An astrologer friend of mine keeps talking about my Venus. Natal Venus, progressed Venus, transiting Venus. Venus, Venus, Venus.

Oh my, is it okay to talk about a girl’s Venus?

Are women truly from Venus and men from Mars?

What about a girls’ Mars and a guys’ Venus? What part of a girl lives on Mars and what part of a guy lives on Venus?

Hey, I think I’m having a Venus return. Is that why Venus is calling for a blog?

I’m just gonna blog on Venus because.

Venus and Mars

I take a very simple, Eastern, view of men and women. Biological men are yang energy and biological women yin energy.

Yang is external and yin internal. Yang points out, yin points in.

Aggression, for example, sometimes considered a “male” quality, is just the external form of aggressive energy which is to make war with perceived enemies in other places. Internal aggression is more like self-hatred and internal aggression might fight with friends and family more than an “external” enemy in a far-off land.

As a friend once said flippantly, when men have low self-esteem they are violent; women with low self-esteem eat chocolate. Her brilliant detective mind saw the same energy in these very diverse behaviors. One is external, one internal.

The chart is not “male” or “female.” While some qualities such as aggression and nurturing have been associated with gender (and women do nurse babies, a biological fact), think of all the characteristics that aren’t gender stereotyped like frugality, discretion, beauty, honesty, loyalty, economy and happiness.

If men and women alike are free to be seen as fastidious, why not aggressive?

Venus

Venus is the planet that describes what we like, our values and how we spend money (which reflects our values). It is different from the moon where we derive comfort from response to stimuli. Comfort while a smooth and warmth-evoking word can take on some ugly forms.

Venus is pleasure, not comfort, although they can be related.

Venus is currently transiting Aquarius. Aquarius, the water bearer, is not a water sign but an air sign. The “water” it bears is more like electrical energy from the source. Aquarius is ultimately about ideas and if your Venus is in Aquarius, pleasure may involve talking about life on other planets rather than shopping or sports.

If I were an evil astrologer (and I swear I’m not), I’d suggest Venus in Aquarius transits (which last about a month and are in January, February or March) are a time to sell ideas and technology.

It’s also a good time to sell the opposite of what you really want to sell as Aquarius is more than a mild rebel.

When I Google rebellious activities, tattooing oneself ranks at the top of the searches. Maybe Venus in Aquarius is a good time to have a tattoo sale.

If you’re looking to dance with the astronomical stars, jive with the universe and go with the Venus-in-Aquarius flow, here are some things you can do until April 6 when Venus moves into watery (and whiny) Pisces.

• Walk backwards
• Say the opposite of what someone expects you to say
• Reject ideas of what is considered breakfast/lunch/dinner food
• Change from diurnal to nocturnal (or the opposite)
• Use the other gender’s bathroom
• Share your new idea/invention even if no one understands it
• Get a tattoo