Overview

The Planet Venus rules over a woman's sense of style, her appreciation of art and culture and how she approaches romance. It dictates our attractions and who finds us attractive. It also governs our attitudes toward finances and material possessions.

Venus rules the Sun Signs of Taurus and Libra, which rule the Second and Seventh Houses, respectively. The Second House is the house of values, resources and possessions. The Seventh House reigns over interpersonal relationships. Thus Venus affects us on both a concrete and an intangible level.

Venus presides over the act of purchasing, the pleasure or agony shopping gives us, what we buy, where we buy it, who we shop for and how we pay for it. How we set and achieve -- or fail to achieve -- our financial goals are also determined by our Venus Signs.

Of course, Venus is most famous as the planet of love and romance. Venus's position in your birth chart can help you answer these questions: What type of lover do you seek? What kind of lover seeks you? Are you a doting or selfish partner? Are you sending out the right messages to the right people?

Our concern for beauty and social acceptance combines Venus's financial side with the romantic -- we spend money in order to enhance our ability to attract others. Florence Nightingale Graham built an entire empire -- under the name of Elizabeth Arden -- by marrying business acumen with an understanding of our desire to embellish or change our appearances.

Venus's position in your birth chart affects your aesthetic sense. Do you prefer tractor pulls or ballets, symphonies or heavy metal? How important are social elegances like sending out greeting cards, following up with phone calls and responding promptly to invitations? Do you always use the correct fork and write individual thank you notes by hand? Venus determines what you think is beautiful, which traits you find attractive in lovers, friends or objects of art.

The conjunction of romance and money leads to indulgence. Fine chocolates to tempt your sweet tooth, cool satin sheets on a summer's eve or a bottle of unbelievably expensive champagne all get the official Venusian stamp of approval. How we feel toward the feminine and the frilly, the niceties that have little practical value but plenty of sentimental charm, also relies upon Venus's influence.

The dark side of Venus is hate and ugliness. When our need for social acceptance becomes so great that we act falsely in order to "get" someone, we are dwelling in the shadows.

Women with strong Venus influences:

Brigitte Bardot
Elizabeth Schwartzkopf (popularized hair care products, shampoo)
Marilyn Monroe (beauty, temptress)
Elizabeth Taylor (beauty, lots of lovers and husbands)
Nastassja Kinski (beauty, actress)

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