Natal Venus Retrograde Is A Super Venus
Don’t believe the negative hype about natal Venus Retrograde. It does not have anything to do with money problems, ‘bad love karma’, or relationship difficulties. The logic that says it does is not legit.
Yet some of the standard takes on it make this placement seem more like a mood disorder or niche diagnosis. They’re only missing the “how to tell people you’ve got Venus Retrograde” pamphlets and “you can still live a normal life” reassurances.
The astrological Venus reigns over style, beauty, art, pleasure, and the pleasurable dimension of relationships. You can interpret your natal Venus via many prisms: the sign, house, alignments to other planets, whether it was rising or setting as you were born, and if it was a Morning Star Venus or the Evening Star. And, whether your Venus was “direct” or “retrograde.”
There are multiple factors involved. However, when Venus is Retrograde, she’s in the closest possible proximity to Earth. It’s like a Super-Venus.
Seven Percent Of People Have Venus Retro
Seven percent of the population are born during Venus Retro and no, they’re not defective. They have brilliant boundaries and an abiding interest in the social constructs around relationships. They’re professional questioners, like Christiane Amanpour and Naomi Wolf or novelists who create new-paradigm-turned-classics like Marlon James, Muriel Spark, Thomas Pynchon, and Milan Kundera.
Debbie “Design Matters” Millman brings deep-focus flair to delineated a classically Venusian realm: design and branding. “We create constructs to understand ourselves, the way we look, how we feel, what we believe – and we telegraph that ‘branding’ to the world.”
Whether they’re in a relationship or not, natal Venus Retrograde people are nearly always in a rewarding romance with their art or creative output. If they have a public profile, they need it to be about their work, or beliefs rather than a curated public persona. Witness Charlize Theron, Laverne Cox, Rachel McAdam, Taika Waititi, and Eva Green – all Retro-Venusian.
(Above, from left to right, Laverne Cox, Debbie Millman, and Marlon James).
Do You Have Natal Venus Retrograde?
Venus turns Retrograde approximately every 18 months, for 40 days at a time. Occurring every 580 days*, it is part of a broader cycle big in metaphysics and science. It runs in eight-year/96-year cycles that reference everything from sacred geometry and the I-Ching to the goddess Ishtar’s epic underworld journey.
The patttern made by the Venusian orbit is a marvel, the underpinning of profound alchemical artworks. In the famous Flower of Venus mandala, the petals are the Retrograde loops. Which part of this suggests automatic money or love problems to you? If Retro-Venusians have a problem in this regard, it’s that they’re hyper-sensual people who attract attention even though privacy is like a religion to them and they’re often quite detached from hormonal dramatics.
*It varies by a few days each time.
Top Image: Milan Kunc – Birth of the Venus Kiss
VENUS RETROGRADE DATES 1900-2000
VENUS RETROGRADE DATES 2000 - 2025
When gazing at these Venus Retro dates, you may notice one or more of the following phenoms:
*Parents, grandparents and other relatives who have Venus Retrograde at a similar point to someone decades younger – they often have similar artistic gifts and/or romantic temperament.
*That Venus Retrogrades run on a cycle – every eight years the Venus Retrograde is very close to the degree it was at eight years ago. Hence the eight-pointed star as symbol of Ishtar, although the five-pointed pentagram is also strongly associated as Venus makes five ‘stations’ (pause points before turning Retrograde) over these eight years. My theory is that the Traditional Chinese Five Element system is also somehow linked to this cycle.
*That significant, mind-blowing encounters often occur during Venus Retrogrades. It’s a classic “reconnection” with past-life love interests phase, especially if other factors augment this. Eg: South Node action, Pluto-Venus transits etc.
*Ultra-strong resonance between image changes/fresh aesthetics/creative direction recalibration and the Venus Retrogrades that ping off your natal Sun, Moon, Mercury, natal Venus or Mars.
As a Venus in Cap retrograde, I definitely get made fun of for how I want to treat my girlfriend. It can be pretty rough, I am a male as well. My birthday is January 18th 1998. I also know I have a lot of issues with expressing myself, being a Capricorn. But, there is more to that in my chart, than just the sun sign alone.
Hi CapCorn, just wanted to pop in and say hi birthday twin! (same date and year :))
I have difficulty expressing myself as well, which I knew from early on. I didn’t really realize it was impacting the relationships in my life until a couple people have addressed me about it this year. I have been consciously trying to communicate better but its definitely a journey, that’s not linear. (I have Chiron in the 3rd, chile) We got this though!!
Wow! We have the same exact birthday and my venus is in Rx too. I am expressive in love.. my issues are more on self love, strong boundaries and martyrdom. Also people-pleasing and insecurities.
I feel that people project their garbage upon Retro Venusians, a particularly powerful feminine archetype, because we have been deeply conditioned to scapegoat anything that would reveal our fuqery, and girl oh girl does a Retro Venus see some shit 😀 They don’t know us, but we know them, they want us, but can’t have us and that must be very disconcerting to a fragile ego. My Retro Venus is in Gemini, zero hormonal drama, stimulate my consciousness into expansion, that’s a powerful orgasm for me! I like books, lightening and volcanoes please.
Thank you so much for this Mystic, you have nailed it – yet again. (!!) At 22 degrees Aries, my natal retro Venus has been instructive for a lot – could never articulate how until I read the hyper-sensuality and privacy requirements, which are so correct – and working the super-Venus side of things is the best way to “high-vibe” this super-sensitive aspect. Thanks MM 🙂
(And yes – creative pursuits are as critical as air, food and water, for me).
this is such an interesting dive into venus retro – i have this placement and have always wondered about its significance in my relationship constructs with others. I wonder how/if this is also amplified with your natal venus in the 12th house? (now i’m going to reread your post on 12th house people hehe – another fab piece). Thank you so much for this breakdown, Mystic! 🙂
Oh damn. I’m just a common old Venus direct! Granted it’s in Gemini and my 3rd but it means I’m lacking that absolute depth to my flirting. Errrrrr hang on what my my 8th house mash up that covers that bit too. Seems I’ll stick it out with what I got !
If you need some tips on flirting as a Venus retro, I’m more than happy to help out a fellow Venus in Gemini 3rd house 🤓
The best take on Venus retro I’ve read. And as one who has it retro in Virgo, you’ve helped me see the blessing it can be. Thankyou ❤️
So is it closest to the earth at the point of the direct station? I wondered, as mine is virtually stationary, with birthday 2 days after Venus SD and still in the same degree (plus some minutes) I think.
I’m posting a calendar on here shortly – it is just tricky to format – 1900 to 2099!
Fantastic!
I have this in Scorpio (already “in detriment”). It is so hard to find anything on this that isn’t telling me I’m completely fuqed. I love this take! Thank you MM!
Same, baby, same. Venus RX Scorpio 8th house.
I felt the same about all my detriment and fall planets (Venus Virgo, Mars Cancer, Sun Libra, Saturn Leo..!). All the old literature suggests i might as well just give up yesterday. However, i have taken to doing searches on for people with the same placements and there’s oodles of people who are definitely not just taking up space on the planet..! I’d highly recommend it to help get out of that mindset that you’re somehow ill-fated because of a placement. Here’s a good search engine where you can check for retrogrades also.
http://www.famouspeople.astro-seek.com
I have Jupiter Rx btw (Jupiter being the higher octave of Venus). It helps to remember that Rx planets only appear to be moving backwards, so a lot of it is about perception of where you are at compared to others who you think are “ahead” of you in some way….but actually, the planets all move in a circle – there’s no “behind” and no “ahead” in a circle that is eternal. There’s a saying “far behind enough to be ahead” which is perfect motto for the retrograde state. Learn to love where you are… (noting to myself also!).
Enjoy!
Venus R (Gemini, 10H), Jupiter, Uran & Neptune all retrogrades – here 🙂
I’m a Venus Retro (Gemini 3rd house) & I didn’t know it’s only a small proportion of the population who are Venus Retro. Great club to be in!
All of this resonates. I’m super in love with my work & find it very rewarding.
I am listening to Naomi Wolf’s book Vagina (edit inserted the word book). Fascinating insight. Looking forward to discovering what Venus was doing exactly in my natal chart. 3rd house Aries snuggling the Moon (conjunct Pythia). Gosh I love my astrology fascination!
“If Retro-Venusians have a problem in this regard, it’s that they’re hyper-sensual people who attract attention even though privacy is like a religion to them and they’re often quite detached from hormonal dramatics” 😭😭😭😭 Mystic these are the realest words that have ever been spoken. Now how to explain this hyper-sensuality to those closest to me from exile? 🤔 LOL pls help!
MM’s a super-oracle in herself, eh !! Am a Retro-Venusian too, so this is my support-group-input about communicating hyper-sensuality from exile – try the non-verbals. Written word also great, but more for communicating…the non-verbals. Good luck. xoo