Venus conjunct Agena – Sacrificing today in order to benefit tomorrow.

This conjunction start to form on 1st October and will be active the next day too. It occurs at 23:59 degrees Scorpio.

Agena is the second star in Centaurus (the other is Toliman) and this constellation highlights the story of the Centaurs, Chiron & Pholos. The story goes that Hercules who, after drinking too much wine, accidentally wounded Chiron thinking that he was under attack from them. Chiron was the immortal to the two Centaurs and so this injury condemned him to a life of pain and suffering. As Pholos was pulling out Hercules’ arrow from the foot of Chiron, he grazed himself with the tip of the arrow also causing a mortal wound. Pholos was able to die, and Chiron gave away his immortality to Prometheus so that he could die too.

This star is thus tied to the idea of healing and the sacrifices you make in order to improve your situation or to encourage growth, either by yourself or collectively. Chiron gave away his everyday life and Agena empowers you to attend to those same routine things in life, so that you can attain success. This is a star where the mundane, everyday things in life are important.

With Venus joining up with Agena we certainly have a social side to this combination as she brings people together. The more materialistic element of Venus in giving up something, to gain far greater riches in the future does resonate with me as well. The other philosophers Ptolemy and Ebertein say that this star is beneficial, bringing honour, friendship, morality and health. Ebertein also says that when combined with Venus, this star has a really sensual side to it. Robson says of this combination that it is artistic and poetical, strongly passionate and encourages rash friendships with women!! Those sensual passions will be there especially tomorrow as Venus will also be in a tight square with Mars; this will be an actively creative day too.

This connection last occurred on 10th and 11th December last year and around the world on those days Mario Monti, the Italian Prime Minister was stepping down, the Maltese Government collapsed as a budget was thrown out by parliament and the Mali Government resigned en-mass too. There were strikes by health care workers in Madrid, airport workers in Germany and the UK government set out plans to legalise gay marriage.

You can see the themes of sacrifice and relationships through the world events last year, so I wonder what will happen this time? Will American law-makers hold out in the budget disagreement forcing a shutdown of many government services in the US, or will they back down at the last minute? I say they will find some sort of compromise for the greater good of all Americans. Here in the UK we have a Post Office strike looming and the Italian government is in crisis again. This is because Venus rules the Italian chart, and at this point in her cycle Venus squares the Italian natal Venus and opposes Pluto at the same time.