‘The Death of the Gravedigger’ c1900 By Carlos Schwabe {{PD}}
I don’t know about you, but for me, this Venus retro period has brought vivid, almost tactile dreams, defining moments in relationships, and unsettling encounters with strangers who seem to crawl out of the woodwork. At first, of course, I just thought it was me, drawing in weirdness because of some psychic pheromone I was unknowingly putting off–but turns out, others are having these experiences, too.
The retrograde happening in Scorpio had already primed me to expect a certain amount of digging, a handful of turned earth, now and then, the dark corners lit up, and I’d expected the resurrection or final termination of certain Venusian pastimes, pursuits, and in some relationship or money matters in general, and all of it keyed to the last retro of Venus in this House of my chart, 8 years ago (the 10th, for the curious–so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that each ‘event’ took place in public!) I didn’t count on the square of Venus to Black Moon Lilith, the way Mars mingled with the latter and moved on to square the former, the way Merc in Scorpio has begun to slow in preparation for that retrograde period, which closely follows Venus’ direction, the way Chiron and Sedna are sextile and forming a Finger of God with apex the Scorpio Sun (the Finger especially potent, as it combines a sense of woundedness with those matters we ‘know but don’t know’, creating a stew of hidden motives, just-below-the-surface hurts, and suddenly revealed atrocities)–in short, I didn’t count on all the varied sh*t stirring that would be going on simultaneously.
Rather than just a review of 8 years ago focused on career, public role, status in all its forms, reputation, business–all those 10th House matters–what I’ve gotten has been a series of encounters that have either showed me who others really are, beneath the civilized surface, or that have brought strangers pushing forward with what I can only describe as attempts at inappropriate interaction–that is, ones that break social boundaries and barriers, and not in a good way. They’ve each one featured at least one of the Scorpionic specialties: death, sex, darkness, regeneration, change, destruction, loss. As I said, at first I thought it was me, pulling in others with murky motives and nefarious aims, so naturally I looked at myself, wondering, ‘Am I doing that? Is this a reflection of my own behavior?’
Nothing made sense, until it did; that Aha! of recognition came (as it always does) when I stopped taking it personally and looked for the larger pattern, which involves the Truth about Love, Money, and/ or Relationships–so, if you’re seeing this, too, how is this manifesting for you? Check as many as apply, and feel free to comment, add your own answers, or to elaborate.
Have a lovely weekend! For the forecast, click here–and for a review of Venus Retrograde, see here–Thank You!
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
Good day/evening, Julie!
People are definitely showing themselves…
I had an exceptionally difficult week (btw, you did warn me in the report, thank you). Venus Rx is taking place in my 1st house, and yep, all of ’em, death sex and money are coming up. But the effects are spread out all over, not confined to the 1st house, although I suppose, all of these events will reshape me, and in that sense, it’s all a 1st house matter.
Today, as Mercury squared Mars, I had a major ‘aha’ moment about a client we acquired 8 years ago, in the fall of 2010… Wow! This is another ‘aha’ moment. Ok, so it’s natural that the relationship is being reviewed at this time, then. I realized that they’ve been saying one thing, but doing another. Money, values, self-respect, and a potential death of this business relationship all coming up.
There’s also another concept that’s been coming up: energy. As in, who drains me and who “feeds” me. I’m normally very aware of this dynamic in most of my interactions, but the last couple of weeks it’s been exaggerated to an almost cartoonish degree. Painfully obvious.
Question for you: if something is ended during Venus Rx, will it come back with Venus Direct? As a general rule… I wouldn’t dare make a decision (cutting off) during Venus Rx, asking for a friend 😉
Oh another one: Your Aha moment came as you stopped taking it personally. Does the house – 10th – the world at large? – factor into that or would you recommend taking that approach to whatever ails us at this time?
Hi Helen!
When something emanates from the 1st House, it can seem to be everywhere, and involving everything–that’s just the nature of the personal, I think, and that may be a Venus moving through the 1st effect, as well: the energy (which of course is something you value, even a form of Love) that is either drained or replenished in interaction, that you have been experiencing. That’s a new concept to me in this particular context, but clearly a valid one–thank you for pointing it out.
Excellent questions! 1. If something is ended during Venus Rx, will it come back with Venus Direct? Tell your friend 😉 It may, and the case is, you may want it to, as your usual tastes and preferences are decidedly different right now–so I would wait, especially if you have even the tiniest jot of hesitation. The chance is you’ll send a kind of mixed message, especially if the ending runs counter to your usual methods.
2. Your Aha moment came as you stopped taking it personally. Does the house – 10th – the world at large? – factor into that or would you recommend taking that approach to whatever ails us at this time? I generally find that a good way to approach anything. When I’m trying to figure out the meaning of something, I inevitably, like all humans, have at least a moment of interpreting something in a personal light. I then try and shift, take a step back, and see things in a broader, impersonal context–and I do this no matter what is going on in my chart–this is an all-the-time thing. So yes, I find it a great way to deal with everything, even the positives, as those carry as much baggage as the negatives, since it’s all One.
Thank you, Helen! I hope your weekend is and will be wonderful!
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Thank you, Julie, helps a lot. I need to think on QA no. 2… (here I wrote and erased a massive essay, just know, I had a long talk with you in my head lol!)
This weekend I had one of those accidental revelations where the person doesn’t know I can hear them and they talk about me. Whoa, talk about a Scorpionic shock. And it was very good, as I’d rather know. I love times like these but it’s been relentless, every day something chips away at my world. You’re of course absolutely right, such a bad time to make decisions when things keep shifting.
It’s odd but I find changes that this season has brought so far as fundamental and significant as anything that happened under the cardinal grand cross of 2012-2015. Venus can be quite powerful, huh? Who knew 🙂
Wishing you everything good, and a great week ahead, and thank you again for your perspective.
Wow! That is always a shocker to overhear someone speak unguardedly about us. But please consider this, which we often don’t when something like this occurs: we assume the speaker is being truthful because they’re not speaking to us–but the reality is they are speaking to someone, and in communicating with that someone, the speaker may be ‘putting on’ an attitude or stance you’re not taking into account. Though the advice not to do anything still stands (it’s too shaky a time for everyone and their feelings!) it doesn’t hurt to ruminate on what you’re observing/ hearing/ exposed to. We’re getting a chance to see what’s normally hidden, with this retro more than most; maybe that’s the Scorpio in it, or maybe it’s the way Venus is headed toward Inferior Conjunction with the Sun in a few days, which should mark the ‘low point’ in terms of feeling discouraged or drained by what we’ve discovered or experienced. But in any case, remembering that there are still filters in place, that people are still working to ‘make an impression’ or otherwise control the perceptions of others, can help re-frame what we’re hearing and seeing, and will definitely help us in sorting through the accuracy of our own perceptions and interpretations.
Thank you, Helen–you always give me something interesting to think about! Wishing you a wonderful week, and the very best of everything 🙂
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I understand this, and having run what was said through the “third party” filter, it doesn’t feel as harsh but the message is still the same.
Really appreciate your concern and advice, Julie, thank you.
(P.S. Apologies for the barely coherent language in the Oct 22nd message. It was quite early in the morning and I was still emotional.)
Happy Full Moon, soon 🙂
Understood–just thought I should float the possibility. And no apologies necessary–you were plenty coherent! 🙂
Thank you, Helen, and Very Happy Full Moon–
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Hi Julie, I dont know if my understanding of this will help even though I do know we have related on many points I am not an astrologer, just someone with the passion to understand it enough to help me remain encouraged enough to keep going. So I offer this in case I am able to return the favour. This Venus rx seem to be stirring up the “ghosts” of the past, negative imprints on the energy of the earth. that are trying to “give rise to themselves again, to recreate past trauma & the feelingsthes tbey generated for the individual or the whole. Ghosts dont exist unless our energy of belief feeds them, thus the intent is not to, instead is to finish healing any fear, that aims to ressurect sadness or anger or hatred or sorrow, to feel & release, in order to complete the dispelling process & lay them & all unfinished business that has us “expect” the worst, that the past will repeat yet even harsher, but of course if the lesson, which will differ in at least some way, has been well & truly learned from & all is forgiven, there is no need to, because the wisdom has been gleened from the “chaf”? It isnt easy because that awful sense of dread, of what was past becoming future, threatens to be quite debillitating, so the major point in this which I am finding, is to embrace what is happening & what I am actually feeling, recogise ot for what it is, acknowledge just how much work & sacrifice I have made in my personal life in order to heal be free of the “darkness” of what or who I dont have, have or havent done, feel the love & appreciation for what I have done, do have & hold dear in my heart. This is also helping to see where things are not as bad as they were in the past thus doesnt have to be as hard as those “haunting thoughts at the back of my mind” would have me believe, thus one by one am eliminating the negative, while encouraging the power of the light within me to generate a more positive balanced approach to creating some thing new, something better, hopefully somewhere closer to the best possible for myself & little ol me, thus my offering to the world at large, to help little by little, make this world, a better place, for you, for me, once & “for all”. I am still experiencing a sever lack of resources, people places, things & the outer world demands that I could get up in the vileness or cruelty of it all, indeed that I personally may still not survive this. but that isnt the world I choose to help build again, wouldnt wish it on anyone, nit even my worste enemy & at least my conscience is clear thus so will be “my conscience vote”. Plus I do sense this “hallows eve” has enourmous power to balance the dark & light on either, both, sides of the veils, to align the power & energies more finely than has been possible for a long time, on our conscience or the fulcrum of the scales? I dont know exactly what that means precicely to anyone else really, I just kniw for sure, in my own heart, that seeing things this way is helping massively to not get cought up in the web of deceit or at least not for long, so I really hope there’s something in it that may help. Blessed be this coming Sacred day, doesnt have to be just words, there can be a lot of power behind them to actually give peace a chance, which I suspect infers that Hecate herself, may have a lot to do with how the fates play out, as need be, this year. Sorry if this is long winded & please know I do understand if you prefer not to post this on your page. Namaste.
Hi Debbie!
I often find your experiences and interpretations are touching on things many are going through, and don’t hesitate to include them on the pages–so please don’t hesitate to write them!
You often give an excellent account of what you’re struggling with and the form it takes–and speaking of searching for balance with Venus in Scorpio and retrograding is especially appropriate. I see each sign as a kind of reaction to the sign that came before, with Scorpio’s extremity a response to the (at least try at) even-handedness that is Libra. Looking for the equanimity in what is fair to you, in relationships, in what you value, in what you have or don’t, are all spot on for this transit. Your comments always suggest to me that you are tuned in and really working the energies in a conscious and productive way–and this is no exception.
Thank you for your contribution, Debbie–I and I’m sure many readers wish you the very best!
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Hi Julie! I thought about making a comment, rather than participating in the poll (it seems I can’t choose more than one option at once..), so here goes… It’s a good chance to say hi too! 🙂
For me, this retro is stirring up some serious questions about my self-worth. Also, I think it’s making me review an intimate relationship that I have with someone, which is mostly of a sexual nature. I have some clues that have surfaced, but they are only clues so far.
I think (and hope) that, since we are not even half way through the Venus retro, I will have some more info, insights or revellations to work with, as time goes by – I am certainly looking forward to them. Also, I haven’t been able to see the connection with the previous such retro of 8 years ago just yet.
Perhaps this Venus retro (together with Merc retro in Scorpio later this year) could be a sort of review, a summary for our experience of Jupiter in Scorpio, too – what we gained and what we missed/lost etc… I feel that we’ll be able to properly evaluate the whole experience of this particular Venus retro towards the end of the year…
Best wishes for an enjoyable weekend!
Hi Don!
I appreciate your participation, and yes, unfortunately, only one choice at a time in the poll can be made–but you can vote more than once, so there’s that 🙂
You don’t say where the retro is occurring in your natal chart, but the subjects you mention immediately suggest it may lay across the 2nd/8th axis (I say axis as any ‘event’ in one House of the chart automatically may ‘reflect’ in its cross-chart counterpart). But in any case, you are certainly correct that this period through the retros and toward year’s end is a review period–one I’m hoping everyone will take advantage of. And yes, I agree that it will likely be only at the end that we’ll have a complete picture of what has happened, how we feel about it, and what we’d like to do about it–and as well it may take that long to see how 8 years ago fits into the larger pattern.
You have a lovely weekend, too–very nice to hear from you!
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