Into the Autumn: A Venus Story

Venus, our Goddess of love and relationships, has entered into a process She goes through every 18 months. From our perspective we see Her slow, stop, and then disappear, entering the underworld for (approx.) 40 days before returning reborn as a new version of Herself.

Astrology works with symbols. We translate what we can see, and over thousands of years the meaning is refined and understood. A retrograde is not a true backward motion in the sky, it is an optical illusion created by our shifting viewpoint from Earth. Yet the effect is real. When a planet appears to reverse course, the themes it rules turn inward. Progress slows. Old material resurfaces. What was moving forward is invited to pause, review, and be rewritten from the inside out.

Venus retrograde carries this quality into the most personal realms: love, desire, beauty, values, money, and the ways we seek harmony and pleasure. She is the planet of relating - to others and to ourselves - so when She turns, the questions become intimate. What do I truly value? What am I still attached to? Where have I been giving or receiving love out of habit rather than truth?

This underworld journey is ancient. In the Sumerian myth, the goddess Inanna (later known as Ishtar) descends into the Great Below to visit her sister Ereshkigal. At each of the seven gates she is stripped of a piece of her regalia and power until she arrives naked and is killed. After three days she is restored and begins her ascent, changed. The story maps almost exactly onto the Venus cycle: the planet’s disappearance from the sky, the stripping away of outward identity, the period of death and renewal, and the eventual re-emergence as a transformed morning or evening star. Venus retrograde is a living re-enactment of Inanna’s descent.

As I write, She has entered her shadow, which means She is currently covering ground She will return to in Her backward walk. Themes arising now will be with us for a while. Venus retrograde is always significant for us because She is personal. When a God isn’t feeling Themselves, we all feel it. But this is felt more keenly by those with prominent Venus placements or with charts that are ruled by Venus: Taurus, Libra and Pisces (where Venus is exalted).

Read more about Venus in the following blogs: Conversations with The Gods | Venus | Blog

A bit about me

I was born with Venus standing still, pausing for a couple of days before turning retrograde (shown with an S in my chart). Venus rules both my chart as a Libra rising (and as I write, Venus is sitting right on my Ascendant), and my Moon - my luminary as a night chart - in Taurus. Venus sits in my 5th house, the house of Her Joy, with Jupiter. Since I am born of the night, Venus is my greatest benefic force. Stationary, She is loud. Through Her relationship with my chart, She is loud. And because She was turning retrograde when I entered this world, my experience of Her has always been somewhat challenging.

It has translated as an enormous desire for love and relationship. When I look back, it’s all I’ve ever really cared about. I’m always desiring, and even when I have occasionally got what I thought I wanted, the experience of it has always disappointed. Sometimes catastrophically.

For the last nine years my desire has been directed towards someone who, if you look at it plainly, doesn’t desire me back. My love has been, for all intents and purposes, unrequited. And I, as a Venusian woman who lives for love, have been single and living in perpetual disappointment. Or at least, that’s one way to see it.

The difference between the last nine years and all those disappointments that came before them is that nine years ago, when this unrequited love entered my life, magic came with him. I’ve written about this before so I won’t go too much into the detail — you can read more [here] if you’re interested. The reason I mention it is because what this “relationship” has triggered in me, has been exactly what the force that is Venus in my chart always intended.

And that is to learn that in order to have the successful, mutual, conscious, divine relationship I’ve been seeking all my life, it has to come from within. Venus turning retrograde in my chart symbolises an inner journey into the underworld that I always had to take before I could birth my desired relationship into the world. Before I can attract the mutual divine love I've been dreaming of.

In order to have it I needed to go back into my wounds, my disappointments, my fears, my programming, my conditioning, and understand exactly why I was attracting the disappointing experiences I’ve had in love all my life - and in past lives - so that I could repair, heal, reprogram, face fears, and ultimately attract a new experience. One that fulfils the enormous desire I arrived here with.

Read more about my Venus. And if you'd like to explore your own Venus placement I have a handy guide here which walks you through it:

Working With Venus in Your Chart

What's all this got to do with you?

Well, since Venus is building up to her journey into the underworld, this is something we will all be going through to some extent. The themes of love, desire, self-worth, attachment, beauty, and what we truly value are being stirred for everyone. Old patterns surface. Relationships (past, present, and imagined) ask to be reviewed. What has been moving on autopilot is invited to stop, turn inward, and be rewritten.

The Venus Rose - Her movement around the Earth

What’s the timeline?

• Venus entered her pre-shadow on 31 August at 22° Libra.

• She will stop and turn retrograde on 3 October at 8° Scorpio.

• She will walk back through Scorpio and meet The Sun at 0 degrees for her death/rebirth moment on 24 October

• She re-enters Libra on the 25th

• Stationing direct on 14 November at 22° Libra.

• She will then make her way forward again, clearing the post-shadow and treading new ground once she returns to 8° Scorpio on 15 December.

The heart of the underworld, the inferior conjunction, when Venus disappears completely into the Sun’s light, falls on the 24th of October. After that she will re-emerge as the Morning Star, rising in the east before dawn. A new face of Venus. A new cycle of relating.

This is the same descent I have been living through my whole life, and especially these last nine years. The difference is that now the sky itself is mirroring the journey. What has been personal is collective once again. We are all being asked, in our own way, to go back into the places we have avoided - the wounds, the disappointments, the conditioning - so that something more true, more mutual, and more alive can be born on the other side.

What else is happening?

Venus is currently in her own sign of Libra, the sign of relationships, before she moves into Scorpio. In Scorpio she will square Pluto, Lord of the underworld, The God who demands we die in order to be reborn. Scorpio itself is sometimes referred to as the sign of the phoenix and asks the same of us. But before that intensity fully arrives, as she enters her shadow, she is in conversation with Juno. And, as beautifully pointed out by Tiarnie Vidler (Tiarnietalks), this is an important part of this retrograde story.

I'm a traditional astrologer and don’t usually bring the asteroids into public writing but that doesn’t mean I ignore them. Behind the scenes I track their conversations, especially when they speak so clearly to what is already moving in my own life. So it feels right to mention them here.

A brief note on the asteroids:

The first four to be discovered in the early 1800s were named after four of the great goddesses of classical antiquity: Ceres, Pallas Athene, Juno and Vesta. Their appearance in the sky coincided with a growing activation of feminine archetypes in the collective, beyond the traditional roles of wife and mother that Venus and the Moon alone had previously carried in the astrological language. These four goddesses complete a fuller pantheon.

(The deeper research and beautiful framing of this material comes from our Earth Goddess Demetra George, whose work I return to often. You can find the Goddess report I've used to understand my own chart here. I recommend it for a deep dive into the architecture of the Goddesses in your own chart - mine is fascinating!)

Of the four, Juno (Hera) is the one speaking most clearly right now.

In myth she is the wife of Zeus, the Goddess of Marriage. She is not simply “the wife” in a passive sense; she is the principle of relatedness and commitment over time, the part of us that seeks a true partner, that longs for devotion, loyalty, and a relationship that is mutual, conscious, and enduring. Where Venus shows us what we desire and how we attract, Juno asks what we are prepared to commit to, and what kind of partnership is actually worthy of that commitment.

To me, Juno speaks of devotion and the importance of partnership.

Her conversation with Venus as this retrograde cycle begins feels like a quiet but firm reminder: the underworld journey Venus is about to take is not only about personal desire and self-worth. It is also about the quality of the bonds we form, the agreements we make (spoken and unspoken), and whether the love we are seeking is capable of meeting us in true mutuality.

This is why her presence matters now. Venus is preparing to descend. Juno is standing at the threshold, asking what kind of relationship we are actually willing to build, with another, and with ourselves, once we return, and what work are we willing to do to bring that into being.

More on Venus' Journey through the Autumn

Venus is currently in her own relational sign of Libra, before she moves into the transformational sign of Scorpio. In Scorpio she will square Pluto. Before that intensity fully arrives, as she enters her shadow, she is also in conversation with Juno. Both of these conversations will happen three times: once as Venus moves forward, once as she travels backward, and once more as she moves forward again. These repeated meetings create clear pivot points throughout the cycle and moments when the same themes return, asking to be met at a deeper level each time.

I recommend keeping a note of these dates and tracking, perhaps with a journal, what is coming up for you around love and relationships at these times.

Venus square Pluto:

• 15 September 2026 – Venus direct in Scorpio

• 20 October 2026 – Venus retrograde in Scorpio

• 9 December 2026 – Venus direct again in Scorpio

These three exact squares create clear pivot points in the cycle. With Pluto, things that were unseen will be revealed and the themes of power and control, secrets, sex will be active.

Venus square Juno:

• 5 September 2026 – Venus direct in Libra

• 25 October 2026 – Venus retrograde in Scorpio (at the same time She meets The Sun)

• 1 January 2027 – Venus direct again in Scorpio

The question of devotion, commitment, partnership and loyalty will be particularly present as these times.

Pluto emphasises the underworld quality of this journey because He is the one who rules the realm of death and rebirth. He does not allow us to stay on the surface. Whatever has been avoided, denied, or half-lived in our relationships will be pulled into the light. Scorpio, where the retrograde begins, is the sign of transformation, intensity, and is sometimes referred to as the sign of the phoenix, we burn, and then rise anew from the ashes. When Venus later walks back into Libra, she brings what she has learned in the depths into the realm of relating, fairness, and partnership. The movement itself tells the story: we must go into the underworld of our own desire and attachment before we can return with a more truthful way of being with others.

This is why the work is inner. As within, so without. We have to go in to change what is happening without. When we do the inner work, when we face the places we have abandoned ourselves, the patterns we keep repeating, the ways we have settled or over-given or closed down, we begin to see the results in everything. Our relationships with others change as our relationship with ourselves changes. The outer world rearranges itself around the new inner truth.

We have one life. Relationships are a key part of it for all of us. We’re human. We thrive on connection and fade without it. We all have more to learn about how to do this, and it starts with us. And now is the perfect time to do some of this work!

A quick note on Zues

Interestingly, the asteroid Zeus is currently sitting in the later degrees of Libra, close to Venus. Zeus and Juno are, of course, husband and wife in the mythology, a marriage marked by his repeated infidelities and her enduring, complicated devotion. Their presence together in the background of this Venus cycle quietly underlines one of the deeper questions of the retrograde: what does true devotion look like when the other person cannot or will not meet us in the way we long for? And what does it cost us to keep offering it?

A more personal perspective: Venus through the houses

How this lands for you depends on where these conversations are happening in your chart. Below is a whole-sign house overview for each rising sign. Venus is moving through Libra and Scorpio, Pluto is in Aquarius, and Juno is in Capricorn. Their repeated meetings create pivot points in the houses listed. Everyone is unique, and every chart is unique, the specific way this cycle works for you will depend on your own planetary placements. I offer dedicated Venus readings if you would like to explore this more precisely.

Book in with me here.

Aries rising

Venus moves through your 7th house (Libra) and 8th house (Scorpio). Partnerships, one-to-one bonds, and the deeper currents of desire, power, and shared resources are under review. Pluto in your 11th house asks what needs to die or transform in your wider networks and future visions so that more honest relating can take root. Juno in your 10th house brings questions of commitment and devotion into your public life, vocation, and reputation. What kind of partnership actually supports the life you are building?

Taurus rising

Venus activates your 6th house (Libra) and 7th house (Scorpio). Daily patterns of relating and the intimate partnerships themselves are being examined. Pluto in your 10th house puts pressure on your public role and sense of authority: what in your outer life must transform for your relationships to become more truthful? Juno in your 9th house links commitment to your beliefs, long-range vision, and search for meaning asking whether the partnerships you form align with what you hold sacred.

Gemini rising

Venus travels through your 5th house (Libra) and 6th house (Scorpio). Creativity, pleasure, romance, and the way you offer yourself in everyday relating are highlighted. Pluto in your 9th house stirs deep change in your beliefs about love and the larger frameworks you live by. Juno in your 8th house brings the theme of devotion into the realm of intimacy, shared resources, and emotional merging. What are you truly willing to commit to at the deepest level?

Cancer rising

Venus moves through your 4th house (Libra) and 5th house (Scorpio). Home, emotional foundations, and the heart’s private longings are part of this underworld journey. Pluto in your 8th house intensifies the work around shared resources, psychological depth, and what must be released for true intimacy. Juno in your 7th house places the question of commitment squarely in the house of partnership itself. What kind of devoted relationship are you prepared to build, and with whom?

Leo rising

Venus activates your 3rd house (Libra) and 4th house (Scorpio). Communication, the immediate environment, and the deeper roots of belonging are stirred. Pluto in your 7th house brings transformative pressure directly into one-to-one relationships. Think power dynamics, control, and what needs to die between you and significant others. Juno in your 6th house links devotion to the daily work of relating: the small, consistent acts that either sustain or erode a partnership.

Virgo rising

Venus moves through your 2nd house (Libra) and 3rd house (Scorpio). Self-worth, personal resources, values, and the way you exchange with others are central. Pluto in your 6th house asks for transformation in your daily habits, work, and the practical structures of your life. Juno in your 5th house brings commitment themes into creativity, romance, and the heart’s more playful or passionate expressions. What are you devoted to when no one is watching?

Libra rising

Venus travels through your 1st house (Libra) and 2nd house (Scorpio). This is especially personal. Your sense of self, your presence, and the worth you assign to yourself are being refined. Pluto in your 5th house transforms how you express desire, creativity, and joy. Juno in your 4th house roots the question of devotion in home, family, and emotional foundations. What kind of committed relationship do you need in order to feel truly safe and secure in the world?

Scorpio rising

Venus moves through your 12th house (Libra) and 1st house (Scorpio). The hidden realms and the edge of identity are activated. This is a deep descent. Pluto in your 4th house works on the foundational level: family patterns, emotional security, and what must be transformed at the root. Juno in your 3rd house brings commitment into the realm of communication, mindset, and the stories you tell yourself about partnership.

Sagittarius rising

Venus activates your 11th house (Libra) and 12th house (Scorpio). Friendships, groups, future visions, and the more private or spiritual dimensions of connection are part of this cycle. Pluto in your 3rd house transforms the way you think and speak about love and belonging. Juno in your 2nd house links devotion to self-worth and personal values. What you are willing to invest in, and what you will no longer undervalue?

Capricorn rising

Venus moves through your 10th house (Libra) and 11th house (Scorpio). Public roles, vocation, reputation, and the networks you move in are touched by this retrograde. Pluto in your 2nd house puts pressure on resources, self-worth, and what you truly value. Juno in your 1st house makes the question of commitment deeply personal. How do you show up as a partner, and what kind of devoted presence you are prepared to be?

Aquarius rising

Venus travels through your 9th house (Libra) and 10th house (Scorpio). Beliefs about love, higher learning, and your place in the world are being revised. Pluto in your 1st house brings profound transformation to identity itself. Juno in your 12th house places devotion in the unseen realms of your unconscious patterns, spiritual commitment, and what you are quietly dedicated to even when it is not visible.

Pisces rising

Venus moves through your 8th house (Libra) and 9th house (Scorpio). Shared resources, intimacy, and the search for deeper meaning in relationship are central. Pluto in your 12th house works in the hidden and collective layers, dissolving what no longer serves. Juno in your 11th house brings the theme of commitment into friendships, communities, and the future you are co-creating with others.

These are the broad territories. The real work happens in the specific conversations your own chart is having with this sky.

Returning to my personal

I opened this piece with my own story because Venus has never been abstract for me. She is loud in my chart, and her retrograde at my birth set the tone for a lifetime of learning about desire, disappointment, and the long road back to myself.

Juno has been part of that same education.

In my chart Juno sits in Capricorn in the 4th house, close to my Sun and in easy conversation with my Moon. She describes a deep need for a partnership that feels like a true foundation: stable, enduring, and rooted in home and emotional safety. She wants a relationship that can hold the weight of a shared life. At 52 I am still growing into that. My marriage ended in 2010, and since then I have mostly carried the weight of my family and home feeling quite alone. The devotion didn’t disappear; it simply had nowhere equal to land, so it turned toward duty and self-reliance. I've managed it well thanks to the strength of my Capricorn Sun and the patience and wisdom of Saturn in my 10th house but I still long to have someone to share it with and to lean on when things feel overwhelming.

This is why Her presence in the current sky feels so pointed. As Venus prepares to descend, Juno is standing at the threshold asking the harder questions: What kind of commitment is actually worthy of us? What are we still offering in the hope that it will one day be met? And what needs to be released so that a more equal, conscious partnership becomes possible?

For me, the last nine years of unrequited love have been a long Juno initiation as much as a Venus one. They forced me to confront the places where I abandoned myself in the name of devotion, and the places where I kept returning to a dynamic that could not meet me. The underworld work has been to stop asking the outer relationship to give me what only an inner marriage to myself could provide.

That is the thread that runs through this entire cycle. Venus turns us inward so that Juno’s longing for true partnership can finally be met from a place of wholeness rather than need. The outer relationship changes when the inner one does. As within, so without.

I am still walking this path. I do not have the finished story yet. But I know the direction of travel: toward a love that is mutual, conscious, and rooted in two people who have each done their own underworld work. That is what Venus is asking of all of us now, in different houses and different ways. And that is what Juno is quietly insisting upon as she stands beside her.

Final admission:

I've used an AI chatbot to help me write all this out with the speed required to actually post it before the retrograde is over. Ideally I would love the time to do it all myself but for now, while I still have the full time day job and a family to take care of, this is as good as I can do. All the thoughts and ideas, and most of the words in the main body of the post, are mine. The chatbot does a great job of consolidating for each rising sign.