Today (Friday, Oct. 5th) Venus begins its retrograde cycle, moving backward through the signs of Scorpio and Libra until Nov. 16th. In Astrology, Venus is almost always associated with love and relationships. Already I’ve read several articles and horoscopes all predicting the same thing for this upcoming Venus retrograde: “Watch out! All your old lovers are coming back (with a vengeance).” Or something to that effect. And while there is certainly some truth in this, it’s simply, well, overly simplistic, as such warnings and truisms barely explain the depth of Venus’ symbolism.
In Astrology, Venus is also referred to as “the planet of love and money.” Here (again) it’s worth the time to understand what the symbol itself (in this case, Venus) means, so that you can work from a logical understanding of how it functions. In the interest of giving you the fullest depiction possible, I’ll do my best to unravel the mysterious “why” of Venus’ relationship to love and money (and what might be in store for you).
Venus & Self-Esteem
If you want the short answer, Venus describes your sense of self-esteem and feelings of security. Once you understand this, you understand the meaning of Venus. If you stop and think about it, the logic is clear. Let’s say, for instance, that you’re preparing for a meeting in which you plan to ask your boss for more money. You’ve done the work and you deserve the raise. But here is where the choice to project an air of confidence vs. one of insecurity makes all the difference in getting what you want.
As anyone who’s been involved in a salary negotiation knows, most companies will try to get you to do the maximum amount of work for the lowest price. When you walk into any negotiation projecting an air of confidence and graciousness, you’re communicating to your boss that not only can you do the job, but that you deserve it. When you walk in asking yourself “Do I really deserve this raise? I’ve only been here 8 months…,” then you open yourself up to doubts and insecurity and somehow end up scrambling through piles of papers looking to prove and explain over and over the reasons you need the raise. Immediately, this tells your boss that you’re not confident that you deserve this raise. So then *boss* starts to lose confidence in the fact that *you* deserve this raise, and yes, now you know where I’m going with this…
Venus = Power of Attraction
Venus is the power of attraction. This is why (speaking in generalities of course) the two signs ruled by Venus, Taurus and Libra, often have a life-long battle with self-esteem: Libra seeks to gain self-worth through their relationships, while Taurus is forever defining their worth by how much is in their bank account. Either way, once you develop a sense of inner peace and security, you realize that you’ve developed inner strength because you trust yourself. Knowing within yourself that your work is inherently valuable, or that you are worthy of a good partnership, for example, removes obstacles and allows your ability to attract what you want shine through.
Of course we all have our insecurities, but think about it like this: When you walk into a bar, online date, party, et al. and take a look around, who do you notice? Who captures your attention? Usually it’s the people who exude an aura of security and positivity, not the ones constantly on their phones or pouting in the corner. When you exude a sense of inner confidence and security, you tap into the constructive use of the attraction principle (Venus) to draw potential partners or love interests into your orbit.
…So what happens when that power of attraction goes on hiatus (Venus retrograde)?
Venus Rx in Scorpio: Oct. 5—Oct. 31
Scorpio is the sign associated with deep passion and intimacy, so we may experience blocks in these areas, or a return of passion without the intimacy, or some similar conundrum to confront. You’ll be all the better for it in the end though, as the first half of this retrograde cycle is designed to prompt reflection on how we deal with our intimate lives. Are we expressive with our deepest feelings and desires? Do we think we’re affectionate but really give off a more stoic vibe? Is sex something you use to hide behind in a relationship? Sexuality and its relationship to power dynamics in relationships will figure strongly in this period as well. For instance, how do we use sexuality to get what we want?
This retrograde is an opportunity for examining that uncomfortable fact of how sex plays into the power dynamics in our relationships. Scorpio has the reputation for being the “jealous type,” so you or someone you’re with may express or experience feelings of intense jealousy or possessiveness that force you to think more deeply about the relationship. Scorpio can be notoriously secretive as well, so something revealing about a significant other could come to light. A financial scandal within a marriage or partnership would be the most literal example I can think of but depending on how “open” you are with others (or how open they are with you), it may feel like skeletons are falling out of closets left and right.
As it relates to money, Venus in Scorpio is concerned with finances that are shared, meaning money that doesn’t come directly from your work. Anything could happen really (it all depends on your individual birth chart), but it’s safe to say that any overspending should be watched for now, and power dynamics involving money will come up for review during this period as well.
Venus Rx in Libra: Oct. 31—Nov. 16
Once Oct. 31st rolls around, Venus will move back into its “home” sign of Libra. Venus is much “happier” in Libra, and since Libra is all about relationships, there’s no doubt this will be the time we realize the need to cooperate with others to get what we want.
While Venus is retrograde in Libra, whatever imbalances or difficulties we’ve been dealing with while Venus was in Scorpio will now come up for debate. And since Libra is typically very concerned with issues of fairness and equality, sometimes we’re forced to confront that there may be a veneer of equality that masks an underlying power imbalance. Do we say we want relationships where everything is collaborative and equal, only to micromanage every detail of every activity? Whether it’s a work or personal relationship, our minds will be seriously contemplating whether we want to compromise, what we’re willing to compromise on, or whether we’d rather just jump ship.
Those who usually play passive in relationships (work or personal), waiting for the “other one” to do the work or to magically intuit what we want, will find this period particularly challenging. The reason for this is that our powers of attraction (which some of us rely on too heavily) are cut off from us now, just as our deepest fears and desires regarding our finances and/or closest relationships are coming up for analysis.
As a result, some people may go overboard in asserting themselves or exerting their will, possibly to the point of overkill (especially likely when Venus is in Scorpio). But ideally even this type of experience will become an unforeseen benefit, as any overly assertive (or downright aggressive) behavior is a signal that perhaps you’ve been holding resentment toward someone or something for too long and that this needs to be released in order to move forward. This could mean “making peace” with relationships past, making your feelings to/about someone clearer, letting feelings of jealousy or controlling behavior go, learning how to express anger in a healthier way…The list goes on and how Venus retrograde plays out for you will depend on what (if any) planets and points it activates in your birth chart. But you get the gist.
Tell Me What You Want (what you really really want?)
The bottom line is that Venus retrograde will prompt us to rethink how it is we go about getting what we want, especially when it comes to “love and money.” All of us, especially those with heavy emphasis on Taurus or Libra in their birth charts, will certainly feel our “powers of attraction” wane over the next 6 weeks. But this opens up the opportunity to take a closer look at who (love) and what (money) we attract.
Some will discover how they really are in a relationship; some will consider whether they want to be in one at all. Others may realize the need to quit the passive-aggressive pouting and take a more direct or assertive approach to expressing themselves. Whatever the situation (and there may be more than one), my only advice is to look closely at spending habits and relationships, but to have patience and give things (and people) a chance to unfold, as a lot may change for you after Venus ends her retrograde on Nov. 16th.
So whether an Ex comes back to haunt you or not this season, this Venus retrograde is offering a rare chance to take a realistic look at the gap between what you think you want and what you truly desire. At the very least, you’ll come out of this period with an enlightened sense of your deepest wants and needs and how you go about getting what you want (and don’t forget the Love and Money).