In the Name of Love: The Asteroid Psyche

The story of Psyche, immortalized by Apuleius over two thousand years ago, is a magnificent myth about a love thwarted by the goddess of love herself, Venus — the love between a mortal princess, Psyche, and Venus’s own son, Cupid. Condemned to perform four impossible labours to appease the goddess’s wrath, Psyche, aided by unexpected helpers, ultimately ascends to Mount Olympus to be reunited with Cupid and to attain immortality. Yet to accomplish this, and to win the favour of Venus, she must first embody four essential qualities — the celebrated cardinal virtues of the Platonists.

In astrology, the planet Venus symbolizes not only what we value, but also our sense of self-worth. This is why she plays such a vital role in love and relationship: we cannot truly unite with another unless we choose them in accordance with our values — and unless we can first recognise our own worth. When we are faced with the asteroid Psyche, we must, like the princess in the myth, carry out our own inner work in order to develop certain qualities within ourselves that will content Venus — that is, the qualities that allow us to build a relationship through which she may truly bring forth the joy and happiness she promises.

Thus, this asteroid holds the key to building healthy, joyful, and fulfilling relationships — relationships in which the Self may unfold and the solar identity, our symbolic immortality, find its full expression.