By Amanda Painter

On Friday, at 3:04 pm EDT (19:04:14 UTC), Venus stations retrograde in Scorpio. We’re in one of those odd years when we get a series of ‘personal planet’ retrogrades in a row, sometimes overlapping each other. I think these years tend to have a distinct feel to them; I don’t know about you, but a significant chunk of 2018 has felt a little bit like limbo, or like one long phase of inner processing, and it looks like that might continue almost through the end of the year.

Playa Brava, Culebra, Puerto Rico. Photo by Amanda Painter.

Mercury’s three yearly retrogrades is a pretty familiar pattern. But this year, Mercury’s second retrograde overlapped with the summer’s Mars retrograde. And then later this fall, several hours after Venus stations direct on Nov. 16, Mercury will station retrograde the same day.

I mention this not to freak out or depress anybody, but rather so you can get oriented with an eye toward continued introspection. Yes, you will have to continue taking necessary action in your life; you might be in the process of making big changes and choices; exciting opportunities could come your way, as might frustrating challenges that you’ll need to address.

As I understand it, these retrogrades are not about treading water so much as they are about seeking new levels of self-understanding, or reviewing what got you where you are so you can plot an informed course forward. Yes, there are certain precautions and guidelines — such as avoiding unnecessary large purchases while Mercury is retrograde, or not assuming that the new lover you hook up with during a Venus retrograde is ‘The One’. But that’s not the same as being too afraid to do what needs to be done.

So what’s unique about the chart for Venus stationing retrograde tomorrow? For one thing, Venus will change apparent direction in close conjunction with a hypothetical point called Poseidon (the Greek version of Neptune; associated with enlightenment and illumination) and with the asteroid Persephone (the goddess brought to the underworld by Pluto to be his wife, resulting in the seasons as she makes her annual journey above ground and then back down again).

Right off the bat, we have a beautiful image of the inward journey of Venus through the emotional, sexual waters of Scorpio as being one of illuminating the depths of past relationships. It’s not about reliving anything; rather, it’s about shining a light beneath the waves from the safety of the present. No matter what comes up for you over the next few weeks and no matter who crosses your path, it’s entirely up to you how you engage with it (or not) and what you learn from it. It could be as simple as, “Oh yeah — I remember that; thank Goddess I’m in a better place now,” or even, “There was a lot that was good in that relationship; I’d like to consciously manifest some of those qualities again.”

Just opposite Venus, in Taurus, is the centaur Pelion (named for Chiron’s mountain home) and Lempo (a Finnish fertility and fire goddess). What comes to my mind here is that healing starts at ‘home’ (meaning with us, where we are right now, and in relation to those currently closest to us); and that the process of this Venus retrograde could birth some deep transformation — especially in relation to, or mirrored by, someone else.

In terms of astrological bodies more commonly used by Planet Waves, Venus is also making a loose-ish trine to Neptune and Nessus in Pisces. This underscores the idea of this process being supported by a healing agenda that’s focused on past patterns — perhaps including patterns of denial or disillusionment in love and sex.

Adding a bit of an edge, Venus will be retrograding into a second square with Mars, which is still in early Aquarius. That will be exact on Oct. 10 — though this Venus-Mars square has been in effect since early September. (Venus squared Mars exactly, while in direct motion, on Sept. 8.) Culturally, we’ve seen this tension come out particularly regarding the three women who have publicly accused SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual violence toward them — with Mars in Aquarius perhaps representing this man who belongs to an elite, powerful social group.

On a more personal level, you may be noticing this energy in your life in a couple of ways. For one, you could be experiencing heightened sexual attraction to someone, including someone you’re already involved with. If you’re in a relationship where there’s some underlying, unacknowledged tension, however, you might be dealing with increased discord. If that is the case, how can you begin to resolve it?

Speaking of discord and the Kavanaugh hearing: also exact on Friday is an opposition between Mercury in Libra and Eris in Aries. My first thought when I saw this aspect was, “Who thinks they can offer justice to the ‘castaway woman’?” Incidentally, Friday is the deadline for the FBI’s investigation into Kavanaugh, though as I write this on Wednesday I’m seeing reports that they might finish early (which seems astonishing).

You might also stop and observe what your own thought patterns are like when you are met with someone who appears to be engaging in subterfuge or manipulation, as Eris did in myth. Can you come to a decision, or do you keep vacillating and second-guessing yourself?

Finally, I want to note that the Sun and asteroid Ceres are conjunct in Libra (exact Sunday) in the chart for Venus stationing retrograde. Ceres was Persephone’s mother; as you recall, Persephone is currently conjunct Venus in Scorpio. In myth, it was Ceres’ grief when her daughter lived in the underworld with Pluto that gave us the seasons.

Right now, though, Ceres is about to merge with the Sun — giver of all life on Earth — in the sign of balance. No matter what our relationships look like — whether we consider them ‘failures’ or ‘successes’, often painful or generally joyful — seeking conscious understanding of them facilitates our growth. Our relationships feed our self-awareness; and with our self-awareness, we can nourish those we enter into relationship with. The Venus retrograde about to begin is but one phase of this process.

Order Eric’s Autumn Reading, which will cover Venus retrograde and beyond, and comprises all 12 signs. This will give you crucial insight into your Sun and rising signs, plus those of your closest partners, friends, family members and prospective lovers. Each sign will be 30 to 40 minutes each, and the set will come with a video introduction. You may order here, or call us at (845) 481-5616.