The Upcoming Venus Retrograde Could Seriously Mess With Matters Of The Heart

In astrology, Venus is the planet of beauty, love, luxury, and pleasure: pleasure in romance, marriage, friendship, and even financial relationships. You know that sexy, surge of confidence you get when you look and feel your best? Thank Venus's energy for that. Every 18 months, however, Venus reverses into retrograde motion – a shift that can cause disturbances in all of the aforementioned areas. So, when does Venus retrograde 2018 start? More importantly, how long does it last, and how should you prepare?

Venus retrograde 2018 begins on October 5 and will continue until November 16 this year, according to Astrostyle. That's right – the planet of love, money, and sensuality will be in retrograde for 40 days and 40 nights, beginning in Scorpio and ending in Libra. While what you can expect from those six weeks will be unique depending on your personal circumstances, there are certainly a few overarching things to remember as we approach October 5.

Above all else, Venus retrograde 2018 will provide a time for reflection and analysis. "Whenever a planet goes retrograde, the directive is to turn inward first: examining our motives, excavating hidden desires, even exhuming a few past demons we haven’t fully dealt with," explained Astrostyle.

"The prefix 're' is where the magic’s at: revive, reunite, repair, restore, etc."

If you've felt like this summer was a whirlwind, Venus retrograde will provide you with the perfect opportunity to decompress and gather your thoughts.

An easy way to sum up Venus retrograde would be passion overload. Not only does everything seem to be heating up (for better or for worse), but people will be questioning, analyzing, doubting, and overthinking who and what they love. Because Venus plays such an important role in our relationships, its retrograde can have a big impact on them. Astrology.com warns, "It is not at all uncommon during Venus retrograde to face seemingly insurmountable challenges in love and relationships." If you're in a relationship, you may struggle with arguments, conflicts, and passionate fights. For some couples, Venus retrograde is the best time to finally resolve old issues and put them to bed for good. For other couples, these troubles in paradise may highlight that it's time to go separate ways.

Because Venus retrograde is a time for revisiting and reminiscing, you might be surprised by a few blasts from the past. "Venus retrograde 2018 can certainly feel like a difficult transit," explained AstroButterfly.com.

"And this is because Venus retrograde can bring unfinished business back into your life: past lovers, (including past life lovers), old friends, or repeating patterns in your relationships."

Conversely, don't be too surprised if you find yourself wondering about an old flame or attempting to reconnect with someone from your past. In my opinion, this is one of the most exciting aspects of Venus retrograde. My only advice? If you're only overcome with temptation to reconnect with an ex after a few glasses of wine, hold off and see if you still want to in the morning. Trust me!

When it comes to finances during Venus retrograde... be careful. AstrologyKing.com warned, "Beware of a tendency to risk it all on suspect schemes or gamble it all away," in this period of increased spontaneity and excitement. Try to avoid making massive purchases during this 40-day period, and be particularly careful about impulse buys. While something may seem like a great idea or a "must-have" mid-retrograde, you may have major buyer's remorse once Venus is moving forward again. Instead of spending money, do the opposite: review your budget, reflect on your current spending habits, and make financial plans for the future.

Out of all the planets, Venus is in retrograde for the shortest amount of time – only 7 to 8 percent of the time, exactly, according to CafeAstrology.com. This means that, although short-lived, this period can be intense. Because Venus retrograde will likely bring out strong emotions – from anger to lust to nostalgia to spontaneity to pain – the best thing you can do is to channel that into something productively. If you're an artist or a writer, this might be your chance to create your most thrilling work. If you're an athlete, channel your big emotions into your workouts. And remember, while the days from October 5 to November 16 may be chaotic and confusing, we're all in this together.