Manifestation seems to be one of those metaphysical concepts everyone is desperate to figure out. Well, the 2023 Mars/Venus conjunction in Leo is a great time to tap into this magical principle—and find joy doing it! The optimum time to work with this transit energy is between July and August 2023.
I don't know about you, but my journey with manifestation has been challenging, primarily due to the paradox inherent within the concept. It's a process that involves acknowledging your desire while simultaneously releasing attachment to receiving it.
...But like...how do you want something and also not really care if you obtain it? This always seemed to trip me up, and I commonly hear the same struggle from others.
So you want something and at the same time don't really care if you get it. It's a mental merry-go-round enough to make anyone's head spin. 😵💫
This is why many just end up feeling more frustrated with this process than successful. In a way, it leaves us feeling like the Universe won't let us into the cool club because no one told us the secret word. It wasn't until I understood a few other components of manifestation that I could hop off this confusion carousel and work with this metaphysical concept in my life to greater success. These other components include the relationship between masculine & feminine energies (hello, Mars & Venus), the principle of co-creation, and the Law of Attraction.
So, for those stargazers out there yearning to harness the magic of manifestation, the upcoming Mars/Venus conjunction dancing across the vibrant stage of Leo is your cosmic cue. This celestial transit invites you to explore the interplay between your masculine and feminine energies and understand how to leverage them to attract your desired outcomes. This alignment is an excellent opportunity to deepen your understanding of manifestation and make significant strides toward actualizing your aspirations...or maybe just figuring out what those aspirations are! Let's dive in, shall we?
The Relationship Between the Masculine and Feminine
Masculine and feminine energies are not confined to gender but are fundamental forces that exist within all of us, acting as the building blocks of our internal Universe. Creation could not happen without both. These two energies are complementary and interdependent, each offering unique attributes that contribute to our overall balance, just like the concept of Yin and Yang in Chinese philosophy.
The masculine energy, often associated with attributes such as logic, decisiveness, and assertiveness, provides a form of active or dynamic energy. It is a driving force that helps propel us forward, aiding us in setting clear goals, taking initiative, and following through with plans. This energy is also linked with protection and provision, acting as a guide through the external world. In essence, the masculine creates the structure, form, and direction for our ambitions and life journey. The masculine is symbolic of how much we have to give.
Feminine energy, on the other hand, offers a form of receptive or passive energy. It embodies attributes such as intuition, nurturing, empathy, and inspiration. This energy allows for deep emotional connections, fosters a sense of compassion, and enhances our ability to receive and appreciate beauty. The feminine is about what brings us pleasure and represents our capacity to receive. It is the nurturing force that allows for growth and healing, creating the space for introspection and understanding. When we allow ourselves to be open and receptive, we invite the universe to move through us, leading to higher creativity and profound insights.
It is the feminine in you that is inspired and feels desire. The feminine in you is what dreams, while the masculine is motivated to give form to this dream by taking action around it. The balanced interplay between these two energies—the assertive drive of the masculine and the nurturing intuition of the feminine—allows for a harmonious journey through life and our place as creators in it. To give you an example, let's say you're crazy about houseplants (guilty as charged). You love shopping for them, planting them, sharing them, keeping them alive, seeing a space transformed...it brings you pleasure. The desire you feel for house plants is the feminine function in you. You desire more. Now, it's up to your masculine to do something about this by way of physical action. The masculine is the follow-through that motivates you to actually go shopping and water your plants. Your masculine could even motivate you to turn your desire into a full-on business, taking action through entrepreneurship. In feminine acts as a muse for the masculine, giving it a purpose to act.
It's easy to see how these have become genderized in society; however, you have both masculine and feminine energies inside of you. The way these energies function, separately and together, is revealed by analyzing Mars and Venus in your birth chart.
Mars and Venus in the Natal Chart
So how do these two celestial bodies illustrate the masculine and feminine principles? Well, for starters, I find it interesting that from an astronomical perspective, the Earth is literally sandwiched between Venus (orbiting inside our orbit) and Mars (orbiting outside our orbit). Think about that symbolism. Venus is connected to our inward receptivity, while Mars is connected to our outward expression. It's even shown in the fabric of our solar system. Moreso, the number two represents the Feminine in numerology while four represents the masculine. Venus is the 2nd planet from the sun, while Mars is the 4th! Fascinating...
Mars, named after the Roman god of war, is the celestial embodiment of our primal drives, including our assertiveness, courage, and physical energy. It represents the masculine aspect within us all, irrespective of gender. In the natal chart, the placement of Mars speaks to our approach toward ambition, taking action, and drive. It suggests how we assert ourselves, pursue our desires, and react when faced with challenges. Mars illuminates our raw warrior energy, spontaneous reactions, and how we best take action in the external world. It tells a story about our passions, courage, and willpower. Mars reveals our capacity to give energy.
Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, symbolizes our affections, attractions, and how we seek harmony and comfort. It represents the feminine energy within us, again, irrespective of gender. In the natal chart, Venus indicates how we express love and handle relationships, pointing to what we value and find pleasurable. Venus also provides insight into our approach to diplomacy, our need for balance, and how we appreciate beauty and art. It uncovers our capacity for connection, our personal definition of comfort, and our pursuit of harmony and pleasure. As the hottest planet in our solar system, Venus in the chart shows what "turns us on" and our overall capacity to receive.
Have you ever heard of the Law of Attraction? That concept lives in Venus. This cosmic hotty operates like a magnet function in us, drawing to us what brings us pleasure once we know how to tap into it.
Together, Mars and Venus in a natal chart provide a detailed picture of our personal and interpersonal dynamics, painting a vivid picture of how the masculine and feminine energies dance in us. By taking the time to analyze both these planets together in the natal chart, we get a much better understanding of how to harness our creative potential and possible pitfalls.
For example, Venus in Pisces, or the 12th House, is going to have a feminine principle that is influenced by an abundance of connection and a lack of boundaries. We could even use the word boundless here. A Picean Venus knows how to dream and believe in magic. There is a "boundless" connection to the imagination and what is possible. A Venus in Pisces or the 12th House can really "dream big." In fact, dreams are one of the ways a Picean Venus can attract. A Venus with this placement has the ability to attract a wide variety of desires in a wide variety of ways because of the ability to connect to all of life through the feminine principle. On the flip side, a Piscean Venus can struggle to set boundaries, and this is a sure track to leaking energy and distractibility. If you knew this about yourself, how would you leverage this information to help you create? Would you maybe get a little support setting those boundaries? Maybe let yourself daydream a bit more?
Co-creation Instead of Manifestation
It's worth pointing out that we are all creators and, therefore, creative. I don't care if you made a macaroni noodle necklace or a new macaroni & cheese recipe; we create every day, all day. We create conversations, relationships, stories, problems, routines, tasks...the list goes on...forever. I want you to start thinking of yourself as a creator because you are. On a grand scale, you are an artist, and life is your masterpiece. When you begin to build awareness around just how you create (thanks, Mars & Venus), then you've got the golden ticket to change or enhance the process!
Swapping out the word "manifestation" for "co-creation" changed the game for me when it came to this metaphysical process of creation. The word manifest reminds me of my state of lack, which makes me feel frustrated. The word co-creation reminds me of collaboration, which makes me excited. This is a huge vibrational shift that will only help here. After all, we can only attract what we are putting out there. I would much rather work with my feelings of excitement than feelings of frustration.
I invite you to consider the term co-creation in place of manifestation. Co-creation is pretty self-explanatory. Rather than there being a reference to just one creative force (you and what you want), multiple forces come together to create. Co-creation explains our world so much better than creation. We are all co-creating right this very moment. The physical world and society at large is a result of everyone's actions and decisions, not just one person. Another example — all the cells in your body right now are co-creating you. In order to manifest in life, we must understand that we are not the only forces creating. It's a two-way street between us and the rest of the world. This makes the journey way less lonely and way more exciting.
When we manifest, it can feel as though we are demanding, "This is what I want. Give it to me." It can feel completely self-centered. This is how it felt for me, so I struggled energetically with this word.
When we co-create, we acknowledge and ask, "This is what I want. How does it fit with everything and everyone else?" We remain open to alternative avenues and results that work for the entirety of creation.
Maybe things come back to us just as we asked. Maybe they don't. We aren't so attached to the how, and it's more about the why. Co-creation requires trust in the other forces out there, and I personally really enjoy that practice. Let yourself believe that there are forces out there that want to support you. I'm one of them 😉
Working with the Mars/Venus Conjunction (and Venus Retrograde) Transit
Our ability to sense and play with the co-creative powers inside will be heightened. Let me give you a breakdown of what's in store for July and August. At this very moment (if you're reading this in June 2023), Venus is approaching Mars in the constellations of Cancer, and for the next week, both will dance into the constellation of Leo by June 23rd. Venus will approach Mars, getting as close as 3 degrees between the dates of July 4th and July 12th, before slowing orbit and stationing retrograde on July 23rd. Venus will then appear to reverse orbital directions and actually cross back over into the constellation of Cancer before ending its retrograde on September 4th.
It's worth pointing out that this transit isn't really an exact conjunction but a really, really close one. Nevertheless, when these two planets unite in orbit like this, the masculine and feminine principles merge to speak the same language. With both planets occupying the same part of the sky, there is known harmony in their relationship. This transit will spark your inner Venus and Mars in this way, giving an opportunity for the masculine and feminine parts of yourself to align for greater creative awareness. Think of it like you could have some really productive and understanding conversations with yourself about your own creativity during this time...which could completely revolutionize how you go about creating in the future.
The creative part of this mashup is two-fold because this transit is taking place in the constellation Leo, the sign that is represented by the creator archetype! We are truly being invited to explore how we create and understand this process in ourselves on a deeper level. Creativity takes so many forms, so don't limit yourself with the connotations of the word. Create a new routine. Create a new way you talk to yourself. Create a mac & cheese recipe. Just create, and pay attention to your experience when you do!
Learn More and Get Support with a Personal Interpretation for Your Mars & Venus Placements
Want to skip the interpretive work and go straight to the good stuff? Get my professional interpretation of the energies of Mars & Venus in your natal chart and learn how this information applies to you. You can purchase a 10-15min personal recording for $20 👇