posted October 08, 2010 07:10 PM         

The last time Venus went retrograde was in March 2009. A month prior to that, as Venus crossed into its retrograde shadow on February 1, 2009, good-time feelings in the United States reflecting the inauguration of President Obama disappeared as if someone had hit a national temperament switch. Venus went into its shadow and the media started critiquing. The US Congress started sniping. From the public was heard a swelling cry: “nevermind all that ‘us’ stuff—what about ME?”

It was all very appropriate, what with Venus being in Aries, sign of Self. And as Venus then went retrograde in Aries, the Venusian sense of “reward” or “having earning” felt denied. People felt isolated and stripped of recourse. Friendliness vanished as people around the world (this being a global transit with the US being used here merely as an example) realized they needed to reinvent their lives and sense of Self—their place in this world.

Okay, but why talk about that now? Simple: by looking back to see how a past astrological cycle worked, we get big clues on what’s coming. That retrograde was in Aries. This incoming Venus retrograde will be taking place in Scorpio. And that means there’s something of a “reflexive” link—a celestial dotted line, if you will—between these two events. Why and how? That answer starts with Venus being the ruler of two signs: Taurus and Libra. And since ruling one sign astrologically makes the opposite sign a planet’s sign of “fall” (where it’s natural symbolism is “weaker” or harder to “get to”) this means Venus is problematic when passing through Aries or Scorpio…nevermind when it’s retrograde in Aries or Scorpio!

So again, let’s look back. Venus’ strong side of the Aries/Libra polarity is the Libra side, where the Venusian symbolism of creating positive results functions through the Libra “what I am to you” (or what I provide you with) as the opposition (or outcome) to the Aries “who am I?,” “what do I make of myself?,” and “what I do with my life.”

What we “do” on the Aries side is made manifest on the Libra side. We do, or we be, and others react and respond, either applauding or rejecting us. We tend to think of Libra as “the other” where it’s really all about what we do or are to the other which engenders a response.

Taurus—a reflection of our self-worth.
And that’s important to remember when we then look at Taurus/ Scorpio, a polarity which Venus rules from the Taurus side of the coin. Taurus, first of the zodiac’s four fixed signs, is all about our values and what we value. And because having/achieving what we value produces feelings of satisfaction and security, Taurus is not only that, but the abilities, talents and resources we use in embodying or expressing our values as a reflection of our self worth. (And yes, this “self worth” thing is why we tend to associate our “worth” in money terms with Taurus.)

All Taurus “raw materials” (self-worth, talents, abilities, drive) are “harnessed” and developed through what is probably best referred to as the “fixed sign cycle”: Taurus (and the 2nd house of a chart) represents what and where we start. Leo (and the 5th house) are our creative efforts and how/how well we go about employing those Taurus raw materials—the honing of our talents, the exploring of our ideas. Scorpio (and the 8th house) are all about testing our values, as we have learned to creatively demonstrate them, in some interactive setting where we automatically risk critique, rejection and various kinds of challenges to our mastery.

Important here is that the “life of the thing” is not always at stake in Scorpio, though it surely feels like it. And that’s the “Venus in sign of fall” sort of thing. Venus in Aries means someone may not help you. But Venus in Scorpio means they may not only not like you, they may explain to you—in detail—just why they don’t like you. This is why Venus in Scorpio can feel like a cruel time. It isn’t, but we do tend to be overly sensitive to critique whenever Venus passes through Scorpio, sign of fixed water. And since metaphysical water is always emotion and when water is “fixed” it is ice…this can be a chilling time.

Just to finish this fixed sign rondo, Aquarius (and the 11th house) are all about the wonderful world of all things societal, social, systemic, networking and commercial. We get there once we have passed the “local interaction” Scorpio stage. Scorpio is “close group” acceptance. Aquarius is “mass/general” acceptance—the psychological land of actually producing the “mental income” which then is brought home as satisfaction and security, fulfilling that Taurus craving.

So when in 2009 Venus went retrograde in Aries (opposition sign to Libra) we all wanted help and no one was feeling helpful. And one little more note on that event: Venus went retrograde at 15 Aries with Eris (discord) at 20 Aries. So the world was looking at an uncertain future (Eris) and not feeling very (Venus) secure about it.

Scorpio, the desire for control
Now—cut to 2010, with Venus going retrograde not in Aries, but in Scorpio. Scorpio, being the polarity opposition to Taurus, heralds a time of less than satisfactory interactions, with the desire for control ramped up and levels of empathic understanding shoved aside. We can expect the world—and thus our lives—to feel like “controls” are being foisted upon us. That our values (or our value) is being marginalized. Needs (or your need to be needed, or to have your needs “heard”) will feel critical. Situations which might under other circumstances be brushed by will feel unfair and restrictive. People are going to be prickly.

But to remember is one fact: all difficulties come not from strength, but from desperate desires not to feel weak, weakened or vulnerable.

Venus at 13 Scorpio (a 2nd decanate degree) as the retrograde begins indicates high emotion. In this moment Mars is just ahead at 16 Scorpio, suggesting that we want to get things going—and done the right way (which at the moment is going to be OUR way!). We are looking ahead. We know there are sticky (fixed sign) things yet to deal with. Most of us will have things here and there which also feel “stuck.”

And let’s not underestimate the Scorpio/fixed tendency to be picky, which sometimes is just about exerting/feeling one’s own sense of power. There may be nothing wrong with this, yes. But there will be those times under this Venus retrograde when feelings of ineptitude or dissatisfaction will manifest in doing the unproductive, stupid and even damaging just because…they NEED to!

Then there’s that Scorpio fixed tendency towards stalling, hesitation and questioning which yes, can be totally insightful and useful and productive and vitally important. Then again, it can just be another way to not make decisions or (in essence) preserve the status quo because that’s what you want—or because change is just too scary!

On the financial front—apt here seeing as Scorpio is the sign of “interactive finance”—expect much sluggishness with intermittent storms of tempestuous spinning. Where deals, investments, financial negotiations, money markets, interest in things and interest rates either control, manage or influence wealth, caution is advised…but so is realism. Remember that in all matters Scorpio, feelings may rule, but facts actually win the day.

And all is certainly not terrible here. Yes, there will be frustration and frustrating circumstances. But given that Venus is going retrograde conjunct TNO Huya, this is also an opportunity to regroup and “do the Huya thing,” which means using your (Taurus) talents and self-worth to provide to/for others in such a way that their enjoyment, appreciation or enlightenment reflects so well on you that Huya’s “rainmaker” symbolism provides goodness to all (especially you!).

Venus retrograde in Scorpio is a perfect time to see what needs doing, and to realize that what you know how to do can be applicable in some kind of “gap.” And though you may encounter barriers and hurdles to same under Scorpio Venus (retrograde or not), by bearing in mind that those walls are emotional (read: put up by fear or threat), you can figure out how to get around or through them.

With Venus/Mars in conjunction, there’s a natural “fertility” vibe…something could be “born” IF everyone would just stop acting like gently subsiding tar. But with Moon in Libra opposition Aries Eris, when the timing is right the style of approach is problematic. Even mild comments sound like critiques. And those critiques? A good number of them are going to be taken as attacks—whether they are or not.

And that’s just the directly interactive part of this equation. Apart from that there will be all those concerns…what to do, how to get it done. How to make things work?

Given that Mars is first ruler of Scorpio “choices” however, even with Venus in “I’m not sure…” mode there’s a inkling that…well, maybe things could be good. And if you take the lead (remember—Mars is ahead) and connect need with appeal, things could get moving. So stress positives. Discuss benefits. But remember—Scorpio anything can easily become instinctive suspicion. So no going overboard. Maybe the biggest irony about Scorpio is that while passion reigns in the Scorpio short run, best results (Venus) come from choosing, acting and leading not with Mars’ impulsiveness, but Mars’ ability. Just because you have the courage of a warrior doesn’t mean you have a warrior’s skills: those who volunteer to slay dragons without knowing how dragons operate is merely asking to get toasted half-past crispy.

In other words, in matters Scorpio best results come from a basis of facts and well-tested ability. You know…that honing of skills we were supposed to have done back in Leo? Given this is a conglomerate signal composed of Venus/Huya plus Mars/Eros (desire) wanting to succeed isn’t the question. After all, “want” is Mars in Scorpio’s middle name and Venus/Huya wants to succeed.

So what’s the problem, astrologically speaking? The problem is that Pluto (not Mars) is the indicator of Scorpio outcomes. In this chart, Pluto is at 2 Capricorn, connecting to Ceres in late Sagittarius—and that’s a recipe which stresses the need to make proactive changes based on what isn’t working now and what you know actually does or will work in the long run. This combo says “don’t do a band-aid fix—take the time to do things the right way.” This message is very much in keeping with the Venus retrograde (which gives us a good while to get our ducks lined up) and with Scorpio’s fixed nature—which is caution incarnate.

This, plus realizing that the Pluto/Scorpio thing always (always, always!) stresses making choices based on knowing, not craving, or Mars’ impulsiveness… tells us that those who think things through in both emotional (Scorpio) and realistic (Capricorn) terms are going to come out with greater gains made and less gone astray.

And about that added note from the Sagittarian Ceres…? That’s a comment on the “standard” Sag tendency to rely on expertise, with the challenge being to separate the real experts from the “know-it-all” who under this influence may not only know just enough to be a problem, but know enough to be able to be coercive, manipulative…or simply how to work your Venus/Scorpio vulnerabilities.

Whatever you are (or get) involved in/with now, be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. If you do, you may well find yourself with a distasteful mouthful which will prove hard to swallow. Maybe not immediately…you may run into snags when the Moon conjuncts Venus and Mars. Or maybe even when Venus comes out of retrograde on November 18 (when as it happens, the Moon will be conjunct Eris and opposite both Saturn and Venus). And on that score, it’s worth also knowing that when Venus does come out of retrograde it will be doing so in conjunction to Atropos—the sign of letting something go, or something coming to some sort of end.

The net of this is that you shouldn’t be surprised if this Venus cycle defines a period when you work on some “project” which ends when Venus goes direct. Conversely, you may spend the whole of Venus retrograde waiting on something or getting ready for interactions which happen once we reach November 18. You may even find yourself taking an emotional position or getting into a debate (maybe even just with yourself) which doesn’t conclude until Venus goes direct.

Astrologers commonly tell people not to get married or make large financial and/or emotional investments under Venus retrograde. But it does all depend. Given that Pluto (as outcome ruler of Scorpio) is conjunct the North Node as retrograde starts (and ends) this cycle may be all about the need to move on, or a moving on process which begins with you aiming at one thing which by retrograde’s end turns out to be something else. It could mark a time when you struggle with letting go of something you’ve grown accustomed to in favor of something else which, though not as obsessively attractive is in actuality, more workable.

North Node/Pluto is not only about our changing world, but our need to change so that we work better in the world. The resistant among us may be able to “stand their ground” and retain some status quo, but is that for the better? The familiar and already “conceived of” feels like the thing to do, but is it? That’s the operative Taurus/Scorpio tension. Despite the idea that Venus in Scorpio is, by any description, a testing time, it can also be a time of valid and valuable self-discovery when we begin to recognize that change (or the unexpected or unknown) isn’t so terrible—that we actually can weather uncertainty and come out enriched.

And that’s the real point here. When retrograde, Venus’ passages through signs—in this case Scorpio—describe situations and dynamics which teach us that we are of value and that we can thrive even when we do take risks. Sometimes those “risks” will come to naught, but that doesn’t lessen us as a person. We are who we are so long as we value ourselves—in part because we can contribute to life around us and because, even when things go wrong, we have sufficient respect for our value that our having to do an “about face” doesn’t affect our credibility in a world which seems to have become all about who we are on the face of things.

We may not like that life is asking us to grow in our relating capacities to others and to the world, but when we don’t, is that really about “them”? Who isn’t facing what…and isn’t that pretty much the eternal Venusian “do (and be) unto others as you would have done unto you” sort of point?

http://www.daykeeperjournal.com/2010/10/venus-retrograde-2010/

posted October 08, 2010 07:21 PM         

Romantically, aspects formed between Uranus, Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter at the start of this shadow zone, set the pace, creating a dynamic that finds you attracted to the unusual and tossing up the possibility of moving outside of your comfort zone. However, doing this brings you into new territory and you can find yourself trying too hard to fit in. It is going to be difficult to discern what is sincere attraction to be followed, and what is simply tapping into past desires and fancies. It’s a bit like being the prim and proper lady who kind of fancied the goth boy who sat up the back of the bus. During this retrograde, ten years later, she is shopping in her grey cardigan, when a dark -haired, heavily pierced guy decked out in full leather gives her a wink and a smile. Does she laugh to herself at the situation and treasure the fond memory? Or does she lick her lips in anticipation and embark on a stranger-stalking-frenzy?

This influence can also rustle up past romantic connections, especially on the back slide of Mercury retrograde. Honestly, I would use this influence as a time to adopt a new attitude about a past relationship, heal it and move on. That is easy for me to say though, as I am married. But do be warned that you are playing with romantic fire with this retrograde period and whilst it is definitely filled with hot, lusty potential – it’s Scorpio, so also complete with a hefty sting. Emotional feelings will be heightened and you will be weighing the present, comparing it to your needs and desires. This will make you feel insecure when the present is not measuring up, thus more jealous, demanding and possessive. Venus retrograde is going to rehash old agendas that included times where you were hurt deeply by others, further enhanced when Black Moon Lilith forces the issue around the 19th of September to 17th October. Again, you can embrace this time as one to heal an old love wound once and for all – or you can find yourself swept up into some sort of karmic love saga with a years supply of kleenex waiting for you at the end of it. Of course, not ALL romantic situations are doomed with this influence, but it is going to take a level mind and pure attraction to make a connection last the long haul. Just a whole lot of baggage going on board from the onset which will test even the most sincere.

Regards career and finances though, this is going to be just the break many have been hoping for. Where you have followed the leads over the last year and worked hard at connecting with your talents, you should start seeing some solid rewards. Granted, you could well find yourself dealing with old financial concerns such as lingering debts or taxation hiccoughs, but again, if you have been doing the essential work behind the scenes, you should be able to navigate through any of these concerns with ease. It isn’t a prime time to enter into hefty financial deals though, so avoid that if possible. But with easements shared with the Nodes and Pluto, you can find that it is easy to catch up on old debts, or find that people start to repay you what they owe. Prime times to set your prospects in motion are the middle to the end of October, and the beginning to the middle of December!

posted October 08, 2010 07:33 PM         

This coming Friday (Oct 8), Venus will turn retrograde for the first time since March 2009.

Venus retrogrades, which typically last six weeks every year-and-a-half or so, are notorious for conjuring questions about the relative worth of what and who we've attracted to us. Have we overvalued that which has too easily ended up in our lap? Or are we underappreciating juicy opportunities waiting right under our noses?

As goddess of love and money, Venus often uses her retrograde to test our perspective on recent romantic and/or financial dealings. She will tempt us with come-hither looks from an intriguingly hot stranger across the room or a glittery can't-lose, must-act-fact career proposition. She'll bring back an old lover ('the one who got away'?) or reopen a door long presumed closed, to see whether in fact the business is perhaps unfinished. And she's only satisfied once she has us asking ourselves: 'Do I still reserve my same affections for this? Has my attachment run its course, or am I feeling a renewal of interest? Will I gamble this "safe thing" I've settled for, so I might enter into an arrangement better suited to me?'

Venus spends much of her latest retrograde in Scorpio, where she is in detriment and thus not at her best. (I described the qualities of this planet/sign blend at length a few weeks back.) But, from another view, Venus's 'discomfort' in Scorpio enables her to stir sufficient controversy in our relational involvements so we may blow the cover off, forcing us to confront the renegade desires, unspoken resentments or inescapable inequities lying underneath the pleasant surfaces.

As long as we resist openly acknowledging these inconvenient psychological truths about ourselves, they crop up, unintegrated and unconscious, when we least want them to. We behave inexplicably, with hair-trigger responses, excessive emotion far out of proportion to what's superficially happening. We act against our own interests, unaware of how repressed feelings misdirect us to the wrong explanation. We continue parroting out-of-date stories, letting our words contradict our conduct… obvious to many of the folks around us that there's something deeper we're not confronting, though we may be fairly oblivious to it ourselves.

This Venus retrograde dares us to face up, one way or another, more or less consciously, to such deeper truths. As we're compelled further into moody interactions or touchy conversations, forbidden lusts or secretive conversations, extenuating conditions or labyrinthine loopholes, we cannot help but feel as if our careful preservationist control (or the illusion of it anyway) is slipping away—just as, in anticipation of the brewing storm or under threat of discovery, we may simultaneously feel more alive than we have in a long while.

The appeal of adultery looms large. An undercurrent of cathartic kinks and fetishes whispers its siren-song. The intoxicating aphrodisiacs of money and power lure us in. Will we pretend not to notice these pulls on our attention? While most of us can agree that blatant dishonesty and deceit fall squarely on the side of 'wrong', we may still wonder if our specific situation qualifies. We calculate whether anyone else will really get hurt. We search for an escape-clause technicality. Such machinations seem shady, for sure. Yet, their inherent danger is the flip-side to their titillating quality. And they do force the 'difficult questions' into our consciousness.

To further emphasize this theme, Venus's only recurring outer-planet aspect throughout her retrograde-plus-shadow period is a sextile to Pluto in Capricorn. This fortifying aspect reminds us that even the personal relationships we form are not exempt from their consequences, supportive or antagonistic, for the longer-term transformation in how we strategically devote our resources to achieving our goals. In other words, we cannot stand around espousing certain beliefs about the world we want to live in while, at the same time, refusing to examine where our present mode of interrelating turns a blind eye. If we, for instance, don't share a fundamental life-intention with our romantic partner—settling into a stable home, traveling the world, having children, upholding monogamy—we may be investing our energies in a situation that's keeping us from fuller satisfaction. If a certain coupling draws us away from a lifestyle we claim to desire, why do we fuel this continuing divergence?

The idealistic code of romance informs us it's horribly 'unromantic' to evaluate our involvements according to these goal-driven principles (because 'love is all that matters', perhaps?). Outside the spell of such wishful thinking, however, is it really that wrong to ask so self-interested a question as, 'What exactly am Igetting out of this?' Venus is Scorpio is always aware of the tradeoff: I give this, I receive that in return. Under Venus's Scorpio retrograde, we review the calculations in order to ensure the deal still works to our advantage.

In monetary matters too, we'd be wise to review any strings or stipulations that are part of the puzzle, to break the silence on awkward incompatibilities or unacknowledged dissatisfactions, and/or to reaffirm or reconsider the terms of our agreements. If Venus retrogrades are renowned for flashing deals that appear 'too good to be true' so that we must engage with the valuation process, then a Venus retrograde in Scorpio points to a situation's complexities and conditions as the battleground for determining whether it's a golden goose or a lemon. Before big purchases, for instance, don't forget to include taxes, fees, delivery charges, warranties, return policies and how the negotiations make you feel in your overall assessment. Once you factor these in, you'll have a much clearer idea of who's the bigger winner. Even in supposed win-wins, one party usually comes out ahead. If you can't be sure that party will be you, perhaps consider postponing the final sign-off until the end of the year.

It's worth noting here that Election Day here in the States (Tue Nov 2) falls during this Venus retrograde… a mid-term election in which the results are likely to reflect a considerable Tea Party influence. I first became aware of the fledgling Tea Party movement at the last Venus retrograde, in March 2009, when a major dose of 'populist outrage' first hit the public consciousness in a big way. While I wish I had been prescient enough to mention the Tea Party by name in the article I wrote at that time, the sentiments still hold true: Folks are ****** off, and it ain't goin' away anytime soon. With Venus retrograde in Scorpio at the election, I'd expect platforms based on collective fairness and the common good (otherwise misrepresented as 'socialism') to face significant challenges from candidates and ideas that are about preserving 'what's mine'. Having trouble deciding how to vote? Investigate who's funding what, follow the trail of the dollars for the real reality that transcends the talking-points, and look out for your own genuine economic interests.

Here are some more specifics on timing:

(1) From now through Oct 27, Mars is also in Scorpio, serving as the dispositor (or 'the one who ultimately influences its carrying-out') of Venus retrograde. This is the best time for asserting your complicating desire, to test out the potential for intensifying action and/or deepening impact… or simply to stir the pot. During this phase, this instigated 'tension' (whether fruitful, destructive, angry or sexual) becomes more palpable in the air.

(2) On Oct 27, Mars moves into Sagittarius, transferring the ultimate dispositorship to Jupiter in Pisces, opening this undercover process up to the serendipitous hand of destiny. If the complicating issues have already been whipped to a frothy head, it takes but a single fateful event or arrival-on-the-scene to amplify the wider ripples of consequence into more dramatic waves. This is the moment at which 'the progress of developments' seems to get 'carried away with itself'—as if somehow, in pinning responsibility on fate, we weren't the decisive actors who initially set this passion-play into action.

(3) Then, Venus backs into Libra on Nov 7, to finish its final week-and-a-half of retrograde motion in its home sign, where she disposits her own business for herself, thank you very much. This last segment of the Venus retrograde is our special window for re-attaining the peace (whether within ourselves or interpersonally) we likely disrupted during the events of the prior month. Only once what was previously ignored or suppressed has been laid out on the table, in all its twisted splendor and tangled glory, can a newer and more inclusive compromise be struck. Even if we find ourselves grieving an unpleasant outcome at this time, we'll hopefully also experience a sense of relief at having finally come out with it all.

(4) Venus goes direct in late-Libra on Nov 18, returns to Scorpio on Nov 29, and finally clears her retrograde shadow on Dec 20… at which point the relationship-related doubts and finance-related suspicions that have recently held you back should now be rooted from their hiding-places, cathartically contended with, and resolved in some fashion, so you may proceed sans toxic secrets or stymieing sacred-cows.

http://astrobarry.com/2010/oct410.php

posted October 09, 2010 01:00 PM         

Venus was the goddess of fertility, marriage, creativity and agriculture in myth worshipped by our ancient ancestors in many of the cultures around the world. Venus was known as governing peace, love, creativity and sensuality but it also had a destructive darker side when it was in its Morning Star phase. Venus in myth could create but also destroy life.

Let me first list the astronomical information for Venus that will turn retrograde October 8th through November 18th 2010 in the zodiac sign of Scorpio and briefly backing into Libra in November. Venus will enter Scorpio September 8th and leave January 7, 2011. Venus retrogrades in the same sign every 8 years as it did October 10 – November 21, 2002. Venus will also go through the retrograde process that we will be able to observe without telescopes as a Morning Star or Evening Star. The ancient astrologers believed that the Morning Star indicated more aggressive and agitated energy that could forewarn war or political instability within the country. The Evening Star was associated with the harmonizing qualities of Venus forecasting peace and a fruitful agricultural season.

This retrograde period will be a Morning Star as it was in 2002 suggesting a more aggressive nature. Even though Venus is generally thought of as the planet of peace and love that during the last Morning Star retrograde in 2002 a war with Iraq was imminent. The US Congress October 2nd passed a joint resolution that authorized the President to use US Armed Forces against Iraq, October 12th terrorists bombed 2 nightclubs in Bali killing 202, October 22-25 Chechen rebels took hostages in a Moscow theatre, November 8th the United Nations unanimously approved a resolution forcing Saddam Hussein to disarm or face serious consequences and November 25th George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act into law.

But even without the Morning Star influence Venus will be traveling through Scorpio, which is ruled by the mythic god of war, Mars. Mars rules aggression, ambition, energy, desires as well as courage and determination. And to make this cycle even more passionate for good or evil Mars will also be transiting Scorpio making for a powerful and intensely desirous Mars from September 14 through October 27, 2010. When planets turn direct or retrograde is when their effects are strongest for a few days before and after and during the retrograde phase when the planet aligns with the Sun. The dates to watch will be around September 12th when Mercury turns direct, October 8th when Venus turns retrograde, October 28th when Venus conjuncts the Sun, November 18th as Venus turns direct. The US will have their mid-term elections during this cycle, which should certainly indicate a contentious election when both parties will probably be upset with the outcomes. However I am concerned that saber rattling between nations could ignite as it did in 2002 and that cycle didn’t have Venus aligned with angry Mars. When forecasting events for countries one can use the chart when the nation was formed but that chart is often wrong or at least the exact time is when it became official. Therefore astrologers look to the chart of the President, ruler or King, as astrologers used for centuries. President Obama will have Venus and Mars transiting his 9th house sector ruling international affairs. Decisive Mars will move into his 10th sector of government leadership October 28 – December 7 as Venus continues in his 9th. I would think that the major conflicts would be outside the US but pull it into some part of the crisis.

Venus governs unions and harmony whereas Mars is more egocentric with strong desires and together good or evil can be expressed depending on other planetary factors. Venus governs love and Mars governs sex and together romantic passions and fertility can blossom. But the dark side arises when one separates love and sex. Tiger Woods was born with Venus in Scorpio with Mars in a wide opposition to his Venus as he separated or disassociated his Venus love energy with that of his Mars energy ruling his sexual encounters with other women. His Venus Mars provided him the passion to successfully compete in golf but obviously that was not enough to channel his strong sexual passions. The positive expression of Venus Mars would be romantic passion, creativity and fertility and the dark side could be when one’s desires overtake their rational choices whether it is love, sex, drugs, greed or domestic violence.

When Venus retrogrades or when Mercury or Mars are retrograde our emotional basic nature tends to surface and influence our rational thinking so it’s important to breathe, remain conscious and not to react impulsively. Retrogrades are a good time to reflect on our past choices and actions and make any necessary changes. Venus retrograde is often when relationships are tested and the good ones become stronger and the weak ones will show any cracks and bad relationships could end or disintegrate into battle.

The following is how Venus may affect each of the 12 signs during its Scorpio phase from September 8 to January 7, 2011. When Venus retrogrades October 8 through November 18th could indicate more weakness or struggles with the Venus energy. But when Mars aligns with Venus retrograde, October 8th through October 28th or a few days prior or after could indicate when our insecurities could become more prevalent triggering such reactions as jealousy, anger, greed or addictions. Our only purpose in life is to become conscious and during the retrograde phases especially with the personal planets of Venus, Mars and Mercury is when we will be tested on whether or not be had been avoiding the truth or learning from it.

The effects of Venus and Mars in Scorpio:
Look for your Sun and Rising Sign

Aries: Scorpio isn’t comfortable with Aries as it can indicate competition, conflict or quarreling. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 8 signs from Aries the sector that governs joint ventures, loans, sexuality, secrets and banking. The good could be striving to succeed in stressful business negotiations or hopeful anxiousness with a sexual partner. The bad would be battling or stressing over finances, business partnerships or agreements or that prickly area of sex.

Taurus: Scorpio is opposite Taurus that can either indicate compromise or confrontation. Venus Mars will be 7 signs past Taurus that governs the sector of relationships, contracts or the public. The good could be falling in love, a marriage proposal, a business contract offer, or public recognition. The dark side could be conflicts, confrontations and competitiveness with partnerships in the personal or professional life.

Gemini: Scorpio isn’t comfortable with Gemini as they can compete and quarrel against each other. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 6 signs from Gemini that governs the area of one’s daily job routines but also health maintenance. The good could be directing one’s passion into their work, finding a new job, volunteering, or getting excited about starting a new business and a good time to start a new health regimen but before Venus is retrograde. The dark side to avoid would be getting into conflicts at the job or letting bad eating habits get out of control

Cancer: Scorpio is a water sign like Cancer and therefore quite compatible. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 5 signs past Cancer that governs the area of children, fertility, creativity, entertainment, sports, speculation and romantic fascination. The good outcome could be getting pregnant or having a baby or bringing a creative idea to birth, falling in romantic love, creative expression and the necessary passion to compete in sports. The dark side could play out with discipline problems with children, romantic disputes, unintentional pregnancies, gambling debts or bad business speculations.

Leo: Scorpio and Leo are called fixed signs that can be loyal and stubborn and these two energies can struggle against one another. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 4 signs past Leo that governs the home, family, and property. The good could be a family vacation, wedding or reunion or the creative passion could be channeled into buying, selling or remodeling the home. One could also have romantic dinners or host parties at their home. The dark side could be too much greed around buying or selling a house, or going overboard with expenses on the home or events with family.

Virgo: Scorpio and Virgo get along fine. Venus Mars will be 3 signs past Virgo governing the area of communications, learning, writing, short trips, interviews, sales and siblings that includes our close neighbors. The good would be creative writing, acting or lecturing. Weekend pleasurable getaways or enjoyable activities with siblings or neighbors are other positive expressions. This would also be quite good for any type of sales, or selling yourself at a job interview or at a business meeting. The dark side could be ego disagreements with siblings or neighbors, or becoming too aggressive at meetings or when trying to promote oneself.

Libra: Scorpio and Libra tend to be neutral to each other. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 2 signs from Libra the area that governs cash flow, material possession and self-esteem. The good can manifest with a strong ambition to make extra money or the energy to attract more financial opportunities. You may shop to acquire beautiful artwork. The dark side could me associating your self-esteem with material possessions and spending money on fleeting happiness or just spending too much money on impulse. You should be able to end up with more money as long as you don’t spend more than usual.

Scorpio: Venus Mars in your sign indicates that you are the instigator, magnet or both for creative and sexual changes. Venus Mars in Scorpio is in the 1st sector that governs the personality, appearance, character, vitality and ego. The good expression would be projecting charisma, charm, sensuality and a passionate nature. This would be excellent for public recognition, popularity, winning elections, taking leadership roles, and for attracting the spotlight on yourself or your activities. Also positive would be any creative expression and seeking or attracting a romantic partner. The dark side would be craving too much attention, projecting sexuality too overtly, self-aggrandizement, promiscuity or letting desires such as addictions take control of your rational choices. Venus Mars in Scorpio will test your spiritual and ethical development as much good can result as well as self-destructiveness.

Sagittarius: Scorpio and Sagittarius are neutral with each other. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 12 signs past Sagittarius governing retreats, charity, healing, meditation but also isolation, hospitals, fears or our unconscious called the shadow. The good would be channeling your passions towards charity or crusading for the sick and disadvantaged. The 12th likes to be alone and with Venus Mars this could be a great period for the creative process as well as for rehearsals or rewrites. The dark side would be reflected in creative blocks or frustrations, secret love affairs or romantic separations and unconscious addicted behavior could also be triggered.

Capricorn: Scorpio and Capricorn tend to be okay with each other. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 11 signs past Capricorn that governs one’s dreams and aspirations, friendships and group associations. The good would be seen with increased enthusiasm and passion towards attaining one’s goals, expectations and hopes. Venus Mars can be very social and the 11th rules friendships and group activities, which could be good for making new friends, joining social or professional organizations, or participating in team sports. The dark side could be over-inflated expectations, misinterpreting friendship for romance or vice versa, or unhealthy competitiveness among friends.

Aquarius: Scorpio and Aquarius are at cross-purposes with one another and both are set in their ways. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 10 signs past Aquarius that governs the profession, reputation, business and leadership. The good could be artistic ambitions and accomplishments or becoming more social with one’s professional duties. Venus Mars awakens charisma that plays well in the career sector, which would be good for leadership and popularity. The dark side would be arrogance in a leadership capacity, or too much desire, greed or an overly aggressive nature. In other words, too much hubris that often sets one up for a fall.

Pisces: Scorpio and Pisces are both water signs and therefore compatible. Venus Mars in Scorpio is 9 signs past from Pisces that governs higher education, media, law, philosophy, long-distant travels and foreign energy. The good could be passions channeled into media, publishing, marketing or an importing exporting business. The 9th also is excellent for higher education and philosophical, spiritual or religious studies. Venus Mars can be very pleasurable and connected with the 9th can instigate a strong desire to travel abroad or some of you could fall in love with a foreigner or while traveling. The dark side would be fanaticism with justice, religion or personal beliefs. Perhaps you may find yourself in a difficult long-distant love affair. You may be desiring too much media attention or the media could be hounding you. However, the 9th placement is usually fortunate and lucky so unless there are other mitigating planetary factors having planets in your 9th should be good.

http://www.astro-counseling.com/Astrology%20articles/Venus%20Retrograde/Venus%20Retrograde.html

posted October 10, 2010 10:20 AM         

Aphrodite’s Mirror, Looking Inward

Retrograde cycles are some of the more profound times for honest self-reflection on the inner workings of that planetary archetype. When Aphrodite’s mirror turns inward, we more clearly see our contribution to the relationship, money and self-esteem issues which have been troubling us. The relationship and self-worth issues that ‘return’ during this period will likely re-trigger an old pattern or wound so that we can examine it more deeply. During Venus in Aries retrograde, one of my clients described the unusual feelings she experienced on a shopping trip with a romantic interest; he offered to buy her anything her heart desired, and instead of being able to receive this generous gift, she was filled with shame and inadequacy. She didn’t believe she deserved to be beautifully adorned, and as she went deeper into this, she realized this extended back to a relationship to her beauty and self-worth that was unhealthily modeled by her mother. Her mother had always told her to ‘cover up’, transmitting ambivalence about her young daughter’s sexually precocious energy. Now as an adult my client said she still wore her hair back because (according to mom) loose, free and wild hair communicated the wrong message.

Society, media and advertising, even ‘feminism’ or a well-intentioned mom can shame our relationship to our body/sexuality, leaving Venus pocked with ‘beauty’ scars and wounds. As Aphrodite’s mirror turns inward, we have an opportunity to root out inadequacies about our attractiveness, how we embody sexual or sensual energy and our self-worth. Now when we look in the mirror, we’re more easily able to see body image distortions we’ve carried for years. For this reason, I never advise scheduling cosmetic surgery during Venus retrograde. This may sound obvious but isn’t it amazing how many people want to change their appearance right before or during Venus retrograde? I’m not debating the merits of surgery, just noting that we relate to our self differently during retrograde; what and who we feel strongly about today may turnaround tomorrow (after retrograde).

Turning Relationship Patterns Around

In my experience, if single and looking, we attract colorful characters during Venus retrograde. Often these new love prospects seem to be in conversation with the Devil himself; they know your precise formula for self-sabotage, have the secret password for breaking and entering into your inner Venus sanctum, winning your affections. Right before they push the red button (the one you don’t want them to push) you go, duh…here we go again.

During a Venus in Gemini retrograde I met my Trickster -and unraveled a troubling lifelong relationship pattern, a real victory for love. Yes, I met someone new, and against my own astrological judgment, I attempted to date him. When I began to recognize this character was the same version of those who had gone before him, and I still wasn’t breaking it off, I decided that there was something for me to learn from this guy. One evening, when we were at Sushi and he was openly flirting with the waitress, I decided not to react and instead witness (Gemini) the pieces fall. When I got home, I got out my journal and wrote down every thought that came to me from that exercise. I processed out old betrayals and wounds, and realized that he was one of a long line of men who I didn’t even like nor care about, because if I I cared, they would eventually leave me, anyhow. Boom, there it was. I had finally unearthed a lifelong issue.

A groundbreaking time for discovering new ways of looking at old relating questions, is at hand. This applies equally to questions of committed relationship and friendship, too. What relationship patterns would you like to change? Ask Venus for guidance; she has unusual answers to these when she’s in the underworld.

The Difference Between Perceived Value and Actual Worth

My friend Emma happened upon a ‘great offer’ during Venus retrograde, a lavish top shelf shampoo and conditioner for free. Try now!, it read. She did. Little did she know costs of shipping, and her acceptance of a gift tied her into a long-term contract with shampoo that ‘makes my hair feel like straw.’ While Venus is retrograde, luxury items, things that make us feel good look are almost irrationally alluring. Our pleasure psyche, our want for comfort & joy, absolutely needs more pampering and attention now, which easily translates as: ah, a lovely bauble! I want! I want! Desires that would satisfy take on a seductive quality, affecting our judgment.

On the other hand, astrologer Lynn Koiner says, “It’s a fine time for buying antiques, flea market items and secondhand goods wherein you know the true worth and value of the item but the seller does not.” If you excel at seeing past the hypnotic glamour of your own desire and easily perceive real value, take note bargain shoppers (By the way, click on Lynn’s name. It links to a fantastic article peppered with her own Venus rx findings).

Which brings up the subject of perceived value and worth, and the economics of happiness. Just as everyone has different anger triggers (as my husband uncomfortably & recently pointed out) what I buy and makes me happy, is different from what will make you happy. In other words, the ‘psychic value’ I receive from my fiat spider may not be the case for you. In an O Magazine article, Martha Beck suggests that understanding which things and activities hold psychic value for us, is the key to financial happiness- and that can only come from truly knowing our own unique inner heart responses (our Venus!) to what we buy. There’s value in identifying what our heart truly desires. She even gave us a cool and easy financial strategy system to make better financial choices (see pic) from those heart values, and since I’m a right-brained financial planner, love it. Awhile back, when decorating my home, I decided I only wanted to be surrounded by things that made my heart smile – things I loved. This motivated a set of whimsical but lovely purchases. It’s analogous to life; if we collect, buy into, hang out with those things, ideas and people we’re not wild and crazy about, we may end up with a life that’s just okay.

More Venus Rx ideas:

-Jettison old betrayals and wounds. Paper and pen. Just. Process. Them. Out.

-Love Thyself. Clearly we can never ever ever (did I say ever?) get enough self-love. Just look at the way your partner, or friend or co-worker lights up when you compliment them. We are love-hungry children, and many of us are starving for affection.

-Get new relationship tools. How many relationships suffer (or actually end) because the partners don’t have the tools they need to succeed? As a relationship counselor, I ponder this one a lot. The answer is, a lot. Exploration of relationship, astrologically, through synastry or otherwise, is one of those great tools.

-Surrender control. You simply can’t control what other people are thinking or feeling, so why try. This is difficult for me, too, but when I remind myself a la Byron Katie that ‘there’s only two people’s minds I need to be in, mine and God’s’, I don’t try and anticipate whether my husband is upset or cranky, and try to make it better (a Pluto in Libra, Libra rising thing). Instead, I stay in my center and mind my own business.

-Do love alchemy. Venus retrograde is designed for transformative inner work. Many of my own Venus retrograde tools and techniques, for example mining your past relationships for gold, are in my book. You can also buy your own personal Venus report right here.

-Examine ‘weird’ responses from others. An acquaintance of mine can come off socially coarse; I can easily imagine that they will offend, be ‘forced’ to change up their strategy during this time. If interpersonal feedback you’re receiving sounds more like reverb noise than beautiful music to your ears, read your feedback. Alter your approach.

-Cultivate inner serenity. A sunset, a shared dinner, hanging out in a zen garden – what’s your guilty little pleasure, your Venus valium that frankly sometimes makes life plain old bearable? Do you anesthetize yourself with television, junk food or addiction, all pleasure substitutes, robbing your self from true pleasure? Aestheticize your self with plenty of good art, inspired beauty and by hanging out with people you truly love, instead.

posted October 10, 2010 12:30 PM         

This is exactly, what I am going through now.. I re-connected with the one that got away last Sunday, and we met up on Oct 8... lol....
The feelings are still there, Im feeling jealous, and possessive and UN trusting towards him. I think he is feeling the same. He said being here with me gave him the chills.. But I dont feel he believes in my integrity....
We both of looked for each other before, but just now found each other..

Even if it doesnt work out,at least we get the opportunity to try, and see what happens, which is what I really needed from him.. I always felt he didnt try.. Now he is trying and making an effort with me..
We are talking everyday, and we have plans this upcoming weekend...
All I can do is go with the flow and see what happens...

posted October 11, 2010 04:20 AM         

square my Solar Arc amor 11 and wertex 11 in aqua
square my Solar Arc ceres 6 and BML 7 in aqua
square my N Psyche 8 in aqua
square my N Sun 10,47 and N AC in leo
square my PR venus 10,40 in Leo
square my SA venus 13 in leo
square my Draconic karma 12 in leo

Transit venus will also in retrograde be in conj to my N valentine 26,51 in libra/ N siva 27,20/ N ixion 27,22 libra and Solar Arc Pluto 27,2 in libra.

posted October 11, 2010 10:17 PM         

Pt 1 - Connections To Be Made, So Communicate, Deepen, and Purify

Venus has now gone retrograde as it does every 19 months. When any planet goes retrograde, there is an inward turning, a greater receptivity to unconscious factors, and a retracing of steps already traversed. When Venus goes retrograde, we are enabled to find a new appreciation and admiration for whatever Venus touches or symbolizes in our charts and lives, or find a new value in old interactions and things.

Venus in general symbolizes our likes and dislikes, our vanities and attractions. It is said to be associated with our aesthetics, pleasure principle, and social emotions, attitudes, and behaviors. As it rules the signs of Taurus and Libra, it measures our values, how we use what we have, what we wish to capture that we can "possess," and all our equal relationships, including both personal and business partnerships.

Any time Venus goes retrograde it's a great time to reflect on values, relationships, and why we like or don't like whatever or whoever. This includes our relationship to money, wealth, and things in general, as well as why we value what we do in our relationships, and whether we're working off of old tapes, old hurts, old attachments, and old aversions in relationships that bear no resemblance to what we're living with today.

Venus went stationary retrograde at 13 degrees of Scorpio at 0:06 am PDT, 8:06 am Greenwich on 8 October 2010. This retrograde period will last until 18-19 November 2010, when she will go stationary direct at 28 Libra just hours after Jupiter goes stationary direct at 24 Pisces.

This will mark a "sea change" in how alone or connected we feel, and become the centralized "point of consciousness in time" when very sound innovation is in the air, along with an intensification due to the forming Mercury conjunct Mars in Sagittarius, paving the way for greater truths, realizations, and futures once Mercury goes retrograde at 6 Capricorn in December, moving back to 20 Sagittarius just before New Years Eve.

Once Venus goes direct, it forms a septile to Mars and a biquinitile to Jupiter through the end of November. As it again moves forward, we'll get a final review of the Venus in late Libra and early Scorpio energies that will activate the growth potential of that span in our lives through December 20-21, just before and during the Winter Solstice.

Most of this retrograde will be in Scorpio. The beginning of the period shows Venus in the Scorpio zone of the Grand Irrationality, septile biseptile Neptune and septile Pluto, making no other significant aspects. In late October it conjuncts Mercury at 8 Scorpio followed by the Solar conjunction at 6 Scorpio. More on this "inferior conjunction" between the Sun and Venus later in this article.

That Venus is in the Scorpio zone of the Grand Irrationality shows this will be an extremely important fork in the road in all our relationships, where old ways are about to be left behind after the inward-turned, reflective period between now and mid-November. These changes have already been anticipated by Mars in early October, and they will be given vitality by the end of October.

I discussed Venus triggering the Grand Irrationality in numerous articles in late September. By consulting those articles via the site google box, you can learn more about what the Grand Irrationality is, and what zones of influence are most highly activated at present.

Venus' stationary RX point marks a threshold that primarily affects areas ruled by Taurus, Libra, and Scorpio. However, as it triggered the Grand Irrationality during its recent conjunction with Mars, other signs directly affected include Aries, Capricorn, and Aquarius, along with our most spiritual Sagittarius and Pisces potentials. Thus half of our reality will move through decision points that mark a turn toward a better destiny and away from old illusions and traps.

The inferior conjunction between Venus and the Sun occurs at 6:10 pm PDT on October 28, 2:10 am GDT Oct 29 at 6 degrees of Scorpio. The degree of the inferior conjunction is one of "A gold Rush."

Rudhyar says it symbolizes our capacity to tear ourselves away from the known and familiar and avidly move into a dream of a better life. He goes on to state that this degree is "the passionate quest for universal values, destructive of cultural ease of living," and a "leaping to opportunity."

Dr. Marc Jones says this degree shows us how to exploit "natural resources through personal initiative or intelligence," where we can become independent of the "limitations or superficial inadequacies of life." He states there are major rewards waiting as we improve our conditions through our skills.

He says the keyword is AMBITION, and when positive it shows "instinctive self-dedication to the unseen potential of everyday existence." So get it on, use the skills you have to improve what needs improving, and let go of the need for comfort as you spur yourself toward rewards!

Why is the Inferior Conjunction degree important? As with Mercury retrograde, the inferior conjunction involving Venus (relating and valuing) conjuncting the Sun (life) while retrograde, indicates that values and relationship issues from either outer sources or subconscious sources will fuse with the life principle, setting the tone for the lessons involving how our relationships and values are relating to our lives during the next 19 months. Since Venus is retrograde, the degree of the inferior conjunction shows how our lives will merge with our values and relationships and bring forth a enjoyment and "liking" of our light.

This is the second step in a two-conjunction process. The first step is when Venus conjuncts the Sun in forward motion after its retrograde period. As Venus is faster than the Sun, after this values and relationships again outrace Life, exploring these before the actual experience when the Sun moves through the span after Venus.

Then Venus goes stationary retrograde, and moves into the second step when it again conjuncts the Sun while retrograde. This is when ways of relating and liking things and people are absorbed by Life, or Life takes on the results of subconscious or collective interpersonal feelings returning to source. Eventually Life gets as far from relating and liking whatever as it can, Venus goes stationary direct, and begins to speed up preparing for the first step anew in a different part of the zodiac.

Venus began this retrograde span by going stationary retrograde at 13 Scorpio. This is the threshold point from which we will "go back" for awhile. This retrograde shows we will all experience a new potency and magnetism by going deeper into our connectedness within and without. This is a review, reflection, and remembrance time in the realms of past values, resources, opportunities, and relationships.

Some will reconnect with old friends, while others will remember old losses as precipitating new values, new ways of regarding money and things, and new ways of relating to, or communicating with, others. This is a time to dig deep into old social hurts and wounds to discharge them by seeing what they communicated about our inner nature.

What are you holding on to and why? Why do you choose to hold to old corrosive memories? This is the time to shift the magnetism, and purify what needs purifying while consciously bringing in a regenerative force that can fill the void with more "affectionate" or "valuable" feeling-substance.

According to Rudhyar, this degree requires that we build, maintain, and use lines of communication wisely. This is a degree of "the will to association regardless of time and space," "linkage of separate realms," and communication for better comprehension.

Dr. Jones says here we find "the interconnection which links all phases of existence with all other," as well as our genius for linking up widely separated parts of life. He says the keyword is ATTACHMENT, and when positive, "an effective penetration of human competence into each pertinent complex of everyday living."

Venus now retrograde has begun an inward turning around these themes, as well as our relationship with pure energy and seeing what needs eliminating from past memories and values to attract those which are more appropriate to who we are now. This should lead us to renewed magnetism in the areas Venus touches and rules, as well as better possibilities to fill our newly created psychic and material space.

On November 7-8 Venus retrogrades into Libra where it stays until going stationary direct at 28 Libra at 1:19 pm PST November 18, 9:19 pm Greenwich. When it enters Libra it again occupies the sign it rules, making it very strong in a natural way. The intensity of Scorpio will give way to new perspectives, new sense of balance and proportion, and a new rhythm to the Venusian parts of our lives.

Going direct at 28 Libra, Venus begins to finish the "dues paying" time of late Libra. Obviously we'll get a look back at old "expiations," and find a new awareness of our connections to visible and invisible life that is all around us. This can bring new perspectives and a new sense of what sustains us as humans.

This degree where Venus goes direct is a baseline from which our Venusian ruled experiences move forward. Rudhyar says this degree is the "spiritual sustainment" given to us when we open ourselves to our "full destiny," and "unsolicited help" that can assist us to a sense of community and a better life. Here we can find the "inner assurance" from overcoming any sense of isolation and separateness that keeps us from experiencing our "belonging to a greater whole."

Dr. Jones says this degree, "A Man in the midst of brightening influences," symbolizes our need to accept the friendliness of the world. and show courage in "pressing forward on (our) pilgrimage from darkness to light" to guarantee that we will achieve our potential. He says the keyword is RESPONSIVENESS, and when positive, "a complete spiritual fellowship with human kind."

When it goes direct, Venus will make very strong favorable trines to Neptune and Chiron, a quincunx to Uranus, a biquintile to Jupiter, a move quickly into septiles with Mercury and Mars. I'll write more about those influences in mid-November.

So look back, be willing to examine old internalized hurts from a different angle of perception, and see what was being communicated so that you can use those skills more effectively in the future. Here we can heal old misunderstandings, and replace old negative imagery with much more positive vibes. Clean up, clear out, reverse magnetism, and focus on connections and communications, whether building, renewing, or sustaining.

As with all Venus retrogrades, find the internal imagery with which you would reshape your outer reality. If "character is destiny," then find your self integrity and value this self-discovery on the deepest levels. It won't take very long to see manifestations of the shifts in your images, values, and relationships, as long as these are true for you and an expression of your integrity.

In Part 2 I'll give you how this Venus RX will affect each individual sign.

posted November 01, 2010 07:32 PM         

Venus' Upcoming Retrograde

we are currently in the shadow of venus' retrograde and have been since september 5th, but officially venus does not go retrograde until this friday, october 8th, just minutes after midnight (at 12:06am PDT). venus is aphrodite, the goddess of Love and beauty. she governs relationships, money, abundance, balance, social connection and all things aesthetically pleasing. when she goes retrograde she journeys into the unconscious, much like persephone did when she went down to hades. venus retrograde already has a plutonic energy due to her turning backwards/inwards towards the unconscious, but this retrograde occurs in scorpio, which is pluto's sign, so it's even more plutonic than usual. the last venus retrograde in scorpio was 8 years ago, 8 being scorpio's number! and to top it off- venus stations retrograde at 13'13 scorpio, which is the goddess' number, particularly the dark feminine (ever wonder why the number 13 has so much superstition and negativity associated with it? think about the number 13's connection to the goddess and then ponder that!).

october is set to be quite a month! and relationships are a major feature. there is a new moon this thursday in libra- the sign of relationship and the next day venus, which is the ruling planet of this new moon, goes retrograde. new moons typically start up a new cycle of energy, but with the ruling planet going retrograde that new cycle is likely to manifest more on the internal/unconscious realms first and foremost. typically venus retrogrades are times where we reconnect with our past when it comes to relationships, Love and money situations. it's a time to review our values and see if they really are supporting our highest good. it's a time when ex's can come back into our lives for another go-around or just some final closure. it's a time when we can be thinking about our relationship patterns and have better ability to gain insight into what holds us back from the connections we say we want but cannot seem to find (the same goes for our relationship to money!). it can also be a time of dredging up old karma around relationships and money- that stuff that we didn't want to deal with so we put it some place safe and faraway, thinking it would never resurface to find us again. yeah right! venus in scorpio is all about unearthing shadow and the past- so if you have skeletons in the closest i recommend you go FIND THEM first before they come find you.

i want to give you a bit of a breakdown on venus retrograde so that you understand what this cycle can look like. venus goes retrograde every 18-19 months for approximately 40 days (give or take). in a 8 year venus cycle venus goes retrograde 5 times, which when mapped out on a chart form a pentagram or a star. the pentagram is also a sacred symbol to the goddess- and the fact that venus forms this symbol during her retrograde cycles is pretty auspicious. this upcoming retrograde cycle began it's shadow on september 5th when venus arrived at 27'40 libra. she stations retrograde this friday at 12:06am at 13'13 scorpio and goes backwards to the original point where the shadow began on november 18th at 1:19pm which is when she goes direct again (all times are PDT). her back-end shadow releases on december 20th when she passes 13'13 scorpio. so essentially this retrograde phase extends for nearly 4 months! venus stays in scorpio until 2011 when she moves into sagittarius on january 7th- so we pretty much have persephone/venus energy in our lives until the new year.

saturn is currently in libra and wherever saturn is we have a focus of lessons that require self-mastery, discipline, commitment and a clearing out of karma. while in libra the focus is on relationships, balance, boundaries, and our connection to and expression of the Divine Feminine. this cycle lasts for another 2 years, but this month we get quite the kick off on those lessons as the new moon in libra occurs, conjunct saturn by 6 degrees, while the ruler of both saturn and the new moon goes retrograde the next day. this week and month are set to be deep and intense, not like the volatile cardinal cross energies of the summer and early fall, but on a more subtle internal level that requires regeneration, transformation and perhaps even death and rebirth (symbolically speaking) when it comes to our relationships, finances and values.

as venus retrogrades she will go from the first 13 degrees of scorpio backwards to the last 3 degrees of libra- a particular corridor in astrology called the via combusta, also known as the firey way. many see this corridor as particularly inauspicious, but i prefer to see it as an alchemical container for transmutation. the fire is ignited and anything that is in it's way will either get alchemically transformed from base metal to gold, or it will get burnt to a crisp and die. with venus retrograding this firey way we have the image of the alchemical crucible playing out in our relationships and financial situations! things can get intense- but it's all for a Higher good on some level, so staying in the fire, rather than trying to escape it, would behoove us all (you can't really escape it anyway, you can perhaps delay the transformation but never truly escape it).

libra and scorpio energies are very different, as are any neighboring signs. they are related in the fact that they are next door to each other, but there is a lot of disparity and a need to find a bridge of communication so that they don't become waring factions. libra is an air sign that prefers to keep things light, intellectual, socially graceful, peaceful and harmonious. libra is gifted with finesse, beauty, balance and pleasing behavior, but her shadow is an inability to take a stand, a tendency to overcompromise, a tendency to manipulate subtly by passive-aggressive behavior, and the propensity to avoid dealing with the shadow reality in situations, preferring to gloss things over and make them pretty on the outside even if they are not so pretty on the inside. scorpio, on the other hand, is a water sign that is all about the depths, the shadow and the Soul. where libra likes to keep things light, scorpio likes to take them to the deepest places possible. scorpio wants to penetrate to the Truth of situations- even if (and especially if) things are unsavory. to scorpio it is better to look at what is than dress it up in something it's not just to keep the peace. scorpio's gifts are poignant instinctual awareness, an ability to plumb the depths and not drown, and penetrating insight that can get to the heart of a matter in an instant. scorpio's shadow is engagement in power/control dynamics, manipulative behavior, jealousy, possessiveness and the need for things to always be intense with a simultaneous inability to be light and carefree. with venus transiting both these signs during her retrograde a need to find a way to honor both libra and scorpio energy, without it becoming a war between each or a polarization of this versus that, comes into focus.

the following is a list of important dates and aspects that venus will make over the coming months. make note of them and observe what is happening for you then- it can help you to see what venus' retrograde is asking of you. i will speak to each of these aspects in more detail over the coming weeks in my weekly astrology blog- but i am putting them here for you to see ahead of time as well.

9/5 shadow of venus retrograde commences
10/7 new moon in libra at 11:44am PDT
10/8 venus goes retrograde 12:06am PDT
10/25 mercury conjunct venus
10/28 sun conjunct venus
11/1 venus sextile pluto
11/5 moon occults venus, new moon in scorpio 13'40- the degree that venus initially went retrograde (9:52pm PDT)
11/7 venus retrogrades back into libra
11/18 venus goes direct 1:19pm PDT
11/29 venus moves back into scorpio
12/20 shadow of venus retrograde releases
1/7 venus moves out of scorpio and into sagittarius

the sun/venus conjunction on 10/28 marks the midway point of the venus retrograde cycle and many things can come to light at that time. definitely put a star by that date. in addition the new moon and moon occultation of venus on 11/5 should be particularly illuminating, especially considering the new moon falls at the same degree that venus stations retrograde that happens this friday.

this upcoming retrograde will impact each of us wherever we have planets or angles in the first 15 degrees of scorpio or the last 5 degrees of libra, wherever we have planets that tensely aspect the above degrees, as well as whichever house scorpio falls in. for a brief breakdown of the signs see below, but for more in-depth application to your own life either look at your chart to figure it out or schedule a reading with me you can email me at divineharmony@me.com to set something up.

i wish you the best possible journey into the underworld in the coming months. remember- it is by going into the underworld that persephone became a queen. we each can reclaim and uncover parts of ourselves and our relationships in the coming weeks and months that can be profoundly growth-inducing if we allow ourselves to go deep.

enjoy!

~divine harmony

venus retrograde by the signs:

aries- venus retrogrades in your 8th house of intimacy, sexuality, Soul transformation, secrets and shared resources
taurus- venus retrogrades in your 7th house of relationship, commitments, open enemies and house of projection
gemini- venus retrogrades in your 6th house of health, well being, service and self-adjustment
cancer- venus retrogrades in your 5th house of romance, creativity, self-expression and children
leo- venus retrogrades in your 4th house of home, family, psychological life, and past life experiences
virgo- venus retrogrades in your 3rd house of communication, mind, intellect and immediate surroundings
libra- your ruling planet venus retrogrades in your 2nd house of money, values, self-worth and possessions
scorpio- venus retrogrades in your sign in your 1st house of self, persona, and Soul's journey
sagittarius- venus retrogrades in your 12th house of the unconscious, dreams, your greatest gifts and deepest fears
capricorn- venus retrogrades in your 11th house of friendship, community, visions and goals
aquarius- venus retrogrades in your 10th house of career, standing in the world, and Soul's purpose
pisces- venus retrogrades in your 9th house of spiritual and philosophical beliefs, travel, education, and connection to your Higher Self

http://inharmonyastrology.blogspot.com/2010/10/venus-upcoming-retrograde.html

posted November 01, 2010 08:11 PM         

I am so tired of this already!!
It's all happening right on my 7th house and I'm already high octane emotionally, this is pushing off the cliff into Official Batsh!t territory!

posted November 01, 2010 11:15 PM         

"Did anyone else notice that transiting Karma just crossed over Pluto? Hmmmmm..... I don't think this Venus Retrograde is going to be very pretty."

posted November 01, 2010 11:29 PM         

But--wasn't there a Venus in Scorpio Rx in 2002-2003, sometime around then? Because I didn't have such a horrible experience then, I don't think. I think it was a more creative time for me. I didn't feel so unloved, I was with someone. I wasn't dealing with so much icky old family stuff.

posted November 02, 2010 03:19 AM         

I'm sorry you're all feeling crappy, too. I was just on the couch for two/three hours, reading for a while, and then half asleep snuggled into the blanket and quilt, with Walt, until I heard Bert wheezing, when he got up.

*edit. Venus Rx in 2002, one thing we had to do was to put down our thirteen-year-old dog. On November 13th, 2002, from what I remember. I made her burgers before they left, and then spent the day in bed. (She'd been sick/sort of senile, for at least three months.)