Venus Retrograde vs Mercury Retro

Hi there!
I've been away from this section for a while---and oh, i missed it!!!!

I just saw today, that venus "plans" on going retro on May 17 to June 29, 2004.

And i'm wondering: is it like Mercury retro, MEANING, that it affects the communication of all those BUT those born on a Mercury retro... For them, it's actually a good time, they can even get married, start businesses, ect...

So, if someone was born on venus retro, does it mean that this is a blooming season for them beauty and money wise?

Is it that way too with all other planets that go retro? Someone is being spared?????

thanks .....

Well, as for people born with Venus retrograde, Erin Sullivan reckons that males are much more in touch with their female side and females more connected to their male side and that both have difficulties separating their needs from what is expected of them.

In a traditional approach Venus is accidentally weak during the retrograde stage - it begins about 30 degrees ahead of the Sun and gradually moves backward. Around 17 degrees ahead it becomes difficult to pick out and around 8 degrees ahead it disappears from view - a planet you can't see is one that is unable to directly influence you. That doesn't mean that there is no indirect influence, but it suggests that it is difficult to deal with Venus issues and to channel Venus energy.

Before Venus disappears from view it is the Evening Star, When it returns it will be the Morning Star - as the Evening Star it is West of the Sun (occidental) which is traditionally a stronger postion than as Morning Star, when it is East (oriental) of the Sun. So for the last part of its retrograde cycle traditional Astrologers treated it as 'doubly' weak (though the debility by being oriental is less than the debility through being retrograde.

Whilst the more modern Astrologers try not to see 'retrograde' as a debility, they do seem to see Venus energy as difficult to control or direct or internalised rather than externalised. Perhaps I could tempt the wrath of some of the psychologically oriented Astrologers and say that whilst the language is different the effects are much the same.

Knowing a few people with Venus Retrograde in Gemini my analysis is this:

They are inflicted with medium strength issues in their early childhood. These affect all they say and do throughout adolecence and early adulthood. They want alleigence, but not loyalty and want the same reality out of you, otherwise they feel you want too much from them. Those that are spoiled feel like they have been denied. Those that are less than fortunate are exciting to hang around. But it is this difference that makes venus so hard for them to utilize, in extreme issues and situations they may be sexist or racist.

Venus in Gemini has brought forth the art of discussion and the act of talking, coupled with mars the energy seems boundless. Now it is time for the gemini energy to listen and learn, reinforced by this retrograde phase. The people who have been talking their heads off during the last 2 months may all of the sudden be silent (it may be rather unnerving).

Like the infamous mercury retrogrades, those born during this time are more apt to deal with its energies more efficiently (although 'spared' may not be the right term. I have mercury retro in my chart and during this last retrograde i still had some car troubles as well as some other mercury related issues, but everything was on time though.). Venus in retrograde relates to friendships, marriages, family, and the art of listening. All of these will be tested, although with Pluto in retrograde in Sagitarius i wouldn't plan on making any expensive long-distance moves especially if you just moved earlier this year. Jupiters haze has reduced teh critical thinking ability of Virgo and has made any decision made riddled with possible problems, now is not the time to make worrying a past time.

Jupiters direct is good news for the majority, there is a group of people who were born during the middle of (any) jupiter direct that will have to wait for their time to come just a little longer, those born during Jup retro will be using the advantages this 2004 jupiter ignited.

This venus retrograde will demand that we pay attention, pluto in sagitarius will support change but only after careful attention has been placed into the short and long term plans to guarentee success, but scheduled events (say, the June 30th handover of power to the new Iraq) may not happen as planned.

Oh, Thanks Minderwiz for the graphic and thus poetic explanations about Venus retro going "invisible"and all...
i never thought of it as "a planet you can't see is one that is unable to directly influence you". Somehow when looking at a chart, you usually can SEE all the planets, and it's interesting to see the whole things as is---in the sky!

And Thank you Paradox, for the rounded education on retros--I actually did think that mercury retro is good for it's natives...

so, should I assume then, that the venus retro doesn't affect much the natives born under that influence? mayb not necessary benefit them, but at least not affect them much?
and how can one look at a chart, and see at WHAT point the retro was in the natal chart, beginning, middle or end?
Is it by the degrees? but how can I tell WHEN the retro started?

You see-we are a bunch of us, born within one month, same year...sharing the same "gift" of venus retro...
(which for one thing, makes great friendship and compassion...)

I would think it is by the degree of the respective sign and the position it is in during the retrograde.

retrograde tables are avalable here http://www.astropro.com/homeIE45.html

and

www.astro.com gives you the ability to check any time during any day

Thank you paradox for the links.
I did not manage to log on the venus retro tables in the astropro site-tried a few times...
but I did check a bit on it on astro.com. I'm still not sure where it started...
in anycase, I'll be "all eyes and ears" to observe the effects...!

would love to hear any other testimonies, after the "event"...
Meantime, if anybody else is interested, I found this site bookmarked from other retros:
http://www.astralis.it/rxpla.htm

There is plenty of them on the way!
(so many, I feel inspired to do a piece of art on retrogrades! Yea!)

I'm trying to combine all of this information here about the Venus retrograde, but I think i'm only confusing myself further. I was born with Venus in Aries, direct, 6th house. Right now, it's in Gemini at 1 degree, Gemini is in my 8th house. So, Venus is transiting my 8th? If so, what does this mean, or does this retrograde simply have wider implications more than personal? Thanks....

Actually Venus is currently in, and will stay in, Gemini for the time being. Mars is entering Cancer and for the immediate few weeks only pluto, chiron, and the true node will be in retrograde. Then venus.

The time right before Venus retrograde, and right after the Jupiter/Mercury direct return, seems to bring general confusion and muddle things with problomatic detail that doesn't back off right away. Too mush stimilus and not enough circuit to channel it through, Venus retrograde should calm things down, but the Gemini nature of it all will make those breaks come at odd times.