Venus Goes Retrograde This Week — Here's How To Prepare For Your Zodiac Sign
Love comes in all different colors, lighting up our lives as we embrace the full spectrum. But the summer of love is winding down, with Venus going retrograde from July 22 to September 3. Venus will remain in the sign of the regal sign of Leo during this time, painting a picture of our view towards love, values, and how we are experiencing joy.
If retrograde is the word that caught your attention, you're not alone. It's a frequent word used in astrology articles to signal a warning, but never fear — there are ways to navigate these currents soundly. Read on to learn more about Venus retrograde and how the love planet will impact each astrological sign in the summer of 2023.
What happens during Venus retrograde?
When a planet advances far ahead from the course in our orbit, the Sun pulls the planet back in line in space so it won't veer off course. Venus undergoes this backward spin every 18 months, and it actually that forms a 5-petaled rose when seen from a geocentric perspective during this orbital dance! We can always count on Venus and its romantic touch.
From a general perspective, Venus in retrograde presents lessons about paying attention to our love life, values, and even how we radiate our beauty. Retrogrades present a period of inner reflection, and when Venus is involved, it will involve our inner nature and how it clashes with vanity. It's also recommended to hold off on trying a dramatic hair transformation during this transit or scheduling cosmetic procedures. Although it can be tempting, it may lead to unexpected results. This Venus retrograde period will invoke a review regarding your standards inside and out.
The average time that Venus goes in between signs is about 20 days, but when a retrograde occurs, our love and our true selves will undergo a review within a 2-month range. This Venus in Leo retrograde will help you understand your true self and how to best evolve for your well-being to pave a better path in your relationships.
If you're single, this is your moment to reflect and make peace with past relationships or setbacks. This retrograde will allow you to step into self-acceptance and set the stage to attract better relationship connections. If you're in a relationship, you and your significant other will see each other in a different light, involving pride and the need for authentic validation. Sharing your passions and starting up excitement-filled discussions will rekindle your connection. Everything about yourself and the reasoning behind your connection will come to light.
Another thing to note is that you should look at what house Venus will reside in your birth chart while it retrogrades in the sign of Leo. This will reveal which area needs focus in your life.
What does Venus Retrograde in Leo mean?
Now to better understand how this retrograde will impact you, let’s take a closer look at Venus and its current filter. The love planet entered the Sun-ruled sign of Leo on June 5th, and the overall flavor will stir themes of heightened passion and a fiery touch in everything as this Venus is solar-powered in its exchange. The fixed fire sign Leo rules the 5th house of true love, joy, children, and creativity, and with Venus positioned in this house, we are likely feeling the pull to take center stage with our ambitions or at least invoking a flow of inspiration. Your high-achieving dreams or whatever makes you happy will be your main priority. Capitalizing your joy and trusting your vision is vital when mastering this long transit.
Also, the balancing act beckons as tempers can run high, or you can feel easily discouraged when your dreams are not taking root as quickly or consistently as you hoped. The dramatic flair of Venus in Leo can also lead to extreme pride in our relationships. Humility and mutual understanding will help you remain anchored and at ease. Becoming mindful of your energy and how it is extended will also create a better state of beauty and grace in your love story.
What are some things to avoid during Venus Retrograde?
- Beginning new relationships
- Getting married/wedding planning
- Major beauty transformations (hair, cosmetic procedures)
- Initiate new business ventures or investments
- Major purchases lead to overspending (car, furniture, art, house, business)
What are some things to do during Venus Retrograde?
- Reflect on your relationship
- Review the state of your finances, investments, assets
- Declutter your living surroundings and sell quality items for profit
- Beauty and self-care rituals
How Venus Retrograde 2023 Will Impact the Zodiac Signs
Anyone with fixed sign positions such as the sun, moon, rising, or other astrological placements in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius will experience the impact of this Venus retrograde more so than other signs. Here is the general overview of what to expect for the rest of this summer.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
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Venus will retrograde in your 5th house of love, children, and self-expression, likely stirring up memories of past partnerships — one flame may even send you a nostalgic text. This retrograde period isn't a time to rekindle, or begin a partnership. However, this can be a window of opportunity to heal from the past. If in a committed relationship, take this as an opportunity to open communication channels in restructuring your commitment and plans.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
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This summer, home, family, and your emotional environment will be the focal lens as Venus resides in the 4th house. Your relationship with family members and your domestic environment will be reviewed, which may require reassigning household roles to create more peace in the home. You may even ponder about relocating. Note that this retrograde is not forever — this feeling may disappear once it goes direct. The best way to balance this discontent at home is to beautify, renovate, or declutter, creating ease in your environment.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
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An intense fire is inside you, ready to emerge as Venus paves its way in the 3rd house of communication, ideas, and siblings. You're ready to take charge in your immediate environment and remove the distractions that deter you from achieving your goals. This may involve those not valuing your time, and it will be up to you to assert boundaries to safeguard your energy. It will be a creative period and ignite to speak up about what you are genuinely passionate about. The more you speak your ideas, the more anchored you'll feel.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
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Venus will retrograde in the 2nd house of finances, material possessions, and personal income. Money and values will undergo a series of shifts, and you'll question your worth involving these matters. This will be a moment to reassess how you budget your life and spending habits. Review whether a current project or your income source aligns with your passions. This retrograde period will help you repurpose yourself by becoming more heart-centered in your approach to income as opposed to following the conforms of societal pressure. It’s time to see and live your life from a different lens; your heart will take the lead.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
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You're the showrunner of this Venus retrograde, as it takes place in the 1st house of self, physical appearance, and identity. This will be a powerful period for you to step into your true light, requiring a form of self-evolution. You know who you are, but does the world see the beauty and light you hold inside? You might even be rebranding your business, career, or marching in life with a new tempo genuinely made for you. You may be tempted to try a new look, but remember that major transformations involving cosmetic procedures may backfire. This is the reinvention of your inner self and the birthing of a new identity — the version of yourself that you knew all along.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
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The 12th house of spirit, subconscious realms, and dreams will highlight your Venus retrograde story. Your relationships and overall connections may be experienced as “misty” and out of reach for the sole reason of directing your need for self-reflection. Capitalizing on the nature of your inner self and assessing your future vision will ensure clarity. Getting lost in dreams may not be familiar territory, but this retrograde will shift the lens of importance in prioritizing you and what needs to be cleared out in your psyche. Setting aside time for meditation, journaling, and learning how to harness your energetic self to attract your dreams will lead you to success.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
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Venus will retrograde in your 11th house of networks and friendship connections. As this planet is your ruler, you'll likely feel enamored in the limelight around groups and reconnect with old friends. But look out — there's also a chance that those from your past will reach out to you. Discernment key as you explore the current state of your friendships and connections, taking note of which feel like genuine bonds instead of obligations. It can be a sentimental period for you as you will see how some bonds ceased to sever or need to for your wellbeing.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
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This Venus retrograde will phase in your 10th house of career, public self, and authority. You can invest time rebuilding your image this summer by aligning it with your passions. What is truly driving you and making you feel most alive? Allow your intuition to guide you in navigating this path you are about to take because you are in for a significant upgrade and a refinement of your goals. Overall, this retrograde will be memorable for your professional image and rediscovering your core purpose that will make an impact.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 20)
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This Venus retrograde period highlights your 9th house, AKA your natural ruler house. There's an opportunity for you to explore the house of higher beliefs, education, travel, and broadcasting. This will be a great time to see love from a different viewpoint by understanding its philosophy, but when you're feeling too heady about it you can include the opinions of others to help you stay grounded. If you also wish to revive an abandoned passion project, this is your moment to put a different twist that will birth something brilliant.
Capricorn (December 21-January 19)
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This Venus retrograde will reside in the 8th house of emotional vulnerability, sex, and merged resources. This period of reflection involves your dealings with money and how you will utilize it effectively for future investment. Avoid significant purchases — this is the standstill period for you to see where you are now and how your goals will pan out. This will be a quiet time for you, and it can be best to reestablish an intimate connection with yourself or your significant other. Take this time to regenerate, and you'll be revitalized.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
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Venus paves its love beams in your 7th house, leaving your love and relationships to undergo the ebbs and flows of this retrograde. Reviewing where you are now in your personal, friendships, and business relationships and noticing what needs balance will help you understand what needs refining in your connections. Your partnerships or perception of love will be the focal lens in your evolution this summer — focus on their needs and assess your involvement in their well-being. Are you contributing your share or receiving the right amount of TLC? Reviewing the reasoning behind your commitment and how you can best ascend its potential can go a long way in your love story during this retrograde.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
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As Venus resides in your 6th house of health, mind, and routines, it's time to restructure these to excavate your vitality. Beautifying and caring for your mind, body, and soul will help you regain confidence and attract a better flow in your life. This retrograde will help you understand the importance of avoiding burnout in the work environment. This can be done by asking for help from your coworkers or hiring someone who can take a portion of your workload. You deserve to feel complete peace in your daily life, and assessing or asking what you need can be the first step to setting this in motion.
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