A couple of days later an article, “Rules to Live By” by Katie Couric came out in the USA Weekend. This article was a precursor to her book, The Best Advice I Ever Got.   My concern deepened.  In my mind Katie’s rules to live by didn’t jive with attending a fancy dinner with a convicted sex offender who solicits young girls around the age of her own  younger daughter, Carrie, age 15.  The older daugher, Ellee, is age 19.

Katie Couric was born January 7, 1957 in Arlington, Virginia, (time unknown) which means her Sun energy representing  authority and vitality are in the sign of Capricorn, suggesting  status, dignity and respect are very important to her.  One of her rules to live by is “Don’t let the turkeys get you down”, certainly indicative of the need for inner strength and respect for self.   Her wealthy dinner host doesn’t seem by his actions to understand respect for the feminine, let alone for children.  Why would Katie want to give the appearance of associating with his values at the expense of her own need for respect?

Was another rule to live by, “Let ‘em know you’re there” so important that she needed to be in the company of the wealthy, royal, and famous?  Katie’s Mars in Aries is exactly square her Sun in Capricorn.  Did she say “yes” to the invitation just to let others know she could be in this shining circle before thinking about the message she might be conveying, especially to women and girls who have been abused by sex offenders?  Katie mentions that nothing bothers her more than “people who suck up” so I’m hoping that she just acted too quickly in giving her R.S.V.P.

To give her the benefit of doubt, Katie’s Venus is in the sign of Sagittarius so she does try to be fair and just in her assessment of people even to the point of overlooking faults.  She says that one of her values is trying to think twice before judging other people too harshly.  But I can’t let her off the hook too easily because her Venus is in an out-of-sign  trine (the energy flows easily) with Pluto in Virgo. The relationship between these two planetary energies is intense and can suggest that Katie is viewed as someone who can teach others about spiritual, transitional, and moral values.

After the death of her husband, Jay Monahan,  in 1998 from colon cancer, Katie was successfully active in bringing the need for early detection of colon cancer to the public’s attention and also was open about her own grief process.  I would hope that Katie is conscious about the power of her public demeanor and the messages that may be given by her actions.  Come on, Katie, take seriously the status you have attained!

I’m trying to be fair in understanding, astrologically and otherwise, Katie Couric’s  acceptance of Jeffrey Epstein’s invitation to dine.   This is my shtick:  If men and women are going to evolve into more conscious human beings, individually and in relationship, we have to address assumptions about how we treat each other, especially sexually.  Women should not be made to feel that they have no power over their bodies and are still under male dominance OR feel that their only value is in their attractiveness.  Men should not be made to feel that unless they show dominance over women, use women for their own satisfaction, they are not real men.  Men have more value than just sexual prowess. Having mutually satisfying, collaborative, relationships -adult to adult- is powerful.

I believe working out these beliefs in the sexual arena can move us into other areas – professional, family, financial, governmental, spiritual searching, –  of working and collaborating in a more evolved way.  I really do want Katie Couric to understand this possibility.  Think, Katie, think!

May it be so.

Now……what is this musing about competitive empathy all about?

On January 18th, 2011 I read a Yahoo news report about the Australian Tennis Open where Kim Clijsters resoundingly beat Dinara Safina, 6-0 and 6-0 which is referred to as a “double bagel”.  Kim Clijsters after the match apologized to Dinara Safina for beating her so badly.  Clijsters said, “I do feel bad.  I even caught myself at 5-0 in the second set {when} she hit a couple of backhands down the line, I was like “Yeah, that’s it!……But I wouldn’t give her a (sympathy) game.”

For her part, Safina commented, “I didn’t know how to win a point.”

Both tennis players are very competitive.  They both started playing tennis at a young age and were both born into families where athletics are important.   Both women had  sterling tennis careers with many wins notched on the tennis ratchets.

Clijsters had actually retired in 2007.  In that year she married pro basketball player Brian Lynch and they had a baby girl, Jada, in February 2008.  But in 2009 Clijsters returned to the tennis tour.  That was the year that both Safina and her brother, Marat Safin, were both ranked World No. 1 pair.

Kim Clijsters was born June 8 1983 in Bilzen, Belgium, time not noted in the biography.  Her Sun in Gemini is next to Mars in Gemini.  That combination certainly reflects a strong competitive drive.  Competitive power is also  noted in a Pluto next to Saturn in Libra trine (easy flow of energy) that Sun and Mars.   With these four planets in energetic relationship this woman is strong and has determination.  In the tennis world she is considered a power player who likes to play from the baseline which is, of course, what an edgy powerful Gemini would do.

Even with this very powerful competitive streak Clijsters is also described as congenial.  In fact her “sunny nature” was given as a reason for several loses in 2003 and 2004.  It was suggested by L. Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated that “her sweet nature exacted a price on her tennis, a sport that all but requires streaks of self-absorption and nastiness.”

Astrologically Clijsters has Venus in Leo trine Jupiter and Uranus together in Sagittarius, a sign of athletes.  Venus in Leo is certainly indicative of a  “sunny nature” which expanded in relationship to Jupiter.  Clijsters seems to exhibit  joy about being a powerful athlete, wife and mother.  This is a woman who has a good sense about who she is.  The chart would suggest that a strong ego was most likely developed right along with her tennis skill.

In Rex E. Bills’ The Rulership Book the word kindness is said to be ruled by the Moon and Venus.  I thought to use that word for this blog, but was persuaded that maybe the word empathy more accurately described what Clijsters exhibited.  I think that empathy too might be described by at least Venus as it involves identifying, taking within (a Venus action), oneself  the sense or feelings of another person.  Certainly Clijster could understand and identify with the difficulties Safina was having that particular day. She, too, in her career had suffered defeat playing the game.

Another signature of possible empathy is that Clijster’s Moon in Taurus is in relationship to Safina’s Sun in Taurus.  Safina was born April 27, 1986 in Moscow, Russia, again time not noted in biography.  A Sun in Taurus is very strong, determined, and enduring.  With her Moon in Taurus Clijster could well feel what it must be like when all the power you put out does not work, does not get the tennis ball over the net competitively.

Maybe in this competitive world of tennis it is hard for sports writers to understand what Clijster’s apology was all about.  Looking at her chart I have no trouble knowing that this woman developed her energies, both the competitive power and the empathetic understanding, well.    Hurray for a human being who can exhibit both!

Oh…and by the way, Clijster defeated Li Na of China to win the Australian Open.

I learned from a client in Crete that the Greeks have five definitive words for love:  agape, meaning a friendly feeling for; erotas, suggesting a passionate, intense love between two people; pathos, meaning a compassionate, merciful love; filial, friendship without sexual feelings, a brotherly love; timi suggesting a respectful honorable love.

My client’s daughter translated the Greek question  “Do you want to be my boy friend?” as literally meaning “Do you want to change for the better.” in English.    I really liked that idea.  When we explore the feeling of love, which is really a complex set of emotions, the bottom line is hopefully that we are better people as result of feeling love for someone else.

Astrology also has something to say about love that almost rivals the Greek language.  In Rex E. Bills’ The Rulership Book love and lovers,conjugal love and affection, are indicated by Venus.  Passionate love is found in Mars‘ expression.  Brotherly love may be felt within Uranus’ realm.  Compassionate or merciful love is found expressed in  Neptune’s development.  Universal love is given to Pluto to symbolize.

Valentine’s Day love is usually centered around what Venus might offer in the way of a committed relationship or as my young friend suggested, how to change for the better through love.  So let us explore what Venus-type love looks like through the symbolism of the astrological elements.

Venus in a Fire Sign — Aries, Leo or Sagittarius –implies the need for warmth, closeness, excitement in your connections with others.  You value the “flame of Love”, the combustible edge of response when that something indefinably special within gets touched by the Other.  Love for a fire sign can be a vibrating, energetic experience.  Yes, this is the need for fireworks or at least smoldering embers.  “Come on baby, light my fire” is the theme song for a fiery Venus.

Venus in an Earth Sign –Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn–is sensual and physical.  Here we connect with Other through our five senses.  We may be affected by how the Other smells, how we are touched, the sound of the voice, and even the taste associated with a kiss.  Of course, how the Other looks in the eye of the beholder is important.  A Venus in an Earth Sign needs security in the connection.  This is where the status and earning power of the Other may be important for an Earth Venus.

Venus in a Water Sign –Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces–must have feelings acknowledged.  The issues for a Water Venus are to communicate on the emotional level, to acknowledge the feelings experience in an exchange, to plumb the depths of unspoken flow in the relationship.  Obviously this can be an area of challenge where in some cultures emotional expression is not nurtured as positive responses.  A Water Venus can despair of ever getting the deep core personal issues discussed in a relationship  when there is no feeling tone in exchanges with the Other.

Venus in an Air Sign–Gemini, Libra,Aquarius–connects in a thinking, deliberate, considered manner.  The need is for verbal connection, a lot of talk.  An Air Sign Venus is very able to make an immediate connection which may appear very deep, but in reality may need the anchor of time and intimacy to forge a secure connection.  Relationships are to be analyzed when Venus in in an Air Sign.

When clients talk of wanting to create intimate relationships in their lives, I suggest that they begin by thinking about what would they want cherished in the relationship.  A Fire Venus might want aliveness and excitement; an Earth Venus might want steadiness and sensuality; a Water Venus might want tenderness and sensitivity; an Air Venus might want good conversation and intellectual banter.  The point is to consider what it is you value in a relationship and then create that quality within yourself.  Think of the process as a personal change for the better inviting the relationship you want to come forth.

Hopefully these thoughts will be food for your heart that  you carry not only to Valentine’s Day but throughout the year.