5 Things to Know About Venus in Leo in 2023

What happens when the planet of relationships, beauty, and pleasure enters the sign of bravery, and courage for an extended stay?

Potentially high drama. Maybe some sex scandals and affairs. And certainly an opportunity to review what we value.

On June 5, 2023 Venus will swim out of the nourishing waters of Cancer and enter the fixed fire of Leo.

We’ll be exploring this more in the coming months, but here’s a primer on what to know about Venus in Leo.

(1) When It Happens and for How Long

Venus will enter Leo on June 5, at 9:46 am ET, and it will be in the lion’s sign until October 8, 2023. This is an unusually long time for a Venus transit through a sign, and its due to the fact that Venus will retrograde through Leo from July 22 through September 3.

(2) What’s the Significance

Any time a planet changes sign it creates an energetic shift. Venus in Leo has a different vibe from Venus in Cancer or Venus in the other signs.

Some people might feel this shift more than others.

On a personal level, you might be more sensitive to Venus’ transit through Leo if:

• Your rising sign is Taurus or Libra. Your rising sign is the sign that was dawning on the horizon at the moment you were born. The ruler of this sign is considered the planet that directs your life’s path. Venus rules both Taurus and Libra, so if you have either of those as your rising sign then Venus’s actions will weigh heavier for you.
• You have planets in the fixed signs. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius. As planets transit through Leo they will come into an opposition with your natal planets in Aquarius and into a square with your natal planets in Taurus and Scorpio.

On a collective level, astrologer Austin Coppack notes that much of the planetary action in June “answers” to Venus.

• Mercury and Jupiter, are both in Taurus, which is ruled by Venus.
• Saturn in Pisces is looking to Jupiter, which it is in Venus’s sign. Also, Saturn in Pisces is in the sign of Venus’s exaltation, so it somewhat answers to Venus.

So Venus is the queen of the castle for the moment.

(3) The Energy of Venus in Leo

In a word: Drama

Venus is the planet that speaks to relationships, beauty, art, money, and pleasure. On a more general level, beyond the material or relational, Venus stands for what we value and our values system.

Venus transits invite us to examine what we value — not just the material things, but our values system as a whole. What this means for you specifically depends on where Venus was when you were born, and what area of life that correlates to.

This review of our values is especially prominent when Venus is retrograde.

Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac. Symbolized by the lion, and ruling the heart in the physical body, Leo is bold, brave, and courageous. Leo is a sign of individuality and personal expression. It loves to play and it craves the spotlight.

Leo corresponds to the fifth house — the area of life that includes creative expression and creative projects, pleasure, sex, and children.

Venus in Leo craves attention, acknowledgement, validation, and adoration.

When Venus is in Leo, we take pride in love and we are drawn to perform big, generous gestures for those we love. We are playful in relationships.

(4) The Early Drama: Venus Opposing Pluto and Squaring the Nodes

Venus Opposing Pluto

The drama of Venus in Leo gets started early, as Venus comes into opposition with Pluto immediately upon entering Leo. This is the same opposition that Mars made two weeks ago.

Pluto is the planet of power and transformation, and in opposition to Venus it may reveal power struggles in relationships and conflicts regarding our values systems. It might also spark doubts and questions about our relationships, which is natural in a lead-up to a Venus retrograde.

The opposition to Pluto won’t last long, but it might set the tone of Venus’ transit through the sign. It may feel a little like walking in the door of your home and immediately getting accosted by your spouse for something you did that upset them.

Venus Squaring the Lunar Nodes

Right after it opposes Pluto, Venus will square the lunar nodes. When a planet squares the nodes, it’s known as “the bendings” — it comes in between the North and South node.

The North Node is a point of hunger and desire, while the South Node is a point of release.

This can create a tension of “push/pull”: The North Node says “give me more, hold on tighter.” The South Node says “do less, let go.”

And of course, we can’t do both at once.

(5) Be Cautiously Optimistic

As Venus enters Leo, it is on the heels of Mars, which entered Leo two weeks ago.

Venus will appear to be nearing a conjunction with Mars, but they won’t actually meet up in Leo. Venus will slow down as it approaches its retrograde point, and by the time it stations direct, Mars will be out of Leo.

Chris Brennan explained that this dynamic often reflects something that seems to be coming together but then falls apart at the last minute.

Think of an engagement that gets called off just before the wedding, or a promising deal that suddenly falls through.

Adding to this dynamic is the fact that Venus will reach almost the very end of Leo — 28 degrees — before it stations retrograde. It will feel like Venus is about to leave the sign when it starts to move backward, all the way to 12 degrees.

This may reflect something in our lives that appears to be completing but then gets a set-back.

As Venus transits Leo, be on the lookout for where this might show up in your life, and avoid premature celebration.