Venus Enters Shadow Zone

Venus retrograde dates and degrees

Aug 31 @ 22 libra enters shadow

Oct 3 @ 8 scorpio station rx

Oct 23 @ 0 scorpio cazimi

 Nov 13 @ 22 libra station direct

Dec 15 @ 8 scorpio leaves shadow

Today, Venus crosses 22 degrees of Libra, the degree where she will eventually station direct at on November 13. This means she's entered the pre-shadow zone, the territory where she'll eventually transit retrograde.

Venus is a benefic, so we expect good things from her in general. Venus brings people together and is the symbol of relating, love, beauty, creativity and money. So many of the things that make us happy!

When a benefic goes retrograde, we don't quite get what we expect. At times, we may feel we're missing the Venus 'magic', however, at other times we may get something unexpected, that we didn't even know we were missing. 

Libra is a 'yang' sign and Venus here tends to get what she desires through other people such as through relationships, beautiful surroundings, receiving compensation, social interactions or creating art. As Venus turns inward, it's a time to reflect on what we really value about ourselves, regardless of the desires of others or the reflection in the mirror.

Venus is a 22 degrees of Libra, conjunct the fixed star Spica, a fortunate star associated with creative talent. It offers blessings and honors to artists, musicians, scientists and philosophers. Venus here can bring success through friends, however, if such fortune is abused it can take such friends and success away. Since Venus will eventually station direct on this star, consider that these themes will be significant on this journey.

The area of the zodiac Venus will be traversing is known as the Via Combusta or the 'fiery way' - 15 Libra to 15 Scorpio. This is known as an especially intense and unstable area, as the surface-level pleasantness of Libra sits uncomfortably next to the raw honesty demanded of Scorpio. I expect there will be a reassessment of relating, where we truly belong, and the value of keeping the peace versus the honesty of deep bonds.