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Venus in Aries
If Aries is the sign of the Self, and Venus is the planet of Love, then Venus in Aries is the embodiment of Self-Love.
Having Venus in Aries means that you received so little love and attention growing up, you decide to give it to yourself. It's about filling up your own cup. Filling it up so much that you stop expecting it from other people. You begin to understand that no one else but you is able to give you what you need.
Venus is in detriment in Aries, which means that the planet's faculties are expressed with more difficulty. That doesn't mean that the native will not want to have significant relationships, or that they cannot love. It will just appear to be more complicated for them to function in a relationship (as Aries is opposite to Libra, the sign of relationships.) A person with this placement will be highly independent, combative, and will have a weak capacity for compromise and sacrifice.
Aries is ruled by Mars, God of War, and partner of Venus. This placement makes you feel attracted to people who embody strong Martian qualities. They should be tenacious, bold and enterprising. The thing is, you also possess these traits. Which is where it gets more complicated.
Venus is a feminine planet. Being passive, desired and pursued makes her feel good. However, when positioned in Aries, the most masculine and active sign there is, it's harder for her to let someone else take the lead. This instills a lot of frustration in her, as she wants someone to do all the work; all the while doing it herself, out of pure impatience.
This is not the only contradiction that this placement comes with.
Aries Venus is a warrior. She has not been shielded from life. She has survived many battles, which have made her stronger. This placement makes you want to be with someone powerful, so that you can lean on them; and you want to be with someone weaker, so that you can use your strength to protect them.
Then, you want to have an equal. You want to have a balanced relationship with them. But at the same time, you put yourself and your own needs first. You can be uncompromising, forcing your lover to submit, consequently creating resentment and sabotaging that relationship.
Being so strong and having to do everything by yourself makes you want to be with someone who will make it easier. Someone who will do things for you. But when that person comes along, you become suspicious and rebel against them, out of fear of being controlled and losing your self-agency.
Ultimately, Aries Venus is lost. Being the first sign of the Zodiac, Aries can be immature and impulsive. She wants to fight, but doesn't know why, as she hasn't taken the time to know herself.
Venus in detriment doesn't mean condemnation, it means having to face more challenges in matters related to love and relationships. In the sign of the Self, she asks : "Who are you?" "What is it that you want?" "And what are you ready to fight for?" Is it equality, or power? It is companionship, or freedom? Is it you, or someone else?
In order to know that, you have to be by yourself and get in touch with your needs and desires, so that you don't get involved with a person that's not meant for you. You have to love yourself, so that you don't give up on anything that matters to you, for the sole purpose of being in a relationship.
Once you know what you want out of life and relationships, you can be certain that you will have it.
Tarot and Psychological Projection
When doing a Tarot reading about two individuals and the relationship between them, we may have a tendency to separate these individuals and attributing distinctive traits to them. On the surface, they may differ through their manner of expression, their status, or their appearance. But if these people end up meeting, it is because on an energetic level, they are alike. We attract to us what we are. We attract the situations and people we need to grow and evolve.
We may not embody the same traits on the same degrees because after all, we are our own person, and we are following our own path. But if we end up meeting and merging, it's because generally, we possess a quality that the other wants to acquire, or a flaw that the other has but refuses to see.
This is due to the psychological projection phenomena.
We attribute what Robert A. Johnson calls the Inner Gold to other people. The Gold is made all of the qualities that we possess deep down and that may allow us to elevate to our Higher Self. The problem is, most of us refuse to embody our Gold, because it would ask us to challenge ourselves and change. Because of that fear, we end up admiring individuals who own the traits that we wish we had, and we put them on a pedestal.
Inversely, the Shadow, a term that was first coined by Carl G. Jung, represents another unconscious attribute that we reject as it is composed of the traits that people close to us or society deem negative. It is a set of behaviors that we find particularly repulsive in others, which make us deeply uncomfortable because we also possess them. Criticizing someone else's attitude is easier than recognizing that we are not perfect and that there is inner work to be done.
Basically, not integrating our Gold or Shadow means staying in our comfort zone. Which will eventually make us dissatisfied with ourselves.
The good news is, the Tarot can help us discover what and how we can transform through our relationships. Let's see how.
Let's say you meet someone and want to know what energy each of you are bringing to the table. You draw the Magician for yourself, and the King of Wands for that person.
This would mean that as the Magician, you are a person that has really big dreams, and the will necessary to make them come true. Your curiosity and open-mindedness have allowed you to gather a great number of disparate ressources. These ressources can be mental, material, emotional, or spiritual. They might appear absurd or obsolete to others, but as the Magician, you have been gifted with a creative and innovative spirit. You have a strong capacity for utilizing your ressources, and translating vast and complex pieces of knowledge in a language understandable by anyone.
The other person is represented as the Knight of Wands. This arcana can represent an authority figure in real life. They are a strong, proud and determined leader towards whom we turn to reach a definite goal. Deeply interested in accomplishment and status, they want to be admired for what they have managed to achieve.
The Magician believes in his capacities and in a Higher Power. He is not afraid of taking risks, because he trusts everything will work out somehow. He knows he was given all of these gifts for a reason. However, his boundless curiosity and adaptability can pull him in too many directions, so much so that he forgets what his vision actually was. His spiritual nature can also make him passive and push him to go with the flow. The King of Wands, the embodiment of willpower, can (consciously or unconsciously) teach him to be more focused and decisive, which would help the Magician bring his projects to completion and remind him to go after what he wants.
Inversely, the King has a thing or two to learn from the Magician. As the ultimate power and authority figure, the King makes sure that he has control to provide security both to himself and the people he protects. His desire for stability encourages him to follow a conformist path that can be repetitive and void of meaning, consequently betraying his inherent creativity and desire for growth. The Magician will show him that authenticity and success can coexist. The King will learn how to let go of his need for control and believe in something that is greater than him.
So that was one way of getting to know your unconscious traits and someone else's. I don't think you need to be a Tarot expert to read into the Arcana. Knowing the symbolism can help, but the most important thing lies in having the ability to see yourself and others in the cards. You must ask yourself : "How am I/are they like this figure?" "What is their purpose and how is it like mine?" "Why did I manifest this person into my life and why did they manifest me?"
the link between Mercury and the Magician
before writing this post, I was planning on speaking about how Mercury is linked to the Magician card because our thoughts (a Mercurial principle) create (a Magician principle) our reality. the universe is ruled by a number of laws, and one of them is the law of attraction. this law is the belief that our thoughts have an indirect incidence on our reality. pur thoughts push us to act a certain way, to meet certain people, and to find ourselves in particular situations. We accept our fate, because we believe that what we're encountering is what we deserve. we accept our fate, until we believe that we can have more. then, we change our thinking. We start acting differently, and our trajectory changes.
this post was meant to be solely about that. but as I was researching information on the subject, more ideas came to me. I now see more similarities between Mercury (both the divinity and the planet) and the Magician Arcana.
let's get into it.
first off, the myth of Mercury
fruit of the union of Jupiter and Maia, Mercury is born in a cave of the Mount Cyllene. he runs away shortly after his birth, while his family sleeps, only to steal the cattle of his brother's herd. these beasts are then given as an offering to the Gods of Olympus. once the deed is done, he goes back to his bed, his absence unnoticed. Apollo, who has been alerted of his brother's actions, accuses the young one. Maia will then defend her son, justifying his innocence by showing him soundly asleep in his bed. Mercury will still be asked to defend himself by his father, though. he manages to do so without effort, thanks to his charm and way with words.
Mercury was indeed the God of speech and information. For that, he knew how to flatter and manipulate people in order to get their approval.
he was not only gifted with wit, but also with great creativity. it is to him that we owe the invention of the lyre, which he allegedly created with a turtle shell. he invented the flute, which he gave to Apollo in exchange of the caduceus, an object that eventually became his symbol.
Jupiter, proud of his son's innovative spirit, eventually names him Messenger of the Gods. wearing winged helmet and sandals, Mercury flies between the earth and the sky, playing the role of intermediary between Man and God. he is also given the task of bringing the dead's souls to Hell. as a matter of fact, he is one of the few people allowed to enter Hell, and to come out of it.
Mercury in astrology
Mercury is the fastest moving planet in the solar system. Like the God to which it is associated, it rules speech, transmission of information, and mental faculties. it is a cerebral and rational celestial body that influences our way of speaking, thinking, and learning. its placement in our chart gives us an hint of where our passions lie, what pieces of knowledge we should pursue in order to feel mentally fulfilled, and also, how to best utilize that knowledge.
as I said in the introduction, our thoughts generate a particular vibration that attract specific experiences to our reality.
take fire Mercury for example. It's a placement that is direct, impulsive, and gives the native strong opinions. this energy is bound to attract opposition, which the native gladly accepts since they usually like a challenge. this placement can give them the possibility, or the desire, to be a spokesperson that fights for others, and allows them to stand in the spotlight. success is meant to happen for the native, as the fire element makes them believe in themselves and their abilities.
another example would be mutable Mercury. tt indicates a flexible, changeable nature. it makes someone more open to change and opinions that differ from theirs. contrary to the Fixed modality, it welcomes novelty and the experiences it brings with joy. it makes one less inclined to be conflictual, since they want to learn from others, and not limit themselves to their way of thinking. this modality can lead one to surround themselves with people who are different so that they can grow and evolve. it can put someone in the position of a guide, or mentor, who will teach and challenge the minds of the people they are in contact with.
last but not least, the Magician
the Magician is a highly spiritual figure.
upon looking at the Arcana, we can see this character pointing at both the sky and the ground, as he stands between the two. like Mercury, he plays the role of messenger between Heaven and Earth. the Magician has great dreams. he was gifted with the faith and the will necessary to accomplish them. whatever he ends up creating will not only benefit him, but also everyone who encounters it.
like the God, he is highly versatile and creative. the tools laid on the tables are a Wand, a Cup, a Sword, and a Pentacle. these objects respectively symbolize spiritual, emotional, mental or relational, and material ressources that are at his disposal to make his vision come true.
as it is the first Arcana of Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, the Magician is like a guide that shows us the way. the message it brings is that if we believe in ourselves and our gifts, we will achieve whatever dreams we have.
the Devil isn’t all bad.
yes, it speaks about things you are holding on to that are destructive. it points to addiction; to substances, to money, to sex, to relationships... it points to obsession; with people, with one’s self-image, or with achieving certain goals. it’s about being a slave to your desires.
when you are acting in this energy, you cannot see how your habits, fantasies or attitudes are holding you down. you lose yourself in the process of their fulfillment. it might feel good in the moment, but it consequently prevents you from reaching the best version of ourselves.
the Devil is ultimately a prison you can get out of. if you look closely, the man and woman on the picture are imprisoned by loose chains. they could escape the Devil’s grip if they wanted. the only reason they remain trapped is because they don’t think they are powerful enough to defeat their demons.
I cannot help but link the Devil to the concept of Persona. in Jungian psychology, the Persona is a part of our conscious ego. it’s a character that was shaped by our environment during formative years. this character has a set of values and traits, and we must always act in accordance with it if we don’t want to cause ripples in both ourselves and our environment. we try hard to fit inside this box, even when it doesn’t feel like us.
this role that we’re playing is a cage. we tell ourselves stories about how we should be acting, and we accept things and situations we don’t really want because we don’t think we can be any other way.
doing that not only creates frustration, it eventually provokes resentment. we resent ourselves for not fighting harder for our desires, and we resent others because of their expectations.
the Devil invites you to become the villain in someone else’s story. it demands of you that you embody something that truly resonates with your soul, even if others don’t agree. they liked you the way we were before, because it kept you small and benefited them.
it’s about having boundaries, being able to say « no », not trying to maintain peace, and actually fighting for what you want.
in the end, it's about finding your own power.
the five of cups & ungratefulness
the most common theme that's associated with this card is the one of loss. the character on the arcana is grieving the things or the people that he has lost, so much so that he forgets whom or what remains.
as I drew the cards for myself this week, I realized this card warned me about my own ungratefulness.
a couple months ago, I quit my job because I felt I had nothing more to learn from it. I was ready to take another direction.
I then spent a month at home, which allowed me to rest and find myself again. it was nice to be in a peaceful, quiet environment, since my old job didn't offer me that.
that was nice at first, but not for long. a few weeks later, I started panicking. I saw close friends making moves, making shit happen in their lives, while I was doing nothing. I started thinking about the bills pilling up, and about how my savings would reduce.
so I found another job, which was very advantageous. i worked for less hours than i used to, made more money, worked in a agreeable climate, and i got to ride a bike to go there, which made me exercise. all of these elements were supposed to contribute to my well-being, but they didn't.
I was still unsatisfied. even if I spent good days there, I was not learning anything new, I wasn't stimulated, and I wasn't enjoying myself. I couldn't sleep anymore because all I thought about was how I was wasting my time doing something I didn't enjoy.
yes it allowed me to pay the bills, but it took time and energy, that I could have devoted to my actual passions.
I was ready to do something completely different. I wanted to work less, even if that meant making less money, if it at least let me give more time to creativity.
then, I had a bike accident, which unfortunately resulted in me breaking my elbow. I found out I wouldn't be able to work for some time. I should've been happy to learn that. except I wasn't.
I started having regrets about my former situation. I started thinking about how I was lucky to have found the job in the first place. it wasn't perfect indeed, but it offered me stability and comfort for little effort. I realized that... once I lost it all.
I did a reading for myself, and the card representing the challenges I had to overcome was the five of cups. the first thing that came to my mind was "ungratefulness." then, all of the situations I had gone through in the past months came back to me. I had not welcomed any of them with gratitude. there was always something to change, or something missing. I compared my situation to that of other's, and envied them. failing to recognize how much I had.
drawing this card was a wake up call. I need to stop seeing only the negative, because there is beauty in every situation. I don't think we are trained to see it, since we're encouraged to always want more. I think it's dangerous to always ask for more, or different. it prevents us from enjoying the present moment and the elements that compose it. it's only when time passes, when we lose what we had, that we realize its worth.
I am now trying to enjoy the possibilities of the present as much as I can. I am no longer asking for more. because who knows when an opportunity such as this one will present itself again ?
to Leo placements
Leo placements, when undeveloped, are obsessed with validation. not having received enough of it growing up has created this lack of confidence in themselves and their abilities. Leo people compensate for this lack of self-confidence by exaggerating their appearance, their self-expression, and by bragging about their accomplishments.
even if they do manage to win others' approval for their personality or for the things they have created, they remain unsatisfied, and work harder to get recognition. Leo placements will tire trying to find validation outside of themselves, because it will never be guaranteed or systematic. it's something they should find within.
Leo has a thing or two to learn from the Sun, the celestial body that rules their sign.
the Sun is the father of all forms of life. the Sun would keep on burning, on shining, and on creating, whether we would be here to admire it or not, because it is in its nature.
so Leo placements, you do not need others' approval. your being, your creations and whatnot have value because they are unique. your existence and your capacity to create are miracles. for that very reason, you should enjoy your gifts without wondering if they will bring you praise.
When I first learned about manifesting, I thought that there must be a specific way to achieve what you want. I would try a lot of methods and I would drop some or I would continue others and still, I wouldn’t find the best way. And I understood that each of us has their own ways, and as long as you feel that a certain method works for you, then you found your way of manifesting!
what do you think about digital blackface as in white people frequently or even exclusively using reaction gifs showing black people that would fit the extreme/over the top behaviour stereotype and thus serving as hyperbole for white people to put on like a costume to extend their personalities online?
(There’s a short thing that I wrote on this already here)
Something I’ve been thinking about in the past few days and since that Teen Vogue essay brought the conversation to the fore, is that this conversation has been happening for a long time on the Internet in different forms. Perhaps we haven’t been able to succinctly name the problem as “digital blackface,” but even then I see the problem as deeper than a practice, which is perhaps why after all the critical energy black people have expended explaining the nuances of the problem to non-black readers (for years!), behaviors generally remain unchanged.
But it’s not only about behavior. My feeling is that, as useful as the term “digital blackface” is, it may also prevent us from getting deeper into the structuring antiblackness of which “digital blackface” is evidence. This requires a deeper meditation about what it would mean for non-black people to be creative on the Internet if they did not have access to the likenesses, mannerisms and vernaculars of black people. It’s as deep as the very definition of what it means to be funny on the Internet… white (and non-black) people need to ask themselves why blackness is at the heart of the production of comedic affects/vibes on the Internet. I would say we, but black people mostly already know what the deal is and have known since the era of vaudeville. While I’m not really interested in leaning on the Internet as a liberatory space or technology, it at least provides us/y’all ample space, possibility and instruments to explore this question in creative ways. To recycle an afro-pessimist phrase, that would risk the undoing the world (of Internet comedy); perhaps the fun would evaporate if New York, Cookie Lyon or Beyoncé were no longer at your finger tips. What would then be required would be to prioritize a different sort of logic that is not parasitic on blackness.
I don’t think that the recommendation that a non-black person think critically about their manipulation and circulation of blackness will be independently sufficient, but I see it as a necessary beginning.
you have to understand you are a creative soul, and no 9-5 day job would take that away from you
you have to understand; complaining won’t get you anywhere but to misery. THE PROBLEM HAS A SOLUTION, and you have the power to connect to that solution. make that happen! go, tiger.
i believe in you
oh, don’t worry! people won’t remember how you looked that day! just how you made them feel
reality is an illusion.
you know it’s not a kids show when it makes you cry and rethink the meaning of life.