Libra's ruling planet is Venus, the dazzling and bright morning or evening star that outshines all the other stars and planets in the night sky. Mythical and astrological thought about the nature of Libra's planet has been consistent since ancient times. Her beauty and high visibility, as well as her morning and evening phases, have made her astrology's most closely observed and complex planet.
Venus As Ruler of Libra
The ancients gave Venus rulership of Taurus and Libra, as well as the second and seventh houses of a horoscope. They defined Taurus as her night (feminine) home and Libra as her day (masculine) home.
- As ruler of Taurus, the Fixed Earth sign, Venus is feminine, receptive, rooted in sensuality, pleasure, and the material world. Venus, as ruler of Taurus, personifies Love and is about "me" and "mine."
- As ruler of Libra, the Cardinal Air sign, Venus is outgoing, active, and intellectual. She's explicitly connected to fairness, justice, aesthetic beauty, and interpersonal relationships. Venus, as ruler of Libra, idealizes love and is about "us" and "ours."
Why Does Venus Rule Libra?
Venus is Libra's ruling planet because of their shared interests and traits. Which means Venus is supported and strong when placed in Libra. However, whatever sign or house Venus occupies, she's an emissary that speaks for the needs and interests of Libra in a horoscope.
The Relevance of Venus to Libra
To fully understand the relevance of Venus to Libra, it's important to have a basic understanding of ruling planets. However, generally, the astrological sign of Venus further deifies all that Libra is.
Sign Location of Libra's Ruling Planet
Venus is never more than two signs away from the Sun, which means a Libra Sun's Venus could only be located in the signs of Libra, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, or Sagittarius. All Libra Suns are a bit different related in part to the sign their ruling planet occupies.
If a Libra's Venus is in:
- Libra, she's at home. She, like Libra, has an innate understanding of the give-and-take that comes with all relationships and encourages and supports Libra's basic nature.
- Virgo, she adds an unassuming, shy, reserved, perhaps even aloof, critical, or fussy quality to Libra's usual outgoing and friendly nature.
- Scorpio, she adds suspicion, caution, depth, intimacy, and emotion to Libra's intellectual, objective nature.
- Leo, she fires Libra up, amplifies the Libra's artsy traits and adds a flair for drama as well as more show-offy and demanding quality to Libra's more egalitarian nature.
- Sagittarius, she sparks a more happy-go-lucky Libra, one that's carefree, adventurous, needs a great deal of freedom, and is less concerned about what others think.
Venus in a Libra Man's Birth Chart
In a man's horoscope Venus, by house and sign, is often projected onto women and can describe what kind of woman he finds attractive and what he expects of a romantic partner.
Venus in a Libra Woman's Birth Chart
In a woman's horoscope, Venus is embraced by the woman and describes how she displays her feminine qualities, how she interacts with others, and even how she dresses.
Venus in a Libra Child's Birth Chart
In a child's horoscope, Venus can offer insight into what the child values, what's important to them, how a parent can bolster their sense of self-worth, how they're likely to interact with their peers, and even how they'll take care of their belongings.
The Complexity of Venus
Venus, Roman Aphrodite, is most often thought of as the goddess of love, sex, fertility, and beauty. However, her genesis story reveals something more profound that's also relevant to Libra.
The Birth of Venus
Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and money, is considered a "benefic" planet. However, the story of her beginning is somewhat grizzly. The short version of the classical myth is that after the father of the sky, Uranus, was castrated by his son, Saturn, Uranus' testicles were thrown into the ocean. Uranus's testicles mixed with his semen and blood created a dense mist from which Venus (Aphrodite) was born. So, while Venus is the goddess of love and as the ruler of Libra idealizes love and relationships, her genesis story reveals that there's a Uranian essence to Venus that can make love ugly and messy.
The Duality of Venus
Venus is usually considered a feminine planet. However, there's a duality to Venus that is also relevant to Libra. The origins of Venus have always suggested that her feminine and masculine qualities were equal.
Androgyny and Venus
There's an androgynous quality to Venus due to her morning and evening star phases.
- Ancient Babylonians referred to Venus by three names: the double-phased Ishtar, the morning star of war, and the evening star of love.
- The Mesoamericans believed the morning phase of Venus was a time when leaders were struck down, and natural disasters occur.
- Babylonian and Mesoamerican astrologers both considered her first appearance as morning star a dangerous time.
- The ancient Aztecs had a Venusian goddess who they believed walked the earth as a man for 40 days before returning to the heavens.
Venus As Morning and Evening Star
Venus as an evening star has a more balanced and serene energy. Venus as the morning star is more masculine, aggressive, and forceful.
Do You Have a Morning or Evening Star Venus?
To determine if you're Venus is a morning or evening star, locate both your Sun and Venus in your birth chart. If your Venus is clockwise from your Sun (in an earlier zodiac sign), you're a Morning Star Venus. If your Venus is placed counterclockwise from the Sun (in a later zodiac sign), you have an Evening Star Venus. You can calculate your birth chart for free at AstroSeeker.com.
Understanding Your Venus
If you're a Libra, Venus rules your Sun. If Libra is your rising sign, Venus is your chart ruler. As you've just read, Venus can't always be trusted to be "nice." Even Space.com says that Venus is a "hot, hellish & volcanic planet." So, if you're Venus-ruled, understanding all you can about your Venus can clarify many difficulties you may be having with relationships, finances, and so much more.
