Venus in Aquarius ...as the muse

Alexandre Cabanel, The Birth of Venus
I have a face I cannot show,
I make the rules up as I go,
It's try and love me if you can,
Are you strong enough to be my man?

(Sheryl Crow)

The final Air Sign, Aquarius, is probably the most difficult to pin down as we're dealing with a sign that is the master of the unconventional. So how do we explain love (Venus) when it's exactly what we don't expect (Aquarius)?

We can start by establishing that these people seek unconventional relationships and don't like to go by the rules. In fact, Aquarius (being co-ruled by Uranus and Saturn) usually make their own rules, so you'd better be prepared to deal with an independent partner. Janis Joplin (Capricorn Sun) warns: I ain't the kind of woman who'd make your life a bed of ease. But if you just wanna go out drinking, honey, won't you invite me along please. Dido (also a Capricorn) presents herself: I am what I am, I'll do what I want. She explains: if you tell me that i can't, i will, i will I'll try all night and if I say i'm coming home, i'll probably be out all night. Sheryl Crow (Sun in Aquarius) asks: Why should I solidify? and she tears down all illusions about her: I guess you thought I'd I'd seed my clouds with the rain of your personal dreams, I guess you thought I'd throw confetti at your parade of lofty thoughts. Brilliant methaphors, don't you think?

Usually their own rules follow their very high principles of how the World should be, or in the specific case of Venus in Aquarius how love should be. Yes, they've probably given it a lot of thought and have high ideals of love, which they'll try very hard to maintain.

Aquarius is the paradigm of Air signs, constantly distracted by ideas (Dave Matthews, Capricorn Sun, writes: My head won't leave my head alone and I don't believe it will until I'm dead and gone), trying to figure out the logic and explanation of things and having futuristic visions about the Ideal World. They are concerned with Mankind (listen to Janis Joplin: Believe in your brother, have faith in man, help each other honey if you can) and with Venus in Aquarius they'll love people, they're even prepared to sacrifice their interests in favour of a wider benefit. Sheryl Crow explains: The World will turn even when we're gone, the Earth will host many souls to come. Remember that this sign opposites individuality-centered Leo, here the Collective is more important.

And yet they might love people and not love the individuals. They might be too busy trying to live by their principles to stop and get to know themselves and the people around them. They seem a bit aloof because they have difficulties relating to others. Remember that being an Air sign they don't deal well with emotions, these seem contrary to logic and so they fear and repress them. Here's Sheryl Crow worrying about that: Afraid of feeling nothing, No bees or butterflies. It may be endearing (or not) to find someone who is so brilliant in terms of ideas and so completely clueless and naive in emotional areas. You can thus expect a Venus in Aquarius lover to be anything but romantic, mushy and emotional - all these things seem unreasonable to them and they'll run from emotional scenes and teary-eyed partners like a cat from a bath.

Instead what they seek and need from a relationship is plenty of space to express their originality and individuality, someone who they can talk to and that they find interesting, a lot of tolerance and understanding. They are happy to provide all of this in return, as Dave Matthews testifies: Do what you will always, walk where you like, your steps, do as you please, I'll back you up. Yes, I mentioned space, as they need personal freedom at all times (I lost count of the times the word free came up at the lyrics, but here's some examples: For this queen you think you own wants to be a hunter again, wants to see the world alone again, to take a chance on live again, so let me go/ the crown you placed upon my head feels too heavy now (Dido); You're gonna take care of yours, I'll take care of mine + Either take this love I offer or honey let me be (Janis Joplin); but to Venus in Aquarius, love can be a source of freedom too: torn up and tied, you free me/ And if you see me could you free me with a smile so I can let go. (Sheryl Crow) she adds: There's beauty in release.

Above all what they want from a partner is a friend; someone that is supportive and loyal. It's easier to keep things near the ideal with a friend than with a lover, right? Venus in Aquarius keeps it friendly with their loved ones; they don't play games of seduction, they're too honest and even clumsy in their seduction techniques. Dido says it all about their ways of thinking with this piece: I know you think that I shouldn't still love you or tell you that, But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it, Where's the sense in that? I love this bit.

They'll want to be admired by their unique and unconventional ways and will also be attracted by people with this profile, someone with whom they can share visions of a better future and have a varied time. Venus in Aquarius is easily bored: Dave Matthews sings: Oh I want to change it. Dido writes: I'm tired and bored of waiting for you/I'm bored of hanging out in your cold and she sighs: Oh Lord, please finally, finally things are changing.

Sheryl Crow sings: "A change would do you good" and also "All I wanna do is have some fun". In her song Run Baby Run she sings about someone running from the old: past the arms of the familiar...to the comfort of the strangers slipping out before they say so long/searching through the stations for an unfamiliar song (there's thirst for the new).

Perhaps this is why I found so many lyrics about moving on. Dido: When I feel lost I just slip away...take my things and go and think what's the point? + I haven't ever really found a place that I call home, I never stick around quite long enough to make it + I'm gonna leave tonight before I change my mind. Sheryl Crow's Leaving Las Vegas fits this theme perfectly: Took your car and drove to Texas, sorry honey but I suspected we were through ...these days it seems that nowhere is far enough away. In another song she writes: Maybe we all could use a little grace to know when to run and when to stay in one place. Also: Since I left been feeling better cause that's what you get when you stay together too long - so is this boredom we're talking about? Perhaps Janis Joplin had the key: I keep moving on but I never found out why, I keep pushing so hard the dream, I keep trying to make it right. Searching for the ideal perhaps?

Have you got Venus in Aquarius?