Kundalini Yoga Heart Meditation for Venus Retrograde

What Do YOU REALLY Want?

When we listen deeply to our heart, we know our truth and are guided by our soul. This blog shares a powerful meditation to awaken our heart chakra. This is a great meditation to do while Venus is retrograde (March 4 – April 15). First we explain the dynamics of Venus retrograde so we can take full advantage of this special time.

Wish Upon a Star

When we ‘wish upon a star’ we are often looking at Venus sparkling close to the Sun, alternately appearing as a morning star and evening star.

The six weeks that Venus is retrograde (March 4 – April 15) grants us an opening to re-examine our core values and to use them to make important choices about our future. Venus gives us a retrograde experience only once approximately every 2 years. Given the rarity of the event, we are wise to be attentive to how the 3 phases of Venus retrograde (explained below) play out in our life this year. The insights that we gain from the Venus process are valuable and deeply rewarding for our lives.

Retrograde Motion Is Perceptual

Retrograde motion doesn’t mean that the retrograde planet is actually reversing direction in its orbit. Retrograde is a perceived motion, with real affects. When a planet changes direction ‘stations retrograde or stations direct,’ the influence of the planet and the zodiac energy that it expresses is very strong for several days.

Venus ‘stations’ mark times to pause and consider the manner in which we express ourselves with others (and ourselves). With whom do we want to be close? Who shares are values? Who does not? *(1) Are we close to ourselves? Do we feel cozy in our heart and body? Our most important touchstones are honesty, sincerity, and authenticity. We can’t lie to ourselves, and we don’t want to!

During Venus retrograde we examine our perceptions and distinguish between fantasy and reality. How are our opinions linked to our needs? How are we coloring our outer circumstances to line up with our beliefs? Is it more useful and honest to change our circumstances or our interpretations? We need to let our honest heart guide us to reflect and make choices that are in line with personal, circumstantial, and universal truths — yes all three!

Fact or Fiction

It is no surprise that we view life through the prism of our own reality and worldview. (1) We each have our own colored glasses that tint our perceptions and interpretations. (2) We have a ‘hearing aid’ that conveniently filters what we choose to hear, ignore, or rearrange. (3) We each also have a feeling blanket (our electromagnetic field and emotional body) that computes on an emotional level the extent to which we feel secure, validated, loved, and right in the world.

In this complex and chaotic world, it is difficult with our restricted, programmed, yet very open, sensory system (1) to distinguish between fact and fiction, (2) to figure out what we should pay attention to, (3) and to calibrate how we should interact and respond. It is hard to distinguish between tribal/mass consciousness and our own truth. We may choose what gives us a false sense of security, just to limit feeling completely insecure all the time. In other words, unreality sometimes feels safest and the best we can do.

But living from opinions, wishful thinking, and guess work, it not an optimal way to navigate our human journey. Venus retrograde is a cosmic gift to help us find out what our heart really wants. Venus advises us to feel from our heart and to spin our interpretations toward our heart center.

March 4 – Venus Goes Retrograde

at 13 degrees Aries through April 15 when it returns direct at 27 degrees Pisces.

Venus, named for the goddess of love and beauty, is the closest planet to Earth. Venus appears in the sky as both the morning and evening ‘star.’ Venus symbolizes our core values, personal preferences, standards, likes and dislikes, our self-expression in relation to our self-esteem, and how we interact in both intimate and social relationships. Our Venus expresses through our feelings, which determine and direct our decisions and behavior.

March 4, 2017 – Venus stations retrograde

at 13 degrees Aries. The Sun is at 13 degrees Pisces.

When Venus stations retrograde, we can see her low in the western sky after the Sun has set.

Venus always stations retrograde when she is the evening star and when she is about 30 degrees away from the Sun. (This time Venus is in Aries and the Sun is in the adjacent previous sign Pisces.) When stationary, Venus opens a gateway between the outer world and the inner self. *(2)

This year, the day Venus goes retrograde, Mars is also in Aries (25 degrees) joined by Uranus and asteroid Eris (both at 22 degrees Aries.) This trio is opposed by Jupiter retrograde in Libra (at 19 degrees Libra). Eris, the goddess of strife, and Uranus, the rebel, have been creating upheaval and challenging the status quo for over a year now. This is their last conjunction for the time being, which can be interpreted as a last wakeup call with this intensity. (Uranus will always we trying to awaken us.) The involvement of Jupiter in Libra could phase in a transition to a some civil balance with more fair play.

Venus Evening Star Waning Phase (March 4-24)

Evening star Venus stationing retrograde invites us into a personal time of the heart — to withdraw from hectic outer activities and retreat into our own sacred space. This is a time to examine our values, choices, and commitments and to re-evaluate what is most important to us. What do we value most? What is worth our time and energy? With whom do we wish to associate? What relationships, affiliations, and financial commitments serve our best interests? *(3)

Assessing our relationships we ask — How and why are we given value? Or not? Do we relax and enjoy each other? Or are we fear-based and co-dependent? Do we feel appreciated and safe? Circumstances and relationships with some warning signs won’t necessarily need to end. But they may need to evolve on a new footing, with more fairness, equality, and balance. A determining factor and touchstone that we can use is harmony in the heart. How do different choices feel? Conflict tilts the scale to ‘no.’ Peace stabilizes to ‘yes.’ Our personal needs take precedence.

During the evening star phase, Venus is in her waning, diminishing phase. We become more discriminating and choosy. We are more attuned to our needs in relationship to others’ needs.

‘Is this relationship worth it?’ is the key question we ask during the evening star waning phase. We look at the time, energy, and resources that we invest in relationships and assess value offered and gained. Viability, relevancy, workability, and need fulfillment guide us in a heart to heart conversation with ourselves and each other.

March 25, 2017 – Venus Meets the Sun

at 4 degrees Aries

Three weeks after Venus stations retrograde, she conjuncts the Sun. Blinded by the Sun, Venus is not visible in the sky. Similar energetically to a new moon, a new Venus cycle begins her waxing phase again. (March 25 – April 14) A few days after the conjunction she emerges as the morning star for a few days and then disappears for about 5 days. *(4)

We are now more focused on our personal desires and needs and how we can get them met. With the Sun/Venus conjunction in Aries we want to support ourselves and welcome new beginnings. But not quite yet! We have more time to think about and plan our next steps. For 3 more weeks, Venus continues to move back through the zodiac until it reaches 27 degrees Pisces.

April 15, 2017 – Venus Stations Direct

at 27 degrees Pisces. The Sun is at 27 degrees Aries.

Three weeks after joining the Sun, Venus stations direct, at which time she is again about 30 degrees away from the Sun, but earlier in the zodiac. (Now Venus is in Pisces and the Sun is in the next adjacent sign Aries.) Station direct is the time to re-engage with others and the outer world, to embark on new relationships and business ventures. However, like any planet turning direct, Venus moves slowly at first. We need to pace ourselves, monitor closely the initial indicators, and move forward slowly with Venus as our guide. When Venus returns to the same degree she went retrograde (13 degrees Aries) on 17th of May, we will be sailing forward with our heart as our guide.

The success of any new ventures will be greatly influenced by how well we have evaluated their fit for us and our circumstances during the Venus retrograde period. Stay close and cozy in your heart. In addition to the meditation below, see previous Kundalini Yoga Blog – An Honest Heart is a Happy Heart for a heart opening meditation to practice during this time. Also refer to Transitions to a Heart-Centered World for many kriyas and meditation to awaken the heart chakra. *(5)

A SPLENDID EXPERIENCE – HEART MEDITATION

Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine and press the palms together in Prayer Mudra. Fingers are placed exactly against corresponding opposite fingers, and palms are perfectly fitted against each other. Eyes are one-tenth open, the line of vision parallel to the nose. Inhale, hold the breath in and mentally vibrate

WAHE GURU, WAHE GURU

WAHE GURU, WAHE GURU

WAHE GURU, WAHE GURU

WAHE GURU, WAHE GURU

Then completely exhale, and with the breath held out, repeat the mantra at the same rhythm and rate. Continue for 11 to 31 minutes.

Be attentive to maintaining the connection between the palms. Do not let the fingers or palms separate.

COMMENTS: By chanting is mantra of ecstasy, you awaken to your natural happiness within. This meditation elevates the tattvas/elements to neutrality, giving you a splendid experience! The pranayama, mudra, and mantra create an interlock with your own magnetic field, making it possible to experience your unique soul vibration. The beautiful experience helps you remember/feel your authentic identity and listen to the truth of your soul.

Make this meditation “my meditation,” and commit to doing it every night before going to bed, even for 3-5 minutes, come what may. This meditation can lull you to sleep and prepares you for a restful and peaceful night. You will experience a tremendous change in your destiny. Each dawn shall bring a message of freshness and opportunities. Offer this meditation to your soul and to the Divine, and receive opportunities and grace in return. When you purify yourself with this meditation, you can experience your purity of essence and thereby eliminate drama and become healthy, happy, and sacred!

References and Footnotes

Michele Finey, ‘Venus Retrograde’, The Mountain Astrologer, Feb/March 2017 pp 33-39

1. Finey, p. 33.

2. Finey, p. 33.

3. Finey, p. 34.

4. Finey, p. 34.

5. Transitions to a Heart Centered World – 2nd Edition – Guru Rattana, Ph.D.