Venus and Values

One key word associated with Venus is value. You give value to the sign, house and aspects to Venus. In traditional astrology Venus is a benefic and brings much pleasure, especially if she is well placed or aspected beautifully. If Venus struggles in the natal chart, you will may struggle to find value, pleasure or self-worth. Astrology confirms that you are born with a particular set of values inherent, and perhaps early childhood will have played a role in your value system. Whether you realize it or not, you put a higher price tag on certain attributes and personality traits in lovers. The closer something is to what you value the more you will experience love, pleasure, enjoyment, and happiness. You feel resourceful (Taurus) and balanced (Libra) when living by your values. Libra rules partnerships and we look to others to reflect our own values back to us. The symbol of Venus resembles a mirror.

My mother taught me that when you find a partner who loves you, it improves your "self worth", you feel loved, beautiful and valued. I believe the opposite can be true too. When you fall in love, you learn at the deepest level about your own values. One theory for falling in love is similarity (Libra). Similarity often forms the basis of our choices in love (Libra is an Air sign). The Taurean link to love determines stability, and the permanent worth and value you attach to your reasltionships. By choosing a partner you are viewing something inside yourself that you like, and maybe something that you need to develop or recognize.

Jennifer Jones: Venus in Aries 8th square Pluto

1940's actress Jennifer Jones had Venus in Aries conjunct Mars in the 8th house, Venus and Mars are square to her Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Cancer in the 11th house. Venus also trines Neptune. Jennifer's first relationship was with Robert he was also involved in acting school, so they had a shared passion for acting (Neptune) and this served to enhance the relationship, because they both shared a common dream.

Jennifer's acting talent was spotted by independent producer David Selznick. However, she did become his obsession and fascination, and this can be seen through her Venus-Pluto aspect, she can be magnetically attractive. And Jennifer also had an attraction (Venus) to powerful men (Pluto). Davide Selznick took control of the reins regarding Jen's career.  After one years she married her first love Robert, and she had two sons with him. However, as fame grew the marriage diminished and showed strain (perhaps conflicting feelings too) and they divorced.

Jennifer's relationship with David Selznick intensified over the years, and eventually they admiitted their feelings for one another and decided to marry. They both wanted to start a family, and tried for their first child, but she sadly miscarried. Fortunately, they had a successful second pregnancy and they had a baby daughter together. Unfortunatley, tragedy struck 14 years late when David died and Jennifer fell into deep depression. Jen's Daughter became emotionally and mentally unstable after her fathers death and committed suicide by jumping off a 22 storey building.

Years later Jennifer met multi-millionaire Simon Norten. He was an art collector, and this is portrayed by her natal Venus square to the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction. It symbolizs money and wealth (Jupiter-Pluto) coming through partnership (Venus). After THE whirlwind romance she married her millionaire, however, her husband's health deteriorated and he died. Jennifer was widowed for the second time. It has been reported she attempted suicide, but she denied these claims. For many years she went to see a personal analyst, and was working through her earlier traumas. When she re-surfaced and felt she could carry on with life, she donated a large sum of money to charity (Jupiter-Pluto) benefiting many people (11th). Jennifer set up a foundation for Mental Health and Education. Jennifer continued to focus on her charities and the community (11th), and was honoured in a rare appearance when she collected an award for lifetime achievement. Venus in the 8th house square to Pluto had it's fair share of fated and traumatic events, and ones that profoundly changed her values. Jennifer used her inherited wealth to benefit the community. A transformation of values and new ways to relate to others.

Mia Farrow: Venus in Aries 12th opposed Neptune

American actress Mia Farrow's   has Venus in Aries in the 12th house involved in a grand square with Moon, Neptune, and Saturn. Before Mia turned 20 she was involved in a relationship with Frank Sinatra, a man nearly 30 years her senior (Venus-Saturn). The relationship didn't last long and ended in divorce. Mia another man, and she fell in love. They married under the climate of military involvement in Asia (Venus in Aries). They adopted a war orphan together, symbolized by Venus in Aries in the 12th house opposed Neptune in 6th. They both adopted a second child who was  abandoned on the street. Her Venus-Moon-Saturn-Neptune configuration, rescued (Neptune) children in poverty who were born to less fortunate circumstances (Saturn). It is not a bad way to use a grand square. The couple had six children by the time the relationship ended.

However, Mia was not dismayed in love, and she had a relationship with Woody Allen. He haf difficult with relating to her children. They both adopted a child together and he slowly grew into parenting. In all, they had a 12 year relationship together. The relationship had an explosive end when Mia, according to the press reports found pornographic photo's of her adopted daughter in Allen's apartment. By 1997 she had 14 children, 10 were adopted. Sadly she has also lost two children to death. Astrologers regard grand squares as the most difficult configurations to handle. And I do believe Mia has lived a life full of excitement, but  filled with stress and trauma. Mia must have felt the strain over the years, of having many children and failed marriages. For Mia, Venus in the 12th house is difficult to access and is usually suppressed. She compensated for this by giving all her love  and value (Venus) to those in society (12th) who felt unloved (Venus-Saturn). Perhaps for Mia a feeling of self-worth and value was found in helping those in need, and her love was given through empathy, sacrifice, and suffering.

Venus Aphrodisiac

If you meet someone and they display qualities that you value it will be a powerful aphrodisiac for Venus and you will be attracted to them. For example, Venus in Sagittarius values freedom, travel, knowledge, optimism, growth and expansion. A traditional reading for Venus in Sagittarius or in the 9th house, says that you may have a relationship with somebody from another culture. Venus in Sagittarius or in the 9th house might find foreign accents sexy or they may love to travel with a partner and explore a different culture. Here two cultures can be brought together in harmony and values are expanded. Venus in Sagittarius may need to travel far and wide for love. Or they fall in love with a teacher, or somebody who is spiritual or religious.

Scientist Marie Curie: Venus in Scorpio square Jupiter in Aquarius 

Scientist Marie Curie had Venus in Scorpio square Jupiter in Aquarius, she met her husband abroad. And he had the same interest and knowledge in science (Jupiter in Aquarius). They worked together for 11 years,  until a tragic accident took his life. Marie has Sun (male) opposed to Pluto (death). They both had shared interests and had the same intellectual values. One striking story that I have come involves a foreign relationship. Bernard Boursicot born in France, has Venus conjunct Jupiter in Virgo in the 7th house of relationships,  and his great love affair was made into a play. Bernard had a love affair between him and his Chinese mistress Shi Peipu. They parented a child together and then the truth came out that Shi Peipu was not a woman!

Antonio Banderas: Venus in Virgo conjunct Pluto and trine Jupiter in Sagittarius

Antonio Banderas has Venus in Virgo conjunct Pluto in the 6th house trine Jupiter in Sagittarius in the 10th house. Antonia left his first wife behind at home while he ran off and fell in love with America. His wife didn't share his love of America, and preferred her own country. Antonia needed to expand his horizons and enter the acting world. However, turbulence and jealous feelings were evoked (Venus-Pluto) when he met Melanie Griffith through his work (Venus in 6th) and they both had a passionate love affair. They realized after talking to one another for hours that they had fallen in love. Melanie had recently split from her husband and she uprooted the children to be with Antonio. Meanwhile Ann (wife) travelled to America to confront her husband. Antonia's jealous and abandoned lover was fuming and escalated the situation back home to the press. Griffiths was called a whore and a home wrecker. The tangled webs some Venus-Pluto people weave. It has been reported Melanie possesses a jealous streak too, the same pattern. Not surprising considering her Anotonia tattoo advertising her realtionship.

Adventure in Love

Venus in Sagittarius or in the 9th house, and in aspect to Jupiter cannot stand to be constrained in love. If a relationship is possessive or limiting they can begin to get restless, and this is a causal factor in separation. Personal freedom is a must and they need to explore travel physically and mentally. Perhaps attending University, or college courses. The Venus 9th archetype needs to balance relationships with a sense of adventure, intellectual and philosophical. Shared humour is good, and an optimistic outlook. If you travel and have an adventure with your partner and "share" their enthusiasm for life it can only enrich the relationship.