Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word ‘love’ here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace – not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.”
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
Cosmic beauty, Venus
morning star,
evening star,
waxing and waning,
her bright light loops across the sky.
Slipping into the underworld,
she disappears.
Time to face our fears.
Life on the flipside:
welcome new awareness,
the courage to love,
the strength to carry on
and the vitality for regeneration and healing.
As Venus retraces her steps, we travel through layers of impressions arising from memories, at times triggered by people and things from our past. Venus is the goddess of love in some cultures and the goddess of war in others.
Provocative questions about relationships arise. Is it worth it? Am I getting what I want? There is less tendency to gloss things over and even if we try, things might get more complicated. Better to be straightforward. It’s time to talk.
Values. The value of people in our lives. The value of things. Self-value.
Relationship to work: Am I getting paid enough? Am I putting in too much? There is a process of evaluation which may include considering self-esteem. Am I worthy?
Venus in Leo is traveling through each one of our astrological charts, you don’t have to “be a Leo”, you are alive in this evolutionary chapter of transformation.
Since Leo loves to be seen, acknowledged and downright adored, these themes are possible for all of us now, especially for those who feel ignored, lonely or unappreciated.
There is a bright side as well as a shadow side to every sign.
Consider some positive and shadow sides of Leo:
confident and self-assured / inhibited and overly self-conscious
loving and generous / egotistical and extravagant
courageous leadership / demanding and dictatorial
exuberant creativity / braggart
Additionally, Leo Venus squares Taurus Uranus three times in this cycle: (pre-retrograde, retrograde and post-retrograde) bringing spontaneity, excitement, disruption and new experiences into the mix.
A huge swath of the Pluto in Leo Generation, those born between 1946 and October of 1956, experience Venus retrograding over their natal Pluto (3x during the whole cycle). Very intense, even compulsive or manipulative behavior in relationships and financial matters. There is a potential for deep and powerful change. Intimacy, vulnerability. Alchemy. Alignment with life force!
Venus Retrograde in Leo 2023 Timeline
June 19, 2023
Venus entered the pre-shadow phase (12° Leo 12’).
July 22 – Venus Retrograde (28° Leo 36′).
August 9 – Venus squares Uranus
August 13 – Venus conjuncts Sun and begins a new phase of awareness. A significant turning point. Deep realizations are empowered. In the Underworld! Venus is the closest it will get to Earth in its entire 19-month cycle… the closest any planet is to the Earth.
September 3 – Venus station direct (12°Leo 12’).
October 7 – Venus exits post-shadow (28° Leo 36′).
Venus turns retrograde only once every eighteen months, The degrees at which it stations (where it goes retrograde and direct) form a five-pointed star. Learn about the eight-year cycle of Venus in our sky and the petals of Venus, a rhythmic motion of Venus when viewed from an Earth-centered perspective. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/five-petals-of-venus/
Venusian Contemplations
Now – Look at the developments during the past month for clues as to your personal themes and areas of transformation.
Then – 8 years ago. Venus retrograde Leo in 2016. What endings and beginnings occurred during that time – especially within relatedness, love, creativity, values and money?
Look to your birth chart – where is Venus is transiting 12° – 29° Leo. Are there aspects to fixed signs (Scorpio, Aquarius and Taurus) in your chart? Ask yourself if you are resistant or open to change.
The longer I live, the more deeply I learn that love — whether we call it friendship or family or romance — is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light. Gentle work. Steadfast work. Life-saving work in those moments when life and shame and sorrow occlude our own light from our view, but there is still a clear-eyed loving person to beam it back. In our best moments, we are that person for another.”
Maria Popova
There’s more of course… that’s it for now. I invite you to contact me for a deeper look into Venus retrograde along with other significant cycles for 2023 and beyond.
Navigation in the Mystery
Your astrological chart is a potent pattern: it is the matrix that reveals how the planets speak within you. Prediction is a matter of looking down the river to interpret and sense the shape and flow of the journey ahead. Consult your celestial compass: What are the conditions and optimal ways to navigate? What are your possibilities and options?
When you bring consciousness to anything, things begin to shift.” Eve Ensler
The sun, the moon and the planets are your allies in seeking truth.
They offer parameters, milestones and timing.
They open doors – if you are willing to step through the threshold to
deeper understanding and self-acceptance.
I welcome your inquiry.
I offer navigation in the mystery through astrology and tarot.
With Love,
Jacqueline
Saturn in Pisces tasks us to get serious about our beliefs, clarify our dreams and be realistic about our ideals. The wisdom and maturity in vulnerability. Boundaries and expectations are reconsidered and at times, simply dissolve. 
Vibe Shift
