Venus Retrograde 2023: Relationships Under Review

Have you looked to the west in the evening and seen Venus shining bright and beautiful? She’s at her brightest and most brilliant because she has wandered as far as she can from the Sun and is no longer outshone by our closest star.

All good things must come to an end and soon Venus will begin to make her way back towards the Sun. She will appear to travel backwards in the sky; what we astrologers call retrograde motion.

Unlike the retrograde cycles of the outer planets, Venus retrograde only happens every 18 months, meaning this is something of a rare opportunity.

Venus is about harmony. She brings things together through the principle of attraction. Like attracts like.

When a planet is retrograde, it’s time to change your approach to the themes of that planet.

Retrogrades have taken on some notoriety in pop astrology in recent years, but there is absolutely no need to dread the next few weeks.

Retrogrades are reflective. It’s a time to do things differently.

Venus retrograde is a wonderful time to withdraw from your relationships a little to check in with yourself about how you relate, before throwing yourself back into the fray of human connection.

It’s also the perfect time to experiment with your personal and artistic aesthetics, and rediscover old pleasures.

Venus in Leo

Venus loves to shine and be seen in Leo. She has some dignity here by term but the Sun-ruled sign isn’t really as collaborative and agreeable as the Goddess of Love prefers.

In Sun-soaked Leo, Venus to be adored as the one and only. This is especially true of relationships but also fashion finds.

Aesthetically, Venus in Leo gravitates towards bright and cheerful colours. She’s enjoys playing with fashion as a creative outlet. There’s always a little sartorial drama added through gold, sequins, and/or logos. If you spy someone wearing all three at once, they’re likely to have a lot of Leo in their chart.

Venus in Leo is loyal and can sometimes linger in stale relationships longer than they should.

Venus is interested in interpersonal connections of all kinds – friendships, business, familial or political. Venus is interested in them all!

As a fixed sign, Leo emphasises the durability and commitment of these connections. But this Venus insists that everyone should be having a good time as well as a long time.

While in Leo, Venus looks to the Sun and just as the Sun shines physical light and warmth upon us, Venus in Leo thrives on attention, visibility and compliments.

Venus also speaks to our passions, particularly when travelling through a Fire sign, which is naturally associated with creativity and adventure.

Venus Retrograde in Leo

This Venus retrograde in Leo could see a lot of relationship demands (and ensuing drama), regretful purchases and experimental haircuts (with superfluous drama).

As retrogrades tend to be introspective and bring up feelings about the significations of the planet, Venus retrograde in Leo is likely to have you delving into how you’re seen – or conversely, not seen – in certain social situations.

What happens when the person in a partnership who drives the relationship forward takes their foot off the accelerator? Or even does a U-turn and is less committed or invested in the other person?

Don’t just think in terms of your romantic life; each of us has many different kinds of social connections and they are all valuable and enrich our lives.

Creative outlets and your sense of play are also likely to experience changes during Venus retrograde in Leo. You may lose interest in your usual exercise rountine or try some new moves. Artists may grow tired of their usual colour palette, tools and/or techniques.

Venus asks: How do I express my desire for love and pleasure?

The last time Venus was retrograde in Leo was 8 years ago, in July to September 2015. It’s useful to think back to what happened in that period of your life as there may be resonance between that period and now.

Venus Retrograde Timeline

While in Leo, Venus will form squares to both Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus three times. As a benefic planet, Jupiter offers support, whereas Uranus’ influence is more disruptive.

5 Jun	Venus > Leo
12 Jun	Venus sq Jupiter (1st of 3)
3 Jul	Venus sq Uranus (1st of 3)
23 Jul	Venus retrograde starts 28*36′ Leo
9 Aug	Venus Rx sq Uranus (2nd of 3)
22 Aug	Venus Rx sq Jupiter (2nd of 3)
4 Sep	Venus retrograde ends 12*12′ Leo
17 Sep	Venus sq Jupiter Rx (3rd of 3)
30 Sep	Venus sq Uranus Rx (3rd of 3)
9 Oct	Venus > Virgo

Venus Retrograde Horoscopes

These horoscopes are best read for your rising sign. If you don’t know your rising sign, join my email list and I’ll help you out. If your birth information is incomplete or unknown, read these horoscopes for your Sun sign.

Venus Rx in 1st House

Venus retrograde is in your own sign, which means it’s all about you. The first house is your window to the world; it’s where you see out and where other people see in. It also relates to your body and your physicality so this is a good time to play around with your looks and presentation. Try a different way of wearing your hair or adding some colour to your wardrobe. The key word there is ‘try’. Don’t get the teardrop tattoo on your face. Don’t book yourself in for plastic surgery. Exploring alternate ways of relating to your self, your physicality has a flow-on effect to your relationships too. When a planet is retrograde, it’s examines itself, so this period is fertile for self-exploration and assessing your self esteem. Do you love and value yourself?

Venus Rx in 2nd House

Venus retrograde in your second house of income and assets isn’t the best for buying and selling. While you might find a secondhand bargain, the flip side is undervaluing something you are selling – and vice versa. Value is distorted. Cash flow could be stopped upstream creating temporary financial difficulties. Whatever you value is under review. Venus retrograde invites you to look at value through a less conventional lens. Uniqueness is more important than usual and you could come out of this transit with a lot of one-off items. Be particularly cautious about entering into a new financial partnership. If you’ve just met somebody who seems wonderful and they hit you up for a loan or you feel like you need to buy them expensive gifts, that’s a red flag. If you still want to shower them in diamonds when Venus is direct, go for it.

Venus Rx in 3rd House

Venus retrograde in your third house means a re-evaluation of communications, your learning style, how you think and how you travel in your local area. Relationships with neighbors and siblings are the key interpersonal connections up for review and renegotiation. There’s an internal process of examining where and how your creative concepts are made and remade. You’ll pull your ideas apart and put them back together again until you feel pleased with the results. Just when you think you’ve finished the thought or smoothed over that peer relationship ripple, it’s time to rediscover and rework it again. Your words could lack their usual flow and social appropriateness, which makes it that much easier to cause offence. This is a really bad time to gossip or trash talk in the comments section. If you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all.

Venus Rx in 4th House

Venus retrograde puts your attention fairly and squarely in the fourth House, at the bottom of your chart. You’re re-evaluating your identity from the roots up. This area of the chart relates to your private realm, the time you spend at home, with your family. It also relates to real estate so you could be considering a move or renovation. Redecorating is also worth considering and may be preferable to more enduring changes. Move some furniture around. Be a little less rigid with your family routines and relationships; look at an ongoing situation in a new way and find alternate avenues of resolution. Maybe something you’ve tried in the past will work now? Venus Rx also presents an opportunity to bring peace to old grudges so patching up a family rift is challenging but possible.

Venus Rx in 5th House

Venus retrograde is happening in your fifth house of fun. This sector of the chart rules pleasure, recreation, procreation, kids, and creativity so all these topics are going to be reviewed during Venus’ retrograde journey. Old or forgotten pleasures may make a comeback into your life. For example, if you enjoyed gardening with your grandparents as a child, you may share your green thumb with the children in your life now. Consider the value of pleasure in your life. Maybe you’ve been underestimating it? Or conversely chasing too much fun? You might question your ongoing involvement in a sport or recreational activity. Don’t list your gear on Gumtree until after Venus retrograde ends. Likewise don’t buy a pile of expensive accessories for your latest fad interest. Like romantic connections formed during Venus Rx, it might not hold your attention as long you think it will.

Venus Rx in 6th House

Venus retrograde in the sixth house is about daily duties, your routines and responsibilities. It also covers illness. Sounds boring, eh? Au contraire. If you don’t habitually brush your teeth, you can’t charm people with your 1000-watt smile. Think of your daily self-care and wellness rituals in terms of their long-term benefits. Book yourself in for health screenings and check ups. Keep an eye on your diet too. Venus is indulgent and when she’s retrograde in this sector, your healthy habits could be replaced with laziness and sweet treats (which could also be considered a perk of this transit). Working relationships are also in the spotlight. Do you love what you do? Do you feel you’re making a difference? The 6th house doesn’t offer trophies or awards but if you feel you’re serving others you might just extract enough satisfaction to keep at it another day.

Venus Rx in 7th House

Venus is retrograde in the seventh house, which is your relationship sector. It’s not just about romance though; it’s partners of all kinds, anyone you’ve got a one-on-one relationship with. It could be a business partner, your spouse or significant other but also any exes or enemies. One thing that retrograde Venus is notorious for is exes popping their little heads up again so be aware, steel yourself, and set firm boundaries. A lot of what goes on in intimate relationships would not be tolerated in a friendship. This transit will most likely play out in your most long-term committed partnership and signals the need for a softening and renegotiation of who’s in the starring role. It’s time to recalibrate the balance in this most imporant area of life.

Venus Rx in 8th House

Venus is retrograde in your eighth house which relates to death, taxes, other people’s money, taboos and intimacy. Sounds like fun, right? Venis here usually take quite a pragmatic approach to such matters but when retrograde Venus brings an extra level of indecision and emotionality. Wavering desire complicates your situation and muddles your intellect. Your investments and financial plans are worth reviewing at this time, especially if you are setting things up for the long-term (ie retirement planning). Review your goals, do plenty of research, and see what changes are required to feather your retirement nest. Another potential manifestation is a persuasive letter from the tax office or bank kindly offering their assistance to help you remedy an oversight.

Venus Rx in 9th House

Venus retrograde is happening in the ninth house which relates to travel higher learning and spirituality and travel. Holidays, work trips, gathering with far-flung family, exploring exotic locations. Venus retrograde will help you re-evaluate how you see yourself in the context of this wider world and rediscover your sense of adventure. A retrograde planet can be thought of as a ‘planet on holiday’ and not really paying attention to their usual tasks and interests. You might plan or take a holiday in this period or enrol in a course that opens up new directions. Retrogrades being retrograde, expect delays and hiccups along the way – but as they say, it’s all about the journey not the destination. You may also rediscover, regig or recommit to religious or meditative practices.

Venus Rx in 10th House

Venus retrograde in the tenth house relates to career ambition, your reputation and any recognition that you’ll receive – which comes with a sprinkle of Venusian glamour. Don’t be surprised if it falls flat though as you become aware of that your and the corporate mission statement aren’t a perfect match. Are you OK with faking it? Don’t worry if you haven’t realised your professional ambitions. While Venus retrograde could have you questioning your colleagues and your professional values, she may also unexpectedly put you in the right place at the right time. An appealing workplace opportunity could come your way, but it’ll take time and plot twists. A retrograde planet never takes the most direct route. Tune into the undercurrents of workplace relationships for extra business benefits.

Venus Rx in 11th House

Venus will be retrograde in your house of friends and group affiliations, which spotlights friendships and the values that underpin them. This sector of the chart also relates to your hopes and dreams so those are also up for re-evaluation. Do you still want what you’re working towards? The 11th house is the luckiest house of the chart, so this transit should ultimately bring a positive realignment of your social life. While this realignment is underway, those friendships could feel awkward. Don’t dial up the drama and feel rejected; remember your friends are having their own Venus retrograde transits too. Be understanding and accept if people are a little less reliable than you’d like them to be. This also gives you some extra wiggle room with your own social commitments.

Venus Rx in 12th House

The twelfth house is the most secretive place of anybody’s chart; it’s so secret even you don’t know what’s going on in there! Retrograde Venus is on the case, delving deeply into your unconscious (or subconscious). She may uncover intriguing insights into collective experience and how you have been shaped by the relationships around you. This sector of the chart is also a place of retreat and isolation so you may experience a sense of loneliness and feel like you are misunderstood. Pull back from the wider world and stop sabotaging yourself by putting everyone else before you. This kind of self reflection can seem self indulgent in a society that prioritises productivity but if you can’t do it during Venus Rx, when can you? There will be plenty more rhetorical questions to amuse you.