8th, but she hasn’t really had a ton of support from other planets. Although Scorpio is the sign of Venus’ detriment – meaning, she usually has to work a little harder in this Mars-ruled sign to do her best work – Venus will make supportive aspects while she is in this sign to Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto. And even the oppositions that she will make to Jupiter and Uranus are not so bad.
Venus moving through the signs of the Zodiac tells us, in a given time period, what is it that we will take pleasure in? What will make us feel good? When Venus is in Scorpio, we should immerse ourselves in the things that we’re very passionate about and review our close relationships. Because during this time, we’re more likely to see them as they are rather than as we would like them to be.
Venus in Scorpio is a wonderful transit for getting rid of possessions that we no longer need and taking care of practical financial matters, especially related to banking, mortgages, inheritance, loans, taking care of your end-of-life directives, if that’s appropriate at this stage of your life. These are never cheerful matters, but they are things that have to be looked at and taken care of, because it’s a way of showing care and love for those whom you will leave behind someday. And having all of that taken care of is very appropriate, I think, when Venus, the planet of money and of values, is in the sign of Scorpio, which is naturally associated with bequests and loans and inheritance and this kind of thing.
Then, on December 5th, at 2:51 pm Pacific Time, this Venus in Scorpio makes a wonderful trine aspect to Saturn at 01°22’ Scorpio and Pisces. When Venus comes together in a nice aspect with Saturn, we’ll often see relationships turn serious, not in a negative way, but in a way that says, hmm, maybe we are prepared at this point to commit to one another, and maybe this is a relationship that we want to go the distance.
Venus is also, when it’s connecting with Saturn, a good sign for your work, and even struggling a little bit in a sign like Scorpio, which is a little difficult for her, she can bring lovely things when she’s connecting with another planet. Saturn is a planet of work, and specifically, career. So not just the day-to-day tasks that you perform. But in a larger sense, how you see yourself making a contribution to the world. When Venus trines Saturn, there is often an opportunity that comes your way to love your work a little more. Perhaps you get transitioned into some kind of position that speaks more to the kind of work you really like to do. It can also be a moment when you see a little more compensation for the work that you do.
Neptune stations Direct (Dec. 6, 2023, 5:22 am PST)
Neptune turns direct on December 6th at 5:22am Pacific Time. It’s been retrograde since June 30th. I think of Neptune changing direction as being like the tide coming in or going out. When Neptune turns retrograde, the tide goes out. And we see all kinds of things lying on the beach, left behind by the waves that we never noticed before.
Then when the tide comes in, it brings us new things. It can, however, be a little bit overwhelming, and especially around the couple of days before and after Neptune stations or changes direction, we can see this sense of a lot coming at us. Plan, if you can, during this week to have extra rest, to be taking care of your need to retreat, and also to kind of go with the flow, to not keep to too tight of a schedule, and to try to relax and let things be what they are.
Mercury trines Jupiter on December 7th at 8:09 pm Pacific Time. And I like Mercury coming together with Jupiter, because it is a bit like that Virgo Last Quarter Moon, where Virgo is the one that is making plans and lists and organizing things in support of our bigger dreams and objectives.
And I think that’s what Mercury does when it connects in a good way with Jupiter. We’re able to do the planning and gather the information that we need to tackle some big project. Often when Mercury’s connecting with Jupiter, we’re in a more optimistic frame of mind. And this is especially noteworthy because Mercury, going through Capricorn, does tend to see things in a more sober and practical light, and be thinking in terms of what can go wrong. And as it comes together with Jupiter, there’s more of a sense of what can go right moving forward, and so more optimism, and a sense of seeing the big picture.
And on December 9th at 7:35 pm Pacific Time, Venus opposes Jupiter at 06º20’ Scorpio and Taurus. Venus is on the Sabian symbol 7 Scorpio, Deep-sea divers. Whenever I see this symbol, I think, hmm, we’re going deep. We’re going under the surface to see what’s really happening. And this is a bit of the story of Venus in Scorpio for this month.
But deep also means that we’re willing to really connect. At a deep emotional level, especially with another person, or with a subject that we’re passionate about and engaged in, really immersing ourselves in it. And Venus and Jupiter are in this opposition aspect. The opposition aspect is one in which the two planets are beholding one another, and they see each other fairly clearly, and they see what they have in common as well as what’s different about them.
This has important ramifications for relationships, of course, ruled by Venus, and also for financial matters, another of Venus’s interests. So, how are they opposite each other? Venus is what we like. Jupiter tends to amplify things. And that’s true of its opposition aspect as well, but the way it will often work is one minute we’re being Venus in Scorpio, and really, really connecting at a deep level with things. And the next minute, we’re being Jupiter, which is open to all opportunities, is more freedom-loving, perhaps, than Venus in Scorpio. One message I’m taking from this opposition is, it’s important not to let our deep attachments to others keep us from having adventures. In any kind of relationship, we walk this fine line. We have to have our freedom to do our own things, but at the same time, this deep commitment and sense of attachment to our partner.
Listener Question: Uranus in Gemini
In this week’s listener question, listener Rafael asks, Telly Savalas had his trademark catchphrase, “Who loves you, baby?” Matt LeBlanc has, “How you doin’?” And you have, “Should you be terrifiiiied?” Uranus will travel through Gemini, if I understand correctly, through 2025 to 2033. Astrologer and middle name enthusiast, Nick Dagan Best, has pointed out that America’s Revolutionary War, General Sherman’s arson trip to the South, and World War II have all corresponded with previous Uranian Gemini excursions. What are your perspectives on what we, especially Americans, can expect during this next go round? Should we be terrified?™ Or should we, along with our friends and relatives, calmly purchase and redecorate decommissioned Atlas missile silos, equipping them with ping pong tables, alpacas, and pretend blue sky ceilings?
Thank you, Raphael. As a person who has basically been living with my head in the sand for years to avoid high blood pressure caused by politics, I haven’t been looking a lot at the U.S. founding chart other than considering that Pluto return that we had last year. So I had actually not picked up on the fact that the chart for the founding of the United States will experience its fourth set of Uranus returns in 2027 and 2028. Meaning, the 84-year cycle of transiting Uranus returning to its position in the founding chart for the United States, which is at 08º55’ Gemini, and that furthermore, transiting Uranus will pass over the United States Mars in Gemini, which is a very volatile combination.
But let’s back up for a moment. Some listeners may not be aware that you can actually cast a chart for anything. That begins at a particular moment in time, be it a person, a country, a corporation. Everything has a chart, and the keen astrologer observes ongoing planetary cycles as they relate to that chart.
In order to anticipate what could be coming up. Now, Uranus, as I said, has an 84-year cycle. So, every 84 years, it occupies the same place in the sky that it did 84 years earlier. The spirit of Uranus, as an astrological symbol, is that it’s the rebel planet, the great shaker upper. It does tend to bring change, and sometimes it can be violent.
I mean, my fellow “middle name enthusiast,” Nick Dagan Best, whose astrology I admire, has done a really good job of laying out why we might be terrified as we review the country’s previous Uranus returns. Those were explosive and bloody times in the history of our nation, and what’s more, you really don’t have to look very far, no farther than the morning news, to see that the United States is sitting on a cultural fault line, that the tectonic plates of the nation have been shifting for a long time, and that we’re due for another good-sized earthquake, figuratively speaking. And I’m going to link in the show notes to a wonderful interview that Nick did with Chris Brennan on the Astrology Podcast on this topic.
But let me put on my Sagittarius rising hat here, trimmed with my natal Jupiter in Aquarius and offer a little bit of a hopeful perspective.
Uranus is also the great liberator. It must have been absolutely terrible to live at the time of the Revolutionary War, but without it, the United States probably would not have won its independence. The Civil War was awful, and I know it was waged for a lot of different reasons, but without it, slaves might not have been emancipated. And World War II was ghastly, but one image that comes to mind when I think about it was the release of prisoners from concentration camps.
Now, I don’t mean to be simplistic about all that. These were paradigm-shifting events, and I am no historian. But the question during Uranian times is, what needs to change in order for liberation to take place? If I thought about it for very long, I could probably get pretty terrified about all this Uranus in Gemini stuff.
Change is scary, even if it’s sometimes necessary. But in challenging times… I actually embrace a version of what you wrote, Raphael. “Should we, along with our friends and relatives, calmly purchase and redecorate decommissioned Atlas missile silos, equipping them with ping pong tables, alpacas, and pretend blue sky ceilings?”
Because ping pong tables and alpacas aside, what will get us through scary times is being part of a community. What if we got to know our neighbors instead of just getting mad about them using our trash cans or painting their house a weird color? Community begins with simply introducing ourselves, taking the new neighbors some cookies, exchange phone numbers.
I know that to many listening, that will sound completely naive and a little bananas. But when we moved into our house 26 years ago, our neighbors introduced themselves. And for the past quarter century, whenever we get new neighbors, that’s what we do. I know that people value their privacy, but whenever society goes through a big upheaval, we need to be prepared to take care of one another. And that is a lot easier to do if we have been laying the groundwork of building community.
We can prepare by moving into missile silos, or fallout shelters, or gated communities. But there’s a limit to how safe we can make ourselves physically. What is important and a lot more within our control is how we make ourselves safer emotionally by belonging to societies rather than hiding out from them.
Raphael, I hope that helps. Your email actually made me laugh out loud. You are delightfully witty. But as I thought about the question, it took me to a little more philosophical place. I hope that my answer was helpful in some way.
And if you, invisible friend, have a question you would like me to answer on a future episode, just leave a message of one minute or less at SpeakPipe.com/Big Sky Astrology Podcast or email me at April(at) BigSkyAstrology(dot)com and put “podcast question” in the subject line.
Donor Thanks
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That is it for this episode. Join me again bright and early next Monday, and until then, keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!
Writing and images © 2017-23 by April Elliott Kent
For more on this week’s planetary news, read my weekly column!
