Rethinking Love, Desire, and Connection During Venus Retrograde

Venus retrograde offers a unique opportunity to revisit the agreements we’ve made in our relationships – not just with others but also with ourselves.

While the word “contracts” may sound formal, we make them daily through our choices, actions, and unspoken understandings. Every time we connect with someone, set an expectation, or decide what we’re willing to give and receive, we are making an energetic agreement.

Understanding Venus Retrograde

Venus, the planet of love, beauty, relationships, and values, naturally invites us to connect, indulge, and appreciate the finer things in life. However, when it goes retrograde, it encourages us to pause, reflect, and reconsider these areas.

This particular Venus retrograde will dance between the deeply emotional waters of Cancer and the fiery, self-assured energy of Leo. The back-and-forth energy of this transit may bring up themes of self-love, emotional security, and personal worth – a cosmic invitation to evaluate what we truly desire and why.

Venus Retrograde Dates:

• July 23 – Venus in Leo

• August 7 – Retrogrades back into Cancer

• September 3 – Goes direct

What This Means for You

Venus in Leo encourages us to stand tall, express our desires openly, and take up space unapologetically. It’s about living from the heart, shining your light, and honoring your worth. In contrast, Venus in Cancer asks us to nurture our emotional roots, honor our softer side, and reflect on the ways we give and receive love.

This combination can bring up deep emotions, old wounds, and unresolved relationship patterns. You may find yourself revisiting past connections, questioning current relationships, or even re-evaluating the relationship you have with yourself.

Return of the Ex (and the Lessons They Bring)

It’s not uncommon for exes to reappear during Venus retrograde, tempting us to revisit old relationships or unresolved emotions. This can be a powerful time for closure, but it can also be a test of how much you’ve grown.

I’ve had this experience myself – people from my past reaching out, looking to reconnect, only for me to realize that the only reason they returned was because the work wasn’t done. I hadn’t fully closed that chapter. I had to choose to forgive both them and myself for the compromises I made based on the information I had at the time. That forgiveness was the closure I needed, allowing me to finally release that part of my life and not carry its residue into my current relationship.

Sometimes, the people who resurface during this period are not meant to be permanent fixtures in our lives but rather reflections of the lessons we still need to learn. They can show us where we still hold resentment, where we have grown, and where we still need healing.

Understanding Your Desires

Desire is a natural, powerful force – it is what brought you into being and what fuels your creative expression. But unchecked desire can also lead to unwise choices, emotional entanglements, and self-sabotage if it’s driven by fear, loneliness, or insecurity.

Consider This:

• What are you desiring right now?

• Is this desire coming from a place of wholeness or a sense of lack?

• Are you trying to fill a void that only you can truly fill?

• How can you honor your desires without losing yourself in the process?

You Are the Common Thread

No matter what changes around you, you are the common thread in every relationship you experience. This retrograde is a powerful time to deepen your self-awareness, heal past wounds, and release old agreements that no longer serve you.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a relationship pattern or found yourself repeating the same lessons with different people, this is your cosmic opportunity to break the cycle. You deserve relationships that honor your worth, reflect your growth, and support your journey.

Reflective Prompts:

• Where have I overgiven or overcompromised in the past?

• What boundaries need reinforcing in my relationships?

• Am I honoring my own needs as much as I honor the needs of others?

• What would it look like to show up fully in a relationship, without fear or pretense?

Leaning into Love

Remember, the goal isn’t to shut down or harden yourself against love, but to refine your ability to give and receive it. Healthy, balanced relationships come from a place of fullness, not emptiness – from a place of giving, not grasping.

So, as Venus takes you on this introspective journey, lean into your capacity to love without fear, to stand in your worth, and to create connections that nourish your soul.

Affirmations for Venus Retrograde:

• I am worthy of the love I desire.

• I honor my heart’s desires and trust the journey.

• I release old patterns and make space for true, aligned connections.

• I am open to love in all its forms, and I trust that what is meant for me will find me.

A Final Thought

Lean into this cosmic alignment with an open heart and a curious mind. Use this time to clear old emotional debris, strengthen your boundaries, and step into a more authentic, self-assured version of yourself.

All is well.