Tomorrow night, December 5th, Venus and the Moon will once again be together in the evening sky for the last time prior to Venus going
Retrograde. This conjunction in Shamanic Astrology is defined as the 8th Gate or Gate of Ascension. There are usually only 7 gates during the Descent or Ascent phases of the Venus Synodic Cycle but sometimes you can get an visible 8th conjunction of the Moon and Venus prior to Venus Retrograde.
On a personal level (and going through a personal Venus Return), this means an intensification of a higher state of transformation related to your emerging Goddess (Gemini, Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, etc) in the matrix of Gemini (Note: The current Venus Synodic Cycle began on June 12, 2012 in the sign of Gemini). This intensification is the energetic fuel to reach the celestial world. For Gemini, it is a completion of it’s “out-of-bounds” experience to know all of the rules in order to break them.
The 8th Gate is also associated with spiritual wisdom expressed through the archetype. We each have a Goddess Within and this Goddess continually evolves but every 8 years goes through a rebirth of her identity and power. It is literally a “reclaiming” of her authentic self in the context of her soul’s intent & life purpose, depending upon the archetype and overtone involved. With Venus transitioning to a Capricorn overtone on January 17th, 2014 (first visible rise as a “Morning Star”) from Gemini, it is a time to celebrate the creative, magical, trickster coyote-woman energy one last time.
From there we can honor the new Venus cycle next month. Come join me with astrologer Emily Trinkaus as we set ceremony to honor that new cycle of the Capricorn Goddess and the Circle of Grandmothers. She is being Reborn
– Erik Roth, Shamanic Astrologer