Venus Retrograde in January 2014 – Rewind, Review, Reflection

by Robert Wilkinson

Venus does an interesting dance with the Sun, and goes retrograde every 8 years in approximately the same span of degrees as 8 years before. So from this time 8 years ago, here’s a foreshadowing of what’s happening now.

In December 2005, Venus went stationary retrograde at 2 Aquarius, and retrograded back to 17 Capricorn. This time in December 2013, it went retrograde at 29 Capricorn, and is retrograding back to 14 Capricorn. To note, this time it will make its “inferior conjunction” with the Sun at 22 Capricorn on January 11, 2014, indicating the lesson involves “apparent defeats that spell true spiritual victory.” We may expect to feel like we’ve “failed” at something, but in truth we will grow spiritually through learning to conform to whatever presents itself.

8 years ago I wrote an article about that Venus retrograde. Though I gave part of it to you several weeks ago, here's a return to those themes, rewritten a little and edited for current transits. You may find some of it applies to what we’ve been going through since mid-December.

Venus retrograde is a great time to reflect on values and relationships. This would include our relationship to money, wealth, and things in general, as well as why we value what we do in our relationships, and whether we're working off of old tapes, old hurts, old attachments, and old aversions in relationships that bear no resemblance to what we're living with today.

Most of the retrograde will be in Capricorn in favorable aspect to Saturn in Scorpio. This offers us an opportunity to be very pragmatic and practical in updating our likes and dislikes to current values and conditions freed from old subconscious tapes that are not useful in our present day to day relationships to people and things.

Venus retrograde may bring memories of old hurts and misunderstandings. However, we can use these “echoes of memories of perceptions” to re-experience old wounds and free ourselves of subconscious patterns that seduce us into suffering by superimposing our mature self's values and short circuiting the echoes of memories of perceptions based in prior ignorance or victimization.

That some people hurt others is a reality in this impermanent world. Still, we do not have to suffer needlessly based in old emotional habits that do not serve our need for love, wisdom, veneration, compassion, and self-respect. I have found that even when these are absent, and hurtfulness is all around, by maintaining these higher values within me, I can transcend the outer conditions, and no longer struggle with those who want to suffer, or dish it out to others.

A very wise man once said words to the effect that life is painful, but we do not have to suffer. It does take courage, strength, and good will to transcend the tendency to suffer, but in releasing the habit of suffering, we take control of our magnificent eternal consciousness and are able to find a tremendous compassion and power. Using these, we are able to enter into the pain and suffering wherever we find it, and break the link between the two.

So as you move through these times, whether they are cheerful or painful for you and those you are with, try to remember that regardless of what's going on around you, we have the choice to BE however we need to be in that moment to bring forth the highest self we are able. It is that which is beyond the fluctuations of personality, and the means by which we can be the light in the darkness of this impermanent existence.

Epilogos: 3 weeks ago I gave you an article about the current Venus retrograde period. In it I offered some of this material while giving you more up to date information about the current retrograde as well as the previous Venus retrograde and how it related to the extremely important Neptune conjunct Pluto about 120 years ago. You may want to take another look since the two together can give you a bigger sense of what this is about.

Astrology in December 2013 - Venus going Stationary Retrograde at 29 Capricorn

(And yes, I will compose more about this when I have time. I've been fairly busy doing holiday posts and the huge number of musical birthdays that occur in the first half of Capricorn. On that note, the celebration of the King's birthday is coming later today!!)

© Copyright 2014 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Valerie]

thank you for the great advice. many of these re-visits have been going through my mind and Venus is doing her thing in my 12th house. i'm cool with it. happy new year! Namaste :)

[Kali Ma]

“...apparent defeats that spell true spiritual victory.” We may expect to feel like we’ve “failed” at something, but in truth we will grow spiritually through learning to conform to whatever presents itself..."

Dear Robert,
Thank you for your sage insight and guidance.

I copied the line above bec those words say EXACTLY what is going on in my life. I recently made a conscious choice to do something which I never thought in a million years I would--in essence, I all I did was follow where my heart, mind and spirit were for many months but refused to do anything about it due to fear of judgement.

Having crossed over, the sense of wholeness is the first thing which, suprisingly, was the LAST thing I expected to feel. Actually, I expected quite the opposite! The self judgements I feared would come up did and, as they came up, I was able to lovingly and patiently look and listened to each of them. It has been a remarkable spiritual experience, if for that alone.

Anther gift this choice has given me--abject humility and compassion that heretofore I didn't even know I was missing in this department of my life. The result of this is being given an insightful heart that has opened my mind and being to simply allowing others to Be.

Finally, the sweetest gift of all: other latent fears, which could not be acknowledged because I could hide from them prior to having 'taken the leap', are now front and center. This has been giving me the chance to love and embrace my shadows.

Infinite thanks, Sir Robert. I bow to the Divine Mother within you...<3

[Jo Garceau]

Robert, re the Neptune Pluto conjunction in the 1890's, would you say more about the new season, please..."So say goodbye to an old 120 year cycle, and hello to a new one! This is a "change of season" in the 500 year Neptune-Pluto cycle, and marks the beginning of a new quarter cycle, or "season" in that long wave influence."

Having spent the past six months (as Venus climbed through the sky and my Venus cycle return) I've been doing a lot of cellular healing, a great release of tears and anger about the past personal and cultural treatment of women. I suspect it has something to do with the long range wave, especially because my MH is at 5 Gemini and Venus is in Libra 2nd.

The pain is beginning to dissipate (at last!) and so it continues.

[Jo Garceau]

Hey, Kali Ma, thanks for your post!

[debbie]

This venus rx stationed rx on my natal saturn in 3rd, which is qunicunx my hth hode at 29 Leo which Divine mother has given her tough love lessons, the inferior conjunction with the sun will be quincunx my natal Uranus at 22 Leo, so far all that has been happening has been quite spooky in its "de ja vu" quality of occurrences, and yet my reactions have been still, an authority of response or non response instead already, my physical health suffered a lot over the festive season by being silent or blocking some communications that were powering to come out which I respected others letting me know they do not wish to hear. Rather than block and cause myself ill health, I will remain stepped back.

Thank you for drawing my attention to the relevance to 8 years ago, this was when the harshest and cruelest life experiences began for myself and my children, it all is making total sense, yet this time, I dont feel trapped and know who I am, it makes total sense! Not sure what that quincunx natal Uranus in 10th will trigger, I dont however fear anything about me or the truth of all of it being revealed, to anyone. Actually quite tearful as I write this, tears of relief, surprisingly.

[Sabina]

Gosh how appropriate as suddenly I found myself in the midst of old stuff related to my mother and brother....hmm gotta break this pattern for sure!! thanks many thanks Robert