17 - Venus Retrograde Preview & Mars Retrograde Recap

Let’s celebrate the end of Mars retrograde! One of the best ways to learn astrology is to take some time to reflect when a cycle completes. In this episode, I recap the major retrograde themes and help you identify them in your own life. You’ll also hear from listeners with natal Mars in Cancer. Then we pivot to the future and chat about what the upcoming Venus retrograde in Aries and Pisces might mean for you. These signs are so different that it’ll almost feel like two separate retrogrades! 

• 01:48 Mars retrograde recap
• 23:00 Venus retrograde basics
• 26:45 Venus retrograde in Aries
• 28:55 Venus retrograde in Pisces

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Transcript

Hi, I'm Claire Gallagher, and this is Third House Gossip, where we spill the astrological tea. So pour something delicious and let's chat. This podcast is sponsored by me. So to support the show and support yourself, come see me for an astrology reading. Just head to astrologywithclaire. com. That's astrology with C L A I R E dot com. 

Hey Astro Lover, welcome to another episode of Third House Gossip. I hope you're doing well out there. I personally am experiencing two Pluto transits simultaneously and it's been super interesting. I think I'm going to do an episode all about Pluto, maybe in a couple weeks. You know, when I live through something, I learn so much about astrology and I definitely want to share it.

So anyways, I'm coming up for air from my Pluto transit because, spoiler alert, it's very, uh, gripping, meaning it focuses you in a really intense way. So I've been working really hard on a project and I'm like, need to come up and breathe and do something else. So we're gonna do something else right now by talking about Venus retrograde and Mars retrograde recap.

But before we get into that, just a reminder that I do have appointments available and I would love to see you. I also have my astrology mentorship available. If you're ready to take your astrology skills to the next level, I would love to help you with that. All of those details can be found on my website. Just go to astrologywithclaire. com slash appointments. 

Okay, let's do a little recapping of the last few months while Mars has been retrograde in cancer. And I did a whole episode on Mars retrograde in cancer, or excuse me, maybe just Mars in cancer episode 10. So I highly recommend listening to that again or listening to it for the first time to get a preview of what I was thinking was going to unfold during Mars retrograde.

And I think looking back and recapping the astrology is a really great way to learn and also to integrate any lessons or any events that occurred. We tend to be really focused on the future in astrology, and that's cool if you're into that, but I think astrology has a lot to offer us in the present and part of that is integrating calming down, really taking care of ourselves, noticing what's coming up, and then astrology can also help us make sense of the past.

So we're gonna do a little bit of that today. So, just as a reminder for you calendrical nerds out there, Mars stationed retrograde on December 6th. Of 2024, and it actually stationed retrograde in the sign of Leo, and it's been retrograde this whole time. And I'm not sure when I'm going to release this episode.

So I don't know if I'm talking at you before or after Mars is done, but it's stationing direct on February 23rd, 2025. And that's happening in the sign of cancer. Now, Mars is going to stick around in cancer for a while until April 18th. So we still have some business to clear up in that particular area.

It's not going to be like a Magic light switch where suddenly everything is wonderful and perfect and not Mars retrograde-y anymore There's still some incorporation time some integration time some mulling over what's gone on and putting all the pieces together. So hopefully this episode will help you do that a little bit. 

So let's talk about Mars 101. Mars is the planet of action. It's associated with effort. It is a very motivated planet. It wants to do, it wants to move forward, and it likes to assert itself and its will. So you can imagine a planet that really loves to push ahead is probably going to get pretty frustrated during a retrograde. But I digress. Other things that Mars rules include confidence. So having a strong Mars allows us to feel some measure of assurance and allows us to show up for ourselves and do what we want, how we want.

But Mars is also in traditional astrology, a malefic planet. And so it is a planet that helps us describe challenging parts of life. And that's important in astrology. We need to acknowledge this is an opinion. But to me, why I love traditional astrology so much is that it allows us to give planetary language to real, the human reality, which includes stress and suffering, right? So Mars is also associated with things that hurt us and things that cause us pain, including conflict. 

Now what about a retrograde Mars? So just retrograde 101 is a planet slowing down and going backwards. It's not really going backwards, but that's what it looks like to us on Earth and astrology is Earth centric, okay? So retrograde is a slowing down of Mars things. It's a review of Mars things, an examination, really taking something deep and picking it apart. And it's a time of reflection on Mars things. So everything I just said Action and effort, motivation, assertion, will, pain, conflict, stress. Mars retrograde is a time period where we really get to know, not necessarily every aspect I just listed, but One or two facets of Mars really well and it doesn't always feel great. Okay It's it can be it can be a challenge.

So Mars has been in cancer for most of the retrograde and Mars in cancer is pretty uncomfortable. Just think about the qualities of a water sign, so water is wet and cold, and Mars is hot and dry. So we put this hot and dry, fiery planet and plunge it into water, it's going to be pretty disorienting. So this in traditional astrology is called the place of Mars fall. That was a little clunky. This is the place where Mars falls. Okay. And what this means, means in English is it can be a place where we experience disappointments or feeling tender or insecure. So this planet that loves to be confident, loves to move forward and push ahead, is suddenly in an environment where it feels like it can't do those things as well as it did before.

Mars in cancer can also create a feeling of reactivity, being really tender and maybe overly sensitive to people or events, feeling very emotional. We can feel like we need to protect ourselves and might feel a hesitancy to put ourselves out there because we're afraid of getting hurt. Or, uh, efforting for no reason, or creating undue stress, etc. So, if you want more on Mars in Cancer, listen to episode 10.

A few things that I noticed in my own life, and again, keeping a transit journal or just having a journal to reflect back on planetary cycles is the best way to learn. I should do a whole episode on how to do that, writing that idea down now. Anyways. Stuff I noticed in my own life during Mars Retrograde is I disappeared for a few months, right? I don't know if you noticed, but I didn't put out any episodes, I didn't put out any blogs, from the outside, looked like I totally disappeared. 

So Mars retrograde activated by conjunction, the planet that rules my career. So, it was interesting to notice that that area of my life really slowed down. But I didn't stop marzing. I decided to put my effort, and a lot of effort, towards one particular focus, and hindsight is 20 20, I don't think that thing that I worked so hard on is actually gonna pan out for me. That's definitely, uh, kind of a Mars in Fall sort of experience, where you work really, really hard on something, and it doesn't work out. I'm okay, by the way. Other things are working out for me. But, it's just interesting to notice. Very curious.

Mars also rules my fifth house and one of the translations of the fifth house is creativity and When we have retrograde planets things from the past can come back up and there was a creative opportunity That didn't pan out in the past reappear. Interesting. One thing didn't work out and something else might work out. 

So as you reflect over Mars retrograde, the way you personalize it is you look at your chart and you go, Okay, where's Cancer? What house does Cancer occupy? That's where Mars retrograde was actually happening for you. And just notice if anything's there or what that house means. And again, I have a whole episode on the houses. But where you get real juice is to look at the other signs that Mars rules, which is Aries and Scorpio. And so that brings in extra topics about Mars retrograde for you. So have a look and have a little reflection and see what comes up and see what patterns you can draw.

So speaking of reflection, I have a couple of. Voice notes from listeners about Mars in cancer. And these are people that have natal Mars in cancer who were kind enough to share their experience with us will help you get into the Mars in cancer mode. So you can really think about what this has been like for you and what you might want to do with the wisdom and lessons that you've learned. Let's have a listen.

Hi Claire, this is Christine. I listened to your Mars and Cancer podcast the other day. And I do have my natal Mars in cancer, pretty much right smack in the middle. So some of the things that motivate me are keeping people connected, um, feeling like part of a family. And I think about that with my job that I have, I've had it for almost 22 years. I definitely would not have stayed as long if I didn't feel like I was part of a family. Um, my team is very close. It's my bosses. Very loyal and awesome. And yeah, so that family Feeling is like essential to me and also with my friends and to be honest, I'm not even super super close with my actual blood family Take that for what it's worth.

Um Other things that motivate me are kind of taking caretaker role Even sort of the mom role to a fault. I was married for a few years and Definitely took on a mom role with him and that was. To probably both of our detriments, but also probably something obviously that we needed to both work through.

Um, including kind of tough love, um, particularly, I think about that at work because. I hold people to a very high standard and expect. A lot out of them and, you know, I, I like to see people grow. In their careers, so in any case. Also, things that motivate me are being there for people in ways that others usually aren't.

Like, if anyone that I love is ever in need, I drop everything and I'm there for them. Um, taking action. So I think I do feel like I'm a bit competitive. Um, and since cancer is a cardinal sign, I think that makes sense. Um, I, I definitely take a leadership role, especially if others don't take that role. I can be pretty tenacious and I kind of think about like the actual animal of the crab so it moves kind of like side to side.

It doesn't, it kind of like thinks about things and moves diagonally and then but if it wants something it like goes and grabs it. So I think that that's kind of pretty appropriate. So the other part of your question was um, when I get hurt and upset or activated, what, what happens? So I definitely shut down.

And retreat, so again, thinking about a little crab, either they just pull back into their shell, or they even like, most of them live in sort of like holes or, you know, dens, so they just like, go crawling back into their den, definitely, definitely do that. Um, I can be a little bit snippy, snappy, irritable, crabby, shall we say.

Um, so yeah, I, and I also think that people think that I'm not as sensitive as I am. So like maybe the whole hard shell thing, I'm really going with this crab metaphor at the moment. Um, I also cry easily, I think more so for other people than for myself. Like I have a lot of empathy and, um, yeah, that sort of thing. Sending hugs. Bye.

Wow, that was the best description of Mars in cancer I think I've ever heard. Thank you so much, Christine. That was amazing. I have so many things to echo. There's so much in here about being motivated by water things. And so when we have Mars in Cancer, we are Motivated by things that connect and combine so I really loved the focus around that feeling of family that was shared and mentioned. Cancer is the sign of the moon, which is about home and security and togetherness and bonding And so when we have Mars and cancer we can get really fired up around Topics like that.

One thing I've noticed about people that are really described by Mars in Cancer is that they do carry this tough exterior, which we typically think of cancer is really mushy and squishy and all of that stuff. But Mars and cancer can put on like, it's kind of like wearing a leather jacket with spikes and it's got that don't mess with me sort of vibe. But on the inside, it's really tender and it will definitely come at you if you mess with one of its friends.

I also really liked the descriptions that Christine shared of what happens when she feels hurt. So there's this shutdown and retreat that occurs, and I can just really empathize and, and relate to that specifically with my personal experience that I just went through with Mars retrograde and cancer, taking that time away, really going into my hidey hole and separating myself. That is something that Mars and cancer people tend to do when they feel vulnerable. That was amazing. Thank you so much. We've got another call in. Let's give a listen. 

Hi Claire, it's Tracy. Um, I am sharing my natal Mars and cancer experience, um, and answering the questions that you posed in the podcast. I am motivated. By feeling like I am helping or assisting or supporting a cause, a person, another living being, um, I feel like I actually struggle in regards to motivation.

Um, and I need to be really deeply moved by something. So I'm inspired to take action. Um. When I have a deep feeling about something, someone, again, you know, a cause, another human being, I have to really believe in whatever it is I am taking action on. Um. So, there's that cancer aspect. Like, I'm definitely motivated by feelings, my feelings, also intuition.

Um, I always have to sort of check in and see if it's something that I actually want to spend my time and energy on.

What does it feel like when I get upset or activated? What is my first reaction? Um, I tend to get really tense and anxious. Uh, I notice in my body I get really tense and anxious, I also, this might be my moon in Gemini, but, uh, I feel like I need to talk out loud, uh, and just voice my frustrations, my feelings.

Otherwise, I, or even if I do that, I kind of tend to ruminate, uh, analyze why I'm feeling this way, why something happened the way it did. This is usually with other, uh, human beings, not so much like other things in life. Uh, with human beings, if I, if I am activated, uh, usually I'm hurt, um, something they did hurt my feelings, and A lot of the time I will get quiet and I need to retreat like a little crab.

I kind of like go into my shell, um, I get quiet and I kind of want to remove myself from the situation until I feel safe enough to talk about it, to, you know, re emerge and feel safe again. Um, so those are my Mars and Cancer stories. 

Yay, Tracy. Thank you so much for calling in and for sharing. I love hearing the similarities between these two submissions. That's always very fascinating. I particularly liked the way Tracy described the emotional connection to motivation, that she has to be very moved by something in order to move, and that's a great descriptor of Mars in Cancer. It's definitely not A very, hmm, and I mean this with love, it's not a super rational or logical planet.

It doesn't make decisions based on facts and figures. It really makes decisions based on exactly what Tracy said, feelings and intuition. And there's nothing wrong with that. That's just how it operates. So when Mars is retrograding cancer, we can also operate in a similar way.

I also really liked the word ruminate that Tracy brought through. That's another thing that Mars Retrograde is especially tricky with, is grabbing onto something that's hurt us and playing it over and over and over again in our head and acting out of it. And of course, everyone said retreat, like little crabs, and that's definitely something that I see all the time.

Okay, I have one more submission. It was a write-in and I'm going to read it to you right now. This is from our friend Emma, and Emma says, Well, what can I say other than I'm experiencing my Mars return in cancer? Interesting. It is a testing time with my native Mars conjunct Saturn, but also manageable. I'm always working with the conflict inside between conjuring the confidence to put myself out into the world and feeling safer in retreat mode.

OMG, retreat.

I'm gently testing the outside world through writing, my primary vehicle for navigating the world. Slowly but surely, I'm reaching my goals. 

 This is a beautiful submission. I really love the way that Emma has learned to work with Mars and Cancer, and to pay attention to it, and to accept it, and Not really fight against it. And that's the beautiful part about astrology is that it can help us really relate to ourselves and be with ourselves and be okay with ourselves instead of thinking we should be different. So, I hope, Emma, that your Mars return gave you some confidence and courage, or at least helped you sift through some of those stories and those hindrances and hesitancy.

Yeah. Thank you to all of our submitters. If you have an astrology story or a question, you're always welcome to submit it to the podcast, either over voice or you can type it out, and you can do that at astrologywithclaire. com slash gossip.

Okay, I think that's enough of Mars retrograde. Let's pivot to the present actually technically the future right now But it will be our present very soon and that's Venus retrograde in Aries and in Pisces, So get your pens out for the dates. Venus will station retrograde on March 1st, and this will happen at the 10th degree of Aries and Venus will station direct on April 12th, and this will happen at the 24th degree of Pisces.

So we have a double dip here where Venus starts in one sign and shimmies backwards into another sign. So this is going to bifurcate or divide the retrograde into two very distinct time periods. They're going to feel very, very different. So I would mark your calendars for the day Venus reenters Pisces on March 27th. That's the dividing line between Venus retrograde in Aries and Venus retrograde in Pisces. 

So what's Venus about? Venus is all about connection and that's Yes, romantic, but it's also a planet about friendship. Venus is also all about having a good time. This is the planet of leisure and of pleasure. It's also highly skilled. So Venus is associated with artists, and musicians, and people that craft and make things. Venus is also associated with beauty and style. So the way we take care of our bodies or adorn our bodies with clothing and jewels, etc. Venus rules, attraction, and what we desire, what we yearn for, what we want, and also has rulership over possessions, our things.

When Venus is retrograde, just like when Mars is retrograde, we have this unique time period where Venus things go backwards a little bit. They slow down. So we were having forward progress with these things and then we suddenly pivot and we have to rethink a couple things or redo a couple things in the Venus area. So, before we even talk about meaning and personalizing, I think some questions that are great to just think on before the retrograde even begins is stuff like, what's important to me? Right? And then, do I still want this? And does this still feel good to me? That's in essence. What I think Venus retrograde is all about is if something still feels pleasant.

So what is it gonna be about for you? Well, just like we did with Mars, find Aries and Pisces in your chart. They're gonna be next to each other, right? They're neighbors. And those are the places, the houses, where Venus is going to be swimming backwards. But Venus in your chart has very particular roles, and so you want to find Taurus and Libra and determine what houses Taurus and Libra occupy, and those are probably going to be the main storylines for your Venus retrograde. So for me, It's work and career again. Oh my goodness. So that's what I'm going to be thinking about. I'm not really going to be thinking about my relationships or my marriage because that's not what Venus really rules for me and my chart.

So let's start with Venus in Aries. This is the first half of the retrograde and Venus in the sign of Aries is very interested in doing. It values taking action. It knows what it wants, and it wants it yesterday, and it's going to do whatever it can to make that thing happen. Aries is a fire sign, and it is a place where Venus can feel a little rushed, or be a little rushed, and be a little pushy sometimes.

So, when Venus is in Aries, it's cruising. It's like, let's do all the things, I'm super excited, yes, yes, yes, sign me up for that, and then it stations retrograde. And the pace slows down and it can get a little frustrated. So, another way we can interpret this is thinking about Venus being in the sign of its detriment in Aries. Another scary old term. But, what this really means is that Venus stuff becomes a little inconsistent or wavering. So you might change your mind a little bit. You might feel like you want this and then you want that. There can be an instability or a messiness to Venus stuff.

When a planet is in detriment, we can also see where things have broken down and where they need improvement. So Venus retrograde. Is going to show where you need improvement in the areas that Venus rules in your chart, but for a general, the general population, it'll also show us where connections could use a little patchwork, a little improvement. Another thing that Venus and Aries can do is show us where we have kind of a fight within ourselves or a mismatch of what we want and what we're actually pursuing. 

That's the first half. Then Venus is going to sashay backwards into the sign of Pisces, and this is going to be a very different retrograde experience. So again, that day is March 27th. Venus in Pisces values feelings instead of action. So, it has a different ethos, completely. Instead of pushing ahead and making things happen, this is a much more relaxed Venus, where it sits back and allows things to come to it. So there is this essence of magnetizing or attracting things. It's kind of sticky, if that makes sense.

So here's our old word, Venus in Pisces is in the sign of its exaltation. I like to think of a planet in exaltation like a person who stepped up onto a stage and got a standing ovation. It's being applauded, it's being praised, and so planets in exaltation have respect and admiration. They have support, they're more confident, and it's more likely that what they want will turn out, okay? So Venus is making a retrograde journey from a place of instability, Aries, to a place of more stability and support. So in a way, and this is an oversimplification, I feel like Venus retrograde has a happy ending. Can we go there? Okay, yes.

One small detail of Venus retrograde in Pisces is that it will make a conjunction to Saturn. So it's not all rainbows and unicorns and pie in the sky There's definitely a bit of a reality check with this Venus retrograde where we realize okay. I want this thing I'm clear on this thing, but it's still gonna require some effort and some hard work and it's going to Ask you to really get clear on what is worth your love and attention, whether that's a person, place or thing, okay, or a project, whatever.

Saturn has a unique way of helping us. I almost said forcing, but I don't think that is very kind. Let's go with helping, helping us pare down or simplify something or restructure something. So that we can manage it better and so that it's more sustainable. So Venus Retrograde in Pisces conjunct Saturn might bring in themes of having to say no to some things or having to rework something to make it more accessible and approachable and realistic.

This conjunction can commonly refer to, and we hear this a lot in pop astro is like, Oh, boundaries, and it's true. You know, Saturn represents our limits and our hard edges and Venus represents our connections. And so there's always a reference back to our relational structures, our relational boundaries, and a retrograde may require us to touch in with these things and make sure they're in tip top shape.

So I hope this was helpful. I hope you learned some stuff about Mars retrograde by observing it in your own life, and I hope you're looking forward to Venus retrograde. Again, the dates are March 1st through April 12th. And the day it switches signs is March 27th. If you want to share any Venus retrograde stories with me, you're welcome to do so. I'll put them on the pod just like I did with these once the retrograde ends. And you can do that at astrologywithclaire. com slash gossip. Until next time, I hope to see you in a session or in mentorship sending you so much love. Talk soon.