WELCOME VENUS
March 13, 2002 – The planet Venus is now appearing as the evening star after several months of invisible communion with the Sun. Look for her less than an hour after sunset in the western sky. The brightest planet, Venus will outshine even Jupiter, still radiant at the top of the sky early in the night.
PISCES NEW MOON
The Pisces New Moon begins a new monthly cycle on Wednesday, March 13 at 10:03 p.m. AST. The water sign of Pisces seeds this Moon with its mystical dreams, compassionate sensitivity — or its confusing undertow of currents. Don't let bad vibes drag you down. It¹s a good time to adjust your cosmic radio dials. Find your rhythm and dance in the flow of those good, good, good, good vibrations rather than sink into the illusions and fears of mass media.
The Sabian symbol for this Moon at 24 degrees Pisces tells a story that could unfold this month: In a tiny lost island, people happily build their own world. An appropriate image for Virgin Islanders. Is this escapism? Or the creative capacity of life force focused on personal happiness? With first dibs on the Moon because she is closest to it, Venus goes for the second choice, of course.
HOT GODDESS OF LOVE
Widely known as the goddess of love in the Middle East and Greco-Roman worlds, Venus was important to the Mayans as Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent. They followed its movements closely. Never too far from the Sun, Venus is either the morning or evening star.
Venus is a hot planet! Her constant, extreme temperature of about 900 degrees F. is hotter than even Mercury, which is closer to the Sun. A kind of greenhouse effect is created by a thick, visually impenetrable atmosphere of carbon dioxide and clouds of sulphuric acid that hides her surface like a veil.
In size a twin sister to Earth, this inhospitable atmosphere is not the only thing that makes Venus a very different world. Venus rotates in the opposite direction than Earth, so that the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east. She takes her time rotating, too, like a lovely woman showing off a beautiful gown. One day on Venus is 243 Earth days – longer than her year of 225 days! Her surface features, some unique unto herself, are more diverse than any other heavenly body, with a crust that indicates plasticity of movement and lots of volcanic activity. Venus knows how to renew herself.
Goddess of love, beauty and pleasure, Venus is a strong indicator of the emotional values and relational styles of women and men. Venus has a magnetic, attracting energy that enhances our self-esteem and brings us into relationship with others through pleasure and delight. She does have a feisty side – remember how hot she gets, especially when she does not have enough happiness in her life.
Venus is in the sign of Aries all of March. In such a fiery, action sign, Venus knows what she wants and goes after it, like Zena, Amazon warrior princess. She suggests you get something new moving in some area of your life. She is particularly stimulated March 12-15. Perhaps you initiate a new relationship or sparkle up an ongoing one. Maybe you'll strike out on a new venture – or go on a sudden trip. You might spontaneously spice up your wardrobe (something dashing, maybe red?). Some inspiration will strike, or you're not feeling your Venus.
A good way to stimulate your Venus is to visit an art gallery. On St. John, you can see work by Aphrodite herself (the Greek name for Venus) at Frames of Mind. Bajo El Sol is featuring new work by painter Deborah St. Clair and clay artist Gail Van de Bogurt. Four faces of the feminine are shown in an innovative 5-foot obelisk sculpture by Van de Bogurt. It's like meeting Venus in person. St. John is rich in art galleries, as the Venus island of the three U.S. Virgins. Make the round of galleries and soak up the beauty. This is a good month to bring some new art home with you.
VENUS AND THE NEW MOON
Venus has a special date with the Moon on March 14-15. They will make an especially lovely picture with the new crescent Moon close to Venus in the early evening sky. It's a date to mark on your calendar. As the Moon waxes toward fullness, it will visit one planet after another: with Mars on the 17th (St. Patrick's day), with Saturn on the 20th, and with Jupiter on the 22nd. This is a special treat to follow the Moon along the ecliptic, which marks the highway of the sky. The Moon weaves the energy of the planets and the stars into our daily lives. This week of active Moon conjunctions has the potential to be quite active.
Remember to welcome Venus, the goddess of love, as she kisses the Moon. Make a wish on the evening star and let her guide your way to personal good feeling and well-being. With all the stormy weather going on around us these days, that is the least – and the best! – we can do. Enjoy: Venus would have it no other way.
Editor's note: St. John Star Lady Kelley Hunter is an internationally-known astrologer who tells stories in the stars under the tropical night sky. She is studying for a Ph.D. in world cosmologies. Contact her at 340-693-5839 or kellhunter@earthlink.net, for an astrology consultation, star-gazing schedule or to join her free email list. Check out her new website at www.heliastar.com.
M. Kelley Hunter, Astro-consultant and mythologist
PO Box 37, St. John, USVI 00831
1-888-7ALTAIR
