It was the winter of 2009, and I had been in the personal fitness business for 5 years. I had been moving up the bell curve at a relatively good clip, but I aspired for more. The goal had been to gross $10,000 per month in personal training revenue. Up to that point, my best month was around $7,500. But in February of 2009, something happened – rather unexpectedly. Its unfolding would represent one of the most triumphant periods in my life, which would soon lead to some of the darkest moments. Continue reading to discover how my ups and downs help to explain the Astrology of Venus and Jupiter in Aries, so that you can better navigate these waters.
It All Started in February
On February 4th, 2009, I had my Venus return at 00 degrees of Aries. Just two days after my birthday, it would prove to be the catalyst for a monumental month and year. Although the world was still in the throes of the housing market crash of 2008, my business was holding steady. This was especially fortunate, given that hiring a personal trainer takes a certain amount of discretionary income.
By the end of the first week of February, my earnings were already half of what I would typically make for an entire month. While I was pleasantly surprised, I thought that it was just some residuals from the typical January fitness rush. I certainly wasn’t expecting the money to continue flooding at that rate, but it did. By the end of the month, I had earned close to $20,000. Never in my life had I amassed that amount of cash in such a short period of time.
Keep in mind, Venus was sweeping through my 5th house of joy, creativity, passion and self-security. It was, literally, written in the stars.
The Midas Touch
As the year went on, I began to feel like King Midas: that everything I touched would turn to gold. For a while, it certainly seemed that was the case. From my little 2,500 square-foot studio, I was now generating a respectable sum of money from training and supplement sales, and from sub-leasing my space to other personal trainers.
Between the hours of 5–10 am and 4–7 pm, the gym was “standing room only.” You could barely enter the front door without having to step around or over clients, all busy conducting their exercises in machine-like fashion, as I had designed a system for training up to 15 people at a time without compromising the quality.
As the end of the year approached, I had the “brilliant” idea of moving to a bigger facility. In my overestimation (a negative Jupiterian quality), I figured that the 50-60 clients I was currently servicing could easily morph into over a hundred, and I would be well on my way to making $300,000 a year.
The Trap
At this time, I wasn’t studying Astrology, so I had no idea that I was walking into a self-imposed trap. Although I had prospered greatly with Venus transiting Aries in my 5th house, the fact still remained that the planet was in exile or detriment. That means my innate sense of self-love was triggered to the point that it became an expression of arrogance. While I wasn’t trite with my clients, my arrogance showed in my dismissal of common sense.
The desires of Venus became uber ego-centered, and I would find myself going on extravagant shopping sprees, trying to make up for childhood wounds around not having the most fashionable shoes or clothes. This was my chance to say to the world, “Look at me, now!” It also freed me from the guilt of squandering a 4-year athletic scholarship some 10 years prior.
Those unattended to wounds, fed by the money crutch my ego couldn’t get enough of, culminated into moving to a 5,000 square-foot facility, where my overhead almost tripled.
A Moment of Reckoning
In June of 2010, Jupiter made its ingress into Aries. That means it would follow behind the territory that Venus had traversed the prior year. As we know, Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, expands and enlarges what it touches. Thus, it caused a swelling around the actions I had taken while Venus was transiting the same sign.
Admittedly, I acted on impulse, carelessly moving with a sense of reckless abandonment while Venus was in Aries. Jupiter’s time in Aries would represent the inflammation around the wounds inflicted from Venus’s transit. I was beginning to see the price of acting without caution involving my desires (Venus).
The bills were piling up, and I found myself stuck with clients that, in years past, I would simply dissolve ties with. Now, I had to continue accepting their money, although they never followed my nutritional recommendations, nor attempted to learn the correct way to perform exercises. These were the clients who merely showed up to have a social hour, and who were disruptive for those who were actually there to see results.
My business was literally blowing up, but not in the manner I wanted.
Karma Shows Its Face
By the time of my next Venus return in Aries, in April of 2011, it was obvious that the end was near. The business had been losing money, and I found myself unable to pay rent, eventually resulting in being locked out of my gym, with thousands of dollars of equipment held hostage.
I would eventually come up with the money to at least pay back rent and get my equipment. I tried moving to another location, but the damage was done. The business was dead, and no matter how vehemently I tried to resuscitate it, the end had come.
The Learning Begins
I can’t begin to express the level of embarrassment that I felt, knowing that people could drive by the old gym and see a note on the front door saying that I had been evicted for failure to pay rent. Ultimately, the sense of elation that came with Venus in Aries in 2009, followed by Jupiter a year later, represented my ego death. And might I add that the unraveling began around the age of 33 (sound familiar??).
This would launch me into a 12-year journey, where I truly became the Sagittarius rising (ruled by Jupiter) that I am. It led me to take my innate philosophical nature more seriously. Instead of merely speaking from a broad-thinking, visionary manner, the time had come to go on a long-distance journey (a Sagittarian theme) – in pursuit of a Greater Truth (also Sagittarius).
Throughout the past 12 years, I have amassed over 2,000 books, ventured into the study of multiple religious systems, the world of Metaphysics, Etymology, Numerology and Astrology. No matter how much I have learned, though, I’ve still had to “chop wood, carry water” (i.e. be humble).
Divine Order
On May 3rd, 2022, Venus returned to 00 degrees of Aries, and on the 10th, Jupiter makes its ingress into Aries, which hasn’t happened since 2010. I can’t help but reflect on all that transpired 12 years ago. The irony is that if it hadn’t happened that way, I likely would have never become an Astrologer and a truer version of myself.
Armed with the knowledge of how I (mis)managed these transits in the past, I feel empowered, which is partly what Astrology should do for you. I now have a morsal of that most coveted thing we call “wisdom.” I know to more carefully manage the energy, even if some sort of unexpected windfall comes. It’s my hope that, wherever you are in your life, you are remaining sentient and aware – confident yet humble and grounded.
As for me, I know that it’s by Divine Order that I’m here having this communication with you, and that makes it all beautiful!
Just know that if you need some help navigating your way, I’m here and ready to help.
About the Author
The founder of 720 Astrology, Jamal Robinson practices a unique brand of Astrology that incorporates Etymology, Numerology, Kabbalah, Metaphysics and various other modalities to unveil hidden jewels of the Soul. To learn more about Jamal and the array of services he offers, visit his website.
