Venus

The planet of love, beauty, and money

Venus in Astrology

Venus is the planet of love, relationships, beauty, and finances. It guides the way we think about love, how we feel about being in a partnership, how we act on our needs and desires, and the role money and people play in our lives.

When Venus hooks up with the passion planet Mars, they're called "Astrology's Lovers" -- they're the two planets that combine to form our overall approach to love and relationships. Venus is the planet of our inner desires, while Mars is about how we act on those desires.

More about Venus

About the Venus Signs | Venus Return | Venus & Mars: The Relationship Dance

Fast Venus Facts

Nickname: The Love Goddess

Zodiac signs Venus rules: Taurus and Libra

Exalted in: Pisces

Houses Venus rules: 2nd House of Money and Self-Worth, and 7th House of Partnerships

Venus stays in each zodiac sign for: 3 - 4 weeks

Venus makes a complete trip through the zodiac: about every year to year and a half

Venus retrogrades: once every year to year and a half, with each retrograde lasting around six weeks

Venus and Taurus, Venus and Libra

Venus, as the goddess of love, is complex and rules two different signs: Taurus and Libra. These two signs, on a basic level, represent love and money. Venus rules attraction and attachment to others which are the focus of relationship-oriented Libra. Additionally, Venus rules Taurus, the sign of the zodiac focused on practical matters like money (while still ruling sensual aspects of life like art and beauty).

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Venus and the 2nd House, Venus and the 7th House

Venus is associated with the 2nd House of Resources and Money as well as the 7th House of Partnerships -- both the romantic and work-related kind. This means that Venus is associated with self-worth, our relationship to possessions, and one-on-one connections.

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Venus’ Lessons

This content was written by Tarot.com writer Jeff Jawer.

Venus was traditionally called the "lesser benefic," a positive force, but on a smaller scale than lucky Jupiter, the greater benefic. Still, she puts smiles on faces and represents pleasure and contentment -- like planetary dopamine for the brain. Venus rules earthy Taurus and airy Libra as sources of sensual delights and social satisfaction.

Bringing Venus into our lives makes us happy. She is the sweet smell of a rose, the taste of your favorite food, the sound of heart-stirring music, a soft touch of fabric, and the joy of seeing a beautiful image. Venus delights all the senses, and she is the queen of style. She is also a charmer, graceful in action, a skillful peacemaker, and a loving partner. Venus attracts money and appreciation, and she teaches us to see the best in ourselves.

There are many ways to cultivate the appealing qualities of Venus. The most important of them all is to be kind to ourselves. This is especially important when we aren’t at our best. Loving the least desirable parts of our personalities seems counterintuitive, as if we’re encouraging bad behavior. When we’re angry, impatient, clumsy, or even cruel, it’s natural for a responsible person to criticize these kinds of behavior. And yet, these shortcomings are connected to our wounds and cannot be healed with harsh judgment.

Healing comes with love that is rooted in tolerance. This doesn’t mean we approve of or want to continue negative actions, but when we pile on condemnation by putting ourselves down, the habit may be hidden -- but it is not eliminated.

Love is inclusive, so when the "bad" parts of ourselves are embraced with compassion, they become integrated with the best of ourselves and are eventually healed. This is Venus as acceptance, the ground zero of self-worth upon which to build a happy life. This is not to suggest that we should approve of our bad behavior, but that we need to remind ourselves that seeing it without harsh judgment is an effective step toward reducing its influence in our lives.

Learning to receive is another aspect of Venus. Many of us have desires that aren’t fulfilled because we have some resistance to getting what we want. For some, receiving means being beholden to another, as if every gift becomes a debt we must repay. We can feel like we owe others, and are taking something away from them or giving up our independence to get what we need.

One way to counter this is to recognize the many moments when you are receiving without any obligation to reciprocate. When a baby’s smile or a beautiful sunset warms you, take it in. Enjoy these pleasures that are freely given with nothing expected in return. Notice when you feel comfortable in a chair and luxuriate in the simplicity of a stress-free moment. These are gifts of Venus that fill the heart without any cost.

If you want to make the world a happier place, make yourself happy. Receiving without guilt doesn’t lead to overindulgence; it leads to fulfillment and a sense of peace that will bring joy, love, and harmony to your environment. Appreciating life’s blessings is a reminder to appreciate yourself, which in turn makes you more attractive to others. Venus is the sweet resonance of harmony that reminds you that you are loved and your presence is a welcome gift to others.