Love After the Descent: Venus Retrograde in Aries and Pisces.
“I am currently under construction. Thank you for your patience.” ~ Toby Mac
Every year during the long dark night in Greek mythology, the goddess Persephone endures the rule of Hades as his virgin bride in the underworld. When she resurfaces, a celebration ensues and spring blossoms. It is a classic tale of innocence lost, of soulful connection between beauty and beast, and a final redemption where the goddess is set free. But there is much more to this story than meets the eye.
After her first abduction, and the initial pain that accompanies feelings of loss and helplessness, Persephone willingly journeys to the Earth’s core every year, as a kind of sacrificial ritual before she is to be born anew.
She must present a contented demeanor while practicing conventional niceties, as she feasts on pomegranate seeds with the evil Hades — seeds that will spurt new growth at the pit of her womb. She must embrace her reign as Queen of all Damned Souls, encountering villains, monsters, and plenty other antagonists.
The light of her essence temporarily dims as her mother Demeter grieves the loss of her child. When Persephone is finally released from the grips of death, only then can she say that she triumphed in the dark shadows. It is a whirlwind journey filled with tests of will and strength. Each year she is reborn, a changed goddess from the inside out.
We have been equally consumed by our own dark shadows, amidst all that is bleak as the planet Venus retrogrades in the sky through the signs of Aries and Pisces. The fears we’ve encountered as a result are much like the villains and monsters that Persephone befriends in the underworld. The illusion of Venus orbiting the Sun backwards is akin to the illusions we harbor around love and the things that we value.
This is why a retrograde Venus is notorious for resurrecting lost loves, conjuring remnants of a painful past, and a face-off with relationship wounds. A soulful renovation is under construction. We must turn our gaze inward to greet the antagonists that show up in the stories we tell, and the baggage collected along the way.
This is a time to acknowledge the truth of what blocks us from the love we crave, a love that is our birthright.
While retrograde in Aries, a sign ruled by the warrior planet Mars in astrology, Venus pushed us to be bit a more assertive in obtaining what we want most out of life and love. Whatever soured our impassioned pursuit — an unavailable partner, limited funds and resources — Venus retrograde in Aries insisted that these obstacles be annihilated. Venus is in her detriment while transiting the sign of the Ram.
The planet of love here lacks tact and diplomacy in matters of the heart, and can be quite self-serving. Venus in Aries is determined to get what she wants. But while retrograde, turmoil rages within that sees us battling our own demons to stake claim over the deep longings in our heart.
Last week, Venus backtracked a little further and re-entered the sign of Pisces, a sign where the planet of love is exalted and operates at her best. Now we can find reason. We can get to the crux of our deepest needs — the ‘why’ behind our persistent pursuit. Here is where we begin to understand that our demands for love and abundance stem from feelings of lack and low self-worth.
We become more patient with ourselves and those on the receiving end of our projected fears. Pisces is known for its compassion and understanding; Venus retrograde in the sign of the Fish brings forgiveness, adding soothing balms to where it really hurt.
On April 10th, a prominent Full Moon in the relationship sign of Libra marked the beginning of our ascent from the underworld. Venus will station direct on Saturday, April 15th, the day before Easter, when the prophet Jesus arose from the dead. How fitting. It will take some time for Venus to gain traction before orbiting the Sun at full speed, as she recovers ground that will help us to integrate important lessons.
We can make amends now. We can pursue what we desire from a place of fullness, and with the realization that we already have everything we need, that we are enough. For Libra and Libra Rising, a more holistic approach to how you intertwine your life with others is in store. For Taurus and Taurus Rising, joining a new group or network can enhance your own personal growth and development.
For Capricorn and Capricorn rising, things left unsaid with loved ones can bring healing. For Sagittarius and Sagittarius rising, domestic bliss with family and relatives can finally be restored.
Venus will have picked up where she left off by May 18th, which will complete her retrograde cycle. A new chapter is soon to be underway by the time we reach the midway point of 2017. Celebrations of love, after the descent, will be revived and restored. Blessed be — Persephone has finally come home.
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