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.
Eight years ago in March and April 2017, Venus went stationary retrograde at 14 Aries and retrograded back to 27 Pisces. That retrograde had an “Inferior conjunction” of Venus RX with the Sun at 5 Aries on March 25, 2017. The one 8 years before that was in March/April 2009, when Venus retrograded between 16 Aries and 30 Pisces.
As the current retrograde began at 11 Aries and will retrograde back to 25 Pisces, beginning in Fire and ending in Water, we continue a series of seven Venus retrogrades in Aries and Pisces which includes 2009, 2017, 2025, 2033, 2041, 2049, and 2057. The last time we had a run of seven Venus retrogrades which began in Aries and ended in Pisces was 1758, 1766, 1774, 1782, 1790, and 1798. So this is an approximately 259 year cycle that repeats.
The 2023 Venus retrograde was entirely in Leo, which is in a run including 2023, 2031, 2039, 2047, 2055, and 2063. That hadn’t happened since the run of six Venus retrogrades all in Leo in 1772, 1780, 1788, 1796, 1804, and 1812. So that is an approximately 251 year cycle that repeats.
8 years ago I wrote an article about that Venus retrograde which began at 14 Aries and retrograded back to 27 Pisces. I thought it might be good to revisit some of what I said then, since there are parallels in the span being traversed this time.
… when Venus goes retrograde, it definitely affects everyone’s values, pleasures, love life and other close relationships. When Venus is retrograde, we can find different ways to relate to others, or different ways to image what we like and how we like it. It can bring back old relationships, old memories of relationships, or old relationship patterns updated for the present. Given Venus rules values, it can bring back old value systems for new evaluation, or the return of old memories of things we valued and appreciated in the past.This one begins at 14 Aries, and then retrogrades back through the first half of Aries, going stationary direct at 27 Pisces. Fiery Aries is the sign of “exile” for Venus, since it is the sign opposing Libra, one of the “home signs” of Venus. So Venus is in an energy that opposes its Libra qualities. However, Pisces is the sign where Venus is “exalted,” meaning that energy is where Venus finds its grounds for greatest growth.
So when in Aries, Venus is in the 7th sign relative to its natural rulership of Libra, and in its 12th sign relative to its natural rulership of Taurus. Venus in Aries is in opposition to its Libra nature, and in a closure sector of its Taurus nature.
When in Pisces, Venus is in the 6th sign relative to its natural rulership of Libra, and in its 11th sign relative to its natural rulership of Taurus. Venus in Pisces is in service to its Libra nature, and in a visionary sector of its Taurus nature.
Since the majority of the time it will be in Aries before it goes direct in Pisces, it means that whatever beginnings are promised by Aries must be re-evaluated, or appreciated in a new way, before the natural forward motion of Venus can proceed. However, since we’ve already “done” Venus in Pisces, we already have had the experience of “the end of the end” in some Venusian area of our lives, and had ample time to practice letting go, forgiving much, and generating compassion as old ways and things slipped down the time stream.
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.
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 allow our eternal consciousness to express compassion in each moment it witnesses suffering.
So as you move through this Venus retrograde period with its delays, returns, memories and echoes of perceptions of memories, take the time to remember past loves, past likes, past values, and the memory of better times. The square to Uranus can help us get a new sense of our uniqueness, and mobilize on our own behalf, using old difficulties to find new mastery, and using our interactive originality to let go of the old and welcome a bigger picture in future relationships.
The Magic of Venus Retrograde
Venus retrograde in Aries and Pisces promises us multiple looks at learning to like all things Aries and Pisces! This will bring beauty or something of value to wherever we have early Aries and late Pisces in our charts, and people with planets or points in that degree span will love the initiating fire and unifying water they’re feeling in their interactions.
You can find out a lot more about Venus retrograde cycles and how Venus retrograde manifests by getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and explains why we attract the people we do, as well as how to re-shape our Venus to create more satisfying relationships in the future. It features an entire chapter on Venus retrograde and how it can manifest in a natal chart which is sure to open eyes!
This work examines the psychological dimension of Venus, the spiritual dimension of Venus, and the astrological dimension of Venus. It offers practical techniques for how to attract your heart’s desire, and how to make your relationships more fulfilling by living a Soul-ful life. You’ll find out about why you like or don’t like people and things, why you’ve attracted people in the past and present, and how to attract those who are more aligned with your Soul purpose in the future. A major theme is understanding why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, Venus retrograde, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
So far I’ve given you three articles about the current Venus retrograde period. For your renewed consideration,
Cycles of Venus Retrograde – Echoes of the Past Affecting the Future
Astrology in March-April 2025 - Venus Going Stationary Retrograde at 11 Aries
Astrology Class - Venus Retrograde in March-April 2025
© Copyright 2025 Robert Wilkinson
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