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Venus, the planet of values (what WE value and desire), love and finances, entered the sign of Aries on the 4th of February this year. Venus usually spends approximately 37 days in each sign but due to its 42-day retrograde period it will actually remain in Aries only until the 2nd of April (retrograding from 13°07’ Aries) before re-entering the sign of Pisces and stationing direct on the 14th of April at 26°55’.Venus has been very bright in the early night sky during mid-February, she begins her retrograde period as an evening star and ends the retrograde period as a morning star. She is never very far from the Sun and is our nearest planet inward (towards the Sun) after the Moon. The synodic cycle of Venus is one of the most beautiful patterns known, forming a beautiful flower shape. Every 8 years Venus retrogrades in similar degrees of the same signs.
In Aries, Venus is in her mythical lover’s den (one of them, the other being in Scorpio), where Mars also happens to be transiting but too far ahead of her for them to meet up (they’ll have to wait until October when they rendezvous in Virgo), in fact she starts her retrograde act when she’s still 5° away from him as he scoots into Taurus, one of Venus’s boudoirs, her most comfortable and luxurious one I might add.
Venus in Aries is full of bravado, actually she always gets what she wants in any sign, but her she’s more open and adventurous in Aries, sexual, but perhaps not sensuous, and certainly not “comfy” here. Aries and Scorpio are in fact the signs where Venus is in her detriment, where she is at least at ease in her surroundings.
So, since Venus deals with values of some kind we might want to acknowledge that these include our self-esteem too. In fact, there is a lovely observation in the book “Planets” edited by Joan McEvers which quotes astrologer Robert Glasscock as stating:
“The glyph we use for Venus in astrology resembles a hand-mirror”
continuing “what you value is a reflection of who you are so what we love is a reflection of ourselves”. Isn’t that a lovely way of conveying one of Venus’s meanings?
What might we expect during this retrograde period when Venus goes under-cover, so as to say?
Venus retrograde could declare “war” in a subconscious way on our senses and attitudes to love or finances and on the old died-out values that we attach to these matters as well as our opinion of ourselves. The effects of the retrograde period in this sense are less obvious and immediate and usually emerge after the planet has once more turned direct.
The houses involved in the retrograde transit will be more vulnerable and unprotected once the planet resumes forward motion since they are areas which we often leave unattended to, prior to the retrograde period of the planet.
A Venus retrograde period:
exposes those areas of self that are normally concealed from view
and are often the complete opposite to the behaviours we normally show and this in itself could undoubtedly cause emotional stress for us.
Thus the Venus retrograde period is an excellent time to contemplate those which are our deepest and most personal creative needs and if the flaws and faults enhanced, and so readily identified in others, are not really ours. A deep introspection into what makes us happy and what may be missing in order for us to be so could be in order.
It’s also a good time to work on creative projects, heal old heartbreaks and/or take care of unfinished business in order to make room in life for the things that bring us joy.
During this time old lovers may also resurface, physically and mentally! Before welcoming them back with open arms (if they do appear in their physical form) stop and think for a while, especially about the reasons why the story ended in the first place and what role you yourself may have had in this (consciously or not).
New loves may also begin during this period. Again, use caution, keeping your eyes wide open because at the end of the retrograde period things may not be as they initially seemed…..you may have confused lust with love especially when Venus is retrograding in Aries, Pisces lends itself to a more romantic type of sentiment.
To gain a glimpse of what might occur during this retrograde period, think back to eight years ago when Venus was retrograding in Aries/Pisces in almost the same degrees (March 6th 2009 15°27’ Aries to 29°14’ Pisces on 16th April 2009).
What was happening in your life then?
From the 8th to the 15th April Venus retrograde in Pisces will square Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius and again, in forward motion, from the 17th to the 22nd, this could put a dampener on our relationships, on our self-esteem, on our creativity and on our finances or give structure and meaning to all the aforesaid.
Sabian symbol for 14° Aries: “A serpent coiling near a man and a woman”. Indicating the identification in bipolar relationships with the impersonal rhythm of natural energy.
For 27° Pisces: “The harvest moon illuminates a clear autumnal sky”. Indicating the light of fulfilment that blesses work well done.
“It’s hard to feel desire when you don’t feel desirable” Christine Feehan, Safe Harbor
Bibliography
McEvers J., (1989), Planets, ‘Venus’, p. 129, Llewellyn Publications, St Paul, MN, USA
Rudhyar D. (1974) “An Astrological Mandala: the cycles of transformations and its 360 symbolic phases”. pp. 59 and 286, Vintage Books Edition, Random House Inc., New York, USA
Sullivan E., (2000), Retrograde Planets, ‘Venus, Dual Goddess’ pp77-114, Samuel Weiser Inc, York Beach, ME USA
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