With the transiting conjunction, square or opposition of Saturn to Venus, relationships may be difficult right now, and this may be a testing period in terms of our values and definitions of love. We may experience complications in our primary love relationships, and are probably not feeling at our most confident. There are often feelings of depression and loss of self-esteem. We may be receiving a lack of love and affection and have the painful feeling that we are unattractive or unlovable, and may consciously or unconsciously expect the ones we love to reject, criticise or ignore us because we are not feeling very secure inside.

During Venus-Saturn transits we may be undergoing a difficult time with a partner, for reasons such as financial constrictions or work difficulties, and he may be working long hours. Additional responsibilities may be taken on in the relationship, creating extra burdens, making the bond feel heavy, and lacking in its usual light-heartedness. A partner may be acting selfish, cold and rejecting our needs for closeness. There is a lack of warmth and emotional support at this difficult time. This might be a period of painful separation, our social life may suffer, and we feel more lonely, isolated and withdrawn than usual. We may find that our own expression of love and affection has slowly cooled, and we experience some sexual inhibition, defensiveness and shyness.

Through-out this period we face some aching feelings about the flaws and challenges of a relationship. Relationships are hard work right now, and our definitions of personal values are changing, and being redefined as we look more seriously at the deeper basis for the relationship. Through our own feelings of insecurity we have to be careful that we don’t desperately search for someone to alleviate these feelings of unlovability, and we may choose someone who enjoys us being insecure and vulnerable. We need to get serious about our love life or marriage, but we might have to deal with disappointment, feelings of unattractiveness, and re-examine and redefine our self-worth. It is at these times that our relationships our examined far more critically, and failings in the relationship or in ourselves, are more apparent. The bonds that are real and solid will not break in our life, and we may be asked to work harder.

With transiting Saturn sextile or trine Venus we may feel more secure in our relationships, and benefit from older people in our lives. We may even choose a partner who is significantly older for us; both Catherine Zeta Jones (Venus-Saturn) and Celine Dion (Sun-Saturn) have chosen to be with men who are much older. We appreciate more traditional forms of beauty right now, and if we have been careless and impractical with money, now is the time to learn how to be more practical and realistic where finances are concerned. Sometimes a person from our past resurfaces and wants to form a relationship once again. During this time we can create a solid ground for emotional commitments, and use this time to assess what we want from a relationship and what we have to give. Learn about love and self-value, and come out of this period having a real understanding of limitations and the hard work it takes to sustain a relationship over the long-haul.