Tag: Retrogrades

Venus Stations Retrograde in Scorpio

 Photo by Blaque X from  Pexels

Photo by Blaque X from Pexels

  • Venus stations Rx at 10 deg Scorpio

Venus retrograde is submersion regarding money, self-esteem, relationships and personal values. Delays, reviews and intensification (cravings, jealousy, obsession) are all ways that Venus Rx can urge you to take an honest look at what you really want. A compelling reconnection with someone is unfinished business for sure, but the main theme is what this means for your values.

Venus Rx in Scorpio activates the Taurus side of Venus, so the deeper you go (or the closer you get to someone) the more you’ll be looking at your personal values. How does what’s happening line up with what you’re really worth? What value do you place on yourself when things become intense? How do you survive in the depths?

You won’t be able to ignore taboos, secrets or unpleasant truths – these things are Scorpio’s fuel. You may be surprised at how far you’re willing to go and what this tells you about the value you place on yourself.

See this post for a more detailed look at Venus’ transit of Scorpio.

Venus will station direct at 25 deg Libra, so 10 to 0 deg of the Fixed signs and 29 to 25 deg of the Cardinal signs will be directly in the path of this retrograde.

Your Month Ahead: Podcast

It’s the equinox! Hooray. One of the four corners of the year. Here, we are turning into autumn. Sally and I met at Cliveden, a very beautiful stately home outside London, famous, or infamous, for political intrigue. That seemed appropriate for the month ahead with Venus, the planet of love, digging around in sexy, secretive Scorpio, while the Sun sails through social, polite and political Libra. It’s all pretty intriguing to say the least.

Venus’ Transit of Scorpio and Venus Rx

 Photo by Elviss Railijs Bitāns from Pexels

Photo by Elviss Railijs Bitāns from Pexels

Venus enters Scorpio on September 9th, 2018. Relationships, money, values and self-esteem will take on an intense vibe. The purpose of this intensity is to push one or more of these themes to the limit – explore what you really want (or what really matters to you) via your complete immersion in a relationship or issue. 

Venus in Scorpio’s primary goal is to show you what actually makes you happy via what you share with another. This can manifest as profound intimacy or obsession. You can hit bottom by getting sucked into the shadow side of what you want, or you can uncover hidden resources (money, resiliency or your survival instinct). Scorpio’s association with profound honesty can lead to the exploration of taboos –  what do you really, really want? What do you want when no one’s judging? How do you handle being completely vulnerable? This is what lies beneath the socially acceptable facade of love, attraction or values. There’s no shame with Scorpio, although raw honesty will take you places that make you uncomfortable. 

What’s darkest is most beautiful. 

Venus Retrograde

Venus will station Rx in Scorpio on October 5th. Things will get even deeper and darker. This will be an inward-turning time of intense self-examination. There will be a risk of turning so far inwards that you get lost in the darkness as you flounder around in the shame, secrets or the struggle for power over another. If you want to avoid this, know that Venus Rx activates the Taurus side of Venus, which is Scorpio’s opposite sign. So during this Rx, you’ll be looking at how you can develop self-sufficiency in the most intimate relationships. How you can carve out your own values and comfort zone in the dark waters of what you’ve been trying to hide. 

As usual with Venus Rx, you can encounter someone from your past or past life. Attraction will be strong but the ultimate purpose is to wrap up any leftover issues. So there’s no guarantee that this undoubtedly profound reconnection will last. 

Venus Rx will briefly dip back into Libra which will represent a temporary surfacing from Scorpio’s depths. In Libra, Venus Rx will look closely at the give and take/imbalances in one or more relationships. The trigger will have been Venus’ deeper explorations in Scorpio. Perhaps the reveal of a taboo issue causes the reevaluation of a relationship or who/what you attract. 

Here are the aspects Venus will make:

  • Sept 10th: inconjunct Chiron Rx in Aries (0 deg)
  • Sept 12th: opposite Uranus Rx in Taurus (2 deg)
  • Sept 12th: sextile Saturn in Capricorn (2 deg)
  • Sept 16th: square the Nodes in Aquarius/Leo (4 deg)
  • Sept 16th: square Black Moon Lilith in Aquarius (4 deg)
  • Oct 5th: stations Rx (10 deg)
  • Oct 10th: square Mars in Aquarius (10 deg)
  • Oct 14th: sextile Vesta in Capricorn (9 deg)
  • Oct 15th: conjunct Mercury (8 deg)
  • Oct 17th: square Black Moon Lilith in Aquarius (8 deg)
  • Oct 24th: sextile Saturn in Capricorn (4 deg)
  • Oct 26th: conjunct the Sun (3 deg)
  • Oct 30th: square the Nodes in Aquarius/Leo (0 deg)
  • Oct 31st: opposite Uranus Rx in Taurus (0 deg)
  • Oct 31st: reenters Libra
  • Nov 3rd: inconjunct Chiron Rx in Pisces (28 deg)
  • Nov 3rd: inconjunct Juno Rx in Taurus (28 deg)
  • Nov 5th: conjunct Ceres in Libra (10 deg)
  • Nov 9th: trine Mars in Aquarius (26 deg)
  • Nov 16th: stations direct in Libra (25 deg)
  • Nov 18th: inconjunct Juno Rx in Taurus (25 deg)
  • Nov 23rd: square Vesta in Capricorn (26 deg)
  • Nov 28th: inconjunct Chiron Rx in Pisces (27 deg)
  • Nov 28th: square the Nodes in Capricorn/Cancer (28 deg)
  • Nov 30th: opposite  Uranus Rx in Aries (29 deg)
  • Dec 2nd: reenters Scorpio
  • Dec 5th: square Vesta in Aquarius (2 deg)
  • Dec 16th: sextile Saturn in Capricorn (9 deg)
  • Dec 21st: trine Neptune in Pisces (13 deg)
  • Dec 23rd: square Black Moon Lilith in Aquarius (15 deg)
  • Dec 27th: conjunct Ceres (19 deg)
  • Dec 28th: sextile Pluto in Capricorn (20 deg)
  • Dec 28th: opposite Juno in Taurus (20 deg)
  • Jan 4th, 2019: trine the Cancer North Node (26 deg)
  • Jan 5th: inconjunct Uranus Rx in Aries (28 deg)
  • Jan 5th: trine Chiron in Pisces (28 deg)
  • Jan 7th: Sagittarius ingress

August 18th, 2018: Third Quarter Square

  pexels

pexels

  • First Quarter Square between the Scorpio Moon and Leo Sun (25 deg)
  • Mercury Rx in Leo sextile Venus in Libra (11 deg)

The First Quarter Square asks you to step into the light. There’s something to be proud of – something you can go public with. It may feel safer to keep it secret, because you think you can control what happens if you hold something back. But the time for that is past. You may need to expose what’s in the shadows, or put the spotlight on your hidden source of power. The idea of being in the spotlight may frighten you, but you know that hanging back feels inauthentic. 

Mercury Rx/Venus indicate a favourable response to the review, question or examination. Asking again, or reconnecting, can result in some pleasantly sparkly interactions. Creatively, this aspect suggests that introspection or reviews can open up something fruitful.

This is the last aspect Mercury makes before it stations direct (on August 19th) and it repeats on September 3rd (at 25 deg). So you’re on the verge of a little breakthrough – progress is just around the corner and you’ll be having this conversation again. While the aspect itself is not a powerful one, what comes out of it (the social or creative reward) will be significant, even if it doesn’t seem that way in the moment.

If you’re feeling trapped by the tension of the Third Quarter Square, consider reaching out to someone in a one-on-one capacity. The vibe may be feel light and inconsequential, but there’s more going on. 

 

August 18th, 2018: First Quarter Square

  pexels

pexels

  • First Quarter Square between the Scorpio Moon and Leo Sun (25 deg)
  • Mercury Rx in Leo sextile Venus in Libra (11 deg)

The First Quarter Square asks you to step into the light. There’s something to be proud of – something you can go public with. It may feel safer to keep it secret, because you think you can control what happens if you hold something back. But the time for that is past. You may need to expose what’s in the shadows, or put the spotlight on your hidden source of power. The idea of being in the spotlight may frighten you, but you know that hanging back feels inauthentic. 

Mercury Rx/Venus indicate a favourable response to the review, question or examination. Asking again, or reconnecting, can result in some pleasantly sparkly interactions. Creatively, this aspect suggests that introspection or reviews can open up something fruitful.

This is the last aspect Mercury makes before it stations direct (on August 19th) and it repeats on September 3rd (at 25 deg). So you’re on the verge of a little breakthrough – progress is just around the corner and you’ll be having this conversation again. While the aspect itself is not a powerful one, what comes out of it (the social or creative reward) will be significant, even if it doesn’t seem that way in the moment.

If you’re feeling trapped by the tension of the First Quarter Square, consider reaching out to someone in a one-on-one capacity. The vibe may be feel light and inconsequential, but there’s more going on. 

 

August 9th, 2018: Confusion and More Relationship Tension

 Photo by Kat Jayne from  Pexels

Photo by Kat Jayne from Pexels

  • Mercury Rx in Leo square Juno in Taurus: 16 deg
  • Mercury Rx in Leo conjunct Pallas: 16 deg
  • Mercury Rx in Leo inconjunct Neptune Rx in Pisces: 15 deg
  • Venus in Libra inconjunct Uranus Rx in Taurus: 2 deg
  • Venus in Libra square Saturn Rx in Capricorn: 3 deg

Mercury

Aspects to Mercury continue yesterday’s influences involving the Sun and Pallas, but Mercury suggests specific details or a messenger. Mercury Rx/Pallas combines intellect and communication with a strategy or pattern, enabling you to put it into words (albeit words that are being reviewed). However, Mercury Rx/Juno is about revisiting the details of a relationship disagreement, and Mercury Rx/Neptune Rx can be about revisiting a specific fact that’s false or confusing. So putting it into words will only be the first step – you’ll have to navigate other difficulties. 

If Mercury manifests as the messenger, watch for a person who triggers the above. In all cases, you’re being asked to look more closely at the details, or ask questions (about the agreement or strategy). 

Note that Pallas and Juno will make an exact square on August 11th, so conflict around relationship strategies will continue until then. 

Venus

Venus/Uranus hi-lights the disconnect between necessary change versus the desire for harmony. There can be an avoidance of what needs to change (or be set free) or an abrupt development that triggers an extreme imbalance. Venus rules Taurus and Libra, but these signs make an inconjunct with each other- Libra is about relating and Taurus is about self-preservation. These issues will collide, and the trick is to honour both sides. 

The square to Saturn will not make that easy, but at the same time, Saturn will cut out all the non-essentials. You will probably run into a hard limit around what you want, especially regarding a relationship or what you’re trying to attract. So you won’t get distracted, because certain things will simply not be available to you. Focus on what’s left.

Along with Uranus, this can feel upsetting as you’re confronted with change while being restricted. You may feel cornered or rejected. Accept the limits and the change, then do your best to find the balance within that situation. Or, you can say “F**k it” and refuse to play ball. But it’s always helpful to try and work with the energy of the sign that’s being activated.

And now you see why Venus in Libra is not an easy energy to master. I’m not talking about being a doormat or glossing over all the problems. The real task here is to honestly find the balance between you and them. Honour yourself and the other, in whatever situation unfolds. Respect your wants while playing by Saturn’s rules and getting with Uranus’ program.

Impossible? Nope. Libra is being activated because balance is possible. But it won’t be easy. 

 

August 1st, 2018: Mars Square Uranus and Vesta Direct

 By  Rallé,  CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org

By Rallé, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org

  • Mars Rx in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus (2 deg)
  • Vesta direct in Sagittarius (22 deg)

Mars makes the second of three squares to Uranus. The disruption or break for freedom is not over. Despite the flash-bang quality of this energy, this is an extended influence. It’s about detaching from the past, but that detachment may require more than the usual amount of effort. 

Mars Rx specifically means try again or review your actions. What are your true motivations and where are you going? If you’re refusing to change, this Rx could be the harder shake – the jolt that you’ve been trying to avoid. Or, it could be the second chance that you’ve been waiting for. 

As I wrote in this post:

“The abrupt shove will introduce Uranus’ seven years of change in Taurus…Mars Rx in Aquarius intensifies specific actions so the move towards independence can happen (sometimes it takes extra effort to break away from the past). Or, Mars Rx can delay actions/progress if the impulse is poorly timed.”

Here are the three squares:

  • May 16th: Mars square Uranus (0 deg Taurus)
  • August 1st: Mars Rx square Uranus (2 deg Taurus)
  • September 18th: Mars square Uranus Rx (1 deg Taurus)

Vesta direct can widen Vesta Rx’s tunnel vision.  If you’ve been fixated on a truth, ideal or hope since Vesta stationed Rx (May 8th, 2018) her direct motion suggests you may be ready to look further. What has Vesta Rx taught you? Has your faith been renewed or are you now disappointed? Either way, it’s time to move on because Sagittarius’ horizons are always widening. Keep searching for new truths, new ideals. Expanding faith will feed Vesta’s flame. 

With direct and Rx emphasized on the same day, you may feel the tension between looking forward but dealing with delays/reviews. Everything does not always move in the same direction. You can deal with this by looking ahead where it feels natural to do so, and accepting that the wheels are spinning in another part of your life. Know that in a few weeks (once Mars stations direct) there will be progress here too. 

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