Venus & Mercury Retrograde: Spring 2025

One of my astrology clients asked me today how the coming week looks for his job interviews... and I ended up writing this summary of the Venus & Mercury retrograde season!

The themes still apply for all of us, even if you're not interviewing for a job next week. : > I hope it may be helpful info for someone!

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This spring, we have BOTH Venus AND Mercury retrograde in a sweet little dance together. Mercury's Rx just started last night, so it's a great time to communicate about it.

During a retrograde transit, the planet first travels forward through a set of degrees, then moves backwards over these same degrees during the retrograde. This area of the zodiac is called the "shadow" because it will be passed over 3 times: forward, backward, and forward again. Once the planet has cleared its shadow the third time, it can release the cycle and move forward.

Here are the dates for the 3 phases of each planet's retrograde in 2025 (all times Pacific):

Venus Retrograde:

- Pre-Retrograde Shadow Began: January 28, 2025 -- forward from 25 Pisces to 10 Aries

- Retrograde Period: March 1 to April 12, 2025 -- backwards from 10 Aries to 25 Pisces

- Post-Retrograde Shadow Ends: May 16, 2025 -- forward from 25 Pisces to 10 Aries (again)

Shadow: 25 degrees Pisces to 10 degrees Aries

Mercury Retrograde:

- Pre-Retrograde Shadow Began: March 1, 2025 -- forward from 26 Pisces to 9 Aries

- Retrograde Period: March 14 to April 7, 2025 -- backwards from 9 Aries to 26 Pisces

- Post-Retrograde Shadow Ends: April 26, 2025 -- forward from 26 Pisces to 9 Aries (again)

Shadow: 26 degrees Pisces to 9 degrees Aries

As you can see, the two planets are retrograding together over almost EXACTLY the same area of the zodiac, from 25 Pisces to 10 Aries! (Mercury covers the shadow in less time because it's the faster-moving planet.)

Mercury and Venus were exactly conjunct on March 9, when Venus was retrograde and Mercury was still direct, so it may be interesting to look at that day (and more broadly, 3/8-10) to see how that conjunction showed up for. They won't meet up again in 2025, so March 8-10 was like their strategic planning session for this retrograde period (and the rest of the year). Whatever happened for you then can provide clues about what's shifting in your life.

The Pisces/Aries border is the end/beginning of the zodiac, since Pisces is the last sign and Aries is the first. A retrograde over this part of the zodiac feels like we're dipping our toe into something totally new, then pulling it out for a moment to reconsider and adjust, then jumping back in and starting to swim.

So this is truly a time of New Beginnings -- both personally AND collectively, since Saturn and Neptune are also moving from Pisces into Aries this year! Most people are in the midst of some kind of major life change right now, or they're helping someone who is. And, as humans on the Earth, we are just about to enter a completely new chapter together.

All retrograde periods are a time to review, reflect, revise... As Anne Ortelee likes to say, all the "RE-" words. : > Retrogrades give us time to prepare, plan, plant, and tend our seeds of intention so they'll be ready to come to fruition when the planets clear their shadows and move forward.

It can feel nearly impossible to see what's going to happen in this dark, fertile time, so we have to invest ourselves in the mystery as we go, and practice having faith in the unknown. We can trust that what's happening now will inform what unfolds in April -- and by May, you'll be moving forward in a new way!

This period seems quite appropriate for job interviews, because retrogrades have us thinking about the past. We pause our forward motion and look back to distill the lessons, remember our accomplishments, and reconnect with old relationships. Being called on to reflect on your career journey so far, tell your stories, and describe your work style and relationships is an especially appropriate activity from now through the second week of April.

Venus is about what you value, desire, have, and earn -- so that's probably been front and center in your consciousness for the last 6 weeks. Venus is ready to take those aspects of your life to the next level, as you continue to develop and evolve.

Venus and Mercury in Pisces highlight our creativity and intuition, so pay special attention to "vibes" -- the inner knowing that we tend to question because we can't explain it. But it's actually our lived experience of connection -- to the collective consciousness, and our deepest self -- so if you hear that voice humming inside you, listen to it!

Everyone is going through these retrogrades together, so your interviewers may be reflecting deeply on their own personal values or their shared values as a group. If they sense that your values are a match, they'll feel you as a "fit" in a non-intellectual way that's more like attraction.

So be sure to share with them why you value this opportunity and how appealing it is for you. Don't be afraid to show your more vulnerable, aspirational side. Be professional and friendly, but you can also dip the cup a little into what this opportunity would mean for you and your family, or what it is you Really Want. Assuming, of course, that the opportunity is aligned! : >

As always, the downside of retrogrades (especially Mercury) can be a risk of miscommunication, mixed-up details, last-minute rescheduling, delays in back-and-forth negotiations, and missed social cues (that's Venus). People may be showing up as stressed, scattered, and a little foggy at times.

I suggest preparing yourself to be especially patient, flexible, understanding, clear, and authentically kind while these retrogrades are in play. Double-check to make sure you're not causing confusion, and cut yourself some slack if you do make a mistake. Everyone's doing their best to finish what they've started and tidy up before the wheels turn forward again.

The best approach is to slow down, breathe, and remember that you are Love, they are Love, and the Universe is Love. And trust that what you want is on its way!

Photo credit: Pixabay