From the perspective of Evolutionary Astrology, when a personal planet (Mercury, Venus, Mars) goes into retrograde, it signifies a good time for us to slow down and consider how the related energies are affecting our life at this time. It’s an excellent time for reflection and introspection.
One of my astrology teachers once used the analogy of a drinking straw when it comes to thinking about the potential effects retrograde planets can have on us:
Imagine a drinking straw coming out of the crown of your head. This is the “funnel” that allows the various planetary energies to “come in,” i.e., to affect us. Normally the energies are just flowing in, in a steady stream. At the time of a retrograde, it’s more like a gush—a deluge of that retrograde planet’s energy trying to push its way through the straw.
The question then becomes: how do we manage this extra surge of energy?
If we slow down, if we consciously open our own channel (i.e., widen the diameter of that energetic straw), we’re able to allow all that extra healing energy to flow through, and we can absorb it better.
So this is a time to tune in and be more aware.
It is NOT a time to make rash decisions or take on something new, especially in terms of things related to that planetary energy. Instead, it’s a time to get clear on our relationship with that energy.
Let’s get specific.
Venus went retrograde this past weekend (in U.S. Mountain time, at 7:33 pm on July 22nd) and will remain so for 40 days, until September 3rd.
Venus retrograde happens about every 18 months. When approached consciously, it can be a time of momentary reset of the Venus energy in your life; a moment to mindfully recalibrate with regards to who, how, and what you love.
Yes, Venus retrograde is a time to reflect on current relationships; it may also be appropriate to reflect on past relationships. (And don’t be surprised if/when someone from your past suddenly reaches out or you unexpectedly get reconnected during this time!)
But Venus energy is not solely about human love and relationships. It’s also related to beauty and aesthetics. This can be a fabulous time for focusing on beautification — whether that be actually making beautiful things if you have artistic inclinations, or beautifying your own self. (I, myself, just made a long-overdue haircut appointment.)
However, that said, rather than going out and buying a whole new wardrobe, this is the time, instead, to clear your closet of clothes that you haven’t worn in years or that no longer please you. In fact, to do the “Mari Kondo type of clearing”—with her famous question, “Does it bring me joy?” — is the PERFECT kind of activity to engage in during a Venus Retrograde period!
And that question, “Does it bring me joy?” is an incredibly powerful reflection at this time, whether it’s about the clothes in your closet or particular relationships in your daily life. We must tune into the heart in order to honestly answer that question.
We have a little more than a month to dive into Venus-related projects. I’ve always found the best place to start is with reflective journaling. Some questions I like to use as Venus Retrograde prompts include:
What do I value?
What makes me feel good / brings me joy? Who makes me feel good / brings me joy?
What do I love spending my time doing? With whom do I love doing it?
What is no longer worth my time?
What (in my environment) am I ready to let go of?
Who am I ready to let go of / to bless-and-release, in terms of relationships that no longer nourish me?
These questions are excellent places to start, and are also interesting to revisit throughout the 40-day retrograde period. Especially when you’ve written out your responses and can periodically go back and reread them, it’s quite illuminative to see which ideas turn out to be more fleeting vs. those that keep coming up again and again.
To get even more specific, you can hone in on the Sign and House where Venus is currently transiting. This Retrograde period is taking place in the Sign of Leo. Where is Leo in your chart? Depending on which House Leo is placed, that is the area of life that would particularly benefit from these reflections. (See previous post on examples of different Leo placements.)
And even more specifically, Venus is “retracing” the degrees between 12 and 28 of Leo during this Retrograde period. If you have any planets or points within that range of your Birth Chart, they will be activated as well! If you’re interested in learning more, book a Reading and let’s dive in!
May we all embrace this Venus Retrograde period with open hearts and minds, and allow its healing energy to flow through us, guiding us toward better alignment with our true—beautiful—selves.
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