What looks and sounds like Mercury retrograde, but brings more drama and promises to solely wreak havoc in your closest relationships? Venus retrograde! That’s right, Venus, the planet of love, affection, harmony and values, stations retrograde on December 19 and will task us with sorting through unaddressed issues in our partnerships. This particular Venus retrograde happens to take place in serious-as-all-hell Capricorn, and the retrograde period lasts until January 29, 2022. During this retrograde cycle, Venus will make an intense contact with Pluto, a planet that represents destruction, death, the taboo, transformation, and rebirth. If it sounds intense af, that’s because there really isn’t an easy way to sugarcoat this celestial meetup–it will pack a punch.
It’s important to remember that retrograde periods really aren’t meant to instill fear or ruin our holiday season with a text from an ex, they offer us a chance to work through past issues, realign, and move forward with a more sustainable approach. Venus will meet with Pluto on December 25 (happy holidays, right?) and again on March 1. When these two planets align, themes of jealousy, manipulation, power struggles, and obsession bubble to the surface. Still stalking your ex with your finsta account? It’s time to quit it. Let’s take a look at how Venus retrograde will affect your zodiac sign.
Aries
Are you tired of feeling like others are meddling in your relationship? Venus retrograde is activating a part of your chart that asks you to think deeper about how you are perceived by others and how you want to be perceived. You may feel pressure from people who are constantly offering their, ahem, “insight” and “advice” about your relationship. It’s time to break free of any people-pleasing patterns and release the need for approval from others.
Taurus
Learning from one another is one of the greatest gifts of partnership. Your Venus retrograde is more of a mental journey. Have you been standing a little too firmly in your beliefs and resisting other’s perspectives? You may find that it’s time to release the need to control conversations and let go of your dogmatic nature. Or perhaps it’s your partner who needs to be right all the time. Allowing for some humility and an open mind to learn from one another will make for a more solid foundation.
Gemini
You like to keep it light and let most of your painful issues marinate under the rug. This Venus retrograde, if you’ve been avoiding intimacy and letting someone in, it’s time to make an uncomfortable change. Sharing your past trauma within a trusted partner where you feel safe is necessary for your growth. It can’t all be about Real Housewives of Beverley Hills this or Selling Sunset that. The more you avoid plunging into the depths of your psyche and past, the more it will harm your closest relationships.
Cancer
There’s no way around it—shit’s hitting the fan and your exes are knocking at your proverbial door, sliding into your literal DMs. This Venus retrograde lights up the area of your chart that represents committed partnerships. People from your past may resurface for a final showdown or “closure” conversation. If you’re in a healthy and steady relationship, this could also be a period where your partner may be experiencing a challenging situation and need a little more of your time and support.
Leo
How has your work been affecting your romantic connections? This Venus retrograde reminds you to consider your values when it comes to work/life balance. If you’ve been focusing too much on work and neglecting quality time with your partner or romantic interest, you’re overdue for a reset. It’s time to consider how you spend your time and how that affects your closest relationships. It’s not all about you, Leo!
Virgo
Calling all situationships! If you’ve found yourself really connecting with someone but are craving some labels, this could be the time when you can’t keep it to yourself any more. It’s time to establish are we or aren’t we? How does this connection serve you and how does it harm you? This is a time where lovers from the past may also show up to make this emotionally heightened time that much more messy.
Libra
Are you ready for the next step? You may be considering moving in with your partner or bringing them home for the holidays to meet some family. This Venus retrograde will have you contemplating the pros and cons of these decisions. Is this someone with long-term potential or are they just another tryst passing on by? Don’t be afraid to ask yourself the tough questions before agreeing to take any next steps. It’s likely there are some issues to be sorted through first.
Scorpio
Communication, or the lack of communication, takes center stage for you this Venus retrograde. What are you not saying that you deserve to speak up about? How does the way you communicate affect your partner? Communication styles vary, and it’s important to consider how you and your partner’s styles differ. Finding a healthy medium and confronting how certain words or tones actually hurt our feelings are all important conversations to have in a healthy partnership.
Sagittarius
Our values make up who we are, and you are one zodiac sign that wears them on your sleeve. This Venus retrograde asks you to take a closer look at your values and compare them to either your partner, or someone you’re dating or hoping to date in the future. What qualities really matter to you in partnership? What can you let go and what are your dealbreakers? If you’ve been avoiding an awkward conversation about something that really matters to you, it’s time to bring it up. No more Miss Cool Girl.
Capricorn
This is your cosmic reset—it’s time to move forward in a new capacity. This Venus retrograde is happening in your sign, tasking you with shedding layers of yourself from the past that no longer serve you. How do you want to live? What are your priorities? How do you want others to see you? How do you want to spend your time? This season is all about reconnecting with yourself. You are the priority right now in all of your relationships. Make sure you’re standing up for your needs.
Aquarius
What are some limiting beliefs and self-destructive behaviors that have been sabotaging your love life? (Yes, getting drunk and texting your ex counts.) This Venus retrograde is here to ask you to hold yourself accountable. Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of your own actions. What can you release in order to let go of patterns that only cause pain over and over again? It’s time to plunge into your subconscious and do the hard work that you’ve been avoiding. Your partner and/or future relationships will be grateful for this increased self-awareness.
Pisces
You have a large network of people who love you, like, a lot. Venus retrograde focuses on the area of your chart that holds friendships and networking. You may find that you meet a future lover through a friend, or perhaps you’ve been friendzoning someone with quality potential for fear of how effortless that relationship could be. Reinvest in your friendships and ask yourself if you’re feeling aligned within those relationships, as well.
Images: Gary Radler Photography / Stocksy.com; Giphy (12)
