Venus Stations Retrograde - Relationships Are Intense

On Saturday, October 3, Venus will station to go retrograde. She will take a 40 day journey from her starting point at 8 Scorpio (intimacy) all the way back to 22 Libra (committed relationships). A 40 day period - like "fasting in the wilderness" - turns up in many sacred texts. This will be a profound, intense reexamination of relationship and intimacy values, particularly as it occurs in the company of an exact opposition of Mars in Leo (assertive/aggressive in a King or Queen like figure) to Pluto (power, desire) in Aquarius (what do I need for the future?). And both Mars in Leo and Pluto in Aquarius are in tension with Mercury, the planet of communication, tradesmen, journalists.

Add to that Venus is stationing (a very powerful time for a planet as it almost completely stops) on October 3, Mars in Leo is at 3 degrees, Mercury is at 3 degrees and Pluto is at 3 Aquarius. That is a lot of three's! Three is a number associated with Gemini, and, since it is ruled by Mercury, it shares the communication function.

This is a time when secrets, often sexual ones, can be uncovered. You may have a burning issue about a relationship that you want to address, but speak carefully. Mercury and Venus are in secretive Scorpio. Scorpio has a long memory, so make sure you want to stand behind your words for a long time. Also, Mars and Pluto can be quite violent or at least very assertive.

The last time I remember Mars and Pluto being in a tense aspect, it was on January 6, 2021. We know what happened then! So, a public or political event could definitely be spawned by this volatile combination. A secret about a sexual matter revealed, power (Scorrpio), wanting to keep it under wraps and Pluto in Aquarius wants to eliminate it for the foreseeable future!

Venus' cycle traces a five pointed pentacle in the sky. It maintains a certain pattern for 100 years, going retrograde in the same signs throughout the cycle. The Scorpio retrograde has been happening for 40 days every 8 years. What happened the last time Venus went retrograde in Scorpio was 8 years ago -- the Midterms! The House went Blue, the Senate stayed red. No guarantee at all that will be the outcome this time, but issues will resonate from 2018. This is our last retrograde in Scorpio during my lifetime, so we are beginning a new Venus cycle later this month.

On a personal level, if you have planets or angles from 1 to 10 degrees in the signs Scorpio, Leo or Aquarius, be very careful not to let hotheaded or rash behavior result in an accident, particularly with some sharp or an infection. My personal example is I have a rash on my face (hot and dry like Mars) involving my eyesight (Mercury) and I am forced to do some self care rushing around madly. These transits are impacting my Scorpio Moon - and happened in my home (Moon). What is working really well for me, aside from some medication, is to meditate and do some deep breathing to find some grounding. It helps me drop into a slower, more balanced state. Still, I am driving carefully and trying to be deliberate. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed. If you need to sleep, so do. If you are hungry, eat. If you need to move, stretch or exercise in a way that is positive for you.

Seize the day as positively as you can, but remember...loose lips can sink ships right now, too!