Venus retrograde: With Examples - Barefoot Astrologer

Venus Retrograde shows us that things never turn out the same way twice.

When you do something for the first time, it’s always the most exciting and memorable. But by the time we go back to it, say, eight years later, we already have ideas about what we think it will be like.

We’ve grown up and gained new perspectives because of what we’ve been through. Eight years ago, we had nothing to use as a starting point for our analysis.

I say all this because Venus retrograde will repeat in the same sign every 8 years.

However, it won’t be exactly the same because Venus is retrograding to different degrees (minus 2 degrees each cycle). As a result, conversations like conjunctions with other planets may or may not occur.

For example, in 2007, Venus went retrograde in Virgo conjunct Saturn (restriction, maturity, self-discipline, and reassessment). The planet then moved into Leo. Venus was retrograde with Jupiter (optimism, growth, intellect, and expansion) in Leo in 2015; therefore, both cycles had different results.

What is a Retrograde?

A retrograde is when a planet appears to be going backwards and extends its visit in the sign of its retrograde.

In astrology, retrogrades are about fixing a situation by embracing a return to your past. The path back to the past can be a dull and weary one if you get lost. But rest assured, the past doesn’t always stay lost.

As the retrograde shows you, certain things from your past can help you in this moment.

Maybe you were hoping you’d never have to face the past. Maybe you were afraid to put your heart on the line and make the best of a situation.

Retrogrades seem like an endless cycle of reinvention, but they’re also a constant reminder that life is meant to be experienced. Even in the worst of times, there is something to learn and grow from.

Venus, the Retrograde, and Signs?

Venus appears to go backwards for around 40 days and, as a result, may reenter another sign.

Capricorn (Aquarius in 2005), Aries, Gemini, Leo (Virgo in 2007), late Libra, and Scorpio are the only signs through which Venus retrogrades.

Returning to something from our past is an opportunity for reflection, growth, and reconnection. It allows us to honor the chapters we left unfinished, to mend broken bonds, and to embrace the lessons learned along the way.

As we step back into these realms, we bring with us the wisdom and experiences we have gained, infusing our present with the richness of the past.

What to expect during Venus Retrograde

You can expect

Revisions
Reconnections
Reconsiderations
Second chances
Continuations
Increase in expenditures
Decrease or Increase in income

Venus rules:

Love
Laziness
Money
Possessions of all kinds
Procreation
Music
Art
Relatedness
Luxury & Beauty
Harmony
Self-Worth

Venus retrograde can help you achieve success in the creative and beauty fields.

Painting
Illustration
Sculpture
Architecture
Fashion Design
Interior Design
Make Up
Acting
Directing
Animation
Music Production
Writing and Journalism
Theater and Performing Arts
Dance and Choreography
Game Design and Development
Advertising and Marketing
Culinary Arts
Landscape Design
Creative Writing

Relationships

Return to an ex
Meet someone who will play a significant role in your life (karmic relationship)
Renewing vows
Finding out why you had a reservation when you first met
Something is revealed

Work/ Career

Return to former employment
Get second job (within company) or have a 2nd income
Get a promotion
Revising a business idea or price

Other

Reconnecting with friends
Returning to something other than friends, career, and an ex
The second year—the Second time of something
Feeling ugly/ beauty upgrades

A Romantic Example During Venus Retrograde

It began with a chance meeting, of two souls recognizing each other amidst a smoky poker game.

Sam was there with his co-workers. And Jas was their for her 22nd birthday, and she was taken by surprise with the spark she felt for Sam, which created a bond that felt destined.

But life took them on separate paths, yet the universe conspired to bring them back together at the perfect intervals.

At age 30, eight years later, they found themselves reconnecting, realizing the depth of their connection hadn’t diminished. It was as if time had stood still, and their romance was rekindled.

At age 38, the two had been together for 8 years, but a revelation unfolded, shaking the foundation of their relationship. Secrets they had long kept were exposed, challenging their commitment.

Sam was having an affair.

Yet, they weathered the storm, as Jas was pregnant with their first child.

But fate had more in store for them.

At age 46, circumstances forced them to part ways, each following their individual paths. It was a painful separation, filled with longing and bittersweet memories.

This time it was Sam’s gambling habit that was too much for the relationship to survive.

Sam wondered if they would ever find their way back to one another.

But Jas did not even want to communicate with him.

And then, at age 54, the universe worked its magic once again, like a divine gift from above.

Love embraced Sam, but not Jas; she had already moved on with another man and she was a stepmother to two boys.

Sam had always had a deep connection with his former work colleague, who was there that night when he met Jas at the casino, but the two had never acted upon their attraction until now. This time, they cherished every moment, knowing the rarity and preciousness of their love story.

By 60, Sam and Jas reunited when their child had a child. Still only a late teenager, having a baby forced the separated couple to come together through this challenging yet joyous time.

A Non-Romantic Example During Venus Retrograde

From the age of 13, Emma had a deep love for nature. She would spend hours tending to her mother’s flower garden, mesmerized by the delicate petals and vibrant colors that bloomed with life.

However, as life took its twists and turns, Emma’s passion became buried beneath the responsibilities and demands of adulthood.

Emma pursued different passions. But at age 21, she returned to her hometown after graduating. It was during this visit that she rediscovered her love for flowers, as if the universe gently nudged her back to her roots. She ended up volunteering at a local flower shop, immersing herself in the fragrant world of blossoms.

With every stem she arranged, she breathed life into her dreams.

At 29, Emma stumbled upon a hidden meadow filled with wildflowers, a scene that would forever be etched in her heart. She attended a floral arrangement workshop, where she learned the artistry of creating bouquets.

But she realized she had a nose for scents and creativity, and a year later she would study chemistry.

At 37, Within the last 8 years, at age 33, Emma had become a mother, but her child was old enough that they were in school, and she could revisit her idea to start her own perfume.

This was the time she came up with a business plan but did not have the time or experience to execute it.

Initially, Emma sought to find a manufacturer of skincare, cosmetics, toiletries, and fragrances but ended up working with a woman who had her own small line of cosmetics and fragrances.

8 years later

At 45, and another child was conceived at 41, Emma was no longer working for the entrepreneur who sold her line independently. She went to work for a high end manufacturing company and spent time in a laboratory making cosmetics, toiletries, etc.

But it was at the age of 53, after a long and winding journey, that Emma’s story took a remarkable turn. Inspired by her decades-long connection with flowers and scent, she decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her true passion. She became determined to turn her love for scents into a thriving business.

Setting up shop in the very place she had once discovered her love of flowers, Emma opened her own perfumery.

Her first sale was handled with delicate care; the perfume bottle was nestled in a box, adorned with a satin bow, ready to be gifted with love and anticipation. As Emma handed over the box with a trembling heart, the sweet scent of success lingered.

Eventually, her shop became a haven filled with the intoxicating aroma of nature’s beauty. People from near and far flocked to witness and experience the joy of her creations.

As a result of her perseverance, dedication, and unwavering love for scents, Emma not only found fulfillment but also financial success. She had turned her lifelong journey into a blossoming career, and her shop became a symbol of hope and beauty in the community.

As Emily reflected on her 61-year journey, she marveled at the serendipitous path that had led her back to the very essence of her being.

And so, Emma’s story serves as a reminder that when we have the courage to return to the things that ignite our hearts, we may find ourselves blooming in ways we never imagined possible.

And What can happen when YOU have Venus Retrograde in Your Chart?

What happens to you is very much dependent on the area of the chart where transiting Venus is going retrograde and the sign.

Nevertheless, you will either return back to an old style, way of making money, way of communicating, reunite with a family member, move back into an old neighborhood or property, meet someone significant, fall in love all over again, return to an old routine, get a second opinion, remarry, divorce, revisit a foreign country, return to a business plan, reunite with an old friend, etc

However, due to the cyclic nature of Venus retrograde, it can create a pattern of revisiting certain themes every eight years, even if an event relates to a different house.

For example, the Venus retrograde cycle can manifest in the house and the aspects where the transiting planet (ruler) of the sign Venus retrograde occupies (Leo-Sun transit, Aries-Mars transit, Gemini-Mercury transit, etc.); this includes their location during Venus’ shadow periods.

Either way, just think back to what happened the last time Venus was retrograde in the same sign, which happens every 8 years!