Venus begins a 40 day transit of retrogression in the sign of Capricorn today. She retraces her steps, revisiting the path she just took. This offers us the opportunity to become aware of or realize things we may have missed the first time around.
Venus, known as Shukra in Sanskrit, is the brightest star in our sky, shining like a diamond at night. Her close proximity to the Sun means she spends some of her time as an evening star, some as a morning star.
Shukra is associated with all things Sri - beautiful, elegant, and charming in nature. At Her highest expression, She connects us with supreme creativity and artistic ability. We experience great pleasure via our senses as she enhances our sensual nature. She is also a significator for relationships.
While Shukra is friends with Saturn (Shani in sanskrit), the ruler of Capricorn, She needs support as Shani’s energy is strong (as she begins this transit, Saturn is sitting in his house of Capricorn).
Shani encourages us to go deep and refine our relationship with ourSelves before seeking fulfillment and pleasure outside of Self. Using the energy of this transit, we can refine our understanding of relating and how it serves our evolution.
This transit encourages us to become introspective. To become clear in our own identity, dropping away the need to be validated by or defined through our relating with others.
What a beautiful opportunity She offers us right when we are coming together with those that tend to trigger us the most - our relatives - for holiday celebrations.... Divinely timed.
Some contemplation points for this journey:
What is my relationship with relating? Do I tend to be a people-pleaser, doing and saying things to keep-the-peace or ensure others “love” me? Do I close myself off from experiencing true connection and Love, in an effort to remain “safe”?
What is my relationship with sensuality? Do I allow myself to experience pleasure? Do I restrict or over-indulge in pleasure? Do I find myself entrapped by desire or consumption?
What is my relationship with vulnerability? With authenticity?
How does Shukra’s creativity wish to move through me? Can I use this as a grounded, conscious way to allow Her to rise into full expression through me?
What are my relations reflecting back to me? Conflict? Addiction? Mistrust? Misunderstanding? Dependency? Complacency? Love? Honor? Respect? Trust? Acceptance? Understanding? Is this relation aligned with Truth as I understand it? Do these relations support and encourage me as I walk this awakened path?
We often spend 40 days in a sadhana practice, refining a particular energy, so I find it serendipitous that this Venus retrograde period is also 40 days. We can use this time to become even more confused with love, constantly seeking outside what can only be discovered within. Or we can use this opportunity to understand our lower tendencies and transmute this into the highest expression and experience of love - Divine Love.
To understand more clearly what this transit means for you, take a look at your #vedic chart and see where Capricorn lives. If you would like guidance and a specific practice to support Venus during this transit, reach out.