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Author Topic:   Vesta and the Expression of Your Sexuality
venus in gemini
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posted October 23, 2010 01:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for venus in gemini     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From the Planet Waves/Eric Francis newsletter:


The Sacred Space of Self

Dear Planet Waves Reader:

Of the mysteries of ancient Rome, the vestal virgins stand out as one of the most intriguing. Who were these women, who served half a lifetime tending the sacred fire, taken between ages six and 10, and maintaining celibacy through 30 (or more) years of service to the goddess?
They not only tended the city hearth, keeping its flames burning around the clock; for many generations they were present at every state function, standing as guardians on behalf of the goddess Vesta, who defended the city. Philosophers and emperors, including Cicero, revered them as central points of integrity for the empire, without whom Rome would surely fail.

Vesta, the goddess of the hearth, is rarely depicted in classical art; I've personally never seen a representation. At the center of her temple was not a cult statue or idol, but rather a flame. She is the incarnation of the goddess as fire; the living spirit of the element.

We have the stories of the vestals , actual women who did her work. They have names and histories: Aemilia, Licinda, Fabia, Aquilia Severa and of course, Coelia Concordia, the last head of the order, who was present when the Temple of Vesta was closed in 391 when Emperor Theodosius I banned pagan practice in the empire. She stepped down in 394. Theodosius was the last emperor under whom the empire was politically unified, and the Sack of Rome occurred just 14 years later. Perhaps Cicero was right. Of that event, St. Jerome wrote, "The city which had conquered the whole world was itself conquered."

So, it would seem that the vestals and their ritual of constant devotion, at least symbolically, held a dimension of Rome's integrity. They could put this energy into their devotion because they were freed from the responsibilities of household relationships and child rearing. They used their time studying and working in the service of their patron goddess and in turn, the society around them.

Notably, their history seems to predate Rome itself. Rhea Silvia, the mythical mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, was said to be a vestal virgin; she claimed that the god Mars found her in a forest and seduced her, and she gave birth to the twins.

The Discovery of the Asteroids, and Vesta

In 1807, a German astronomer named Olbers discovered an orbiting body (at the time considered a planet), which he invited a colleague to name: that was Vesta. The brightest asteroid, comprising 9% of the mass of the inner belt, Vesta is supposedly visible without a telescope. We may wonder why the ancients, who had more time on their hands and much darker skies at night, did not note her wandering amidst the stars.

Vesta was the last asteroid discovered for 38 years. In 1845, Astraea was discovered, and the following year Neptune arrived. (This page provides a chronology of minor planet discoveries.)

The discovery of the asteroids opened the potential for additional feminine archetypes in astrology; it took about 150 years for astrologers to get going using them, and they're still considered something of a boutique item today.

As an astrological factor, I delineate Vesta as the experience of tending the inner hearth of creativity and sexuality. Her primary quality is devotion. She also represents an organizing principle. Think of how old houses were designed around the hearth as the focal point, and how the hearth is the center of the home's functions. Vesta describes how we organize physical space, and in a similar way, psychic space. If we devote ourselves to tending our creative processes, to tending our inner flame, we have a way to organize consciousness that is then reflected in our values and our expression of life force.

People with a strong Vesta placement will almost always have an unusual expression of sexuality. By strong placement, I mean making many aspects, conjunct the Sun or Moon, or placed on one of the chart's angles -- such as the ascendant or midheaven. Their relationship lives will 'just be different' than the people they know: the typical models of romance don't quite work, and they will wonder why. Many with this kind of placement will be inclined to think it's a relationship issue, and feel inadequate; with Vesta, the root of the matter is often how sexuality is processed differently. There is the element of service, and Vesta may be incarnating in her expression as the sacred prostitute.

Sacred prostitution means offering oneself sexually in the service of creation, or the service of the goddess, as you wish, but often another person is the direct beneficiary. This is the kind of erotic sharing that is neither romantic nor casual. It's not quite a mutual marriage. It's part of what I call the Third Way. Many people have touched upon this energy, but in my experience relatively few experience it consciously or consistently. Typically, we lack the language and the support systems that make it feasible, and we tend to take everything -- and everyone -- much too personally.

With a strong Vesta placement, there can also be an element of celibacy: that is, of long gaps in sexual activity, which can be particularly confusing for young women who are accustomed to getting plenty of sexual attention. It helps to hear about Vesta and the particular type of devotion she describes. This will often key in memories of past lives spent as some kind of temple priestess.

You may read other interpretations of Vesta. Martha Lang Wescott, for example, notes the mundane qualities: an obsession with projects instead of people; emotional distancing; hard work and career demands; being impersonal; sublimation of other interests into the career or vocation; sacrifice/denial of self (by others/self) for a 'greater goal'.

One author I read in The Mountain Astrologer circa 2000 said he noticed intense experiences of shame around Vesta placements, often relating to sex and inappropriate childhood sexual contact. I think all these concepts are valid, and some are rather perceptive, yet what is central to Vesta -- and to any planet -- is the process that unites all of the seemingly separate definitions.

With Vesta, that process involves the devotion of tending the inner hearth, be it for creativity, healing or service. At the center of our inner space is the fire of the soul that, in the complexities of physical life, rarely seems to burn on its own -- it needs to be tended, loved and honored continually, so that it can thrive and flourish. When the flame is tended, the empire of our lives can thrive because there is integrity at the core of who we are, and fidelity to our purpose.

Venus Retrograde, and Vesta in Scorpio

We're now experiencing an impressive collection of planets in Scorpio, which include Venus retrograde. Vesta arrived about a week ago, and on Saturday Venus retrograde and Vesta will be making a conjunction.

Venus retrograde in Scorpio is an inner quest. Retrogrades imply internal orientation, movement of awareness toward the past, the search for something hidden, and an indication of what we turned off in childhood so as not to threaten our adult caregivers.

Scorpio implies sexuality and sexual themes. Certainly, we do a lot of shutting down here; even if our parents are not hung up on religiosity or their own untended injuries, few parents of prior generations (and, sadly, few today) encourage children to be comfortable with their sexuality.

Venus, one of two feminine archetypes from classical astrology, represents all facets of women, (usually) minus the maternal aspects covered by the Moon. Venus is the lover, the yin principle, the yearning kind of desire, and the most important indicator in the chart of what we value the most.

In Scorpio, Venus represents the powerful female desire nature, which some astrologers have associated with manipulation (associated with the power aspect of Scorpio). In a sense, Venus is out of place expressing desire directly; that is more the realm of Mars. Of course, this is in the opinion of the Holy See. If we want to know what sex was like before the Christians got hold of it and took over the topic completely, we need to study the bonobos. So far, no missionary has converted a single one. They are natural people. (You can read more about them, and what their lives say about humans, in an excellent new book called Sex At Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality.)

These critters, our closest primate cousins (with whom we share 98.5% of our DNA), use sex as a way of maintaining peace and harmony. They know nothing of the jealousy and control suggested by Venus in Scorpio. Rather, they know that keeping the energy moving keeps their society in harmony, and provides a constant source of pleasure and bonding. (The authors of Sex at Dawn note that this is something more likely to occur in a matriarchal culture than a patriarchal one.)

With Venus retrograde, we have some introspection around the theme of jealousy and control (which exist as one concept). There are people who would argue that humans are incapable of learning or inventing something better than jealousy; that it's this thing that will always get in the way of a more open-minded approach to loving relationships.

But emotional concepts run in trends; in our control-oriented phase of cultural history, we have a reverence for jealousy that is strictly optional, and based on insecurities that are optional as well. It's all a matter of what we want. Incidentally, that something has already been invented: it's called compersion, which you can think of as a plus-plus symbiosis in the emotional environment. Compersion is about allowing pleasure and emotional contact to exist in others, particularly the people you love. (Here is a keynote presentation I gave recently called Community and Compersion, which explains the concept.)

Venus retrograde is a quest to release jealousy and resentment in exchange for these other values. Indeed, this is a time to question what we value at all, and to examine the basis of our investment in relationships. Think of it this way: Venus is the ruler of Taurus. The sign opposite Taurus, therefore representing relationships, is Scorpio (counting signs, the 7th place). So Venus in her opposite sign will represent a relational involvement, and the retrograde is a kind of evaluation. What is the nature of this attachment, commitment or involvement? What are the definitions and boundaries involved, and how do I feel about them?

There is the question of attachment and how it so often substitutes for love; this one is rarely asked. More than anything, the Scorpio dimension will represent the deeper layers of the emotional bonds. With Venus retrograde, we now have a little more access to information than usual about how that connects to the past, and that emotional level.

Vesta: Devotion to Sexuality

It is rare to hear someone say that they are devoted to sexuality. Most places, to admit as much invites all kinds of judgments, or the fear of being judged. Instead, we admit to wanting relationships and to certain ideas about them; we're obsessed with the notion of a soulmate or 'the one'; we admit to wanting comfort and security; we admit to wanting to marry for money, or the devotion to some ideal form of love. But who unabashedly admits that sex is one of their devotions? What personal ad service allows you to check that off as one of your interests?

Vesta in Scorpio speaks to just that common sense notion. When we consider the nuances of sexuality, we have to remember the wider cultural background that infuses the discussion and makes it all the more meaningful. Devotion to sexuality is a positive frame of reference; an affirmation of the importance and beauty of one of the best things that life has to offer, and the source of all existence. Part of the devotion is to keeping a constructive attitude, which is of course challenging when we get so few positive messages -- we need to look for those messages, and dialog with them.

Think of Vesta in Scorpio as the specifically sexual flame that we must tend in order to have a healthy, wholesome existence. This tending can come in many forms, including nourishing desire, expressing that desire, encouraging ourselves to be curious, and applying our awareness to the healing projects that we know would help us. Many of these involve trust; injured trust is one of the most significant factors that affects our sexual needs. Vesta in Scorpio is about nourishing trust -- in particular the kind that's not based on the illusion of control.

There may be matters of sexual health that require regular or even daily maintenance. This is something we often take for granted. But the privy parts (as William Lilly describes them in the first description of Scorpio published in English) get a lot of other activity, and they require special care. Part of that special care is a 'use it or lose it' factor where sex is concerned.

There is also the dimension of knowledge. How many books about sexuality have you read? Not relationship theory; rather, books that actually consider the sexual nature of what a person is. Most of us think we know a lot about sex, but where exactly does that 'knowledge' come from? Even Rachel Maddow, the first lesbian prime time news anchor, can't utter the word 'masturbation' when it's called for in a news story. Part of devotion to sexuality is a commitment to awareness and honoring different viewpoints that exist, and to stretching your viewpoint. One measure of the ignorance of our culture is the current culture war being waged on same-sex lovers. There is no way that would fly unless a lot of people were scared, judgmental, ignorant and (on top of that) feeing guilty about something. That's because attack is a projection of guilt, especially where sex is concerned.

Finally, there is the matter of tending one's own sexual truth. Every person has a unique sexual identity; we each need different things. Every person has a unique sexual orientation: there's a lot more than L, G, B, T and Q. Most of us try to fit our sexual orientation into a pre-fab theory that was basically forced on us as the only option. The source of that one option is usually religion -- hardly a place to go for enlightened information about sex and relationships. For example, we might be bisexual or polyamorous, and try to fit ourselves into a monogamous, heterosexual concept of a relationship.

Vesta in Scorpio would say: devote yourself to who you truly are, practice authenticity about your sexuality from day to day and hour to hour, and see what happens.

The Sacred Space Within

Sexuality is deeply personal, and you may be aware of an inner sanctuary that is not someplace you regularly invite others -- even your lovers. You can think of that as represented by your Vesta placement, and under the current sky, Vesta in Scorpio. In that sanctuary, you're free to desire who and what you want, to dream any dream and to tend the flame of what makes you hot, no matter what anyone might think.
Now Venus is about to enter that inner sanctum. We could look at Venus retrograde contacting Vesta as a gesture of tending that inner flame. She is about to meet the element fire, and burn off what must be cleansed. Or, we could consider that Venus has returned to the sanctuary to relight her flame, or to connect with the passion of youth. Vesta represents young women, and Venus retrograde is about older women learning from the younger ones.

Think of Venus as entering the temple with her deepest needs and desires for healing and pleasure. Imagine that she is prepared to be absolutely honest in that space, to release what she doesn't need, and to honor the core fire of her goddess within. This is a kind of initiation ritual, where the ordinary (Venus) makes contact with the extraordinary (Vesta) in a gesture of reconsidering one's feelings, healing the past and, soon enough, moving forward with newfound passion. There may be an element of sacrifice involved -- something that you don't need that you give up, in order to accept what you truly need or want.

The sanctuary where this exchange takes place exists at the core of our identity. It's the place where a transformative fire burns and identity is created from moment to moment. The embers have never gone out, and if we want to rekindle the flames, now is the time.

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Ami Anne
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posted October 23, 2010 02:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ami Anne     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Wonderful article.

------------------
Pluto conjunct Dejanira, Girlfriend.

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venus in gemini
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posted October 23, 2010 02:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for venus in gemini     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree. I think people tend to overlook Vesta. But her importance is up there with all the big boy planets.

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Ami Anne
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posted October 23, 2010 02:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ami Anne     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Part of that special care is a 'use it or lose it' factor where sex is concerned

------------------
Pluto conjunct Dejanira, Girlfriend.

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DD
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posted October 23, 2010 02:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree, ViG, and I particularly hate the misconception that Vesta is asexual.

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Diabla
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posted October 24, 2010 12:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Diabla     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Very good article!
thanks for sharing Venus in Gemini.

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PeaceAngel
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posted October 24, 2010 06:56 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
DD, I agree with you. The idea of sexuality has been eroded by Christian principles. But that is a long winded rant that I'm not going to make right now. I absolutely see Vesta as a very sexual and yet pure expression. The natural expression of sex being a conduit to higher states and growth instead of the notion of being devoid of sex attaining these states. Loved the article.

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 07:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Absolutely agree, PA.


There is this misunderstanding concerning Vesta`s "virginity".

In ancient times being a virgin did not mean an absence of sexual encounters / experience, but just meant that these women were not married and not having a family. They were on their own. This did not exclude sexual encounters though.

Of course it also did not mean they were having casual sex as we understand it. Sex was having a purpose. For married women it was to procreate. For the Vestal virgins the purpose was a different one, a service, yes, but actually in a higher sense, as opening up the gates to spiritual energies. Tantra anyone?

That is why I see VESTA up there with KAALI for example. The same goes for INANNEN / ISHTAR / ASTARTE. At least in this regard (of course there are clear differences between the asteroids in meaning, but that is kind of some common ground, using sex for releasing spiritual energies).

Of INANNEN / ISHTAR / ASTARTE we know that they were participants of the "sacred marriage ritual" in Sumerian / Semitic / Phoenician countries, and I wouldn`t be surprised if VESTA was up there with them in meaning.
Though VESTA seems to be even more independent than they are, as there is no specified male counterpart to VESTA, whereas these goddesses had that specific counterpart, ADONIS.
Of course this ritual was being performed by humans, the (high)priestess and the ruler of the land to ensure fertility to the land, but they acted as immanations of the divine entities here on earth.

Okay now I am ranting.

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PeaceAngel
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posted October 24, 2010 07:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The perception of sex itself was completely different, DD. There wasn't the dirty stigma that it has now.

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PeaceAngel
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posted October 24, 2010 07:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Of course this ritual was being performed by humans, the (high)priestess and the ruler of the land to ensure fertility to the land, but they acted as immanations of the divine entities here on earth.

Just as the parts of animals were adorned or consumed or sacrificed under the ideal that their energies would be transferred to the person, so the energies of the goddess, through sexual vestal contact.

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 07:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes, exactly. Completely different perception of sex.

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 07:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Same ancient (Indian) tribes would eat the heart (or other organs) of their dead enemies, so their strength, courage and knowledge would survive through them.

At least that is what I remember from "Legends of the falls".

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 07:36 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I wonder how would you interprete strong contacts of VESTA to significant planets in the other`s chart?

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PeaceAngel
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posted October 24, 2010 07:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I always use Vesta in synastry. I think it's really important in romantic/sexual relationships because it gives you an idea of the dynamic there, the type of sex and connection, and expression.

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 08:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Can you maybe give an example?

his VESTA (in my 5th house) trine my VESTA and Venus(ruler of my 5th and 10th house)
my VESTA (in his 10th house) conjunct his Moon (ruler of his 5th house) and trine his NN

(I am aware that this are not as sexual combinations as Vesta-Eros/Mars/Pluto for example, but still don`t really get a grasp on how they could be interpreted)

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DiandraReborn25
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posted October 24, 2010 08:52 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
thankx VIG

i never seen VESTA related to sex. i always associated her with virginity and pureness.

i have mine in 19Gem cj my NN 21Gem.trines my ceres 5th and sextiles karma.

i wonder if that means that i place a lot of value in the depth and intimacy that sex gives in a relationship...well i do infact.

with ceres,i would say that i associate it with nurturing and children ( perhaps this devotion will produce children)

i like to associate Vesta with creativity too just cause its one of my most chearished virtue of mine. its crucial to my life plan.

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Aries_girl
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posted October 24, 2010 08:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aries_girl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
what does mean a conjunction between vesta and venus at a natal chart?

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Lara
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posted October 24, 2010 09:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lara     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
hmmm never heard this about vesta so its interesting, thanks VIG

My vesta is cj exact my akashi lol in my 8th house. Quincunx AC/jupiter and trine neptune
In synastry, my mans vesta is cj my DC and cj my groom. My vesta is cj his DNA.
I'll have to think about how i interpret that!

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DiandraReborn25
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posted October 24, 2010 09:10 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
wow how nice!

my vesta cj Jonīs Valentine and his Vesta cj my 5thcusp and my Alma.

in composite Vesta is in the 8th sextile Amor and trine Ceres =)

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 09:55 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Diandra,

I think one of the key words to understand Vesta is DEVOTION. This can take place in every area really.
But coming from the ancient history (before the Romans started to "chastify" Vesta) the Vestal virgins / priestess were sacred prostitutes and participating in these rituals as we mentioned.

BTW PURENESS isn`t the same as being ASEXUAL.
If something is pure it means there is complete focus (devotion!) onto one one area.

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 09:56 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Probably having "Vesta-sex" means that you are very much into the moment and you probably won`t be thinking about making your shoppinglist or the next day`s work during.

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venus in gemini
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posted October 24, 2010 10:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for venus in gemini     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Vesta is pretty big in our chart. That sacred sexuality and devotion feeling.

His Vesta (7th) conjuncts my North Node and Neptune (11th), sextiles Pluto, quintiles Juno, conjuncts my Psyche.

My Vesta (7th) conjuncts his Sun/Venus/IC and trines his Neptune (7th), sextiles Jupiter, quintiles Part Fortune, quintiles Destinn.

(I always include Quintiles. Quintiles are spiritual gifts. See them as blessings.)


It's very strong with these placements.

Edit:
I just went back and checked the Vesta placement in the composite:

Vesta conjunct Pluto/Fortuna, quintiles Part Fortune. No wonder it feels so strong.

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Benedict Moon*
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posted October 24, 2010 10:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Benedict Moon*     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm seeing alot of parallels between Vesta and Virgo here....mostly in the way people have misunderstood them.


I remember someone mentioning that Vesta was the asteroid of focus and dedication. Sexuality is a new one to me...but it makes sense too when you think about it.

As it turns out, I have Vesta conjunct Moon in Virgo in the 8th...haha.

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teasel
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posted October 24, 2010 12:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for teasel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have Vesta conjunct my Mars and a Lilith, square my Moon, Venus and Nodes and trine my uranus/ascendant...

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DD
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posted October 24, 2010 12:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for DD     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
VIG,
I noticed that you were always including quintiles recently.
How strong do you think they are, as compared to the major aspects

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