Venus Retrograde: Reclaiming What We Love and Value
May is chock full of retrogrades. Pluto went into retrogradation at the end of April. Saturn goes retrograde on the 11th to be followed quickly by Venus on the 13th and then Jupiter on the 15th. Mercury joins the group next month in June. Symbolically this is a time of restoration and reclamation.
Most of you are familiar with the dreaded but misunderstood Mercury retrograde (more about that at the end of May) but Venus is where I want to focus.
Venus retrogrades more rarely than any other planet approximately every 18 months. The retrogradation lasts approximately 40 days which is considered a sacred number in many traditions.
The Mayan’s saw great significance in her cycle. So much so part of their calendar reveals a detailed understanding of the cycles of the planet Venus.. The retrograde portion of her cycle mythologically had profound significance as they envisioned it as Venus’ journey to the underworld.
In all of mythology, journeys to the underworld always symbolize periods of transformation, of death and rebirth. In order to leave the underworld, something must be left behind in order to arise again into the conscious world.
Symbolically Venus represents what we value, how we connect, She is the Goddess of Love. Intertwined with the arts and our creativity, Venus shows where and how we take pleasure in life. She is an intrinsic part a road map to what gives us the experience of being fulfilled. Where she is in your chart shows how you approach relationships of the heart and how you can develop a health sense of self esteem and self love.
Venus is retrograding in the sign of Gemini which is most known as a sign of communication but I would suggest that on a deeper level Gemini is about connection. How we connect with others, how we connect with the world around us. We all have Gemini somewhere in our chart whether it is heavily emphasized or not.
Venus retrograde presents an invitation to reclaim a part of ourselves. And in the sign of Gemini specifically an invitation to reconnect both with ourselves and others. The possibility of rediscovering what’s truly important on a very personal level. I admit I both marvel and find it ironic that this particular retrograde is taking place essentially during the global pandemic. I keep seeing posts on Facebook saying that it isn’t about getting back to normal but about the possibility of getting back to something better. Consciously or unconsciously the macrocosm and the microcosm are always dancing together.
On some level, we are searching for the missing piece we’ve always pretended wasn’t there. Wasn’t necessary. It’s that one piece that would make our picture complete: your picture and my picture, different for each of us and different for each individual, even astrologically. At its core we are looking for buried treasure.
To make the most of this Venus retrograde we must work at curating an inner sense of appreciation both for ourselves and others. The Goddess Venus went to war when she didn’t feel valued. And most often we do the same. This is a period for revisiting old creative projects, taking long baths and walks in nature. Morning pages or journaling which are essentially an inner walk with or to your wild nature are called for. Take a class that you’ve been longing to take. Self Care will bring deep rewards.
From the point of view of a psychological journey to the underworld the Venus retrograde offers an opportunity to leave behind something that is no longer serving us so that we can rise again with our inner values realigned to powerfully create our world. Or perhaps for others it is a time to reclaim a part of ourselves we had set aside simply because we were busy elsewhere. Most importantly it s a time to deeply listen to your heart’s song. What is it longing for? What is your heart secretly whispering to you?
Venus Retrograde in Gemini May 13-June 25
Through the signs:
Aries and Aries Rising: Finding your voice and facing your fears of putting it out into the world.
Taurus and Taurus Rising: Making peace with money and getting over any shame about having what you want.
Gemini and Gemini Rising: You are essentially being asked to stand nakedly in front of a mirror and embrace your uniqueness. To understand that personal power comes from reveling in who you are.
Cancer and Cancer Rising: Surrendering to a higher power, letting go of control. Trusting the deep voice within and following it to take the next step forward.
Leo and Leo Rising: To participate in your community, essentially it is time to reclaim your tribe.
Virgo and Virgo Rising: Pondering your position in the world and your issues with being fully seen and visible.
Libra and Libra Rising: Explore what deeply ingrained beliefs you have about yourself and life that prevent you from living the life you imagine.
Scorpio and Scorpio Rising: Where are you clinging rather than accepting life’s impermanence? What are you trying to control in order to feel safe?
Sagittarius and Sagittarius Rising: Who in your life are you trying to fix rathe than focusing on yourself? As Carl Jung said: What we don’t integrate on the inside how up on the outside dressed as fate.
Capricorn and Capricorn Rising: Your physical health and well being are highlighted. What daily rituals can you follow to bring more balance? Ho can you nourish your body?
Aquarius and Aquarius Rising: How can you be in emotional integrity with yourself? Where and how can you add a sense of play and joy?
Pisces and Pisces Rising: How can you create an inner sense of security and foundation for yourself. In other words how do you create both roots and wings?
