I´m republishing this article I wrote back in 2018 concerning the Venus retrograde period, then taking place in the sign of Scorpio. We are going to experience another retrograde Venus in another feminine sign Capricorn. This officially takes place from 26.12- 29.1.2022 when Venus is travelling alonside Pluto and conjoining with it mid December. This might give us some imtense Scorpionic vibes to this retrograde season aswell!
So Venus retrograde, what might this time tell us? And what do we have the possibility to learn from a retrograde? Some more notes on this specific period after the article.
When beauty’s more than skin deep…
A note on VENUS RETROGRADE IN SCORPIO
First Published in OPAs Career Astrologer Magazine 2018
To an astrologer, it might seem obvious that a person reincarnated still has got some unfinished karmic issues. An astrological chart together with the transits of planets, including retrograde planets, can help us identify past life themes and the intricate layers of our karmic lessons.
About eight years ago (8.10.2010), the Goddess Venus stationed retrograde in the sign of Scorpio (13 degrees), suggesting we were called upon an important period of introspection and re -evaluation of relationships. The retrograde cycle in itself is about 584 days, one year and seven months between the Venus stations. The complete Venus cycle, including 5 retrogrades, takes over an 8-year cycle until it returns close to the original position.
VENUS RETROGRADE – A Male to Female transformation.
It´s time again, this autumn of 2018 precisely the 6th of October, Venus will begin her retrograde journey at 11 degrees Scorpio. From her station she will retrograde to meet the Sun at the inferior conjunction at 3 degrees Scorpio on October 25 – she has been up to that point brightly visible after sunset as an evening star. In ancient American history, the Aztecs and Mayas knew about the retrograde Venus period, and this was the time when Venus according to them turned male – between her Stationary retrograde point (when the planet appears to move backwards) 30 degrees ahead of the Sun and the Station direct point, at 30 degrees behind the Sun.
With this transition back and forth from female to male, no wonder, some Venus retrograde individual feels a bit more androgynous. And speaking of that, only about 7% of people have retrograding Venus in their chart.
Venus retrograding for about 40 days might also correspond to the biblical story of Jesus spending forty nights and days in the desert. The Bible tells us that he was tempted by Satan during these times, having to resist the urges of eating when starved, the urge of having it all in a glimpse, and constantly be humiliated by Lucifer. The Venus retrograding period this autumn, might not be that drastic, but there might be some similarities. When Venus the ruler of sweetness and wealth of life, puts us to the test, we might also be tempted to over-indulge our senses.
Venus lesser beautiful traits are often forgot or overlooked, leading us to believe that her influence is only about beauty and grace, however when Scorpio is involved there’s always a need to go deeper – to the core. In the myth of Venus Aphrodite, the Goddess also show traits of jealousy, revengefulness and possessiveness to mention a few. Standing in the shadow of Venus is not “pretty.” To fully understand the retrograde Venus in Scorpio, it might be of interest to look at how she played out in some known persons and astrologers’ lives.
Examples of famous People with retrograde Venus in Scorpio at birth
Taryn Manning
Taryn became a very popular actress, mostly for her role in Orange is the new Black, were she plays convict Tiffany Dogett as “Pennsatucky”. She has done several other films and is also a vocal artist and designer. Manning grew up in a severely dysfunctional family, where drug addiction and neglect were present daily. Her biological father was not present in her early life. The rootlessness together with her stepfathers’ suicide at her age 16, forced her to step up at a young age. She was a survivor. Interestingly the females with Venus retrograde are often viewed as having a rather functional mars energy, knowing how to proceed in difficult times. There are quite a few indicators of Venus retrograde females living an amazon-like life, but that’s maybe to take it to the extreme. Scorpio is a lot about the extremes of blacks and whites and Manning also admitted that she has a problem with addiction, stating that she´s been in rehabilitation groups, has a sober companion and outlets for support.
“Through teaching myself how to be happy and get through things, I hope I can also do that for other people”. Taryn Manning
To be able to transform oneself, with the help of the Scorpio Fenix myth, is really a Manning story. With retrograde Venus, personal difficulties may be present underneath, and because we are talking about Venus in Scorpio, there might also be sexual or psychological problems. In the year 2016 Manning was involved in a legal dispute with a makeup artist that she´s had a rocky history with. The true nature of the relationship is unclear, but she was accused of attacking and threatening her former friend. The friend was accused of stalking Manning. What’s interesting to note, is that in the spring of 2016, both Venus and Mars were retrograde.
The period of the Venus evening star is when Venus turns male, and is also sacrificed to be reborn as female. As transit or as a natal chart placement, the evening star is associated with the androgynous side of the planet, experienced by the person as a form of completeness within the gender polarity.
Perhaps retrograde Venus is the best phase for new relationships. We can experience the purging of old patterns. We may also learn new things or experience changes in the material side of Venus, associated with money, values, the finer arts and pleasures of life.
Bruno Huber
The late and well known Swiss astrologer who founded the Swiss Astrological Psychological Institute had Venus retrograding in Scorpio. His life’s’ work has set the foundation for the Psychological Astrology Association of today, his books Lifeclock and Psychological Astrology have been reprinted over decades. Huber spent his life in Zurich, where he was born and passed. He worked together with Roberto Assagioli assisting him in his work with psychosynthesis. Huber´s legacy continues, and while visiting the Spanish Huber School in Barcelona last year, discussing with its founder Rosa Sole-Gubianes, I learned how much deeper his theories have affected astrology.
For some reason the retrograde Venus personality might be slower with the ego development, having a harder time to assert themselves. For males, there might be a heightened expression of the anima (female quality), and the other way around for females. It´s not a wonder that psychology might be of interest for a person born with retrograde Venus in Scorpio. Huber´s lifelong work with developing Psychological Astrology together with his lifelong partner and wife Louisa Huber, tells a postive Venus retrograde story.
Venus split: Urania and Pandemos
When Venus was born, she was immediately accompanied by Eros and Himeros, meaning love and desire. There´s also been speculations about her being one of two goddesses: Urania and Pandemos. Urania would have been the older and wiser of the two. Urania is one of the nine muses, and is said to show interest in the theoretical arts like astronomy, astrology and mathematics. Urania was the part of Venus associated with socializing and being accepted.
Pandemos, the younger form, was associated with the lower prime instincts such as sex, desire, sensual and physical features. Urania was heaven and Pandemos earth.
Ted Bundy
Using another example of retrograde Scorpio Venus, Bundy grew up with his grandparents, not knowing about his real parents. They told him that his biological mother was in fact his sister. In the teens he found out the truth which led him to envy his real mother ever after. Erin Sullivan acknowledges in her studies of retrograde Venus males, that the relationship to the mother might have been strong or somehow abusive at times. What’s interesting to note in Bundy´s life story, is that the killings assumed to have started out of a broken relationship. In 1968 after he broken up with a girl that had everything he ever wanted, the truth about his background also came to further light.
It´s believed that this was the time he started to kidnap, rape and kill young women. Bundy, although described by many as a charming and charismatic person, described himself as obsessed with sexual violence. Bundy studied to become a graduated Psychologist and went on to law school. He was clearly smart, but stated that he could not understand they way peoples interacted socially. He confessed to some murders but until today it´s still not clear how many he actually killed. When Bundy was arrested On august 16, 1975, when Venus was retrograding.
“You feel the last bit of breath leaving their body. You’re looking into their eyes. A person in that situation is God!” Ted Bundy
Martin Schulman (1977) views the karmic Venus retrograde as an inward turning of the harmony and beauty principle, and he views the retrograde Venus person like a reactor to life. He sees the retrograde Venus personality, as remarkably different from the person having Venus in direct motion. This personality is more prone to internalizing hurts, working on the issues within, that another may choose to externalize. There´s a certain kind of sensitivity surrounding this person as Venus retrograde creates hurts that needs to be worked through. Schulman stresses that the retrograde Venus individual is carrying with him a misunderstanding of love from a past life. A certain rebellion against the existing society norms, and an urge for freedom, might lead them to a search for an Aquarian partner.
Demi Moore
Demi grew up with an absent father and found out about him at age 13through her own research. Her mother had addiction problems and a long list of troubles with the law. At 16 of age, Moore moved from home and went to Europe to work as a pinup girl. She featured in adult magazines before going into acting. In the 80´s she went to rehab for drug addictions. A problem that return in her later years. In Moore´s chart, retrograde Venus is involved in a grand Cross, high lighting it´s importance in her life.
Moore puts a lot of energy in her outlook and has several anti-aging procedures, one come extreme than the other. Her latest 3rd marriage was to the 15 years younger Aquarian, Anton Kutcher. They separated 2011. When they broke up in 2010 due to his infidelities, Venus was Retrograde.
“ I would say what scares me is that I’m going to ultimately find out at the end of my life that I’m really not lovable, that I’m not worthy of being loved. That there’s something fundamentally wrong with me.” Demi Moore
A few more interesting and talented people with retrograde Venus in Scorpio we can list are Evolutionary astrologer and founder of the Evolutionary School of Astrology Jeffrey Wolf Green, actress and producer Jodie Foster, politician Condoleezza Rice, and Finnish Astrologer Marja-Liisa Niemi Mattila. This autumn we all get a chance to experience Venus depts, and maybe get some insights about our deeper hidden selves.
This retrograde period can be a period of intense evaluation of commitment and power in our relationships. Just ahead of the new year, Venus turns retrograde at 26 degrees Capricorn, right next to Pluto. The last time she was retrograde in the sign of Capricorn was in 2013. Each retrograde occurs every 18 months, and each a whole Venus cycle takes 8 years.When Venus is retrograde, we have the opportunity to dive deeper and reflect on our values, priorities, and relationships. Capricorn is often seen as a materialistic sign, — strategic and collectively-oriented.
This period can help us direct our focus on balancing our need for affection and love with a sense of duty, commitment, and professional development. Assess if there is something that needs realignment between love and career. These might not always be the most comfortable questions, but this transit is an excellent time to work on these issues. It is helpful to notice in which house the retrograding Venus is in your chart. During the retrograde period, we may also stumble over previous acquaintances or ex-lovers. About eight percent of the world’s population have Venus retrograding in their natal chart, making that an even smaller percentage than with Venus in Capricorn. On Christmas eve, December 24, she will make an exact conjunction with Pluto. Venus connections to Pluto are often seen as power struggles, especially around love and money issues.
To learn more about this retrograde period read OPAs Career Astrologer Magazine in December 2021.
References:
Astrologer Maija Urmas notes 1995-2017
Huber Bruno and Louise, Lifeclock (Hopewell 1982)
Wikipedia Urania Goddess
Wolf Green Jeffrey, Pluto volume 2 (The Wessex astrologer 2015)
Sole-Gubianes Rosa Huber School Interview (2018)
Sullivan Erin, Retrograde Planets Traversing the Inner Landscapes (Weiser Books; 2nd Revised ed. edition 2006)
Sundell Anne, Vilen Johanna, Wiik Liisa, Karma-astrologian avaimet (Basam Books 2021)
Sundell Anne, When Beauty is more than skin deep- a Note on Venus Retrograde in Scorpio (The Career Astrologer 2018)
Sundell Anne, Transits of the Season (The Career Astrologer 2021)
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/demi_moore