The First Venus Gate December 2, 2010
Waning Crescent Moon with Venus at the First Gate Dec 2, 2010
On December 2, 2010 Venus enters the first gate into the Underworld when the waning Moon conjuncts Venus (1 Scorpio) representing the seventh chakra. The Sumerians described the cosmological cycle of Venus through the Story of Inanna, Queen of Heaven, as a way to understand and to keep track of the Venus cycle.
The story begins when Inanna decides to attend the funeral of her sister’s husband, Gulaganna (a.k.a the Great Bull of Heaven as this also described the death of the age of the Bull or the age of Taurus).
Inanna puts on her full ceremonial regalia and begins her journey into the Underworld. When she reaches the first gate she is told she must enter the underworld like everyone else and is required to give up one of her vestments. Each gate represents a chakra and this gate represents the 7th chakra where she is asked to give up her crown.
The first gate is also known as the Gate of Divine Authority and the release of her crown represents the release of any distortions she has with her direct connection to spirit and the divinity that she innately is. One way to get a sense of this is to see it as a Fall from Grace… In Sobonfu Some’s book Falling Out of Grace she says:
…If we are going to achieve our purpose in life, we must be willing to fall out of grace and accept its lessons. When we feel righteous about ourselves or deny our brokenness, we are fighting against the higher states of grace that await us.
Here is something…I have had to learn over and over again through experience: To fall out of grace is a gift, one of the greatest gifts that one receives in life.
When we are in grace, we begin to take things for granted and we actually stop working on ourselves. Falling out of grace shakes us up. It reconnects us to the larger universe in order for us to see ourselves anew. It forces us to rediscover where our true center begins. And, to learn what needs to be set aside.
Inanna’s journey to the underworld requires her to relinquish her divine knowing - making a full underworld initiation possible. She is willingly falling out of Grace and embracing an initiation into the unknown realms while also releasing the references that have defined her past knowing of who she is.
To work with this gate ceremonially consider surrendering your current understanding of your divine nature even if you feel you have a healthy understanding and experience of it. This is an opportunity to surrender what you know so you can enter into the unknown and grow in ways that wouldn’t be possible if you were not willing to take this journey.
Ways to engage this with ceremonial intent are varied. You might try breathing practices that draw your attention and breathe to your crown chakra including meditation, chanting, brain balancing entrainment practices, using the violet flame, amethyst crystals, wearing violet colors, using the essential oils of frankincense and lavender and so on.
If you are turning 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88 etc between Nov 4, 2010 and June 11, 2012 then you are in a personal eight year synodic Venus return for this entire window of time. The eight year Venus return is a deepening initiation around your current life exploration of the divine feminine. Working ceremonially with this and the other Venus Gates throughout the cycle is highly recommended for those in a personal Venus Return as well as those who have Venus in Scorpio or for anyone who is interested in deepening their relationship to this powerful aspect of the Divine Feminine.
November 21st, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Very nice, thank you. The information is timely. I feel like I am at the gate.
November 21st, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Well… it appears I Am going to be one of those in the eight year synodic Venus return. Thank you for the recommendations on working with the crown chakra. How would you recommend working with the other Venus Gates throughout this cycle? And does this apply to men as well? I have a male friend also in this return.
Thank you,
Lynn
November 21st, 2010 at 9:25 pm
So glad you found this helpful Lynn. Every month I write about how to work with the Venus Gates and various parts of the Venus Cycle in the Celestial Timings. I have started to put together an e-book with suggestions for all the gates and other parts of the cycle and how to work with them ceremonially. However, you can also just tune in to your guidance and what you know about the chakras to create meaningful ceremony through your intent.
And yes this cycle applies to Men too…
Many blessings for a successful Venus Return… Cayelin
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:49 am
I too am interested in working with the Venus cycle. I am in the return also. I had an Aha moment when i read about falling out of grace. It so describes my present experience. Thank you Cayelin.
November 22nd, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I also am in the Venus return cycle. Thank you for the information on the Venus gates, I’m looking forward on hoe to work with them in your future articles. Bright Blessings, Kathie.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
yes i would be really interested, i have venus in scorpio. would love to read more about this. Don’t really understand what it means to fall out of grace, if it means you just feels very down, low, unworthy and unhappy, uninspired - then this is what happened to me.
thank you.
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:07 am
I would like to know the dates of all of the gates. When does Venus enter the 2nd gate? the 3rd gate? and so on. How dow we know when those times occur? Does it have to do with the phase of the moon?
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:59 am
Yes, in the morning sky the Venus gates are always with the waning Moon just before a New Moon and in the evening sky the Venus gates are with the waxing crescent always after the New Moon.
I am offering Venus Specific sessions for people if they are interested in knowing how to work with this cycle in a more personal way. You can reach me at 520-744-6923 or email is p3 @ shamanicastrology.com. My website and contact info is also on this website at this link http://shamanicastrology.com/shamanic-astrology-readings along with other Shamanic Astrologers that also know about the Venus cycle.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:51 pm
I had a shamanic astrology reading about two years ago and was told that Jupiter conjuncted by natal Venus in February of 2009 setting off a 12 year cycle. I am also going through this Venus return as I turn 48 in March. Do these things have anything to do with each other?
December 6th, 2010 at 10:14 am
When Jupiter conjuncts Venus it is a renewal of vision and expansion of a woman’s sacred feminine expression. It is similar to a New Moon point and it will be 11.6 years or rounded up to 12 years before Jupiter returns to that area of the sky. This suggests that your feminine expression went through an expansion point when Jupiter crossed you natal Venus that will continue until the next time Jupiter cpasses your Venus.
The Venus return is a completely different cycle and process… though it also suggests a time for experiencing a higher octave of the expression of the feminine you are here to investigate, explore and help evolve this life. Consciously working with you Venus return is a great way to get the most out of the cycle as it applies to the archetype of the feminine you are investigating in this life. Those who engage the Venus return usually find the Jupiter passage over Venus is greatly enhanced the next time around. Of course, that all depends on what other cycles are happening at the same time.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Love this. Wow. Have read Inanna many times and listened to 2 or 3 versions on CD … never heard
this aspect drawn out about the chakras.
Look forward to the e.book!
December 10th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Greetings…Thank-you for taking the time to share your knowledge about the Venus return…I learned of my date with Venus in early April as a result of a reading by someone whom I have not met..recommended by someone whom I met once, on my way to Santa FE.. I kept the business card and nearly a year later had a magnetic pull to call and ask for a recommendation of a reader..my first Shamanic reading..since that time my life has evolved in a way that at times seems ethereal.. and now the First Gate..
Again thanks with love, S.