Q. Venus rules both Libra and Taurus, yet I see them as very different signs. Can you explain why.

A. Venus is the Goddess of Love, Peace and Serenity. Both signs have this as their foundational base. She handles all areas of relationships, beauty, comfort and security.

Libra is an air sign dealing with the Venusian energy in a more cerebral fashion. This makes the joining of minds in all forms of relationship important. Libra also governs the visual arts making beauty, aesthetics and colour a big part of her world. In Libra Venus is the peacemaker and the harmoniser, balancing both sides of everything.

Taurus is an earth sign. Here Venus works her vibration more along the material and sensual lines. She has a vested interest in security through money, possessions and what she values, particularly self-value. Comfort is high on her list, enjoying indulgences and luxury. This is all a part of her feeling calm and serene. She also loves the sensual arts like music, food, crafts and making things as well as tastes, touch, smells and texture.

Q. I was told that a planet in the sign that it rules is a good thing. Is this correct?

A. A planet being in its Ruling sign e.g. Mars in Aries or Jupiter in Sagittarius was looked on in traditional Astrology as beneficial, as there was no conflict with the energies involved.

A more modern approach now sees this energy as an emphasis, putting extra ‘cream on the cake’. This is neither good or bad it just exaggerates the flavour.
In the case of Mars in Aries this could work well by an extra amount of bravery, assertiveness and enthusiasm or badly with more aggression, anger and selfishness.

Q. What happens when a planet ‘stations’?

A. A station is when a planet ‘seemingly’ stops on a zodiacal degree just before turning retrograde and turning direct. This happens for around 2 days as the planet slowly changes direction.

With a station, I use the analogy of the dentist drill, concentrating its energy deeply into one spot. A stationed planet is moving at its slowest making a natal stationed planet very focused, even stubborn in the chart. If you have a transiting planet stationing on a natal planet or point you could feel that energy rather intensely during this period.