We are all used to battening down the hatches when Mercury goes retrograde. Everything seems to turn topsy turvy, communication is difficult, things break, we’re warned not to sign contracts, etc. etc. But what does it mean when Venus goes retrograde? July 25th, we find out.
What is a retrograde exactly? I hear you ask. Planetary retrogrades are optical illusions. They happen when the planet in question appears to reverse its normal course and travel backwards across the sky. While the planet is in retrograde, whatever its usual outward effect on our lives appears to turn inwards.
This means that for Venus retrograde, relationships are in focus. We may find ourselves reevaluating our values and what we want in a relationship. Rethinking some of the people in our lives, even our work, our callings, and our life goals come under scrutiny.
July 31st, Venus will enter Leo, where it will do most of its backwards traveling. This will have the unfortunate effect of bringing out the darker side of the vibrant Leo energy; a desperate need for attention. This can lead us to indulge in attention seeking behaviors that we usually would not even think of engaging in.
Until July 31st though, Venus will be traveling backwards through detail-oriented Virgo. Habits our lovers have that we would not normally even blink an eye at, could suddenly become like nails on a chalkboard to us. There could be a tendency to be over-critical and notice every tiny flaw in ourselves and our partners. This is also a really bad time to decide to try that new hairstyle or way of dressing. Save the big makeover until Venus goes direct again.
During Venus retrograde it's usually ill-advised to start a new relationship. Sure, it can happen, but our view of the other person may not be entirely correct at this time. It is also not the best time to have your wedding or engagement. Things will tend to go wrong. Examination of existing relationships can be forced upon us by Virgo energy at this time. Any flaws that we may have been ignoring in our relationships have the potential to be written large in front of us where we can no longer ignore them. Strong relationships will only grow stronger, the retrograde energy merely refines them, drawing the people even closer. Weak or abusive relationships, however, tend to show the cracks in their foundations and crumble.
This is also a time of revisiting old relationships, with past lovers more likely than ever to come out of the woodwork and back into our lives. Be very aware that what might seem like a magical rekindling could quickly tarnish once Venus goes direct again.
Venus retrograde tends to last around a month and a half (give or take a day), and we get to revisit them every few years. This is our time to review our lives, to consider what it is we truly value and hold dear. We get to consider the direction our lives are taking and if we are truly achieving what we want to achieve. Retrogrades are a time for reflection, not for acting. To think over our choices and really define what love means to us.
Some good questions we could ask ourselves about (and maybe journal the answers) are:
- Who do we want to partner with in life?
- What do we feel passionate about?
- What are my top 10 values?
- What relationships are no longer serving me?
- What is my actual motivation in this situation?
Leave a comment