Everything You Wanted to Know about Venus Retrograde

by Rick DiClemente

Personal, charming Venus, the love planet, will be retrograde (appears to travel backwards against the backdrop of the stars) from May 15 through June 27th, 2012. Many of you have heard of Mercury going retrograde, which it does every 3 months. However, Venus and Mars are the rarest of planets that do so. The outer planets typically retrograde 5 months out of the 12, but with Venus, its time is short. With retrograde planets, we focus on the “re” part of the energy, i.e., re-think, re-do, re-consider, re-plan, etc.

What is Venus doing? Many people get all excited because they have an inherent feeling that somehow “love” and “relationships” are involved with Venus. They are, but are commonly misunderstood. Also, at this time, Venus is in the lighthearted sign of Gemini, not the most passionate of placements.

Our Venus energy is our Yin energy, our receptive capacities; how do we let love in to our heart? Do we? It is time during this retrograde (Rx) period to consider how we are doing in the affection department. Even though Venus represents the feminine side of each of us, or the anima, it’s still an active planetary energy. It doesn’t just sit back and wait for the phone to ring. It takes effort to be charming, to allow someone into our hearts or to fight and resist as if we have sentries on our shoulders warning against opening up and trusting.

It’s really that simple. If you are looking for the Venus Rx period to “fix” your relationship or bring you a new super-lover, you’re looking in the wrong place. That’s how much astrology is grossly misunderstood. However, if you are ready to query yourself about being too open, too passive, too accommodating, too closed, etc., then this is the ticket. Our Venus is very important in each of our charts. Too many times clients worry deeply about their “love life” only to find under further investigation, they really don’t want someone close to them. They want intimacy but they don’t!

But, that’s a start!

When we examine ourselves and find out that our heart is closed, Venus Rx is doing its job. When we open up without getting lost in the other and becoming co-dependent, we have found out what the retrograde period is all about. A healthy Venus is one that is open and loving – the greatest placement of which is Venus in Pisces which really groks unconditional love. This time is for honest self-appraisal resulting, hopefully, in fuller and more meaningful relationships.

It has become clear that the planets bring us love in direct relationship to how much we’re working on clearing ourselves of emotional baggage. It is unbelievable how many times love comes to us, often times the next day, after we let go of toxic situations! So, we don’t really have to hope and pray for love; we need to be in an open, baggage-less state – and then love comes.

Venus retrograde is time to take a good hard look at all related matters. With Venus in Gemini, we’ll be seeing how we need more than intimacy and companionship; we need to be stimulated intellectually as well. The sign of the Twins inspires us to find like minds as well as hearts.

As Venus turns direct (forward) on June 27th, we should be feeling more like ourselves, but yet new and re-charged, ready to re-late once again. Hopefully after the Rx period, we should find ourselves fresher and more cognizant of our new, ever-changing needs. One of the main things we need to focus on during this time is to become cautious of becoming over-appeasing. Venus as a rule will always try to be charming and allowing. That’s not always the way to go. We need to define and learn for ourselves: what is our best blend of this important graceful energy for our own hearts and minds.

Rick DiClemente is the Author of “The Exquisite Zodiac”.  Connect with Rick atwww.starself.com

©2012 Rick DiClemente. All Rights Reserved.