It’s officially “retrograde season” - the time of year when several planets all retrograde at the same time. It happens every year, even though not all planets retrograde annually. Venus is one of those, as “she” only retrogrades every 18 months or so. (Mars retrogrades every 2 years). The less frequently a planet retrogrades, generally the more potent the retrograde period. So, sure, Mercury retrograde is a pain in the ass at times. But it moves into retrograde 3-4 times each year, so it is more a part of our “norm”.
When planets like Venus retrograde, everyone assumes that their love relationships are all going to go backwards as well. Take a deep breath and unclench your fists...it’s gonna be ok.
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| Art by Christiane Vleugels (christianevleugels.com) |
Let’s look at this…
Venus rules love and beauty, and also the things we value and the ways that make us feel valued. She rules the signs of Taurus and Libra, the 2nd and 7th houses of earned money and partnerships, respectively. Established relationships and partnerships (including business) will not necessarily derail during this time. But what is true is that during Venus Rx we tend to not see things as clearly around Venusian issues. So if you just met someone during a Venus Rx who you think is the Cat’s Meow, there’s a strong possibility that when Venus goes direct motion, you may not see that person the same way. The same is true of new projects, new contracts, new haircuts, new tattoos, etc. Your perceptions and feelings about anything regarding love, money or beauty could shift during and after a Venus retro.
So let’s have some rules of thumb:
You just met someone and Venus is in retrograde. You’re pretty sure they’re the one, so you want to propose, or jump their bones, or otherwise nail it down. Chill
You have been in discussions for a few weeks or months about a project or contract that seems very lucrative. Should you stall signing it until after Venus is direct? Nah. This is not something you just started, so go for it.
You have a wedding planned and it falls during Venus retrograde. Crap. Cancel it! Call Aunt Sherry! Pump your brakes, Bride-chilla. It was already planned. Get hitched and be happy.
You’re in a relationship and you’re pretty sure this transit is going to ruin you. So you break it off in anticipation, rather than have your heart broken. Oh honey, don’t.
Venus repeats transits every 8 years, and the last time it was in Gemini was the Spring of 2012, so theoretically you could spend a day trying to remember all the romantic crises of that time. Or not. Every one is new, even if certain patterns do exist because its hitting the same part of your chart. Where is your Gemini. That house will see some energy. This particular retrograde squares Neptune, suggesting we may get caught up in a non-reality, and then have a reality check. Its important we stay grounded and have good boundaries, but also that we don’t bail on a situation prematurely. Because retrogrades provide us with insight..they don’t seek to torture us.
Venus’ ultimate message to all of us: love yourself and be true to yourself and your values.