Venus Retrograde 2026: Scorpio & Libra
Astrology by contributor Lisa Stardust
From October 3 to November 13, Venus, the planet of beauty, love, money, and social norms, will be moving backward in the signs of Scorpio and Libra. Venus retrograde, which occurs approximately 18 to 19 months, allows us to revisit, reimagine, reignite, and recommit to our desires and passions. It also offers the chance to understand what is in our hearts and where we want to plant the seeds for our future visions. As usual, we can expect partnerships to fall apart only to be rebuilt more concisely; exes to come back and wreak havoc; we question our decisions and life choices as old systems crumble; and scandals to come to light. The tea and drama are high and mighty this spooky season.
October 23 brings a pivotal moment when the Sun and Venus retrograde in Scorpio join forces. This aspect, known as “cazimi,” the Latin term for the “heart of the Sun,” will give us an inspiring, transformative time in the cosmos. The “Venus Star Point,” a term coined by astrologer Arielle Guttman, urges us to look back every four years at the events that transpired when the Sun and Venus previously connected in Scorpio. As a result, a five-pointed pentagram forms in the stars, ending a 100-year cycle of Venusian themes. To understand how it'll affect you, look to the houses in your birth chart that Scorpio rules and where the natal placement of your Venus resides. It is the last Venus retrograde in Scorpio until 2181. We are living through history and ending this chapter.
Venus cazimi also initiates the planet’s change from an evening star to a daylight star. This means Venus will enter the Lucifer phase, making the planet more erratic, playful, and impulsive. Venus isn't playing by the rules and is making its own declarations about how it wants to manifest its energy. Venus, which is traditionally an evening star, will take on uncharted waters, acting without regard for the future or feelings.
At the same time, Mercury begins its retrograde journey from October 24 to November 13 in the water sign Scorpio. The planet of communication will go through its own messy moment because of the aspects it will share with Jupiter, which expands highs and lows, and Pluto, which brings power struggles into the mix. Secrets or realizations will come to light and shake us to the core. We'll experience frustrations with others because we are in a state of transformation, and they aren't moving forward with the same grace or in alignment with our future visions—unless they are open to change.
The following day, on October 25, Venus swings back into Libra. It will be there for the duration of the retrograde, encouraging us to find our footing in relationships. This will require us to reassess situations and to cultivate balance with those we love. Also, when it comes to our finances, we'll learn that sticking to a budget is key. Although Libra is a gentler placement for Venus, when it is retrograde and in the via combusta degrees, it becomes erotic and impulsive. We may feel like it's now or never when it comes to commitments, making us jump into relationships. One thing is certain: we should take time to decide how we want to invest our energy and finances, because a reckoning may come due to the added influence of Mercury retrograde.
We won't be ending the journey anytime soon. The pre-shadow began on August 31 in Libra and will end on December 15 in Scorpio. Along the way, we will experience Venus retrograde in Scorpio squaring Pluto in Aquarius a few times, taking us into the underworld of our raw emotions, on September 15 during the pre-shadow phase, October 20 during the retrograde phase, and December 9 in the post-retrograde zone. Venus and Pluto’s intense celestial dalliance is significant because it will teach us how we want to redefine our partnerships and how we deal with other people. Those who are not at our level may be put on ice, while those who are giving us fulfillment should be integrated more into our lives—particularly on October 10, the day of the New Moon in Libra and Venus retrograde in Scorpio’s harsh aspect to Mars in Leo, resulting in new allegiances that we never saw coming.
What do you want from love, and what are you tired of accepting? My extended Venus retrograde guide on Patreon gives you space to explore those questions, with rituals for love, money, and beauty, journal prompts, and a four-card tarot spread. Join me at Patreon.com/thehoodwitch for the full guide.