Venus, the planet of relationships and pleasure, is going on Retrograde in a few days’ time. Any issues in our romantic relationships will be brought to light. 

So here’s another Pick-A-Card Reading: What is Venus Retrograde Teaching You about your Romantic Relationships?

Take a breath, look and pick a pile from A (Carnelian), B (Blue Tiger’s Eye), C (Lapis Lazuli) , D (Labradorite), E (Amethyst). Let the crystals guide you.

Once you are ready, you can scroll down and look at what the pile reveals for you.

Do know that such readings tend to be general. If you want something more personalised, do drop me a line and I’m happy to schedule a session with you.

Ready? Alright, here we go!

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Pile A: Carnelian

The Story: Reversed Five of Swords, Reversed Six of Cups, Reversed Seven of Wands

Indecision, failure. A sense that you can neither go backward nor forward. Self-defeatist and despondence. Often, there’s a sense of giving up because making a choice and committing to a decision is too hard. So one self-sabotages and procrastinates to prevent failure. 

There is an idealism and nostalgia which holds you back. You may be clinging onto some memory or expectations from the past. 

Seven of Wands refers to fighting, keeping up the defensive good fight. The reversed Seven of Wands can suggest that one stops trying and stop fighting. That one has given up.

What you are not seeing: Six of Wands

Actually, things aren’t that bad. They are either more optimistic than it seems or that this Venus Retrograde is really offering you a chance to grow and pick things up. Know that even if you make the choice to fly solo, you’d be ok. 

Lesson Taught:  Reversed Page of Swords

The lesson that is being learnt here is really about communications. Sometimes there might be a refusal to communicate because you don’t know how to communicate your truest self to the person you love. It is true that words can only do so much, but if you give up on even trying to articulate yourself, then the other person will never be able to know what your thoughts, emotions, desires and needs are. 

Guidance 1: Isis- Magic Manifesting

If you want a fruitful relationship, you need to do something about it. If this is what you dream about, your lack of self-belief is certainly a hurdle. Know that, however, your dreams and visions are manifesting and materializing. This is probably why you got the Six of Wands, because you need to stay focus, optimistic and be in the game. 

Guidance 2: Infinity

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Trust. Trust in the infinite nature of the universe. Even if things seem to be falling apart, know that in the heart of hearts things are coming together in its own time. Whatever needs to happen will happen for your highest and greatest good. 

Guidance 3: Jupiter Return- Benefits

This card is an indication of opportunity and luck. Jupiter is all about expansion and optimism. Together with many of the other cards in this spread, you really need to just trust, keep yourself open and be in an optimistic and expanded state. 

Overall: If you are looking for a productive relationship, stay in the game, fight on. Don’t give up. Things are much better than they seem, so don’t let the Venus Retrograde get to you. Know that even if your relationship does not work out, it really means that it’s not meant for you. Focus on your communication with your loved ones and don’t let the words get in your way. 

Pile B: Blue Tiger’s Eye

The Story: Tower, Eight of Swords, Seven of Pentacles

The major structure of how you see yourself particularly in your worth and value is being threatened and shaken up at the moment. The self-limiting belief which you have about yourself and your relationship is so strong that it is restricting you. You may believe that there is no other way. 

Know that these limiting beliefs are not serving you. It may have been a way to protect yourself, but it’s time to let that go. 

Move towards a reappraisal of yourself and your relationships. Start to see beyond the box that you are in. If you have been putting yourself down and beating yourself up, it’s time to reframe and reprogramme the way you see yourself as worthy and valuable. Because the truth is, there are things about you that you can be proud of. 

What You are Not Seeing: Reversed Judgement

Literally, false judgement. It’s like you have not yet woken up to your truest potential when it comes to your romantic relationship. If you are in a relationship at the moment, consider that this may not be truly what you want and what you are aligned to. 

Lesson Taught: Ten of Wands

You are really learning about your baggage during this period. All that you are holding on to is weighing you down and not serving you. 

Guidance 1: Charity- Prayer and Contemplation

Take a break. It’s important for you to retreat to yourself and focus on what you really want. Connect with you intuitive self and let it guide you. 

Guidance 2: Electra

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This one is connected to the previous guidance. Take a break and seek guidance with your intuition. If there is a sudden shift in your romantic life, know that it’s here to change the status quo so that you can be freed from the confinement of your own limiting beliefs. 

Guidance 3: Venus- Love

It’s wonderful that you got the Venus card in a Venus retrograde. Start examining your sense of worth and value. Start seeing yourself as deserving of love, value and pleasure. Too often, we focus on Venus in terms of our relationships with others, but Venus is also about our relationship to ourselves. 

So start loving yourself today. Allow yourself to partake in pleasure and comfort. Take that warm bath, buy that facial serum. How you love yourself and see yourself as deserving of love will be mirrored in your romantic relationships. 

Overall: It’s time to break out and let go of the box that you put yourself in when it comes to your romantic relationships. Break it down so that you can build one better suited for you. 

Pile C: Lapis Lazuli

The Story: Reversed Knight of Cups, Hanged Man, Two of Wands

We start off with a strong energy of idealisation and romanticisation. In some way, when it comes to romantic relationships, you are seeking for the ultimate romance- the Prince(ss) Charming. Because you are looking for something so perfect and dreamlike, you are already signing yourself up for failure. 

With the Hanged Man, it’s almost as though you are looking for enlightenment through your relationship. It can make you a martyr to your own romanticism. 

Hence in some way, you are marching to your own rhythm, refusing to commit to a choice. You know you can’t have what you want. So you choose to focus your energy and time onto something else, and your romantic relationship arrives at an impasse. 

What you are not seeing: Reversed Three of Wands

There are achievements and results to be looked at but you aren’t looking or focusing on them. There are suitors around, and reasons to be grateful for, but you are not acknowledging it.

Lesson Taught: Reversed Ace of Sword

What you are learning during this Venus Retrograde is your inaction, your passiveness. You may realise that your lack of committed action is a problem which you need to look at. All these have to do with that romantic and idealising vision of yours.

Guidance 1: Divine Director- Intervention and Purpose

If you suffer from inaction and passiveness, know that some kind of intervention will be occurring during this period. You may be forced into action. If you dislike that, know that it’s all part of the greater plan for you. 

Guidance 2: Free Will

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You absolutely have Free Will to choose whatever you want. However, your refusal to make a choice is also a choice itself (since you choose to not choose) and you have to bear its consequences too. So make your choice. Choose and take responsibility for it. 

Guidance 3: Part of Fortune- Increase

This card is further indication that whatever’s coming your way is destined to be. There’s something good and happy about it, so don’t squander it. 

Overall: Don’t overemphasize on the perfect version of what romantic relationships should be. Focus on making a choice and know that your action can shape its outcome.

Pile D: Labradorite

The Story: Eight of Pentacles, Strength, Reversed Chariot

Lots of work and craft is involve here. Perhaps you put a lot of effort and meaning to your day-to-day work and it is the main focus of your life. 

In the second card, I get the sense that a lot of your primal energy and lust for life is muted and tamed. If present, they are channeled creatively and productively into your work. 

Somehow, I feel that your romantic life isn’t a focus at this point in time. The desire for it is suppressed or ‘rationalised’. 

The Chariot represents outwardly success and it is drawn by two horses. When the Chariot is overturned, it means that they are not moving in tandem. 

Again, I don’t see any indication of romances being part of the story here. 

What you are not seeing: Reversed Moon

Moon is our unconscious and subconscious. It’s the part of ourselves that we are not conscious of, or actively deny. When the Moon is reversed, it signals that the water of the unconscious has been stirred. It appears to be tamed but it’s really wrecking havoc in ways we are not conscious about. 

Lesson Taught: Four of Cups

If you are feeling dissatisfied and unhappy, start looking at why you are feeling the way you are. 

My sense is that if you picked this pile, you are either single or that your romantic life has lost its passionate spark. 

This Venus Retrograde will teach you about this current state of boredom and ennui in your romantic relationships. 

Guidance 1: Kuthumi- Cloak of Wisdom

This is really saying that you know what’s going on. You know exactly why you feel dissatisfied with your romantic situation. Have the courage to look at it.

Guidance 2: New Direction/ Rememberance

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You have two cards from Guidance 2. Both cards are pretty self-explanatory and I feel like this Venus Retrograde is going to be quite passive for you. Nothing much will happen. 

But if you know you need a new direction when it comes to your romantic life, then you need to start acknowledging the love and pleasure that you desire and know that you have the right to go for it and create it. You are creative after all. 

Guidance 3: Void of Course Moon- Missing

The final guidance card gives a further passiveness to the guidance in your reading. There’s really nothing much to do, except to contemplate and reflect on what’s missing for you. 

Overall: If you feel a sense of boredom and ennui when it comes to your romantic relationships, start reflecting and looking at what’s missing. Nothing obvious or conscious will happen for you in this Venus Retrograde, but it is a good period to reflect and look at your romantic life. 

Pile E: Amethyst

The Story: Reversed Two of Cups, Reversed King of Swords, Five of Pentacles

In the first card, I see a disagreement. Two people are not seeing eye to eye and it’s like, they don’t ‘like’ each other anymore even though they used to want the same thing. 

In the second card, Words are spoken not in a clear-headed way. There’s an anger or annoyance, words are being used to hurt the other person. Perhaps someone in the relationship isn’t listening and is insistent on his or her intellectual superiority and is generally intransigent. This can make the other party feel misunderstood and not heard. 

Despite that, both parties are still together. There’s a codependency, despondence and desperation which binds the two. 

While there is absolute loyalty, this card can indicate that both parties are sticking by each other to weather a crisis and there can be mutual use and abuse. If unkind words were exchanged, it’s because both parties know that the other person is not going to leave the relationship since ‘there is nowhere else to go’. 

What You are Not seeing: Reversed Hierophant

Hierophant is related to institutions, particularly in terms of beliefs and religion. It can also refer to the institution of marriage. 

Due to its richness of meaning, many of them can be applied in this position.

Firstly, if there is a marriage, this card can indicate that the marriage is breaking down. The Hierophant emphasizes on the form of the marriage, so perhaps the marriage and partnership has lost its inherent meaning. 

On a different perspective, as a card that represents beliefs and religion, it’s also possible that the fundamental disagreement happened because both parties do not have their values and beliefs in alignment. This is especially so if both parties are not sharing the same religion. 

Lesson Taught: King of Cups

What needs to be learned during the Retrograde is the meaning and sentimentality of the relationship. It’s interesting that the King of Cups is above the King of Swords, so we can say that what needs to be learnt is less of the talking and expressing from a head space, but a heart-to-heart listening, sharing and understanding which is supportive and vulnerable.

Guidance 1: Lady Portia- Divine Order 

Act with rightness and justice. Learn to be fair here. Allow yourself to see and acknowledge the other person’s perspective. Don’t be afraid to admit that you are wrong. Remember that the purpose of the relationship is not to win or be right, it is to love and be in partnership with another. 

Guidance 2: Speak Your Truth

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Speak your truth. It’s not about being right, but it’s about making sure that you are heard. Putting this together with the King of Cups, I’d say speak your truth, but don’t be afraid to get vulnerable and deeply honest. 

Guidance 3: Yod- Destiny

This card as a guidance can suggest that whatever that’s going to happen and gets revealed in the Venus Retrograde is going to be uneasy and it will require you to make adjustment and be willing to adapt. If there is a fundamental disagreement and misalignment, this card can suggest that it is possible to make it work, but effort is needed. Yod, as the ‘Finger of God’, suggests that whatever that’s happening now is happening for a reason and in unavoidable, so be sure to do something about it!

Overall: If there is a disagreement, try to understand what’s the fundamental disagreement is about. Learn to listen with understanding and compassion, but speak with vulnerability and honesty. Adapt and make adjustments.