Question — How different can someone be from you until they are wrong? This is the question I invite everyone to ponder throughout this upcoming Astrological transit. Venus and Saturn unite in the Aquarius constellation between Wednesday, March 20th, and March 24th. The exact alignment is taking place over the 21st and 22nd.
This transit is all about welcoming, accepting, and even LOVING how each and every one of us is unique. We aren't meant to be like each other. We are meant to be different, yet in today's Western culture, being different is commonly associated with being rejected. Does this have to be the case?
There's a reason Aquarius energy is often associated with being a loner or outcast. The frequency of Aquarius calls us into a concept called "unity in differentiation." We are all the same because we are all different. Imagine living in a society that supports your unique expression and doesn't judge you for your differences, where there wasn't so much fear around things that are different from us. Diversity has proven to be a very healthy thing on so many levels. From the microbiome to learning new things, embracing differences benefits us.
The alignment of Saturn and Venus over the course of this coming week is a wonderful channel to practice embracing diversity and even celebrating it. This is one of my most divine privileges as an Astrologer. I've made it the foundation of my work to encourage each of us in our truth, even though yours differs from mine. Thank goodness!
Lessons of Love: Venus and Saturn
Saturn often brings "hard" energy and is commonly associated with pressure, discipline, and restriction. The lovely Venus, however, is associated with pleasure, receptivity, and softness—so kind of an interesting duo here!
Saturn's energy in Aquarius can create a more of a rebellious, loner kind of expression in Aquarius. The frequency of this planet motivates us to take things seriously. When in Aquarius, we lean into our differences but not necessarily in a way that connects us to others. Saturn alone here can make it feel like we just don't and won't fit in. People don't get us, and it's safer to walk our path alone. Or change ourselves for the sake of the status quo. Saturn will be in the Aquarius constellation for the better part of 2024. I imagine this year, many of us will take our communities more seriously if we haven't already.
Venus brings her feminine touch this week by catching up to Saturn's current position and aligning for several days before moving on. Venus has a much faster orbital period than Saturn (225 days compared to ~29 years). When the femininity of Venus combines with Saturn's strict approach, we have an opportunity to soften our hearts and lean into relationships. We are primed to be more receptive to others, to hear them out. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Half the time, I attempt to explain myself, and it comes out wrong (Mercury in retrograde baby 🤚). If someone is quick to judge, that's the end of my opportunity to connect and truly share myself. If we give people some grace, we allow them to show more of who they really are. Don't we all want that chance?
Aquarius is associated both with being unique as well as building an aligned community. You'll commonly see Aquarius associated with "friendship." Let's talk about that for a moment.
Aquarius is About Belonging (not Fitting in)
A low, dysfunctional expression of Aquarius (and Leo, the opposition sign) is changing yourself to fit in. You abandon who you are for the sake of love and acceptance of someone else. This is never worth it. All we do when we "fit in" is hide ourselves. This is literally one of the biggest problems I see in our connections and relationships. We don't feel worthy or good enough to be who we are as we are in that moment, so we overcompensate by what brilliant author and researcher Brené Brown shares as "shrinking or puffing up". We try to make ourselves smaller or bigger, depending on the circumstance. Sometimes, this looks like people-pleasing. Sometimes, this looks like self-isolation. Sometimes, this looks like high-risk behavior in order to stand out. Changing or hiding yourself from others does not create a genuine connection. Right now, that's what many of us crave.
If you think about it, this totally makes sense, considering we are social creatures, and in our cellular memory, we remember that being ostracized from the group meant death. So, give yourself a break if you have a fear/defense response around rejection. The functional expression of Aquarius (and Leo) is creating belongingness, feeling fully accepted, appreciated, and welcome for who you are. Do you have a friend who just totally gets the real you and even brings out your light even more? Do you have a friend who is judgemental and makes it hard to share your truth? Judgment is a huge theme in this transit. Why do we judge each other? Well, on some level, we have to. Some people out there really don't mean us well, so judgment certainly helps us discern who to allow into our lives and how close. If someone fights or argues with us consistently, maybe we shouldn't give that relationship much time or energy or discern how/where that person & energy fits into our life. I find that judgment, more than not, keeps us from seeing people for who they really are and authentically connecting. It keeps us from letting others fully in.
For many societies, we aren't really at the place anymore where we have to fear total ostracism. No matter how much you clash with your neighbor, for most people, conflicts don't escalate to complete rejection from the community (I will acknowledge it is a privilege to have the option to change your environment/community. Not everyone has these resources and freedom). Even then, there are so many other ones you could choose from, maybe even just 20 miles away or in another neighborhood. Society is different now. I guarantee there is an aligned community for you somewhere. It's your responsibility to your soul to find it. We can be rejected, and it can be OK. Heck, it can be a good thing! I don't want to be around anyone who doesn't genuinely want to be around me.
If you seek healthier, more authentic connections, see if you can show up more in your truth this week and encourage others in theirs. We are all looking for spaces to be real, and it's challenging to do that unless we feel the person we are with is SAFE. How can you be a safer person for others? People feel when they are being judged, and if you ask me, being critical of others is just a reflection of criticism of the self.
The Cosmic Invitation
You know me, I love to give practical, tangible ways to work with the stars. I desire everyone to experience Astrology in real-time. Here are my recommendations for working with this Saturn & Venus alignment in Aquarius.
Watch judgment: Whether it's from you or someone else, just watch and build awareness around how judgment moves in your life. You might just realize how you are cutting yourself off from truly knowing who someone is. When you catch yourself judging, ask yourself why. Can someone be different from you in this area and not be "wrong?"
Celebrate differences: Tell your friends what you love about them that makes them unique. Celebrate when you see someone step up into their authenticity and light. It's a vulnerable thing, yet we all sense it when we are around someone who is being true to who they are. It's inspirational. Let's point it out more.
Pursue a new expression that feels exciting to you, ideally an expression that brings more pleasure in your life: This could look like writing a blog of your own, sharing your ideas. This could look like finally signing up for a belly dance class. This could look like removing yourself from a collaborative project that you don't actually feel aligned with. Align your life more with the truth of your heart, and you will find the people w the same walking a similar path.
Your Connections to Venus, Saturn, and Aquarius
All the information you just read applies to the collective. This cosmic invitation to explore and navigate power dynamics exists for us all. There is much deeper information found in your natal chart by looking at your connections to Venus, Saturn, and Aquarius. This will pull in specific themes that could show up for you during this week. It's also worth looking at any aspects between these planets when you were born, as this also indicates the energetic dynamic your soul came here to experience.
For example, someone with Mars in Aquarius or the 11th House would feel this transit more palpably over others. I would also encourage this person to take the initiative around these themes. Start the conversations, celebrate others, and be the one cultivating authentic connections.
Someone who was born when Venus was in opposition to Saturn would have a real opportunity to harmonize Venus and Saturn expressions inside of them, something they may have struggled with due to the nature of oppositions. This person may naturally express either Venus or Saturn energy but struggle to balance both. This creates an imbalance. Our goal is to integrate opposing energies. With this transit, a person with this dynamic could have major insights on how to express both their Saturn and Venus in a healthier way. I would invite this person to do more inner work.
Learn more about how this energy dynamic is specifically moving in your life.
If you desire to make the most of this transit shift and need a little starlit guidance, I have two offerings to serve you. I always welcome you to book a 60-minute private session with me to get into the nitty gritty of your current circumstances for deeper soul understanding.
I also record 15 to 20-minute personal interpretations for anyone who wants my professional insight on this cosmic shift for you specifically.