Venus is officially retrograde in Scorpio, and this transit is going to feel like two completely different journeys. From today, October 3rd, until November 13th, Venus will be moving backward through the zodiac. She does this every year and a half, but this one is special because she's splitting her time between two very different signs. From October 3rd to October 25th, she'll retrograde through Scorpio from 8 to 0 degrees. Then from October 25th to November 13th, she re-enters her home sign of Libra and retrogrades from 29 to 22 degrees.
Venus is the planet of love, beauty, pleasure, finances and what we value. When she's moving forward, she focuses outward on all those things we want and desire. But in retrograde, she turns that focus inward. She starts asking why we value those things in the first place. Maybe you value money, but what does money actually represent to you? Security, freedom, independence, worth? The real value is usually something deeper than the thing itself, and that's what's being revealed to you now.
The Scorpio half will dig deep
The first portion of this retrograde is going to be heavier, and that's because Venus is in her detriment in Scorpio. She has a harder time there. Scorpio is all about depth and intensity, and Venus wants peace and harmony. Scorpio excavates. It wants to get to the bottom of everything. So if jealousy comes up, you're going to be pushed to understand where that jealousy is coming from. A lack of trust? A fear that you're not good enough? A fear of being abandoned? And where does that fear come from? A past relationship that caused you pain? Something in your childhood?
If it's possessiveness, obsession, control, Scorpio asks you to find the wound underneath it. Where did it begin? What caused it? What part of you still needs healing?
Scorpio is a water sign, so we're going to be feeling everything. Venus will also square Mars on October 10th, the planet of aggression. Fights, impulsive behavior, even intimacy can reveal deep hidden emotions. Strong ones. Uncomfortable ones. Then on October 20th, Venus squares Pluto, lord of the underworld, which adds even more pressure to what's been bubbling up beneath the surface. There will be no escaping what needs to be confronted now. Relationships will be tested. Things you've been avoiding with your partner or within yourself will be revealed. Some relationships won't last. Others will overcome whatever comes up and come out stronger on the other side. There is so much healing that can take place during this time. Real transformation. But it requires facing the darkness first.
The Libra half will help you process
When Venus goes back into Libra on October 25th, the energy shifts. It becomes lighter. I'm actually looking forward to this portion. It's as if the universe wants us to face the darkness first and foremost so that we can get to the good stuff. We're still looking inward, but now we can begin to process what we discovered. Libra is an air sign, so there can be more perspective, more clear reflection, more ability to step back and understand what we've been feeling instead of being fully consumed by it. This portion will make it easier to connect with your inner beauty.
If you have early degree placements in Scorpio or in any of the fixed signs, the first half of this retrograde will hit you the hardest. And if you have any late degree placements in Libra or in any of the cardinal signs, the second half will hit you the hardest. The road can get a little rocky over the next few weeks, but walking down this road can reveal exactly what you need to see right now. It's the kind of truth that sets you free from a prison you didn't even know you were in. Whether it's a person, a limiting belief, a toxic habit, a suppressed emotion, whatever's been keeping you stuck or standing in the way will finally be made clear. What comes up may not be pretty, but don't look away. It's exactly what you need to see. Sometimes you need to get smacked in order to wake up.