Venus-Retro-3-6-2009-Mythic-10

SHADOW ~ 18 The Moon	Release Survival Mode ...
	This card represents emotions, sensitivity, and a reminder that nothing in life is at a stand still, but that we’re in a world of constant flux, and one thing is certain – everything changes. This card is calling you to action; the time is now when you may have to face your worst fears and look into the dark shadows of your soul. You must learn to face what you have avoided and walk courageously through it. Always know that life naturally revitalizes itself and as it does, so do you. The Shadow Card promises that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Recognize that by not avoiding your past and letting the tears fall, you’ll discover the diamonds in the treasure chest of your soul. This is a cleansing process to wash away and clear out what was once avoided, ignored, or pushed aside. This card indicates that this is a time when your psychic sensitivity may be quite high. Learn to open up to it or if need be … to turn it down. Your body is one big psychic antenna, so just remember that you’re in control of the how high or low you want the reception to be. Mother Earth can assist you in this time of change, sensitivity, and healing.
The WAITING GAME ~ 2	Embrace Self Preservation ...
	This card indicates that you have worked hard to set things in motion in certain areas of your life but you’re now waiting for the results to come to fruition. The number 2 is all about choice and decision. In the past you may have been fearful about making decisions or choices, but you’re now no longer held prisoner by this fear or the constraints of past beliefs. Expect the best and be open to the limitless power of your intuition, which could be very strong at present – so trust and use it to assist you. Achievement and success are assured but once obtained, don’t let it change you – remember who you are, the work that it took to get you to this point, and the gratitude you need to show to the people who assisted you. Stay on your spiritual path, for it will continue to guide you on the journey of your soul.

SOLITUDE ~ 9 The Hermit	TOP ~ Additional Insight
	Stop! Your soul is calling out to you and needs to be honored and heard. The answers you seek are not to be found necessarily in the outer world. The time has come for you to step back, and withdraw from the outside word. The Solitude Card reminds us of the importance to pause, to still the mind, to meditate, reflect, reevaluate, and to discover the wisdom and answers within the very soul of your being. When we become more aware of our soul and heart, we strengthen the link with the Divine Source, and we’re reminded once again of our true perfection. Meet your soul halfway and schedule some alone time, so you commune with your soul, and also give the power of spirit the time and opportunity to reinvigorate you with energy and vitality. Conserve your energy and deal with one thing at a time as you follow the promptings from within. When it comes to quiet, inner respective solitude it really isn’t about the quantity of time; it’s more about the quality of time that counts. The soul constantly draws to itself what it needs to learn and grow. For example, someone may step into your life at this time and by sharing their own experiences, offer helpful insight & wisdom.
TRUTH ~ 20 Judgement	BOTTOM ~ Additional Insight
	This card illustrate spiritual awakening, clarity, the revelation of truth, and cosmic consciousness. At times, it takes a wake-up call to get our attention and show us how far we need to go. This card comes forth to do just that. Evaluation of the past, along with the lessons that you’ve learned or still need to learn must now be a top priority. Doing so, will enable you to forgive, accept, and heal so you can move forward in a balanced spiritual mindset. The Truth Card reminds you that a very significant change must be made in a certain area of your life. But don’t make any hasty decisions, take your time for any decision or change must be weighed up and be taken with the most careful and wisest of judgments. Whatever steps you take now will have far-reaching consequences – more than you’ll ever know. By using the powers of the Universe and blending them with a little help from the physical world, they will assist you to bring about clarity and a change of awareness. What was once not obvious will now be realized & understood. Be honest with yourself and trust what you know to be true.

TEMPTATION ~ 15

The Devil

*JUMP OUT* ~ Additional Insight

Through this card, addictions and self-limiting behaviors are being addressed. This is a time where you or someone else in your life may be placing too much emphasis on the material physical world and its pleasures. While we’re all born connected to the Divine Source, we have a tendency to pull away from what was once natural. When we become disconnected from spirit – the source that once nourished us, it’s often replaced with another source or substitute. In other words, the connection is then forged with food, alcohol, nicotine, codependency to someone, or even work – hence the term workaholic. Many of us spend our lives trying to fill the void that was created when the link was broken. The Temptation Card asks us to take a hard look at life and ask: “Where in my life am I suffering from addictive behavior?” “Is there negative thinking or behavior that’s causing the life force to seep out of my soul?” “Are the people and relationships in my life giving me energy, or are they draining it? Learn to embrace your fears and all your doubts, so that every situation in your life becomes a learning experience. By gaining the knowledge that the physical world teaches, will help you to transcend to a higher spiritual awareness.

~TOP~

General Guidance for Venus Retrograde in Aries

High Priestess	*CURRENT SITUATION*
	On a Divine level, the appearance of the High Priestess in a spread suggests the heightening of the powers of intuition, and implies that there will be an encounter of some kind with the hidden inner world which Persephone rules. The individual may be drawn inexplicably to this world through an interest in the occult or the esoteric, or through the effects of a powerful dream or the uncanny sense that ‘something’ is at work in one’s life. Thus the Fool, having learned something of his physical nature and needs and his place in the world through his earthly parents, the Empress and the Emperor, now enters the night-world, and comes, often with confusion and bewilderment, to that silent figure who embodies Mother on another, deeper and subtler level - the womb of the unconscious in which the secret of his real purpose and the pattern of his destiny are contained.
Hanged Man	*CONFLICT / BLOCKAGE*
	On a Divine level, Prometheus, the Hanged Man, suggests the need for a voluntary sacrifice for the purpose of acquiring something of greater value. This might be the sacrifice of an external thing which has previously provided security, in the hope that some potential can be given room to develop. Or it can be the sacrifice of a cherished attitude, such as intellectual superiority, or unforgiving hatred, or a stubborn pursuit of some unobtainable fantasy. Thus the Fool responds to the challenge of the turning of the Wheel with a willingness to put his trust in the unseen workings of the unconscious, and waits - often with fear and anxiety - in the hope of a new and better life.
Sun	*IMMEDIATELY APPARENT / OBVIOUS*
	On a Divine level, the card of Apollo, the Sun God, suggests a time of clarity, optimism and renewed trust. It is possibly to understand the pattern, to plan for the future, to move forward. The curses of the night are dispelled, and the Fool is now armed with foresight, purpose and a faith in the striving human spirit. Thus he encounters that great masculine principle in life, working through both men and women, which moves forward toward the goal.
Empress	*BASE OF THE MATTER / ROOT / CORE*
	On a Divine level, the appearance of the Empress in a spread suggests the onset of a more earthy phase of life. A marriage or the birth of a child might occur; or the birth of a creative child, an artistic offspring, for this too requires the patience and nurturing of the Great Mother. Through this card we enter the realm of the body and the instincts, as a place of both peace and stagnation, life-giving and life-suffocating. Thus the Fool, the child of Heaven, discovers that he lives in a physical body and is a creature not only of Spirit but also of Earth.
Lovers	*PAST INFLUENCES / LEAVING SOON*
	On a Divine level, the card of the Lovers when it appears in a spread augurs the necessity of a choice of some kind, usually in love. The Fool, having learned about his own duality, must now put his values to the test. Sometimes this means a love triangle, but it can also mean the problem of too hasty of a marriage, or a choice between love and a career or some creative activity. This card implies the necessity of looking carefully at the implications of one’s choices, rather than being driven blindly, thereby inaugurating, like Paris, a great conflagration.
Hierophant	*FUTURE INFLUENCES / COMING SOON*
	On a Divine level, Chiron, the Hierophant, implies when he appears in a spread that the individual will begin to actively seek answers of a philosophical kind. This may emerge as the study of a particular philosophy or system of belief, or as a deep commitment to a quest for meaning in life. The Hierophant may appear in the form of an analyst, psychotherapist, priest or spiritual mentor in outside life to whom we turn for comfort and help. The Fool thus emerges from his discovery of the Underworld and the hidden powers of the unconscious seeking answers to the enigma of himself and the meaning of his life. When he meets the Hierophant he encounters that part of himself which can begin to formulate and express a personal philosophy, an individual vision of the spirit, which guides him as he leaves his childhood behind and ventures out into life’s challenges.
Moon	*WHAT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED*
	On a Divine level, the card of Hecate, the moon-goddess, augurs a period of confusion, fluctuation and uncertainty. We are in the grip of the unconscious and can do nothing but wait and cling to the elusive images of dreams and the vague sense of hope and faith. Thus the Fool awaits his rebirth in the waters of a greater womb, dimly aware that his journey of personal development is only a small fragment of a vast, unknowable life which spans millennia and which remains eternally fertile yet eternally unformed.
Chariot	*OTHERS' VIEWS & PERSPECTIVES*
	On a Divine level, the card of the Chariot appearing in a spread suggests conflict and struggle which can result in a stronger personality. One may come face to face not only with aggression in others, but with one’s own competitive and aggressive drives. This conflict cannot be avoided, but needs to be faced with strength and containment. Thus the Fool comes to harmony through learning to handle his own contradictions, and passes from the world of adolescence to the next stage of his journey.
Justice	*HOPES & FEARS*
	On a Divine level, the card of Justice appearing in a spread implies the need for balanced thought and impartial decision-making. But like Athene’s sword, this card can be double-edged. There are spheres of life where Athene’s cool reflection is too chilly, too idealistic, and too destructive to the warmth of personal relationship. Her sword can cut the heart with general truths which are inappropriate for a particular situation. Thus Justice is, like all the Major Arcana, an ambivalent figure. The Fool must develop what Athene represents, but he cannot stay forever in her pure temple, and must pass on to the next Moral Lesson.
Wheel of Fortune	*OUTCOME / NEAR FUTURE*
	On a Divine level, the Wheel of Fortune augurs a sudden change of fortune. This may be ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but whichever way the Wheel turns it brings growth and a new phase of life. We cannot predict what will come to meet us - or rather, what we will turn to meet. But behind these changes stand the Moirai, an image of the center within. Thus the Fool is thrown from his complacency, and begins the descent to his own source.
Star	TOP ~ Additional Insight
	On a Divine level, the card of the Star when it appears in a spread portends the experience of hope, meaning and faith in the midst of difficulties. Although the Star too can be ambivalent, and can warn against blind hope without the necessary action to build upon it, the card of the Star is an augury of promise, an altogether welcome experience for the Fool who has passed through the collapse of everything which he believed to be of value in his life.
Strength	BOTTOM ~ Additional Insight
	On a Divine level, the card of Strength, when it appears in a spread, implies a situation where a collision with the lion within is inevitable, and where a creative handling of one’s own rage and senseless pride is desirable. Courage, strength and self-discipline are necessary to battle with the situation. Through such an experience we can come in contact with the beast, but also with that part of us which is Heracles, the hero who can subdue it. Thus the Fool, having developed the faculties of mind and feeling, now learns to deal with his own ferocious egotism, emerging form this contest with trust in himself and integrity toward others.

*NOTE* The Goddesses typically associated with Venus are, of course Venus herself, Inanna & Ishtar, so my question was, who was going to assist us with these various incarnations of this energy.

VENUS
	Venus is the Roman goddess of grace and love, called Aphrodite by the Greeks. She evolved from an early Italian nature goddess, a bringer of spring blooms and vines, a goddess of growth and the beauty of nature. The goddess of desire, Venus was the irresistible personification of both physical and spiritual love. She gave her name to the second planet of dawn and dusk, as did her sister goddesses, Inanna (Sumeria) and Ishtar (Babylonia). The story of Venus’ birth tells how she arose, naked, from the sea, the source of all life (primordial creation) and a symbol of both the collective unconscious and eternity. It is a wonderful image for the emergence of a young woman into her full femininity. Venus is a striking affirmation of the love of beauty and the pleasure of the senses. Risen from the sea, she is a guide through both the stormy and calm waters of our physical desires and emotions.
*ASSISTING* ~ Epona ~
	Epona, from Celtic Gaul, was especially worshiped as a protectress of horses, a bringer of fecundity to mares and a giver of well-being to foals. She was the only Celtic goddess to be adopted by the Romans. A lunar goddess, Epona is often depicted with a cornucopia, a symbol of abundance and plenty. Like the symbol of the horse, she is a bringer of fertility, a source of inspiration, and a figure of death - a psychopomp on the soul’s final journey. As late as the twelfth century, Irish kings underwent a ceremony of symbolic birth from Epona in her form of a white mare as part of claiming their kingship. In ancient days, a king was ritually wedded to the goddess as part of becoming king. Comfortable in both the realm of life and that of death, Epona is a strong symbol of independence, nurturing, intuitive understanding, instinct, and vitality.
INANNA
	Inanna is the ancient Sumerian mother goddess. Both the protector of grain and the queen of heaven, she combines earth and sky. Powerful, self-sufficient, passionate, and many-sided, she is a fertility goddess as well as the source of the earth’s wells, springs, and rivers. Each year Inanna descends to the underworld to resurrect her consort, Dumuzi. At each of the seven gates she leaves one of her garments behind until, naked, she meets her sister Erishkigal, queen of the underworld. Erishkigal kills Inanna and hangs her on a hook until Inanna herself is resurrected and returns to life. Inanna is a representation of the many facets that go into being feminine as well as a guide into the dark places of psychological and spiritual death and disintegration.
*ASSISTING* ~ Thetis ~
	Thetis is a Greek sea goddess who represents fertility. She is a creator goddess, for all life begins in the sea, and she is usually portrayed as a Nereid (sea nymph): a beautiful, young semidivine goddess fond of dancing and singing. She helped raise the artisan god Hephaestus and once provided sanctuary for Dionysus. Thetis is particularly known as a shape-shifter: when Peleus desired to marry her, she transformed herself into fire, water, a lion, and a serpent in order to escape him. As the personification of calm waters, Thetis is responsible for providing a peaceful sea. She is that center of peace and calm that is always available, even in the midst of changing forms. She is a goddess who enjoys life’s pleasures.
ISHTAR
	Ishtar is the multilayered Babylonian creator goddess, the source of all life and embodiment of the power of nature. She is the giver of plenty, a lawgiver, a judge, the goddess of time as well as the goddess of both love and war. Her name means “giver of light” and derives from her role as queen of heaven. She is the planet Venus as both morning and evening star, and her girdle is the zodiacal belt. Ishtar descends to the underworld and restores the vegetation god, Tammuz, to life and thus restores fertility to the earth. As she descends she removes a veil at each gate. While she is underground all life on earth is depressed and nothing comes to life. Ishtar is a multifaceted, powerful symbol of a forthright mode of being that is unafraid to venture into the depths of the underworld. She represents the creative feminine, active and strong.
*ASSISTING* ~ Spider Woman ~
	Spider Woman is an important goddess among many southwestern Native American tribes. Though occasionally destructive, she is nearly always portrayed as beneficent. The Keresan Spider Woman created everything there is by thinking, dreaming, or naming; she taught the people how to plant seeds. Cherokee Grandmother spider brought people the sun and fire; she taught them pottery, weaving, and how to make ceremonial blessings. Spider Woman is responsible for bringing fire among the Pueblo, Tewa, and Kiwa tribes. A spider woman named Biliku, found in the Indian subcontinent, also brought fire and light. For the Hopi, Spider Woman is a creator who helped the people during their emergence, created the moon, has the power to give and take life, and is connected to hunting and agriculture. Spider Woman is a reminder that good comes from everywhere. Even the lowly spider, sometimes dismissed as irrelevant, has the power to create and teach.

Believe Nothing. Entertain Possibilities.

Believe Nothing.
Entertain Possibilities.