Venus Retrograde

Thurs 30 September – Wed 13 October


Sun in Libra; Mercury in Virgo, Libra(4th); Venus in Scorpio – retro 8th; Mars in Scorpio; Jupiter in Pisces

So you’ve heard about Mercury retrograde, but you may be interested to know that every 18 months Venus also goes retrograde for about six weeks. The goddess of love, art, beauty and all things feminine will be in her retro phase from October 8th and although researchers sometimes disagree, this has traditionally been observed as a time when relationships from the past could reappear. If you are in a potentially toxic relationship involving deep-seated fear at a core level, even abuse, lack of trust or power, betrayal or control issues, they may surface and the time is ripe to address these issues. Certainly ‘past’ loves may show up on your doorstep (or you on theirs) with an intense desire to rekindle a romance, rehash old issues or is it a passing sexual fling. The main thing is figuring out - without over analyzing - if this ‘past’ is what you want and does it really best suit your life now? With the Sun and Mercury (from the 4th) both in Libra, the urge for harmony, balance and social grace would normally facilitate a healthy approach to social concerns. Of course with Venus in Scorpio, there are no half measures or sitting on the fence in relationship issues, despite the Libran capacity for vacillation currently evident. So it could be an all-or-nothing mood with intimacies running hot or cold and the potential for grief or intensified desire rearing their heads. Certainly our emotional nature will be more introspective, with the retrograde turning the feelings inward, particularly for those with Scorpio Sun, Moon or Ascendant. The other fixed signs (Taurus, Leo and Aquarius) may also feel the effects more strongly. Take this time to reconsider your personal feelings and relationships and try to gain more insight into your style of relating, whether sexually, creatively or financially. Even shared resources or contracts could come up for evaluation. This needn’t be a difficult time, for all relationships need to be reviewed occasionally. It’s just that Venus in Scorpio is sensual, possessive and brooding, even jealous to the point of being vindictive, yet intensely loyal in love, so the intensity it brings may just be up a few notches from the norm. Jealousy, intrigue, power plays and control dramas all mixed with sensuality, sex and intensified desire creates for a potentially explosive recipe to add to your list of cocktails enjoyed by Molotov. Let’s not forget that Mars is also in Scorpio, so not only intimate relationships but any fundamentalist sentiments could rise to fever pitch, especially amongst those who feel justified in seeking revenge. The fixed signs are not known for their flexibility. Besides that, try to avoid the beautician until after the Venus retrograde. Don’t want you coming out accidentally having chosen the wrong stitch, colour or gender change, just because it felt so right at the time.