Evaluative and Relationship Functions Closely Tied to Need for Structure, Discipline and Limitation   The conjunction of Venus and Saturn suggests that Saturnian qualities pervade the way in which  you evaluate your environment and form/conduct relationships. This is a potentially positive aspect.  Saturn is exalted in Libra, which is ruled by Venus. A positively manifested Saturn will bring qualities of  stability, responsibility, self-discipline and prudence to your evaluative and relationship functions, sym-  bolized by Venus. Venus conjunct Saturn often symbolizes strong and enduring relationships, as well.  You may have begun life feeling insecure about relationships and perhaps not knowing how to  conduct yourself in a relationship. However, by focusing on correcting these “deficits,” you are likely to  have become committed, competent and attentive in your relationships. By “discovering” relationship  from the ground up, as it were, you have developed the essential qualities that make relationships fruit-  ful. You have had to develop a sense of relationship and what this sphere of life is about independently  and without much assistance from your social context. Therefore, you have tested each proposition and  learned, through trial and error, what is proper and what is not. The result is that what you have con-  structed is true. Having built this edifice of your relationship mode “by hand”, you know its worth and  you understand its depth.  You have learned the importance of mutual responsibility in your relationship(s) and you are  able to exercise the self-discipline required to maintain a balanced commitment to your partner. Your  appreciation of limits—a Saturnian quality--allows you to more easily keep within the bounds of the rela-  tionship. Your experiencing Saturnian imperfection can foster compassion for your partner’s flaws. You  are not likely to enjoy a large number of relationships, but those that you do have are likely to be deep  and long lasting.  Your Saturnian qualities generally lead to more structure in the way in which you evaluate your  environment and perceive your relationship with the world and its sense objects. Context is often quite  important to you. Your affections and dislikes may also be role-bound. In other words, you may feel that  it is all right for you to appreciate or own a thing or experience, as long as it is sanctioned by society or  the super-ego. You are likely to be attracted to things that are structured, or that display Saturnian  characteristics, such as solidity, endurance, form, austereness and simplicity.  Your judgment is generally influenced by rules and mores. You are given to strict interpretations,  and your judgment may be harsh and critical. If Saturn is manifested negatively, cynicism may be one of  your predominant qualities. You tend to evaluate everything through the lens of limitation and exclusion.  While this may be a valuable trait for scientific or analytical work, it may make for a negative bent of  mind if this view is generalized. You tend to define your tastes and affections by what you do not like,  rather than by what you are attracted towards.  If you have not done your inner work regarding relationships, the Saturnian energy is likely to  manifest more negatively. You may appear stiff and formal in your relationships, lacking spontaneity and  flexibility. You may suffer from external or self-imposed limitations or obstacles in your relationships.  There may be a heaviness or an authoritarian flavor in your dealings with others. You are also likely to  approach relationships with caution and to be slow to develop relationships. When dealing with people,  your focus on “rules” and what “should be” may keep you blind to what others see. You are likely not to  possess much social tact. You may also perceive relationships as something difficult, something consti-  tuting work. If this is the case, you may have a somewhat negative view of relationships, in general.  Venus also symbolizes the anima (the feminine psychological archetype). The conjunction of  Venus and Saturn suggests that you may have issues with your anima. Painful experiences in early life  may have stunted the development of your anima. Your anima may feel limited and restricted. Success-  fully dealing with these issues (or with other related issues signified by the conjunction) is likely to re-  sult in strengthening your anima. Sometimes, the anima can become quite dominant, once its  

insecurities are resolved. The positive structure and discipline that the Saturnian function brings to bear  can result in you developing a confident and goal-oriented anima. The Saturn conjunction also can sym-  bolize a strong anima attachment to your father.  If you are female, your anima may feel oppressed and you may be insecure or timid in expressing  your femininity. You may feel inhibited and the way that you express your femininity may be bound by  rigid conventions. If you overcome these insecurities and inhibitions, you may exhibit a very strong  image of femininity. You may also project an image of a woman who is goal-oriented, hard-charging and  domineering. If you are male, your paternal animus (represented by Saturn) may dominate and suppress  your feminine side, creating imbalance and over-rigidity. If your anima and paternal animus are com-  bined and balanced positively, however, this contributes toward you attaining a state of psychological  wholeness (as it would if you are female, as well). You may be attracted to women who are organized,  strong and disciplined. Or, you may have very high standards and look for the perfect woman.   Transcendent Potential   You can realize the transcendent potential of Venus conjunct Saturn when you critically examine  your values and hold yourself to high standards. You have not been able to take society’s commonly  held values for granted. Instead, you have had to find your own way. Perhaps this way has even led  through existential meaninglessness and relativity. In the end, you have found a Higher Law to live by.  Thus, your relationships are founded on high and correct values. Ultimately, the law of Truth and Love  leads you to the only relationship that is Real and lasting.   Insecurity   If you have not dealt with the challenges presented by Saturn conjunct Venus in a positive man-  ner, you are likely to have had constricted and even painful experiences with relationships. Your value  system is also likely to be narrow or misshapen. Your inner insecurities prevent you from facing your  inner taskmaster to rectify your faults. These insecurities are also strengthened by your negative experi-  ences in life.  If you have felt intimidated by relationships, you may have adopted a “withdraw and defend”  strategy to protect yourself from having to confront and deal with others. It is likely that, early in life, you  were hurt by being rejected or neglected and this has made you unwilling to take the risks of self that are  necessary in any successful relationship. Fear of rejection dominates your social experience.  Consequently, you never learned the social skills needed to relate to others. This produces a  negative spiral in which your social ineptitude produces further rejection or neglect by others. You are  likely to feel lonely and bitter inside. To compensate for your social insecurity, you may try to dominate  others, imposing your authority and control on them. You may impose rules and limits on your partner.  If you are especially insecure, you may allow yourself to be dominated and restricted by others. Males, in  particular, may experience dominating females or women who throw obstacles in your way and block  your path to success.  If you have not attempted to find your true values, happiness will be difficult to come by. Like Ca-  mus’s stranger, you may be indifferent to everything. Unless you search for the beauty in life, you are  likely to have a hypercritical attitude, judging everything harshly and finding goodness and pleasure in  nothing. While a balanced person with Venus conjunct Saturn may certainly have high standards, if you  are insecure, your tastes and judgment are likely to be bound by rigid rules that blind you to reality.  Your critical attitude may also spill over into your relationships, so that nothing your partner  does is good enough for you (or you may lack a partner because no one is good enough to match your  extraordinary standards). Such standards and your hypercritical attitude are simply defense mechanisms  

that protect you against relationships that may cause you to expose your feelings. Unable to deal suc-  cessfully with the world and its relationships, you avoid the problem altogether.  Your personality may also express undertones of Venus in Capricorn, Venus in the tenth house,  Saturn in Libra or Saturn in the seventh house.   Back to Top   Venus sextile Saturn   Opportunities for Structure and Discipline in Evaluative and Relationship Functions and for a Balanced  Approach to Discipline   The sextile of Venus and Saturn suggests that you possess opportunities to develop positive  Saturnian qualities in the way in which you evaluate your environment and form/conduct relationships.  The natural relationship between Venus and Saturn is potentially positive. Saturn is exalted in Libra,  which is ruled by Venus. The sextile suggests an emphasis on the positive qualities of the Venus-Saturn  relationship exists.  A positively manifested Saturn will bring qualities of stability, responsibility, self-discipline and  prudence to your evaluative and relationship functions. To a less pronounced extent, you may also have  opportunities to develop a more balanced attitude toward discipline, responsibility and structure. You  are more likely to take the impact that these Saturnian functions have on other people into more consid-  eration when you act.  You may experience these opportunities as lessons to be learned, although it is likely that these  lessons will not be harsh. They may even be able to be learned through observation, rather than by  going through the experience. If you take these opportunities to heart, you can develop more structure  and discipline in dealing with others. As a result, your relationships are likely to be solid and long last-  ing. You may find that you are more comfortable when there is a certain amount of structure in a rela-  tionship. You are also more likely to take advantage of structured interpersonal situations. It is likely that  you have learned how to be grounded in a relationship. When dealing with others, your practicality and  even caution often serve you well.  You may have also learned to see the limits to interpersonal relationships, coming to the conclu-  sion that relationships are not a substitute for a thorough grounding in your own clarified values. Often,  at some time in your life, you have had the opportunity to examine your value system in a structured and  analytical manner. You can usually look at yourself in an objective manner, particularly with regard to  your likes and dislikes.  This quality of objectivity, which may extend to your overall evaluation skills, may mean that you  possess excellent decision-making skills. You are generally able to construct a framework through which  you can conduct your evaluation of a situation. Because of your objectivity, you can develop a sense of  balance, fairness and rationality. You can be comfortable in interpreting laws, rules and regulations and,  therefore, you may make a good judge or administrator. These qualities are particularly effective when  combined with good people skills.  The sextile also suggests that you may have learned to achieve balance when engaged in disci-  pline, setting structure or imposing limitations (on yourself or others). The “hard edges” which may be  associated with the Saturnian parts of your personality are likely to be softened through your desire for  peace, harmony and preserving relationships. It is not likely that you would go overboard in enforcing  discipline or undertaking harsh measures.  Venus also symbolizes the anima (the psychological principle of femininity). The sextile sug-  gests that you have opportunities to bring together the paternal masculine side of your psyche  

(symbolized by Saturn) and your anima and that this will be positive and beneficial. By taking a rational,  organized approach to your anima and its issues, you may be able to understand your feminine nature,  with the result that it is given more focus and discipline. If you are female, you may experience opportu-  nities for guidance or benefit from an older male(s) in your life. Internally, you may discover opportu-  nities to strengthen your anima. If you are male, you may be able to employ the rational, organized parts  of your psyche to understand your feminine side better. The result may be a more cohesive and bal-  anced personality, as well as a fairer appreciation of the opposite sex. As you become older, you may  find yourself being a role model or benefactor for women, particularly younger women.  If either Venus or Saturn has a difficult aspect from another planet, the sextile suggests that there  are opportunities for you to relieve the stress that is associated with the difficult aspect. You may have  opportunities to relieve the stress of relationships or stress occurring due to conflicted values (when the  difficult aspect is to Venus). Sometimes, there may be a paternal figure in your life who may ease the  situation. Exercising discipline, getting organized, limiting your expectations and/or simple hard work  may also provide a solution. Sometimes, conforming to the normative rules and standards can also as-  sist you in dealing with problems with either your values clarification or your relationship(s). Aid may  come to you through your relationship(s) and/or with the aid of your partner (when the difficult aspect  is to Saturn). Often, your own judgmental faculty and your ability to take a balanced approach to a situ-  ation can help you deal with obstacles and difficulties or overcome excessive rigidity. Contemplation of  beautiful forms can also soften any harshness associated with Saturnian stress.   Transcendent Potential   You can realize the transcendent potential of Venus sextile Saturn once you have learned that  discipline and structure are necessary to achieve and preserve the harmony and beauty that you naturally  seek. You must seek opportunities to constructively actualize your values and those principles that are  associated with greater harmony and love. As you engage in the discipline of putting your values into  practice, you are continually faced with opportunities to examine your values, sharpen them and bring  them to a higher level. Your values are subjected to increasingly more rigorous tests of their purity, until  you are holding onto only what is truly valuable.  You lose your attachment to what is superficially attractive but which is really a distraction from  the real purpose and meaning of life. As you become more clear and focused on what your real values  are, the discipline of holding to those values becomes ever gentler. You become more balanced and less  rigid about self-imposed rules, so that your attitude toward the world and its relationships, and the ac-  tions that flow from this attitude, naturally become pure.   Insecurity   When you are inwardly insecure, you shun the call to self-sacrifice that is inherent in the Venus-  Saturn sextile and you avoid disciplining yourself with regard to your appetites and your relationships.  Instead, you discover opportunities to use the Saturnian qualities of imposing limitation and authority  to your own advantage in your interpersonal relationships and in attracting people and things that are  pleasing to you. If being overbearing with others is an effective means for achieving your own comfort  or being secure in your values or achieving a sense of ego-security when dealing with others, you will  adopt this mode. If you can manipulate rules and laws to achieve these ends, you will become a legalist.  If hard work is what it takes to amass the possessions that you value, you will work hard. By being at-  tached to things and people that only serve to bolster your ego-security, however, you miss opportu-  nities for real personal and interpersonal growth.   Back to Top   

Venus square Saturn   Evaluative and Relationship Functions Challenged by Limitation and Need for Structure   This is generally viewed as a highly negative aspect. Venus squaring Saturn suggests that the dif-  ferences and conflicts between the psychological functions symbolized by the two planets, rather than  their mutually supportive and compatible features, are prominent in your psyche and personality. The  resulting conflicts and issues need to be resolved by you. One conflict is between the flexible and situa-  tional approach associated with Venus and the rigid, rule-bound approach associated with Saturn.  The attention that you give to relationships generally leads you to adopt an accommodating style  where you evaluate each situation on its own merits. You generally tend to perceive things situationally.  This requires you to be flexible, to bend rules and to ignore standards that may be inappropriate to a  particular situation. However, because of your sense of discipline or the conditioning you have received  to adhere to strict rules and expectations, you may be reluctant to do this. You may also find that exter-  nal forces punish you if you try to take a more accommodating approach.  Sometimes, you may be placed in situations where you are operating outside of an established  framework. You may experience inner and/or outer tensions and conflicts when you have to make your  own evaluations, rather than relying on some external structure or set of rules. You may fear that going  “over the line” in waiving rules and seeking accommodations is dangerous. You can experience conflict  over being sensitive to others and their special conditions versus adhering to or enforcing a set of rules  or standards. Besides the guilt that you feel, conflicts between making decisions based on your own per-  ceptions and judgment and making decisions based on external standards may create problems in your  relationships or lead to unpleasant situations.  The inner conflicts that you are likely to have over discipline and structure may make you feel un-  duly limited in your interpersonal relationships. You may be overly sensitive to being limited and you  may, therefore, react against levels of limitation, structure and discipline that are natural and normal for  others. At other times, you may simply be faced with difficult and inevitable circumstances.  You are likely to have issues with discipline, organization and structure. If, because of this, you  avoid discipline and organization, you are likely to have to suffer the consequences. You may be sub-  jected to severe and harsh punishment or circumstances due to you wanting your own “sweet will” and  avoiding responsibility. You may experience much avoidable unpleasantness. When you try to avoid  work, the apparently difficult road or situations that appear to be limiting, you usually find that you have  made a bad choice. Sometimes, because you are unwilling to investigate a situation thoroughly (or, per-  haps, simply through bad karma), you make decisions on the basis of limited information, only to find  out later that you should have decided differently.  Your dislike of rules and regulations often makes you question why you should have to abide by  standards that are imposed by others. You may not even follow the simple rules of etiquette. You may  appear to be surly, rude and unpleasant to be around. You may rigidly insist upon your own way of  doing things or on your own tastes and preferences, again alienating others. You certainly do not like to  have anything imposed on you by others.  It is often the case that you have failed to develop your psyche or character in the area of life that  is symbolized by Saturn’s house placement in your chart. Thus, problems may arise in this area that are  the primary cause of your unhappiness in relationships or your general discontent with life. Because you  have never addressed those issues that Saturn symbolizes and have not learned how to act properly in  that area of life, your problems there spill over and affect your relationships. Because of these problems  and the fear and insecurity that they cause, you may limit your relationships.  The Venus-Saturn square suggests a basic antagonism between the psychological attraction to  

things that are good and pleasant, on the one hand, and your need for structure, discipline and organi-  zation. Thus, when you succumb to the lure of indulgence in sensual pleasure—even innocently—a  puritanical side of your psyche is likely to make you feel guilty. Subconsciously, you may also attract  external “enforcement agents” to you who deliver “punishment” for your indulgences. On the other  hand, if you try to “follow the rules,” you are likely to lose your balance and become too rigid. You may  lose all sense of enjoyment, as well as becoming a “wet blanket” for others. Your relationships are  bound to suffer you’re your unbalanced Saturnian side.  Because of the limitations and disappointments that you experience with your relationships and  in enjoying the things that you like, you may feel that nothing good will ever come to you in life. You  only seem to see and experience the unpleasant side of life. Primarily seeing life’s limitations and harsh  realities, you may become extremely critical and harshly judgmental. This adds to your dour demeanor  and general unhappiness.  Sometimes you may be sufficiently challenged by your limitations that you make strenuous ef-  forts to overcome your liabilities and handicaps. You may try to overcome your limitations, not only in  the area of life symbolized by the Saturn placement, but also in your interpersonal relationships and in  your general attitude toward life, since they are so affected by your problems and insecurities. In fact, it  is your relationships that may receive your attention first, since it may be your poor relationships and  unhappiness that are the symptoms of deeper problems.  Thus, you may work hard and become very disciplined and organized in initiating and cultivating  relationships and improving your attitude toward life. Your insecurity and failures in these areas may be-  come a driving force for you to eventually excel in these areas. This drive for excellence and achievement  will remain obsessive and insecurity-driven, however, unless you get to the root of the insecurities that  are symbolized by Saturn’s placement in your chart.  Venus also symbolizes the anima (the feminine psychological archetype). The Saturn square  suggests that you may have a great deal of insecurity about your anima. There are likely to be deep-  seated psychological issues, often the result of traumatic childhood experiences that have negatively af-  fected your anima. Your anima’s development may have been stunted and your anima is likely to feel or  be limited and obstructed.  If you are female, your femininity is likely to be blocked or inhibited, unless you have success-  fully dealt with those issues symbolized by Saturn. You may find yourself held back by paternalistic  males or by rules and customs that have been instituted by the “male hierarchy.” You may have had  negative experiences with your father or with other father figures. Your feeling of being dominated by  male authority figures may either keep you submissive or prompt you to aggressively assert yourself  against them. Thus, the inner conflict and oppression that your anima is subjected to can ultimately lead  to liberating an energy within you that results in self-empowerment.  If you are male, the conflicts that exist with your anima can lead to problems and conflicts with  women in your life. You are likely to have little understanding of your own femininity and of women, in  general. In fact, you may reject your inner feminine nature totally, subconsciously seeing it as a threat to  your hierarchical view of masculinity. This rejection may be externally expressed in you treating women  badly, seeking to dominate women and having a “male superiority” complex. However, it is also pos-  sible that your inner tensions prompt you to explore your femininity. As you struggle to get in touch with  your own suppressed anima, you discover the eternal feminine within you, with the result that you be-  come more balanced, sensitive and permissive of your self and your own enjoyment.   Meeting the Challenge and Transcendent Potential   There are several options to deal positively with the Saturn square. One option is to separate the  

two functions symbolized by Venus and Saturn, as much as possible, within your psyche. You realize  that each has its place but that, since the energies are conflicting, each must act in its separate sphere.  Thus, you can give due attention to organization and structure in the area of life symbolized by Saturn’s  placement, without expecting personal fulfillment or for this to be the place in your life where you culti-  vate relationships. You do what must be done. In the area of life symbolized by Venus’ placement, you  enjoy your relationships and pleasures for what they are, but you do not expect much permanence,  order or to achieve anything in this area of life. You may have to make a conscious effort not to worry,  not to impose unrealistic standards or expectations on yourself and not to feel unnecessary obligations.  This strategy is not without risk, since the basic conflict is not resolved and may display itself subcon-  sciously or through external manifestation.  Another method of dealing with the impact of the square is to try to resolve the difficulties and  negativities that it symbolizes. This involves attending to the inner work that is suggested by Saturn’s  placement. To the extent that the Saturn energy is purified and its issues resolved, the area of life that is  symbolized by its house placement becomes a place of strong discipline and focus. The pressure of the  square on the Venus function is alleviated. You will also need to purify your values and relationships,  removing any sources of negativity. The result of this work is that you become a strong individual with a  clear set of high values and absolute integrity in your interpersonal dealings.  You are able to focus and direct your energy towards others, particularly in a one-on-one basis.  You are skillful and organized in your interpersonal relationships, but you never manipulate others or  use your authority to force your will on anyone. Instead, you lead through strength or you build strong  partnerships with enduring bonds. You are able to manifest your values, working to make them concrete  realities as you work with others in the world. ‘  A related method of resolving the negativity suggested by the Venus-Saturn square is to accept  the work that Saturn symbolizes and to recognize that it is and will be difficult work. It involves purifying  your values and your relationships through discipline and focus. This involves what may appear to be an  ascetic approach, but is actually one of simplicity and control over the pleasure-seeking aspects of the  mind. Denial and resistance are a necessary part of this discipline, but denial and resistance are tools,  not ends in themselves. The goal is pure simplicity of values and a focus on what is good and True.  To achieve this, you must abstain from not only what is false, but also from the lesser good.  Seeking simplicity and working to achieve this aim changes your essential relationship with the world  around you and with others. You avoid those who distract you from your work. Of course, you have cur-  sory relationships with people in the everyday world, but these are governed by form and you are only  playing your appointed role. For this reason, and because the company of like-minded pilgrims is rare,  you may find yourself experiencing a life of solitude.  Loneliness may be a cross that you must bear, or if you are fortunate, you may find one good  friend upon the Way. In your solitude, however, you have opportunity for inner work. Care must be  taken, however, that too much solitude does not lead to delusion and imaginings. You should, as a mat-  ter of duty, serve others as much as you can.   Insecurity   Your insecurities accentuate the manifestation of negative energy in your psyche and personality  that the square suggests. You constantly feel that your values and/or relationships are threatened by au-  thority, are limited to an excessive degree and/or are too difficult to deal with. Consequently, you at-  tempt to erect defense mechanisms to protect your ego, rather than looking inward to see what improve-  ments, adjustments and corrections you could make yourself to reduce your pain, conflict and tension.  These defense mechanisms tend to be negative in character. One is to assert your own  

dominating authority in the matter of tastes and preferences and within relationships. You act the part of  a petty tyrant with those around you and, particularly, with your partner. To feel your own scope of au-  thority enlarged, you impose arbitrary limits on others. You enforce your own rules with harsh discipline  and punishment. Your attitude and manner may be paternalistic but it is not benevolent. You also may  exhibit a “no one is going to boss me around” attitude, except when confronted by real power and au-  thority (in which case, you submit).  Another defense mechanism that you may employ is blame and criticism. Perpetually dissatisfied  with your lot, you seek to blame others for your unhappiness. You constantly complain and criticize oth-  ers. Much of your complaining and criticism is born by your partner. People may legitimately say that  “there is no pleasing you,” since whatever you are presented with falls short of your “high” standards.  You see others as incompetent, undisciplined and limited in their abilities. You fail to realize that it is  your lack of accepting others and your inability to appreciate life that are primarily responsible for your  dissatisfaction.  A third defense mechanism, of sorts, is to wallow in your inferiority. By playing the victim or mar-  tyr, you absolve yourself of real responsibility for your failed relationships and your unhappiness. You  are convinced that your poverty and your unsuccessful relationships are due to forces beyond your con-  trol. You believe that you are too weak to stand up to and overcome those forces that act as obstacles  and block your success. You do not acknowledge that your own effort is needed to acquire what you be-  lieve is valuable and to make your relationships work. In your own mind, life is too hard and, so, you  simply give up.   Back to Top   Venus trine Saturn   Evaluative and Relationship Functions in Harmony with Structure and Discipline   The trine between Venus and Saturn suggests that you likely to be in tune with the positive Satur-  nian qualities when you evaluate your environment and form/conduct relationships. The natural rela-  tionship between Venus and Saturn is potentially positive. Saturn is exalted in Libra, which is ruled by  Venus. The trine suggests that there is an essential harmony between those functions that Venus and  Saturn symbolize.  The Venus-Saturn trine suggests that your evaluative and relationship functions are attuned to  the qualities of stability, responsibility, self-discipline and prudence. The harmony that exists between  the Venusian and the Saturnian functions also can lead to you having a more balanced attitude toward  discipline, responsibility and structure. You are likely to understand when Saturnian qualities are ex-  pressed by other people in their actions and attitudes.  You are also likely to take easily any lessons to be learned, as symbolized by Saturn’s placement  in your chart. You may even be able to learn these lessons through observation, rather than by going  through the experience yourself. You may not even feel that life is providing you with lessons so much  as that you are naturally inclining toward developing positive Saturnian qualities.  For instance, you may naturally incline toward more structure and discipline when dealing with  others. As a result, your relationships are likely to be solid and long lasting. You may find that you are  more comfortable when there is a certain amount of structure in a relationship and that this increases  your feeling of peace and harmony. You tend to be naturally grounded in your relationship(s). When  dealing with others, you can be inclined to take a practical and cautious approach.  You are generally comfortable with solid, even conservative, values. You are inclined to see val-  ues as real and valid when they are expressed through standards and law. It is not likely that you see  

values as relative or ambiguous. Rather, it is more probable that values have an objective quality about  them for you and this may make it easier to subject them to analysis and evaluation.  This quality of objectivity generally extends to your overall evaluation skills and this may translate  into you naturally being comfortable with decision-making. It is quite natural for you to construct a  framework through which you can evaluate a situation. Because of your objectivity, balance, fairness and  rationality come easily to you. You can be comfortable in interpreting laws, rules and regulations and,  therefore, you may make a good judge or administrator. These qualities are particularly effective when  combined with good people skills.  The trine also suggests that you have an innate balance when engaged in discipline, setting  structure or imposing limitations (on yourself or others). The “hard edges” which may be associated  with the Saturnian parts of your personality are likely to be softened through your desire for peace, har-  mony and preserving relationships. It is not likely that you would go overboard in enforcing discipline or  undertaking harsh measures.  Venus also symbolizes the anima (the psychological principle of femininity). The trine suggests  that the paternal masculine side of your psyche (symbolized by Saturn) and exists in harmony with your  anima. You intuitively understand your feminine nature, although you may employ logic and reason in  the process. If you are female, you are likely to have harmonious and friendly relations with an older  male(s) in your life. Your anima is likely to be strong and stable and you are likely to present yourself as  organized and competent. If you are male, you may naturally employ the rational, organized parts of  your psyche to understand your feminine side better. The result may be a more cohesive and balanced  personality, as well as a fairer appreciation of the opposite sex. As you become older, drawing closer to  women, particularly younger women, but in a fatherly, rather than a romantic, role.  If either Venus or Saturn has a difficult aspect from another planet, the trine suggests a way for  you to relieve the stress that is associated with the difficult aspect. Exercising discipline, getting orga-  nized, limiting your expectations and/or simple hard work can usually help you restore your balance and  equilibrium and deal with the stress associated with a difficult aspect (if it is to Venus). Sometimes,  conforming to the normative rules and standards can create harmony to relieve any stress that you may  experience in your relationship(s) or because of some dissonance in your value system. Your rela-  tionship partner(s) can usually help you deal with the anxiety and stress associated with a difficult as-  pect to the Saturn. Often, your own judgmental faculty and your ability to take a balanced approach to a  situation can help you create harmony when you are out of balance due to dealing with obstacles and  difficulties or due to excessive rigidity. Contemplation, especially of beautiful forms, may also create a  sense of harmony to soften any harshness associated with Saturnian stress.   Transcendent Potential   You can realize the transcendent potential of Venus trine Saturn once it becomes clear to you  that discipline and structure are essential for the harmony and beauty that you naturally seek. You then  constructively actualize your values and those principles that are associated with greater harmony and  love. As you engage in the discipline of putting your values into practice, you automatically examine  your values, sharpen them and bring them to a higher level. Your values undergo increasingly more rig-  orous tests of their purity, until you are holding onto only what is truly valuable.  You naturally lose your attachment to what is superficially attractive but which is really a distrac-  tion from the real purpose and meaning of life. As you become more clear and focused on what your  real values are, the discipline of holding to those values becomes ever gentler. You become more bal-  anced and less rigid about self-imposed rules, so that your attitude toward the world and its relation-  ships, and the actions that flow from this attitude, naturally become pure. Thus, you come to exist in a  

state of disciplined peace and harmony.   Insecurity   When you are inwardly insecure, you shun the call to self-control that is inherent in the Venus-  Saturn trine and you avoid disciplining yourself with regard to your appetites and your relationships. In-  stead, you impose limitation and authority to your own advantage in your interpersonal relationships  and in attracting what is pleasing to you. You are overbearing when this brings you comfort, or makes  you secure in your values or gives you a sense of ego-security when dealing with others. If you can  manipulate rules and laws to achieve these ends, you will become a legalist. If hard work is what it takes  to amass the possessions that you value, you will naturally work hard. By being attached to things and  people that only serve to bolster your ego-security, however, you glide through life, taking the easiest  road. You fail to experience for real personal and interpersonal growth as you live your life.   Back to Top   Venus quincunx Saturn   Evaluative and Relationship Functions and Need for Discipline, Limitation and Structure Exist in a  Critical Relationship   Venus quincunx Saturn can be a difficult aspect. It may be especially associated with you having  weak evaluative and relationship functions. Ideally, the functions symbolized by Venus and Saturn  should work together, providing you with structure and discipline within your relationships and helping  you to organize your values and to manifest them concretely. However, the quincunx indicates that there  is a disruption (or inconjunct) between these two functions, a failure to integrate them. Therefore, you  tend to lack the natural limits and the sense of responsibility that are normally a part of one’s value sys-  tem. You also tend to lack the normal sense of boundary and any innate concept of context and struc-  ture in your relationships.  Thus, you must make a special effort to rationalize your values and to set boundaries for your  relationships. This process is usually accomplished for a person through his/her super-ego, the con-  structs of which are traditionally passed down to a child by his/her father. A mother also normally plays  an authoritative role in defining inter-personal relationships roles and helping a child find his/her place  within the structure of interpersonal interactions, particularly for girls,.  This is all missing for you with Venus quincunx Saturn. This is not to say that each of these func-  tions—the evaluative/relationship and the structural/discipline—are not well developed on their own  terms. However, the link between them often seems to be missing. You may have a lot of social energy  and you may even have good judgment skills, but you probably lack discipline and structure in your  interpersonal relations. Your value system is not likely to emphasize discipline and you may also lack  discipline in control over your appetites. On the other hand, you may exemplify certain Saturnian qual-  ities—stead-fast-ness, pragmatism, or a knack for building things. But, these qualities are not an integral  part of your value system nor are they expressed through your relationships.  At certain critical times, however, the two functions are forced to act together. Sometimes, a cri-  sis may result because your values, judgment, tastes, social behavior or relationships are dissonant  when compared with your overall attitude toward observing rules and laws, or with your otherwise  appropriate level of caution, or with some other Saturnian manifestation. When this dissonance goes  unrecognized by you, it becomes problematic. A crisis can also be the result of some impurity, usually  concerning your values or the way in which you relate to others.  A crisis may be caused by your failure to observe proper boundaries or keep within certain  

structures, particularly in relationships. You may, for instance, whimsically seek pleasure as the oppor-  tunity arises, abandoning or changing values that you otherwise profess. Your judgment may be unduly  influenced by your desires and attachments, ignoring the concrete facts of a situation or the rules of  rationality and logic. You may ignore established social boundaries or continually fail to observe the  ground rules of a relationship.  You will generally create a situation from which there is no painless way out. The solution is hint-  ed at in the association of the quincunx with the sixth house (involving purification and humility),  Venus’s association with balance and Saturn’s association with discipline. Without the proper Saturnian  influence, your relationships and value system will remain underdeveloped and/or unbalanced.  This imbalance is often due to you not recognizing that society’s rules and norms apply to you,  as well, particularly regarding your own appetites, tastes, decisions and relationships. You may sense  that you need some organization or limits but you may not be able to put this in place. Consequently,  your appetites and your behavior in relationships may be out of control, going beyond the socially sanc-  tioned boundaries. Alternatively, you may overreact by becoming too rigid and orthodox in your tastes  and/or your relationships.  From time to time you will be called upon, at critical junctures in your life, to make break-  throughs by correctly applying the principles of discipline, structure and limitation to relationships or  value-decision situations. The lessons that you need to learn are likely to include valuing the rule of law  and the benefits of structure and discipline. Another lesson could involve determining when and in what  situations you should become personally involved with another person and when you need to simply  play out your role. Still another lesson could be to learn when you should go with your own judgment  and feelings and when you should allow society’s rules and conventions to override your tastes or judg-  ment.  Overall, it is critical that you allow your evaluative/relationship functions and your organi-  zational/disci-plin- functions to mutually affect each other, change each other and respond to one an-  other. There may be a moment of opportunity, demanding courage to grasp, during which you can re-  solve a crisis. The action that must be taken will usually require you to purify or transform either your  evaluative/relationship functions or your structural/discipline function. If the crisis is resolved, you will  gain maturity with respect to your relationships, judgment, discipline and organizational capacity. If the  crisis is not resolved, social confusion, misunderstanding (particularly concerning boundaries and  established limits) and/or personal humiliation may result. Hopefully, you will have learned a lesson  that can motivate you in the future to purify and transform your structuring/disciplining and/or evalu-  ative/rela-tion-ship complex.  Venus also symbolizes the anima (the feminine psychological archetype). The quincunx between  Venus and Saturn suggests that your anima is not well connected with various paternal archetypes  (from the strict and controlling Jehovah-God to the Wise Old Man). Therefore, your anima may feel es-  tranged from, or at least indifferent to, those father figures that may inhabit your life. Your estrangement  will generally not result in conflict with paternal authorities, but there may be crisis situations in your life  when you will have to recognize and positively interact with them, particularly in your role as a woman  or—if you are a man—with respect to some aspect of your feminine side.  Because of your anima’s disconnectedness with the Saturnian function, your feminine energy is  not likely to be well-grounded, disciplined or organized. This can result in a femininity that may appear  to be airy (of flighty), unrestricted (and sometimes wild) or scattered. If you are female, you will likely ex-  hibit these characteristics in your persona. You may also have a strained or cool relationship with your  father or other paternal figures. If you are male, you will most likely be attracted to women who exhibit  these characteristics. You may also have a strained or cool relationship with any daughters you may  have or with younger women, generally.   

Transcendent Potential   You can realize the transcendent potential of Venus quincunx Saturn when you achieve a whole-  ness of psyche that is based upon the successful critical interaction of your evaluative/ relationship  function and your structuring/disciplining function. Both your evaluative/ relationship and the disci-  plining/orga-niz- functions have been strengthened, transformed and purified. You have realized that,  with discipline, the purpose of human relationship is to achieve a state of purity and concentration. You  have taken advantage of every opportunity to develop discipline, organization and structure, particularly  regarding your values and your relationships. Consequently, you deal with these areas of life with focus,  practicality and steadfastness.  You put effort into your relationships. You also exercise discipline in subjecting your values and  preferences to rigorous examination, weeding out those that are of lesser quality and integrity. You clear-  ly recognize your responsibilities in your relationships and your set clear ground-rules with others. Most  importantly, you take your interpersonal interactions seriously. You see them as a vehicle for personal  growth and development. They provide you with lessons that force you to become more pure, more  disciplined and more aware of the role that your values play in determining your behavior and attitude.  Therefore, you work hard to manifest your value system concretely and to raise that value system to the  highest standard possible.   Insecurity   Your insecurities keep you blind to the truth and fearful of taking risks. Therefore, you have failed  to see the necessary relationship between values/relationships and discipline/ structure/conformity. At  critical phases of your life, you have made poor decisions, acted inappropriately and been involved in  dysfunctional relationships because these two functions were not well integrated. You have let fear trap  you into infantile patterns of behavior and you have been arbitrary in applying your value system to con-  crete situations and following simple rules of behavior in your relationships with others. You have never  recognized the importance of abiding by a set of common standards and unspoken rules, particularly  with regard to matters of taste and relationships. You may be overly rigid and then overly lax in your  dealings with others, because you have no clear idea of proper limits and discipline. You may consis-  tently overstep boundaries which you do not realize are there.  Your basic problem is that you lack the healthy integration of your value system (and your mode  of relating to others) within a framework based upon discipline, order and structure. Lacking this disci-  pline, you act within relationships, and you express your likes and dislikes, solely on the basis of your  personal need for freedom.  In the area of life that is symbolized by Saturn’s placement, however, you conform to rules and  regulation. You may be organized and you may abide by the existing organizational structure. This is a  contradiction within your personality, but you will often be unaware of this contradiction and therefore  make no attempt at better integration. When your dysfunctionality produces crisis, you look for the path  of least resistance, protecting your ego, generally making a mess of things, and learning nothing from  the experience. Crises are most likely to be brought about through your own failure to play by the rules  and/or to exercise integrity with respect to your values. You refuse to learn and, thus, you not only suffer  the consequences of your blindness, but you also repeat the same mistakes over again.   Back to Top   Venus opposed Saturn   Evaluative/Relationship Functions and Limitation/ Structure/Discipline Function at Polar Extremes   

There are certain qualities and functions symbolized by Venus and Saturn that are natural oppo-  sites. The placement of these two planets in opposition suggests that these opposing qualities and func-  tions are accentuated in your psyche and personality so that conflict occurs. These opposites include  situational sensitivity and flexibility, on the one hand, and imperviousness and rigidity, on the other  hand; individual judgment versus reliance on rules and law; and feeling versus cold reason.  Additionally, you tend to experience those qualities that are symbolized by Saturn as causing  internal contradictions and conflict for those functions that are symbolized by Venus. For instance,  whenever you attempt to find stability and order within your relationships (or value system), tension can  develop, with a part of your psyche rejecting the structure and discipline necessary to attain a stable  state. In fact, you may, consciously or subconsciously, view rules, order and organization as being  essentially inimical to relationship and to your enjoyment what you value in life.  Despite your natural antipathy, you are continually confronted by the necessity for stability and  structure in your relationships and/or value system. As a result, you may feel that your relationships are  under pressure. If your relationship(s) do not conform to your super-ego’s concept of a correct and sta-  ble relationship, you are apt to feel guilt. You may feel limited and stifled by the rules and structures to  which you must conform. This, then, hampers the quality of your relationships and your ability to enjoy  life. You may feel that obstacles constantly thwart you in your relationships and to obtaining those  things that you value in life. In actuality, these obstacles are often the result of your inability or unwill-  ingness to conform to basic standards or to adopt a minimum amount of structure and discipline with  regard to your relationships and/or the control of your appetites.  Sometimes, these obstacles may take the form of individuals who either oppose you in your rela-  tionships or try to control you. An overbearing and overprotective father is archetypical of the former  and someone who tries to enforce his/her own values on you is an example of the latter. These real or  perceived obstacles and your consequent feeling of limitation often result in you not being able to enjoy  your relationships or, indeed, much else in life. You may, therefore, adopt an overly harsh view of life,  becoming hypercritical of both yourself and others.  You may also overcompensate for a perceived lack of order and discipline in your relationships  (and/or your own inclinations and appetites) by adopting an unbalanced attitude toward rules and disci-  pline. Restoring balance is the key to a positive expression of Venus-opposed-Saturn. By examining that  area of life symbolized by Saturn’s house placement, you may be able to learn the value of structure, or-  ganization and discipline and apply these lessons to your relationships and/or to controlling your ap-  petites. You become aware and accepting of the social and external constraints that exist for you in the  realms of relationship and/or your accumulation and enjoyment of what you value.  It is even more importance that you critically examine your value-system and your relationships  and reorganize them in a more positive manner. You have the capacity to bring greater order to your life  and relationships, but must take positive action to bring out this latent quality in yourself. It is also crit-  ical that you examine the rules and constructs by which you live to see whether they are balanced and  realistic. They should be informed by your value system, after you have thoroughly examined your val-  ues. You need to learn to apply your own judgment to situations rather than blindly following a set of  rules and structure that has been externally imposed. You may also benefit by cooperating and working  with others to overcome those limitations and obstacles that you see facing you.  Venus also symbolizes the anima (the feminine psychological archetype). The opposition of  Venus to Saturn suggests that you have issues involving inner conflict between your anima and your  paternal archetype. The opposition suggests that you need to balance these two psychological forces. If  this balance is not achieved and conflict arises, it is likely to result in you feeling guilty about your femi-  ninity. You are likely to hear your father’s voice within you scolding you for expressing your femininity,  stifling your womanhood or being overprotective toward you, as a daughter. If you are male, this voice is  

likely to be reinforcing masculine authoritarian stereotypes by delivering the message that real men do  not let their feminine side show, or even have a feminine side. Particularly if you are a woman, you may  draw men to you who are substitutes for your own father.   Transcendent Potential   In its highest expression, Venus opposed Saturn symbolizes the balance between discipline and  contemplation. You can take the first step toward raising your consciousness and realizing the tran-  scendent potential of Venus opposed Saturn by controlling your appetites through the hard work of  discipline. However, discipline by itself, without giving yourself the chance to enjoy the fruits of your ef-  fort, will inevitably result in reaction and downfall. Therefore, you must take the time to appreciate the  Beauty and Harmony that is within and around you.  Another step that you must take is to critically examine your values and see clearly how you are  attached to things of this world that are essentially worthless. You must understand that the only Real  relationship is the soul’s relationship with its higher Self and with its Lord. You then must begin the task  of purification of what the Islamic mystics have called the nafs--the soul’s attraction and attachment to  the lower, or animal, tendencies of the mind. By disciplining and purifying the nafs, which are naturally  opposed to the Higher Order conceptualized and administered by the Mind, you turn your attention  away from the limitations of your current existence and toward the unlimited Beauty and Harmony that  is to be found within. The more you are in touch with the Higher Order and with Beauty and Harmony—  which are no longer dual, but are one—the more you will see this same beauty and harmony existing in  your external relationships and reality.   Insecurity   You are faced with continuing tension between your desires for uninhibited relationships and/or  uninhibited sensual enjoyment, on the one hand, and those limitations and obstacles that block you  from attaining your desires. This tension and conflict is actually a prod from your subconscious to  change and to purify your consciousness from its attachment to ego-dominated attitudes. Because you  are insecure and you gain a certain false security from your ego, you are unwilling to face these changes.  Your ego subconsciously feels that purification and discipline is a threat to its integrity.  You generally adopt a defense mechanism in response—usually confrontation, suppression or  projection. Each involves your identification with one or the other of the polarized functions represented  by Venus and Saturn. Confrontation involves the active rejection of the Venusian or a Saturnian pole  with which you have not identified. If you identify with relationship and enjoyment (Venus), you will re-  ject and oppose any attempt to discipline or limit your freedom in these areas. You may be opposed to  established institutions that govern these areas (e.g., marriage). Because you reject authority with regard  to these matters, you are unlikely to accept the validity of the social norms or standards that govern  them. You may have an “I’ll do anything I want, be with whomever I want to be with and enjoy whatever I  like” attitude. In reality, you fear being limited in your relationships and choices and, so, you aggres-  sively confront any possible limitation of your freedom.  Identification with the Saturn function will be less common and will generally involve a rigid  adherence to rules and order in the matter of relationships and values. You reject all relativism and you  may also reject the validity of individual choice and preference. Your attitudes toward relationship roles  and toward values and mores are harsh and dominated by your super-ego.  Another defense mechanism involves identifying with one polarity, while suppressing the other.  If you identify with the Saturnian polarity, you suppress the Venusian functions. Thus, you accept the  limitations that you experience in your relationship(s) and in your capacity to enjoy life. You experience  

a state of unfulfillment, unhappiness and inadequacy in your relationships. You also may feel that you  are too unworthy to enjoy life’s pleasures. You live a drab, sorrowful existence, filled with limitation and  obstacles. Although you may feel bitter about your condition, you are more likely simply to feel resigned  and helpless.  Subconsciously, the suppressed Venus function may arise in you as an uncontrollable appetite  for pleasure, sensual gratification or illicit relationship. The verboten desire may then cause a sense of  shame and guilt to arise, prompting you to feel that you should be punished. Subconscious acting out  of this desire to be punished is likely to cause you to act in a way that will provoke punishment or mis-  fortune. This may include you secretly gratifying your verboten desires and then getting caught at it.  If you suppress your Saturnian function, you will probably live a very social and/or sensual life,  but without adequate discipline and structure. You may believe that you are fulfilled in your relation-  ships and that you enjoy life. But, your so-called fulfillment is without a foundation. Your relationships  are rarely long lasting or deep. They may also be without integrity. Because you lack any grounding, your  value system is often opportunistic. Underneath, you have nothing to which you can relate your “enjoy-  ment.” You are simply engaged in satisfying appetites, which are never fully satisfied. Consequently, you  are plagued by a hollow feeling inside. You feel that something is missing from your relationships. This  feeling of something missing obstructs your capacity to enjoy life. Correcting the problems that are at  the root of this hollow feeling requires submitting your relationships and your value system to discipline  and structure.  If your subconscious uses projection as a defense mechanism, you identify with one function  and project the other onto your partner or onto some other person or institution. You will be attracted to  those who exemplify the function and qualities that you have suppressed within yourself. If you project  your Saturnian function, you will be attracted to individuals who are stern, strong, steadfast, conser-  vative, practical and authoritarian or paternalistic. You may subconsciously see yourself as being too  weak to control your cravings and indulgences. You may also be unable to “say no” to others. Rather  than be dominated by everyone you meet, you project your will to be dominated onto one person. The  Saturnian partner in your life is able to establish and enforce external limits to control you. You rely on  your partner to provide discipline, make and enforce rules and to handle those affairs of life that de-  mand a practical and organized approach.  If you suppress your Venusian function, you will tend to be stiff, awkward and insecure in your  relationships and social skills. You may also feel inhibited when it comes to enjoying yourself and  appreciating the beauties of life. You may be so dominated by work and a drive to succeed that you have  no time or inclination to take what pleasure and leisure there is in life. If you project these suppressed  needs, you will be attracted to a partner who can fill them. He/she is likely to be socially accomplished  and is often very beautiful or handsome. He/she may embody all of the grace, beauty and harmony that  you are otherwise lacking in your life. Despite this, you may neglect and your partner and fail to appre-  ciate him/her.  Nevertheless, you live your social life vicariously through your partner. You rely on your partner  to arrange social engagements and opportunities for leisure, and to keep your surroundings attractive  and harmonious. Because you remain aloof from all this, however, your partner may feel that his/her ef-  forts are ignored and unappreciated.  When you project either your suppressed Venusian or Saturnian function onto someone else,  you usually lay a greater burden on your partner than he/she can reasonably be expected to bear. When  your partner does not live up to your expectations, you tend to criticize him/her. Often, you project your  own negative subconscious baggage onto your partner, endowing him/her with negative qualities and  characteristics that you yourself actually possess, but will not admit to.   

Back to Top