Venus Retrograde 2021-2022
Venus Rx (retrograde) is an intense, six-week period that occurs approximately every 18 months. The last Venus retrograde occurred in the sign of Gemini, May 13-June 25, 2020. It traveled backward from 21 degrees to 5 degrees Gemini. The 2021-2022 retrograde in the sign of Capricorn, December 19, 2021, January 29, 2022, will be traveling backward from 27 degrees to 11 degrees Capricorn.
The Astrological Meaning of Venus Retrograde (Rx):
Venus, the planet representing relationships of all kinds, socializing, love, attraction, the natural world, and beauty, will affect whatever house in our charts she occupies. To illustrate this point, if Venus is in Capricorn in your second house, you might experience situations around relationships involving money or values. Past relationships you had conflicting views with, like a love interest, might resurface so that either you can find that you no longer feel the same way, or you may find you have both changed while apart. The central theme here is that something or someone is resurfacing to re-examine it and shift that situation. Will this always have the desired outcome? Unfortunately, not necessarily, because we are all human beings, and we could find that the person or situation has not changed. Though, we finally discover that we are ready to let the hope or desire go, and so that person/situation comes in to show us we need to let them go. Ultimately, every experience is subjective to our interpretations, and something that seems complicated might be a blessing and vice versa.
The Difference Between Venus and Mercury Retrograde:
Mercury retrograde happens more frequently than Venus. It occurs about 3-4 times a year and approximately three weeks. Most of us have heard the buzz around Mercury Rx at some point. Mercury Rx brings about issues with communication and which can lead to the breakdown of our usual routines and create challenges on the simplest things in our daily life. Some Mercury Rx periods can be frustrating, especially if we aren’t listening to the Universe; by taking some time out. Retrogrades bring up all the words that start with re-, like re-examine, redo, relax and restart. There are so many “re” words, but the common theme is pause and try again. That pause is precisely three weeks. Other times Mercury Rx is barely noticeable. The difference is how much we surrender and allow the Universe to drive.
Communication is critical, but Mercury causes inconveniences and issues with and devices that help us communicate, electronics, machines, and things that are supposed to make life easier. It can bring someone out of the past to rehash some issue, but it’s different than Venus Rx. Mercury brings a friend or lover back to help us communicate what we need to say. It shows us what we need to see to make a situation right and will let us know if something is meant for us or not.
Venus Rx is different in relationships/situations because some part of them is connected to our heart (even if we think we are over them). There is some unmet desire that we need to finalize before we can release them, which can happen in many different areas like friendships, family, lovers or jobs, etc. Our heart has hope that is probably rooted in fantasy more than reality. By bringing this all backup, we can finally see how impossible that dream is. There is another possibility that we can see that the situation/person is what we wanted, and we are now ready to take it to the next level. There are many ways Venus Rx can play out, and now we see the themes of having people or situations that didn’t quite work out. Finally, Venus Rx might bring in someone that reveals truth around a current situation/person that we weren’t allowing ourselves to see, or could bring someone in to change the current circumstance with a partner or situation.
Astrological Meaning of Pluto in Capricorn:
Venus started its retrograde at 27 degrees in Capricorn. Pluto is in Capricorn at 25 degrees, so Venus will soon cross back over Pluto’s path. Pluto is about power, transformation, transmutation and is the slowest moving of all the planets. It takes 248 years to complete one orbit around the sun, 15 years in Capricorn alone. So, Pluto’s presence in a zodiac sign is long-lasting, and the effects are felt through the collective. Pluto has been in Capricorn since November 26th, 2008. We have seen so many of this constellation’s themes come into collective awareness since Pluto entered this sign. For example, the Wall Street housing crash, a global pandemic, more significant division in the political arena, the understanding of the power structures like the media and our political leaders. We saw an attempt to overthrow our government and more themes highlighting power and control. Capricorn, the sign of authority figures, and Pluto, the power planet, are an intense combination. Venus conjunct Pluto will last longer than usual so expect life changes to be more permanent and drastic.
The Significance of Saturn, Capricorns Ruler in Aquarius:
Capricorn’s ruler Saturn represents structure, drive, ambition, authoritarian rulership, and time. Capricorn Saturn can be harsh and cold in its drive for success. Saturn is also the traditional ruler of Aquarius and is currently in the sign of Aquarius. Aquarius represents enlightenment, wisdom, community, and humanitarian causes. Aquarius Saturn is embodied in its higher form when it is in the sign or aspecting the sign of Aquarius. Traditional rulers were the rulers before Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were discovered. Uranus is now the ruler of Aquarius and Saturn is the traditional ruler, Pluto rules the sign of Scorpio and Mars is the traditional ruler, Neptune rules the Sign of Pisces, and Jupiter is the traditional ruler. I used both the new and traditional rulers in my chart interpretations.
We look to transiting Saturn to give us more information to help guide us through Venus’s Rx period. Saturn is at home in Aquarius due to its traditional ruler status. Capricorn's seriousness was defined by Saturn’s ability to focus on the goal. Capricorn has a dense workhorse mindset that wants money, status, and power at all costs. Saturn in Aquarius represents the wise grandpa who has learned that there is more to life than work, power, and money. After spending his whole life working and obtaining power, he realizes that pursuit of materialism is meaningless, and it also cannot be sustained without massive effort. Aquarius represents humanity's higher ideal which is enlightenment. It bridges us with the Universe as we start to see ourselves as one whole entity instead of separate parts. Saturn, located here during a retrograde, is helping us to see what in our lives does not fit into our ideal picture. Saturn wants to show us what is stopping us from reaching higher levels. Venus is assisting us by releasing those situations and people we thought we wanted. Some relationships/situations are meant to be experienced and released to move forward.
During the next month, it’s crucial to monitor the relationships coming in and out of your life. Ask yourself what I am learning from this person and/or situation. Try to see things from a higher perspective and not from rose-colored glasses. Are you settling for someone or situation because you think you want them/it or because you genuinely want to be with them?
