Venus is mainly known as a planet of love and pleasure. Yet, it also represents comfort, happiness, bliss and effortlessness that we can experience on a deeper spiritual level once we dive into our heart chakra, which is the domain of Venus and her divine representative, Goddess Lakshmi. It is only in this realm of our spiritual heart that we can experience higher dimensions of love and bliss, which are naturally enabled when Venus transits through the signs, which support her qualities. However, when Venus goes through more transformative areas in the sky or goes retrograde, we too, along with her, experience our inner emotional turmoils. In those times, it is as if universe is sending us a silent invitation to dive deeper into this mysterious realm of our heart and allow it to be transformed and purified.
This period is coming soon — and it is going to last entire 6 months this year.
When Venus goes dormant
Every year Venus goes dormant for about 3 months. It happens when Venus enters the sign of Cancer (ruled by an enemy, Moon), proceeds to Leo (ruled by another enemy, Sun) and completes the cycle in Virgo, the sign of its debilitation. During these 3 months Venus resides in the sky in a state known as suṣupti avasthā (deep sleep or dormant state) and kṣudhita avasthā (hungry or starving state). In this malnourished condition Venus often cannot fulfil its natural significations, thus making us feel dissatisfied, due to limited sense of fulfilment and happiness, increased sense of pressure and often some frustration experienced in the sphere of relations with other people. At the same time, as our capacity to derive happiness and pleasure (or even find love) in external world diminishes, Venus invites in this period to look within and find what we are looking for hidden deep inside our hearts — and to re-consider what has true value in life.
This year, this entire process is going to be significantly prolonged and it will last entire 6 months. This is because Venus will also go retrograde at some point and will take us with her on a profound journey of inner transformation. For all of us it will be an intense purification period — but it will at the same time enable us to truly change those patterns and unhealed emotions that perhaps had blocked our hearts for years.
The entire 6 month cycle will come with many opportunities to heal specific parts of ourselves at different points in time. So let us take a closer look at what exactly is going to happen and how is it going to be triggered in the upcoming months.
Emotions begin to emerge…
30 May — 3 June
First few days of Venus’ entry into Cancer, in the last pada of Punarvasu nakshatra, will coincide with approaching Full Moon in sidereal Scorpio, the sign of its debilitation, which might bring to the surface of our awareness many suppressed emotions. In these first days before Full Moon (3 June), when Venus will be dwelling in Punarvasu, it will be especially important for us to resist the temptation of expressing our feelings instantly, and rather give ourselves some time to firstly observe those emotions and process them within. If you feel that something has been bothering you and the need to communicate that will keep growing within you, just try to postpone it until Full Moon passes, as it will give you more clarity and thus allow you to express yourself more clearly.
Venus in Punarvasu nakshatra will most likely also make us revisit some of our old life lessons and may potentially re-open the old wounds, so we can get a chance to heal those things from the past, which were not fully forgiven yet. This will be especially true when it comes to past relationships.
In search for fulfilment
3 June — 17 June
During the entire next fortnight, completing with New Moon in sidereal Gemini, Venus will reside in Pushya nakshatra at the heart of Cancer, in close proximity to debilitated Mars. This will be the time when many of our insecurities and latent desires will start to arise from within, waiting to be healed. Ketu dwelling in Libra, in fourth house from Venus, will additionally increase the state of inner discontentment.
When we feel dissatisfied it’s natural to keep searching for answers in the world around us — and it is sometimes too easy to blame others and project onto them the cause of our emotional state.
Venus in Pushya, however, with New Moon in Mrigashira approaching, will be inspiring us to search for those answers within. This will be the perfect time to dive deeper into our heart chakra and search for those areas that obstruct our natural flow of joy and satisfaction. Venus in Pushya nakshatra will be inspiring us to heal the relationship with our inner child and will, perhaps, allow us to discover, that many of the unhealed emotions emerge because we forgotten to nourish this part of ourselves.
During that fortnight make a conscious effort to be kinder towards yourself and to practice a healthy self-care — not by “spoiling” your inner child with temporary external distractions, but by truly providing it this one thing it needs: love and unconditional acceptance for the emotions it goes through.
In those days, meditating with any form of the Mother Goddess can prove very healing. Whenever Venus goes through a particularly transformative phase in the sky, I always suggest meditating with Goddess Lakshmi, who embodies the qualities of Venus and resides in our heart chakra. During this period you may consider trying my guided meditations with Goddess Lakshmi or longer meditative Journey with Lakshmi. Both were specifically designed to help you heal Venus in your birth chart and heart chakra within you.
Dangerous attachments & oversensitivity
17 June — 7 July
On the New Moon of 17 June Venus will join debilitated Mars in Ashlesha nakshatra. Known for its sensitivity, this lunar mansion will highly amplify the intensity of our feelings and can make us oversensitive or easily irritated — especially due to the presence of debilitated Mars in proximity to Venus. Venus in Ashlesha nakshatra will not only increase our emotional vulnerability, but in some natives may also amplify sensory sensitivity. In other words, we all may feel more easily overwhelmed by external experiences.
When we experience such increase in sensitivity, it often becomes easy to project our own irritation on others and “spit out” things, which we may regret later. This is why it is really important during this particular part of Venus’ transit through Cancer to practice a healthy self-care and give yourself enough time and space to process any difficult emotions before you communicate them to others. In this period it will become more important than ever for each of us to spend more time alone, in silence and away from any sensory distractions. A silent walk in nature, mindful yoga practice or a few minutes of conscious breathing in meditation can bring a great relief during this time.
Venus in Ashlesha nakshatra will keep inspiring us during this period to dive deep within and heal our heart from all the burdens and poisons that it might have accumulated over time. It will keep reminding us that it doesn’t pay off to cling to certain desires and attachments, and it will try to inspire us to let go of them and move forward. Unfortunately, such is our human nature that very often we don’t let go of the poison until we taste it and realise that it’s bitter. Similarly, this transit may bring into our lives some unpleasant experiences which will help us realise which situations, experiences, relations and attachments do not serve us anymore.
Be very careful in this period about making any emotional or impulsive decisions. Venus and Mars transiting together through this last portion of sidereal Cancer and heading towards transformative gandanta zone can result in your intuition getting clouded by your outdated desires and attachments. If possible, postpone making any important decision until Venus moves to Leo.
Don’t be scared to let go
7 July — 7 August
On 7th July, shortly after Full Moon, Venus will enter Magha nakshatra in the first degrees of sidereal Leo. Here, in Leo, even though in enemy’s sign, Venus will be receiving significant support from Saturn and Jupiter aspecting her. And even though Venus in Magha, the star of detachment, is not a particularly nourishing placement, it will at least support us in letting go of those desires and attachments that hinder our progress.
Here, in Magha nakshatra, the star of letting go, ruled by Ketu, Venus will be also getting closer to Mars, which may still continue to increase our frustration due to unfulfilled desires and expectations. However, Venus in this lunar mansion will be at the same time slowly leading us towards understanding that not all desires are worth our time and energy. As a result, we will become more selective in choosing the right things for us, and we will slowly start hearing the voice of our intuition a little louder.
This is a perfect time for honest self-analysis, as well as saying goodbye to those things and relations in our life which became outdated.
Do notice, though, that after 23 July Venus will go retrograde in the very same lunar mansion and may make us question our choices, even if they were good. Especially if in this period you decide to let something go and “die”, so something new can be born in your life, Venus retrograde may make you doubt if your decision was right. And that is fine. When the doubts come, simply engage your mind again in introspection and meditation, and as much as you can, try to listen more to your gut feeling rather than to the doubting mind. Your inner voice can prove a better guide in this period than the attachment to old feelings and desires.
45 days of Venus retrograde
23 July — 5 September
Venus, a planet of symbolic rebirth and rejuvenation, goes retrograde every year and half and disappears from our sky for a period of at least 40 days and 40 nights. During that time she disappears into the burning flames of the Sun, so she can be purified and transformed. Venus, the planet representing our heart chakra, is during this time closer to Earth than ever and often makes us feel like we, too, experience a symbolic death and rebirth.
This is why for ages this period of minimum 40 days, also known as Mandala or “Full Circle”, was a symbol of transformation: letting the old die and allowing something new to be born. In some traditions this period is extended to 48 days. Today even modern science confirms that for any significant change to take roots in our consciousness or for any new habit to form, we need to be reminded of it for a period of at least 40 days — because this is a minimum period needed for the new neural pathways to be created in our brain.
This period will be particularly transformative this year, as Venus will be going retrograde in the most challenging area of the sky, the gandanta zone between Magha and Ashlesha nakshatra. It will certainly bring many profound transformations into our lives, as well as challenge our attachments. But if instead of resisting the necessary change, you decide to go along with it and utilise this time for your personal and spiritual transformation, this period may prove truly profound and shower you with abundance of wisdom and powerful realisations.
In order to honour this sacred cycle of Venus, reflected in our own psycho-biological cycles, you may choose to engage in that time in meditative Journey with Lakshmi, specifically designed to uplift Venus in your birth chart, and heal your heart chakra. It is a 53-days inner journey, during which you will be invited to actively engage with this process of inner change with the help of guided meditations, mantras, self-inquiry questions and small tasks, which have one purpose — to invite more open-heartedness, bliss and effortlessness into your life. It is a beautiful way to honour Venus in your birth chart and bring healing to those areas of yourself which will need it the most.
Rewiring our attachments
7 August — 2 October
On 7th August Venus will re-enter Ashlesha nakshatra in aretrograde motion, passing through the transformative gandanta zone. Venus retrograde is always inspiring us to elevate our understanding of love and turn inwards, rather than searching for fulfilment in the outside. This will be particularly true with Venus in Ashlesha. Here, in the last degrees of Cancer, Venus will be inspiring us to disentangle ourselves from the net of never-ending desires, attachments and expectations, and instead find a more reliable source of security and comfort in depths of our hearts, where the Divine resides.
Venus going retrograde in Ashlesha nakshatra will be a very potent time for all of us to heal all our negative and toxic patterns, which we might be often not even aware of. It may bring on the surface of our awareness once again those emotions, which became poisonous over time, such as bitterness and resentment. Venus retrograde in this portion of the sky will certainly bring to our awareness those feelings and patterns from the past, which are still stopping us from moving forward and require from us both healing and compassionate mindfulness.
In this part of Venus’ transformative cycle it will be more important than ever to practice self-compassion and stay kind towards ourselves. After all, Venus retrograde is always bringing us the same lesson: the lesson of finding love within and learning how to truly love ourselves. Because we can’t heal relations with others without firstly healing our own relationship with ourselves. Venus will be teaching us in this time that a healthy self-love has nothing to do with self-pity or succumbing to our negative patterns from the past — on the contrary, it is all about loving ourselves enough to actually allow ourselves to let go.
This will be an incredibly potent time for personal transformation, especially for those natives who have any limiting placements in their birth chart in this part of the zodiac. Since Venus will spend entire 2 months in this lunar mansion, we all will be silently led towards a profound transformation of the heart. Although we may often end up feeling extremely vulnerable, over-sensitive and even wounded in this period, these 2 months will also bless us with more wisdom, deeper insights and stronger connection with the Divine. Daily meditation, introspection, as well as allowing ourselves to spend sufficient amount of time daily in solitude and silence, can prove greatly healing and supportive in this journey.
Disappearance of Venus — deep transformation
10 August — 15 August
Between 10 and 15 August a great culmination of the 45 days cycle of Venus will take place, as Venus will disappear completely from our sky, merging into the blazing rays of the Sun. While Venus will be so close to the Sun in the sky, she will be going through deep combustion and a profound purification process — which in case of many natives (especially those with vulnerable placements in this area of the sky) can also become externalised in the form of a temporary healthy issue, symbolic “shedding of the skin”. It is a good idea to avoid planning anything important in this period, but rather spend those days, as much as possible, in silence and solitude. It is a very powerful timing for a spiritual “me time”.
Sage Varahamihira beautifully described that whenever a planet disappears into the blazing rays of the Sun, it feels similar like gold being thrown into fire. The process itself may sometimes feel painful, but as a result, the heat of the fire eventually removes all the impurities from gold, so it can shine again. In case of Venus disappearing into the rays of the Sun, it is our heart chakra itself that will be going through this deep purification process. Our heart, with all its desires and attachments will be purified in the rays of the Sun, significator of soul in Vedic Astrology.
A complete conjuction between Sun and Venus, when they will meet on the same degree of Ashlesha (26:17 in sidereal Cancer), will take place on 13 August. This powerful culmination of 45 days retrograde cycle will occur in the aṃśa of Goddess Bhairavi in D20 chart — Goddess of fearlessness, who will inspire us to abandon our fears, which keep us in our comfort zone, and find strength within us to move forward with an open heart and mind.
Shortly after that conjuction, on 16 August, there will be also New Moon in Ashlesha nakshatra, which may help us to finally bury those things from the past, which we need to let go of, forgive what needs to be forgiven, and move forward with a lighter heart.
Healing the past and letting go
2 October— 17 October
On 2 October, in the first days of Pitṛ Pakṣa or fortnight of the ancestors, Venus will re-enter Magha nakshatra, which is, coincidentally, a lunar mansion sacred to ancestors, too. Venus will be additionally aspected there by two retrograde planets, Jupiter and Saturn. This configuration quite clearly points to us that the focus of that time will be healing our past and, especially, family karmas.
It’s quite significant that when Venus will be dwelling in such ancestral nakshatra, simultaneously, on 14 October, an annular solar eclipse will take place in Citra nakshatra, almost right at the degree of Venus’ debilitation. This particular New Moon is also known as Sarva Pitṛ Amāvāsyā, or the New Moon of all ancestors. Its is believed that entire Pitṛ Pakṣa, culminating in this New Moon (which will become eclipse this year) is all about honouring our past and everything it taught us, including our ancestors — while at the same time realising, that in every moment of our lives we, too, become symbolic “ancestors” of our reality, and our current karmas will contribute to the karma of our whole lineage. This particular eclipse will be inspiring us to put our life into a bigger perspective, recognise and heal the past tendencies which we inherited from our family, and thus heal and absolve our family karma.
Right after that particular eclipse and special conjuction between Sun and Moon, Navaratri period will begin, which is also known as nine sacred nights of Divine Mother. This will be a powerful time for personal transformation and stepping into power. It is also a particularly powerful period for uplifting any problematic placements in our birth chart. During this 9 nights you can engage in the meditation process with the Goddess, which I called Journey with the Goddess. This year Devī Pakṣa or fortnight of the Goddess will be particularly powerful and significant, as it will begin and end with the eclipse.
Bridging the opposites — time for integration
17 October — 30 October
After the first days of Navaratri Venus will move to Purva Phalguni nakshatra, where it will find a little more comfort — for this lunar mansion is ruled by Venus herself. Venus in Purva Phalguni will inspire us to bridge the opposites, integrate the lessons from the past with the challenges of the present moment, and resolve any pending conflicts. As this period will almost entirely coincide with the Devī Pakṣa or fortnight of the Goddess, we will be similarly inspired to grow with the Goddess, expand the horizons of our understanding, and grow our inner strength.
Interestingly, during the entire time which Venus will spend in Purva Phalguni nakshatra, Sun will be dwelling in sidereal Libra, the sign ruled by Venus. In this way Sun and Venus will be experiencing a temporary parivartan yoga, with their goals and objectives temporarily aligned — even though both will be dwelling in enemy’s sign. This will make it an excellent time to align our heart’s desires with our soul’s higher purpose, and bring harmony between spiritual and material spheres of our life.
Near the end of this period on 28–29 October, Devī Pakṣa will culminate with Full Moon in Ashwini nakshatra, which will also produce a partial lunar eclipse. It will be a great time for manifesting new beginnings and healing in life, as well as will bless us with extra boost to move forward and leave the things from the past behind.
Re-aligning with our purpose
30 October — 12 November
On 30 October Venus will enter Uttara Phalguni nakshatra, the birth star of Lakshmi. Uttara Phalguni, which blesses us with cayani śakti or “the power of choice” will keep inspiring us during this time to align our desires and longings with our true purpose, lakṣya.
Venus will spend the first 3 days in the Leo portion of Uttara Phalguni, and on 2 November it will move to Virgo. This entire fortnight will be an incredibly auspicious time to connect to Goddess Lakshmi, the divine representative of Venus, because it will culminate on 12 November, which will be the New Moon in sidereal Libra, otherwise known as Diwali. During this entire fortnight, Sun will remain in Libra, the sign of its debilitation.
Sign of Libra, ruled by Venus, represents our heart chakra. Every year, when Sun dwells in Libra and Moon diminishes during the dark fortnight preceding Diwali, our inner light withdraws into the inner chambers of our heart. This is why this whole lunar month, known as Kartik, is so sacred for nourishing our devotion and connection with the Divine. As Goddess Lakshmi is the one who resides in our heart chakra, during Dipavali period we pray to Her to helps us bring our inner light forth and we symbolically light countless clay lamps in the outside to remind ourselves of this light that is always hidden in our hearts.
If you will feel in this period that you need to invoke more light into your life, consider trying my Nourishing Your Light workshop, which was specifically created to allow you to connect with Goddess Lakshmi within you during Diwali time. Best time to start with this workshop is 10 November.
Venus in Hasta
12 November — 24 November
On 12 November Venus will move to Hasta nakshatra and will slowly start heading deeper towards its maximum debilitation point (27 degree in sidereal Virgo). Here, in the sign of its debilitation, in the heart of Virgo, Venus will be devoid of protective aspect of Jupiter and can make us experience a certain dissatisfaction once again. Venus in Hasta nakshatra can easily become too picky, overly perfectionist and calculative, which can result in misunderstandings and conflicts in our relationships, as well as reduced sense of satisfaction and happiness. With a transit like that we all will need to make an extra effort to stay more kind and compassionate, rather than gravitating towards judgement and criticism. Yet, it’s not always easy without a daily reminder. Practising those simple guided meditations with Goddess Lakshmi or even just listening to this mantra can help you a lot during this period.
Venus in Citra
24 November — 29 November
These last days of Venus’ transformative 6 months cycle may feel particularly intense to many. As Venus will be heading towards her maximum debilitation place (27 degree in sidereal Virgo) within Citra nakshatra, she will be simultaneously moving closer and closer to Ketu, the planet of detachment. On 29 November complete conjuction between the two planets will take place in the very last minutes of Virgo. And just four hours after their complete conjuction Venus will be finally released into the sign of Libra, her own mulatrikona, where she will also receive a benevolent aspect from Jupiter in Aries.
It’s incredibly significant that on this very last day, when Venus will finally complete her 6 months cycle, Ketu will also leave Libra and enter into Virgo. It is rare, indeed, for two such significant transits to occur just a few hours apart. Venus will not only move into a much more supportive sign, for the first time after 6 months, but this very sign, Libra, representing the zodiacal heart chakra, will also get released from the shadow of Ketu, which has been obstructing it for almost 2 years.
Many of us will experience this as a great relief; as if suddenly some burden was taken away from our hearts. The energies of Venus being so suddenly released will be also very potent for inner and outer healing. Yet, as this transit will coincide with Venus being temporarily fully conjuct with Ketu, there is a possibility that the relief, healing or freedom that we will suddenly feel as a result of this transit will come with a cost. We might need to let go of something (or someone) dear to us in order to move forward and heal. For some it may happen on inner level, but for others Ketu may take away something way more tangible.
New beginnings often require sacrifice. But this time, Venus may actually make it worth it.
Making your journey with Venus more effortless
As we can expect, this 6 months of Venus’ cycle will bring many changes and powerful transformations into many areas of our life. Venus will make us go through a symbolic death and rebirth, so our hearts can truly transform. Here are a few things that you can do during this time to make your journey with Venus more effortless during this period.
- Chant daily (or at least listen to) this simple Mahalakshmi Mantra. Mahalakshmi resides at Vishnu Granthi in our heart chakra and helps us to transcend excessive passions and attachments, which often result in sense of stress, pressure, attachment and the resulting frustration, which can often block our voice of intuition and manifestation of higher Divine qualities: such as compassion, love, peace and clarity.
- Meditate with Goddess Lakshmi so you can heal your heart chakra and manifest Her qualities. You can use for this purpose these simple guided meditations.
- Go on a meditative Journey with Lakshmi and bring a real change into your life. This Meditative Journey with Lakshmi has been carefully and lovingly designed to help you to connect with her and heal Venus in your birth chart. During those powerful 53 days of inner transformation, you will not only learn how to meditate with Goddess Lakshmi, but you will also learn Her ancient mantras and daily receive a set of exercises and introspection questions. In the final class you will also receive a powerful Sri Yantra meditation.
- Practice these special meditations with Lakshmi during Diwali time.
