Dear ones,
We are back after a short break. I hope you all are faring well. In this episode, we chat about the ongoing vibes of Taurus season, the relationship between Venus and pleasure, avoiding determinism in astrology, and fighting for the life you want. We also discuss the Venus workshop we are holding next weekend.
Below, find a description of the workshop and a link to sign up if you’d like to attend!
With love,
Christina & Theresa
Venus Workshop: On Pleasure
Goddess of Love & Beauty. Queen of Heaven. Patron of the arts and ruler of all things sensual and pleasurable. Venus is known by many names: Isis, Ishtar, Innana, Aphrodite, Astarte, Shukra, the list goes on and on. Of all the planets in the sky, it is Venus—perhaps—we humans mythologize most fervently. We know her as both The Evening and The Morning Star. So brightly does she shine, she’s earned the honorific title of Light-Bringer. So profoundly does her absence move the human psyche, that distinct cultures across history have devised secretive cults and profound rituals to plumb the mysteries of her retrograde. And yet, in this age of widespread loneliness, numbingly cheap pleasures, and highly addictive, dopamine-hacking technologies, I sometimes wonder: Where is Venus in all of this?
If there were a conceptual canopy under which all matters of Venus might fall, I believe it would be “Pleasure.” To know and to seek pleasure is the path of Venus. For this, she is highly prized and revered amid the planetary pantheon. And yet, so frequently we find ourselves estranged from the Venusian realm and from the deep, innate engagement with pleasure that should be a straight shot within us. We find ourselves asking, at shockingly late stages of life, what do I really like? What brings me delight? We realize we’ve defaulted to ideas and definitions of pleasure wholly defined by people and by social structures entirely outside of ourselves.
When will I have what I want?
When people come to astrology, frequently it’s to pose a version of this question. But the more essential question—the one we often forget to ask– is much deeper:
Will we enjoy what we want?
Our culture will eagerly teach us what to desire. Sometimes it's our parents who fill in the blank at an early age. Sometimes it's our community. Occasionally it's media. Many faith traditions exist almost wholly to fill this yearning inside us. But what instruction, if any, do we receive on pleasure? And in the absence of that instruction, we are left with the assumption that our desire alone can guide us; that the feeling, the urge, the passion will cut a blazing path to the deep pleasure and fulfillment we seek. But the path between desire and pleasure is not as clear or direct as we are led to believe, and pleasure itself is not bound to any object or goal or process of striving. Pleasure is a force unto herself, and Venus is the celestial custodian of her secrets.
This is the first time Theresa and I will be offering this workshop, and it was born of an intention to make space for the sacred and essential processes of pleasure. Together we’ll look at the nature and quality of Venus as a planetary devi from many angles and traditions. We will plumb the depths of information the birth chart can offer about our relationship to Venus and we will use a variety of traditional and intuitive techniques to identify concrete and unconscious obstacles that block our fullest expression and experience of pleasure. The session will open with a guided meditation and space is limited to ensure that the work can be tailored to the group and there is ample space to share, learn, and grow in the safe container of our Venusian deep dive.
The workshop will be held live on Zoom on Saturday, May 18th at 10 AM PST. Attendees can register through the signup sheet provided and must provide their birth information in advance. There is a suggested donation of $20 to $30.
Zoom link will be provided upon registration!
Register for the workshop here: Link
Additional Links:
www.skiesofgrace.com
www.innercurrents.com
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