• Aries-Sun or Aries-Rising ~ 5th house
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 4th house
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 3rd house
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 2nd house
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 1st house
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 12th house
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 11th house
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 10th house
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 9th house
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 8th house
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 7th house
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 6th house

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 4th House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 3rd House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 2nd House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 1st House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 12th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 11th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 10th House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 9th House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 8th House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 7th House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 6th House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 5th House

Venus leaves her home sign of Taurus to transit Gemini. Venus governs how we relate (to others, to ourselves), what we value in life (people, things, precepts), and how we determine worth (self-worth, material worth, aesthetics).

In Taurus, Venus is stable, comfort-seeking, and driven by material security. In Gemini, Venus is less complicated, requires mental stimulation, has varied interests, and can be spontaneous. Gemini governs thought, ideas, communication, interactions, education and siblings. At best, Venus in Gemini is friendly, social, curious, intelligent, open-minded and lively. At worst, facetious, superficial, duplicitous, indecisive and flighty.

While Venus is in Gemini, there's even more emphasis on communication in our relationships -- personal, intimate, and business; significant, long-term, and casual. Relationships and friendships flourish through conversations -- meaningful, light, or a simple exchange of ideas.

Venus in Gemini is friendly, popular, easy going, uncomplicated, and requires mental stimulation in our social interactions. Love may blossom through hours of conversations, jumping from one topic to the next and back again. Friendships created through laughter. Existing relationships grow stronger through communication. Our social calendars may be busier than usual. Enjoyment of the present moment is encouraged during this transit.

In money matters, two or multiple sources of income may be possible during this transit. So, if you have been planning on creating supplemental income to pad the wallet a bit more than what's earned from an existing employment, this is an ideal month for such an endeavor. Gemini may lack the determination and staying power that Taurus embody, but Gemini's enthusiasm and fast-acting responses make it beneficial for getting things done quickly, if not efficiently. For the uber-shoppers in us all, be weary of impulse buying. You may regret the expense next month when the credit card bills come in.

This year, Venus joins the Sun and Mercury in Gemini beginning June 9 at 7:23 a.m. PDT / 10:23 p.m. EDT until July 3/4, 2011.

Related articles:

• Transiting Venus in Natal Houses
• Current Planetary Transits
• Solar Returns Explained ~ your personal year
• Schedule an appointment
• Client reviews

Venus follows Mars' lead and leaves Aries. She is homebound to Taurus, where she joins the Sun and Mars [and where Mercury will soon be joining]. Venus represents love (how we love & how we want to be loved), relationships (how we relate to others & the self), worth (material and self), our values and personal tastes.

In Aries, Venus is instinctive, independent, confident, ardent, bold, and magnetic. In Taurus, Venus seeks stability and longevity in her relationships, is sensual, pleasure-seeking, comfort-loving, and driven by material security. Love is an investment. Relationships are grounding. A simple touch evokes depth of meaning. A mere look can unleash a host of intentions.

This year, while Venus is in Taurus, the Sun (conscious will), Mercury (thought/communication), and Mars (action/assertiveness) are also in Taurus. Great energy for Taurean-Suns/Risings or earth Suns/Risings. Fire and Air signs would benefit most if they are open to allow some of Taurus' slow but sure approach into their day to day. Moving too fast might be met with blockages, missteps, or miscalculations. Impulsiveness may prove too costly on one's wallet, reputation, or even lost/wasted time and energy.

On the day Venus enters Taurus, Mercury is right behind her and both quickly form a harmonious, opportunistic alignment with Neptune (compassion/insight). This energy might be reminiscent of the previous week, when Mercury and Venus were inches from each other and both were also commingling with Jupiter (ideals/opportunities) in Aries.

Venus enters Taurus on May 15 at 3:12 p.m. PDT / 6:12 p.m. EDT and will stay through June 9th. While in Taurus, Venus will align with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; allow +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• May 16 ~ Mercury conjunct Venus and both sextile Neptune. covered above
• May 19 to 21 ~ Mercury, Venus and Mars sextile Chiron, while trine Pluto-rx. Let heart, mind and soul reflect our thoughts, words, actions within our relationships and in our interactions. Be aware of where our thoughts and actions are rooted from. We can heal the self, help others heal, or get stuck in reliving painful experiences/memories or be the cause of someone's sorrow. Also on May 21st, Sun enters Gemini.
• May 23 ~ Venus conjunct Mars and quincunx Saturn-rx. Last time Venus and Mars met this way (blending energies in Taurus) was in 2009. The celestial energy surrounding them then is much different than now. There may be a bit more tension now or maybe more restrictions/limitations with Saturn looming in the scene. But the extra challenge can be used to produce something that is positive and encourages growth and harmony.

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 2nd House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 1st House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 12th House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 11th House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 10th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 9th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 8th House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 7th House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 6th House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 5th House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 4th House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 3rd House

Just as the Sun moves out of Aries and into Taurus on April 20th, Venus also changes signs. She leaves the sensitive sign of Pisces and joins Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus in the fierce sign of Aries. Venus represents love, how we relate to others, how we want others to relate to us, our self-worth, what we value in life, what we like/dislike, our material possessions and finances.

While in Pisces, Venus' drives and concern were for others...humanity, as a whole. She asserts, ever so sweetly, that we acknowledge there is something greater that links us all. If nothing else, we are connected in this journey we call life which we all have to individually live out. Venus in Aries, however, is more focused on the self, its basic needs/desires and staying true to one's own motivations. In Aries, she is bold and magnetic, loves initiating new connections, values independence in the self and in others, and loves ardently and impulsively. In friendships, she tends to lead the group.

At best, Venus in Aries is passionate, action-oriented, fun, instinctive, and a natural leader that gets things started. She is a champion and protector of the indefensible and teaches them how to independently fend for themselves. At worst, argumentative, bossy, lacks commitment, and acts without fully considering consequences. While Venus is in Aries, we are challenged to be bolder and more assertive. Confidence should ooze from our pores. Flirt a little. Laugh a lot. Explore our independence. Discover our passion and run with it.

Venus enters Aries on April 20 at 9:06 p.m. PDT / April 21 at 12:06 a.m. EDT and will stay through May 15th. While in Aries, Venus will align with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; allow +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• April 23 ~ Venus conjunct Uranus. Surprises! Chance meetings. Unexpected gains or losses. Push for freedom. Abrupt reactions. Disruptions. Awakening arising from chaos.
• April 27 ~ Venus square Pluto-rx. Passions rise. Heated arguments. Manipulation tactics. Need to ferret out what's hidden.
• May 1 ~ Venus oppose Saturn-rx. Financial limitations. Seeing the reality of situations, especially within relationships. Confidence weakened.
• May 11 ~ Triple conjunction between Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter in Aries. Super energized days between May 9 and May 12. Those who are celebrating a birthday between May 7 and May 11 may benefit from this triple conjunction throughout their Solar Return year or have natal planets/house angels around 15-19 degrees in cardinal signs may also find this energy boost a nice perk. Also today, Mars enters Taurus.

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 1st House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 12th House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 11th House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 10th House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 9th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 8th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 7th House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 6th House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 5th House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 4th House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 3rd House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 2nd House

The planet of love, Venus, concludes her transit in Aquarius on March 26 (March 27 for others). She then joins Chiron and Mars, as she begins her visit in the compassionate sign of Pisces. It is said that Venus is exalted (best placement/greatest strength) in Pisces. Perhaps, it's because Pisces has the capacity for unconditional love.

Venus governs how we relate (to others, to our selves), what we value in life (people, things, precepts), how we determine our worth (personal and material). Pisces governs the imagination, dreams, the spiritual/psychological realm and how we are all connected. At best, Venus in Pisces is intuitive, sensitive, loving, caring, romantic, idealistic. At worst, too sacrificial, weak-willed, secretive, too idealistic.

During her stay in Pisces, we are reminded that true love is without conditions. Compassion awakens the humanity in us and shows us that there, too, is purpose and use for kindness in the world. Be mindful of not neglecting the needs of the self for the sake of others, however. It's easy to overlook our own needs when busy caring those dear to us.

Venus in Pisces also reminds us that as we each follow our own paths, we are "connected" in this goal to live our lives, despite our journeys having different paths. No matter where we have been or where we are now or where we are going, each of us have experienced what it's like to win/lose, to be excited/disappointed, to be content/want more, to be happy/sad, to love, to hurt, to heal.

Tap into your spiritual self while Venus is in Pisces. We are all given intuition in varying degrees and intensity. Some use it more than others and are, therefore, more adept at identifying signs when they are presented. Others have such great intuitive powers that it is simply a part of their everyday, every moment. Whether you have little or much or something in between, celebrate it, make use of it, nurture it.

Venus enters Pisces on March 26 at 11:53 p.m. PST / March 27 2:53 a.m. EST and will stay through to April 20th. While in Pisces, Venus will align with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; allow +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• March 29 ~ Venus conjunct Chiron. With yesterday's Jupiter-Saturn opposition still lingering, painful realizations regarding love or money may be abundant. Don't be too disheartened. Instead, let your resolve be strengthened to find a release/resolution to situations. No more wandering in the land of denial. Face fears/losses/pain head on. Come to terms with what is and move on.
• April 2 ~ Venus sextile Pluto. Uncovering underlying issues. Looking beneath the surface for understanding. Unmasking hidden truths. Transformational love. Also today, Mars and the Moon enter Aries.
• April 7 ~ Venus quincunx Saturn-rx. A dose of reality, especially with issues regarding relationships or finances. Relationships built on solid foundation and with healthy communication would most likely fare better. Underlying uncertainty regarding commitment levels or where things stand are some issues that may surface at this time.

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 12th House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 11th House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 10th House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 9th House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 8th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 7th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 6th House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 5th House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 4th House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 3rd House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 2nd House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 1st House

The month of March starts off with Venus leaving Capricorn for Aquarius on March 1st, where she remains for most of the month. Venus represents love, relationships, money, our values and our aesthetics. In Capricorn, Venus is conservative and desires permanence. By contrast, in Aquarius, Venus is unconventional and somewhat spontaneous.

In general, Venus in Aquarius is friendly, social, a communicator, experimental, open-minded, and may prefer a group setting rather than a closer one-to-one situation. Aquarius is the humanitarian of the zodiac, aware of social situations and cares to improve upon them. In love and relationship, the Aquarian energy cannot be denied its independence and prefers a counterpart who is also independent, forward-thinking and a little quirky. Intellectual stimulation is a must if you're to snag and hold on to a Venus in Aquarius. In money matters, saving is not exactly a priority with Aquarius-Venus so, watch your wallets, especially if budget is tight.

Venus enters Aquarius on March 1 at 6:39 p.m. PST / 9:39 p.m. EST and will stay through March 26 (PST) / March 27 (EST). While in Aquarius, Venus will align with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; allow +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• March 10 ~ Venus sextile Jupiter. Happy, happy, joy, joy. Optimism. Giving in to desires. General good mood or hopeful attitude. Watch out for overdoing things, overestimation or overgenerosity. Tomorrow, Uranus returns to Aries where he remains for about seven years.
• March 14 ~ Venus trine Saturn-rx. Saturn's influence seeking more security and/or commitment within our significant relationships -- marriage, intimate relationship, business partnership, etc.
• March 26 ~ Venus conjunct Neptune. Compassion. Helping others. Random acts of kindness. Understanding. Remembering our dreams and hopes. Wanting to escape.

• Aries-Sun or Aries-Rising ~ 11th house
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 10th house
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 9th house
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 8th house
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 7th house
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 6th house
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 5th house
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 4th house
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 3rd house
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 2nd house
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 1st house
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 12th house

Several hours after Mercury enters Aquarius, Venus also changes signs as she leaves Sagittarius and joins Pluto in Capricorn on February 3 at 9:58 p.m. PST / February 4 at 12:58 a.m. to stay until Marsh 1. The time for fun and light-heartedness is over, as Venus leaves adventure-loving Sagittarius for the tried and true sign of Capricorn.

Venus represents our relationships (with others, the self and material possessions), our finances, and our sense of personal worth. In Sagittarius, Venus is adventurous, flirtatious, lively, optimistic, spiritual and believes love/relationships are about the journey of learning and enjoyment. In Capricorn, Venus is more concerned about the destination and less about the journey. She needs guarantees for longevity. Building solid foundations in love take priority. Fleeting love affairs are little to none. Venus in Capricorn understands that any relationship worth keeping and cultivating requires work and commitment. In terms of finances and material wealth, Capricorn-Venus works toward having things -- the finer things. Status matters. Appearances, too. Amassing material possessions doesn't mean buying the lot, because whatever Venus in Capricorn buys is an investment. It's something that will be used and held onto for years to come.

While Venus transits Capricorn, we are reminded that there is an element to relationships that is beyond the romanticized ideals of love. Love can be painful. Love can be a burden. There is duty and obligation to those we love. Despite the heaviness and ties that bind us, love and relationships drive us to better our selves and give meaning to our lives by having others to share this life with. Venus in Capricorn represents the side to love and relationships that show the resilience of our connections. Despite the challenges and obstacles, true love prevails.

While in Capricorn, Venus will make alignments with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; give +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• February 6 ~ Venus square Jupiter. Good times. Overindulgence. Overspending. Faith in those we love or are meaningful in our lives. Also today, the Sun and Mars trine Saturn-rx.
• February 9 ~ Venus conjunct Pluto. Focus on relationships and commitments in our lives. Partnerships deepen. Alliances become stronger or ties are severed. Transformational love. Issues with control. Power struggles.
  
• February 18 ~ Venus oppose Saturn-rx. Saturn shows us our restrictions, especially with regards to finances and/or our relationships. An opportunity to lift whatever blinders we may have on that keep us from 'seeing' our relationships or the status of our finances for what they truly are. Also today, Full Moon in Leo at 12:36 a.m. PST / 3:36 a.m. EST and later, the Sun's ingress in Pisces at 4:25 p.m. PST / 7:25 p.m. EST.
• March 1 ~ Venus sextile Uranus. Even in Capricorn, there's room for surprising Venus. Expect the unexpected in love and money. New dalliances or (business) alliances? Later in evening, Venus leaves Capricorn and enters Aquarius.

Click image to see larger

• Aries-Sun or Aries-Rising ~ 10th house
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 9th house
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 8th house
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 7th house
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 6th house
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 5th house
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 4th house
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 3rd house
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 2nd house
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 1st house
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 12th house
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 11th house

Venus transits Sagittarius from January 7 to February 3. Another fantastic energy to start off the year with. A few days ago were the New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Capricorn and the conjunction between Jupiter and Uranus. Their celestial energies linger still as Venus changes signs.

I love Sagittarian energy! I think my Aries-Moon and Leo-Venus, who are loosely trined, revel in it and excitedly await when transiting Venus trines them both to form a momentary grand trine :) Venus in Sagittarius is fun, bright, spontaneous, and gleeful! So, what if Sagittarius-Venus can be foolhardy, wasteful, and overly optimistic. It was fun, while it was fun. Know what I'm sayin'? It is truly the journey and not just the destination for Venus in Sagittarius. In love, Sagittarius-Venus conjures up glamorized illusions of romantic connections, where the chase is just as exciting (perhaps more) than the actual relationship.

Venus represents more than love and relationships, however; she also governs our material, personal, and aesthetic values. In the sign of the archer, Venus is grand. Her gestures are generous and optimism boundless. Our spirituality and capacity for personal growth are highlighted. Meeting and learning from others of a different culture from our own is also a theme of Venus in Sagittarius.

Also happening on the day Venus enters Sagittarius, the Capricorn-Sun squares Libra-Saturn. We also remain under the umbrella of Jupiter conjunct Uranus energy that promises bigger, better, faster, more, happier ... well, you get the picture. Uranus' energy can be abrupt with that "at any and all cost" kind of feel behind it, which can sometimes be decided/acted upon without much foresight or, even still, occur outside of one's own volition and one is left to react to the situation. So, the square between the Sun and Saturn on this day could have a grounding affect, even if the sense of pragmatism or conservatism is a forced one. The Sun-Saturn link remains influential for a few more days after, while the Jupiter-Uranus energy lingers on longer ... though diminishing as weeks past.

While Venus is in Sagittarius, she will make connections with the following celestial bodies on (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; give +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• January 23 ~ Venus sextile Saturn. In Libra, Saturn highlights our committed partnerships. Venus gets a dose of reality. We see our relationships for the entanglements that they represent, but we don't seem to care. As much as the idealize definition of love or what being in love means, this true and real understanding of what love entails is refreshing and welcome.
• February 1 to 3 ~ Venus sextile Chiron & Neptune; and square Uranus. A few days promising unexpected changes and hopefulness within our relationships, our financial outlook, and in redefining our personal values. Elsewhere in the sky, the New Moon in Aquarius (also this year's Chinese New Year) occurs on February 2nd, which is also when Mercury sextiles Uranus. Communication, interaction, compassion, breaking out of the norm, coming to terms, humanitarian efforts, plus understanding our place within our community and beyond are some of what's highlighted by the combination of these celestial alignments.

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 9th House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 8th House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 7th House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 6th House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 5th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 4th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 3rd House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 2nd House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 1st House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 12th House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 11th House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 10th House

Hooray for Scorpio-Suns and Risings! Here's comes a reprise visit from Venus. Make it worth your while :) Although Scorpios and fellow water signs may enjoy Venus re-entering Scorpio more than others, we can all find some benefit from her return to Scorpio. Venus initially entered Scorpio on September 8, but her retrograde cycle interrupted her from completing her transit in Scorpio. Earlier this month on November 7th, Venus returned to Libra. Then, on the 18th, she began direct motion once more. Now on the 29th, Venus gets a chance to finish what she started in September and transit Scorpio completely.

From November 29th to December 21st, Venus makes a third and final pass through zero to around 13 degrees of Scorpio. Those born around October 23 to November 6 may get Venus blending energies with their natal Sun for a third time this year. Those with natal planets and/or house angles between zero to 13 degrees of fixed signs may also feel the effects of Venus retracing her steps in Scorpio.

Regardless of our Sun/Rising sign or natal planetary placements, we can all benefit from Venus retracing her steps in Scorpio and in her completion of her transit in Scorpio. Until the 21st of December, we have the chance to pick up where we might have left things off last month when Venus started her retrograde cycle. Perhaps the weeks she spent being introspective also had us reflecting on our own situations, in love or money. Now, we get a chance to do something about what we were enlightened upon.

Other than finances or relationships, Venus also represents our values/value system and self-worth. So, some of us may have mulled over what our personal values are, where our priorities lie; and maybe, resulting in our redefining our values or re-prioritizing some things in our life. On an even more personal level, we might have gained insight on the subject of "worth" -- material worth vs. self-worth. Especially with the recent Taurus-Full Moon, is our self-worth tied to our wealth/possessions? Are we more worthy or valuable as an individual if we owned more stuff? What do we truly value? And how do we assess what's valuable?

While Venus is in Scorpio, before revisiting Libra and after returning to Scorpio, she will make alignments with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone; allow +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• December 1 ~ Mercury sextile Venus. Thinking about relationships or finances or both. In relationships, it's a good time to clear the air. Say what's on your mind. In finances, allow Mercury's pragmatism in Capricorn to help with money matters. Whatever may be going on in your world, opt for finding a solution to your situation. Seek counsel from someone more experienced or a wiser person.
• December 8 ~ Venus sextile Pluto. Seeing the depth of things, especially within relationships. Cutting through lies or deception. Uncovering what's hidden. Finding a solution.
• December 10 ~ Mercury-rx sextile Venus. Once again, they meet. This time around, Mercury is station-retrograde. Best for reflection. Careful what you say. Passions rise with Scorpio-Venus plus possible miscommunication/misunderstanding with Merc-rx can cause more trouble than it should. Watch out for pettiness or holding grudges. Opt for forgiveness and kindness.
• January 4 & 5 ~ Venus square Neptune/Chiron and trine Jupiter/Uranus. Compassion. Healing. Coming to terms. Hopefulness. An awakening. A release. Breaking free. Also on January 4, a New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Capricorn at 1:03 a.m. PST / 4:03 a.m. EST and the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction perfects.

Finally! Venus stations for direct motion on November 18. She's been retrograde since October 8. More recently, she returned home to Libra on November 7, where she remains until the 29th.

As written on a previous post,

My very first post on this blog was last year's Venus retrograde. Has it been 18 months already?! Time flies ...

Venus retrogrades about every 18 months. Her last retrograde cycle was March 9 to April 17, 2009 in the sign of Aries. This time around Venus retrogrades from October 8 to November 18. She stations at 13 degrees of Scorpio, revisiting all the way back to 17 degrees of Libra. Venus returns to Libra on November 7 and re-enters Scorpio on November 29 to stay until January 7, 2011.

Venus represents our relationships (all types -- intimate, platonic, family and that with the self), our material wealth, our value system/s, our self-worth, our capacity to see beauty in the world, and our desires.

As with any retrograde planet, this period is a time for the prefix "re" -- reflection, reconnecting, reviewing relationships, redefining worth, and re-examining value system. So reassess, as necessary and as much as you want, but avoid making any major financial, relationship or other life-changing decisions during this period. You might just have a change of heart later.

When Venus is retrograde, it's a time to reflect upon issues related to our relationships, finances and self-worth. In Scorpio, Venus' focus may be in "value" -- what this object, person, belief is worth? how much influence does it have on the self? is this influence a positive one that nurtures personal growth or provides true happiness? what attachments (material or otherwise) do we cling to and why? In Libra, Venus's focus may in our relationships -- how do they enhance or limit our lives? how does the dynamic of this relationship promote self-growth?

This retrograde cycle happens while Saturn (maturity/reality) is also in Libra, which happens to be one of the signs that Venus governs. Saturn in Libra teaches us about our relationships by showing us the reality of our situations, the flaws within these partnerships and the cracks on the foundation that these relationships are built on. Through gaining a full understanding of what truly is, we're able to assess our situation with sobering honesty that, ideally, should help us make wiser decisions going forward.

Venus' retrograde cycle might pose more challenges to those with natal personal planets or house angles within the degrees of Scorpio and Libra that she'll be revisiting, especially on or around the station days (October 8 & November 18). Those with natal Saturn between 8 and 13 degrees of Libra may also find this to be an extra difficult period because you are also going through your Saturn Return. Those with their Libra-Sun and Ascendant at 8 to 13 degrees of Libra would also be subjected to Saturn conjunct (blending energies) with their Sun/Ascendant, while their Sun/Ascendant ruler, Venus, is retrograde and extra introspective.

For me, as a Virgo-rising, this Venus' retrograde cycle falls in my natal 1st (self/potential) and natal 2nd (income/values) houses with Libra governing my natal 2nd house. Ouch! It's never fun when any transiting planets retrograde in your income house, but even more unpleasant when it's the money planet retrograde in your money house. My natal Jupiter is station direct right on the cusp of my natal 2nd house and trine my natal Midheaven so, I am guilty of splurging here and there and, at times, being overly optimistic with future plans. Saturn's current transit through my natal 1st house has been and continues to be a great, big dose of reality :) especially with Pluto still opposing my Sun for quite some time. This Venus retrograde continues my pruning and purging (Pluto oppose my Sun) and cutting off excess (Saturn in Libra) materially, emotionally and spiritually.

How might Venus' retrograde period influence you? Look to the astrological house/s where 17 degrees of Libra to 13 degrees of Scorpio fall into. This should give you an idea of where in your life this retrograde might manifest and/or where you can make the most of its energy. If you don't have your birth chart handy, cast your own -- birth date, time and place required.

Alternatively, I am available for personal consultations. Schedule your session for a 3-chart package, Solar Return (birthdays), Saturn Return (major life event) or Synastry (relationships) reading. I can also tailor a reading to fit a client's needs -- request a quote. Or you might also consider giving a loved one the gift of insight.

Related articles:

• Transiting Venus in Natal Houses
• Saturn in Libra ~ 2009 to 2012
• Venus Returns to Libra ~ November 7 to 29, 2010
• Venus Direct ~ November 18, 2010
• Jupiter Direct ~ November 18, 2010
• Venus Re-enters Scorpio ~ November 29, 2010 to January 7, 2011