Venus Opposing Neptune: The Very Best Things

Hey everyone. This is Adam Elenbaas from Nightlight Astrology. Today, we are going to continue our exploration of Venus's opposition to Neptune. This is Venus in Virgo, opposing Neptune in Pisces, which is happening today. We started looking at this yesterday by looking at five subtle Venus karmas to be aware of, like little traps you have to be careful of. Today, we're going to spend some time looking at the most beautiful, the very best things that you can look for or you can look forward to when Venus and Neptune get together. So that is our goal for today.

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You can find transcripts of any of these daily talks on our website, nightlight astrology.com; okay, so let's turn our attention to the real-time clock. Here we go. And while here we are, here is Venus moving through the opposition with Neptune. And if we go forward just about one day tomorrow, Thursday, August 29, Venus will be separating within a degree, moving across the sign boundary into Libra.

So this is something we've been feeling the past couple of days, peaking today, so it felt like an appropriate time to visit this aspect again, as we did yesterday. Yesterday, I spent some time talking about the subtle traps of Venus Neptune that we can get into, a lot of which involve some of the subtler shadows of Venus, really, because Neptune is a planet that often emphasizes those things that are most subtle. And so, with any planet, it can highlight the shadows or unconscious dimension of a planet, and then that shadow material can kind of be subtly at play or working sort of beneath the radar of our conscious awareness because Neptune has that effect. So you can play that game with really any planet in Neptune. But anyway, I felt like that was a constructive use of our time yesterday.

Today, I want to talk about my favorite qualities when it comes to Venus-Neptune because I want to balance things out and also give you some things to look forward to if you're noticing Venus in your presence today or yesterday, or even tomorrow, a little bit. So anyway, these are the five best things, in my humble opinion.

Number one is the imaginal. So there is a quote from James Hillman, and I'm actually going to pull it up. I'm just going to pull it up. So here it is, love. Oh, this is James Hillman. Love alone is not enough without imagination. Love stales into sentiment, duty, and boredom. Relationships fail not because we have stopped loving but because we first stopped imagining. I absolutely love that quote. What I take from that quote is really applicable to so many different kinds of relationships, friendships, obviously marriage or partnerships, but also the relationships that we have with our kids, if you're a parent, other relationships that we have with things that we study or things that we practice. Like for me, astrology is something I have a relationship with. I would very easily describe it that way. Music and playing an instrument. For many people, that's a relationship.

So whatever we attend to in our lives with devotion because we care for it, that is Venus's domain, in a sense. Sometimes, the moon, a little bit, too, can play into that devotional sense of things. But Neptune loves to connect with that same devotional dimension of life. And for any kind of devotional relationship to work, I believe that what Hillman said applies in the case of all different kinds of relationships, not just, you know, marriage or, you know, partnership. And what he meant by that, what I take him to mean is, and I've read almost all of his work, there are some essays I haven't read, but anyway, I've read a lot of his work, and I think that the gist of what he's saying is that we can't, that relationships need imagination.

They need fantasy. They need worlds that we create, adventures that we create, and stories that we create cooperatively for them to not stale into duty, boredom, or routine, at which point it's not the lack of love that's killing us; it's the lack of imagination you. It's the lack of having some kind of imaginal substance running through the core of the relationship. Let me just give you an example from astrology.

For me, my relationship with astrology and being a content creator every day, the content making it five days a week, year-round, will sometimes be stale. And it doesn't mean that I'm not showing up and making it and putting my best effort, you know, into it, but it will stale because I'm not feeding my astrological relationship with imagination. For that to happen, there are tons of different things I can do, but one of them is to journal, along with astrological transits, track my dreams, read something new, and learn something new.

Sometimes, it will be an insight that I've taken from a client reading something like that. But I have to, like, you know, press the little button on the side of my head, the antenna has to go up, and I have to start deliberately paying attention. Like, where's the magic? Where's the imaginal lightning strike that's going to hit today?

And when I pay attention, and I'm kind of watchful like that, I'm tending with devotion to something, then something numinous pops through and grabs my attention, and then, boom, I have something very rich, something very imaginative to share in the way that I talk about Venus-Neptune, right in the way that I talk about whatever aspect we're working with. And I can tell that you guys know, you know, when I'm in the zone, usually, you guys really like those episodes.

At least, that's my perception, and I know you guys probably like me. You appreciate the episodes where I'm chopping wood and carrying water, putting in the work, showing up, and giving you something of substance.

But it feels different when the imagination is infused, when there's been some kind of experience, or there's stories, and there's something to share that feels like it's a transmission that, to me, is the imagination, and that's certainly how Hillman talks about the imagination through the entire body of his work.

And so one of the best things about Venus and Neptune is that imaginal experiences spike it. You know, sometimes we have to attend, wait, watch, hold out an empty vessel, and wait for it to be filled, right? And that's a practice that is, to me, totally worthy.

It's like, Have you ever listened to an essay, or was it an essay? I think it was a lecture, a talk, or something that Elizabeth Gilbert gave. She's the Eat, Pray, Love author, if I remember correctly. And she talked about attending every day as a writer to the muse and waiting for the muse to show up.

That's what we're talking about. And if we're not in the practice of, First of all, realizing anything good in my life is good, not only because I love this person, I love this thing, I'm attracted to it, which is fine, but also because there's a constant stream of imaginal energy that flows into it and fills it with excitement and meaning and depth and art and poetry and beauty and truth, and it's just it gets me revved up.

You know, first we have to recognize that that is the condition that, like anything of great substance in our life, depends on, it depends on that being filled with the imaginal, and we have to show up and practice and attend and wait for it. And then there are times when it just rains. It just rains. You're like, boy, I was I've been waiting.

And sometimes, you know, my cup gets full, but I've got buckets getting filled everywhere right now. Venus Neptune can be like that, especially when Neptune transits your natal Venus. But Venus-Neptune context can be so it's like it's pouring, it's pouring imaginal, imaginal substance, and it can fill all so many different areas of our lives. That's one of my favorite things about Venus Neptune.

Number two is the heightening of the senses. See, Venus is so sensual. Neptune is so ecstatic, so sensual. Ecstasy is a Venus-Neptune combination. Neptune is the heightened state of your senses in meditation, an altered state of consciousness, or a psychedelic experience. Or Neptune is the feeling of merging or blending that happens when you're maybe even in like a dissociative state, right?

However, the point is also that Neptune can heighten the senses. How many times have I seen Neptune transit a planet in the natal chart, and the person may become extra sensitive to something in the environment, suddenly they're dealing with rashes and just weird stuff that's like being triggered by some heightened state of sensitivity, and then it'll tend to fade away when Neptune transits on past the planet in the natal chart.

So anyway, the point is that Neptune-Venus together, tend to heighten the senses, which, if you are someone like, remember, whoever heard that story? Ferdinand, the bull. Guys, remember that children's story? I just like to smell the flowers. He was such a peaceful bull. Well, that's us when Venus and Neptune get together. I mean, that could actually be quite ecstatic.

He's pretty easy, a little bit more like a Taurus, you know. But the point being that that sense of appreciation through my senses, you feel good, you look good. This tastes good, and it smells good. Look at this. Oh, my God. Hear beautiful music. So, the heightened state of the senses is one of my favorite parts about Venus Neptune.

Now, if you're someone who's very sensitive and you get sensory overload, you might want to be a little careful, right? But generally speaking, what I've noticed in being a snap tune is that subtle things on the sensual level become heightened, become heightened, and then if you have any kind of sensual appetite and appreciating capacity, right? Most of us do. I think then all of a sudden it's like, oh my god. This feels great. I can really feel some nuances and some subtleties that really stand out.

Number three is open to persuasion. They say that the greatest sign of a successful relationship over the course of many years, and that the sign that you know, so many relationships exhibit, if it's been solid and people stayed together and they stayed loving and affectionate and connected over a long period of time, which is like kind of rare. Honestly, they say that one of the major traits of such relationships is the ability to be persuaded by their partner. And by that, we mean I am open to changing who I am, what I think, and how I feel based on who you are, what you see, what you think, and what you feel.

Now, obviously, like, if you're in a relationship with someone and they are telling you what to do and bossing you around and controlling you, we're not talking about domination or suppression. We're talking about an openness to be influenced by another human being. It is one of the most beautiful things in the world, and we are like clay in each other's hands. I can shape you if you're open to a little bit of shaping, and you can shape me because I'm also open to being shaped.

Good relationships are like this. Good friendships are like this. If Honestly, even parenting, which seems like it's a linear process where we shape the children, but it's not, you know, the children are shaping us too, and they need to see that and feel that in in in ways that don't, you know, compromise the sense of having it's like we're not your kid, isn't your therapist or whatever.

But you know what I'm saying? Like my kids, for sure, when they say something that changes my mind, I go, You know what? That's a really good idea. I don't think I was thinking about that quite right. Like, if we're arguing about something, it's very important that we be in relationships with each other where we say, Huh, you know what? You're right. I wasn't saying that correct, correctly. Or, hmm, that's an interesting perception. I never, I'd never considered that before. I really like that.

Or, you know what? I can change my mind. Let's do what you want to do today. I'm, I'm going to enjoy it too. I'm not just doing this for you. I'm going to enjoy this: the ability to shift our consciousness for the sake of getting into someone else's vibration. You know, just like, let's flow down your river a little bit.

Or my wife says, I really want you to get a little bit better at this particular aspect of our relationship, or parenting, or whatever the case might be. And instead of getting defensive, I really open myself, and I say, okay, that's going to be exciting. I can do this. And you know, especially, why I want to do it because I love you, because I love you, and I'm open to your guidance. I'm open to your suggestion. I'm open to your shaping of my heart and my life. This is something that we need in relationships.

One of the things that I feel the worst about, honestly, is, and maybe this applies to some of you out there, and if so, I don't mean to pick out a wound or anything, but I've seen a lot of most of my clientele are women. In a lot of industries, data shows that the vast majority of those who consume astrology right now, at least in the West, are women.

So a lot of my clientele, counseling-wise, are natal chart readings that I've done with women, and I have seen 1000s of women who have come in and who have shared with me that their spouse thinks astrology is stupid. Oh, it just hurts my heart because I know how just how special astrology is to me. I can only imagine what it's like to have something that you really love, a language that speaks to your heart and soul, and then to have someone you're with think it's stupid.

And one of the things that I've always thought of as interesting is that I have seen many, many, many Neptune to Natal Venus transits, wherein a spouse goes. Do you know what? Yeah, let's get my chart read. Or, you know, I'll listen to that podcast with you about astrology. Or, Yeah, that's interesting. And so I think that it sometimes people just have blocks with astrology, like I get it. I don't even feel like there's something wrong with anyone who has a problem with astrology because we have rational minds, and a lot of the images that come to our mind about astrology are pretty, you know, are like kind of negative stereotypes that reinforce the idea this is just, this is hokum, you know.

So, I understand where that skepticism is coming from. But what I love to see is when some of the spouses of the people I've worked with over the years have said, You know what, I'm gonna open myself up to consider that maybe it's not my GM. I listen to 24/7 as you do, but like, I'll go to that workshop with you, or I'll have my chart read, or let's get a couple's reading, or, and I'm always, I'm always, like, good on you, you know, good for anyone out there who says I'm going to really open myself to the other I the greatest example of this in my life is that I thought for a long time I just, I tried a few times to listen to the Grateful Dead, and I couldn't, really, I don't know, I just couldn't find my way into it. And I would see, you know, hippies like spinning around and twirling to this music that I didn't really understand.

And at one point, I finally said to myself, God, my wife loves this so much, and I can tell that it's hard on her, that she doesn't get to experience it with me. I can actually tell that that hurts her. She's not trying to change me. She's living with it. She's accepting it. But you know what? I don't have to live with that. I can open myself up. It's like, coffee, you know, you think when you first taste it, you go, oh, like, oh, what?

My daughter had a sip of coffee one day. And she's like, What? Why does anyone drink this? What is this? And I was like, you develop a taste for it. So I looked myself in the mirror, and I said, You know what? I can tell that my wife would be super happy if I could get into this to the point where I could go to concerts with her and just enjoy it. I'm going to develop a taste for coffee. And that was how I felt. But now I love the Grateful Dead. Now I'm like, oh my god, I can't. It does help, by the way, to go to a live concert experience. I really do feel like everyone says this about them, but like they're a live band, and you have to see them live. A slightly altered state also helped me, not gonna lie.

But sorry, the point is very simple: don't do drugs, and the very simple point is that we can open ourselves to what other people love. When we do that, it is just amazing how our love with another person can grow, and opening ourselves up to other people's influence and persuasion in love and relationships is a great hallmark of Venus-Neptune.

Number four romantic interludes. Isn't it nice when you're in the midst of chopping wood and carrying water and something creative, something romantic, something sensual, something otherworldly, just boom comes in and peels you away from the routine, from the boredom, romantic, fantastic, sublime. Interludes are a hallmark of Venus Neptune, even if they're just for a few hours, even if it's just an evening of going to a dragon-enchanted world. And, you know, watching a fantasy movie. You know, it doesn't have to be for this week. You know, fast-moving transit doesn't have to be, you know, earth-shattering, but a nice romantic interlude may come through with what feels like no effort on your part at all. And that's what I love about Venus-Neptune. It's just, oh, all of a sudden, there's cosmic flow.

Then, number five is an artistic inspiration. I love this because, just like any of the other Neptune signatures, if you're creative, this is where it hits me, and this is why I love Venus Neptune transits like that yesterday.

The video that I made on those five karmic things, whether you liked it or not, you know, I hope, I hope people liked it and found something of value in it. But that was such an inspiring talk for me because it was like, Wow, I've never done this something I've never done before, and that's what I love. I love finding some new ways of talking about archetypes. And it's like a personal challenge for me. It's like a little riddle of the sphinx every day to find a new and slightly different way of talking about an aspect that's happened, you know, 50 times since I've been doing astrology or whatever.

So, anyhow, long story short is that I love, whether you're a musician, a lover, a parent, or a content creator, the way that inspiration will flow in, the rain will fall, and it makes everything lush and green and vibrant. Again, we need that because, as Hillman said, Without love, things without imagination, love stales into sentiment, duty, and boredom. It's not that we don't love it; it's that we lose touch with our imagination. Venus Neptune is one of those transits that insists that the imagination reappear if it's been lost. So I love that. Okay, we'll end it here for today. I hope you have. And a good one, see you again tomorrow. Bye.