What do you desire? What brings you pleasure? What sparks your joy?
These questions are at the heart our reflection during Venus’ 6-week retrograde through Leo. We are approaching the mid-point of this journey: Venus and the Sun are approaching their conjunction, which will occur on August 13. As Venus disappears into the heart of the sun, it becomes invisible to us. Like a new moon, this is our signal to go within to reflect.
The core issues for reflection during Venus retrograde include our desires, our pleasure, and our joy — all of which can point the way to our values and how we draw meaning from life.
The Resistance to Exploring Pleasure
If you’re looking to just “get more done” or “be more productive,” these inquiries about pleasure and desire might feel superficial. Making time to reflect on them can feel like a “waste of time” — especially when you have “real work” to do.
Perhaps you believe you don’t have time to indulge in fantastical thinking about pleasure and play, or joy and desire.
You might fear that even identifying your source of pleasure and pursuing desire will lead you down a rabbit hole of procrastination and avoidance of the “real” tasks you need to do.
You wouldn’t be alone.
Some of my clients resist any exploration of this. They fear that even broaching the topic makes them “weak.” They worry they will lose their “edge” if they entertain the question.
At the same time, they are often burned out, struggling to take the most simple actions in their lives and businesses.
It’s not a coincidence that burnout is prevalent in a culture that extols the virtues of hard work and “getting things done.”
Hard work without accompanying fulfillment or joy can leave you feeling depleted and drained.
How Pleasure Boosts Productivity
Activities that bring us joy and pleasure can help us feel more motivated to do things in our lives that we might otherwise resist doing.
When we feel good about life, we are more motivated to take action.
This isn’t just psychological; it’s also biochemical.
When we experience joy and pleasure, it triggers a release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that improves attention, memory, and focus.
Of all the ways we can trigger dopamine, engaging in healthy pleasurable pursuits is actually one of the most productive.
Venus Retrograde: Reflect on What Gives You Pleasure
The invitation of Venus retrograde to reflect on what gives us joy and brings us pleasure might feel superficial, but this inner work and reflection is what can open the door to a life that proves more fulfilling than just “getting things done.”
Having outlets and hobbies that are purely for pleasure may not feel productive or generative in terms of your bigger mission in life, but these activities fuel your soul and spirit.
And when you fill yourself up, you have more to give to others.
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