Venus Retrograde Conjunct the Sun August 15, 2015 – What Does This Rare Event Mean?

by Robert Wilkinson

Venus made its “Inferior Conjunction” with the Sun a few days ago. We now enter a time of review and renewed training, and can find a new appreciation for our courage, our self-discipline, and our virtuosity in some area of life.

This will help us get a new perspective on how we’ve trained and gotten our act together since late 2014, with a new appreciation and/or value to what we learned from old relationships and old close contacts. And of course there is the possibility of the return of old friends and associates as well, especially Venusian and Solar Beings.

While not as rare as the 2012 “Venus occultation event” which only happens twice every 110-120 years, this merging of Venus with the Sun symbolizes a point where the spiritual mind awakens and seeks to merge with the heart and find new ways to interact with others to share spiritual knowledge. In Esoteric Science Venus rules the Throat chakra, associated with Spiritual Knowledge of the Way, whereas the Sun rules the Heart chakra, associated with the Love of the Way. Both are constantly exercised as we move from ignorance to knowledge, and from conditional love to Unconditional Love.

In terms of the mechanics of the process, as I’ve explained before, when Venus retrograde conjuncts the Sun it’s similar to when Mercury retrograde conjuncts the Sun in what is called “an Inferior Conjunction.” However, rather than Mercury as coordinating principle in life being part of the fusion, here Venus is fusing. And because now the Sun is moving much faster than Venus, Life is chasing Likes, and Light is chasing Relatedness.

In the cases of both Mercury and Venus, an inner planet conjuncts the Sun while retrograde. In this case, if you’re wondering how it works, substitute Venus “slowing down and looking back” energy for Mercury energy. While Life (the Sun) moves steadily forward, these inner planet energies are moving at a different pace so that life can then move forward beyond the function of these inner planet energies.

Whereas when direct they raced forward ahead of the Sun (as our mind and vanities often do!), when retrograde they internalize, or become receptive to inner energies not paid attention to before then, or are impacted by (in this case) Venus forces from “the outside” that impact what we like or don’t, why we like what we like, why we believe we’re getting what we want from others or not, and a host of other Venus retrograde possibilities.

As usual, a chart done for the exact Inferior Conjunction should show us elements of things related to this “Venus fused with the Sun” energy. This will impact the months to come between now and the next Venus Inferior Conjunction with the Sun at 5 Aries in late March 2017.

The main inner planet aspects at play for this Venus retrograde conjunction with the Sun (forming aspects only) are Moon conjunct Mercury, binovile Saturn, opposition Neptune, and trine Pluto, Mercury novile Mars, quintile Saturn, biquintile Uranus, and trine Pluto, Venus trine Uranus, and Sun conjunct Jupiter (out of sign) and square Saturn. Some of these are the same as the recent New Moon.

The main outer planet aspects are Jupiter opposed Neptune, Saturn semisquare Pluto, Uranus novile Neptune and square Pluto. These are all the same as the recent New Moon.

The Moon at 6 Virgo conjunct Mercury at 14 Virgo is one of two dominant influences. The Sun conjunct Venus is the other. The reason these are dominant is because the Sun is in its home sign of Leo, and Mercury is in its home sign of Virgo. That makes these two planets the final dispositors of all the other planets except Neptune in its home sign of Pisces.

This inferior conjunction will be vitalizing, and give us a new appreciation of or value for all things Leo in our lives, and especially the life areas where the conjunction falls in our charts. Go back to prepare to move forward once Venus goes direct conjunct Mars in early September!

Overall, this will be an event that will help us see events that have happened since late 2014 in a new light, since this conjunction falls at the exact degree of the December 2014 Jupiter stationary retrograde point. That should bring those lessons back to the fore, but seen through the fusion of Life/Light with Divine Knowledge, or on another level, our values and ways of relating to things and people, as well as what we like, or think we like.

The symbol for the 23rd degree of Leo is “A bareback rider.” In "the Astrology of Personality," where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 23 Leo is said to symbolize “the supremacy given to the (person) who has mastered their senses and their emotions,” “full utilization of inner powers,” and “Audacity.”

We are told in the Astrological Mandala that this symbolizes "the audacity and perseverance required to control and play with the powerful energies of the vital realm in human existence.” He goes on to say that the horse is a symbol of our vital energies, that when tamed, we can put these energies to some form of service, and perform “spectacular feats.”

He states “here these achievements are seen within the context of a social function,” where “the ego is in control … and serves a purpose.” The keyword is virtuosity. This symbol is said to fall in the Span of Interpretation in the social-emotional-cultural level of the Scene of Release in the Act of Stabilization.

According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, this degree is about our ability to master our “immediate world of experience,” and “our ability to capitalize on any special function of life” that concerns us. He says “there are illimitable opportunities for the human spirit to dramatize its personal achievement or individual aspiration” as a means of “self-refinement,” but it must “be pursued assiduously and valiantly.”

He offers us the keyword AUDACITY. He says that when functioning positively, is uncompromising courage in the everyday business of living and a carefree assurance in meeting the problems of a modern society.”

All in all, it would seem from this chart that some of these lessons involve a retreat as a preparation for a future advance, and that we may safely take our leave of difficult people, situations, and memories of these as they happened in the past. We are free to go inward and forward, though at times it may seem like we’re strangers in a strange land. Still, let go of inner and outer conflicts, and when appropriate, walk on.

If you are called by inner or outer voices to revisit the past, take a look at how those people and events led to you being trained to be who you are right here and now. Again, perhaps this can be a great time to reconnect to your heart, your courage, your strength, your creativity, and your enthusiasm by taking a look back at old relationships, or renew relationships with people from the past that present themselves that will have significance in the future.

There will be a lot of fusion in the house where we have Leo. This will put the focus on that house in our chart, and over time we should see innovations and renovations developing, even as we see old emotional or interpersonal heaviness that’s done and needs to be eliminated with compassion. Maybe we can see how old relationships that seemed to fail helped us let go of an old pride, drama, or risky attitude, and put the brakes on that type of magnetism or desire.

Because of Saturn’s powerful influence in Scorpio, this is another astrological event that will help us eliminate some old condition, rule, limitation, or duty that is done. Overall, the next period shows discussions of many points of view leading to radical transfiguration, and rewards for personality integration. This time will show us how to demonstrate some sort of power or skills, with protection for those involved in a sacred work.

© Copyright 2015 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[AiiA]

Robert, when you mention where events "fall in our charts", are you speaking about our natal chart, or our progressed chart at this particular time? Thank you for your amazing insights :)

[Tasha]

Spot on, enlightening work, thank you!

[sue]

Dear Robert...how your words inspire
I meditate on the vision of a world more open to the teachings of our solar system and the energies of our planet

[Nic]

Very useful information. A good deal of what is going on has become clear(er) and insights have brought understanding to these events.
Thank you and blessings be to all.

[H]

Brilliant.... Feeling it.... Many truths in your words Robert... as always.
Namaste

[ELIAKIM]

Its been a very interesting transformation with new insights in life lived and new opportunities presenting themselves. I see that gained from the past, the present impacting on merging of future realities in life that is compelled by living life in the time that we have. I also view it in as a return to healing those that ask for it, healing on the sabbath - a more lawful response to saving. Some people are calling out for help, and help is available for those that ask for it. Interesting that Russell Brand chose this timeline to leave youtube, Facebook and twitter. I think many more people will stop feeding the corporations so that the rich get richer on the backs of the poor.