Hey, Reader!

Last night, Venus entered Gemini, where She'll be until 18 May. During this time she'll be making aspects to Saturn and Neptune, who are responsible for a lot of the chaotic, catalyzing, fiery energy burning up our lives and our collective consciousness.

And while 'burn it all down' is a tremendously worthy impulse in this society, it's worth knowing what you're burning it all down for.

That's where Venus comes in. While most known as Goddess of Love, She is also Goddess of War. More specifically, she is the Goddess of what you love enough to war for. Love is not passive. Love demands action. And so does Venus.

So here's some not entirely serious advice for how you can make the most of this transit to find your freak, find your fate, and claim the power of your love and your pleasure. Because that's what being a slut is all about!

Aries

Flirt with your neighbors.

You might be feeling a little isolated. Stressed, burned out, like your back's up against the wall, without a comrade in arms. You're less alone than you think, but first you gotta let down your guard. Smile, crack a joke, invite them to coffee. There's someone around you who's ready to help, it's just gonna take the leap of faith of reaching out. If you have a tarot practice, 3 of Cups or 3 of Pentacles could be allies. Work with the one that feels like more of a challenge.

Taurus

Your pleasure is worthy.

Pleasure is a worthy value. Pleasure is a resource. It is a reserve of all that is good in life, here to remind you that you get to have the good life - whatever your unique version of the good life is. There's nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy yourself, as radical as it might sound to those of us raised under ascetic Empire. This is your permission to play with this radical idea and find the wealth that can be uncovered when pleasure itself is a value. It's a 9 of Pentacles vibe.

Gemini

Romance your Evil Twin.

Gemini, your two sides are much maligned in pop astrology, but it's also your strength. Your mutability is a miracle. But it won't be miraculous if you don't embrace your full Self - which means ALL of yourself. Find what makes Evil You tick, what turns them on, what makes them melt, then turn that love on them. If you've got a tarot deck, work with the 2 of Cups card.

Cancer

Make out with your ghosts.

Venus in Gemini might have you feeling a little haunted, Cancer. But it's worth keeping in mind that "Grief is only Love." It's a cliche, but there's truth in it. What haunts you now are echos of things that you care about or once cared about. Take time to consider why these ghosts are coming back now. What are they reminding you of? Is there some old desire, long forgotten that is asking for renewed attention? Is there an abandoned part of yourself that could you some care? Consider that these hauntings are not monsters, but reminder of the power of care, affection and love. Knight of Cups would be a strong tarot ally.

Leo

Accept compliments - don't just receive them.

You're always shining, Leo, and the people around you see it. But do you actually believe them when they share their appreciation. Or is some version of "don't mention it," your go to response? You might find yourself operating under the idea that the best way to be in community requires one to be self-effacing, a martyr to the collective. It's worth considering that our communities might be equally well understood to be constellations of little Suns, each one shining the best way they know how. So when your close friends, loved ones, or community appreciate your shine, try your best to really accept the compliment. If you feel resistance coming up, bring a little curiosity to interrogating why that might be. The Sun card is an ally.

Virgo

An abundance of orgasms for your abundance of ancestral baggage.

You might be feeling the weight of choices that were made long before you were ever born. And you're right to resent the imposition. It's not fair. These choices were not made out of love or a desire to support your - or possibly anyone's - creative flourishing. It's all feeling just too oppressive. So throw off that baggage. The best remedy for patterns of negligence and cruelty is to reject the pattern. Choose differently. If your ancestors chose what was not life-supporting, if you're ancestors chose control and coercion over living, if your ancestors chose fear and smallness over loud statements...throw all that to the wind and declare your YES. Declare your YES. Chase your YES. And also, make choices that support the YES of others. A world where we are all choosing pleasure, all able to access our genuine desire, all able to experience deep satisfaction...that's the world we need. So chase that, Virgo, and make choices that grow that for yourself and others. If you want to invite this energy into your tarot practice, seek out The Devil.

Libra

Consult the Love Oracle (your own heart).

If you just knew the right answer, then it would all be so easy. But the truth is, Libra, that no one can tell you what the right answer is. No one can tell you, because you already know. Deep within you, the answer is resonating, beating, alive within you. Will you heed the knowledge of your own heart? Will you accept the future your heart yearns for? Spend some time while Venus is in Gemini, attuning to your heart. Whenever you're faced with a choice, ask yourself "What does my heart want?" It doesn't obligate you to follow that desire, but it is important information. And the more your practice listening to your heart, the easier it will be to hear your heart and the easier it will be to heed its wisdom when you need it. Kai Cheng Thom's I Hope We Choose Love would be a good one to check out from the library.

Scorpio

Love 'em & leave 'em (inner demons edition).

Your doubts, your fears, those thoughts that plague you...they feel like demons. It's tempting to battle them, to fight, to force them into submission. But while Venus is in Gemini, what if you made out with them instead? Break the script, surprise 'em, sweep them off their feet, woo them and leave them breathless, panting in bed. Then walk away. Leave them satisfied, and maybe you'll find that was all that they needed - just a little care and attention. Feeding Your Demons could be a good one to check out from the library.

Sagittarius

Schedule a play date (no not a sexy one).

Isn't it funny that a play date - the fun get-togethers with your friends as a kid - has become a by-word for a hookup? And sure, it is great to play around with your adult desires. But when was the last time you really played on a play date? When was the last time your ran breathless with excitement and wondering, unsure what would happen next, but knowing you would follow your heart? What kind of play happens in a small dark bedroom? It can be fun, but it's not the possibility-challenging play that Venus in Gemini asks you to explore. Take a pottery class, break out the legos, start a puzzle, dance around like a fool and then eat ice cream. Get silly with it. Let your inner child take the lead. Be a little foolish. Let it spark new possibilities within yourself...and possibly in your partnerships. If you've got a tarot deck, 5 of Wands would be the recommended card to watch for and work with.

Capricorn

Put pleasure on your calendar.

One of my first spiritual teachers - the unparalleled spiritworker Ren Zatopek - once told me, "Calendars are magic." The events you put on your calendar are an intention. In that way, they are a spell. Venus in Gemini asks you to prioritize your pleasure, to make it a habit, to craft practical ritual that regularly connects you to desire. So pick a pleasurable action - a walk in the park, a long bath, a good book and a glass of wine, whatever pleasure that feels savory and resonant - and choose a time once a week for the next few weeks to prioritize pleasure. Pull Queen of Pentacles out of your tarot deck and onto your altar to remind you to prioritize this practice.

Aquarius

Write a poem for everything you've ever loved.

"Love is patient, Love is kind" is not the vibe while Venus is in Gemini. More like "Love is complacent, Love is blind." Except the power of love still has power. It's easy enough to be cynical, but if you look back on your life, you'll see that you've loved and that that love has changed your life. Something that powerful is worth taking seriously. While Venus is in Gemini, reflect on who or what your great loves have been. Journal on it. Write a poem about it. Go to the river and pour your heart out. However you want to do it, just make sure you say it. Take time to articulate the ways you have loved and been loved. If you need some inspirational reading, I'd recommend The Communism of Love.

Pisces

Start a foot fetish Only Fans...jk, actually try meditating with your feet flat on the ground.

Venus in Gemini might mean that love and living start to feel a little floaty. It's time to put your feet on solid ground. This is a good time to spend some extra time on your feet. Not standing on them, necessarily, though using them by going for nature walks could be good. Try massaging your feet with a fancy body oil, Tree Pose in yoga, or just put your feet solidly on the ground and take a few deep breaths. The key is to work on feeling grounded from the very root of your body. The Empress card in tarot is your ally. Consider the way the Earth supports us. The Empress of the Earth wants you to press your feet into the ground, to push your full weight into the Earth and to let Her support you by pushing right back. While Venus in Gemini, consider what it would mean to not walk lightly on this Earth, but instead to walk fully embodied in the body and life you are here to live.

In Love and Liberation,
Lex

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