Hold onto your relationship sun hats, folks, because Venus is about to turn retrograde in romantic Leo from July 22 - September 3, 2023, making us question what want/need when it comes to Love. Have we been giving too much, or have we been too selfish? Are we committed to creating relationships based on compromise, or do we really just want to be catered to? 

Venus represents the principle of attraction and is associated with the themes of Love and Money. As a result, Venus retrogrades are periods when we have to try harder when it comes ironing out any hiccups that arise—both when it comes to finances and our love lives. 

Loss of faith in our ability to attract what/who we want applies equally when it comes to physical appearance, as Venus retrograde in Leo can have us doubting our attractiveness to the point where we’re tempted to go to extremes to “enhance” our outer beauty (trust me: don’t). 

The real purpose of Venus retrograde, though, is to reflect on, and hopefully gain insight into, lingering financial and romantic issues from your past (watch out for the temptation to contact exes!).

So yes, Venus retrograde is sure to bring its fair share of snafus; yet it’s a fabulous opportunity to consider what we really want out of our relationships (or lack thereof), too. 

Venus Pre-Retrograde in Leo: The Sting of Insecurity

Attention is a theme with the sign of Leo, and as anyone with a Leo Sun, Moon or Rising will tell you, they’re typically used to being the center of it.

So, feeling rejected, neglected or like your feelings aren’t being validated is likely while Venus is retrograde in Leo—particularly during the pre-retrograde phase from June 19 - July 22. 

The pre-retrograde phase of Venus retrograde is significant—in some ways more so than the retrograde phase itself (at least in this Astrologer’s opinion). Why? Because the pre-retrograde period is when we unconsciously enter the “mistake-making” phase—when the seeds are planted for the misunderstandings that ripen and come to a head once Venus turns retrograde from July 22 - September 3. 

So if you’re still in the early stages of dating someone, maybe you’re questioning if it’s the “real thing” or just a fling. But since Venus always has a direct effect on our relationships, Venus retrograde isn’t the best time to begin a brand-new romance. 

Alternatively, if you’re already in a long-term partnership, disagreements could come up surrounding children, intimacy (how we give and receive affection) and how to manage shared finances. For instance, debates re: who controls the purse strings, conflicting views on how much to spend on gifts, pleasure trips, and differing opinions on family planning are all hot button topics now.

Venus Retrograde: Revealing Our Shadow Side

Venus in Leo is very affectionate and demonstrative when it comes to love, and values commitment, intimacy and a steady diet of compliments in relationships.

Warm, loving, open-hearted and generous, Venus in Leo is the hopeless romantic, and can become easily disappointed or let down when their visions of ideal romance don’t come to fruition, whether through circumstance or feelings of rejection (real or imagined). 

Despite this, conflicts that arise during this Summer’s Venus retrograde will push us to confront issues stemming from Ego, Vanity, Huffiness, Jealousy and Control, all themes associated with the so-called “shadow” side of Leo.

Self-indulgence (or self-care), too, could be a theme, promping us evaluate whether we’ve indulged ourselves too much lately—or if it’s time to let go and live a little, ditching rigid routines that’ve led us to become more stagnant than stable. 

Putting your pride aside will be challenging when Venus is retrograde in Leo. For one, you may have to learn to use your words to communicate dissatisfaction or insecurity, rather than expressing disapproval with a huffy sigh or eye-roll (both Leo classics).

But if you do have to deliver some difficult news to your friend with benefits, significant other or spouse? Keep in mind that a spoonful of sugar goes a long way when it comes to helping Leo let the medicine go down. 

Venus Retrograde: Calling All Commitment-Phobes

Retrograde or not, when it comes to Venus in Leo? There’s no such thing as “gray areas” when it comes to Love: you either want me or you don’t; we’re committed or we’re not. So when Venus moves retrograde in Leo from July 22 - September 3, we’re prone to suffer undue feelings of insecurity in relationships—especially if we’re in situationships or other less conventional love relationships.

Leo can be a little superficial, too, so if you’re on the dating scene, ask yourself if you’re focusing too heavily on how someone looks or the number of common interests you (seem to) share rather than deeper dimensions of compatibility like who brings out the best in you, as what works “on paper” rarely translates into real life. 

But regardless of who you are or what financial or romantic cul-de-sac you find yourself in during this Venus retrograde? One way to get the most out of this Venus retrograde in Leo is to examine any fears, hang-ups or complexes you have when it comes to the concept of Commitment. 

Maybe you’ll realize that you jump into committed relationships too quickly, without all the information (or ignoring all red flags), only to end up hurt. Is it possible that you view commitment as less of an emotional investment than some arbitrary benchmark you’re in a rush to meet? And if the answer’s yes, why?

It could be that you’re in love with the idea of commitment; but once you’ve said yes to the dress (or whatever) and you’re hit with the reality of compromise, you feel inexplicably trapped (or breaking out in hives). 

On the other hand, perhaps you notice that even if you’re with the ideal romantic partner (or presented with the choicest financial opportunity), you just can’t seem to pull the trigger.

Equally possible is the realization that even when you’ve scored the perfect mate, you find yourself inexplicably ill-equipped to date. For instance: if everything else is going great, is it really that big of a deal that you like to be up at 6:30 every morning while your partner (or whoever) prefers to stay up late and sleep past 8? Or are you hiding behind the guise of “incompatible lifestyles" because you’d rather carp on that than confront the realization that maybe you’re hanging onto the idea of a past or perfect (read: doesn’t exist) mate?

Venus Retrograde & the Power of Relationship Reflections

Yeah, asking yourself these things might sting. But if you find yourself somehow incapable of reconciling your personal routines with a partner’s perfectly reasonable needs? I suggest a long, hard look at your past, with a focus on asking yourself why you avoid the art of compromise so ardently.

Because whatever end of the Commitment Spectrum you find yourself on, recognizing the delusions that hold you back is key. 

No matter what comes up during this Venus retrograde in Leo, remember: running away from conflict is usually the fastest way to create it.

So whatever friction surfaces this Summer, ultimately it’s for the best. Just don’t make any final decisions regarding love (or money) until after Venus turns direct, as you’ll likely come to regret them later.

Better now to self-reflect, try a little tenderness and have patience in relationships. Because the best love is about acceptance, not expectation.