See Beneath Your Beautiful – The Venus Retrograde in Scorpio-Libra
One of The Most Powerful Astrological Events of the Year
This Venus retrograde is one of the most powerful astrological events of the year, if not the most powerful. It is especially potent for Scorpios, but also for Taureans and Librans, because Venus is their ruling planet. However, everyone has Venus in their chart and so all will experience this retrograde to a greater or lesser degree.
Venus was last retrograde in Scorpio-Libra from October 8th to November 18, 2010, and from October 11 to November 21, 2002. You might wish to look back and recall what was happening in your life then because any themes from those times are now likely to be repeating.
Key Words and Terms
The key words and terms for this astrological phenomenon are ‘intense’, ‘blindspot’, ‘unexpected’, ‘reset’, ‘tough love’, ‘re-evaluation’ ‘unplanned for’, ‘blindsided’, ‘shaken and stirred’, ‘knocked off balance in order to rebalance’, ‘battered but not bruised’, ‘backwards to go forwards’, and ‘blessing in disguise’. The metaphors for this retrograde are ‘coal into diamond’, ‘the new golden dawn after the long dark night’, and ‘the lotus flower blooming out of the mud from which it grows’. Its swansong is “See beneath (Scorpio) your beautiful (Libra)”, because, ultimately, Venus brings love wherever she goes.
Recognising and Transcending Our Blindspots
Collectively, between October 5 and November 16, we are being presented with a unique window of opportunity to move beyond the self-imposed limitations that our psychological blindspots impose upon us. Many are being dragged backwards before tentatively moving forwards once more when Venus turns direct on November 16. Yet, the entire mission of this retrograde is not fully completed until December 17, when Venus leaves what is known in astrology as her ‘shadow phase’ – the point at which the retrograde began. It is then that we can move on from whatever area of our lives this retrograde has highlighted. Blindspots are revealed through blindsiding as unexpected situations and scenarios suddenly appear and unfold. This is the ‘tough love’ of retrograde Venus in uncompromising service to our evolutionary progress. In terms of our psychological blindspots, this can be a time of revelation as we are afforded a chance to heal issues, which, until now, had remained just out of our grasp or hidden deep within the unconscious.
Going Over Old Ground
For many, this retrograde is about going over old ground. For others, aspects of their lives will feel stuck and/or plans will suddenly go awry and be brought to a standstill. Some will find themselves caught up in intense emotional situations that will lead to difficult, prolonged but necessary conversations. Scenarios such as these are arising in order to facilitate psychological realisation and emotional-physical release.
The Body May Also Be Going Over Old Ground
The impact of this retrograde is taking some of us by surprise and on a physical level many are experiencing a return/rerun of aches, pains and health scenarios that have been absent for several months or years. Other physical symptoms include random anomalies that quickly resolve and disappear. The body is speaking loudly at this time and conveying a specific message, and we would be wise to pay attention and listen and respond accordingly.
Shaken and Stirred
Venus in Scorpio is about transformation and transmutation and so the retrograde will pull us back before propelling us forward after December 17 when the shadow phase completes. The window of time between October 5th and November 16 will stir up much in our lives. You may find yourself in limbo after plans have failed and nothing appropriate has transpired to replace them. You may be flooded with difficult memories, plunged into challenging situations, or an aspect of your life (perhaps your work or a significant relationship) may be on hold. Take heart, for such scenarios are but precursors to what will prove to be an ultimately better outcome.
Deep Into the Inner Underworld
Scorpio is leading us deep into the underworld within to shine its laser light of perception into our hidden corners to reveal where we are afflicted by unhealed psychological wounding. It is a master of taking us out of our comfort zones and has been doing so since September 12, when Venus met Uranus in an opposition that helped set the scene for the approaching retrograde.
Blessings in Disguise
Venus Retrograde in Scorpio-Libra invites us to trust what is, right here, right now. It cautions us to expect the unexpected and, when the cold light of ’truth’ finds us, to listen only with our hearts. Scorpio is uncompromising and exacting and you may be on the receiving end of some forcibly expressed admonishments, yet in this specific window of time these can prove to be cathartic not only for you but also for the one who is delivering them. They can indeed be a blessing in disguise.
Recreating Our History To Do Now What Could Not Be Done ‘Back Then’
We are unconsciously compelled to recreate our history to do now what we could not do back then. Whatever is brought to the surface during this auspicious time, no matter how uncomfortable it might be, Venus retrograde in Scorpio is encouraging us to realise that we are finally ready to let go into love and heal. One way we can do this is to acknowledge, validate, empathise with, listen deeply, and embrace what could not be done back then in a special quality of love.
From I to We
Venus retrograde in Scorpio focuses us almost exclusively on our inner lives, yet this will begin to shift from October 31 when she backtracks into Libra. It is then that our relationship with others will fall under the spotlight.
The Electric-Eclectic Planet Uranus
The effects of this Venus retrograde have been amplified by the presence of the electric-eclectic planet Uranus, who is making a challenging contact to her on no less than three occasions in the space of a few weeks. The first opposition between them was on September 12, the second is on October 31, and then, finally, on December 1. Uranus is acting as a catalyst to ensure that what needs to be shaken and stirred will be done so at lightning speed during this period of time. There are no half measures with Uranus, so if we do not consciously engage with the inner processes and changes that are now necessary for the next stage of our evolution, then external events will force the issue by presenting us with the very experiences we have tried to avoid.
An Evolutionary Retrograde That Brings Great Promise
Not only is this the most powerful retrograde of the year but it is also the most promising if we can just stay present to what is and what needs to unfold without forcing the pace or imposing our own uninformed agenda.
Chipping Away At What Has Become Stuck
An analogy for the Scorpio phase of this retrograde is one of a hammer and chisel chipping away at the psychological debris that has become impacted within our psychological selves. It is calling for us to dig deeper in order to excavate what no longer serves us and/or hinders our potential for living in greater freedom and joy.
A Breakthrough of Magnitude
The influence of Uranus with its reputation for the shocking and unexpected is to support Pluto ruled Scorpio and Venus ruled Libra to free us from self-limiting and/or self-sabotaging patterns and conditioning; and so reveal the depths of our own inner beauty and potential for transformation.
What Is
Presence to what is, patience with what is, trust in what is, openness to what is, response (not reaction) to what is, re-evaluation of what is, acceptance of what is, and evolving because of what is are our ace cards, and all part of the epic journey of Venus in Scorpio-Libra Retrograde.
The ultimate quest of this is to effect a breakthrough of significant magnitude in our relationship with ourselves, with others, and in our professional lives. This extraordinary retrograde will (if you are ready) support you to discover and uncover more of the psychologically unhealed and unresolved that remains alive within you: Venus in Libra will then bestow balance and love, transforming whatever it is into something of the greatest value and rarest beauty.
No doubt we will all breathe a sigh of relief on November 16, when Venus turns direct and continues her journey in a forward trajectory motion through the heavens!
LOVE,
Nicolya ♥
*The inspiration for the title of this piece comes from the chorus of the song ‘See Beneath Your Beautiful’ by Labrinth, featuring Emile Sande. However, if you listen to the lyrics of the entire song through psychological ears, you will hear a call to the deeply defended or hidden within you to realise its beauty and perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqIxCtEveG8
** Written with the exceptional astrological input of evolutionary astrologer Cherry.
Copyright © 2018 Nicolya Christi. All rights reserved.
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Nicolya Christi is a Visionary, Futurist and Author. Her first book 2012: A Clarion Call: Your Soul’s Purpose in Conscious Evolution was placed in the top ten book reviews by Publishers Weekly in Spring 2011. Professor Ervin Laszlo, twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, endorsed this book as the most remarkable spiritual book on this or any other subject he have ever read. She is also the author of Contemporary Spirituality for an Evolving World: A Handbook for Conscious Evolution (2013). In the Summer of 2018, Nicolya completed a third book co-authored with Professor Laszlo to be published in 2019. She is currently concluding the writing of her own third mainstream book. Her Work is founded upon the fundamental principles of Psychological Integration, Conscious Evolution, and Spiritual Awakening; Personal Transformation for Global Evolution and Inner Peace for World Peace. Its trajectory is along a psycho-spiritual continuum of Self-Awareness leading to Self-Integration, leading to Self-Realization, leading to Self-Actualization, leading to the ultimate state of Human-Being – Self-Transcendence.