You are the goddess rising now.

After her retrograde, Venus is rising–from June 2020 to March 2021.
How do you strengthen your new feminine power?
Going forward, what myth do you follow?

The astrology chart for 1:45 am in Portland on July 18 shows a stunning opposition in the heavens.  On the streets below, there’s a tense standoff—between angry protestors and armed federal agents.

At the top of the chart, the forces of power and authority, the masculine gods Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn, all in Capricorn, stand in a line—opposite the Cancer Sun, sitting at the root of the chart, in the sign of the Great Mother.

At that moment, a woman appears out of the tear gas and tumult, wearing only a face mask and stocking cap.  She walks toward the line of men in camouflage—who are firing pepper balls around her.  She stops in the intersection; stands silent and motionless; then slowly takes her naked body through a sequence of yogic poses.  She reclines on the street and spreads her legs in their direction.

She’s in the street for a little over ten minutes—during which, the city police arrive and replace the feds in camouflage.  Then the police exit the scene.  After observing the uniformed men disappear, the street goddess slips away, anonymously, into the crowd.

Some call her “Naked Athena,” an understandable reference, as Athena is both a goddess of war and wisdom.  Yet Athena springs from the head of her father and hardly has the sensuality of the Great Goddess in all her fullness.

The Portland street goddess reminds me more of an old tantric tale:

A long time ago, after the Great Goddess had been banished to the wild by the masculine gods, a great phallus began raging across the earth, destroying cities, ravaging the land, frightening the people.  Even the masculine gods couldn’t stop him.  As a last resort, they sent an emissary to beg the Great Goddess for her help.

Sure, she said.  She headed toward the great phallus, who was burning through the countryside.  Standing across from him, she dropped her robes.  With her divine hand, she reached for the phallus, then drew him inside of her.  They enjoyed themselves.  Dissolved in their ecstasy, the world fell into balance again.

That night in Portland, the planet Venus was just below the eastern horizon—about to rise.  The Moon was right behind her.  As the street returned to calm, these two celestial ladies ascended and kept watch until sunrise.

Hunting down Dumuzi

If you’ve been on the Venus retrograde journey with me, you know that we’ve been following the transformation paradigm from the ancient Mesopotamian myth of Ishtar. When evening star Venus disappears from the sky (which happened in late May of this year), Ishtar is on a mission.  She heads to the underworld to gain new power.

The time to develop and use that power is now—between June 2020 (Venus’ morning star transformation) and March 2021 (Venus’ evening star transformation). 

In the myth, when Ishtar exits the underworld, she takes on a new mission.   She’s accompanied by the grim galla–underworld demons who eat no food, accept no gifts, don’t enjoy lovemaking, and have no sweet children to kiss.   Ishtar’s resurrection requires a sacrifice.  The galla are here to carry someone back to the underworld.  A life for a life.

So Ishtar hunts down the man who’s done her wrong, her husband Dumuzi, who, sitting on his magnificent throne in his shining garments, didn’t seem to mind that she was dead.  She’ll exchange his life for hers.

Before we think this grants us permission to crush some actual man or men—let’s pause.   After the underworld, we’re still naked.  We’re vulnerable.  We’ve just taken a transformation journey with the Divine Feminine inside ourselves.   Maybe we awakened new powers.  Maybe we uncovered old sorrows and began their healing.  Maybe we busted a myth and got a new view of ourselves.

Ishtar/Venus is a goddess who encompasses everything.  She’s a lover.  She’s a fighter.  She’s a mother.  She’s a seductress.  She’s a protector and healer.  She’s abundance and beauty.  She’s laughter and rage.  She is Shakti, the play of life force energy dancing with Source.  What matters going forward is how–or if–we continue to feel our reverence and connection.    It is the beginning of a new Venus cycle.  We have an opportunity to develop a new side of our feminine expression. 

We get the meaning of the myth when we understand that Dumuzi is not an outer enemy.  He represents the masculine inside ourselves.  The one who decides what we do most days.  The grumpy eruptions of Ereshkigal —those result from the many ways the divine masculine “forgets” the divine feminine within.  To support the goddess rising inside, we need to re-balance the power between them, to re-harmonize heart and mind.

Over the past few weeks, readers and clients have generously shared with me their Venus retrograde transformation stories.  They’ve shared poignant disappointments, surprising revelations, and amazing healings.  Twice I sat down to write about the journeys of those who gave me permission to do so—and yet, the writing itself kept veering away.  In the end, it all felt just too tender to put any of it on display.

I can share that most agreed it helped to have a little structure.  The Divine Feminine by its nature is diffuse and all-encompassing.  It’s nice to have a pillar or two to lean into.  This is how the inner masculine supports the unfolding feminine–by committing to a supportive plan.  Going forward, I can offer your masculine-arranger-of-things seven key dates.  You can use these to monthly check in with yourself and keep your developing feminine on track.

Between now and next March, there are seven Moon/Venus conjunctions.  These connections between Moon and Venus have long been considered special.  Among shamanic astrologers they represent the seven gates Ishtar passes through as she travels in and out of the underworld.   I’ve always celebrated them as informal “goddess days.”  When the Moon and Venus get together, they tend to bring generally sweet-vibe days, good for socializing, enjoying art, making delicious food, partying, relaxing, being pampered, and communing with the Divine Feminine.

They’re also an appropriate time to track your journey to the evening star.  Note where you’re starting from.  What was your goddess resolve once Venus went direct?  Write this down.  Then check in during the monthly conjunctions ahead.   How is the goddess emerging inside you?  How are you changing?  What are you learning?

August 14-15            Moon/Venus conjunct in Cancer

September 13-14      Moon/Venus conjunct in Leo

October 13-14           Moon/Venus conjunct in Virgo

November 12-13       Moon/Venus conjunct in Libra

December 12-13       Moon/Venus conjunct in Sagittarius

January 11-12          Moon Venus conjunct in Capricorn

February 10-11        Moon/Venus conjunct in Aquarius

 

For more on the 2020 retrograde, see part one of my Venus review:  Transformed? Your Venus retrograde report card.

 

It’s always a fine time to check in with your Venus.
Mooncircles offers a few great ways to do that.

You can start with this article, “Can’t relate to your Venus? This is for you!”  You’ll find my take on Venus in each sign.

I highly recommend my Venus Unleashed report, personalized to your birth chart, and based on the delicious insights of many people who share your Venus placements.

For more on the Sun-Venus conjunction, go here:  “The Underworld Journey: When Venus is Combust”

Performing the Venus Santeria Ritual–is always a good Venus gesture.  Traditionally it’s performed on a Friday in May–but I’ve found that it works whenever you have a sincere desire to awaken the magic within your Venus.