For some people, it’s the same as their main zodiac sign; for others, it’s a different sign, though it’s never more than two signs away. In astrology, Venus is the planet of love and expression, the goddess of love who represents your personal values and what you love most passionately in life. Venus is the ruling planet for Taurus and Libra, meaning both of these zodiac signs are sensual, desiring love and fairness. Your Venus sign affects your personality, especially your desires, your capacity to connect and relate to others, and your ability to give and receive love and affection. RELATED: What The 12 Houses Of Astrology Mean And How To Find Yours However, it’s not just romantic love — your Venus sign can also give you insight into your core values, what you find truly beautiful and pleasing on an aesthetic level, and your tastes. The planet Venus has much more influence on your personality than you think, as Venus rules your style, how you present yourself to the world, and how good you are at attracting what you want (that includes all attractions, not just romantic ones). Because you’re ever-changing, you can never get bored with your subject. You’re as fascinating as any character in great literature, and even when you think you know what’s going to happen in the future, you’re always surprised.
How to Find Your Venus Sign
Much like determining your Sun sign, Moon sign, or Rising sign, to find your Venus sign, use a natal chart calculator. It’s helpful to know not only your birth date but also the exact time you were born.
Venus Sign Meanings
Venus in Aries
Those with their Venus in Aries are independent, competitive, and have an impulsive approach to life. You tend to pick fights when you get bored just so you can have some action and excitement. No one can call you a drag because you’re entertaining, assertive, and always thinking of fun things to do. However, since you tend not to think before you act and speak, you’re thought of as inconsiderate, self-centered, and impatient. When it comes to relationships, you have no problem being the one who makes the first move. You believe in going out and getting who and what you want.
Venus in Taurus
You focus on the sensual side of life as you enjoy good food, art, and tactile indulgences such as silk sheets and expensive rugs. You’re very responsive to beauty and physical appearances, and you place high importance on the physical appearance of your partner. You enjoy treating yourself and those you love, and it can be easy for you to be extravagant. Those with their Venus in Taurus like to be comfortable. You aren’t big into getting your hands dirty; in fact, you’d much prefer someone else do the dirty work while you reap the rewards. Self-control is your strong suit but your warmth, charm, artistic talents, and sympathetic nature help to balance out your self-indulgences.
Venus in Gemini
You’re charming, verbal, and friendly and you need a lot of socializing. Obviously, with your Venus in Gemini, you’re a natural flirt, and you can’t stand people who are too clingy and/or possessive. You can be inconsistent when it comes to love and you have no problem juggling more than one love interest at a time. You enjoy the romance and excitement of love but not the obligations and commitments. Your emotions are controlled by your mind, and you prefer thinking about your emotions rather than losing yourself in the feeling of them.
Venus in Cancer
You tend to be sensitive, sentimental, romantic, and sometimes shy. Your emotions are right at the surface and tied to your family, old friends, familiar locations, memories, and your past. You always remember all the important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, and any other of personal significance. When it comes to love, because your Venus is in Cancer, you want someone who can give you emotional support, care, and security. You consider your home your sanctuary and can be a homebody; even if you’re not home, you strive to bring something to make wherever you are feel homey. There are times when your love and compassion for others can morph into something clingy, needy, and possessive. You like to be needed and are a natural caretaker, and you don’t understand when you don’t get that kind of caring back.
Venus in Leo
You are the star of your own story and have an honest, kind, compassionate, and brave personality. Your Venus is in Leo, meaning you enjoy having drama in your life, especially when it comes to romance and the grand romantic gesture, and the extravagant expression of generosity never fails to impress you. In fact, because you respond to these kinds of fabulous gestures, you do them as well. You don’t feel things in small ways; everything is felt with your whole heart, and you don’t shy away from fully expressing how you feel at any given time. You can be vain and get too consumed by how you look. Yes, you’re a bit of a show-off, but your heart is in the right place.
Venus in Virgo
You’re smart, sensitive, and creative. You’re more comfortable showing someone that you love them by doing things for them, rather than telling them outright. You think that being there when someone needs you or putting your heart into something you’ve made them is a far greater way to say I love you than just saying the words with no real emotion behind them. With your Venus in Virgo, you tend to be a bit insecure about your own attractiveness, but you know you’re smart. You can be critical of yourself and others. You like things to be clean and in their proper place. You need to watch that you don’t ignore the perfect partner because of either of your imperfections. RELATED: Astrology Symbols In Your Birth Chart, Explained
Venus in Libra
You don’t enjoy being alone, so it’s good that you naturally attract people and things into your life when they’re needed. You’re able to manifest what you need so easily that there are times when you don’t appreciate everything that you have. Having harmony and a balanced life is very important to you — so much so that you will compromise a great deal in order to keep it. You don’t seek out controversy or emotionally difficult subjects, and when you’re presented with them, you will try to do what you can to smooth things over. You will choose “not dealing” over “dealing” almost every time, unless it sparks a feeling of injustice; then, you will fight tooth and nail. A Venus in Libra suggests that you’re charismatic, charming, and artistic. You either have a talent for doing some kind of art or a deep appreciation of it. On the negative side of things, you can be lazy, indecisive, and have trouble saying “no.”
Venus in Scorpio
Those with their Venus in Scorpio are extremely passionate and sexually confident. Once someone captures your heart, it’s practically impossible for you to let go of them. Yes, you can be very possessive and can get jealous at the smallest of incidents. Your personal magnetism is off the charts and you have no trouble attracting the kind of partners you desire. Since your emotions run so deep, it can get dangerous when you feel that you’ve been betrayed. You don’t give very many second chances to those who have hurt you in the past, and you’re not above making revenge plans. You may have trouble conveying the depth of your feelings through words, but the intensity of your actions reveals everything. You’re not one for nuance and subtlety; you’re all passion and high drama.
Venus in Sagittarius
People with their Venus in Sagittarius are very sympathetic, kind, generous, funny, and optimistic. While commitment is a huge priority, you would like someone that you could travel, meet new people, and explore new landscapes with. It’s important to you to share your dreams and goals with your partner and, even more importantly, to be able to share spiritual or intellectual compatibility. On the flip side, if your partner doesn’t help you to grow as a person or doesn’t provide you with enough intellectual stimulation, it won’t take you long to be on the lookout for someone else.
Venus in Capricorn
You tend to be loyal, patient, hardworking, and trustworthy. You have all the qualities that make for the perfect partner. You have a strong instinct to protect yourself from being hurt, and this may keep you from being as outgoing and demonstrative as you might be. You can appear to be somewhat reserved and detached, but inside you’re fervently looking for someone that you can have a deep connection with. With your Venus in Capricorn, you’re not into casual, superficial relationships of any kind. You want someone who is emotionally mature, reliable, and can offer you some type of security. You may marry for money or status, or you may go the total opposite direction and marry someone for whom you can provide those things.
Venus in Aquarius
Your Venus is in Aquarius, meaning having the freedom to do what you want is the most important thing for you. You don’t enjoy possessive, clingy relationships and you tend to gravitate towards partners who will give you plenty of space and let you be your own person. You’re not that comfortable with intense displays of emotion, and you prefer someone that you can have an intellectual and spiritual connection with, rather than someone who demands emotional bonding. You’re captivating, original, and easy-going but you also can be described as being detached, collected, and too cool for school. You love being social, bringing people together, and having a large group of friends and acquaintances.
Venus in Pisces
You’re fully present as far as your emotions go, and you’re sensitive, compassionate, creative, gentle, and a little psychic. You’ve never heard a sob story that didn’t pull at your heartstrings. Because your Venus is in Pisces, you unselfishly give yourself to those in need — all they need to do is ask for your help and you’re there. You’re a dreamer when it comes to love, but having an over-romanticized attitude can get you hurt. You’re known for being too laid back and submissive. Since you tend to be trusting and gullible, you’re often taken advantage of, and because you have such a big heart, you let people use you repeatedly. RELATED: What Your Pluto Sign Means — And How To Find Yours Christine Schoenwald is a writer and performer. She’s had articles in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Bustle, Medium, and Woman’s Day. Visit her website or her Instagram.