Venus Retrograde Survival Guide: Jul - Nov 2023

Here we go!....

One of the most significant transits of 2023 happens this Saturday, July 22nd. Venus goes retrograde and begins a series of events that resolves on November 29th.

This, of course, effects relationships, and there will be major life lessons to learn there, but it goes much deeper than that.

One of my teachers would say there is only one relationship. The relationship between you and God. Everything else is a reflection of that. (You can replace god with higher power, source, universe, or any god of your understanding.)

• Here are some positive ways to work with this energy
• Do gratitude journaling about your current and past relationships
• Do regular self care practices that treat yourself with love and kindness
• Revisit music, art, movies and play that you used to love
• Deep gardening work including weeding
• Talk with honest, supportive friends to gain perspective on your relationships and offer perspective for theirs
• Journal to uncover patterns from past relationships (Neptune Retrograde is helping to dismantle unrealistic fantasies or illusions of the past)
• Be patient with yourself and others (Saturn aspecting Venus slows things down)
• Do yoga and meditation to quiet your mind and ego (Venus in Leo can be cruel, harsh, controlling and arrogant at it’s worst, but good with boundaries and dedicated to beautiful old traditions like yoga at it’s best.)

Here are some things that you could say are “things not to do,” but another way to say it is they could create some major challenges, which may be necessary lessons to learn from:

• Start a new relationship
• Re-start an old relationship
• Marriage proposal
• Focus on a fantasy or ideal situation rather than address the present one
• Provoking conflict when you’re irritable
• Making major life decisions from impulsivity or passion, especially with finances, relationships and cosmetically
• Only thinking short term and not long term, especially in relationships
• Losing yourself in relationship to receive attention or something superficial

As always, we have free will and if we notice ourselves drifting towards a negative expression of a placement, we can start making choices more in line with the positive expression. Easy peasy. No need for any alarmist, fear based thinking. When you zoom out (like in the Venus orbit pictured below), you see how these retrograde times are what make the beautiful mandala patterns through time.

This can be a profoundly healing time to slow down, look inward and learn about who we have been in relationships and how we want to show up going forward. This can lead to having more authentic, deep, meaningful connections in all life relationships.

I’ll continue to share updates about the Venus Retrograde in the weeks ahead.

If you’d like support in your self care practices, including yoga, meditation, daily routines, Ayurveda and much more; the Quietmind Yoga Membership is open for enrollment this week only! Click here to learn more and enroll in the Quietmind Yoga Membership.

Now let's look at all the transits this week…

Sun, Jul 16 - Sun in Cancer - (31 Days)
An intuitive and emotional energy that emphasizes the importance of sensitivity, empathy, and nurturing in self-expression and creative pursuits. With this placement, there is a desire for emotional connection, security, and comfort in life.

Monday, July 17 - New Moon in Punarvasu (1 Day)
This transit is all about new beginnings, growth, and expansion. Punarvasu is associated with renewal and rejuvenation, and the New Moon represents a time for setting intentions and planting seeds for the future. This is a good time to focus on your goals and aspirations, and take concrete steps towards achieving them.

Thursday, July 20 - Sun in Pushya (14 Days)
During this transit, the Sun brings a focus on identity, leadership, and vitality to the nurturing and caring energy of Pushya. This is a time to focus on personal growth and development, as well as providing support to those around you. You may feel a strong desire to take care of others and help them succeed. Take advantage of this energy to build strong relationships and partnerships.

Saturday, July 22 - Mars in Purva Phalguni (21 Days)
Mars in Purva Phalguni is all about passion, creativity, and action. This transit brings a focus on energy, drive, and determination to the power of procreation and vitality associated with Purva Phalguni. This is a good time to channel your energy into creative projects and pursue your passions with fervor. Be careful not to become too impulsive or aggressive in your actions, and make sure to stay grounded and focused.

Saturday, July 22 - Venus Retrograde in Leo in Magha (43 Days / 6 Weeks)
During this period, it's important to reconnect with your desires and find your vitality and creativity by going back to things and places that you love. Old relationship and ancestral issues may resurface to be healed and resolved. Fiery, passionate conflicts may also arise to test your boundaries and ability to be true to yourself without being selfish or harmful to others. Remember to slow down and tune into the true desire underneath the surface level emotions, as love, peace, and harmony come not just from doing what feels good or from short bursts of passion, but from a deeper, more authentic connection. There is a lot of conflicting energy here with Venus Gandanta, and aspects from Saturn, Jupiter and Rahu, which can make it hard to make clear decisions in relationships until Venus transits out of retrograde, then out of debilitation in Virgo (That starts on Nov 2nd) to finally be at home in it’s own sign of Libra on Wed Nov 29th, which happens to be the day after Rahu and Ketu change signs! and just a month after the last Eclipses of 2023. Whew! Hang in there my friends.

Much more on this and as we progress over the next few months.

For now, have a great week!
Jeremy