I heard the argument that Venus must be hot and moist because the Moon is cold and moist and is farthest from the Sun, therefore Venus being closer to the Sun should be hot and moist.
Ok. So why is Jupiter not Cold because it is near Saturn? Or Saturn hot for the same reason? If Venus is hot, why is not Mercury hot because it is near Venus?
They will not answer. They can’t; their ‘logic’ has as many holes as the Moon.
Let’s analyze some of the essential qualities of the planets as they relate to the elements. That, hopefully, will explain why Venus is the way it is.
Venus is receptive (coldness), responsive (coldness), passive (coldness) accommodating (moisture), adapting (moisture), flexible (moisture), fluid (moisture), meandering (moisture), joining (as in love – moisture), and slowing (coldness). All qualities of the Water element.
The same for the Moon: receptive, responsive, fluid, and reflecting. The Moon has no heat. It does not shine on its own. It is the planet of passive reflectivity. Heat is energy, which is needed for action. Cold planets are essentially passive.
Mars is active (heat), initiating (heat), projecting (heat), persuading (heat), forcing (heat), direct (dryness), straightforward (dryness), unwavering (dryness), separating (as in hate, or a knife or a sword – dryness), speeding (heat). All qualities of the fire element.
Similar qualities apply to the Sun, but with less intensity than Mars and, obviously, with traits unique to the Sun such as giving without attachment, that is active (hot) and non-connecting (dry).
Jupiter is expanding, encompassing, active, accommodating, and flexible. It has the qualities of heat and moisture, which is the most balanced of the four elements. That is why Jupiter is the natural ruler of priests, teachers, and lawmakers because they must be active and persuasive, but flexible and connecting at the same time. Jupiter is coalescing which requires action (heat) and connection (moisture).
Likewise, what allows Mercury and Saturn to express qualities such as neutrality and independence, for example, is coldness and dryness. While Saturn is deep and maintains separation through being slow to change and aloof, Mercury maintains separation or independence by being superficial and uninvolved with whatever it touches. For example, a messenger who is a conduit used to pass a message without opening the envelope to read it (cold), and without caring who wrote and to whom (dry).
So, Venus is cold and moist because it is, well, “Venus”.
Venus has no heat. It is not active. It is a planet of passiveness, receptiveness, and connection. Its essence is cold and moist. Thus common sense tells us Venus is not an Air planet. Venus is a Water planet.
For an analysis of how planets behave in the Zodiac with respect to their elemental nature see the article: Is Venus hot or cold? Insights from 1644 where I use the knowledge from Richard Saunders’ book “The Astrological Judgement and Practice of Physick” to analyze the behavior of different planets in different places in the Zodiac.
