Venus, Jupiter, & Abundance.
What does it mean to prosper?
I hate to disappoint those of you who were looking for me to stop talking about Jupiter, but here we are. Since the benefics will have a square relationship with one another for the next four months, now seems like a great time to compare them. I have done something similar in previous newsletters, the most recent being an exploration of the similarities between the Sun and Jupiter. This is a great mental exercise because not only can we beef up our astrological vocabulary, but it’s a great tool for reflecting on nuances of the planets and what they are meant to express. I also feel that I’ve hinted at the difference between the greater and lesser benefic for several newsletters, and wanted to explore this difference more deeply. Jupiter and Venus are regularly mentioned when we talk about wealth and prosperity, but differ in their methods of delivering them to us. While these means are not mutually exclusive, let’s take a critical look at these two branches of abundance.
Freedom is Prosperity.
As I discussed in my newsletter on Jupiter in Taurus, the greater benefic is often associated with more abstract forms of wealth. However, in the current form of globalist capitalism we are all under, the lines between material and immaterial prosperity are blurred. One concept associated with Jupiter across many astrological traditions is the concept of freedom and liberation. But what do we need liberation from and freedom for, and how does this tie in with the concept of prosperity? Jupiter is a hot and wet planet with an airy nature, and I feel that this maps onto its desire to bring about liberation. One common theme amongst world religions and systems of spiritual belief is that we are souls trapped in bodies forced to have a physical experience. Many things that are reflective of our physicality, such as labor, needing shelter, needing a source of food, and also need of social relationships to maintain our survival are reminders of our physical nature. Therefore, anything that can free us from the fixation on these things and take us out of the focus on our physical world can be associated with the types of prosperity that Jupiter can bring.
Jupiter doesn’t necessarily want you to suffer in a physical sense, but perhaps it wants you to prioritize that which can allow you to transcend the limitations of your day to day experiences. Contrary to popular belief, many of these material status symbols do more than just feel good and look good. They are symbolic of freedom to overcome the limitations imposed on us by our existence. Money provides the means to free up your time to do other things, and to purchase other things that free up your time. Vehicles, whether car, a plane, or a boat, can provide you with the freedom from being tethered from your location. In the current iteration of our society, having freedom in the material sense allows us to free up our time and mind to focus on other things. This is where it’s helpful to invoke Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The more material basics are met, the more we can address these mental and spiritual needs that we have. The wealth that Jupiter represents is one of freedom.
Remember that Jupiter represents abstract forms of good. Freedom from material hardship and constraint is not the only form of freedom that Jupiter is associated with. Freedom from mental suffering regardless of material circumstances is a very jovial principle as well. In Jyotish, Jupiter is a planet that can guide us towards liberation (moksha) from the painful cycles of death and rebirth. Cultivating a sense of internal abundance and gratitude serves to free us from the cycles of pain and struggle that our material existence gets us trapped in. This concept can be seen in the promises that many systems of religion come with— one where we can cultivate an internal state of having everything we could ever need in hopes of working towards a state of increased freedom from suffering. Whether in this life or an afterlife, cultivating a sense of internal abundance serves to help people free themselves from suffering, which is the ultimate form of prosperity.
The Pleasure Principle.
If Jupiter represents the abstract forms of good, Venus represents that material sense of good. Being the poster child for the highest good of the nocturnal sect in the Hellenistic tradition, and being a rajasic planet in the Vedic tradition paints a clear picture of the forms of prosperity that this planet tends to bring. Rob Hand outlines the philosophical distinctions between the values of the nocturnal and diurnal sect, and characterizes the night team in terms of ambiguity, lacking in definition, and being composed of disparate and divisible parts. This is stark contrast to the diurnal, which seems to mirror a cohesive, indivisible, singularity. In the Vedic system, when something is said to be rajasic, it is one that invokes passion or desire and attempts to create things in the material world as a result of that desire. There is a physicality to Venus that is implied here, perhaps one that isn’t centered on freedom as the ultimate form of prosperity.
While Venus is also a benefic or generally seen as a force that brings great ease, it differs greatly from the type of prosperity that it is capable of bringing. If we follow the logic of sect distinctions, despite having a capacity for bringing people together, Jupiter and Venus differ greatly in their means of doing that. Jupiter is often associated with friendship or assimilation into an indivisible group united by a common goal or belief. Jupiter is also sattvic, wanting people to experience as much of their true essence as possible, regardless of material conditions. Venus, being nocturnal is not capable of seeing those larger goals but instead fosters the ability to relate in spite of differences. This might be easier to achieve on a one to one basis, rather than in a group. Considering Venus’ desire to generate and create, it makes sense that this planet gets associated with the arts or romantic pursuits. The pleasure of exploring the unknown expanse that is other people in intimate relationships (romantic or otherwise) is a huge motivator for us to stay tethered to the material world in some ways. The pleasure of giving form to something that was once formless and lacking in definition also motivates us to achieve things as well.
This is not to say that Venus cannot be spiritual. Valens himself points out that some significations of Venus include priesthoods — roles which involve setting the standards and procedures for acceptable rituals for worship. Engaging with material pleasures and engaging in elaborate rituals can often be used as a means of creating meaningful relationships with the divine. One way of accessing the spiritual plane is through the use of substances, which not only make us feel good in a physical sense but also break down barriers our brain puts up to ensure that we have as normal of an experience as possible. The challenge with these sensate methods of achieving higher consciousness is the dependence on something external to achieve a meaningful internal experience. It becomes easy to get caught up in the grandiosity of a ritual or the acquisition of objects to derive this feeling.
Fruits of the Sea.
Despite the differences between Jovial and Venusian images of prosperity, the two of them join forces in the sign of Pisces, where they have their domicile and exaltation, respectively. I am also hoping that someone here appreciates what I did in calling this section of the essay fruits of the sea. The transliteration of “seafood” in French (fruits de mer) and Italian (frutti di mare) is actually “fruits of the sea.” When thinking about a culinary experience rich in flavor but also costly in price, I cannot help but think a lot of seafood as a concept. Who knew that some strange creatures could make for some tasty experiences? Not to mention adding the visual spectacle of enjoying such a meal when it is caught close to where you are eating it (if it’s not obvious by now, I am manifesting a trip to Mallorca and wanting to eat some great Mediterranean seafood).
However, in peppering this article with hopes of sensory and abstract experiences I hope to achieve in the near future, I hope that the underlying threads that link the benefics together become apparent. Jupiter is a planet that encourages us to have faith and allow faith to guide us into experiences and situations beyond what we are capable of imagining. Venus is a planet that wants us to experience pleasure on a tangible level so that we can become intimate with the sweeter and cozy parts of life. I find the blending of these objectives to play well with each other in the sign of Pisces. The key to achieving prosperity in both the Jovial and Venusian senses involves an element of surrender, which Pisces is all about.
Unlike the Sagittarian version of what Jupiter has to offer, Pisces is much like a wanderer waiting to get absorbed into something larger than itself. I always think of how going to sea was the ancient version of going to outer space. Beyond the confines of the land, you do not know what you will find when you embark on that journey. Even to this day, you never know what interesting finds lie within the ocean’s depths. From culinary delicacies to black gold and other minerals of value, there is much prosperity to be derived from exploration of the unknown. In the Western astrological tradition, the highest forms of Venus involve a sense of transcendent love with fewer conditions placed on it. Meanwhile, Jupiter wants to create that singularity between people. Relinquishing control over your trajectory and objectives allows people to experience this cohesion and transcendent love, while also allowing for sources of tangible prosperity to come. Whether you vibe with the Piscean principle or not, I think most of us have had an experience where something we wanted so deeply came to us when we stopped trying to dictate how and when it would happen. Therefore, there might be value in applying this to your own life and reflecting on how your relationship to prosperity and abundance will change.
I really hope this blog inspires you to reflect on the different streams of prosperity and how they can show up in your life. If you want to learn more about how configurations like this and others tie into your own personal narratives, please book a session with me. I have decided to maintain my current pricing until Venus leaves Leo in October, so get me at my current rates while you can! Lastly, I want to gently remind all the Pisces Saturns out there that I am offering a 30% discount on a reading of your choice for the entirety of our Saturn Return era. If you want the code, please contact me directly for access.
Thank you for this article! I appreciate your insight, and your work; I'm learning a lot from you.💎🙏