In traditional astrology, Venus (or Aphrodite, her Greek name) is the planet of love. A source of universal attraction, this planet corresponds to the original urge which bonds two human beings together in love. Venus is thus both the magnetism which brings human beings together (not lust, which is symbolized by Mars, but the object which attracts lust) and the gift of love. This ambiguity is interpreted astrologically by the fact that Venus rules two houses of the zodiac. In Taurus, Venus symbolizes the awakening to bodily lust, and in Libra, the bond of marriage. As a result, Venus may take on very different aspects depending on the individual’s degree of awareness. Likewise, this ambiguity explains Aphrodite’s equivocal conduct in Greek myth and her innumerable couplings and motherhood. Depending on the legend, she may embody brutal, passionate love (with Anteros), the wisdom of the heart which rescues from passion (Harmonia); she also becomes tenderness and purity (with Adonis), pure sexuality (with Eros), a transforming energy (with Vulcan), etc. Mistress of the Arts, she represents beauty, understanding, and peace. Psychologically, individuals under the influence of Venus are struggling with their love instincts.

Josh Lucas:

As the heart of the solar system and the gravitational center of the travels of the earth and the other planets, the sun is the primordial light, the source of all warmth and life. From the dawn of humanity, it has been worshipped. It has symbolized the absolute power kings and despots yearn for and emulate. The sun king, the nucleus of society, embodied a principle of cohesion and harmony. Various subordinates—aka planets—revolved around it. In terms of psychological symbolism, the sun corresponds to the center of an individual, the factor that rules your psyche. Its luminous aspects are usually associated with knowledge and consciousness. As a creator of life, it is related to the image of the mother and the influence of motherhood on an individual’s consciousness and ideals. As a result, the sun’s position in a birth chart always indicates the way in which an individual will relate to your goals and ideals, what your ambitions and aspirations might involve. A person whose chart is strongly “solar” usually identifies very positively with motherhood. Your personality is friendly, energetic, and creative, with high ideals and a firm determination to accomplish them. You take your own superiority and authority over others for granted, and you have a natural ability to command the attention and admiration of an audience. You are a born leader who enjoys being in the limelight and may behave somewhat theatrically or with dramatic exaggeration. You have definite artistic leanings. The sense of your ideals is evident to you and may lead you to be somewhat self-focused. If ill-directed, your deep aspirations may lead to such faults as egotism, selfishness, or greediness for power.

According to Greek myth, Mercury (or Hermes, whose name derives etymologically from the piles of rocks which marked trails and guided travelers) was the messenger of the gods. He carried orders from Olympus to the mortals on Earth. The child of the illegitimate union of Zeus with Maia, Mercury was born “unknown to the immortal gods” and had to win his place among them by trickery, cleverness, and cunning. This is why he became the vagabond deity of travelers and wanderers. He is the instinctive foe of the settled who see him as an outcast roaming on the outskirts of society: a pariah, a thief, and a swindler. As ruler of the sign of Gemini, the Twins, he symbolizes the brother—the alter-ego who teaches us as much as we teach him and is associated with adolescence, a period of intense intellectual discovery. Mercury thus symbolizes lively, sparkling wit, mobility in any form, mental exchange, and interaction. As a result, a person strongly ruled by Mercury is quite likely to be clever and skillful. If Mercury is “afflicted” in one’s chart, their intellectual velocity may sometimes become mere mental hyperactivity. In any case, these skills are a great resource in the social realm. You communicate easily and effectively, orally or in writing. Your ability to unite and transmit would be a good resource in diplomatic or commercial endeavors.

Josh Lucas, you should be aware that the tenth house is an area of the sky which is especially important in your theme, because it contains several planets, including the one which rules your rising sign.

The North Node, the gateway into the tenth house, indicates your elevation in society. You will likely become aware of various desires and needs motivating you, and you will probably become conscious of how closely your social destiny is linked to your family’s reputation. Because the energy is somewhat vague, you will have to become aware of the various desires, needs, and ideals which are motivating you. As a result, you will probably become conscious of how closely your social destiny is linked to your family’s reputation. Indeed, all you can give society is what you have managed to make of yourself from the raw material you received from your background. When the tenth house is especially significant, it means that the use of power deriving from social rank is problematic for you. Your attitude toward both accomplishment and failure may be somewhat obtuse. As a result, you should always be asking yourself why you aspire to a certain career or profession, what your learning is worth, what meaning you want to give your relationship with society, what you are ready to give of yourself, and what you want from society in exchange.

Josh Lucas looks up at the ninth house in the sky and sees that it is especially important to his theme.