Venus Moves into Pisces and Gives us all a Fucking Break
Relax! Our planet of art and beauty is welcome and exalted in the house of dreams, devotion, and compassion; amidst chaos, she's here to remind us that love still exists.
What is happening?!
Ooh! Ooh! *raises hand*
The moon is waxing, spring is approaching, and Venus has entered Pisces, showering us with compassion and longing?
*DingDingDing* Yes, that is correct.
To recap, last week was a wrestling match between Mars, Uranus, and the Pisces new moon, and while many of us are unsure who won the cosmic tussle, we are 100% sure it wasn’t anybody on planet Earth. Here, no one can afford anything, election buffoonery continues apace in countries on every continent, and for the U.S., we have today guaranteed a political theater sequel that absolutely no one wants to attend, but that we will all be forced to witness (I vote we all let the fruit in our refrigerators start rotting now, rendering it molded, juicy, and perfect for flinging at people in power just before they squash us flat beneath the weight of their own avarice.)
The chaos in the sky reflects the chaos on the ground, and Pluto’s spicy shift into Aquarius has been just as discordant as astrologers warned it could be - over the last few months, the paradigms that we humans have been diligently maintaining for hundreds of years appear ready to crumble and be replaced by…well, who knows? Anarchy? Electronic feudalism? In many corners of the globe, fascism and authoritarian rule seemed to be getting a glow up before the rash, dramatic energy of Mars and Uranus undermined those creepy, dictatorial elements scuttling around our institutions, causing frustration and, dare I say, hilarity. It bears repeating… the planets spare no one.
For the next week or so, we will experience a much needed exhale; a pit stop at the spa on our way to see the Christian-eating lions at the coliseum, if you will. Our focus now turns inward to our family and friends, people at work that we like, our hobbies, and the aesthetic ways we relate to the rest of the world - not because terrible shit stopped happening, but because it never seems to stop, and showing up for our lovers and our communities can act as a soothing, protective balm in times such as these.
If the vibe last week (and, sadly, the most probable vibe for next week) was one that had us frustratedly scouring headlines, snapping at co-workers, and googling things like ‘d.i.y guillotine’ and ‘bargain abandoned Italian villa’, then the vibe this week is encouraging us to slow down, turn off our phones, and make our own cozy villa with a favorite person, favorite outfit, and favorite beverage. Venus wants us to remember that lovely things like oil painting, hand holding, and sunsets still exist, and will continue to exist, irrespective of the fascist, monotheistic word vomit spilling from the face holes of our craven, be-suited overlords.
This isn’t to say all interactions will be painted in rosy watercolors - many of us are susceptible to the infamous Piscean procrastination/depression/hedonism loop that can result in wallowing and addiction, which means we’ll see more crying and oversharing than usual, but even the expulsion of ugly tears and frustration snot can bring us closer to other humans. This is Venus’ whole bag - she knows we need shared emotion right now, no matter how miserable or needy, as a reminder of our humanity and connection to each other. If we didn’t have that, it would be very easy to forget why we have been so irritated with the world in the first place.
Why would this affect me?
Our big soft sensuality planet is also the feminine ruler of Taurus and Libra, and as such she affects our creativity, earthly pleasures, beauty, friendships, and romance. As far as ancient goddesses go, Venus wasn’t terribly bloodthirsty - her shadow self was more likely to be petty and unfaithful than murderous, which is why harsh aspects involving Venus can bring about affairs, friendship drama, and shallow behavior, among other things.
This coquette is exalted in Pisces, our late winter water sign and resident zodiacal empath. When a planet is exalted, it acts like a chill royal visiting beloved family - comfortable, generous, and dramatic. This means we’ll feel the influence of the planet in a more amplified way than if it were in it’s debilitation, which, very broadly speaking, is the sign that embodies qualities antithetical to the planet’s own.
Pisces already harmonizes with many Venusian ideals; it is an artistic, stylish dreamscape textured by vivid emotion and ruled more by form than function. Venus experiences a bit of revitalization as she comes to sensitive Pisces from chilly Aquarius, like reuniting with friends after spending months in a foreign, uncomfortable environment. Emotions are no longer unproductive or unimportant, but necessary and vital to interacting with the world around us.
We don’t need to feel embarrassed about needing comfort anymore, because Venus vibing in Pisces chews an edible while welcoming all emotional states. Feeling tortured? Channel Kurt Cobain and lean into it! Get out some somber clothing, write an angsty poem about it and recite it to your nemesis. Feeling sad? Get some markers and a coloring book and work that shit out before sinking into the arms of someone who loves you and doesn’t care if you soak the front of their shirt in saline. Focus on feelings that live close to home and have nothing to do with frustration about the world order. The next week or so will not be productive in any intellectual or practical sense, and that’s fine, because it will be spiritually and emotionally rich.
The lesson Venus in Pisces wishes to impart is as follows:
Love cannot be erased, because it can never be fully grasped by those who have inoculated themselves against it - war mongers, materialists, billionaires, and all the other mean little cogs in our manufactured misery machine. They have successfully vaccinated themselves against themselves; against their humanity and empathy, in exchange for power on Earth, despite the fact that the former are the only things imbued with eternity and timelessness, and the latter will mean fuck all in a manner of nanoseconds.
Wealth is fake, and much to the chagrin of the ancient Pharaohs in Egypt, we don’t actually take any of it with us, regardless of how nice one’s tomb looks or how many servants we killed to keep us company in the afterlife. Power hasn’t made anybody immortal yet, despite the efforts of hundreds of rich sociopaths with weird cryogenic freezer kinks. Fame is fleeting, meaningless, and pointless when the human timeline is taken into consideration - we’re basically fruit flies to the rest of the universe (Perhaps this explains my propensity for moldy refrigerator contents, as well as my willingness to fling them.)
The only thing that matters is who we love and how we love them. It is unlikely, as we cycle through our dying synapses and wind our way off the mortal coil, that we will remember the exact sum of money in our bank account, or the look and feel of awards and accolades bestowed upon us in our chosen professions. We won’t remember being hired, fired, or interviewed, nor will we be dwelling on the presentation we absolutely nailed or the promotion we didn’t get. Much to the frustration of Mars, we won’t even remember the fights we started, the beatings we survived, or the people who hurt us. Expiring brains, much like Pisces, focus entirely on feelings over facts, notably the feelings of being cherished and happy with important people from our lives. That’s it. That’s all we will have in the end.
When do I have to deal with this?
This entire week and weekend, up through about 3.20.24, will feel slower and more internal, in that things occurring in the external periphery will feel far less impactful than the thoughts and emotions consuming our souls. Consider the coming days a much needed break and prioritize pleasure and mental health. Sunday, 3.17.24, will be a particularly unproductive day thanks to some very congenial Neptune aspects, so if you have the capability, staying tucked away somewhere with a sexy companion in minimal clothing is really our best option.
Cool, what does the Tarot say about this?
We got fairly fiery and inspired early in the week, utilizing group work and external support with the 3 of Pentacles, yet encountering hiccups in forward momentum thanks to the Knight of Wands reversed, which means we made hasty decisions out of impatience. We may also have felt rushed due to previous procrastination, a common issue during Pisces season.
We locked in yesterday and made real progress, possibly with unexpected help or reassurance from certain authority figures like The Emperor, boosting confidence and making us feel more capable of delivering results.
The 10 of Pentacles shows up reversed for Thursday, 3.14.24, then upright on Saturday, 3.16.24, indicating that issues involving money, security and legacy are still bogarting our attention. We might be privy to arguments and other tough talk about financial, housing, and material traditions on Thursday, only to see a breakthrough or honest assessment that improves our outlook on Saturday. The card in between on 3.25.24, The Moon, may have something to do with the inversion - this traditionally Piscean major arcana reveals information and motives that have been lurking in our shadows without our knowledge.
Sunday’s card pull reveals a pretty classic Venus in Pisces moment; the Queen of Cups is a mature, empathetic water sign who demands we place our emotional wisdom and supportive devotion above all else, while the King of Pentacles reversed focuses on spending and materialism in the most atavistic ways imaginable. It will be up to each of us, individually, to determine who conquers whom.
Visit @alectochaos on IG for the full, wordy breakdown of each card. If you are into that sort of thing.