Venus Retrograde 2026

Venus as Relationships and Values in Organizing for Liberation

Key Dates

Aug 30th Retrograde Shadow

Sept 10th Into Scorpio

Oct 3rd Retrograde

Oct 25th Back into Libra

Nov 13th Direct

Dec 4th Back into Scorpio

Dec 15th Retrograde Shadow

In the first part of the Venus Retrograde (Oct 3rd to 25th) we have a few other transits that make it a little more intense. The Mercury square Mars (October 2nd) Mercury square Pluto (October 2nd) and then Mars opposed Pluto (October 3rd) brings up strong impulses to speak, to take action, to use our words to transform, to grab something with force. Ideally this is coming from a place of alignment but not everyone will be grounded in this. It could be a time of people coming at you, so use whatever protective measures you can. These transits are all activating the area of the sky and your chart where Venus is currently retrograding with Mercury is in Scorpio, so things could feel really focused on that area right now.

Don't know what area of your chart is being activated? Book me for a reading.

On October 6th, Mercury conjoins a retrograde Venus in Scorpio. These two planets are the fastest ones besides the Moon, and the closest to us on Earth, so we tend to feel them the most. As said earlier, they tend to be really qualitatively different. Mercury is dry, Venus is wet. Mercury is cool, Venus is warm. Mercury is the mind, Venus is the body. Both are about connection in different ways. I think of Mercury being information while Venus is sensations. When they come together in Scorpio this could be a moment where we feel really clear about our values, about communicating within our relationships, where there is an opening for us to sense into the depth of our desires for change. It can also be confusing and chaotic as the planet's differing goals collide.

On October 10th Venus and Mars will be square each other. This is a tense situation where we feel a friction, a need to move, to make something happen. Venus is a coming together, while Mars is a need to sever and cut. There's a need to reconcile the performer with the hermit, the desire to put ourselves out there with the desire to be deeply connected, to be seen with to be emotionally maturing. We need to get creative, it cannot be one or the other. Merge them and make them both. I find squares are truly the abolitionist's aspect as this challenge to build something new or work with a new energy.

This day is also the New Moon in Libra, ruled by a Retrograde Venus (and as said above, square Mars). As organizers we should be taking the New Moon as a time to plant seeds, to state goals, to envision the next month. So make sure this takes into account and includes the Venus square Mars description. With Libra, we can think about how our organizing creates just, equitable, harmonious relationships, and the connective frameworks that make these possible. Mediation, conflict resolution, and related practices are certainly part of the Libra archetype.

On October 23rd, Venus conjoins with the Sun at 0 degrees of Scorpio, as they pass each other into and out of this sign. Venus becomes imbued with extra warmth and singularity, the Sun takes in the connectivity and enmeshing quality of Venus. It's a special moment at the beginning of Scorpio and the mid point of the Retrograde. Take this moment to reflect on what has come up the last few weeks, to check in.

Early the next morning, Mercury Retrograde begins in Scorpio. Having both Mercury and Venus Retrograde is giving us the opportunity to slow the fuck down if we haven't already. Remember that slowing down doesn't have to mean accomplishing less. But less is more with both these personal planets retrograde. We tend to create more chaos when we fight against it. Now whatever we've been going over and revisiting with Venus we will go over and revisit with Mercury (not the exact degrees of Scorpio, but at least in a similar style and in the same house by Whole sign if you know your chart).

(More about Mercury Retrograde coming soon in another post.)

Two days later on October 25th, we meet the Full Moon in Taurus (also ruled by a retrograde Venus) so by this time we will likely meet a surge of energy, a culmination of sorts. By this time though, with Venus in Libra where it is more at home than Scorpio, and the Moon in Taurus where it is an honoured guest, we may feel on more solid ground than we did earlier. In any case, a Full Moon is not a time to control but to observe what arises. With Taurus especially we can observe what insecurities, emotional and material are coming up for us and for others, what senses arise (touch, smell, sound, taste), how people are using their voices and in opposition holding back what they want to say.

By the time we get to the New Moon in Scorpio on November 8th (which is also considered by many to be the real Samhain and a great time for connecting with spirit, ritual and ceremony) we are in a very different position. We can use this New Moon to set intentions based on what we've learned since Venus went Retrograde.

On November 13th BOTH Mercury and Venus go direct, AND Mars conjoins Jupiter in Leo. This feels like a rush of energy. While it takes time for momentum to build with Mercury and Venus, you can now start moving forward with some things. Mars and Jupiter together in Leo could certainly be intense, there could be rather tactless, bold, or big shifts, but it is also an energy to use if you're wanting to plan something that requires a lot of community action. I would put out a big call for funds that day, or call for folks to show up somewhere, something of that nature. If you can plan this a few weeks before, with the peak happening on that day, that could be a good use of the energy. Directing that energy and facilitating it for the use of the people.

Until Venus is out of its retrograde shadow on December 15th, you'll be going back through the territory of the sky that you just traversed, now with a different perspective (hopefully). If you do the work here, you could have a whole new shift and situation by December. Whatever you don't get, the planets will just bring back the same lessons next time. That's how astrology (and life) works, in cycles.

Some tips overall: Make offerings to Venus, burn herbs and flowers, make aromatic food, take time to feel your body, your skin, your hair, feel the fabric of your clothes. Have sex. Make love. Kiss. Snuggle. Spend time in whatever small luxuries you can. Invest your time in relationship remediation and repair. Conflict transformation. Allow organizing to slow if that's what's happening naturally and take the time to focus on the relational aspects of it (which some may say is the most important part). Don't start anything new. Be generous with things that can bring people pleasure. Get to know what brings people joy, in addition to their basic material needs. Find ways to improve people's quality of life.

I hope Venus blesses you all with an abundance of resources to house and feed all the beings you can. I pray Venus deepens your connection to the Land, to your body, to pleasure. I trust Venus will make clear what you need to revisit in your relationships and values that will be shifted by the end of this cycle.

In solidarity!

Venus is a planet of harmony, values, relationships, and merging with one another.

Venus can also symbolize resources and material access, so if we are working with mutual aid and supporting marginalized people, this may be a time to reconsider HOW we are doing that and what is most effective for the intended goals.

Venus Retrograde can definitely be a time of big relationship changes, and reflecting on how we are living out our espoused values. This is so important for us as abolitionists and collective change organizers: how are we genuinely living what we believe in? What DO we believe in?

Venus Retrograde is long and this one crosses two signs: Libra and Scorpio, which is significant. It means Venus will be acting with different methods and styles while in each sign and asking us to reflect in different ways.

In Libra, Venus is more relationship focused, more about outward ideas of justice and balance, more mental. This could play out more in your public projects, or projects that involve other people.

In Scorpio, Venus is more focused on strategy, inner feelings, what is private or the deep internal work of liberation/letting go. This could play out as more of a personal time for people to reflect on themselves. It also could be a time for groups to really reflect on their internal workings that aren’t shared with the general public.

We may be more familiar with Mercury Retrograde which happens multiple times per year. Venus Retrograde is only every 18 months and has a different quality. While Mercury is fast, electric, static, and zooms around as fast as neurons in our brain, Venus is stickier, like molasses, warmer and sweeter. Venus retrograde is always more relational than Mercury.

This can literally be a time when money slows, when relationships feel messier, when people you used to be connected to come back, or revisiting old ways of doing things. Be open to this as Venus is teaching us something we need for the next phase of our development.