Heart of Glass: What To Expect When Venus Goes Retrograde In Capricorn This Winter

On Sunday, December 19th, 2021, Venus will station Retrograde at 26'29 degrees Capricorn. The goddess of love and beauty will continue her journey through the underworld until January, 29th 2022 when the planet goes direct. Here's what to expect, both in general and for your sign.

What does it mean for Venus to go Retrograde?

A retrograde planet is one that appears to be moving in the opposite direction. Astrologically, this means that the energies of this planet are directed backwards or inward.

Retrograde periods are often said to be riddled with delays and disruption, but they don't necessarily have to be. These periods are not so much a time for action as they are for reflection.

Things from the past will often return to us. This could be people from our past, including from our past lives, situations or memories that we thought we had forgotten about, or maybe even just lessons that we're getting a second chance at learning after having failed the first time around.

You may have heard of Mercury Retrograde but in actuality, every planet goes retrograde, save for the Sun and the Moon. Venus's retrograde periods are the least frequent, stationing retrograde about every 18 months over periods made up of about 40 days.

While Mercury Retrograde periods are said to affect areas of technology, transportation and communication, Venus Retrograde affects areas of love, sexuality, relationships and beauty.

It is said that during these times, relationships begin to go haywire. You may begin to rethink any partnerships (or potential partnerships) that you had formed pre-retrograde. It's a good time to get in touch with yourself and reflect on what you need and want in your relationship, regardless of whether you're partnered or single.

It is also common, at this time, to find ourselves thinking about, maybe even fantasizing about, our exes or even old friends. This can be a good time to reflect back on all your past relationships and to heal any negative patterns, or it can be a good time to receive closure from past partners.

Venus Retrograde Capricorn 2021-2022

Venus in Capricorn is known for being a bit of an ice queen. A planet associated with love and pleasure, Venus loves to flirt and have a good time. Capricorn, on the other hand, is more associated with discipline and hard work. In this cardinal earth sign ruled by the serious Saturn, the goddess of love and beauty tends to be a bit more reserved. High standards tend to make Venus in Capricorn natives a bit more choosy and they know how to set proper boundaries. Venus in Capricorn knows her value and will not settle for anything less than what she is worth. Often, Venus in Capricorn gets stereotyped as cold or even snobby, but the truth is that they are aware that relationships are hard work, making these natives prone to more serious relationships that are actually worth the effort. Since Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, a planet associated with commitment and longevity, Venus in Capricorn is binding, associated with marriage and traditionalism.

Essentially, Capricorn is a practical sign, rooted in the material world, and when Venus goes Retrograde here, we may receive a rude wake-up call. Relationships that were only based on "feeling," or attraction alone may begin to fall apart and physical circumstances, such as distance or age difference, may serve to drive a wedge between couples or work may be getting in the way of a fulfilling love life. We may be forced to learn the hard way that "LOVING SOMEONE", as beautiful as it may be, is not enough to make a relationship work. Not even good synastry or emotional compatibility will be enough if the timing doesn't line up. Love is an action and relationships are something we have to consistently work hard at if we want them to remain healthy and last long.

On another note, we may be setting stricter boundaries with others, walking away from situations that seem to be beneath us. While this can be a very good thing for those trapped in abusive or otherwise stale relationships, others may want to assess whether they are burning their bridges too quickly by focusing on things that don't matter in the long run, like abandoning a strong romantic connection for status and wealth. In other words, relationships may be undervalued at this time in favor of more material things.

Lastly, the hierarchies represented by Capricorn may be subverted and traditions broken. We may find ourselves unable to play by the rules in our relationships, leading to some shake-ups. We may become more aware of any power imbalances in our love-lives, setting boundaries accordingly.

Dangerous Passions: Aspects

The most important aspect Venus will be making is a conjunction to Pluto at 25'22 degrees, Capricorn. This heightens our passion and desire, which can be a dangerous thing, especially when practical circumstances don't seem to allow it to come to fruition... as the story of Romeo and Juliet is a good example of. This passion may even lead to obsessiveness and power struggles, highlighting the more controlling traits of Capricorn. Through our relationships, we may be forced to come face to face with our own shadow and since Pluto the Roman counterpart to Hades, God of Death, it is worth noting that some people may experience feelings of loss or abandonment at this time.

At the time of Venus's station retrograde, the Moon will be at 00 degrees of Capricorn's opposite sign, Cancer, another indicator of heightened emotions. However, the Full Moon at 27'28 degrees Gemini occurs just six hours beforehand. This Full Moon represents a culmination of the themes initiated by the Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius two weeks back, or themes related to last year's Solar Eclipse in Gemini may also be highlighted. Gemini is a Mercury-ruled Air Sign, and the Full Moon itself will be trine Jupiter in Aquarius, an indicator that conversations had during this period may help us heal or find meaning behind the events triggered during the former eclipse season.

Better Times Ahead: Venus in Capricorn Direct, 2022

Venus will station direct at 11'04 degrees, Capricorn, on January 29th, 2022, bringing us clarity. It will be sextile Jupiter at 6'36 degrees of it's home sign, Pisces, a sign of happiness and good luck in love, and it won't be too far from a conjunction with Mars at 3'30 degrees of it's exalted sign, an indicator of passion, action and excitement. Furthermore, Venus will be making a trine to Uranus at 10'52 degrees Taurus, helping us to break free of the chains we were tied in during this retrograde season, whether that be a bad relationship or an inability to honestly express our affection for those that we love and desire.

Interestingly, Mercury will be retrograde in Capricorn at this time and conjunct Pluto at 26 degrees, the same degree that Venus stationed backwards. This may indicate a return to conversations that were had or should have been had during or before the retrograde season. It may indicate closure or an intense conversation between partners that helps to resolve a issue or clear up a misunderstanding.

Horoscopes

Now it's time to see how it will affect your sign. I suggest reading the horoscope for your ascendant or rising sign, first, instead of the sun. I find the rising sign horoscope to be more accurate than the sun, as these horoscopes are based on the houses. If you don't know your rising sign, click here to generate a birth chart. Yes, you will need your birth time for this. If you don't have your birth time, Sun sign horoscopes are the next best thing. If you want to know more about how this transit will affect you in depth, on a more personal here, click here to schedule a reading with me.

Please remember that these are general descriptions and in reality, this transit is more likely to affect you if aspecting your angles or personal planets or if say, Venus is the lord of the year. For example, those of you with planets or angles between 8 and 29 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) will likely be the most strongly affected.

Aries Rising or Sun

Have you been focusing on what's most important, Aries? You tend to be a hard-worker, throwing yourself into whatever it is you are passionate about, but with Venus Retrograde in your 10th house, your passion for your career could be getting in the way of your passion for love. If your partner is asking you to choose between them and your calling, this is a good time to set whatever boundaries you need. Sometimes, taking care of yourself and putting food on your table is the most important thing. But don't let yourself become so busy and overworked for the sake of temporary notions of material success that you forget to reciprocate or express appreciation for the affection and care that your loved ones are showing you.

Taurus

Practical matters, such as physical distance, may be having an impact on your love life, Taurus. With Venus in your 9th house of foreign travel, it could be that you and your loved one are miles apart, and with Omicron, travel restrictions could certainly prevent you from spending the holidays with the people you care about. However, the 9th house also rules over religion and belief systems, so even if you and your partner live in the same household, disagreements could be taking a toll. If single, you are learning how important it is to consider such practical matters are in a relationship. You tend to be a sucker for the aesthetics, but good looks mean almost nothing compared to what you believe. If your political views or personal values are diametrically opposed, how do you expect to get along?

Gemini

Has your heart been broken recently, Gemini? You may have a reputation of being a heartbreaker, but with Venus Retrograde in your 8th house of death and loss, you may be suffering with some sadness of your own. For me, as a Gemini Rising myself, this grief has taken on a more literal meaning, but others of you may be going through a break-up or pining over an ex. In any case, you may be struggling with a fear of abandonment: perhaps memories of how you were treated in old relationships have been affecting the way you interact with your partner in the present. This could possibly even lead to some toxic behaviors for some. Now, would be a good time to take notice of it and work through whatever triggers you are dealing with. If you find yourself reconnecting with an ex or past love interest, which will likely be the case for some of you, it is best to make sure that you have healed from whatever broke you up in the first place. Did you really forgive and forget? If not, the two of you may just wind up repeating the same mistakes again and again.

Cancer

Your relationships may be suffering as a result of power struggles and/or external circumstances, Cancer. With Venus Retrograde in your 7th house, you are learning that relationships take effort. However, that doesn't mean that you should be the one putting all the effort in. A good relationship is a team effort and requires honest conversation. A relationship from your past may work it's way back into your life. However, it is up to you whether to decide if this person is worth it to you or if this is a good opportunity for setting better boundaries.

Leo

Venus in your 6th house of illness does not necessarily mean that you are going to get sick during this retrograde season. However, we are in a pandemic and the number of cases are rising, so whether you or your partner are directly affected or not, it isn't that far-fetched to say that COVID-19 may be making your loved life difficult. Perhaps, you are finding yourself stuck at home due to restrictions or your own personal concerns, unable to date or meet new people, or go out with your partner if you have one. While this can be a lonely time for a fun-loving, Leo, like yourself, try to make the most of it by allowing yourself for some me-time.

Virgo

There's a lot that Venus Retrograde in your 5th house of fun, children and self-expression can indicate. Perhaps you've been withholding yourself for too long and it's caused a creative blockage within you. In that case, this transit is about finding better ways to express yourself and your sexuality. Maybe you've been too serious and feeling repressed as a result. But it might also be that meaningless "fun," isn't cutting it for you anymore and you're learning to set better standards for yourself. If you want marriage and kids for example, tell your partner and if you want a one night stand, say that. In any case, this transit is about being honest with yourself, expressing your truth and letting yourself do the things that you truly enjoy, Virgo.

Libra

The home is supposed to be a place of relaxation and refuge, but sometimes, it can be confining, especially if we're living with people who we don't get along with. With your ruling planet retrograde in the 4th house of a home and family, you may be feeling this rather strongly. As a lover of aesthetics, perhaps with some redecorating, the home can be a more comforting place, but it is more important, I think, to focus on the root cause of what you are feeling. Sometimes, the closer we are with someone, like when we move in with a partner for the first time, the more they get on our nerves. Getting along with someone in these situations takes work and a form of diplomacy you're known for being quite skilled in, Libra. However, sometimes the work is even deeper than this: without having a healthy template for love in childhood, we may wind up repeating the patterns we learned from our parents if we do not make the effort to change.

Scorpio

Have you been speaking your truth, Scorpio? With Venus Retrograde in your 3rd house of communication, you may have been suppressing your feelings. Perhaps you've been keeping something a secret because you're afraid of losing the other person. Maybe you've become so hardened to the world as a result of trauma that you've been withholding affection as a defense mechanism, no matter how badly you want to be loved. But truthfully, this secrecy is your own worst enemy and only prevents you from having the deep level of connection that you seek. Vulnerability can be challenging but this transit is here to teach you that open communication is the only way to make a healthy relationship work. The intimacy will never be genuine, otherwise, and do you really want that?

Sagittarius

Venus isn't only about love but pleasure in general, and with Venus Retrograde in your 2nd house of money and finances, there may be a tendency to over-spend or concern yourself too heavily with material things. Since Capricorn is all about having standards and setting boundaries, you may want to limit your financial consumption, only spending money on the things that really have value. Wasting it on insignificant items will only hurt you in the end. As for the picture above? Standing up for yourself is usually not a problem for you, Sagittarius, but this transit can also be seen as a reminder of your own self-worth. Relationships need to be reciprocal and you shouldn't let anyone take advanage of what you give to them.

Capricorn

What I neglected to mention earlier, Capricorn, is that sometimes your high standards are directed most harshly at yourself. With Venus Retrograde in your first house of self, you may be feeling lonely and unloved or even misunderstood. However, it is a good time to put your hard-working qualities to use by turning inward and working on yourself: what is it that prevents you from finding a good partner or being the best partner you can be, and what are some practical steps you can take to fix that? With Venus Retrograde on or close to your Ascendant (or Sun) it is also worth noting that this transit is likely to affect you the hardest, potentially messing with your relationships or causing people from your past to come back into your life: whether you want to give them is a second chance or not is up to you, but likely depends on how much work the two of you have done.

Aquarius

You're an independent person, Aquarius, but at times, you can feel lonely too. With Venus Retrograde in your 12th house of isolation & self-undoing, you may be feeling as if the boundaries or walls you put up to protect yourself have been doing the opposite, causing you more hurt and sorrow instead. This time is best used for letting yourself feel because that is the only way to heal. It's possible that you may receive messages in dreams regarding your love life or feel the energy of someone coming towards you. Enjoy your alone time but don't be afraid to let anyone in.

Pisces

Practically speaking, it is usually important that your friends get along well with your love interests, at least if you are going to be a long-term couple. You are known for being a bit of an empath, Pisces, and without this group harmony, you may find yourself stuck in the middle and pulled into confusion. On another note, Venus Retrograde in your 11th house of friends could also help you to repair any conflicts that have occured within your social circle. As with romance, friendship takes work, and it is important to set boundaries with friends when needed rather than let them take advantage of you. This is an important lesson for 'empaths' like you, especially.

Conclusion

As challenging of a transit as this is, Venus Retrograde through Capricorn will help us set the boundaries we need to set. Its conjunction to Pluto might help us to purge any connection that is not of value as well as any toxic behaviors that are holding us back from a connection that is. While passions run high at this time, we are being taught that passion is not enough. Relationships require work and responsibility. When we really love someone, however, that true love is worth the price.