As an astrologer I’m often asked about the timing of cosmetic procedures. And while nothing is guaranteed, I’m confident that having the Sun, the Moon and the planets in the right position can make a big difference. Nonetheless one has to work in the real world. Sometimes operations are urgent, and one can’t tell someone to wait a few weeks for the astrological situation to improve. Also cosmetic surgeons tend not to work in the middle of the night, so it’s no good telling a client that the best time for liposuction is at 2.07 am on Sunday morning.
Still, if it’s not urgent, there are certain broad trends one can observe. And I’m thinking particularly of the planet Venus, which is the planet of beauty. When choosing a time for any event connected with beauty, whether it’s buying new clothes, opening a hairdressing salon or having one’s nose surgically reshaped, one should look at the planet Venus. If it’s badly placed, then in my opinion that could increase the chances of a less than optimum outcome.
And right now, at the end of January 2009, the position of Venus is starting to look grim. Between now and February 3 it’s moving through the last degrees of Pisces, close to a conjunction with the fixed star Scheat. Although Pisces is a fortunate sign for Venus to be in, Scheat is associated with disasters and shipwrecks.
Matters are made worse by the fact that Venus is starting to slow down, from the Earth’s perspective, and on March 6 it goes backwards, until April 17. And that’s not all… on February 3 Venus enters Aries, the sign of its detriment, where it stays, on and off, until June 6.
I say on and off, because in mid and late April Venus is back in Pisces, which isn’t much relief, because it’ll join up with Scheat again.
Sorry, that must all sound rather confusing. So let me summarise Venus’ decline:
Until February 3 Venus is close to Scheat, though at least it’s in the sign of its exaltation. It’s also starting to slow down.
From February 3 through to March 6 Venus is moving forward through Aries, the sign of its detriment, slowing down even more. From February 18 onwards there is some mitigation, because the Sun moves into Pisces, meaning, in the jargon, that the Sun and Venus are in mutual reception by exaltation. I won’t bore you with the details!
From March 6 to April 11 Venus continues moving through Aries, moving backwards. Until March 20 the Sun and Venus remain in mutual reception, so Venus does get some strength. Yet from March 20 through to around April 2 the Sun is making an unfortunate conjunction to Venus, in the same sign. At this stage Venus is extremely weak.
From April 11 to April 17 Venus is moving through Pisces, while moving backwards, close to Scheat. On April 17 Venus comes to a standstill, and starts going forward.
From April 17 to April 24 Venus continues moving through Pisces, close to Scheat, but it’s slowly gathering speed, in a forward direction.
April 24 to June 6 Venus is in Aries, going faster and faster. The situation is certainly improving, but now Venus is close to a conjunction with Mars, which might be unfavourable – particularly for cosmetic surgery, and especially if the face and head are involved. After all, Mars rules the surgeon’s knife, and hasty and ill-planned cosmetic surgery could have unfortunate consequences. The conjunction may lose some of it malefic power from May 31 through to June 6, when Venus and Mars are in different signs.
June 6 to July 5 Venus is now in Taurus, where it functions very well. It’s usually a great time for activities connected with love and beauty. However Mars is also in Taurus, so this acts as a spoiler. And in early July both Venus and Mars are close to the most feared star in the book, Caput Algol, the head of the demon, which in mythology is symbolised by Medusa’s Head.
So if you’re planning an activity connected with beauty, and it’s not essential, then I’d suggest you put it on hold, until the summer. Of course I appreciate that some things can’t be delayed, for example for reasons of health, finance or business.
I should also say that if you’re getting married over the next six months, think very carefully about whether it’s really the right time. Venus rules relationships, and you want to get married when this planet’s in a good condition. I know, weddings have to be booked, the guest lists have to be prepared, but marriage is about a life-time commitment, not a one-day party.
However if you insist on getting married in the first half of 2009, you should at least avoid what is arguably the worst period of the year for weddings, which is from March 20 through to at least April 24.
April 11, which is Easter Saturday, might be many people’s ideal day for getting married, but arguably it’s the worst Saturday of the year for tying the knot. Not only is Venus poorly placed, but the Moon is in Scorpio, the sign of its fall. So if you’re planning an Easter wedding, think very carefully about what you’re doing.
Copyright © 2009 Archie Dunlop
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