Venus Retrograde Explained By A Silversmith

Jewelry is often equated with love. Well, sorta. That statement is very obviously true in the form of engagement rings, family heirlooms, or engraved gifts. Even as simply as aesthetic adornment, it’s a form of love and care (or the potential attraction of it) to go above what’s necessary for socially proper wardrobe to choose something that adds to your visual description.

Of course, love nor jewelry are an essential part of human life; we can exist without them. Yet most of us choose to add beauty in some form, despite it being frivolous. We hold on to pieces of jewelry from folks long gone, even though there’s an even mix of joy and grief attached. Jewelry is just one metaphor for love. In my classes, people often show me their favorite pieces of jewelry and are sheepish about how lived-in they look. They show me bent rings and bracelets followed by some version of “but I love it so much that I never take it off.” It’s all part of the character that makes life interesting. I try to bring myself back to these thoughts on days/weeks/months when art (or love, for that matter) seem impractical.

As some of you may already know, Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and value (arguably all things jewelry), is retrograde in the part of the sky corresponding to the sign of Leo. Venus is the planet that retrogrades (appears to move backward in the sky) the least. It occurs every 18 months or so and repeats in the same sign every 8 years. It lasts for about 40 days and nights. Many people find recurring themes within those cycles. Often dreaded, retrogrades are best used as a time to think about the themes of the planet and sign. It also hits a different part of an individual’s life depending on their time of birth. (To find out where that is for you, plug your birth time info into a natal chart calculator. And if you’re still confused, I’d be happy to help.)

Reflect on your value, decide what love looks like, assess your finances, try out some accessories. Or buy your self or your sweetheart a piece of jewelry. (Maybe I’m biased!)

The above text was part of the monthly full moon email I send out for my jewelry brand where I mix silversmithing and astrology in creative ways. If you enjoy my perspective, feel free to join.