Venus is currently retrograde and will remain that way until April 12. Mercury also stationed retrograde on March 15.
Since Venus is retrograde less than any other planet, these periods are more poignant and potent. During this ‘backwards’ movement, you can expect a re-evaluation of your pleasures and desires and tweaks to your existing relationships. Venus moves from Aries to Pisces in late March so expect a shift in the affected Venus areas of your chart, with Venus in Aries likely the more challenging of the two placements.
Mercury is retrograde from March 15 to April 7. Mercury will also move from Aries to Pisces during its retrograde cycle. When Mercury is retrograde, it is a great time for catching up on things. Mercury is more at home in Pisces so expect a little more ease during this part of its retrograde movement.
In the upcoming webinar ‘Ancient Timing: Chart Activations with Minor Years & Ascensional Times’, you’ll discover when the potentials of your natal planets and aspects come alive using these two ancient timing techniques. Take advantage of early bird pricing and register now.
Show Notes
Venus and Mercury retrograde in Aries
Hi There and welcome to this week’s show.
Today we’re going to talk about planets retrograde in Aries – I’ll touch on Venus retrograde in Aries, which started on March 1, and I’ll talk about Mercury retrograde in Aries, which begins March 15.
I hope you’re doing ok with the all the instability emanating from the eclipse. If you’re new and want to know more about the eclipse, check out last week’s episode which is a deep dive on the Virgo Lunar eclipse.
So starting this weekend we will have two planets retrograde in Aries. This is likely to mean hitting the brakes, slowing down and a lot of rethinking and reassesing.
Let’s catch up on Venus retrograde first, then take a look at Mercury retrograde.
Before we do, I want to let you know about my next astrology webinar, which is all about ancient timing. I’ll show you how to work with the ascensional times of the signs and the minor years of the planets. You’ll discover two fun new ways to activate timing in your birth chart. These techniques are much easier than you think to work with and might point out important periods in your life you hadn’t tuned into yet. You can find out more about the webinar or sign up over at www.kellysastrology.com.
Ok so let’s take a look at Venus retrograde.
Venus began her retrograde on March 1, and will continue reversing through the Zodiac until April 12.
Venus is retrograde the least of all the planets. Venus goes retrograde every 18 months or so, for about 6 weeks. This is a potent time for re-evaluation, for questioning what you enjoy and who you love, and for making some changes so your desires and connections reflect what you find most pleasurable now.
One personal thing I’ve used this Venus retrograde for is reframing a piece of artwork that had a frame I never loved. Years ago we went to Greece for my sister’s wedding and while there bought a gorgeous canvas of Santorini. We got it framed and mounted when we got home but we never loved the frame.
For years when I’ve looked at this picture I’ve loved the image but always regretted the frame. Finally, early this month, just a few days after Venus went retrograde I took this picture to a new framer to get it done the way we’d always wanted it.
This idea of redoing, fixing, tweaking to do with art, beauty is all part of Venus retrograde. Now the image is hung in a more prominent position and it makes me smile when I look at it.
A special feature about Venus retrogrades is that they return to the same part of the Zodiac every 8 years. This means the current Venus retrograde, happening partly in Aries and partly in Pisces, reactivates the part of the Zodiac and your chart that was last stirred up by Venus retrograde in March and April 2017.
Funnily enough, 2017 was the year we bought this particular piece of art!
In 2025, Venus’ retrograde will be mostly in Aries, and a little bit in Pisces. So I want to break down the difference here.
Venus is retrograde in Aries from March 1 – 27. Then Venus will be retrograde in Pisces from March 27 – April 12.
The first part of Venus retrograde, where she is retrograde in Aries, might be perplexing, as Venus is both retrograde and in detriment here. You might have more of an independent or experimental attitude, or find you want space from people you usually spend lots of time with.
The second part of Venus retrograde, where Venus is retrograde in Pisces, will have a different feeling all together. Here Venus is still retrograde but now she is in the sign of her exaltation. Here, the questioning and exploring of leisure, joy, relationships and beauty continues, but you might find the process smoother, softer or leads to more healing, repair and reconnection.
Venus retrograde can be a special time to withdraw, pull your loving attention back to your own heart, and to remember neglected loves, hobbies and experiences. It can also be a time of reawakening joy and updating or improving connections with others around the topics of the Aries and the Pisces parts of your chart.
And maybe you too will tweak something beautiful in your home so that it truly makes you smile!
MERCURY RETROGRADE
Ok, while I could talk about Venus retrograde for days, I did want to quickly touch on Mercury retrograde in today’s show too.
Mercury will start its next retrograde on March 15 and will continue reversing through the Zodiac until April 7.
Like Venus, Mercury’s retrograde will be partly in Aries and partly in Pisces.
Unlike Venus, the messier part of Mercury retrograde will likely be when Mercury is in PIsces as that is the less clear sign for Mercury.
So the first part of Mercury’s retrograde is in Aries, which runs from March 15 – 29. The second part of Mercury retrograde is in Pisces, and will run from March 29 – April 7.
A quick recap here – both Venus and Mercury will be retrograde in the second half of March and the early part of April. The second half of March also includes two eclipses. So there’s definitely a disorganised, muddled or questioning quality that’s coming through on many levels now!
Reversals, delays and changes in direction and focus will be likely.
Mercury’s retrograde can actually help with catch up – so think about Mercury retrograde as a time to organise, sort out or manage unfinished business.
It’s not an ideal time for beginnings now for many reasons, from the retrogrades to the eclipses. Instead you might think of this as time for housekeeping and catching up, for spring cleaning and de-cluttering, for filing and sorting through the general mess that accumulates over time – stuff in your space, tasks or obligations in your schedule – and clear out as much as you can.
That might mean finishing things or finalising outstanding matters. It might mean stepping back from obligations you’ve rethought and realise you no longer wish to continue.
The Mercury retrograde takes on extra significance as Mercury is also the ruler of the Virgo eclipse, which reinforces themes of looking back or dealing with the past before moving forward. This will be especially strong in the final two weeks of March
What kind of closure or organising or de-cluttering are you working on now? Have you got an art, beauty or other Venus type projects you’re finally resolving? Let me know in the comments below
Thanks so much for listening – see you next time!
