Venus Retrograde in Scorpio: the Re-Valuing of Astrology and the Mad Scorpio Skillz

I work at a couple casual jobs to supplement my astrology practise and writing, and I discovered that my Scorpio co-worker enjoys astrology. I sent her a copy of her birth chart and told her a few things about it, and she surprised me with this beautiful pottery mug as a thank you. I was delighted and a little amazed. This might seem like a small thing, but it was actually a somewhat profound experience for me. It's quite rare to come across a person who truly values astrology and astrological insight in my physical (non-online) life. 

Unfortunately, real astrology and astrological work continue to be chronically de-valued within most of society, even as "sound byte" pop astrology surges in popularity. I talked a little about that phenomenon in this video: "What is Astrology?"

Many people who do appreciate and utilize astrology maintain it as a "dirty little secret" in their lives for fear of judgment in a society that brands astrologers and people who "believe in" astrology as kooks or at the very least as silly and naive.

("I don't believe in astrology. I use it because it works." - Antero Alli)

This kind gesture and act of recognition from my Scorpio co-worker reminded me of one of the best qualities of Scorpio - the ability to suss out the neglected, the under-valued, the put upon, the languishing, and to feed it some desperately-needed energy and support, to inject new life. This is one of the most magical and under-recognized abilities of the sign of Scorpio.

This mutual exchange between me and my co-worker was one of the good Figure 8 dynamics associated with the sign. And I like it. I like it a whole lot.

Venus entered Scorpio this morning, and we now start to get down to brass tacks as far as the meaning and themes of the upcoming Venus retrograde in Scorpio/Libra (October 5 - November 16). With a Venus retrograde in Scorpio, along with Greater Benefic Jupiter completing its transit of the sign, the time is ripe for the re-valuing of astrology and all the Scorpionic skillz that are so often under-recognized, under-respected, and under-valued.

It's time to stop the chronic mockery and under-valuing of astrology. It's time to give astrology and real working astrologers the respect they deserve. This is only fair. And with Venus retrograding back into justice-oriented Libra, fairness is a big element of this retrograde process.

As an illustration of the insidious (and quite insane) de-valuing of astrology and astrologers, I'm re-posting an excerpt from an old article about a truly shit-tastic comment left on my blog like a steaming pile of cow dung (Scorpio/Pluto relate to excrement, too, let's not forget). I've fielded similar commentary throughout my decade+ as a professional astrologer, continuing to the present day.

There are a whole lot of assholes out there. And doesn't Venus in Scorpio know it?

 

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From April 18, 2013, "Venus-Pallas Athene in Taurus Opposite Saturn Rx in Scorpio: "WWA Blog is Not Worth $2.50 Per Month"":

...[T]his brings up themes of the valuing and undervaluing of astrological knowledge and infomation. The divinatory, digging, researching, uncovering, drawing-up-to-the-surface energy of astrological work.

I've been writing about the undervaluing of astrology for a while now, which is rampant in this "easy access" internet age, as well as the undervaluing of Scorpio energy, in general. This is emotional, psychological, sexual, metaphysical, healing, X-ray vision energy. Hidden processes that are easily put down, degraded, stepped on.

From a previous post:

"Scorpio works in the energetic realms - mostly hidden. Taurus works in the physical world - quite visible and what most consider "work." Taurus is a sign related to what is most commonly valued these days: money (and all the concrete things you can buy with money). Scorpio relates to complex energetic currencies...

Scorpio is a healing energy. It intuitively knows where the trouble is and gets right to work, divining and digging to trigger multi-layered release points. It isn't just treating symptoms, either. Scorpio knows it's either go deep or go home, and it puts forth immense stores of energy to go to the mat for people, driving right to the root of the problems that keep them locked up, inauthentic, programmed, and less effective than they could otherwise be.

Scorpio digs the poisoned thorns out - and if it's masterful enough, it gets them all.

But Scorpio's mastery is also it's downfall. Here's where the betrayal aspect of the sign comes into play. Scorpio is a liberating energy, an almost magical transformer of all things oppressive and stagnant and intolerable - and its emotional, psychological and psychic currency is woefully undervalued. Quite often, it's used and abused with little to nothing offered in return. It's left holding the bag with nowhere left to put the shit.

What Scorpio does is mostly in the energetic realms, and because so few people have developed the sight to see this type of energy work, people take it and run. Often, they take it and run right back into the same unhealthy patterns and dynamics Scorpio was expending so much energy to extricate them from in the first place.

This theme has been coming up strongly since last fall's Venus retrograde in Scorpio and has been triggered again now that Venus is back in the sign:

The currencies of sexual, emotional, psychological, and psychic energy as well as masterful Scorpionic healing abilities require a conscious re-valuing and re-working, eked out one interchange at a time."

Well, today, I'm not allowing myself or my site to be put down, degraded, or stepped on. Today, I'm doing some eking.

This morning, with the Sun (external presence and self-expression) conjunct Mars (attacks) in Aries, I got a lovely gem of a comment in the comments section telling me that this blog is not worth the price of a subscription. In other words, it's not worth the price of half a Starbucks per month to read. That's the price of the cheapest subscription option.

"I read your blog faithfully, but there's roughly similar information free all over the web. I agree with your GMO stuff, but it's not worth a full subscription. I wonder if others feel similarly. If you're feeling an energy drain, you could ask what's off with the tone of the blog. Why is it not inviting more traffic & more private clients or more community? This has a lot to do with the Pluto Saturn mutual reception at the moment--I personally feel we all have to watch our tendency to lose the wisdom potential here if we give in to being Aries Uranus firebrands, freakin' people out. In the end, it's always about building & deepening relationships while giving up need for absolute control -- this is the secret recipe for Cap-Scorp happiness."

All the astrological and sociological information I put out here, in this reader's humble opinion, can be found for free elsewhere on the internet. Therefore, it's not worth a single dime to this person to read this blog.

What a worthless, worthless site I put out here.

I wonder why these people even keep reading it?

Incidentally, this comment comes from an individual who claims to read this blog "faithfully."

I don't need that variety of faithful reader.

So here's a Metaphysics 101 lesson for this reader and for readers like this person:

When you take from a site like this "faithfully" without giving anything back but your bullshitty and eroding comments, you are creating an energy drain. When you read a site like mine while holding an attitude like yours, you create an energy drain. When frenemies and haters read this site and use the information as if it is free for them to use, they create an energy drain. And when you further devalue this site with your passive aggressive (and semi-nonsensical) commentary, you are exacerbating that drain exponentially.

This reader wonders if anyone else feels the same about the relative worthlessness of this site.

I wonder that, as well. I wonder that because people who feel that way are not welcome to read this site and have no business being here. From this point on, if you hold that attitude, you are reading here against my will.

Don't take that lightly. I certainly don't."

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Back to 2018...

With Venus (value) now in an extended transit of Scorpio (energetic realms), the sign of its detriment, there is a requirement to extricate ourselves from people and situations where our energy is not being properly valued. There is a requirement to suss out those who are truly deserving of our time, attention, and efforts, to involve ourselves only in dynamics of satisfactory mutual exchange. Some reconfiguration may be required.

In these artificially sped-up times, energy is often at a premium. Make sure your energy is being properly recognized, valued, and utilized. If it isn't, you need to do a little more work there. You need to stand up for yourself a little more. You need to recognize yourself a little more. You need to value your own mad skillz a little more, whatever form they may take. And you might need to withdraw your energy and presence from situations or relationships that do not provide a fair and mutual exchange.

(And here's another Hot Tip: if you've been reading this blog and taking value from it for years and can only offer a steaming pile of eroding, passive-aggressive cow plop in comment form in return, don't bother. Don't bother coming back to this site. Don't bother following my Twitter or watching my YouTube videos or podcasts. You're not welcome to my work. You're doing some very gross things with yourself and with your energy, and I don't care to be privy to it. Neither do the rest of the readers who don't have some sort of diabolical bone to pick with me.)

We may have to dig deep for proper treatment during this Venus retrograde process. We may have to stubbornly stand our ground in order to receive our full value.

Things get a little cunning here, a little snaky. They get a little murky and potentially underhanded. 

Be forewarned: experiences and confrontations with the ugly underbelly of human relations is prime Venus in Scorpio terrain. Scorpio is a power-related sign, and people will often stoop to some pretty ugly tactics in order to secure and maintain personal power and status.

Venus in Scorpio will form three sextile aspects to status-conscious Saturn in Capricorn throughout the retrograde process (September 12, October 24, and December 16, 2018), and some opportunistic or status-seeking behaviours may have to be shut down around those times. People will be looking to shore themselves up, and they may be willing to tap into what's rightfully yours as part of that pursuit. 

The See You Next Tuesdays may be coming out of the woodwork at times during this Venus retrograde through Via Combusta Scorpio/Libra. People may take the opportunity to step on you for their own personal gain. They may be looking to mis-use your skills, talents, energy, and efforts to boost themselves and their own status. They may do you dirty in some way and then try to sweep it under the rug.

It's up to us to outsmart these dynamics, stepping out of reach and leaving the dirty deed doers hanging in the wind. If we do find ourselves ensnared in some just-not-right scenarios, it's up to us to gather our courage and to put up a fight to extricate ourselves - subtly and on the downlow, if possible. Openly, if not. 

Meet passive-aggressive with aggressive-aggressive. Show people in no uncertain terms that you will not accept mistreatment, even in the most insidious of forms. Force the dirty stuff to the surface. Don't just swallow it or allow it to be buried. Do whatever is in your power to stand up for what's fair and what's right, and assist others in this pursuit when you can.

Trust me on this: throwing down some hardcore lines in the sand for people now, with Venus direct in the retrograde shadow, will save you a whole lot of hassle and stress later as Venus moves back over this territory in retrograde motion. Taking yourself out of reach of underhanded or undermining individuals and dynamics now saves you from some very unpleasant and enervating entanglements later.

Venus leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius, post-retrograde, on January 7, 2019.
 

Become a Willow's Web Astrology patron to access this juicy, in-depth article on the upcoming Venus retrograde:  

 

From August 19, 2018: "A Via Combusta Venus Retrograde: Reaching Escape Velocity From Old Hurts, Heartbreaks, and Relational Trauma-Prints"