Venus Retrograde season is coming. So…what does this mean?
Retrogrades are seasons of introspection and a time to gain valuable new perspective in our healing journey.
Venus rules relationships, finances and, most importantly, our sense of self-worth – so these are the areas of your life which will be of particular focus over the next 3 months.
Venus is the deification of abundance and kindness; the personification of divine grace. Through Venus energy we experience feelings of belonging, acceptance and unconditional love.
She is the nurturing earth mother, also known as Lakshmi and Aphrodite, but every archetype has a ‘shadow’ side and during retrograde we experience more of the shadows of Venus energy.
And if you know me you already know that I’m going to say that Venus retrograde is an excellent time for ‘shadow-work’ – the uncomfortable process but necessary of exploring what’s in our unconscious so that we may mend old wounds and realize our dharma more fully. Shadow work is a key element of the healing journey. It’s how we grow.
Over the next 3 months, this period of growth and personal reflection is an invitation to really consider how you may be experiencing the shadows of Venus energy in your own life.
And remember, when we peer into our own shadow, we do so with honesty, gentleness, love and compassion.
The expression I have felt most drawn to focus on this season is jealousy.
Some meditation/journal prompts to reflect on:
- How do feelings of jealousy create frustration for you?
- How does jealousy influence your relationships?
- Does it motivate your actions?
- Where is jealousy influencing you in subtle, perhaps unconscious ways?
Think about it. Jealousy can be VERY subtle. Its seeds are planted when we begin comparing ourselves to others. It says, ‘look what they have, why don’t I have that too?’
Jealousy arises from the expectations we set. It creates a sense of pressure to be, have or do more.
Jealousy can show up in relationships with friends or romantic partners; in how we feel about money; in how much we earn (or don’t earn) or how much we’ve saved (or haven’t saved); in how we feel about our career; how feel about how we look…there are so many ways we can weighed down by what we don’t have, aren’t’ there?! Ugh!
The insidious nature of jealousy is the underlying narrative that you are not enough as you are; that you have been forsaken in some way. Jealousy takes away our ability to notice the blessings and abundance all around us. It fuels feelings of bitterness, resentment and despair. These feelings ultimately leave us feeling helpless, and disempowered.
But here’s the thing. Venus retrograde and the shadow work we can do around this season bring the opportunity to heal the suffering we’ve experienced from these narratives. This is the gift astrology brings us – a roadmap to our own personal healing.
Some Reflections on Venus Retrograde in Capricorn
One of the key activations of this retrograde season is Venus’ alignment to Pluto in Capricorn (and square to Eris in Aries). Venus aligns with Pluto three times during this retrograde season, and the first alignment was actually earlier this week, so you may already be feeling the influence of your Venus retrograde ‘story’ beginning to unfold. It’s time to notice, reflect and adjust and, especially, notice the subtle seeds of jealousy, and ambition.
Capricorn rules your sense of ambition. This energy shows up as your desire to have a certain ‘status’ in the world; to be regarded as accomplished in a way that’s personally meaningful to you. And while ambition can be a healthy motivator, you’re also being prompted to consider;
Does your ambition consume you, in unhealthy ways?
Do you feel the pressure to compete in a way that suggests you’re not worthy as you are?
Competition can be quite fierce in our society, but what drives it and is it always good?
What fuels competition? Ambition? The need to prove oneself?
All of this is connected with scarcity mentality, a core element of Venus’ shadow. Intense feelings of scarcity can lead to fear, despair or lowered self-esteem. During Venus retrograde, we are being called to bring awareness to any wounding around worthiness, with a sense of deep compassion. We must let go of looking outside of ourselves for acceptance and belonging. We must decide that we are enough, but more than that, we must connect with the feeling of enough-ness, the presence of the Venus archetype, within.