Since the beginning of 2022, I’ve purchased flowers every Friday afternoon for my girlfriend. No, not that girlfriend — I’m talking about Venus.
Venus loves flowers. They’re beautiful, colorful, and sweet-smelling. A fresh bouquet serves no utilitarian purpose. It’s purely delightful, a pleasurable item procured for pleasure’s sake. And what is more Venusian than that which brings us pleasure?
I’ve always enjoyed fresh flowers, but I began buying them on Fridays, the day of the week Venus governs, as a simple offering to build a relationship with her. It’s all a little woo-woo, I know, but hear me out. Venus is the planet of love and connection, of pleasure and aesthetics. She’s also currently retrograding through my 7th House of relationships and commitments, a transit I’ve felt like a punch to the tit. Astrology is cyclical, and I figure if I develop a devotional practice for this sparkling diamond in the sky, perhaps she’ll go eeeeeeasy on me next time.
Is it naïve to think that anything I do could connect me to a planet? Perhaps. But the older I get, the more I find myself craving spirituality through ritual. I get the appeal of religion in a way I never did before. It imbues the most ordinary shit — reading and rereading ancient-ass books, chilling out on a Sunday, ingesting stale wafers and watered-down wine — with wonder and magic.
Honestly, I don’t really care if my weekly flower run for Aphrodite lady “works.” It’s harmless, well-intentioned fun that perfumes up my home. And besides, there is power in consistency. A not-so-small part of me thinks that maybe if I show up for Venus every Friday, I’ll become better at showing up for myself.
Astrologically speaking, each day of the week corresponds with one of the seven traditional planets (I’m writing this on Monday, January 17 — hiya! Happy Moon Day!) Below, find a list of those correspondences as well as some suggestions for how to channel the planetary energy of each day. And if you feel so inclined, try honoring a planet of your choosing with a relevant offering. Jupiter loves him some wine, just saying.
Monday: The Moon’s Day
Good for: R&R, journaling, meditating, inner child work, yoga or low-intensity workouts, cooking or meal-prepping, basic household chores
Tuesday: Mars’s Day
Good for: Vigorous or high-intensity workouts, manual labor, sex, anything that requires you to make the first move
Wednesday: Mercury’s Day
Good for: Writing, reading, rituals or spell work, having difficult or complicated conversations, short-distance travel
Thursday: Jupiter’s Day
Good for: Connecting with spiritual or professional mentors, indulging in libations or mind-altering substances, parties or social gatherings, long-distance travel
Friday: Venus’s Day
Good for: Dates, sex, singing, material delights, hobbies, delicious food, killer outfits
Saturday: Saturn’s Day
Good for: Boundary-setting, delegating, routines, accomplishing that annoying task you’ve been putting off for weeks
Sunday: The Sun’s Day
Good for: Studying, honoring your desires, career pursuits, manifestation, shadow work
Today’s astrology: There’s a Full Moon in Cancer today (January 17). The Moon is in domicile in Cancer, meaning there aren’t any other planets enacting their influence over this lunation. It’s, for lack of a better description, an extremely moon-y Full Moon. It’s also happening opposite Pluto, the planet of excavation and transformation, so don’t be surprised if you’re struck with a startling revelation in the area of your chart that contains Cancer. Cancer risings, Libra risings, Capricorn risings, and Aries risings will feel the pull of this Full Moon most directly.
Full Moons invite us to reflect and release, and in Cancer, we’re being asked to examine our emotions. This isn’t the sort of work we can do in our heads, though. In fact, it will behoove us in this moment to do whatever we can to get out of our heads. Like every other queer person with trauma and access to TikTok, I’ve recently become obsessed with body-focused, “bottom-up” therapy. I think it appeals to me so much because it validates a phenomenon I’ve personally experienced: Traditional, “top-down” talk therapy often isn’t effective. We can’t always turn to the rational mind for answers, especially when old wounds are involved. Today, take a cue from the expansive world of somatic therapy and connect with your body in some way. It can be as simple as noting when you’re feeling an emotion and letting yourself feel it, or it can be as elaborate as a 40-minute YouTube yoga session. It’s your body; honor its needs and limitations accordingly.