venus cazimi: reborn in the heart of the sun
Representation of the path of Venus as viewed from Earth
Venus gets reborn today, passing through the center of the sun, a phenomenon known to ancient astrologers as cazimi, a Latin translation from the Arabic term kaṣmīmī meaning “as if in the heart.” This inferior conjunction with the sun is the renewal point of the eight-year cycle of Venus known as the synodic cycle.
The time it takes Venus to complete a full cycle around the sun and return to the same spot is 225.695 days, whereas the Earth completes its orbit around the sun in 365.242 days. For every eight Earth orbits around the sun, or every eight years, there are 13 orbits of Venus around the sun. During an eight year period of time, Venus will complete five inferior conjunctions in a heliocentric orbit, with each of the five points touching the same part of the zodiac (within a few degrees) each time.
Source: Matthew Henderson
As viewed from Earth, Venus’ complete synodic cycle is 584 days. The synodic cycle of Venus can be observed by tracking the planet, the brightest in our solar system, through its travels as both an evening and morning star. The waxing of Venus’ phase as a morning star takes 263 days. At the completion of this phase, it disappears below the horizon for 50 days before reappearing in the evening sky. Here it will wane for another 263 day period before disappearing below the horizon for 8 days. At the end of those 8 days, it reappears as a morning star and the cycle begins again. The entire synodic period, 263 + 50 + 263 + 8 = 584 days.
Source: Earth Haven Learning Centre
The synodic period of Venus relates to the orbital period of Earth (365 days) in a simple ratio of 5:8. The ratio 5:8, also called the Golden Ratio (8/5=1.6) is a harmonic proportion found throughout nature, art and music. Egyptian and Mayan pyramids were constructed with this ratio, as were cathedrals throughout Europe and great works of art like the Mona Lisa, The Birth of Venus, and DaVinci’s Vitruvian Man.
Fibonacci spiral
Source: Wikipedia
Boticelli, The Birth of Aphrodite
Source: Wikipedia
DaVinci, Vitruvian Man
Source: Wikipedia
The 5 pointed star, or pentacle, is associated with Venus, because as the planet traces its synodic cycle path across the sky, there are five points in the cycle where it goes through a retrograde period, appearing from Earth to slow down, stop forward motion and loop back on itself. These retrogrades occur within a few degrees of the same astrological sign or place in the sky every 8 years. The retrograde period itself occurs roughly every 18 months, recurring in that specific area every 8 years.
To the ancients, Venus’ disappearance and rebirth symbolize an underworld process, a death and rebirth, as it dies as a morning star and returns as an evening star. The Mayans studied Venus closely and developed observatories to Venus, or in Mayan cosmology Kukulkan, the personified deity. The Mexica (Aztec) representation of Kukulkan is Quetzalcoatl, who is known by different names in its morning star or evening star (Xolotl) embodiment.
El Caracol, “the Observatory,” Chichén Itzá in Yucatan
El Caracol, alignments with synodic path of Venus
Source: Exploratorium
As someone with a natal chart ruled by Venus, following the movements of its cycle and its importance to Mesoamerican cosmology has been central to my practice. The orbit of Venus is the most circular of all of the planets in our solar system, and the harmonic balance of its synodic cycle in relationship to Earth and our sun offer gifts of beauty, justice and harmony to our planet. Venus is considered a benefit or helpful planet in traditional astrology, and I recommend developing a relationship through observation of its movements.