After four long months transiting Leo, which included a 40-day retrograde, Venus has finally emerged from the fire and entered a new sign. Any time a planet enters a new sign it creates an energetic shift. This is especially so after a relatively quick-moving planet has a long transit through a sign.
Venus’ entrance into Virgo (October 8 at 9:11 pm) brings a new energy to the Virgo area of our charts and to the areas of life ruled by Venus.
Venus will be in Virgo until November 8, which is a more typical length of time for a Venus transit.
Here are 5 things to know about Venus in Virgo.
(1) Venus in Virgo Is In Its “Fall”
Each planet has one ore more signs where it is said to be “at home” — the signs that it rules, as well as a sign where it is exalted. On the flip side, each planet has signs where it is in its detriment (the signs opposite its home signs) and a sign where it is in its “fall.”
Venus is exalted in Pisces. In Virgo, the opposite sign from Pisces, it is in its fall — which means that it’s uncomfortable here.
Venus is the planet of love, relationships, pleasure, and play. It’s a social sign that seeks connection and union.
Virgo is more reserved and internal-focused. In Virgo, the sign of the first harvest, ruled by analytical Mercury, we organize and sort — which creates separation.
Venus is about love, beauty, harmony, and art; the analytical, mercurial, and practical ways of Virgo are not its typical operating style.
Keep in mind: this isn’t a “bad” thing. It just tells us where the work is.
Venus represents a part of us, and Virgo represents areas of life where we need to bring a more analytical and practical mindset. Overcoming the discomfort and the challenge can lead to great strengths.
(2) A Reality Check
As Venus enters Virgo, it immediately starts applying to an opposition with Saturn in Pisces (October 10 at 2:11 AM ET).
Saturn is the planet of boundaries, limits, rules, and responsibility. Hard aspects from Saturn to other planets, such as oppositions, often reflect a reality check that bring us back to earth.
Venus has just spent four months in Leo. Venus in Leo is excited, dramatic, and visible. Coming from the heat of the fire sign into earthy Virgo is already a bit of deflation; the early opposition to Saturn just adds to this come-down. Leo is heat, and Saturn is cold.
On The Astrology Podcast monthly forecast for October, Austin Coppock described it as a dose of cold water on whatever fiery visions we may have created during the Venus in Leo transit.
Look out for a reality-check in the realm of relationship or finances.
Although Saturn is considered a “malefic” planet, this isn’t necessarily “bad.” Saturn teaches us about responsibility, and the value of doing work over the long arc of time. This transit may just mean you need to revise your plans to consider how to implement your visions in a more structured and sustainable way — something that Virgo already encourages.
(3) Notice the Fears that Keep You From Connecting
Saturn is also the planet that speaks to our fears. And Virgo is a sign that encourages self-reflection and assessment.
As Venus in Virgo opposes Saturn, it invites us to go inward to investigate the fears and insecurities that may keep us from connecting with others in an authentic and confident way.
Virgo is also a sign of service.
Where do your fears contribute to feelings of low self-worth that might keep you from offering your service to the people who need it most?
The Venus/Saturn opposition also invites reflection on whether your relationships align with your long-term visions, and if they are sustainable.
(4) Examine Your Boundaries
Virgo is a sign where we focus on our daily rituals and routines — the “work of work” or “work of life” that keep our lives running for the long term. This includes things like exercise habits, meditation, and wellness and self-care practices, as well as the mundane daily tasks of our work, like making calls and paying bills.
For many people, one of the biggest things that gets in the way of consistently attending to their daily tasks is their relationships:
Taking care of kids. Responding to clients. Attending to spouses.
Venus loves relationships, and for many people, “showing up well” in relationships means putting others needs before your own. This especially tends to show up for people who have businesses in service to others. It’s easy to let other people’s needs take over your day, and before you know it, there’s no time left for you.
Venus’ opposition to Saturn reminds us of the importance of setting clear boundaries.
Virgo is a sign of service, but we can’t serve others if we haven’t first served ourselves.
Where do you need to cultivate stronger boundaries in order to create space for your own self-care and the service to yourself that will fuel your service to others?
(5) Beware the Trap of Perfectionism
Virgo is a sign where we turn the gaze inward to ourselves and look to where we can improve. This self-reflection can be valuable, when it’s kept in check. At extremes, the constant impulse to self-improvement can fuel the belief that we are not good enough as we are.
Virgo can veer to the critical; it’s shadow is perfectionism. During Venus’ transit through Virgo, watch where your self-assessment veers into self-criticism and perfectionism.
Bringing self-compassion and self-love to our efforts is crucial, especially when we don’t see the results we ideally wanted.
Venus in Virgo, in its healthy manifestation, can remind us that we are enough as we are.
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