If you associate the term “retrograde” with miscommunication, technology glitches, and the frustrating itch to text your ex, you’re not alone. But the truth is, every planet in the solar system goes retrograde on a regular basis, and their retrogrades aren’t really worthy of all the fearmongering you’re bound to hear.
With Venus retrograde on the horizon specifically, you’ll undoubtedly hear that the event is going to blow up your love life, and maybe even your plans to make money. Fortunately, Venus retrograde doesn’t necessarily work that way. Instead, during any Venus retrograde, you’ll be urged to embrace self-reflection and revision around the areas of life that Venus oversees: romance, beauty, values, and earning.
While this might sound daunting, you could benefit from seeing Venus retrograde as a rare opportunity versus a period full of challenges. That’s because, unlike Mercury retrograde, which goes retrograde every three to four months for three weeks at a time, Venus only goes retrograde every 18 months. And in 2025, we’ll have the first Venus retrograde since September 2023.
Read on for more details about this Venus retrograde, as well as how each zodiac sign will be affected by the planet of romance and beauty as it moves backward in 2025.
What Is Venus Retrograde?
Venus, the planet named for the goddess of love, is the planet that oversees romance, earning, values, art, beauty, and relationships. When Venus is retrograde, all of those areas of life that Venus oversees are fodder for reflection, revision, and renewal.
Over the course of the approximately 40 days that Venus is retrograde, you’ll need to slow down and reassess how you’re connecting with others (a significant other, sure, but also friends, loved ones, and colleagues). You will also want to pursue your financial goals and find ways to express yourself creatively. Projects and aspirations that are tied to these experiences could be delayed, but you might also find it’s easier to go back to the drawing board on endeavors that you previously put a pin in.
When Is Venus Retrograde?
In 2025, Venus will be retrograde from March 1 to April 12, beginning in the cardinal fire sign Aries and traveling back into the mutable water sign Pisces on March 27.
What Does Venus Retrograde Mean in Astrology?
To get the best sense of how any retrograde will affect your zodiac sign, you’ll want to think about how the planet functions when it’s “direct” (aka moving forward or not retrograde). When Venus is direct, it will influence how you relate to others – not only romantically but platonically, too. For instance, Venus colors your flirting style. It will also shape how you experience pleasure, what you value, how you’ll make and spend money, and what you deem appealing aesthetically. When Venus is moving direct, it’s conducting all of its business in an external, action-oriented way.
By comparison, Venus retrogrades encourage you to prioritize introspection and revision around relationships, pleasure, money, and beauty. It also bears noting that its transits are definitely more acutely felt than, say, a Uranus retrograde, which lasts months and involves an outer”transpersonal” planet. The basic rule of thumb is that the closer the planet is to Earth, the more you feel its movements.
Another thing you should consider is the house of your birth chart Venus is cruising backward through while it retrogrades in Aries and Pisces. This can tell you in which area of life the retrograde will play out. For instance, if Aries rules your first house of self, this retrograde will nudge you to reassess your sense of self and how you project yourself out in the world. Because the first house sits opposite the seventh house of partnership (meaning the two houses are on the same axis, functioning like two sides of the same coin), you may also need to think about how you’re showing up in relationships and how others are showing up for you.
Venus Retrograde: What to Expect in 2025
In 2025, Venus retrograde will occur through the driven, competitive, fast-and-furious fire sign Aries, as well as the empathic, emotional, poetic water sign Pisces, spurring you to consider themes like individuality, your sense of self, empathy, and emotional healing.
But it bears noting that this retrograde will be far from the only astrological event stirring up drama and nudging you to bolster self-awareness. March 13-14 (depending on your time zone) marks a lunar eclipse and full moon (also known as the “worm moon“) in mutable earth sign Virgo. This astronomical event will bring shocking changes that propel you into the future, perhaps especially when it comes to your closest bonds. For a sense of what this particular storyline might look like, think back to Sept. 17 when the first lunar eclipse in this series fell in Virgo’s opposite sign, Pisces.
Later, right on the heels of the dramatic eclipse, Mercury will be retrograde in Aries from March 14-15 (depending on time zone) until April 7. In other words, as spring kicks off, what’s past will very much be present. And given that Aries is generally hell-bent on plowing ahead at all costs, this could be a frustrating moment at times. Your best bet will be to remain open to slowing down and being gentle with yourself whenever you want to hit the gas but can’t help but meet roadblocks.
How Venus Retrograde Will Affect the Zodiac Signs
People who have their sun, rising sign, or other astrological placements in the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) and mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) will feel this Venus retrograde more than others. But here’s a general overview on how the 2025 Venus retrograde will impact all the zodiac signs.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Venus’s retrograde falls in your first house of self, Aries, providing you with a thrilling chance to reimagine your passion projects and finesse how you’re perceived by others. You might be experimenting with a makeover of your website, resume, or social media. All that to say, you have a chance to switch up how you’re presenting your personal brand and how you’re showing up in the world. And as Venus moves back into your 12th house of spirituality, you’ll do well to hold space for more self-exploration, journaling, meditation, and magic.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Your ruling planet, Venus, will be retrograde in your 12th house of spirituality to start, Taurus, which could blur your typically pragmatic vision of what you want out of your relationships, money-making game plan, and experience of beauty and art. Though you tend to want to have your finger on the pulse of these – and really, every aspect of your life – you’ll do well to make more room in your schedule for self-reflection, meditation, and other forms of self-work. The more you can sit in the unknown and see how it all plays out, the better for your spirit. As Venus shifts back into your 11th house of networking, bumping into colleagues or friends from the past could lead to feeling more connected and even inspire new creative endeavors.
Gemini (May 21-June 21)
Beauty-loving Venus will begin its retrograde in your 11th house of networking, Gemini, meaning this is a period in which old friends and colleagues could be popping up out of nowhere to reconnect. You could find that picking up a group project that was previously put on the back burner proves to be satisfying and productive. At the same time, this is a moment for rethinking the groups, communities, and platonic relationships that you want to show up for. As Venus moves back into your 10th house of career, you’ll find that reflecting on what you want to achieve in the long-run sets you up for even greater success when you touch base with higher-ups about your aspirations.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
This Venus retrograde kicks off in your 10th house of career and public image, Cancer, nudging you to rethink how you’re approaching your professional aspirations and making your mark as you pursue your career goals. You might realize that your definition of success just isn’t what it used to be. In turn, you could be inspired to re-envision the best way to step into a position of authority – and with whom you’ll partner with to reach that finish line. As Venus moves back into your ninth house of adventure, you might want to flirt with updating your philosophies and world view. This could also be a wonderful time for revisiting a beloved destination alongside a loved one.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Last time Venus was retrograde, it fell in your sign, Leo, offering up lessons about reinventing yourself and building in more time for self-care. Now, Venus will move backward through your ninth house of adventure and higher learning, encouraging you to take a step back and reset your belief system. Lean on friends or loved ones to talk through your big picture ideas. You could move beyond this transit with even more clarity around what you want to pour your passion into. As Venus moves back into your eighth house of intimacy, you can reassess the best path forward on joint financial projects like taxes, investments, and real estate, and set aside time to get in touch with your physical and emotional needs.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Venus retrograde initially activates your eighth house of emotional bonds and joint resources, Virgo, encouraging you to go back to the drawing board on your action plans for moving the ball forward on a financial goals you share with a loved one or significant other. Meditating on what makes you feel most comfortable and secure within these relationships is also essential now. As Venus shifts back into your seventh house of partnership, you’ll review what you’re bringing to the table within your one-on-one bonds. Communicating your needs and hearing others out on theirs could be the key to feeling more satisfied and seen.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You tend to feel Venus’s retrogrades more than most people, given that it’s your ruling planet, and this one could be really on the nose, given that it falls in your seventh house of partnership, Libra. All that to say, your one-on-one connections are very much front and center now. It’s time to meditate on the energy of your one-on-one bonds and ways in which you could be holding yourself back from experiencing true fulfillment within these relationships. As Venus moves back into your sixth house of daily routine and health, you can reassess how you’re caring for yourself on a day-to-day basis, perhaps by enlisting the support and guidance of friends and loved ones.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This Venus retrograde affects your sixth house of routine and wellness, Scorpio. You have a chance to reimagine how you care for yourself. Part of that could be pinpointing what you want and need from loved ones and friends on the daily, and then making that more apparent. The Aries energy of this retrograde can motivate you to be even more assertive about ensuring your relationships and workloads are reciprocal and equal. As Venus shifts back into your romance and self-expression zone, you can reflect on the best ways to own your voice and artistic impulses.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Venus’s retrograde kicks off in your fifth house of romance and self-expression, Sagittarius, which makes you the sign most likely to bump into ghosts from your romantic past. Should exes or old flings resurface, it’s not always a sign that a fireworks-inducing reunion is in the cards. Instead, it’s an opportunity for self-reflection and learning a lesson about defending what you deserve. This is also an opportunity to prioritize self-work that could lead to feeling more fulfilled creatively. As Venus moves back into your fourth house of home life, you can reassess where you’re living on the grounds – or perhaps how much money it’s costing you – but also how much pleasure and peace it brings you.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This Venus retrograde falls in your fourth house of home life, Capricorn, which means your relationships with family members and what you value most about your domestic sphere will be highlighted big time. You’ll also be reflecting on familial bonds. You might find that reconnecting and catching up with loved ones is the ideal way to make the most of this moment – or you could be reasserting boundaries that, when held, are best for everyone involved. When Venus shifts back into your communication sector, you can nurture bonds with friends, colleagues, and siblings, if you have them.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
The planet of beauty, romance, and pleasure will move backward in your third house of communication, Aquarius. While your social life is usually super active, Venus’s retrograde here will encourage you to be more intentional with your time and energy. It’s possible that you’ve been saying “yes” to people who wouldn’t necessarily do the same for you, and throughout this transit, you’ll have the chance to reassess these bonds and set new boundaries to protect your mental – and in turn, emotional – well being. As Venus shifts back into your second house of income, you can work with friends, loved ones, and colleagues on rethinking your approach to earning, saving, investing, and other financial moves.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Venus’s retrograde will begin in your second house of income, Pisces, so this transit is all about rethinking your relationship to earning. It might be that you’ve been spinning your wheels on a project that you’re not getting enough out of – be it financially or in terms of garnering recognition. Or you’re realizing that you’re bringing your skills to the table for a purpose that doesn’t align with your own. Basically, now’s your chance to let your heart have some say when it comes to the matter of money making. And as Venus shifts back into your sign and first house of self, you’ll have the chance to re-envision how you want to be perceived by others and how you’re nurturing your confidence and purpose. It might be time to brush up your resume or business cards.
Maressa Brown is a journalist, author, and astrologer. Her areas of expertise include writing, reporting, and editing lifestyle, pop culture, and parenting content that’s both conversational and substantive. In addition to contributing to PS, she writes for a variety of consumer-facing publications including InStyle, Parents, and Shape, and was previously an editor at Cosmopolitan and CafeMom.
