Relationship Reflections for Venus Retrograde

Between the Cancer New Moon opposite Pluto, Lunar Nodal Shift, and two retrogrades (looking at you Venus and Chiron), this week offers potent planetary portals galore.

Though I mostly have my Astro eye on Venus and Chiron retrograde cycles beginning the same weekend the Sun moves into Leo. Um, also the same weekend the Barbie movie comes out.;)

Astrologer Chris Brennan also pointed out that when Barbie came out in 1959 it was at the same time Venus was in Virgo retrograde moving into Leo. A very astro-attuned pop culture moment!

From July 22 until September 3, Venus moves backward in the sky asking us to reflect on our relationship to intimacy itself.

The feeling of loneliness can be two-fold, a lack of close relationships with others (our mammalian parts need it) and often a lack of connection with ourselves. And Venus can help.

Archetypally, Venus rules the realms of intimacy including friendship, romance, sensuality, pleasure, value, but also transformation and self-intimacy. Venus energy craves affection and feelings of fondness and has much concern with how to add more sweetness to life. In a nutshell — or scallop shell in the case of the goddess’ birth — Venus seeks to love and be loved.