Greetings, blog readers! I’m feeling apologetic for not blogging more frequently this summer. I can assure you it’s not because I don’t care about you or about getting important astrological information out there. I’ve been booked with some other writing projects – also astrologically related – so the good news is that now I’m in the know about a lot of the upcoming astrology through 2016. As the time gets closer, I’m excited to share some of the insights I’ve been researching about major themes related to the astrology for the rest of this year into next.

But first, let’s focus on our current status. The headline this month is that Venus, planet of love and money, is retrograde in the sign of Leo all month. Venus only goes retrograde (an illusion from Earth that makes it appear to be traveling in reverse) about every year and a half. Unlike the more frequent Mercury retrograde, Venus retrograde is more about our hearts and less about our heads. While Mercury retrograde can scramble our thinking, Venus retrograde can cloud our emotions, especially when it comes to relationships.

The prevailing wisdom encourages “holding steady” in your current relationship and re-evaluating after Venus goes direct (September 6, 2015). That said, I never like to speak in absolutes when it comes to astrology or anything else. My thinking is that if you have been having some doubts BEFORE Venus turned retrograde July 25, it’s possible any urges to leave or change a current relationship could be valid. Trust your instincts.

However, if sometime between July 25 and now, you started feeling unsure about a partnership (could be a friendship, business partnership or romantic partnership), it might be worth taking the “wait and see” approach. Venus in retrograde can exaggerate feelings that we’re not being valued and sometimes make us think that we aren’t getting what we need.

We’re actually being called to look inward and see where we can fulfill our own needs. That’s why it’s tricky business to try and look outside ourselves to partners, friends and co-workers as the source of any insecurity or dissatisfaction we may be experiencing. Do take note of anything you’re feeling – a journal can be useful. Then, when Venus goes direct again next month, you can revisit the “issues” that arose this month and see if they are indeed, issues at all.

Venus’s complete retrograde journey will take it from 0 degrees Virgo to 14 degrees Leo. If you know where these degrees fall in your birth chart, you can hone in on which area of life may be up for re-evaluation. Relationships are somewhat of a universal theme, but it’s possible you are looking for validation of your value with family members, at work or with yourself, depending on where Venus is transiting your chart.

I also wanted to give a heads up about next month’s eclipses. We’ve got a Solar Eclipse on Sunday, September 13 in the sign of Virgo and a Lunar Eclipse on Sunday, September 27 in the sign of Aries. Eclipses occur twice per year, usually in pairs. The last pairing was back in April of this year. Remember any type of intensity around that time? I sure do! Well, now we may revisit themes from that time period to continue working through them and possibly gain closure. Eclipses represent endings and beginnings, which are necessary and healthy, but not always comfortable.

It can be helpful to be aware about the dates of the Eclipses and keep some perspective. Things may feel super dramatic. The cosmos wants our attention. Sometimes the only way to get attention is to make a fuss. If you can realize, “oh, all this commotion is to point my attention to this work I need to do or that situation I need to address,” you can avoid feeling like things are unpredictably crashing around you. Just like entering a construction zone and putting on a hard hat, be duly prepared for Eclipses and they don’t have to seem hazardous or scary. It’s likely time to let something go and take a courageous step towards your personal growth.

I’ll do my best to get out more Eclipse info. as the time gets a bit closer. In the meantime, if you are curious about how either Venus retrograde or the September Eclipses might influence your life, get in touch at cardinalfireastrology@gmail.com to schedule a reading. I’d love to help you navigate the current and upcoming astrology with more empowerment and confidence.