On July 23, 2023, Venus goes retrograde and will continue its retrograde motion until September 4, 2023.

Retrograde motion is a natural, cyclical process that occurs annually (except for Mars, which occurs every two years) and multiple times a year for Mercury. Astronomically, it means that the planet appears to move slower than Earth, while in astrology, it signifies a slowdown and a review of the planet’s principles and expressions. So, what processes and reactions does Venus retrograde motion trigger? Who does it affect, and what is its significance? What should be reviewed, understood, and refrained from during this period?

Retrograde Venus In astrology, Venus is associated with love, wealth, and beauty. What does it mean when Venus goes retrograde? This happens once a year, lasting for 20-30 days. During this time, Venus-related matters experience a slowdown and require review and scrutiny. What are those Venus-related matters? They include love, beauty, and wealth (including financial matters).

This time, when Venus goes retrograde in Leo (from 29 degrees to 13 degrees of Leo), it also aligns with Lilith. This makes this period more karmically charged, so it’s crucial to be aware and attentive to avoid falling into the traps of egotism, being easily offended, self-importance, arrogance, and indulging in luxurious displays. On the other hand, past situations related to love, wealth, and beauty might resurface.

About Venus’s position in the zodiac signs, you can find it here:

Love

Transiting retrograde Venus. This period is generally not suitable for weddings, engagements, or starting new love relationships. However, past relationships or memories of them may reappear. This time is meant for reviewing and assessing love and partnership, and it might prompt a desire for solitude or create more distance between partners.

In a negative sense, it can intensify the feeling of being unloved, but one should not identify with that feeling. However, this position is not necessarily bad and doesn’t necessarily mean a cooling off of relationships. Instead, it’s a time for examining whether you are truly with the right person and if your relationship is truly fulfilling.

With Venus retrograde in Leo alongside Lilith, it’s essential to refrain from excessive demands, offense, and self-importance in relationships, and to take a calmer look at past situations with loved ones, possibly acknowledging your mistakes and correcting them or simply ending ineffective relationships.

Still, it’s better not to make definitive decisions about relationships during Venus retrograde – wait for the direct phase. In a positive sense, this position teaches that love comes primarily from within, not from external sources.

Natal retrograde Venus. For those with this position in their natal chart, it’s a lesson to express love independently of others’ reactions, not to become overly attached to it or exaggerate the importance of the object of love. Often, such individuals, especially women, may experience delayed sexual maturity. This position may create difficulty in forming love relationships or even avoidance of them. Karmically, it indicates that love has already been overly emphasized and realized, and now there is a need for more detachment. Once this is realized, the situation becomes lighter.

Wealth

Transiting retrograde Venus. This is an unsuitable time for significant purchases, investments, starting a business, or establishing a company. There may be delays in income or financial losses, but, on the other hand, old deserved rewards may come in. With Venus retrograde in Leo alongside Lilith, avoid indulging in luxury and showing off, especially to impress others. You might have to face the consequences of such behavior from the past and rectify any debts.

Natal retrograde Venus. For individuals with this position, it may be more challenging to embrace wealth, and they may consciously or unconsciously push it away or avoid it. This might be because they were once too attached to or overemphasized wealth, or perhaps it caused problems. In any case, this indicates that they need to pay more attention to other areas of life. On the other hand, such individuals may have significant achievements in the field of wealth, but now it might not be very relevant to them.

Beauty

Transiting retrograde Venus. This is an unfavorable time for significant beauty procedures, plastic surgeries, or acquiring art pieces, as they might later appear unattractive or unnecessary. With Venus retrograde in Leo alongside Lilith, avoid chasing beauty at any cost, especially to show off and elevate yourself above others in terms of appearance or possessions – it leads to adverse consequences.

Natal retrograde Venus. For individuals with this position, their perception of beauty might be peculiar or unconventional – not necessarily in a negative sense. On the other hand, much about beauty and aesthetics may be self-evident to them.

Where is your natal Venus you can find here:

Venus Retrograde in Houses

I House: You might feel dissatisfied with your appearance, experience doubts, or have the desire to change your style. Memories of past love or feelings of loneliness might resurface.

II House: It encourages a review of your relationship with wealth and may slow down income. On the other hand, you might receive long overdue earnings that were not previously utilized.

III House: It scrutinizes relationships with siblings, neighbors, or relatives and may lead to encounters with long-lost close ones if such meetings were planned and delayed. People you haven’t seen in a long time may appear, or a feeling of neglect might arise.

IV House: It prompts a review of your home environment; certain things may no longer appeal or seem unattractive. You might feel the need to change your interior, but refrain from significant investments for now, stick to cosmetic changes. There may be some cooling off of relationships within the family, but on the other hand, a loved one might return home.

V House: It checks on your children and loved ones and may lead to fading emotions, questioning your creativity, and changing tastes. On the other hand, past love or memories of past creations and creative ideas may resurface.

VI House: You might experience doubts about your work, less comfort in the workplace, dissatisfaction with colleagues, or the desire to avoid them or change jobs. Women might experience health issues, especially related to the throat or reproductive organs, so take care of your health.

VII House: It reviews partnerships, and you may feel that your partner no longer loves you as before (which might be an illusion). The desire to distance yourself from your partner or experience a partner’s distance may arise. But, at the same time, it can bring certainty that you are with the right person, and for singles, an old love or memories of it may return. It’s also a time to review your image and style.

VIII House: Dramatic love memories, losses, sexual clashes, complexes, financial dissatisfaction, or business issues might arise. Avoid taking risks, take your time to review the situation and control your passions. On the other hand, you might receive delayed financial resources or have a long-lost loved one reappear.

IX House: You may doubt your worldview and authority, feel discomfort, and desire to change your public expression. It’s better to postpone the presentation of your work until the direct phase, and only travel abroad if it naturally forms.

X House: You might feel discomfort in the professional sphere, dissatisfaction with superiors, and doubts about whether the efforts towards your career goals are bringing enough prosperity. You might review past rejected approaches to building wealth and find some benefits in them. However, for significant decisions, it’s better to wait for the direct phase.

XI House: discomfort might arise in the company of friends and groups, and you might feel the desire to withdraw and be more selective. Doubts about your dreams may arise, and you might want to verify if they are still relevant. If you work on projects, you might seek more profitable ones. It’s possible to encounter old friends or loved ones during this time.

XII House: it’s a time for internal reflection, and the need for solitude might increase. This solitude can be both harmonious, like spiritual practices, a review of your spiritual path, or a search for ways to bring beauty into your life, and non-harmonious, like feeling like a victim, self-diminishment, lack of love, feelings of rejection, or feminine-related complexes. It’s essential to take care of your psyche during this time.

Summary

In a negative sense, retrograde Venus may cause dissatisfaction and discomfort, but in a positive sense, it prompts a return to what you loved and valued and a review of what you truly love and appreciate. This phase may bring certain losses and limitations in relationships and finances, but sometimes it can also lead to receiving (or regaining) what you have long deserved. It’s a necessary period for self-evaluation, understanding what truly matters to you in terms of love, beauty, and prosperity.