While the planets go about their cyclic motions in the heavens, their energies affect our actions, lives and levels of consciousness here on earth. We can even track down these cycles since they have been recorded through time.
One repeating cycle is when a planet begins to slow down in its speed and looks as though it is going backward in space. This backward motion or illusion may be likened to seeing a slower train go by while you pass it while riding in a speeding train. I’d like to think that because slower moving planets allow us deeper growth, it’s like the universe slows down a part of itself to wait for us to evolve.
A special planet is doing its backward boogie as I write this article. It is the planet of love. We all know Venus, the ruler of beauty, love, and harmony. It is the planet that rules the astrological signs of Taurus and Libra. It also rules the fourth chakra or energy center of the body which is located in the center of the chest. This planet represents or embodies the spiritual lessons that teach us how to act out of love and compassion; and recognize the greatest and most transformative of all energies we have in this world: Love. Personally, I feel that of all the things that affect and influence us, love/emotions determine the quality of our lives more than any mental perception. It motivates us to feel with compassion, making us that unique specie in Earth capable of this.
Well, from the period of Oct. 10 until Nov. 20, Venus is retreating, slowing down, moving back. What may be some effects of this retrograde motion? I direct this question towards love relationships since this is where Venus best expresses herself.
During this period, there may be a tendency to internalize hurts. You may see yourself turning inwards to work out an issue with your partner. And maybe he is working this out quietly inside himself, too. This would seem normal except that during this period, you will tend to exaggerate the hurt, the emotional issues or lack of emotional responses of your partner. Many fears may arise– loneliness, commitment, or even the fear of following one’s own heart. Even greater is a fear of being unable to protect one’s self emotionally.
There may be an overemphasis on the imperfections of your partner, such that it will take great effort to see the good, true and beautiful in him/her. In a capsule: The Venus retrograde period often symbolizes that the path of love does not flow smoothly. Loving warmth and nurturance may be lacking. Any arguments that arise may take some time to be worked out and issues fully faced. It is a period when many will subconsciously choose to cut himself or herself away from experiencing the richness of love because of the fear of getting hurt.
The interesting part of this is the tremendous amount of thoughtfulness, introspection and depth a person can achieve through understanding the present retrograding planet. During this period, relationships will appear to freeze in the outside world, while each of the partners become caught up in the introspective study of any unfinished issues in the relationship, wishing and seeking to resolve this even if only in the mind. The memories of something in the past (a hurt, a misunderstanding) may suddenly return so vividly that you might not even recognize these as memories. They are all of a sudden present again, creating havoc inside you.
Sexuality will be a key issue here. The period will seem like so many things are hindering the partners from fully experiencing the here and now. You may not be fulfilled–either through communications (mental and verbal connections), emotionally and even sexually (feelings of frigidity and impotence). This period of emotional discontent borders between the intense need, to a total lack of interest, with your partner. Perhaps the nicest lesson to live by during this Venus retrograde period (and during such times that we are caught in our emotional dramas) is "let go and let God." On Nov. 21, when the planet begins to move forward and onto its normal direction again, emotional issues will begin to be ironed out, clarified and understood better in the light of wisdom and growth.
Looking beyond the personal sphere of relationships: there is a great need for the Venusian energies to transform our world today. The radical changes happening today are but an outward manifestation of the kind of energies we hold in our minds and hearts. The polarities of hate and love, now, with such a great divide between them, challenge us to use the period of the Venus retrograde to purify and heighten our emotion–especially how we express love. Love must go to a higher level, to that of compassion that seeks to heal the many wounded, fearful, depressed people nearest to us. May this period of Venus retrograde push you to touch another person emotionally and heal whatever wounds you find there.