On March 3rd, Venus will stop just shy of meeting Uranus and Mars, turning retrograde and heading back towards Pisces. Venus is the planet of values and relationships, ruling the signs of Taurus (where she represents the abundance of nature) and Libra (where she harmonizes in relationship). Retrograde refers to the apparent reverse motion of a planet in our sky, an event which indicates a time to internally integrate the qualities and lessons of a particular planet (for more on retrograde, read my blog post Retrogrades and Resolution).
Beginning its backwards motion in Aries, the sign of self, we may feel somewhat disoriented. As the quality of Venus is the matrix of relationship into which we are born and from which we develop the value structure that binds us in community and sustains our evolution, Venus gives our personal mission its context. With the Sun in Pisces conjunct its ruler, Neptune, our central identity is unmoored. Mercury sits even closer to Neptune, permeating our reasoning with his fog of uncertainty. Some will delight in this existential freedom, but for many of us, hot off the heels of the electric conjunction of Mars and Uranus in Aries, there may be an unnerving sensation of a loss of the vitality that galvanized our strength of purpose and clarified our direction.
Venus rules resources. In retrograde, we are asked to gather our internal resources and reassess the value structure we have created for ourselves. With the conjunction of Sun, Mercury, and Neptune in the spiritual sign of Pisces, there is a unique opportunity to profoundly re-center our core identity to align with Source. As the eclipse cycle shifts, we are entering a new celestial phase. Here at the end of winter, just before the solar zodiacal cycle begins anew, we are given a chance to radically re-center ourselves in right relationship between our spiritual essence and our material assets. In this way, we are able to be in more harmonious community with the people and elements around us.
The same day Venus turns retrograde, a significant configuration will be at the height of its influence, pointing the way. The Yod, also known as the “Finger of God,” is formed by two planets in sextile, each quincunx a third planet. The two planets in sextile enjoy a harmonious connection, stabilizing one another the tense aspect to the third, and forming a narrow base for a triangle sharply pointing to the apex planet. In this instance, the planets involved are the Moon in Taurus and Chiron in Pisces at the base, and Jupiter in Libra at the apex. Jupiter in Libra teaches lessons of the collective wisdom, higher truths encoded in the natural order. Now that we may need to rearrange our value structure to be in better accordance with these universal laws, the Moon in Taurus reveals the emotional security we had invested there. Chiron in Pisces, meanwhile, reveals the deep wound that may have disrupted our innate spiritual imprint, and set us up to develop a value structure whose center was misaligned with our spiritual source.
If you choose to engage with the deep wound archetype of Chiron, accept and allow these difficult emotions to move through as a necessary purging. Venus will be in retrograde until she meets Chiron, where she stations to turn direct once more. Venus never afflicts. The lesser benefic, Venus is receptive by nature, and her presence may attract many gifts to those open to her influence. Trust--a loose trine of Moon and Pluto in earth signs show that the difficult emotion that may arise can be properly grounded and released.
I Believe. The motto of Pisces means “I am with Love.” Love is the archetypal human force that emerges from proper alignment with Source. Though this transit may initially provoke some qualms, as Mars moves into the earth sign of Taurus and the Sun reaches confident Aries, the path will become more solid and the footing more sure. On the Equinox, the Moon will join Saturn before moving on to form a Grand Earth Trine with Mars, the planet of action and initiation, and the North Node, our forward trajectory (more on that closer to the Equinox!). Trust the presence of a higher order can show the way. Believe in the capacity of love to carry you through.
Planets transiting Aries may prime your internal warrior archetype. Observe where you leap to battle--what values do you feel sworn to protect? If such protection requires a sacrifice of harmony in a relationship, what then is truly worth defending? Wait to make any definitive decisions in regards to resources or relationships. Strong emotions may demand release--be sure this is directed in a healthy manner. It is not the time to fight, but to allow these primal energies to show you what values truly inspire your passion.
All planets will be in direct motion except the Greater and Lesser Benefics, Jupiter and Venus. The gifts we receive now will be found within. Pay attention to your own internal messaging. Pisces rules dreams. What dreams do you create in the complete conscious liberty of sleep? What daydreams pass like clouds over your waking hours? What dreams of achievement define the aim of your efforts? Here are the clues to lead you back to your true center, the truth of your heart.