Aphrodite: Our Inner Venus

"Aphrodite shapes a whole world and inspires it with her spirit. From her comes not so much the ecstasy of desire as the charm which kindles and propels it. She is the enchantment that radiates from things and beings and enraptures the senses with its smile. . . . Her enchantment brings into being a world where loveliness moves toward delight, and all that is separated desires blissful fusion into oneness. In it all possibilities and desires are included, from dark animal impulse to yearning for the stars."

Aphrodite: Our Inner Venus explores the myths and psychological significance of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, an important manifestation of the archetypal feminine energy returning in our times to birth a new Age. Her gifts of Love, Beauty, Sexuality and Wholeness are transcendental values. And with the renewed interest in astrology, these insights can help astrologers in their work describing the impact of the planet Venus in a birth chart.

Aphrodite is one of the very few ancient goddesses still influencing us in modern times. As the child of Ouranos, the ancient Sky God and Mother Ocean, she comes to us from the beginning of time and evokes the cosmic forces of Love and Attraction.

The power of Aphrodite helps us connect to our feminine wisdom, wisdom rooted in the body, a wisdom that invites us to live with true inner beauty, to develop a deeply spiritual sexuality and to embrace the freedom to belong to ourselves in the midst of our relationships. Aphrodite's places of power and her symbols can guide us into a deeper understanding of her role in our lives. Finally, interpreting the myth of Psyche and Eros, we see how Aphrodite, as the Initiator of Psyche/Soul, shows us how to awaken to our soul's purpose through the power of love.

Allowing her stories to inspire our imagination, Aphrodite can teach us how to weave together the spiritual and the physical, the inner and the outer, the feminine and the masculine energies of life to discover new possibilities of relating to ourselves and to each other. Aphrodite teaches us that love is not just a feeling, but a state of being and a way to see the world as it was meant to be seen. In this time of cultural change, understanding the true meaning of love and beauty, sex and wholeness can help us connect with each other and with nature to enhance all aspects of life.

While her powers are available to everyone, Aphrodite most truly incarnates within women when we connect to our bodies, our feelings, our imaginations and our intuitions about life and love. As women break free from old patriarchal stereotypes, we can re-discover our unique feminine power and help create a better world for everyone.