Posted on July 25, 2015 in Announcements
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By Henry Seltzer for ASTROGRAPH Horoscopes
The current mysterious and rare retrograde of Venus has been in the astrological news recently, taking place from the early morning of Saturday, July 25th all the way through the month of August and on into September. During this period of time, the planet of love, beauty and connection will travel backwards through the zodiac, and make her journey from the Evening Star to rise once more as the Morning Star. This happens roughly once every 1 1/2 years, and during this journey from night sky to morning sky, Venus disappears from our view under the horizon for a portion of time. The ancients viewed this as the star's journey through the underworld — which is a part of what this time is symbolic of — like the stories of Persephone or Inanna — visiting the deep, dark realms of human existence, and returning to the surface transformed. The timing of Venus symbolically passing through the underworld will be from August 9th to the 21st. August 21st is the time of her Heliacal Rise when she reappears as the Morning Star to begin a new 584-day cycle, associated with the sign of Leo.
In the sense of how it may affect our modern lives, Venus retrograde is often a time where themes of relationships and connections are up for review, along with deep consideration for what we truly value in ourselves and others. This period of time is not without its challenges, but when approached from a place of openhearted observation of ourselves and others, it can be a deeply regenerative time with many lessons available.
Venus stations to retrograde motion on Saturday, July 25th at 0º of Virgo, and subsequently spends most of her journey in the fiery realms of Leo, stationing to direct motion on September 6th at 14º Leo. This particular retrograde period is interesting in that Venus will "meet" (become conjunct) with Jupiter, Mercury, the Sun, AND Mars along the way, as well as trining Uranus. It is interesting to note that the revolutionary archetype represented by Uranus is also emphasized at this same timing; Uranus stations retrograde the day after Venus does, on July 26th.
Then, on August 4th, Venus will conjunct Jupiter — symbolizing the friendly teacher urging us to be all that our higher selves require of us, and to learn our big lessons in a way that is gentle, positive and beneficial. These two were also conjunct earlier this summer, "kissing" in the night sky, and creating a beautiful light show just after sunset that will repeat over these first few days of August, plus bringing loads of fun and grace to our connections with others. This time, however, they are simultaneously making a near exact square to Saturn in Scorpio, and this significant aspect will likely contribute some sobering realities about what it actually takes to evolve into our higher selves, in the important realms of relating. We could feel ourselves particularly hooked at this timing by the dream and the obstacles to truly getting there. Everything regarding our human connections might seem to be taking place in slow motion, the better to study it.
Two days later, Mercury fully joins the fun, coming between Jupiter and Venus, shining the light of intellect and consciousness into the realms of relationship. This energy is very helpful for communication, which will be important at this timing, because anything that arises around re-negotiating our relationship issues will require especially clear and honest communications. This aspect may also be seen a synthesis between mind and heart, working in unison, rather than forces that are somehow at odds.
Some three days later, on the 9th, Venus disappears from the evening sky to join the brilliant and radiant Sun, making an exact conjunction on August 15th. This is the time of Venus' symbolic trial as she passes through "the underworld" and is no longer visible. The ancient Mayans thought that this would be a time of lawlessness and referred to "the embarrassment of the ruler." On our own journey inward, this can be a difficult time for us, and yet we might also reflect that the Sun represents the light of consciousness, and that illumination is the key to higher learning. During this part of the journey we may come to a vantage point where we are truly able to see some perhaps difficult things about ourselves through the reflection of others. There could be a degree of discomfort in acknowledging these, but by yielding to the vibrancy of the Sun, you might feel more willing than usual to embrace the parts of yourself that are not easy to admit to or to be with.
By August 19th, just two days before her heliacal rise, Venus will make a trine to Uranus, and an inconjunct to Chiron, in adjacent signs within one zodiacal minute from each other! It is at this moment in the road to healing where we may encounter epiphany regarding our deepest wounding around relating to others, and find within these wounds the seeds of our own unique gift, leading to healing and to embodying our highest manifestation of ourselves, just aching to pour forth and be offered to the world.
Venus rises as the Morning Star on August 21st, thus regaining her place in the sky, the brightest object in the heavens. She rises in Leo, where she has spent the past three weeks of the retrograde, indicating that for the next 584-day period of her synodic cycle, love relations, commerce, and artistic creativity will partake of the unabashed direct vitality and willpower symbolized by this outgoing sign. Then, on August 31st, Venus comes further to life by her contact with the vital and masculine energies of Mars, symbolic of integrating and balancing both our inner feminine and masculine energies. This is also a time when we can get in touch with our inner warrior. As Venus stations direct a week later, this entire summer hopefully leaves us with the will to move forward, carried by new beliefs, and the drive to integrate and uphold all that we have learned in the journey.
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