Think of retrograde cycles like a bow and arrow. The further back you go and the deeper in you go, the further forward in your life you can shoot when the planet stations direct. Venus goes retrograde from December 19 - January 29. So, get ready for pulling inward in the areas of love, money, and all other Venus-related themes this year.

Once every 18 months, the planet Venus goes retrograde, which means that she appears to be moving backward in the heavens. Since Venus governs relationships, finances, and our sense of style, your reflection will be highlighted in these areas.

You may find yourself craving a relationship change — we’re more aware of what isn’t working in our love lives. We look back with nostalgia at the way things were or at past relationships. It’s all to help us have a better sense of what we want going forward. This is often why people from your past come back into your life during retrograde cycles.

The retrograde happens in Capricorn, the cardinal earth sign. Capricorn’s energy is steady and striving, almost to the point of tunnel vision, this retrograde is about looking back so we can launch forward and reach our summits like Capricorn’s symbol, the mountain goat with a fishtail. Be careful not to be blinded by your goals, take a tip from Venus-ruled Taurus, and stop and smell the roses. 

I want to focus on how you, personally, can make the most of this Venus in the retrograde period.  First of all, look at your chart. (You can see your chart right here on my site!) Look for the symbol for Capricorn. What house is it in? You can be thinking of how you might prepare for this time and really use it to grow in relationships, personal values, and all things Venus during this time.

Venus Retrograde in the 1st house / Capricorn Rising:

On a purely material level, this is a time for a makeover! You may feel more interested in your appearance and reflective of how you present yourself to the world. You might feel the urge to reinvent yourself.

It’s a time when you want to avoid conflict so that you appear stoic and in control of the world around you. And, because of this, you might be confronted with a conflict that causes you to let down walls and be vulnerable. You have the opportunity to bring peace and harmony to your environment and attract new people into your life. 

Resist the urge to judge yourself or others based on appearances alone. Or you might encounter a situation of being judged too harshly on your own appearances by another.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 2nd house / Sagittarius Rising:

You are going to confront situations that challenge your beliefs about money and values. During this time, you will have a tendency toward extravagance. You may find yourself wanting to spend more at this time- particularly on food, clothing, and some of the finer things in life. This will naturally cause you to review your budget and seek ways of increasing your income, particularly if you spend more extravagantly at this time.

One way to positively handle this situation is to really spell out for yourself your values and priorities. Then, I would recommend starting a savings plan of some sort- even if it is just putting pennies into an account each day or week. That will allow you to have some focus and make you feel like you are really “Taurus” being practical. Also, it will give you a sort of sense of accomplishment at the end of the retrograde cycle rather than regret.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 3rd house / Scorpio Rising:

Have you ever heard the phrase; you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar? Capricorn is a sign that values direct communication because it seems like the most efficient. Right now, diplomacy is the name of the game. Try to soften your delivery and opt for the sandwich technique when giving critiques. This energy is introspective, and your mental energy is focused. A great time to finish projects that have been on the back burner, particularly creative projects.

In relationships, the Venus in retrograde influence brings up nostalgia and feelings of love and compassion. This is a great time of healing in relationships with siblings. You might want to journal about those relationships, particularly if there has been a strain. And maybe even share your feelings of love with those people. It can open the door for transformation in those relationships.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 4th House / Libra Rising:

The 4th house is home and family, but it’s also your inner life. This is a time to really look deeply at your early childhood influences and relationships and discern what you need to let go. On a material level- this is a great time to figure out what kinds of changes you might want to make to your home environment, so maybe making plans for redecorating, though I would advise against initiating major renovations because your aesthetic sensibilities are going through a metamorphosis and will definitely change by the time it stations direct.

During the retrograde period, you may desire to stay at home but not be able to because of a hectic schedule. So, make time for YOU. Also, your digestion may be a bit disturbed because of a tendency toward excess. Remember moderation in your diet to avoid any possible health issues or weight gain.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 5th House / Virgo Rising:

I actually see this retrograde period as being fun. You are engaged in a number of different creative projects. You also feel like entertaining and enjoying romantic times. I think the risk is that you are so focused on socializing and having fun that it is difficult to really focus your energy on one thing at a time.  

In that sense, this can be frustrating. You don’t want to end the retrograde period feeling as if you haven’t had the opportunity to take full advantage of its influence. 

This is a time of real creative inspiration. So, with this in mind, set a schedule for yourself. Plan out your social activities and also your times of dedicated creative work. Make sure if you have children that you balance their needs with yours and plan fun activities for you to do together.

You might want to get a book like the Artist’s Way to spark some inspiration.

  

Venus Station Retrograde in the 6th House / Leo Rising:

I think this is probably one of the more growth-promoting houses for Venus to transit through. First of all, Venus does not like to restrict her food. She has an appetite, and the 6th house likes purification. Therefore, this retrograde placement can make it difficult for you to resist the urge to overindulge in food. I would suggest that you try the opposite approach. Start the retrograde with a cleanse- and set the intention to love your body and nourish it with goodness.  You may even try a raw food diet or some sort of plan that helps you clear your head as well as your gut.

You might also want to really focus on the Taurus qualities of Venus- practicality in terms of relationships and work. If you are having issues romanticizing a love interest or past love who is unavailable or ultimately not healthy for you, this is a time to surrender the fantasy and really look carefully at your needs in relationships. This is part of that purification process, I think.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 7th House / Cancer Rising:

This could indicate a time of conflict in relationships, particularly partnerships. You are evaluating your needs and wants in relationships, and you seek harmony. But because you are striving for peace, you often have to learn the lessons of what sacrifices need to be made in order to achieve peace in those relationships. Any complacency you experience in your primary relationship will be shaken up so that you have to reinvigorate that partnership and move towards having it grow deeper. If you are single, this is a great time to really journal and come to terms with what you want. You might also want to do a series like, “Calling in the One” or reading “Return to Love” by Marianne Williamson so that you can use this time to clear out attachments you still hang onto. And heal deep relationship wounds. This is also a time to express your affection and love, and not withhold. Don’t stand in your own way or sabotage really great relationships. This could also bring up legal matters, too. Try to finish any old business.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 8th House / Gemini Rising:

In the 8th house, Venus in retrograde offers us the opportunity to look deeply into our sexuality and into our psychology in terms of relationships. This is a time to really dig deeper in your primary relationship- to maybe take a tantric workshop or find ways to build intimacy. It can be quite profound in bringing you together. Issues in your relationships, particularly with past painful experiences, even sexual abuse or other types of abuse, can rise to the surface for you to look at. This may bring into your consciousness people from your past or even situations that mirror those past experiences. The key here is not to get stuck in victimization but to really go into the fire, so to speak, and heal those experiences so that your present relationships can be transformed. This is also a time when you might feel resentment at your partner’s finances- if you feel unsupported. Or when you may evaluate your investments. This is just a time for evaluation- not a time for speculation or change.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 9th House / Taurus Rising:

This placement causes some frustration with your limitations. You may have dreams and visions of long-distance travel or directing/ publishing projects that you just don’t have the resources for. Your vision is greater than the reality at this time. Also, there is a sense of wanting to share your ideas and philosophy with others but you might find it difficult to connect with others about these things. Or there is a sense of judgment from them about how far you are going.

The best way to make the most of this placement is to practice enthusiasm, even though you do have limitations. Dream big- write it all down and then you will be able to focus once Venus goes direct. You’ll figure out what works and what doesn’t. The key is not to get taken over by disappointment- but to remain open to major movements in your life.

You may also meet people who are very different than you, to broaden your perspective. Create opportunities to engage with others with differing world views. This will help you expand your horizons.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 10th House / Aries Rising:

This transit affects your reputation and your projected identity. How do others see you? This is what you want to refine during this retrograde. Primarily, you will want to project an image of success- financially and professionally. This is a great time for working on your professional mission statement- or personal elevator pitch. You might actually have situations that challenge your reputation or cause others to question you. Prepare for this by really narrowing in on your skills, talents, and abilities. So that at any moment, you can defend yourself or promote yourself.  

You are interested in redecorating your resume as well as your office space. This is part of your professional appearance.

You might attract a mentor or a guide at this time, too, who can help you refine your image. This is a great time to change your artistic expression or try something new. Take a class to find out more about yourself from a creative point of view.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 11th House / Pisces Rising:

There may be some complications with friendships and social gatherings. This is part of really figuring out who belongs in your life and who needs to go. Friends you haven’t seen in a long time resurface so you have to revisit those connections. This might be to get closure. It is important not to feel obligated to engage in any relationships that aren’t going to be a part of your goals and identity into the future. Sometimes, past relationships resurface to show us how much we’ve grown- and as a test from the Universe to see if we will cave under pressure and regress.

You will want to really narrow down your social obligations- particularly if you are involved in a number of groups or organizations. Figure out what’s really important to you.

 

Venus Station Retrograde in the 12th House / Aquarius Rising:

This is a time of complete compassion and understanding of others, even though you may feel some sense of abandonment at this time.  You may experience difficulty having a clear sense of what you want in your personal relationships, and things will feel elusive- like anything could change at a moment’s notice. Try not to cling too tightly to any friendship or relationship. It would be great to use this energy for volunteer work and service- particularly working with those in shelters or institutions like hospitals or nursing homes. Your sense of love is so strong- but it’s love for all of humanity. This is a very spiritual time, so it would be wonderful to join a faith community or meditation group. Connecting with others for a higher good, while keeping your ego in check, would be the best use of this transit.