2023: Third Quarter

From late July to early September, Venus is retrograde in Leo – not a ‘comfortable’ situation for it, but particularly significant in that it suggests challenging times economically, as during these months it forms inharmonious aspects with both the planets currently in Taurus: Uranus and Jupiter. These planets imply over-optimistic [Jupiter] or reckless and sudden [Uranus] behaviour, while Venus attempts to bring a sense of proportion; indeed, it is this latter quality that will be most needed, and often difficult to find. Another way of looking at this is that it will tend to encourage the prevalence of emotion over reason – we need to bring detachment and objectivity to bear, especially when faced with our own negative emotions about what’s going on around us: ‘If you can keep your head when all around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…’!

Saturn is retrograde in Pisces throughout this period, acting mainly when any of the lighter planets happen to aspect it. An opposition with Mars in mid-July is testing; sometimes it will seem ‘good’ for getting hard work done, at others, it could seem emotionally depressing or disempowering. ‘Hard’ Mars-Saturn aspects tend to indicate that things ‘blow hot and cold’; as the opposition suggests, there is a need/opportunity for a balance to be found between the energy of Mars and the control of Saturn on the one side, and the rationality of Virgo, in which Mars is placed, and the much more emotional Piscean influence that is highlighted by both Saturn and Neptune currently in that sign.

A resolutely positive outlook on life is to be encouraged in order to get the best out of this period.

Simon Bentley, Head of Astrology