Venus will station retrograde at 28˚36’ Leo, on July 22, 2023 very close to the star Regulus at 00˚07’ Virgo.  Venus will stay retrograde for about 6 weeks until September 3, 2023 at 12˚12’ Leo (when the planet stations direct).

Venus is in the midst of over 4 months in the sign of Leo from June 5th to October 8th.  Whenever Venus is in a sign (or a combination of 2 signs) for this long, it is a signal that Venus is will go retrograde soon.  

When does the cycle start and how do we know?

The retrograde also signals that a new Venus synodic cycle will begin in about a month from the day it goes retrograde. 

Since ancient times, the first visible sighting of Venus in the early morning before sunrise is when they measured the new Venus cycle.  This is called a heliacal rise.  On August 20, 2023 (some will see Venus on August 19th) in sign of Leo, Venus begins a 19-month (584 days) synodic cycle.

A Venus synodic cycle relates to the great Descent of the goddess Inanna, the pre-cursor of Venus from the Roman mythology. Inanna’s story is essentially a specific calendar to follow Venus through her phases in the sky.

In this upcoming Venus story, which I will write more about in August, it will be about the sign or Leo goddess (metagoddess, coined by Cayelin Castell and Tami Brunk from their online courses of Venus Alchemy). The retrograde period is an importand part of the Venus cycle and represents the transition from the previous time Venus had its heliacal rise to the upcoming heliacal rise.

The last time Venus went retrograde was between December 2021 – January 2022. That past retrograde of Venus was in the sign of Capricorn and featured the heliacal rise in the same sign. This upcoming heliacal rise on August 19/20 will be in Leo, so the July 22- Sept 3 retrograde period is about the transition from Capricorn to Leo.

Is Venus Retrograde Bad?

No, not at all. No planet going retrograde is either bad nor good. For Venus specifically, its a rewind or review of the territory in moved through in sign and in the sky. Leo is a sign that is about radiant, radical self-love along with having the courage and will to truly experience it within ourselves.

Venus on its own symbolizes the feminine principle and a receptive force within. Venus retrograde can be a time to see if we’ve experienced self-love and if not, to discover what amy be blocking off or repressing that part of ourselves. Venus retrograde in Leo is a creative time as well, helping us to engage in envisioning the big picture of our personal growth and future. We can take a look to see if we can gather the confidence to step forth into our own power and path as well.

Venus retrograde is also a chance to open up to see within ourselves in a way we generally don’t when it is direct. Venus retrograde is the completion and beginning of the renewed goddess. She is in a metamorphic state, transitoning into and building something new within. It is a process of discovery to experience a power of the new archetype, which is Leo in this case.

Dance with Regulus

In the sky, Venus will have an apparent “stop” near the star Regulus (at Zero degrees Virgo), the Heart of the Sky Lion (constellation). Regulus is a potent star, astrologically, symbolizing the our own life blood and personal power. This star can initiate our own mysteries within to be revealed and made conscious.

Regulus is one of the four ancient stars originally representing spatial direction and were once called the Royal Stars of Persia. Regulus’ place is why the Lion in the sky profoundly impacted cultures for thousands of years. The Lion constellation inspired the building of the Great Sphinx of Egypt and was revered as well.

Venus’ stops less than 2 degrees from Regulus, not passing it until early October. It is as if the goddess herself needs to go through her metamorphic phase to shift her desires and path in order to meet the Heart of the Sky Lion.