Venus Retrograde then Mercury Retrogrades, too!
On Saturday March 1st, Venus, the brilliant yellow-white Evening Star stationed retrograde at 11 degrees Aries. Venus began its retrograde four days before Lent began, and like Lent (beginning this week, Wednesday, March 5), Venus is retrograde for 40 days and 40 nights, the time it takes to break a habit!
Venus is retrograde until April 12, full moon day, which is also when Passover begins and it’s the day before Palm Sunday! Notice the festivals of two different religions (Jewish/Christian) occurring simultaneously. When this occurs we are seeing the formation of the new Aquarian world religion.
Venus retrogrades every 584 days (every 19 months). After eight years of five retrogrades, Venus forms a five-pointed star (rose shaped) in the sky. Venus works with a ray star in the Big Dipper called Ray 5 (symbol is the five-pointed star). This is the ray of the scientist, of truth, the ray of concrete knowledge. Ray 5 along with Venus stimulate humanity’s minds to build and create the new Aquarius culture and civilization. Understanding the math of Venus’ retrogrades takes a scientific (Ray 5, Venusian) mind.
What does Venus retrograde represent and signify both on personality and Soul levels? Venus, on the personality-building (mutable cross) level influences money, possessions, values, and all types of relationships. Venus is the intelligent, loving heart. It unifies all that separates, allowing for the emergence of Love, which then becomes Wisdom. Venus resolves duality (through knowledge), promotes diplomacy (Libra). Venus coordinates our intelligence so that we choose to act with Goodwill, which creates Right Relations which, in turn, creates peace in our world. This is an ancient esoteric equation. It is the only way peace comes forth and this is the task of all of humanity. To bring forth peace.
When a planet is retrograde, the past appears and reappears, decisions must be delayed, plans set aside in order that we may review, reflect upon and assess all areas and subjects associated with that planet (in this case Venus, love, intelligence, money, relationships, possessions, values). We review in order to either renew, revitalize or place aspects of those areas of life aside forever. Note: Mercury retrogrades Saturday, also in Aries.
Below, in the signs, Venus will influence….
ARIES: A new sense of self identity and values. Although you’re considered rather wild, there are stable, responsible and detailed aspects of yourself and these help you do and be successful in the outer world. Few if any, except astrologers, may know this about you. Those qualities will now be internalized so you can assess your personal value and worth. You know it’s not how much money you have. It’s more about perseverance, reliability and being steadfast in adversity and challenges. Venus changes you.
TAURUS: Spirituality and the inner world. Your patience and deliberateness are how you assess anything new, moving step-by-step thinking everything through with care. With Venus, you become visionary, your mind filled with spiritual illuminations and revelations. You are influenced by the stars, Aldebaran and Alcyone in the Pleiades. You bring forth the wisdom of the Buddha. When faced with a monetary situation you’re quick and instinctive. These are your gifts. Ponder them with a partner as Venus retrogrades.
GEMINI: Groups and people in your life. It’s most important that your work in the world aligns with your sense of self and values. Gemini is a complex, dual sign. You have a fluid mind however, so all information must be filtered through your emotional nature. Therefore that field (astral) must be clear, pure, containing no judgments or opinions. This purity must be developed. You’re the sign of hidden treasures few can recognize. You are the jewel in the lotus. Security for you isn’t money or wealth. It’s emotional ethics and who/what you love.
CANCER: World Recognition. Being recognized in the world, thoughts of your profession. There’s a challenge now for you to emerge from under your Cancer shell, have a sense of adventure, step beyond comfort and tend to things more worldly, professional and cultural. It is important to cultivate charisma, a compassion with and for others. It furthers self-expression and creativity, things you deeply seek. You are a leader, though you often choose not to be. But something or someone is calling you out now.
LEO: Adventure and the Bow and Arrow of truth. Most Leos are captivating, charming, held by the heart of the Sun. However, some Leos are hidden. But all are magnetic – an important quality to understand because it attracts others to you. Leos are powerful. They are either kind and compassionate or they create fear in others if power and love aren’t in balance. What are people seeking when encountering you? Light, intelligence, vitality, discipline, direction and guidance and the willingness to lead with loving kindness. Do you have these qualities? Life for you is an adventure.
VIRGO: Shared Realities. Within your excellent qualities of order, discipline and lists of organized ideas, you also seek to display the skill of subtlety, discretion, diplomacy and peace keeping. All Virgos are also learning tact, refinement, how to relate with quiet sophistication and to act with Right Relations. All these qualities are of high value but perhaps they are not conscious yet. It is therefore good to know these are the seeds planted within all Virgos. They lead to the art of cooperation, and conciliation through negotiation. You are learning how to be a Libra.
LIBRA: Relationships. Your smile, which lights up your eyes, invites others to trust you and begin to share and talk about themselves – their hopes, wishes and dreams, their joys and sorrows. Everyone wants to be friends with you. Libra on the Soul level demonstrates Goodwill which creates Right Relations, fairness, justice, openness and kindness. If you are not yet within this expanded Soul reality, visualize yourself stepping into it. The results will strengthen any fears and vulnerabilities around money and resources. And the boundaries you have created to protect yourself will be less critical and more loving. Who needs forgiving?
SCORPIO: Daily life. Are you aware that most of what you do and say often challenges others? This is your task. As your life is ceaselessly challenged to transform and regenerate, you also ask (unconsciously demand) this of others. Because your life has such intensity, you must schedule consistent times for rest and retreat – times to gather strength, and rediscover inner meaning and purpose. Vision is found here, too. Only a few know, through constant little deaths and, phoenix-like flying out of the fire, that you experience such depth. You are also a visionary.
SAGITTARIUS: Creativity. You usually view life with optimism and a broad hopeful vision of happiness and joy. And even though you’re an imaginative thinker who sees signs and reads oracles in every situation, you also have a sense of being duty bound, responsible, traditional and conservative. Most aren’t aware of this as it hides behind fiery enthusiasm. You are quite capable of working with rules and regulations and thing brings forth your serious side. This you must begin to value. It is your mastery and your wisdom.
CAPRICORN: Home. You exhibit great reserve, discipline, control and structure, often playing the role of (even if not) the eldest child, parent and wise one. Traditions, following and creating them, are therefore most important. But there is another valuable part to you –being progressive and inventive. Through these you enter the future, making you quite different than most. Often people can’t quite figure out who you are with your abilities to change quickly and to offer everyone freedom to be (you and me). A family life change may be occurring.
AQUARIUS: Communication. It is important to acknowledge that you, like the planet Uranus, are distinctly different than most. Aquarius energy flows through Uranus (future realities). Do you know Uranus is tipped on its side, its atmosphere is arranged in layers of clouds, its magnetic-tail is twisted into a long corkscrew, its magnetic field’s source is unknown, it’s blue/green, has a moon, many rings and satellites, seventh planet from the Sun and 3rd largest planet in the solar system? This unusual planet rules your entire life. Value your differentness. It’s unique and beloved and wise.
PISCES: Values. Self-Value. The two signs most misunderstood are Scorpio and Pisces. Often the fish is seen as wandering about, confused, idealistic, and too sensitive for the world. To most you can seem lost and dreamy, impractical and confused. But there is more to you. You are also very brave and courageous, especially when someone is in danger. You are independent and free and always recognize others’ innate gifts. These you see while others cannot. When you are spontaneous a golden light fills the air. When you are sad you fall into despair. Always take action. It brings you freedom.
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Shadow: Although Mars is moving forward, the red planet remains in its retrograde shadow until the beginning of May! So, we, too, here on Earth, move ever so slowly – from inward looking (for 2 1/2 months) to outward looking. It’s a contemplative process.
Mars is action, activity, desires, aspirations, hopes, wishes and dreams (skillful means). It is also the physical body and blood, anger, frustration, fanaticism and inflammation. During the Mars retro we may not have known what our desires were, we may not have been hungry and our bodies may have hurt. Slowly this shifts, changes and dissolves away.
Sunday is rather veiled, mysterious and mystical (Mercury/Neptune). Monday Mercury leaves the watery depths of Pisces to enter fiery Aries. Communication becomes animated, forceful, passionate and heated, initiating new ideas! Tuesday
is Mardi Gras under the golden Taurus Moon. And on Wednesday, the season of Lent begins; our foreheads marked with a cross of ashes. We understand this.
And so, life moves one and we happily sail along with it. We realize life is a party, a joy ride, a car festival, a garden in bloom, a tree of mysteries. And looking around, we see the kingdom is colorful!
