The mere mention of a retrograde typically brings to mind thoughts of weeks of chaos, frustrations, delays, and having to pause game plans until the astroweather is a bit more agreeable. But every planet’s backspin brings opportunities and bright spots, often stemming from slowing down, prioritizing self-reflection, and healing a particular area of your life. This fall, that lesson couldn’t be any louder, thanks to Venus retrograde. The planet of pleasure, romance, values, earning, and beauty moves back from intense, magnetic fixed water sign Scorpio into partnership-loving, social butterfly Libra over the course of 40 days. While Venus’ backspin will impact everyone’s relationships (including the one you have with yourself) in some way, there are four signs whose love lives will be transformed by the transit.
Over the course of this Venus retrograde, there will be several key moments that bring conflict, shake-ups, power struggles, as well as heightened nostalgia and beauty. A few highlights: On October 10, Venus retrograde in Scorpio squares Mars in Leo, spurring tension between your desires and how you’re moving the ball forward. Internalized anger, impulsive behavior, and the tendency to dig your heels in could also come into play. October 20 sets the stage for obstinance and control issues, jealousy, and infatuation to surface when Venus retrograde in Scorpio squares off against powerful Pluto. On November 4, Venus retrograde in Libra forms a friendly sextile to lucky Jupiter in Leo, inviting harmony and optimism, and on November 9 to 10, Venus sextiles Mars, cranking up chemistry and passion.
The four zodiac signs whose love lives Venus retrograde will impact the most are Aries, Taurus, Cancer, and Pisces.
Every fall, you’re invited to dive deeper into your one-on-one bonds and to center vulnerability and intimacy, but that’s especially the case this year. Venus is moving back from your eighth house of sex into your seventh house of partnership, all while your ruler Mars and lucky Jupiter are amplifying your focus on romance, pleasure, spontaneity, and fun. Until Venus backs up into Libra on October 25, you’ll experience a conflict between your desires and actually being able to make the moves to fulfill them. But therein lies an opportunity to grow and evolve, to question whether the way you’ve made your romantic dreams a reality in the past is still the best lever to pull.
With your ruler Venus moving backward through your seventh house of partnership, you’re challenged to look in the rearview to better understand where you’ve been and where you’re headed in your one-on-one relationships. Are your bonds as reciprocal as you’d ideally like, or is someone carrying a heavier mental and emotional load? How honest have you been about your desires? What do you need to feel more satisfied? If you’re feeling a bit lost, turn up the volume on your intuition and think about what bolsters your sense of security, because Mars and Jupiter, both interacting with Venus, are in your fourth house of inner life. Listening to yourself more now could ultimately drive greater fulfillment in love.
With the sun lighting up your first house of self until October 23, it might not always feel like you’re being pulled into the underworld by Venus during the initial course of this retrograde. Still, you’re being tasked with taking stock of your self-worth and values during your ruler’s trip back through your second house. Meditate on what you truly believe you deserve, and how that’s impacting your closest bonds. On October 20, Venus squares Pluto in your fifth house of romance and self-expression, which could drum up drama that’s best handled by owning your voice. Then, come November, reflect on how relationship dynamics are either fueling or derailing your long-term wishes. Identifying and stating the exact support you need to make your dreams concrete can prove incredibly empowering.
As Venus moves back through your first house of self, you’re being nudged to think about how you’re presenting yourself, what your self-care plan looks like, and how you’ve been showing yourself love (or not). Nurturing your relationship with yourself, first and foremost, is key to making the most of this impactful transit, as it can bolster your confidence and empower you to assert yourself more. As Venus shifts back into your twelfth house of spirituality on October 25 (the same day as the full moon in your seventh house of partnership), you’ll realize just how crucial it is to regularly tend to your mind and spirit and how that will positively influence your most intimate bonds now and in the future.