The planet of love is heading backward—on July 25^th Venus will retrograde in Leo.

This phase will last until September 6^th and occurs every one and a half to two years. It can manifest in a variety of ways so keep in mind that how it specifically affects us depends on our sun sign.

If you happen to be a Leo, Libra or Taurus (signs ruled by Venus) then there is likely this will influence you more but whether it’s positive or negative depends mostly on our perception. Just like those who fearing Mercury retrograde, if we walk into this event with fear in our hearts and minds we will likely see situations which confirm this.

Let’s break down a few of the different ways Venus retrograde may manifest and how we can use this time to our advantage.

Venus rules beauty, aesthetic, luxury items (including food, drink etc.), love, woman, relationships, body image as well as money. When retrograding, we often times see the shadow side of Venus appear. This could mean that we suddenly begin to have relationship issues, body image issues, extra marital affairs and drinking, spending and eating to excess.

When it comes to love, Venus reigns supreme. Whilst retrograding we will find that the curtain is pulled back from our most treasured relationships, revealing them for what they are, not what we have hoped them to be. We will see through people’s façades and masks and will become highly aware of the cracks in our relationships. This gives us the chance to do a few things: we can choose to either release relationships which are long past their prime, we can begin to ask the serious questions and evaluate what relationships are worth saving or we could commit to rebuilding and repairing our relationships.

Since Venus is moving backwards through Leo, a fire sign, emotions will run high. Our tendency to react rather than respond will be doubled and we may be saying things we will later regret. Conversely we may find that our libido is through the roof! While I certainly have no qualms with this, it can manifest in such a way that we make foolish decisions which undermine not just our relationships but potentially our integrity.

It is not advisable to throw yourself head first into any toxic relationships. Extra marital affairs make for compelling fictional stories but rarely do they provide anything resembling happiness in reality. This is a time to make sure we tend to our own gardens and not become a third wheel in another relationship. Any of us who are in a triangular relationship will want to be sure to proceed with caution. Retrogrades have a habit of revealing that which we prefer to stay hidden.

While retrograding, Venus also likes to bring back past lovers. It’s advisable that we consider our choices greatly since what comes back during this transit is likely to follow it out when it’s over. Dates that open the largest window of opportunity for a past lover to return are August 31^st thru September 1^st.

The important thing to remember when it comes to Venus retrograde and matters related to love and relationships is that there is a heavy karmic lesson associated with the people who we interact with or meet during this time—there is a lesson to learn. It’s not always the people who have the greatest significance but what they teach us is that matters.

While Venus is primarily thought of in relation to love, she also rules women and how we make our money. During a retrograde period we may find that a woman or a group of women come into our life who assist us regarding how we make money. Take stock of how you make your money during this time and ask yourself if you are building a strong foundation. If you would like to see things improve, now is the time to evaluate what you have been doing and what you could do differently.

Speaking of doing things differently, while Venus retrogrades, we all should try to avoid any drastic changes to ourselves. This means holding off on the makeover—any cosmetic surgery, hair color changes etc. until after September 6^th. Although we may think we want certain changes we might find regret seeping in later!

If there are changes we cant help but make, allow them to be small and easily reversed should we need to change them later. One way to infuse things with beauty is by taking a look at our surroundings. Maybe it’s time for a bit of redecorating? With Venus retrograding my rule is to watch what I spend. The tendency to overspend on luxury items always seems ample during this time.

Taking things in stride during any retrograde phase is necessary—frustrations can mount and this is even more so true when we are dealing with a retrograde, such as this, which impacts our relationships with others and ourselves.

If we can harness the flow and see this as an opportunity to refine our relationships, both inside and out, this can be a highly productive time for us all. My hope is that we embrace what comes to our doorstep with grace and courageousness!

Author: Laura Brown

Editor: Katarina Tavčar

Photo: Chris Lexow/Flickr