Venus just stationed retrograde in Scorpio (October 5 to November 16). Venus retrogrades (occurring every eighteen months) are high holy days for the Divine Feminine. For these six weeks, Venus is at her most powerful in the inner world. She is preparing to make herself new again. She is gathering her resentments, her foiled desires, her missed opportunities, her delusional poverty consciousness and her memories of indignities and victimization and throwing all of this into a great Scorpio bonfire.
When she emerges in mid-November, she’ll be the Morning Star–the goddess most associated with war. Here in the US, many of us are hoping (and expecting) to see a tidal wave of newly empowered women entering congress.
Although, during retrogrades, all plans are easily overturned. The power in these periods lies elsewhere. It begins underground, in the unconscious. Like a volcano readying to erupt, there is a kind of rumbling in the personal and the collective psyches. It’s been an exhausting year. Since Jupiter entered Scorpio a year ago, in this sign of sex, death, and power, he’s raised the awareness of gender power imbalances to a fevered pitch. I suspect with retro Venus now in Scorpio too, this will only get louder.
Yet it’s also important to attune to the retrograde more personally. Think about your experience of Venus joys in the last eighteen months. You’ll find this Goddess in the love, money, pleasure and beauty your life is bringing you. If any of these areas is in neglect, this niggling absence will become more and more intolerable.
In fact, you don’t have to think too deeply about it. What has been neglected will make itself known. Over the next six weeks, there will come a morning, an afternoon or a weekend when you’ll find yourself at a breaking point. You can’t stand it. Life is no fun. You’re angry. You’re lonely. You’re disappointed. You’re overwhelmed. Whatever it is, listen. And don’t just politely listen. Give your Venus a pen or a keyboard and let her go to town.
Let her rant and rave. Ask her to articulate everything. All the unmet desires and needs. Make a long list. An impassioned list. Begin each sentence with “I want,” or even better, “I demand.” (“I demand more attention, I demand more money, I want my voice heard, I want Greg to kiss and cherish me, I desire more time to do my own thing.”)
Save this rant. Frame this rant. Keep it someplace special. Later, when the passion has cooled, take it out and have a clear-eyed look. These are messages from the Venus locked in your subconscious. Her complaints are a minefield of unpolished gems. They are your deepest Venus secrets, what you need for happiness now. The words may be a little rough or even childish–but the power behind them is true.
Cherish these complaints. Consider how you can honor these deeper needs, especially when Venus goes direct. Venus went retrograde on October 5 at 10 Scorpio; she goes direct on November 16 at 25 Libra. To deepen your meditation on this particular retrograde, notice which house(s) of your chart she is touching. Eight years ago she was retrograde in this same part of your chart. What happened then? How are those themes playing out now?
Wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
Ohmigod, Dana, you are SOOO amazing, so expressive, articulate, and perceptive… The richness of your messages to us about what’s passing through our lives continues to be a huge and wonderful light and balm in my life.
And every time I give someone the gift of one of your astonishingly excellent (and beautiful) Moonprints reports, I get such delighted and grateful responses and thanks back… so I want to pass some of that back to you now, Dana. Thanks so much… AGAIN… –Nancy
Aren’t you a sweetheart!
In my birth chart Venus is in 28 degrees Scorpio. I don’t know what that means but I can tell you that this girl is on fire right now! Laying down the law and making the changes in my life that should of happened years ago. Frightened but not so much that I will back down. Dana I always look forward to your News letters and this one has empowered me to stay on task. Thank you!
Love it!
Just simply the best advice/suggestions. Really, the BEST. The ‘eight years ago’ thang….wham. Have blanket and candle, off I go…..
Hmmmm….dealing with a mass in my lung. Her last Scorpio rx I was dealing with my brother’s fatal cancer diagnosis. Scorpio 12th house opposes my 6th house Sun and now uranus. Again, hmmmm
WOW!!! My Libra Venus was all fired up even before the retrograde! My husband’s is too since he has Venus in Scorpio in his natal chart. She went retrograde on my Scorpio Sun and will go direct on my Libra Moon and his Libra Mars. I’d better pay close attention! Thanks for your powerful explanation.
This post has facilitated my understanding greatly. I am in the throes of this process just now, but could not articulate what is going on. I picked up my pen this past month and began writing and will continue to do so incorporating your suggestions. Very helpful, thank you.
Yay!
Just excellent advice and information, Dana. I, too, will continue journaling with your additions.
thank you,
Carolyn