Still from the film “Marie Antoinette” (2006)

Today, Venus leaves Sagittarius for the Old World of Capricorn. In the cardinal earth sign of the paterfamilias, the capitalist and the architect, she is resourceful. She has gravitas and grace. She is the apple of Saturn’s austere eye, with swag, stoicism, and plenty of backbone. She is living in a material world, and she is a material girl. 

She gets almost through the sign, as far as Pluto, and then, right around the solstice, and just in time for Christmas, pulls the Devil card—the emblem of 2020. And caught between the Sun and a hard place, our evening star must undergo another underworld initiation. Her retrograde will carry us well into the new year, during which we will be confronting themes of wealth (or the lack thereof), power, tradition, and institutions, both personally and collectively. But more on that later.

In her highest expression, Venus in Capricorn thinks in monumental terms. She believes in benevolence: peace on earth and goodwill towards men. But she is also a pragmatist. She desires a lap of love, and luxury, and to build something that will stand the test of time. And there is a fortress around her heart that only a few have access to. 

For the next six months, Venus will be traveling through the Saturn-ruled houses of our charts, inspiring us to either save or spend, to bind ourselves in some way, and to prove our worth and commitment in tangible ways. What is your relationship to reciprocity, to hierarchy, to legacy, to your elders, and to your community? And what are you ready to invest in?