Tags: Astrology
Hello and welcome to Libra season, lovelies!
So far, 2018 has been an extraordinary year of retrogrades, trines, and eclipses. This month is no different, as Venus begins to retrograde across the skies around the 4th of October.
While talk of the dismay and delay caused when Mercury is retrograde has become popularized even outside of astrology communities, it’s important to remember that Mercury isn’t the only planet that retrogrades. They all do! And depending on which planet is in retrograde motion, and what sign(s) they’re moving through, we feel their energetic influences differently.
Venus is the planet that rules all types of love and passion. In this retrograde cycle, she’s moving between the signs Scorpio and Libra. Around the 4th she’ll begin her retrograde in Scorpio, then move back into Libra around November 1st. By the time she’s fully cleared her retrograde shadow phase it’ll be December 17th (depending on where you are in the world) and she’ll be settled back into Scorpio!
So what does all of this back and forth mean for us?
Venus Rx is all about achieving higher states of love. Greater maturity, and deeper commitment to our passions are on the agenda this season. It’s a phase of learning what we truly feel ourselves attracted to, and can even lead us to changing our physical appearances a bit! Nostalgia linked to previous passions might crop up as well, putting people or things in front of you that symbolize a past love.
We are in a time of questioning why we call certain people/things beautiful, and not others. A time of looking past superficial, hegemonic ideals that keep marginalized folx from celebrating their amazingly important places on this Earth.
So, when this Venusian Rx energy which is being explored in the signs of Libra, we can see how diplomacy and graciousness are incorporated into these explorations. Libra is one of Venus’s home signs, so it can bring forward harmonious traits in itself; emphasizing harmony in your interpersonal relationships.
When Venusian Rx energy is in Scorpio, the universe asks us to move past superficiality, and find deeper love. This can also be coupled with a change in how we define the way we understand wealth, because wealth isn’t just money; it’s support, love, and friendship.
With all of this in mind, here are my thoughts for each of the 12 signs this Venus retrograde season!
A gentle reminder to readers – I encourage you to learn your Rising and Moon signs, and read those predictions as well. Seeking one’s self based solely on a Sun Sign reading can be inaccurate. Your relationship to the universe is a deep, ancestral one, built on a ll planetary positions when you were born.
Aries
The skies are a bit distracting for you this month, Aries. With the current Venus retrograde energies floating through the air, your fiery nature is being stoked by rushes of wind to the heart. The new moon in Libra (your opposite sign!) may bring about a surge of energy that puts you into a new life position. While you aren’t resistant to change the way the fixed signs are, it may still take a lot of time for you to fully consider this new window of opportunity. It is also likely that this could relate to love or passions of yours, too!
Do not shy away from being vulnerable this October. There are some aspects of ourselves that we can only discover from exploring our relationships with others.
Taurus
Hello Taurus! This October is a month that’s energies are truly centering you. Venus, your ruling planet, goes retrograde around the 4th, bringing you to question how you embody self love. When the full moon occurs on the 24th in your sign, it might finally allow you to come to a conclusion that you were searching for all Summer. An ending or final decision about something that’s been blocking your ability to move forward with a sure sense of self and determination.
This month has answers waiting for you regarding who you are, not just in relation to your environment but within your deep sense of self. As feelings of nostalgia crop up in the middle of the month, allow them to guide you back to yourself and the evolutions life has brought you through get be where you are now.
Gemini
Love is in the air this month! For you, Gemini, it’s all about what you’re generating creatively. Whether it’s campaigns your running, your students, your children, or projects that you’ve been putting copious amounts of effort into, the new moon on the 8th of October is telling you to sew those seeds! This Lunar energy is also working in conjunction with Venus retrograde to encourage you to invest specific energies you’ve been hesitant to release into what you’re making.
The universe is granting you limitless potential for the work you’re doing to have a far- reaching impact right now. Remember that at times a clear way to move forward comes down to making a simple yes/no decision, and sticking to it.
Cancer
Home is calling you this season, Cancer. Whether you define the home as a people, a physical place, or your ascribed family members; there is an uprooting on the horizon that draws you to matters of the 4th house. October’s energies wants you to spend time here, in connection with places/people who nest your soul.
Should you choose to redecorate, try not to tread too far into styles that you’ve only recently come to like! Changes in our “taste” or “aesthetic” that occur during Venus Retrograde (in Libra, specifically) can be flippant. Consider if this literal or metaphoric refurnishing process is pressing, and if not, try to hold out until December to really dive in.
Leo
Your ability to love and support others in a consistent way is an amazing quality that you embody, Leo! However this month, it is important to be conscious of the way you communicate your protectiveness. Your fierce loyalty has the potential to come across as anger while Pluto and the new moon connect around October 8th; bringing unwanted drama to your life.
Know that you can always opt-out, and find ways to support people in ways that aren’t directly fighting their battles for them. Be sure to communicate your truth while staying conscious of positions of power you may hold over others.
Virgo
Money is on your mind this October, Virgo. Venus in Scorpio is really motivating you to redefine the “wealth” you’ve acquired thus far in your life, and come up with new a financial plan to utilize over the next few months. What’s going to be key for you to keep your motivation behind this new plan going strong is patience.
While it may take more time than you’d like for you to see the fruits of your labor come into play financially, this is a great time to remember the other sources of wealth you have available to you. Love and support is ample for you this season from your friends, lovers, and families. Do your best to recognize when you need them, and reach out.
Libra
Your drive and energy is on point this month, Libra! You’re very focused on a particular goal, and are committed to putting in the work to achieve it. While the new moon on the 8th of October is bringing you a chance manifest this goal as a new beginning, it’s not guarantee that this will feel easy or natural. Given the way this moon will be speaking with Pluto, there might be some tension which meets you in your path towards attaining it. Take this in stride, and the most important thing to remember is to keep your inner voice honest to your desires.
As your ruling planet (Venus) retrogrades across the sky, be sure to affirm your self worth often and thoroughly. This is your season, and you’re equally deserving of all the love and validation you give to others!
Scorpio
This is a big month for you, Scorpio. The October skies have a lot of introspection on the books, as Venus Retrograde brings you to deeply question how your actions align with what you love. Mars, one of your ruling planets, will leave its shadow phase around the same time as the full moon lunation on the 24th. This direct energy brings your abilities to communicate smoothly with others (and yourself) back to the forefront of your day to day life, as well as coincide well with this period of karmic reward.
Reach out and engage with others at the end of this month! Venus is keen for you to make new connections around this time, and the chances that they will be rewarding relationships is high.
Sagittarius
The skies are looking super social for you this month, Sagittarius! Around the new moon on the 8th of October, there’s lots of potential for you to foster new friendships, and make some meaningful connections you may have been craving lately. However, unlike last month, it’s crucial to remember the importance of boundaries in forming these bonds. While you’re usually very self sufficient at drawing the line with others in terms of what they can expect from you, this Venus Retrograde energy has you in a more vulnerable state of introspection. You’re reevaluating how you relate to others, which may disturb your usual ability to chat.
Remember to purposely schedule in time for yourself this October. It’s only when you’re feeling nourished and fulfilled in your own space that you can honestly decide how much energy you have to give to others.
Capricorn
Your creative efforts are paying off this month, Capricorn! The skies indicate a positive shift in your 10th house energies; that of your career and reputation. This could indicate that your peers and community are embracing your work in a way you’ve always desired, but it could also point towards a sense of genuine inner fulfillment. Remember to pat yourself on the back once in a while, and acknowledge the powerful abilities you have to manifest your goals.
The full moon occurring around the 24th of October may be a good time to treat yourself in the midst of all the milestones you’ve passed in this journey. Venus retrograde is nudging you towards some flirty tendencies around this time, but it’s up to you (of course) whether you choose to indulge them!
Aquarius
A weight is lifting off of your shoulders this month, Aquarius. The heaviness of this overarching Mars retrograde season has been difficult for you to process, but is evincing your abilities to reach a higher state of selfhood. When Mars goes direct around the 28th of this month, it’s important that you revisit the events that were happening to your around the end June 2018. This will help you to finally find closure and/or answers about conflicts that have been causing you to carry guilt.
Stay sensitive to power dynamics in this exploration, and try to identify some key sources of your power and drive to fully harness Mars direct energy into your daily life.
Pisces
You’re no stranger to emotions, Pisces, and this month’s skies show some choppiness in the sea of your thoughts. Your psyche is heightened, and there might be a moment that rocks you when your actions become more guided by passion/intuition than thought. Take your time to recover from this in a way that’s unapologetic to hegemonic notions of time. No one can tell you how long your wounds will take to heal but you!
Treat this month as a time to fine refuge, but without total seclusion. Enjoy the surprises Uranus is bound to bring in conjunction with the full moon happening around the 24th, and check your messages often; someone from a very different walk of life is set to connect with you at the end of October!