Venus will be retrograde in Scorpio and Libra from October 3 to November 13, according to Vogue. The planet of love and desire slows down during this period, which occurs every 18 to 19 months. The article describes the retrograde as a check-in on growth and tenderness, and notes that unions may be on and off for 40 days and 40 nights.
Several notable alignments shape the period. Venus in Scorpio and Mars in Leo link up on October 10 under the New Moon in Libra. Venus in Scorpio also squares Pluto in Aquarius, with the two planets having first clashed on September 15 while Venus was in its pre-retrograde shadow. They meet again on October 20 and hold a final standoff on December 9 during the post-retrograde period. The article connects this transit to resilience, transformation, jealousy, competitiveness and power dynamics, and says bonds must evolve rather than remain stagnant.
The midpoint of the retrograde is a cazimi between the Sun and Venus in Scorpio on October 23, described as the most clarifying day of the cycle. Astrologer Arielle Guttman calls the cazimi the Venus Star Point, part of an eight-year cycle that resurfaces every four years as the planet traces a five-pointed rose star. Guttman told Vogue.com that this retrograde features the last Star Point of Scorpio, the final one in a 100-year cycle of the Venus Star Point in Scorpio running from 1926 to 2026, and that many things are ending and beginning as it transitions to the Libra point four years from now.
Venus backs into Libra on October 25, the day after Mercury stations retrograde in Scorpio. The article says tensions may surface as balance is restored in partnerships, and that exes and old flames may resurface. It advises caution with financial ventures. On October 30, the North Node brings core motivations closer.
The retrograde officially ends on November 13, but the post-retrograde shadow lingers until December 15. The article says emotional triggers run high during this window, and that breaking repetitive habits is the way forward. It also notes that cutting cords clears draining attachments and that physical strain or fatigue can result from stored tension. Nostalgia for former flames or fixating on others' expectations can block romantic fulfillment. The article addresses resilience, family patterns, financial and personal arrangements, wardrobe editing, fluctuating emotions, confiding in trusted friends, financial and social commitments, workplace comparisons, and mixed signals in partnerships.
