2023 Venus Retrograde at 28 degrees Leo July 22/23 to direct at 12 degrees Leo Sept 03/04

In her highest expression Venus is the Goddess of Beauty, Harmony, and Love. She is the natural ruler of Taurus who surrounds herself with what is beautiful and is of true value.

She is also the ruler of Libra who is drawn to relationships that make her feel beautiful and valued. And she is exalted in Pisces where she is the “poetic Soul longing for mystical connection”. When she is on her retrograde journey all of the above is at play. Venus is part of The Tarot Constellation of The Empress, creative imagination and the path of love and joy. We also find Neptune (inspiration) and Saturn (responsibility) here.

Venus usually spends three and a half weeks in a Zodiac sign and takes on the characteristics of that sign. But as she heads toward retrograde (moving backward) she slows down. Venus first entered Leo on June 05 and was opposite Pluto in Aquarius and began the journey of healing and transformation, personal love becoming Universal Love. She remains in Leo until Oct 08/09. That is four months. But the Leo influence continues beyond that time. On August 13 when Venus, still retrograde, meets the Sun at 20 degrees Leo 28 minutes she begins her journey as Leo Morning Star, Venus Pandemos, Warrior Goddess. She will be on that journey until 04 June 2024 when she becomes Gemini Evening Star.

When Venus first entered Leo on June 05 she activated The Constellation of Strength, courage and self-esteem asking us to find balance between the material and spiritual planes. Leo is the 8 card of Strength in the Tarot and depicts a Goddess taming a Lion (the ego). The Lion is the astrological symbol for the sign of Leo. When you turn 8 on its side it becomes the infinity symbol, balance between the material and spiritual. The theme for Leo Venus Morning Star is courage of your convictions, connecting to your inner strength, courage to be your true self, and strengthening your connection to and guidance from Source which I call Creator and Great Mystery. It is going to be quite the journey.  

Venus in Leo is fun-loving and is drawn to glamour and drama. She loves to be adored but sometimes is too dependent on what others think of her. She loves to be in love but sometimes looks for it in all the wrong places. Her retrograde journey is the journey of Inanna who goes into the Underworld to find her true power. The day of Venus turning retrograde (July 22/23) is very dramatic. We have a Cardinal Grand Cross (actively breaking through to new beginnings). Pluto Rx at 29 degrees Capricorn 06 is opposite the Sun at 29 degrees Cancer 59 (transformation of self and our place in society) and they form the grand square with the True North Node at 29 degrees Aries 06 (new inspired direction) and the True South Node at 29 degrees Libra 06 (releasing relationship wounds from the past).

There are also two Yod aspects involving Venus. A Yod is when two planets are sextile (easy opportunities) each other and both are inconjunct/quincunx (change, release, letting go) another. We talked a bit about this in our Cancer New Moon post. A Yod is also called the Finger of God, fate, or destiny. Pluto Rx at 29 degrees of Capricorn (Soul purpose in the world) is sextile Neptune Rx at 27 degrees Pisces (spiritual illumination) and both are inconjunct Venus Rx at 28 degrees Leo (the ego or the compassionate heart). The release point is the Asteroid Eros at 27 degrees Aquarius (finding your spiritual passion). The other Yod is Venus sextile the South Node in Libra (loving relationships) both inconjunct Neptune in Pisces (spiritual connections or illusion). Neptune always asks what is true, what is not true, what can never be true. You may find relationships from the past coming back to be healed or new Soul Contracts connections coming in. From July 26 to 30 Mercury in Leo (creative thinking) will activate these two Yod aspects again. For now at Venus Rx the release point for this second Yod is Moon at 27 degrees Virgo 50 (healing into wholeness).  The Universe always gives us a doorway to walk through when we are ready.

In the Northern Hemisphere the Animal Totem who guides Venus in Leo is Salmon, courage and determination to create the new. In the Southern Hemisphere it is Otter, companionship and joyful sharing. They also guide Leo Morning Star. The Clan Mother for us all is She Who Heals. She is the keeper of the healing arts and all rites of passage. She teaches us to believe in the miracle of life through our connections to our spiritual essences. (The 13 Original Clan Mothers by Jamie Sams)

Years ago I wrote a post on Goddess Wisdom and astrology. I linked the lion-headed Goddess Sekhmet to Leo. Here is the post.

Leo- Sekhmet- Egyptian

Daughter of Ra, the sun god, her name means “powerful.” She was his battle Goddess. Lion headed Sekhmet is seen sitting on a throne, fierce and regal. She is a symbol for the scorching heat of the mid-day sun and its potentially destructive power. The Tarot card Strength, which is the card for Leo, shows a woman taming a lion, king of the beasts. Sekhmet is also linked to the Sphinx, lion and Goddess, holder of the Mysteries. Her gentler, kinder side is Hathor, Goddess of love (Taurus). Together they represent the balance between love and will, gentleness and power and spiritual transformation.

Anyone who knows Leo well will have come up against their strong will. A Sekhmet Leo mother will protect her offspring at all costs, willing to do battle with anyone who dares. The other side of Leo is the open, generous, and loving heart of the Goddess Hathor. The lesson is to find the balance, power expressed through love. Wherever Leo is in your chart is where you experience this challenge.

As mentioned last time I am having to put personal astrology sessions on hold again. If anyone has requested a reading recently I will be in touch as soon as I can. In the meantime I hope these insights are helpful.

Namaste and blessings,

Dale

Sekhmet image Courtesy of The Crystal Wind Oracle and Artist Lisa Iris. ©2023 Antonio DeLiberato & CrystalWind.ca. All rights reserved.
oracle.crystalwind.ca - www.lisairis.ca

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Reprinted exclusively with written permission from Dale Osadchuck on crystalwind.ca. All rights reserved.