Venus is retrograde from October 3 to November 13, 2026, between 22° Libra and 8° Scorpio.
Venus retrograde encourages introspection about your love life and the things you value. Your love life may be affected by fated events and karmic encounters.
Venus retrograde 2026 is favorable for self-love, intimate relationships, making friends and dating. But globally, it portends war and chaos.
Below is the general meaning of Venus retrograde, followed by more detail on Venus retrograde in 2026. You can find information about Venus retrograde in the birth chart at the end of this article.
Venus Retrograde Meaning
Transiting Venus retrograde occurs every 19 months for six weeks (42 days). This means Venus retrogrades only 7% of the time, the least amount of any planet. Mars is retrograde 9% of the time, followed by Mercury at 19%. Therefore, Venus retrograde is the most potent of all planetary retrogrades.
Venus retrograde can make giving and receiving love and affection more difficult. It encourages introspection about your love life and the things you value. You may become interested in someone or something of value that would please you.
During this fated period for love, old friends or lovers may reappear, or you may relive past life experiences to sort out karmic issues. Destiny encounters and feelings of inevitability or familiarity are possible. You could even meet your soulmate.
Use Venus retrograde 2026 to feel better about yourself and love yourself more. Think about what truly pleases you. Discovering the reasons behind relationship problems can help you clear away the past and make room for new relationships. Even reminiscing about old partners will help to remove your karmic baggage and lighten the load.
Venus retrograde has traditionally been seen as unfortunate for love and not the best time to marry, invest or buy luxury items. However, each retrograde phase is different, and much depends on Venus retrograde aspects in your chart. See Venus Transits for more details.
The Retrograde Phase
The retrograde (℞) phase is just one part of the retrograde cycle. Venus travels direct, retrograde, and direct again over the same degrees, or “the retrograde zone.” The two direct phases are called the shadow periods.
Venus also disappears for 8-10 days when it passes directly between Earth and the Sun (the inferior conjunction). Its unlit side faces us, and the Sun’s glare makes it invisible. Venus then reappears, changing from the evening star to the morning star.
| 2026 | Event | Degree |
| Aug 31 | Venus enters retrograde zone | 22♎51 |
| Oct 03 | Venus stations retrograde | 08♏29 |
| Oct 19 | Last day evening visibility | 03♏23 |
| Oct 24 | Sun conjunct Venus ℞ | 00♏45 |
| Oct 29 | First day morning visibility | 27♎36 |
| Nov 14 | Venus stations direct | 22♎51 |
| Dec 15 | Venus leaves retrograde zone | 08♏29 |
Venus Retrograde 2026
Venus stations retrograde on October 3, 2026, at 08°29′ Scorpio. The strongest influence on Venus shown in the chart below is the trine to the Moon. Sun semisextile Venus is much weaker, but together they have a very positive influence on Venus retrograde 2026.
Venus Retrograde October 2026
Moon trine Venus brings love, tenderness and harmony. It makes it easier to feel and share your love and affection. You should be more sensitive and receptive to others’ subtle moods and feelings.
This aspect is the perfect antidote for Venus retrograde, which usually makes it harder to give and receive love and affection. And it enhances the retrograde tendency toward inward contemplation and self-examination.
So the Moon trine Venus retrograde is ideal for improving how you feel about yourself and loving yourself more. It fosters self-improvement, especially around behavior and habits, and is especially good for improving intimate relationships.
A more relaxed, easy-going, and sociable nature favors making friends and dating. Chances are good that any new relationships will be with someone who is ideally compatible with you. Cuddles and love-making will feel more intimate, romantic, and enjoyable because of heightened emotions and sensitivity to touch.
This is a very maternal and nurturing influence that favors reproduction, childbirth and raising children. It is especially favorable for relationships with family and women.
Entertaining, leisure, cooking, gardening, decorating, arts, crafts and music are all favored, as is shopping, especially for fashion, cosmetics, jewelry, and health and beauty products. It’s time to indulge and beautify.
The Fixed Stars
Venus stations retrograde in the Sign of Scorpio, but because of the precession of the equinoxes, it is in the Constellation of Virgo. It aligns with Lambda Virginis (λ Vir), Khambalia, at the bottom of the Maiden’s dress. Venus remains under this star’s influence from September 25 to October 10.
Fixed star Khambalia (07♏19) brings good fortune, unexpected gains, philosophical inclinations, pragmatism, and sociability, but also swift violence, unreliability, changeability, and an impersonal, argumentative nature.
It symbolizes the penetration of secrets and denotes those skilled at applying intellect to deep research of any kind, police-type investigation, espionage and pursuits such as alchemy and the esoteric in general.
With Venus: Cold, impersonal responses, meanness, harboring grudges, and an almost get-even attitude.
Asterism Kang the Neck (04♏10 to 07♏19) gives fighting spirit, leadership ability, eloquent speech and shrewd, persuasive decision-making, but also impulsiveness, a lack of thoroughness, and fluctuating fortunes due to arrogance and vanity.
This asterism is favorable for marriage, burials, sacrifices, making friends, venting grievances, teaching drums and other musical instruments; planting pine trees, grains, beans, soybeans, and hemp; and training horses, mules, and donkeys. It is unfavorable for acting independently.
Venus Stations Retrograde 2026
Mundane Astrology
- 07♏19 – λ Vir, Khambalia
- 08♏24 – g Cen
- 08♏29 – Venus Retrograde
- 08♏36 – χ Her
- 08♏38 – ε Cru
- 08♏59 – π Hya
- 09♏08 – θ¹ Cru
g Cen (0°05′): Asterism Kulou the Arsenal (28♎24 to 20♏36) represents the armory, the treasury of military chariots, and the place where soldiers drill. It portends troop deployment.
χ Her (0°07′): Asterism Qigong the Seven Excellencies (02♏54 to 19♏41) represents senior government officials and governs law enforcement and the ranking of officials, good and evil.
With Venus stationary: The world is in chaos and war breaks out.
ε Cru (0°09′): Asterism Qifu, the House for Musical Instruments (22♎34 to 12♏52), represents a place for storing musical instruments. It governs music and the relationship between ruler and ministers.
π Hya (0°30′): Asterism Ping, Justice (27♎23 08♏59) represents a judge and symbolizes the Ministry of Justice. It governs the administration of justice, legal affairs and prisons.
λ Vir (1°10′): Asterism Kang the Neck (04♏10 to 07♏19) represents the emperor’s inner court, overseeing all matters reported to the emperor. It governs the hearing of lawsuits, the administration of justice, the recording of merits, epidemics and diseases.
With Venus: The country will suffer loss and its people disaster.
With Venus stationary: Floods, droughts, or royal mourning occur.
With Venus retrograde: Military chaos will follow.
Summary
At the personal level, Venus retrograde 2026 trine the Moon is ideal for improving how you feel about yourself and loving yourself more. It is especially good for improving intimate relationships, making friends and dating.
However, fixed star Khambalia can cause arguments and grudges and make people cold, impersonal and mean. In mundane astrology, Venus retrograde in 2026 portends disaster, loss, war and chaos, and floods or droughts.
Venus Retrograde Dates
| Venus Retrograde | Venus Direct |
| Mar 1, 2025 – 10♈50 | Apr 12, 2025 – 24♓37 |
| Oct 3, 2026 – 08♏29 | Nov 13, 2026 – 22♎51 |
| May 10, 2028 – 19♊41 | June 22, 2028 – 03♊10 |
Venus Retrograde Natal
Natal Venus retrograde suggests you have difficulty giving and receiving love and affection. You may feel sad in love or endure hardship or delays. Lack of self-love, social anxiety, shyness, and even financial hardship are also possible.
Often, these challenges result from past-life relationship issues. Under the laws of karma, if you caused a lover suffering or hardship in an earlier life, you may experience something similar in this life. Venus retrograde in the birth chart acts like Mars, so you may have hurt someone you love. Maybe you had an affair, walked out when they needed you most, or physically injured them.
Whatever happened in past romances, you carry those bad memories into this life, etched in your soul. You probably don’t recognize them as memories but as déjà vu or unexplained guilt. Themes of challenging events from your past can repeat, especially when you are young.
Sadness and disappointment may come from unrequited love, forced marriage, sexual abuse, mental illness, or physical disability. Learning to love yourself is critical in working through your natal Venus retrograde issues. Other signs of Venus retrograde in the birth chart are poor personal hygiene and not caring about your appearance.
Self-love can start with beautifying your physical appearance. Fashion, cosmetics, and beauty treatments can significantly improve your self-love, making you more lovable. However, natal Venus in retrograde can also show as excessive use of makeup and jewelry or even disfigurement from cosmetic surgery.
Venus retrograde in your natal chart aims to perfect those areas of your love life that once let you down. As your relationship skills improve with experience, you will repay your karmic debt and enjoy more loving relationships.
What about an unaspected Venus – is it also a karmic burdon and similar to Venus retrograde ?
One more question:
If Venus retrograde is like Mars,
then::
1) you have 2x Mars ?
2) is Mars retrograde like Venus ?
As a natal mars rx, I think you can say that. There is a depth to it. Hard to explain. I can think quick Mercury sextile Uranus, but acting on impulse not good. In comes mars rx sesqui Uranus.
And yet I can be driven, so I feel like an underground person. Behind the scenes to get stuff done. Those who come to see me, become fast friends. Those who do not, are more than ready to take credit for my work, like it magically happened because of them. But again it’s relational to who they are and who I am. And I take great pleasure in my accomplishments. And when I am caught, I don’t know if I am more surprised at being caught or at their surprise at catching me.
Where people are concerned, I am always taking the other into consideration when acting. Except when I slip, I am not perfect. Evaluation of the situation relationally before acting could be like Venus I guess.
Uhhh Vic “nasty old people”…
They are called “böhze opaz” or “omas against right wingers” in germany…. 🙃🤐😱🤣
And even if i don’t belong to them and i don’t have a retro-mars i sometimes feel like beyond good and evil…
It just seems to me there are really sweet older folks and then some get really whiney and grumpy about EVERYTHING. Not politically, all just day to day common decency. Someone wrote that the nasties are to be celebrated as a rite of age or something like that. They’ve earned the right to be that way and call it like they see it when they feel like it. Hard on caregivers. I think it’s hard to know unless you have been on the receiving end.
I suppose it’s a rationality problem in the brain.
I don’t want to leave the planet angry. Or maybe those that go out kicking and screaming find relief in death in that they no longer have to deal with the disgusting physical world.
That’ll be me. Kicking & screaming about all those who not independently but in relentless number, finally broke me & turned this amicable & non-judgemental person until recent years, bitter & twisted. And against the stupid and the pathetic destruction of the climate systems for glitter & false, fake, economy “conveniences” . Which poor nations barely got but also now supposed to adapt or die”. Yeah I get the mystical that best bet is to go in peace if conscious for sure. Will likely take that stance if option but thoughts at the moment nope😄
Kaz, I think the thing is, not to take it out on those around you. The things that come out of mouths some times. And you know there is that elder wisdom that has the insight to know just where to hit. Bad use of the gift.
Ja know, I could link this to politics today, as the elderly are protected. And when you are in a protected position, you can be a shit mouth. Sound familiar.
Natal mars rx progresses direct in a few years. I hope my frontal cortex don’t go turning me into one of them nasty old people. Uranus progresses retro around same time so that could put the brakes on them vicious outbreaks some elders have. I may have to deal with frustration.
My sun is 8.34 degrees Scorpio, while Saturn is just below it at c.7 degrees. It will also cross Pluto at 29.50 Libra – all in my 7th house. I don’t have relationships at all and am not that special that exes will return. Is the fact I will have these retros over my sun etc relevant??
https://dailysceptic.org/2026/09/24/how-many-ministries-of-truth-does-one-country-need/
Michael Rainsborough article, I thought it rather appropriate to the artwork, in a movie script way, especially how we touch on the spy vs spy in recent whistleblower astrology, and if you missed it, Asante shows up again and says he hasn’t gone away, and him and his wife expected a third child.
Huuuh, are there ones at all Paul ???? 🤷♂️🤔
There are some hard to get to islands in Canada that at certain times of the year you must take bridge from the American side, and it goes the same.way.too, these American court singers they hide people under the protection laws, new business opportunity, there are lots of islands where we can do this. Look a t the Assange drama, are we even sure he was.a hacker and not a double agent, a and his kids supplied from the missing children inventory?
A person’s natal Venus conjuncting a fixed star should provide insight into relationship challenges, correct? That would be really helpful for people I’d think, if they care to own it.