Venus Retrograde, And Other Misadventures.

Venus (And Then Some)
Yes, it’s a Venus retrograde year. About once every two years the planet of love, beauty, money and pleasure throws down some backwards medicine to the masses. This is complicated further by Mercury, who will follow suit next month, going retrograde April 9 to May 3. Clearly the Universe wants everyone to really go over some things before we proceed to the “next level.” Whatever that “next level” may be for you, personally.

Spotlight On Pluto.
 Venus retrograde begins in 13 degrees of passionate and impulsive Aries. The entire Venus retrograde lasts from March 4 to April 15, and spans from 13 degrees Aries all the way back to 26 degrees Pisces. The actual station retrograde (March 4) appears rather “dramatic”,…or in the very least, “dynamic”… as do the days that follow (particularly March 7.) The day of her backward station, the Moon will be in dualistic Gemini, squaring up to the Sun and Mercury, suggesting “split” feelings, competing motivations, multitasking, nervous energy, “busyness”, on several fronts. A feeling of “preparing for something”, (possibly culminating at the full moon, in the other Mercury ruled sign, Virgo, on March 12th,) seems apparent. 
While still in Aries, Venus continues to aspect major players, forming conjunction to dynamic, rebel “shock rocker” Uranus, and opposition to inflationary Jupiter in Libra. She, together with Uranus and Mars both oppose Jupiter, while Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus all continue to square up to Pluto, which is in trine to Chiron.. That’s a LOT of nerd talk, I know, but this suggests quite a bit, and the “themes” are only just beginning to build. Some shocks are still being absorbed (and administered), certain realities are still being unearthed and alchemically morphed, and have yet to reveal themselves in their final form, as deep transformations continue to unfold …all in the name of healing. Pluto, lord of the underworld, presides over life’s darker tapestries. Inevitabilities such as sex, death, control/ power (it’s possession and it’s lack, the desire for it, and how it is wielded, used, distributed, shared, taken, exploited, or abused), “fate”, casting a shadow.… Hidden motivations, manipulations, compulsions, taboos, fears, obsessions, deep, dark, buried impulses, drives and desires..-Pluto is like the Depth Psychologist, the detective, the forensics specialist, the Voodoo Priest of the spheres, transforming everything it touches, either through literal or figurative death, or alchemical transmutation. The engagement of Pluto in these planetary configurations has been, and continues to be, a mass exercise in applied depth psychology. A necessary rebirthing unfolds before us. In Native Animal Medicine, Pluto is akin to Bat and Snake medicine. In the Tarot, it’s associated cards are Death, (Scorpio’s card) and Judgment. It’s heavy medicine, as Pluto does nothing in half measures. It will invoke extreme conditions, circumstances, feelings, and situations to exact the necessary internal and external transfigurations required.

Fog Lights. Use Them.
 If one task could be emphasized during this time, it would be to “Know Thyself.” This self knowledge will be your built in “fog light.”  This will be important, because very few people will know what the actual fuck they’re doing. The volatility and impulsivity of Uranus in Aries in hard aspect to other planets combined with willful, even arrogant ignorance, fueled by a deliberate and escapist aversion to reality (Mercury, Neptune, Sun, and eventually Venus in Pisces) is nothing to place any bets on. (Understand this, and hold this understanding in your palm, like an elegantly engraved worry stone.)  For some- old, karmic, or “fated feeling soul mate-esque” love relationships could surface, or resurface from the past, causing a certain degree of upheaval, shock, bewilderment, excitement, confusion, or revelation. For others, degrees of separation could begin to settle into current unions, via circumstances (i;e: Actual distance), or unexpressed grievances could take a toll and cause the eye and heart to wander. (If you would like to understand more about the biological impetus behind “generalized relationship dissatisfaction”, or are interested in preserving harmony, promoting the longevity, healing, passion, and intimacy within your current partnership, or, perhaps more vainly, though still utilitarian, are just looking for natural, non surgical ways to increase the size of your penis and neocortex simultaneously (whilst also preventing pregnancy), go here:  www.reuniting.info .  Otherwise, best of luck to you!) 
Happy couples could just experience this retrograde as a chance to relive cherished memories together. Once Venus reaches back into the late degrees of Pisces again, things could become even more dreamy, nebulous, and/ or confusing. As the planet of love, partnerships, money, possessions, pleasure, self worth, and values backslides into this foggy, mysterious realm of “boundary dissolving” Neptune, it could be hard for some people to know which way to turn. Heads could be in the clouds, with idyllic imaginings of “happily ever afters” or “running (sneaking?) away with your ideal soulmate”, (or just simply running away, period. “No one shall lay claim to my private areas!” ) Feels could be relatively high. In Pisces, themes could manifest in a variety of ways. A certain element of “wistful pining away” for a person, or “ideal” circumstance (an orgy? a threesome? A wedding band that goes invisible when it detects you’re attracted to someone else?) is somehow unobtainable/unreachable, perhaps some unrequited situation, or challenging, “out of reach” circumstance. 
For others, a certain element of “selfless sacrifice”, “blind faith”, or even secrecy/deception could be involved. Some people might just decide to get super mystical, and tune up their chakras with their S.O, and hence power through this thick as hell whackness totally unscathed, with enviable aplomb. Neptune’s vibes can run from the idyllic to the nebulous, (all depending on the quality of the actual conduits bandwidth).  It’s best to wait until Venus goes direct to come to any concrete decisions of the “life altering” variety when it comes to relationships (or finances). Pisces, being Neptune ruled, is ultimately a sign of spiritualism and selflessness (at it’s highest expression). If you become confused about love relations during this time, connect to your inner Yogi and go within, and just wait it out. All in all, Venus retrogrades are nothing to be afraid of, and simply auger a period of “reevaluation”, most specifically in regards to love and partnerships. The intense squares to Pluto from Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus however, seem to imbibe some pretty heavy and unavoidable transformations.
Lilith And Her Hooves!
When I look at the overall math equation of the Venus retrograde, (and 2017 in general) I can’t help but come up with the sum total of “healing crisis”.  The emphasis of Pluto’s involvement with Chiron, and all these personal planets, combined with Venus Rx, simply can’t be ignored… It’s interesting to note Black Moon Lilith’s role in all of this as well, sauntering around in the sign of truth seeking Sagittarius since Valentines day, and staying there (for the majority) of 2017.  Some astrologers claim she is “in her fall” here, personally, as the “feminist Moon’s apogee”, I feel she’s just coming into her prime. This is fantastic for women’s movements. Black Moon Lilith here places a huge emphasis on Truth and Freedom, (and/or the lack thereof.) This could make for some rather uncomfortable unveilings, total 180’s, rebellions, and epiphanies throughout an already tense mathscape. 
If you’re single in 2017, I would just as well advise you to stay that way, as the year isn’t exactly the most “relationship favorable” of years- (which is ironic, considering Jupiter, planet of expansion and higher consciousness is in Libra, the sign of partnerships.) It’s Jupiter’s mathematical relationship to the other planetary bodies, combined with the fact that this is a Venus retrograde year- (in Aries/Pisces, making many people too impulsive and delusional for their own good,)-that complicates the landscape of so many people’s romantic enmeshments… ..so precisely and thoroughly. 
Much of the “hard math” in play manifests enough challenging “inner conflicts” to drive even the single, uncoupled individual into existential crisis. Partnered people with legitimate relationships that are socially recognized on facebook by their peers and respective family members actually have to fight Bowser. For the lucky and enlightened few, this year will simply be a (Bowser free) testing ground that will only serve to further strengthen and solidify established intimate bonds. If this is you, consider yourself extremely blessed. If you’re with someone now, and you’re still together in 2018, 2019, THAT SHIT IS A SPECIAL KIND OF UNFUCKWITHABLE GOLDEN UNICORN. Note my justifiable all caps, and ride off into the sunset on your rarified, golden horned steed. Treasure this bond, my friend.

 Denial, It’s Not Just A River In Egypt
Unfortunately, *wince*…….. for the vast majority, this year could be the “straw that breaks the (poser) unicorn’s back”, as many people confront an increasingly growing conflict between a strong desire for freedom and unbridled authenticity, v.s a desire to make certain….er…. compromises.  Black Moon Lilith’s new “freedom hooves” will make it difficult for people to want to be “limited” by anyone’s expectations. It’s best to be totally honest and upfront about the part of yourself that refuses to conform to someone’s wishes, or what you feel to be unjust impositions, desires, expectations, demands, or unspoken “rules” that are somehow “drowning out your freedom song.” Attempting to pretend your displeasure away, or deceive others into the illusion that you’re “playing well with them” and “everything’s fine”, (or, conversely, you put up with being deceived, and hence, wittingly deceive yourself in turn,) will only increase the severity of discomfort experienced. 
People who fail to live in truth, authenticity, and integrity will have the most difficult time during 2017,  during Lilith’s transit through Sagittarius, -as Saturn is also involved here, really emphasizing the whole “honesty/authenticity” motif, calling people to task about any lies they are telling, to themselves, to others, or both…Saturn exacts a karmic price, and makes it very difficult (nigh impossible) to hide behind any “veils of bullshit”, at least in any way that proves to be comfortable, stable, sane, or sustainable…The call to the wild, to truth, authenticity, independence, and freedom will become louder and louder as 2017 advances, making the reality of living in any way that is not truly an authentic reflection of who you really are and what you really desire, may become totally unbearable to sustain any longer. Life continues it’s struggle against entropy.

Rehabilitation And The Art Of Self-Partnering
 The Venus retrograde from Aries to Pisces and back to Aries again only strengthens the intensity, confusion, and existential angst of the freedom crusade, both individually and collectively. Ultimately, it’s a cosmically engineered rehab facility calling everyone inward to become whole inside. To develop strong and healthy partnerships with themselves, first and foremost. This is true, even for those who are happily coupled up. Many people seek a partnership to “feel complete”, looking toward the “other” to enrich, balance, and nourish them spiritually, intellectually, psychologically, emotionally, physically, or otherwise- hence neglecting these aspects of their own development. Why bother going to all the trouble of developing such capacities when you can just continue looking for satisfaction and fulfillment somewhere outside of yourself, preferably some perfect, idealized other(s)? The answer is that as long as that’s what you’re doing, you’ll (never) actually be fully satisfied, you’ll never actually know yourself, and you’ll never be relating to others in a healthy way, -as equals, -(and you will inevitably and perpetually self sabotage your interactions.) Not to mention, you won’t have a whole lot to offer in return, except for a black hole of nothing, a bottomless pit of endless desires, vague complaints, unrelenting criticism, unrealistic wants, alienating fetishizations, and unrealizable needs.  
2017 challenges everyone to be a good partner-to themselves-(first and foremost). To create a “marriage” of the universal male and female forces within, in order to relate more wholly, more authentically, more substantially, (and sustainably) to others. 

If you were an infant, would you survive in your own care? Would you thrive? Would you be cultured and educated? Nurtured? Healthy? Sound? Happy? Content? Would you know the difference between “want” and “need”? Would your heart, mind, body and spirit be nourished, or would it be spoiled, atrophied, and rotted with cavities, if left entirely to your own devices? Those who aren’t fully whole inside, who have neglected their own psychological/spiritual/and emotional development, will have a difficult time in 2017 even knowing what they want from human relationships from one minute to the next, let alone being capable of finding satisfaction or contentment from their relationships to other people, (or even with themselves).. Such folk could inadvertently make a dramatic, irreparable mess of their intimate involvements this year.  Outside attractions, betrayals, denials, deceptions, triangulations, obsessions, dependencies, porn addictions,  lust addictions, power addictions,… all such things are a manifestation of an empty, unconscious, undeveloped, prefabricated, and inauthentic relationship with the self. 

A poorly developed ego seeks power, validation, -a “boost”- in all the wrong ways, (ways that ultimately prove transient, destructive, self defeating, identity eroding, and illusory anyhow.)  Alas, such “messes” may be exactly what’s required for some people, in order to induce the radical self honesty, liberation, consciousness, and long delayed confrontations with the denied, unacknowledged aspects of self that is necessary to “break on through to the other side”, (in the words of Sagittarian Jim Morrison.) Some people just need to “manufacture chaos” in order to come more fully into themselves and reestablish a sense of wholeness, order, and identity. This is fine, as long as you don’t have any plans to walk across any bridges you happen to “burn in order to light your way” at any point in the future. Keep the impulsiveness of Venus in Aries and the nebulousness of Venus in Pisces in mind as you pilot your vessel.  In order to heal and transform an (obviously out of control) collective samsara, (that has it’s roots within the individual), deeply embedded systems of denial and projection must be confronted and grappled with in the name of a “collective rehabilitation.” This could get messy in the personal sphere, as it will require a great deal of self honesty, and facing some “ugly”, or in the very least “uncomfortable” (but emancipating) truths.  If every single one of us had this quality in spades 100 percent of the time, our geopolitical situation would certainly look a whole lot different than it does currently. Best of luck, and much love to you all. 

*(If you would like to book a private reading with me, contact Amylia Willard (that would be me) via Facebook messenger.)



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