Uncharted — Venus at its Greatest

Venus reaches its greatest eastern elongation tomorrow while in a Taurus conjunction with the centaur planet Asbolus. That means Venus will be as high in the western sky as it’s going to get. It is a milestone that any single zodiac chart will not reveal, yet it will have astrological significance. It’s an occurrence that will initiate a course of events you will be able to witness in the body over the coming month or so, weather permitting, giving your eyes an advantage over any astrological table. For you, the greatest eastward elongation of Venus will implicitly initiate a period of about a month when you will find it attractive to see the wider scope of things behind abstract data.

Astrology by Len Wallick

The greatest eastern elongation doesn’t mean Venus begins retrograde motion this week; that will not happen until May 15. It does not even mean a retrograde cycle is beginning. Venus enters its first echo phase on April 11 at the degree where it will eventually resume direct motion in late June. It does mean the apparent motion of Venus will begin slowing down.

Venus slowing down means the Sun, and the western horizon, will be catching up. Every evening after tomorrow, the brightest planet will be lower in the sky, closer to the Sun. The part about being closer to the Sun is something you will be able to follow on an ephemeris. An ephemeris is a table that shows the sign and degree position of objects, such as Venus and the Sun, from one day to the next, distilling the information of many sequential zodiac charts. Even the greater temporal reach of an ephemeris, however, cannot tell you what your eyes, ideally with the aid of binoculars, will plainly reveal as the Sun gets closer to Venus. It will be a beautiful paradox.

Venus, very much like the Moon, goes through phases from our perspective here on Earth. As the Sun closes the distance on Venus in coming weeks, the apparent disk will go from looking like a quarter Moon (or half illuminated) as it does now, to a crescent. Paradoxically, and unlike anything the Moon does, Venus will actually get more brilliant as the crescent forms. That’s because Venus’ apparent size will grow by over 50 percent during the next month or so as it reaches its greatest brilliance.

Even though an ephemeris can tell you part of the story (Sun catching up to Venus), only living eyes can see and only a living mind can appreciate how Venus will follow last week’s beautiful conjunction to Jupiter with something even more astonishing and breathtaking. There is a clue, however, in how it begins tomorrow, and that clue has a lesson. The lesson is that astrology data, charts, tables and books are dry, lifeless and incomplete until put to work in your life. The clue is that the centaur Asbolus represents, among other things, the basis of life on Earth.

The name Asbolus means “carbon dust” in Greek. Both the centaur of mythology and the centaur object that orbits out past Saturn and Uranus were bequeathed with that name because of their dark, sooty appearance. As is so often the case with objects discovered by astronomers, the name of Asbolus finds serendipitous application in astrology. 

Carbon is the element at the core of life on Earth because it can attract so many connections with so many things all at the same time. Venus, the archetype of attraction, is just inside the cusp of the second house on Asbolus’ discovery chart. In other words, the archetype for the core of life, Asbolus, is identified by and essentially owns its greatest property, that of attraction, as represented by Venus.

That property yields both the complexity and specificity that living things need to connect with a complex world that requires specific responses in order to survive. Human beings, like yourself, can take it a step further and connect with the cosmos, pulling together the lifeless data and living observations to discern something greater than either alone. Venus at its greatest elevation and at the beginning of its greatest brilliance, while in conjunction with Asbolus, suggests the beginning of a new sequence of events that, connected together by living eyes and a living mind, will be greater than any of those events alone. That’s where you come in.

You are the one who has the opportunity to pull things together, both abstract data and what your own eyes observe, making something greater simply by emulating the element at the core of your physical being. It will begin with attraction, as it functions in your life, fusing with your ability to make connections. You will know what that feels like when you realize the need to see the actual thing represented by the data you are working with. For each person the data and the actual thing will be different, but that’s the sign you are looking for. 

When you encounter the sign you are looking for, the next step will be slowing down and allowing your consciousness, as represented by the Sun, to catch up. As your consciousness applies to your elemental potential, it will function to enlarge it and make it more brilliant even as it changes shape, bending to your will. You will know what that feels like when a beautiful paradox reveals itself. Again, that paradox will be different for each of you. It could be something looking better up close than it did from a distance. It could be a case of less somehow becoming more. By all means, pay attention to the data, but use your eyes too. When what you see functions to pull the data together with an understanding of the paradox, that will be what you are looking for — and that will be the prelude to something even bigger just over the horizon that is rising up towards Venus along with the Sun.

Over the horizon are rare events that will not be repeated in your lifetime. Emerging from and building on those events will be a future unlike any past. You have the opportunity to participate, starting tomorrow, by working with Venus as it reaches its greatest elevation and slows to realize its greatest brilliance. If you can find your way to connect with what you are made of and emulate it, if you can be open to attraction and work with it, consciously moving into the uncharted to see for yourself, you may find that it is not just Venus that is at its greatest. It could be you.

Offered In Service                  

Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.

18 thoughts on “Uncharted — Venus at its Greatest”

  1. mystes and Rob44: Thank you both for your kind words and know you both have a wind at your back as you ascend through a Mercury retrograde.

  2. Mystes, I have been thinking a music student to you, one who can pay a little room and board and be a good presence. The cello is a mournful sound, yet so soothing. Mazel tov to you also!

  3. Thanks Len, for the illuminating article… I am trying to hitch some things to the Venusian transition, as I am signing a lease in mid-MercRx ~ not the best idea under any circumstances. This whole move has been fraught in a million ways, and the last, (veryveryvery) last thing I need is to have a contract explode. So maybe goddess will be gracious. . .

    And Patty!! I am SO excited for you!!!!! I wish you *huge* success with this enterprise, which I know you have been gestating for quite some time. Mazel tov!

    Love to all…

    M

  4. Tomorrow morning I begin the first step of a journey that’s been gestating for years. Part return to former lands, part reunion with kindred spirits; mostly a step into the unknown. Thanks for distilling a collective passage into a moment of deep personal resonance…

  5. Of course, that is on the physical level for me (I hope). On a worldly level, I see anger and grievances that have gone too far, and gone on for too long and each of us is to blame for what has gone wrong and for allowing fear to drive our actions. Need to remember that we ARE the diamonds, strong enough to cut carbon, especially when we become child-like and innocent (beautiful). That is the lesson out of Florida, I think. Anger won’t resolve anything, just makes it worse.

  6. Hi Len, yes and thank you so much! It looks like a fun summer ahead if we learn to lighten up. We need to let angry protesting fall away and be more like children.

    The degree of venus tomorrow is awesome because I am activating credit card access, hanging up my antique store sign, and starting the website tomorrow. I just put some old jewelry in my display case. “A magnificent jewelry shop is revealed , containing every conceivable article of value of beauty.” Yippee!

  7. artshopluc: Wow, thank you so much for sharing your experience of being present in the eternal moment. i think you just proved String Theory.

    Patty: Thank you for your question. Venus will enter its echo phase when it reaches 7 degrees, 29 arc minutes, 16 arc seconds in direct motion on April 11. It will station retrograde on May 15 at 23 degrees, 59 arc minutes, 32 arc seconds. On June 27 it will return to the 7+ degree Gemini mark to station direct. Please, does that do it for you?

  8. Thank you Len. I’m one with everyone commenting here; my version being that I’m grateful to be on the receiving end of your poetic wisdom and on my end, ever looking forward to discovering missing puzzle pieces so one day I will wake to discover I’m no longer boxing myself inside a paper bag.

    Natal Asbolus exact conjunct Natal Ceres at 16 Cancer 12th house.

    Transiting Asbolus in my busy busy 9th house.

    (and it appears that transiting Asbolus-carbon-dust-all-life-on-our-planet is semi-sextile transiting Ceres in Aries – causing Ceres to feel like an appropriate addition to the Venus moment.)

    Love for the Learning,
    Thx, Len.

  9. This is such inspirational writing; it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Len. As a Libra rising, with Venus in my 10th, I can swear that she is already so pulling in/at me so. My paradox: I feel so utterly connected to everything, every single molecule even though I am just “here”. It has hit me from deep within with complete certainty (early February) that every single thing that ever occurred in my life has brought me to this exact point. And what a blessiing that is. This is the ride of a lifetime. I am sure of it. Starts tomorrow? My wings are spread and I am ready to swing out into the cosmic winds.

  10. be, Lyd, shebear: Thank you for finding my service useful.

    Hugging Scorpio: In answer to your question, a question for you. Have you ever seen the Moon low in the sky? Looks bigger, doesn’t it? It’s an illusion that science does not completely understand, but the same works for Venus. As Venus slows down and the becomes closer to the horizon (please see my 4th paragraph) it’s apparent diameter will increase by about 50 percent. That, in turn will increase the apparent area of illumination enough to overcome the crescent forming and result in a Venus that appears to be more brilliant. Please, does that work for you?

  11. “Venus at its Greatest….?” Reading here this afternoon I see Len at *his* greatest, inspired by Venus to write this gorgeous and inspirational piece. I’m laying low at home this afternoon trying to shake a cold and I needed this “goose bumpy piece” to keep me on track through these uncharted, therefore sometimes daunting, waters. I needed Len’s astro rudder, encouraging me to work “with Venus as it reaches its greatest elevation and slows to realize its greatest brilliance”, and providing the necessary internal footing so I can stand firm and confidently thank the heavens for being alive at this oh so precious moment in time.

    I’d like to offer this beautiful piece of music from Kate Bush that is currently haunting me these days, by way of accompaniment to the message of this piece.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewuWQWdZ2PQ

  12. Amazing Len, thanks! I’m not sure but I don’t think you quite finished your thoughts on why exactly Venus grows brighter as it moves into it’s crescent phase. Why is that, besides just a paradox? I’m not sure if there is a discovery for me to make or what, but something is definitely developing in my life. There is a little fear that I don’t know enough or am not prepared enough or that I’ll miss an important opportunity. All I know for a fact is that I’ve been given one piece of a puzzle to solve, feel, and work out one at a time. I simply can’t do anymore than allow life to flower in the nourishment I try to give it. I’ve been blessed with amazing help in many areas of my life – perhaps a result of the many years of service I gave in my attention to others, who knows. I don’t think of it as payback time, because even then, I grew and strengthened myself despite it’s difficulties. And even now, the work I’ve been processing has been deep, monumental, and psychological. My fever is gone, I feel stronger, and so I pick myself off the floor and continue with renewal and gratitude.

    I’ve been watching Venus, Jupiter, Moon, and Mars in the night sky these past weeks. It really is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen.

    HugS

  13. Len, this is a wonderfully informative article and I agree with ‘be’ that I, too, did not realize *Venus went through phases much like the Moon and *Carbon attracts connections to many things all at the same time. Thankyou.

    This is happening in my 4th house; actually I can feel it already. Rituals are lovely, and I honor the planet’s day with drawing their particular glyphs in cornmeal. Even though this is Monday, the Moon’s day, I absently (or apparently not) drew the glyph for Venus and decided not to change it. Then, read your article and realized that energy is coming through loud and clear.

    Many, many thanks Len

  14. Hey, I just realized that Venus and Asbolus are in Sedna’s territory now. She could provide nourishment and sustenance (the Inuits were not a plant-based culture) to this happening tomorrow evening, and that in itself is very attractive to many of us. It’s already working Len!
    be

  15. You are such a wise teacher Len; today the Aquarian gift of seeing into the future is present in your offering, along with the gift of sharing with your fellow mortals. I didn’t realize that. . . .

    *Venus went through phases much like the Moon
    *Carbon attracts connections to many things all at the same time

    I did however, know that astro data, charts, tables and books can be dry, lifeless and incomplete, however, I’ve come to depend on you and others like you with the gift to illuminate, to complete the data for me because I’m a city girl and going outside alone in the dark (especially after your city and state have both made it to the Final Four!) is daunting. Still, the prospect of such an inspiring, likely intuitive and revealing vision is so tempting I will just have to take the chance that I won’t get mugged.

    The Sun in the day, although not always visible, does provide a consciousness that pushes us on to grow our minds but it can also drain one of her energy to feel anything but exhaustion. It sounds like watching Venus decrease in size while growing brighter and brighter each evening could rejuvenate the feeling part of this tired old carbon body. If what you say is so, then I can look forward to something even greater than just book-learning all by itself. It’s all happening in my 2nd house too so it is definitely worth it. Thanks for the heads-up Len.
    be

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