Venus goes retrograde from October 5th to November 15th. During this time Venus with descend from being the Setting Star in the West — disappear– and emerge as the Rising Star in the East. This cycle was not missed by the Chaldean Priests whose myth of Inanna takes this sequence and has Inanna descending into the darkness to see her sister Ereshkigal who is having a hard time as Queen of the Underworld. After a soap opera of sibling rivalry, Inanna emerges in the East rather upset. The myth actually says East Rising Inanna Inanna is an aggressive maybe nearly volatile. The Mayans go further and name this phase of the retrograde the emerging Venus is more like Mars. Go figure. Cross cultural myths are always so interesting.
Anyway, that myth aside, Venus retrograde should at first be looked at as the part of the “re” (add key word).
Review, rethink, reexamine re-plan,re-imagine,regroup. This method is helpful and can lead to some great renewed perspectives in this introspective journey into the self.
However, I would like to suggest write down key words for Venus that show the polarities of the energy field.
On the one positive side Venus: beauty, gentle persuasion, balancing, affection, flirting, love, social graces, etc. On the negative side can be: not so beautiful, unbalancing, overly ambitious, envy, jealousy, slut, all around problem child of moods and twisted passions. This examination of the polarities should be a clue as to the field or spectrum of the planet. Old lovers could calls, a dangerous affair might be broached, a back stabbing. Or it might be re-birthing and energizing. The Chi may be enlightening. This could be a time of discovering past mistakes and make plans to do better, to try harder, to be more sensitive, or not as sensitive.
Change will happen. First I recommend breaking up or seriously rethinking all relationships which have gone flat. Or worse relationships which are like a vampire of spirit, sucking you dry of energy and time. We all carry some freeloading friends who take much more than they give. Time to weed the garden and get the ground open for new seeds of growth.
There can be a karmic aspect to this time as in retrospect you identify particular karmic points in your life and the positive and negative energies you have gone through. Sometimes even a phone call, a chance meeting, remark, can have more meaning when re-examined from a retrograde and reflective period. It can be quite rewarding to see the pattern of the flow of one’s life. This can also lead to spiritual matters which yield insights for personal and spiritual growth. Mystical experiences brought on by reflection is know to have happened. Also the theme of passing through a time of darkness is very instructive to help when depression or bad moods hit. All will pass.
Let’s not forget that Venus starts at 10 Scorpio and goes to 25 Libra. Note your fixed and cardinal sign configurations in your natal chart to see what aspects the retrograde will make and the possible results. Remember, the Chaldeans would say that Venus rising in Libra will be a more aggressive goddess with some active plans for action on settling scores. Since this will be during the 2018 election cycle will prove more that interesting.