The Aspects of Venus and Saturn

Venus is the planet of love, pleasure, beauty, social intercourse, the arts, financial abundance through
attraction and all that we value. She bolsters our self-worth and encourages in us a love of nature. She is one of the inner, personal planets.

Saturn is the planet of discipline, time (and karma), responsibility, authority, duty, fear and gain from hard
work. He builds his empire slowly over time, brick by brick and delays the gifts of the sign and house he is in until we have learned our intended lessons. He is one of the outer, transpersonal planets. The issues involved in Venus-Saturn aspects include denial of love, serious relationships, loveless relationships, love & affection unshown, affection with strings attached, etc. Also issues with physical appearances, fragile selfworth as well as money - usually the lack of it. Love connected with time and sometimes money, may also be issues.

This is the most intense and least objective configuration of the Venus - Saturn aspect cycle. The conjunction of these two planets would give the pairing prominence in the chart. I would expect someone with this configuration to be very, very serious about their relationships in general, and especially about a committed partnership/marriage. I think they would take a until death do us part pledge to heart and would tend to want to stay in the relationship no matter what. Their behavior within the relationship would probably be responsible (at least in their own view), and perhaps even duty bound. If this person had had the time, inclination and skill to work out the issues involved with this aspect (more about this below), and had a partner whos relationship needs were compatible, this could make for a very stable, mature lasting relationship. Unfortunately I think its more likely to actualize in a more difficult manner. Conjunctions create great subjectivity and internal focus, since this is the initiation of the aspect cycle. The native is learning anew about this planetary pairing. With a Venus/Saturn conjunction, they may appear cold, aloof and uncaring to their partner. This would be exacerbated by Saturns inability to express the Venus quality of love openly and easily. Venus conjunct Saturn shows their love by perhaps working long hours to make money to pay the bills and keeping the house in good repair rather than by passionate kisses and gooey poems. Or even a loving smile. This behavior is probably fear driven. They may become so internalized concerning their relationship efforts that the partner assumes they dont care. After all, they are never around and they never seem particularly happy when they are around, right? Venus conjunct Saturn is so self-absorbed in this area that when the divorce papers land on their desk (at work), they

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are stunned: What????? After all Ive done for him/her? And then the devastation would set in. It would prove what theyve known all along that no matter how hard they work at it, or what they do, they are not lovable. This may also play out in reverse. It may be the Venus conjunct Saturn person who is constantly trying to please a cold, austere mate. I wonder if the differentiating factor is whether the conjunction is applying or separating. Im not really sure, but think its possible. Going along with this line of thought, I would say that if the conjunct were applying, the native would be more likely to be the one trying to please the less affectionate partner. When separating, the native would go about with their relationship plans without bothering to notice how they were affecting their partner.

It seems to me that the waxing Semi-Sextile between Venus and Saturn should be a good fit. The aspect itself is related to Taurus, Earth and attracting physical resources and these are things that Saturn and Venus both understand and value well. They would feel at home paired in this way. The person with this aspect would probably have all the skills and resources necessary to attract all the trappings of a comfortable, secure life. In order to actually make it happen however, they would have to exert effort to put the gift of the aspect to work. Saturn here would help a sometimes lazy Venus make the needed adjustment. I think that this planetary pairing would have a much better batting average than many others at utilizing this aspect to the best advantage. Not all pairings would be as easily managed here. For many, the gift would remain latent and so the aspect would manifest as slightly frictional. Perhaps the natural affinity both planets have to the waxing semi-sextile would allow the native to deeply value and consciously appreciate the blessings in their lives concerning love, sincerity and having enough (or more than enough) to live comfortably. This attitude would further fuel the desire to exert the effort necessary to keep what they have.

The Venus Semi-Square Saturn person would not be so pleasant to be around, at least not until they had mastered the lesson of this planetary pairing. I can see Venus here being lazy and stubborn and Saturn, because of the Virgo undertone of the aspect being hypercritical, inflexible and over-analyzing. With the Scorpio energy thrown it, both planets could be scheming. This person would blame others for the trouble brought about by their own outward behavior. Within the functioning of this aspect, the native may mostly identify with Venus seeing themselves as a carefree social butterfly not understanding why others do not see them as the life of the party. They may be unaware of the part Saturn plays in this (or its effects), which is having the agenda of advancement. Because of the Scorpio connection, they would be adept at manipulation and may be quite ruthless about it. They may play up to important people while being less charming towards those that seemingly cannot be of benefit to them. Even

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those being played up to would likely see through it and not like it. Because the person cannot see the whole picture of their motives, they see no reason to change and are highly unlikely to do so. I think however, that if the person were to see what was going on, they would perhaps again have a better go than some planetary pairings to make the needed adjustments and resolve the problems. This would be due to the connects to earth and water signs, Venus and the 2nd house that the waxing semi-square has. Once they put their mind to it, this person would be supported by the aspect itself through the familiarity of energies.

I see the person with Venus Sextile Saturn happily going about the everyday activities it takes to create and maintain successful relationships. I see it as a highly motivated aspect. With all the Gemini influence, the relationship valuing sensibility of Venus and the work ethic of Saturn involved, I think this person would naturally have a sense of what adjustments were needed on an ongoing basis and make them willingly. This person would take their relationships seriously, but still delight in them. With this aspect, the native would not likely view his relationship responsibilities as a burden. I think he/she would find it all very stimulating, and be capable of accomplishing a great deal. They would not expect relationships to run perfectly all the time, and so would be well equipped for long term commitments and friendships. Venus sextile Saturn would not give their heart lightly, but would be a very steadfast partner or friend once they did. Mental adjustments would come easily thereby being able to make the most of the aspects gifts. This pairing may show Venus and Saturn together at their very best.

The Waxing Square is a most, probably the most difficult configuration for Venus and Saturn. With such a significant connection to Cancer and the Moon it is likely to operate in a largely unconscious manner. While both planets in this aspect resist integration, usually it is Saturn that rejects the values of Venus. Since Venus is largely about values, I think that Venus square to any of the slower planets and especially to Saturn would be even more stressful than with most of the other planets. I believe it would tend to feel even more intimately personal than a lower square already does. A Venus square Saturn person is likely to believe there is something wrong with them and therefore do not fit into their family or other relationships. Usually there is at least one parent who seems to be agreeing with and sending this message. This persons core vulnerabilities are exposed: Feeling unloved and unlovable, ultrasensitive about their looks, feeling they are to blame for the problems of the parents, and that they will never measure up. Feeling so exposed, they build walls around themselves that others cannot breach. With a Saturn/Venus square, this practice produces a protective shell that often appears cold and unfeeling to those around them. Once the walls are in place, it becomes almost impossible for anyone to get close enough to love them, and certainly the native will not allow themselves to feel or receive it. With the square contact between Venus & Saturn, the native cannot see how they are perpetuating their worst fears and continue to

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feel unloved, unattractive and of no value. They feel guilty about wanting and needing love and so never feel the right to actually have it. Usually this person will express through the inhibited square energy. The solution for this person would probably be to put great but patient energy & effort into working on their self-worth issues, allowing Venus to come forward. When both planets are allowed to express, the excruciating stress between them will ease. When a measure of progress is made in this area, perhaps the native could then channel the energy required by the square to help others in a counseling, beauty oriented, or womens shelter type profession. The trick is in seeing the solution while the square is operating in its most negative expression.

A Waxing Trine is as easy as its going to get for Venus and Saturn. While for other planet combinations the lower trine may manifest as an over-inflated ego and/or laziness, I dont see this happening so readily with Venus and Saturn. While the difficulties of the other aspects may not be present, still Venus and Saturn are not going to be a completely self-centered or care-free pairing. I think the person with this aspect would still be sensitive to self-worth issues. They may have resolved the issues for themselves but would be aware of those issues in others and would be kind. Venus paired with Saturn is not likely to be lazy even in this aspect. The native would probably be good at walking the talk of their high values, especially concerning relationships. Even here they would take their relationships seriously. This person is not likely to flit from relationship to relationship, preferring instead to search for and choose the right one for them. With this aspect, they are likely to find them. I see this person living in a lovely home with their committed partner, and they probably have 2 or 3 wellbehaved children. This is the person who always has time to make handmade place cards for her dinner parties, or takes time from his job to teach his kids about the constellations. Everyone wants to spend Christmas at their house! Because of the work ethic of Saturn and the appreciation that Venus has for it, this person is likely to naturally work at the productive creative efforts that are possible with this aspect. They are know what they have and are grateful for it.

Because of the Leo and 5th house connection, the ego would be pronounced. With Venus & Saturn here, it may outwardly manifest when the native feels his ego and/or self-worth has been bruised by others. The native may be looking for slights that they can react dramatically to. When they sense that others are not valuing them the way they wish to be valued, they may get quite nasty (as opposed to crying or throwing a fit). They may self-righteously accuse others of being mean to them while never bothering to check their own overblown mean and nasty attitude at the door. Since Venus and Saturn together are always tender to some degree, this is probably a self-defense mechanism.

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Cutting out the dramatics, maintaining self-control and thinking objectively about how to respond is the solution to this aspect.

With Venus and Saturn in a Waxing Inconjunct, the Saturn/Venus individual probably has inner conflicts concerning the issues of work & duty vs. pleasure and enjoyment. Probably Saturns sense of duty will win out most of the time. The pleasurable pursuits of Venus though desired, may seem frivolous and unnecessary in the face of responsibilities. This person may have difficulties and be frustrated with the people they work with. Co-workers may view the native as a wet blanket, not realizing that the stiff attitude is a cover-up for more tender vulnerabilities. If these issues are not dealt with, health problems of a somatic nature may manifest. What I am not clear about is whether the health issues are more likely to be connected with Venus & Saturn or with the signs and houses Venus and Saturn find themselves in. At any rate, the problems will continue until the native makes the necessary adjustments. In this case, that would mean clearing up their issues with duty & pleasure and place more effort on enjoyment and the arts. This may be avoided until fateful circumstances come into play that force the natives hand in the needed direction. Perhaps their field of work will be become obsolete and they will need to employ their artsy, more creative abilities to make a living.

The opposition is the most prone of all the aspects to externalizing stress through relationships as it attempts to promote greater awareness in ourselves. With Venus Opposite Saturn, the native is most likely to identify with Venus and project the qualities of Saturn onto someone else. The native sees him of herself as Venus, just wanting to be loved and liked, with someone, usually a parent, acting out the aspects of Saturn who rejects them, or is never around in the first place. Venus is then left feeling unwanted, unloved and uncertain of how functional relationships operate. They may give in and be overly accommodating at their own expense in hopes of being valued by others. They never feel good enough, pretty enough, or socially skilled enough to be loved and accepted. In some way, the Saturn person or persons continue to reinforce this belief in the mind of the Venus person. Love and relationships become a one-way street with the native (Venus) doing all the loving. So convinced of how unlovable they are, the native will undoubtedly reject any love or even compliments that come their way. They come to expect rejection from almost everyone and become ultra-sensitive to it, picking up the slightest hint of it in all their interactions and taking it to heart. As long as the native continues to see themselves as rejected by other instead of self, this cycle will go on. The solution is to actively own the traits of Saturn and express them from time to time. Ideally this person would be

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able to bring forth the Saturn or the Venus qualities alternately, depending on what is needed in each situation he or she finds themselves in. They must learn about the positive facets of Saturn (in addition to the negative they are already familiar with) and integrate them all. Also they must learn to love themselves unconditionally and stop looking to others to determine their worth. Those with applying oppositions may have a harder time dealing with owning the energies of both planets as it applies to their actual relationships with others due to a greater amount of self-interest. Those with separating oppositions may possess greater objectivity concerning the energies of both planets and have an easier time utilizing them in a give and take manner in relationships.

The Waning Inconjunct phase is the first prompting to use the benefits gained by a correctly handled aspect in a way that benefits society at large. Both planets involved must go through a deep transformational process to prepare them for their larger roles. The adjustment needed for this quincunx is more of a psychological nature. For Saturn this means becoming less fearful and stern and stepping into the role of authority through experience rather than Im the boss and therefore dont question me. Saturn is now being asked to soften his hard edges enough to be more approachable and less intimidating so he can effectively share his knowledge and keys to success with the masses. Venus must learn to value herself enough to rise to her function of Patroness of the Arts and Goddess of Love. She is being asked to finally cultivate her inner beauty to its highest expression. She will soon be called upon to foster love in a world that needs it badly. In more practical terms, the Venus in waning inconjunct to Saturn person will be called upon to probe deeply and finally heal their issues of self-value, attractiveness, time and duty enough to step up to a level of service to humanity. Overcoming their shyness and social caution* will be part of this. Self-mastery of these issues is required. Without the willingness to plumb the depths, these psychological problems remain in the subconscious and will continue to cause friction and malcontent. Moving forward in life will then be extremely difficult.

I think that the Waning Sesquiquadrate phase of Venus and Saturn is about trying to control the behavior of others in such ways that protects their fears and vulnerabilities concerning relationships and whether or not they are valued in them. They may attempt to covertly manipulate situations to prove the others wrong and thereby bolstering their own (shaky) position. For some reason that is not clear to me, this seems ok to them and may even see it as for the others own good while stubbornly holding onto their own ways of behaving.

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The solution is to accept others and their behavior as they are, which for the Venus/Saturn native means dealing with their own feelings of inadequacy and their tendency to be judgmental so that the behavior of others is far less likely to sting or urge them toward make over strategies.

As in the waxing trine, Venus and Saturn in a Waning Trine also know what they have and are grateful for it. This time though, the urge is to give back on a bigger, more societal scale rather than just hosting the neighborhoods best barbeques. The person with this aspect would derive a great deal of pleasure from encouraging theological or other expansive study in others. With Venus paired with Saturn, perhaps this person would after their own study feel the urge to create a Goddess based religion where women could explore feminine mysteries. Or become a leader in the area of conscious relationships. Someone who does not aspire to such lofty goals would still enjoy helping others around them in ways that would expand them as human beings. Their gift of foresight might be used to help others find the most suitable spiritual paths for themselves.

The Waning Square between Saturn and Venus operates much more consciously than the waxing square. With this configuration the native feels overly pressured by social responsibility. Saturn is particularly sensitive in this aspect because of the heavy 10th house/Capricorn association. Because of this, feelings of guilt and inadequacy may be even bigger factors here than with other planets. The person with Saturn and Venus in a waning square feels they must work, work, work to fulfill the needs of others. Perhaps this person was thrown into a situation of responsibilities beyond their years such as an older sibling caring for younger brothers and sisters after the death of the parents or while the parents worked. There was and still is, little time for them to pursue their own pleasures and ambitions. Money earned goes towards the care of others rather than the fun frivolous things they dream about for themselves. They do not feel up to the task. The responsibilities are experienced as a heavy burden will they ever get out from under them? On the other hand, if they do not keep at it, what will happen to the others? There is no way out. More so than with other planets in this aspect, I think Saturn/Venus also has the capacity to do a 180 and become a tyrant, ruthlessly discarding the values of Venus and the needs to others to pursue their own ambitions at all costs, again because of the 10th house/Capricorn influence. This would be an example of the over-drive way of dealing with the square energy. In this scenario, impregnable boundaries would again come into play as with the waxing square. This time though, they would be used to insulate the native from those who might want anything from him/her. I am reminded of the Wall Street fat cats who ruthlessly bankrupted millions of Americans, took the money and ran, and are still asking for more. The Aspects of Venus & Saturn by Kimberly Sabrosky Page 7

The solution is again to allow both Venus and Saturn to express. Allot time, money and self-worth enough to be responsible within reasonable means, follow ones own ambitions and enjoy a few of lifes pleasures along the way.

The person with a Waning Sextile will have a deeper thinking process than with the waxing, and be concerned with achieving goals of a more altruistic nature. I think Venus and Saturn would also do well in this configuration. While still very into their personal, more intimate relationships I think this person would also enjoy belonging to clubs & groups and having a wider circle of friends. Maybe Venus sextile Saturn would in this scenario be the club treasurer or function in the group in an organizing capacity. Maybe the groups purpose is to study exciting new ways (Aquarius) to make money and influence people (Saturn & Venus)! In the highest manifestation, this person would build structures that would benefit mankind in long lasting, yet Venusian ways. A museum perhaps or a school program for ghetto children teaching both social and business skills to help them break the cycle of poverty. This aspect configuration makes me think of John D. Rockefeller Jr. the philanthropist who donated most of the land that is now our National Park system an enduring structure for the preservation of nature for all to enjoy for generations to come.

The Waning Semi-Square aspect usually shows as the native trying to exert some control onto their environment by imposing their utopian ideals onto to others. This is seldom appreciated by those scheduled to experience the changes. As ruler of Libra, Venus may feel akin to the Air and Gemini qualities of this aspect and generate impractical ideas they would like to see everyone adopt: If everyone agreed to only wear sunglasses with rhinestones, the world would be a more beautiful place! Saturn, who can already be very strict and no fun, when influenced by the Uranian undertone of this aspect might come across like an unpleasant (and slightly dangerous?) bad boy trying to push those notions about sunglasses onto everyone in an over-bearing, Leonine way. When the ideas of this native are refused, hasty judgments about the non-believers are likely to follow, none of which take into account their own behavior. When the day comes that the native realizes how he has been coming off to others, I dont think the adjustment process will be as aspect-supported as with the waxing semi-square. Saturn especially is not overly comfortable with the fixed energies of Leo and Aquarius which will make the process a little more awkward. The airy Venus affinity to Gemini though, will help.

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The Waning Semi-Sextile is the completing aspect in the cycle. After all the experiences gained with the other aspects (and past lives?), we now have the ability and opportunity to gather and turn those experiences into something we can share with the world. Rather than the material possibilities connected to the waxing semisextile, the waning gift to the world is of a more subtle, mystical and evolutionary nature. Venus and Saturn would be reasonably comfortable in a waning semi-sextile, although not quite as much as with the waxing semi-sextile. Deeper internal work would be required to actualize the aspects greatest gifts. Unfinished business related to both planets would have to be taken care of. All issues of self-worth, values, reputation, control, fears, etc., would have to be confronted and dealt with. This would be especially difficult for Saturn who would rather go to work building another empire, but it is not out of his scope by any means. Saturn has the capacity for tremendous spiritual work and understanding. Who better than Saturn to understand the human frailties of debilitating fear and rejection? And this aspect could perhaps bring out the very best and most profound gifts of Venus in her role as Patroness of the Arts. In this case, it would be the art of healing all humanity. I think the pairing of Venus and Saturn here could be highly spiritualized, more readily so than many other planetary pairings. It may even bring out the very best of both planets in terms of their own evolution freeing them both from the confines of their typical, more material outlooks. If a person with this aspect were a seeker of greater consciousness and evolution, then the best of the waning semi-sextile could manifest. They could become a great benefactor to humanity. I can see Saturn and Venus in this configuration as gracious, loving, patient and kind leaders, freely giving to others what they have learned and benefitted from. They would have the unique view of the spiritual while coming from practical, ordinary reality which would assist them in offering their gifts to others in a way that would be accessible to the masses still on the path and struggling. In a person not so interested in increased consciousness, this aspect would feel frictional due to its continual but mild prompting to get busy and work on themselves. On a practical day to day level, I think this native would feel similarly to the waxing native with this aspect except that the desire to exert the needed effort would be less. It would become easier and more self-sustaining when this person turned their attention to more spiritual, mystical pursuits. They may however, find more open displays of love and affection easier. *My thanks to Carole Ray for articulating to me the tendency towards shyness and social caution in connection with this aspect of Venus & Saturn.

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