Venus sextile Mars

What these two are about together

Attraction and drive. The classical pairing for desire, and for the difference between wanting something and going after it.

What a sextile does

A sextile is traditionally read as opportunity rather than event. The two planets are in compatible elements and can work together easily, but the tradition is specific that a sextile describes something available rather than something that arrives. It is the aspect most often described as a door that is unlocked and still shut.

How it reads

Desire that moves easily. Associated with warmth, creative energy and an uncomplicated relationship with wanting things.

In practice

Reads as ease that is not automatic. Where a trine tends to be used without thinking, a sextile tends to be noticed and then either taken up or left alone.

What to watch for

Nothing happening. A sextile that goes unused is the most common way this aspect is experienced, and it is not a failure of the aspect.

The two planets

Venus: Values, attraction and what you find beautiful

Mars: Drive, anger and how you go after things

Venus and Mars at other angles

• Venus conjunction MarsTwo bodies at the same degree, acting as one
• Venus semi-sextile MarsThirty degrees apart: neighbouring signs, with little in common
• Venus semi-square MarsForty-five degrees apart: half a square, and read as half its weight
• Venus quintile MarsSeventy-two degrees apart: a fifth of the circle, and the odd one out
• Venus square MarsNinety degrees apart: two things that will not sit still together
• Venus trine MarsA hundred and twenty degrees apart: the same element, working together
• Venus sesquiquadrate MarsA hundred and thirty-five degrees: a square and a half
• Venus quincunx MarsA hundred and fifty degrees apart: two things that cannot be compared
• Venus opposition MarsDirectly across the chart: two ends of one axis