The lioness paces her den.
Welcome to your Venus in Leo retrograde guide! Here you'll find all the details of the retrograde itself, including the station dates, sign/degree of the station, and the astrological energy of the planet as a whole. You'll also find your personalized retrograde guide based on your rising sign! This guide is meant to help you navigate the retrograde energy and see it as an opportunity for growth. Venus retrogrades are focused a lot different than the Mercury retrogrades we know and love. As a general rule, Venus is a lot more focused on social dynamics, relationships, trends, and aesthetics. The sign, house, and condition of Venus will influence what she cares about at time of the retrograde, but we can almost always expect relational/social happenings on some level. These guides are meant to be just that, guides. They aren't going to tell you how to escape the retrograde or dodge its influence. What they will do though is give you a better understanding of the energy at hand. I hope they help you to see retrogrades as opportunities rather than obstacles.
I'll also be including advice from my tarot cards in each of the guides. The card for each rising sign will further refine as to how we can make the best of this astrological event. So, sit back, relax, and don't fear the retrograde. I promise we'll get through it together. Also, "Rx" means retrograde and "Dx" means direct. That's just some shorthand you'll see me use throughout the post.
The Conditions of Venus
Venus goes retrograde every 18 months. This means the last time we had a Venus Rx was December 19th, 2021 in the sign of Capricorn. Since these retrogrades happen less frequently, their energy isn't familiar as a Mercury Rx event might be. The lessened frequency also means that Venus' impact will really pack a punch. Night charts or people with lots of Venus ruled placements might feel this Rx a little stronger as well. Luckily she's a benefic planet, so we can generally expect goodness. But sometimes good things come in strange packages. So, what can we expect from Venus going retrograde in the sign of Leo? First, this is fixed Fire. Fixed Fire reminds me of the hearth or the campfire that everyone gathers around. Leo doesn't go to others, others come to Leo. Venus really enjoys the spotlight and ego-boosting nature that Leo provides. She can be loud, daring, and command the room as she pleases all while having a captive audience. One thing Venus is always thinking about is the social dynamic and how to make it more harmonious. When she's in Leo, she's able to be an orchestrator of harmonic energy through exerting her life force. The brighter she shines, the warmer and more welcome others feel.
In the broadest sense, a Venus retrograde will be about having a makeover moment. Venus is going to look at your life and try to zhuzh it up a little bit. I said that social dynamics are important to a Venus Rx, and that includes friend groups, romantic relationships, online connections, and even fan bases or audiences. If it's a social dynamic, you can bet Venus Rx will have her say. She's also going to have us rethinking how we outwardly express ourselves. We could see trends come and go during a Venus Rx cycle. So I'm telling you now, don't get the trendy haircut that pops up or whatever new fashion the zeitgeist is pushing, it'll be short-lived. There's an element of excitement to a Venus Rx that we don't see with other planets. Sure, Venus can be whiney, petulant, and want to text her ex when retrograding, but she can also be extremely regal and open the door for peace, harmony, and true love. The area of your life Venus retrogrades will blessed with benefic goodness for quite awhile. Venus is going to spend a lot of time in that particular house, so be prepared for her to make it over to her liking.
Below are both charts for when Venus stations Rx and Dx: