Venus
First the Venus retrograde dates: Venus will go retrograde today, December 19th at 26 degrees of Capricorn. She’ll station direct on January 29th at 11 degrees of Capricorn. Then catch up to where she was before the retrograde started, on March 2nd. That catching up phase is called the shadow. There’s also a shadow period before as Venus slows down but let’s not get too into that. Suffice to say the effects are felt a bit before as well.
Fair Venus is the planet of love, beauty, relationships and harmony. Venus also rules sensuality and pleasure and what we enjoy in life. Venus likes nice things and has a strong esthetic. It’s the planet that rules Taurus where this has to do with creature comforts. Venus also rules Libra, where this takes on a more esthetic aspect. Think satin sheets and Greek statue. Thus Venus also rules money and art.
After the Moon, Venus is the brightest body in the sky. Unless Venus is in the period she does not rise above the horizon, you can see Venus with he naked eye. Presently she appears just after sunset and just above the horizon. A little above is Saturn and then Jupiter. Where Venus is in our chart shows what gives us pleasure and what we look for in a relationship. A nice house? Travel? A partner who provides security or one who is unpredictably exciting?
Retrograde
Any retrograde is a review. Or rethink, redo, retry, the list goes on. With Venus, something needs review in a relationship, or in where do you find pleasure and what do you value? Do you want more luxury? Is pleasure lacking? What about actual money?
Forget the narrow definition that Venus retrograde is a past lover showing up at your door. Venus is all meaningful relationships: lover, friend, a relative you are close to, a professional associate who is more than that.
A retrograde is a review. So it can be someone you thought was in the past. Or in the present, with the same problem resurfacing and it has to be put to bed once and for all (ha ha, pun intended). A retrograde is usually 3 part: a first signal, the retrograde pass that brings focus and need for attention and finally the planet moving forward again where there is closure or another repeat because the lesson has not been learned.
The Pluto Conjunction
Since December 6th, Venus has been very close to Pluto and will remain so until January 1st 2022. But Venus will pull away as she begins to move further backwards, starting on December 19th. As the retrograde ends and Venus moves forward again she will catch up to Pluto, March 1st-2nd for another conjunction and then ingress into Aquarius by the 7th of March. She will be in Pisces by April 6th conjunct Neptune around the 24th.
In my chart Neptune is already conjuncting my natal Venus and Saturn, then Venus will get in the mix too. Astrology is all about timing and energy. Using it to your advantage. This is a potent time, regardless if what house or houses Pisces is in your chart. Neptune in its home sign in Pisces and Venus is exalted there. Jupiter, traditional ruler of Pisces, will also pass through Pisces in 2022. But more on all this Pisces activation in another post.
Plutonian Energy
Pluto is a drastic planet. Pluto is all about death and rebirth. Let me quote from Astro update #9: Pluto brings slow but inevitable and thorough change. Accent on thorough. Terms associated with Pluto are transformative, endings, death, rebirth. Pluto is the modern ruler of Scorpio and like this sign, it is also associated with power and control and what is hidden. As in your shadow side, your subconscious, the secrets you keep, even from yourself and the process of uncovering and transforming them to ultimately regain power and control. Sound like a lot? It is, and thank goodness Pluto takes almost 20 years to do this. If you know what house this falls in, you know which area of your life has been affected most. But Pluto’s power is so transformative and complete, you will feel an overall restructuring from deep within.
Pluto as a sign it’s all about deep transformation. Astrologers is like to say Pluto is death and rebirth, because Pluto‘s energy makes us end things that are no longer serving and to create something new out of this. Pluto with Venus will have us taking a good long look at relationships. What is outmoded, outdated, has outlived its usefulness? That might even be dragging us down? I blogged last week on friendship for the wrong reasons.
Venus Mingling With Pluto
Venus came in the range of Pluto around 9 December. I like a tight orb, no more than 1° or 2°. Some astrologers will give a wider range. It doesn’t mean things will be felt precisely that day or days, or only those days. You may notice something on the horizon before crunch time. You’ve probably already felt this energy. Ties that aren’t working seem to be screaming out now and there’s a need to clean house, get rid of what cannot be bettered. The retrograde, in other words, Venus going back and forth over the same point, will just make it more obvious. You can’t ignore the elephant in the room anymore.
Venus is Capricorn will be practical but have her eye on the prize. Capricorn is an earth sign. They are pragmatic. They want to succeed, however success is defined for them. But they like clear parameters and set goals and work towards them. They like moving up and progress. This is how Venus will approach relationships, but with a sharp edge, courtesy of Pluto.
Pluto will give a ‘ride or die’ edge to Venus. Whatever comes up for review will be decisive, drastic and final. If any planet wants us to purge and move on and up it’s Pluto. Leave behind what no longer works, as if it doesn’t exist anymore and level up. Pluto ultimately brings us to a place where we are better, more evolved, more aware.
Venus Retrograde Dont’s
During Venus retrograde don’t get re-involved in past relationships. At least not until Venus has gone direct again and you have a clear picture of what’s going on. Even wait until the shadow has passed. It’s not it won’t work, it’s just needs time for clarification.
Don’t get any cosmetic procedures or make any drastic changes to your appearance. Venus retrogrades are never a good time to get a makeover. First because Venus rules beauty and second because Venus rules money. So no crazy spending, especially on wardrobe goods.
This should make for great Christmas get togethers! Let me know in the comments is any of this rings true. Wishing all of you a blessed holiday season.
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