Key POints
- During Venus retrograde, there may be complexities in diplomatic relationships and the economy.
- Venus retrograde is a time to review and repair broken or damaged relationships while letting go of those that are not meant to be. It asks us to loosen our bonds temporarily. It's a time to repair trust in broken relationships.
- Venus' retrograde in Āśleṣā, a lunar mansion associated with attachment, teaches us about our attachment style and encourages us to focus on the essence of the partnership rather than outer appearances.
- Economic issues and tensions may arise, with potential impacts on the global economy subsequently. These struggles prompt a reevaluation of what is important.
- It is advisable to take time before making decisions about relationships or expensive purchases and be cautious of temptations.
- Venus' combustion in August may obscure its outer significations, requiring introspection to appreciate something.
- Caution is advised in spending and negotiations until Venus resumes direct motion and clears its 'shadow phase'.
- Venus retrograde is an opportunity to find one's own true worth and appreciate others for who they are.
2023 sidereal Dates
May 30: Enters Cancer
Jun 19: Enters shadow
Jul 6: Enters Leo
Jul 23: Stations retrograde
Aug 4-22: Combust
Aug 7: Re-enters Cancer
Sep 4: Stations direct
Oct 1: Re-enters Leo
Oct 7: Leaves shadow
Nov 2: Enters Virgo
Jun 19: Enters shadow
Jul 6: Enters Leo
Jul 23: Stations retrograde
Aug 4-22: Combust
Aug 7: Re-enters Cancer
Sep 4: Stations direct
Oct 1: Re-enters Leo
Oct 7: Leaves shadow
Nov 2: Enters Virgo
Venus transits retrograde from Jul 23 to Sep 4, 2023, jumping backwards off a diving board into Cancer, after a public display in Leo. While Venus in Cancer longs for feelings of love and a safety net, Venus in Leo is looking for grand gestures and some adoration from the crowd.
Venus retrogrades are complex periods for diplomatic relationships and the economy, as well as for other Venus significations, including art, beauty, comforts, entertainment, enjoyment, pleasures, sensuality, and sexuality. We may go overboard in any of these areas, before having to reassess.
Venus retrogrades ask us to review our relationships to people and things. It's a time to work through and repair some broken things, some damaged relationships, putting them back stronger than before, while letting others go that were not meant to be.
It's not the best time to tie the knot, however, as there are enough tricky knots to unravel for this particular retrograde. It's a time to reevaluate what we hold dear, but, at the same time, we may need to loosen our grip as we figure it out.
This is because Venus transits Cancer and Leo, both of which represent the heart. Venus transits the lunar mansion, Āśleṣā (Jun 16 - Jul 7, Aug 7 - Oct 1), meaning 'clinging' and 'embracing', epitomizing Cancerian attachments, a sign ruled and symbolized by a serpent, highlighting the tendency to wrap ourselves around our beloved. This retrograde is going to teach us a lot about our attachment style.
Venus' retrograde in Āśleṣā asks us to look at loosening our bonds for a time. As Khalil Gibran wrote, "If you love someone, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours." The same could be said of material things. Instead of focusing on outer appearances, we can refocus our attention on the essence of the person or thing during Venus retrograde.
Venus first begins its retrograde in Maghā in July, the kingly lunar mansion at the beginning of Sidereal Leo, before returning here in October. This reflects a sense of entitlement, as of course we are all entitled to love. We are, in fact, an expression of love.
The last time Venus transited retrograde in these two signs was in 2015, as Venus retrogrades every 8 years in approximately the same space. A few things that happened then are important in our current context.
In 2015, Ireland amended the constitution, recognizing marriage for partners of the same sex. This clearly reflects Venus' role in changing relationships. We're likely to see similar themes somewhere in the world in 2023. There may be something that comes up with gender recognition, for example.
In 2015, Greece became the first advanced economy to miss a payment to the International Monetary Fund. The tensions around this peaked just as Venus entered Sidereal Leo, crossing the sensitive juncture (gandanta) between Cancer and Leo, where planets are said to be lost for a time.
We are likely to see economic issues again in 2023, as Venus enters Leo on Jul 6, and again as it retrogrades back on Aug 7, before moving back over this sensitive juncture one last time on Oct 1. Which country's economy is about to bottom out? We shall see. This year is likely to see somewhere and something floundering, which is likely to have a knock-on effect on the global economy, especially as Venus finishes its transit in Cancer and Leo, entering its sign of debilitation in Nov 2023. This is when things are at a low, economically, as well as diplomatically.
Personally, it's time to plan for such now, perhaps by not overdoing it on the expensive purchases front, or in risky relationship behaviour.
In 2015, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. This is significant in terms of the current wars in Ukraine and elsewhere. The last time Venus was retrograde was in Jan 2022, just before Russia invaded Ukraine. We may see some negotiations for peace grab the zeitgeist, whether they are successful or not.
Yet another significant event occurred just before Venus' last retrograde in Leo in 2015, when Cuba and the U.S ended 54 years of hostility, reestablishing its diplomatic relations. Venus represents diplomacy. Its retrograde and back and forth over the juncture between Cancer and Leo is likely to escalate tensions before resolving them.
Whether in our personal relationships or global ones, Venus retrograde is asking us to repair trust in one another, and in ourselves. But this suggests that trust it initially broken somehow.
Venus retrogrades are complex periods for diplomatic relationships and the economy, as well as for other Venus significations, including art, beauty, comforts, entertainment, enjoyment, pleasures, sensuality, and sexuality. We may go overboard in any of these areas, before having to reassess.
Venus retrogrades ask us to review our relationships to people and things. It's a time to work through and repair some broken things, some damaged relationships, putting them back stronger than before, while letting others go that were not meant to be.
It's not the best time to tie the knot, however, as there are enough tricky knots to unravel for this particular retrograde. It's a time to reevaluate what we hold dear, but, at the same time, we may need to loosen our grip as we figure it out.
This is because Venus transits Cancer and Leo, both of which represent the heart. Venus transits the lunar mansion, Āśleṣā (Jun 16 - Jul 7, Aug 7 - Oct 1), meaning 'clinging' and 'embracing', epitomizing Cancerian attachments, a sign ruled and symbolized by a serpent, highlighting the tendency to wrap ourselves around our beloved. This retrograde is going to teach us a lot about our attachment style.
Venus' retrograde in Āśleṣā asks us to look at loosening our bonds for a time. As Khalil Gibran wrote, "If you love someone, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours." The same could be said of material things. Instead of focusing on outer appearances, we can refocus our attention on the essence of the person or thing during Venus retrograde.
Venus first begins its retrograde in Maghā in July, the kingly lunar mansion at the beginning of Sidereal Leo, before returning here in October. This reflects a sense of entitlement, as of course we are all entitled to love. We are, in fact, an expression of love.
The last time Venus transited retrograde in these two signs was in 2015, as Venus retrogrades every 8 years in approximately the same space. A few things that happened then are important in our current context.
In 2015, Ireland amended the constitution, recognizing marriage for partners of the same sex. This clearly reflects Venus' role in changing relationships. We're likely to see similar themes somewhere in the world in 2023. There may be something that comes up with gender recognition, for example.
In 2015, Greece became the first advanced economy to miss a payment to the International Monetary Fund. The tensions around this peaked just as Venus entered Sidereal Leo, crossing the sensitive juncture (gandanta) between Cancer and Leo, where planets are said to be lost for a time.
We are likely to see economic issues again in 2023, as Venus enters Leo on Jul 6, and again as it retrogrades back on Aug 7, before moving back over this sensitive juncture one last time on Oct 1. Which country's economy is about to bottom out? We shall see. This year is likely to see somewhere and something floundering, which is likely to have a knock-on effect on the global economy, especially as Venus finishes its transit in Cancer and Leo, entering its sign of debilitation in Nov 2023. This is when things are at a low, economically, as well as diplomatically.
Personally, it's time to plan for such now, perhaps by not overdoing it on the expensive purchases front, or in risky relationship behaviour.
In 2015, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. This is significant in terms of the current wars in Ukraine and elsewhere. The last time Venus was retrograde was in Jan 2022, just before Russia invaded Ukraine. We may see some negotiations for peace grab the zeitgeist, whether they are successful or not.
Yet another significant event occurred just before Venus' last retrograde in Leo in 2015, when Cuba and the U.S ended 54 years of hostility, reestablishing its diplomatic relations. Venus represents diplomacy. Its retrograde and back and forth over the juncture between Cancer and Leo is likely to escalate tensions before resolving them.
Whether in our personal relationships or global ones, Venus retrograde is asking us to repair trust in one another, and in ourselves. But this suggests that trust it initially broken somehow.
The Latest Temptation
Venus is retrograde for 40 days every couple of years or so, so it's not unusual. Its 40-day retrograde reflects the story of the last temptation of Christ; 40 Days and Nights spent in the desert encountering Lucifer. Lucifer is the Latin name for Venus! Lucifer is the 'fallen angel', reflecting the story of Venus retrograde. In Greek myth, it's the story of Persephone being dragged into the underworld by Hades.
The Sun represents the Christ figure, while Venus dances in perfect symmetry around the light. This time, Hades (Pluto), is opposite Venus while it's in Cancer, before Venus moves into Leo and opposes Saturn. There are some dark themes here, for sure, some power struggles in our relationships and in the financial sector. Bringing these to light is always a good thing, of course.
Yet many things we hold dear may be under threat from powerful oppositions during the whole retrograde period. This is how we can re-evaluate what is important. We may be tempted, and risk losing it all, or we need to lose it all, before we finally appreciate it. As Joni Mitchell sang, "Don't it always seem to go."
Where this plays out for you depends on what Venus rules by house position in your birth chart (see For Each Sign below) what the signs Taurus and Libra, as well as Cancer and Leo, represent in your birth chart.
Generally, this means finances and relationships going through many setbacks and revaluations. Globally, it's retrograde in Cancer and Leo is about national security (Cancer) and the role of leaders (Leo) in protecting us. Personally, this means looking at how we care for ourselves and our loved ones (Cancer), and how we go about getting the recognition we believe we deserve (Leo).
Take your time making any final decisions about your 'money and your honey' throughout. Be mindful of making big purchases. Buying something 'on the cheap' may mean you get lucky, but you may also be unaware of its true value and may end up spending more on something than it is worth.
Temptations are always possible when Venus is retrograde. You may be revisited by an old love affair, or simply dwell on such, bringing them back into your life in your imagination. There is nothing wrong with this, of course. It's a necessary part of retrogrades, where we reintegrate old themes in the present context. However, we don't always pay attention to the here and now with retrograde planets. In Venus' case, this may mean we may not pay as much attention to the person we're with, or we may feel they are not paying us enough attention. We may not feel appreciated or appreciate the other. It's a two-way street.
While it may be wise to take wise counsel before making any decisions about relationships or expensive purchases, it may also be hard to find wise counsel. Venus is seen as an advisor, of sorts, a consultant, yet Venus is retrograde, and combust, which means we can see it at all in August.
Scrutinizing relationships more intensely is needed, but it may not play out well if our relationships are found to be lacking. You may not be fully engaged (pardon the pun) with the person with whom you share your life.
This is one reason marriage is not advised during this time. A marriage or relationship begun during Venus retrograde will forever have a retrograde theme. Expressing love may hit some setbacks as the years pass.
The issue with Venus in Cancer is being unsure about what a healthy, adult relationship looks like. Cancer is the 'mothering sign' and can show issues around co-dependency. Venus is about mutual attraction and compromise, between two equals. Venus in Cancer, opposing Pluto, may bring its fair share of struggles before balance is achieved.
Evening to Morning 'Star'
As Venus changes from 'evening star' to 'morning star', our relationships and finances go through a process of 'rupture and repair'. We may look back to previous relationships, or more recent dynamics in our current ones, to see if old patterns can be reintegrated and healed. If anything needs resolution it can be brought into the open and resolved.
When Venus is ahead of the Sun in the zodiac, it is seen in the evening skies after sunset. Then, Venus goes through a sort of metamorphosis, as it disappears from view in August, getting too close to a powerful Sun in Leo. This is Venus' combustion, which occurs from Aug 4-22.
Venus is visible in the evenings in the western sky at dusk until Aug 4. It will reappear in the mornings in the eastern sky from Aug 22. While we cannot see Venus in August, especially as it moves back over the gandanta juncture between Leo and Cancer around Aug 7, we may not see the outer significations of Venus so easily. We must look within for things to appreciate. There's likely to be disrupted in a more obvious way in the world around us.
The evening star Venus has a more alluring and congenial quality, adding to the sense of pleasure, and experiences that are ideally experienced in the evening time, when dimly lit rooms offer a more seductive feel. This is the ideal time to spend with loved ones, enjoying each other's company.
When Venus reappears in the early morning skies, it is less alluring and more illuminating, highlighting any imperfections that can easily hide in the evening shadows. Venus is more exposed, shall we say, kind of like in Botecelli's painting (pictured). This is an appropriate image for Venus' return to Cancer from Leo, the shell offering protection, the sign Leo representing the initial display.
As Venus changes from 'evening star' to 'morning star', our relationships and finances go through a process of 'rupture and repair'. We may look back to previous relationships, or more recent dynamics in our current ones, to see if old patterns can be reintegrated and healed. If anything needs resolution it can be brought into the open and resolved.
When Venus is ahead of the Sun in the zodiac, it is seen in the evening skies after sunset. Then, Venus goes through a sort of metamorphosis, as it disappears from view in August, getting too close to a powerful Sun in Leo. This is Venus' combustion, which occurs from Aug 4-22.
Venus is visible in the evenings in the western sky at dusk until Aug 4. It will reappear in the mornings in the eastern sky from Aug 22. While we cannot see Venus in August, especially as it moves back over the gandanta juncture between Leo and Cancer around Aug 7, we may not see the outer significations of Venus so easily. We must look within for things to appreciate. There's likely to be disrupted in a more obvious way in the world around us.
The evening star Venus has a more alluring and congenial quality, adding to the sense of pleasure, and experiences that are ideally experienced in the evening time, when dimly lit rooms offer a more seductive feel. This is the ideal time to spend with loved ones, enjoying each other's company.
When Venus reappears in the early morning skies, it is less alluring and more illuminating, highlighting any imperfections that can easily hide in the evening shadows. Venus is more exposed, shall we say, kind of like in Botecelli's painting (pictured). This is an appropriate image for Venus' return to Cancer from Leo, the shell offering protection, the sign Leo representing the initial display.
The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli
Caution is advised in spending and in any negotiation until Venus resumes its direct motion by Sep 4, especially as it comes out of its combustion by Aug 22. This is when something may be revealed from the revaluation, but it can also throw once last temptation our way. It's advisable to be at least a little cautious until Venus has cleared its shadow phase, moving past the point it began to backtrack. This doesn't happen until Oct 7.
Ask yourself and others what you value the most. It may be that you feel less valued, of course, or you may fail to see the value in someone or something, while Venus is retrograde. This is an opportunity to look within to find your own true worth, the pearl in the oyster.
When you find your true worth, within, you can love and appreciate others for who they are.
When you find your true worth, within, you can love and appreciate others for who they are.
For Each Sign
Aries
Venus represents your finances, family, and partner(s). Every time it goes retrograde, you go through a process of reflection on what is important to you in these areas. This time, you may find yourself doing so in your creative work and at home, or with children if you have any. You may be reviewing your finances, too. It's probably a better time to review these relationships and dynamics instead of making headway into some new venture. It's a better time to reassess how you express love, and ask the question, "What would make us feel content?" If you meet someone new at this time, or an old flame, it's probably best to see it for what it is: an opportunity to integrate something from your past and heal. It's a time to reevaluate people and things that are important to you, rather than making any definitive decisions; at least until Venus has stationed direct in early September.
Taurus
Your ruling planet retrograde is a time to reflect on who you are and what you are doing daily to feel good. While it does so in areas of travel, communications, machines, and home life, best be patient when things don't seem to work initially. This is an opportunity for you to repair these things. It's also a time to repair yourself, whether that's through some new exercise routine or rehashing an old one. Venus retrogrades are a better time to redo things, as opposed to taking on new ones. This means renovating your home as opposed to buying a new one, for example, or taking a trip somewhere you've been before. Or it may be about having that conversation with a neighbour or sibling you've been putting off. Whatever you do, be mindful of this period being more about your need to reflect on how you present yourself and why you do anything. Ask yourself, "What would make me happy?", and "Where would that be?" This may entail revisiting somewhere you were once happy, to recapture its essence.
Gemini
Venus retrogrades in the area of everyday routines and communications, family dynamics and finances. This is likely to ask you to make adjustment to your current plans. If you have children, you may have been sacrificing too much, or not enough. It may require a new approach. Your finances may be adjusted to suit what's important now. Any kind of creative self-expression would be of huge benefit, as would speaking your mind - but only once you are clear. The issue with Venus retrograde is not being clear, of course, so be mindful of speaking too early about things you haven't completely work out. Venus retrograde is not the best time for expensive purchases or financial speculation. Best to wait it out and figure out when to move, which will likely be once Venus stations in early September. Until then, use the time to reset some things; in your finances, with your family/children and/or community.
Cancer
Venus retrograde is likely to bring delays and changes in your income stream, focusing you on your security and family, before you feel able to see yourself differently. It's a time to reflect on what you stand for; what would make you happy. It might be a good time to speak about it with friends and family, before you begin to implement these ideas and ideals into your life. Venus retrograde may bring up some issues with your mother, whether she's alive or not, as it's a time to reflect on self-care. Perhaps it's a time you have to care for her. Or you may review how you have been looking after yourself. Cancer is the 'mothering sign', yet Venus is about negotiation and mutual respect. Both parties have to be on board for it to work. Looking at how you form attachments would be of great benefit, adjusting if needs be.
Leo
As Venus and your ruler, the Sun, dance with each other over the coming weeks, it's a time to be open to negotiations. This may play out more obviously at work, with superiors, or you may have some dealings with others in your private life, either neighbours and/or siblings, where you must compromise and communicate something differently. Venus' initial transit in your sign is a time to attract the kind of professional environment you want, while its retrograde asks you to double check if that is indeed the case. Once it moves back into your 12th house, it will ask you give up something to get something. You may have to make some sacrifices to get anything. It's time to rethink your approach to how you work, how much effort is required, versus how much you can attract something or someone to you. Getting the work-life balance thing down will be important as you figure it all out.
Virgo
This Venus retrograde is likely to bring up issues about finances, friends, goals, and ambitions. You are likely to rethink your networks and investments, adjusting your portfolio as necessary, reviewing your earnings and savings. You may need to spend more initially, before reassessing how much you have to spend. This includes your energy and anything that sustains you, including your family, community, and food. If you are planning any trips at this time, you can certainly express a more positive Venus' retrograde while travelling, but it may be more suited to a pilgrimage or long-distance trip. This will require you adjust your finances accordingly. Family and friendships are likely to go through many adjustments, as would any kind of engagement within groups of people. Allow the time to work things out with others, as you work them out for yourself.
Libra
This Venus retrograde is going to ask you to look at what you are getting out of what you are doing, either in your career, or in life in general. You're likely to review your ambitions and earnings at this time, as well as your networks, be it a friendship or anyone you associate with. If it's not worth it, or if others are not putting in what you have, you may decide to pull back and not invest as much. Just be mindful of making any major decisions about working with others at this time, as Venus retrograde is a great time to review relationships but not the best to take definitive steps. Once it has stationed in early September, you can decide on the next course of action; once you are clear about what everyone is getting out of it.
Scorpio
This Venus retrograde is likely to ask you and your partner, or any significant other in your life, to review and reassess what you are both doing together - and what you are doing separately. Scorpios always have to sacrifice something for the partner (Venus rules the 7th and 12th houses), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do something for yourself. Your partner, either romantic or business, is likely to be doing things differently, anyway, so you might as well get on board with the necessary adjustments. Travel and study plans may be other areas you can be open to new experiences, as you may find you attract the people into your life that bring up these possibilities. If you are travelling, or taking on new work, be openminded about how it all pans out. Keep a loose schedule in either, and be willing to compromise when the time comes.
Sagittarius
Venus' initial retrograde in the area of travel and study can change how you tackle problems. Just be mindful of what or who is helping and what is not. As Venus represents both for you, gains can all too easily become a problem. Once Venus returns to the area of deep, psychological introspection, a reinspection of your financial entanglements are likely, so it's best to keep an open mind about these. This has the potential to be a 'double-negative' transit, leading to a better outcome. You just have to be aware of the potential for a challenge, either with a friend or associate, or with someone you perceive as a threat or competition. The competition may be blown out of proportion in your own head, so keep things in perspective. Once you figure out the issues, financial or otherwise, you can plan to take on more travels and/or studies, or simply a more expansive and hopeful view.
Capricorn
There's a lot to negotiate with this particular Venus retrograde. As it does so opposite your ruler, Saturn, it's time to find a balance between what's important to you, versus what's important to others. Any kind of engagement, professionally or personally, is likely to create an opposition and review. This may occur with a superior or follower, or with a child if you have one. Venus will smooth out the relationship eventually, of course. You just need to be mindful of the kinks that arise which need ironing out throughout the retrograde phase. Once you do, your relationships, with your children, your creative ideas and/or your superiors, can all be worked out as you learn the balance of compromise while still getting what you want.
Aquarius
You're having to work out a few things with your partner and others at this time, especially around home and travel. Make sure you don't get bogged down in too many details and keep an eye on why you are making these changes. Of course, you may not be consciously making any changes. Your relationships with others, especially your significant other, is likely to go through some adjustment period. But so is your relationship to others you perceive as competition. If you have work colleagues, be mindful of how you engage with them at this time. There are some issues to work out with them. Once you figure things out, all your relationships can improve, improving your life and your happiness. This can give you the platform you need to expand, either by travelling or through study, as you explore new avenues of possibility.
Pisces
Why do you do what you do? Because you love it, I imagine. Or do you? This Venus retrograde might be a good time to ask the question, at least. It may be a time to change how you do things, too. Perhaps you could include others who have their own point of view? Either way, you're likely to grabble with some communication issues as Venus asks you to compromise on things that are not so easy to negotiate with. Yet once you do, your creativity can flow, opening up many more channels. Though it might challenge you to adjust, Venus is likely to bring new perspectives and opportunities which open up a new view. Think about how you get what you want, including love and appreciation, and how that can be expressed differently by everybody, not necessarily in the way you see it. Everyone has their way of expressing their appreciation. This retrograde is about finding yours.
Om Tat Sat
