The "Aphrodite" Syndrome

I wrote this brief article a number of years ago but never did anything with it, apart from sharing it with a few close friends.

Traditionally, Aphrodite refers to the mythical Goddess of Love and Beauty. In today's world, it is often referred to a personality type who possess an illusion of love and vanity. A few of these people can actually communicate (telepathically) one's thoughts to another—often stirring a sexual response in their admired individual. The person they commune with is either a highly intellectual person, or they possess some desired quality.

In reality, what drives such women so afflicted is not love or sex, but an element that has been denied to them in early life. The Aphrodite has generally learned that the only way to get attention is to flaunt certain feelings mentally, and sometimes physically, often not realizing the full impact of their telepathic thoughts, or actions. Tragically, they are misunderstood and often generate in others the Pygmalion illusion of a personal ideal.

The Aphrodite complex also manifests great secretiveness, or denial of their approach to relationships, making assistance difficult without careful understanding.

The reason I'm writing about this subject is that in my past I seem to have formed a connection with women who exhibit the Aphrodite persona. My fairly deep analytical nature and strong desire to understand certain dynamics of relationships together with an empathic sense perhaps prevented me from falling into the Pygmalion effect. The effects of this polarity are quite profound, in terms of telepathic communication, as well as internal and physical responses. I am enough of an empath to know when someone is sending me a message, particularly when certain Scorpio desires are manifested!

I subsequently decided to examine closely what common astrological characteristics were evident in such women to produce this scenario. Here then are some common threads I found with the Aphrodite archetype:

• A Sun/Jupiter aspect that involves a unique expression of the material and spiritual(so far this has been a semi-square (45°) or sesquidquadrate (135°)aspect.
• Moon sextile (60°) Mercury that provides the opportunity to communicate feelings and thoughts to another and to sense the deeper moods (interest) of others.
• Moon in Scorpio: creating a difficulty with any kind of intimacy, especially if it requires making a commitment. Much of this rooted in the past--childhood, heredity or family. Moon in Scorpio often reflects the frightened child or insecure person.
• A strong Libra/Venus/Neptune/Lilith configuration or placement that creates the Aphrodite desires and/or romantic ideals, illusions of love, and love of those much better or much worse off than themselves.

All of these women appear to have undergone some form of a physical molestation as a child (not necessarily sexual, but abuse). The idealism that is inherent in this archetype also makes for communication of awareness very difficult.