Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro. Britney Spears and Sam Asghari. Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez. Taylor Swift and Matty Healy. This summer has been a brutal one for celebrity breakups so far, and many astrologers have been quick to blame Venus retrograde. But there’s more to the starry story — especially since as some couples burst into flame, others are heating up.
While Venus retrograde is major — and has shaped the romantic landscape since July 22 (but even in its pre-retrograde game on June 19 when the planet of love started ruminating over the same degrees the retrograde is hitting before it even happened) — there are other astrological factors that may be affecting the desire for these infamous couples to move from lovelorn to splitsville. You might even notice these movements in your own romantic life. The current celestial climate is fraught and there are many planets causing havoc in the cosmos, not just one.
For starters, this summer has many planetary retrogrades — seven to be exact! And, when planets moonwalk in the sky, it makes us super reflective on matters of the heart, which can lead to us rethinking relationships. Wildcard planet Uranus is hyperactive, which brings break ups and shake ups. Also, Mercury is in the pre-shadow zone (the two and a half weeks before Mercury turns retrograde that begin the story we are dealing with), as the communication planet begins its backwards journey in Virgo on August 23, so we could even see some reconciliations as people backtrack on decisions. Saturn retrograde in Pisces doesn’t know what or who to commit to and doesn’t want to put the necessary work into relationships. Meanwhile, Pluto squaring the Nodes of Destiny destroyed partnerships that didn’t have the power to transform.
Let’s unpack more of the planetary chaos affecting your relationships and those of the celebrities we love. Uranus in Taurus is pushing our partnerships to grow. But it needs a lot of love and tenderness to do so. The wildcard planet makes romance feel like a mystical roller coaster ride. On a bad day it can bring extreme upsets, and on a good one it can bring joy. The topsy-turvy effects could make relationships unpredictable. Partnerships begin suddenly and end without warning.
Saturn is the planet of commitment. It’s the glue that holds couples together. Since Saturn is retrograde in Pisces, partnerships have been wishy-washy. Aligning with someone and preparing for a future is tricky if the connection has been up and down. It asks us if we want to put the effort into something that’s not working or move on in separate directions.
Pluto retrograde in Capricorn affected relationships that didn’t have the power to sustain themselves. But when Pluto retrograde squared off with the Nodes of Destiny on July 23 it stung the hearts of many. This transit was felt from the 23rd to 28th of July. It made us leave situations and partnerships that are not transcending with the expansion of the individual’s needs and desires. The Nodes of Destiny added a fated element and Pluto retrograde broke all hope down, in an effort to rebuild their lives separately.
Now, let’s discuss Venus retrograde. Personally, I have Venus retrograde in my natal birth chart, and I find that it makes me more relationship hungry than most people I know. But I’ve never understood why people think Venus’s planetary moonwalk has such a massive effect on us earthlings — the planet is normally orbiting in the opposite motion of earth, so it’s always frustrating matters of love. And because of the aspect it makes to Uranus, it’s complicating matters.
Since Venus retrograde in Leo (the pre-shadow began on June 19, the retrograde lasts from July 22 to September 3, and the after affects last until October 7) is completing an eight-year cycle that began in the summer of 2015, we are contemplating who and what we want when it comes to matters of the heart. All of these sentiments haven’t even reached their peak yet. August 13 brings the Venus Star Point (a term coined by astrologer Arielle Guttman, at which time the Sun and Venus align at the same degree in the sky) and the Venus Portal (the transition of Venus from an evening star to a day star, when its degrees slip behind the Sun, making Venus more wild, passionate, and daring). Both of which make us aware of what we want in love as well as making us more impulsive in romantic matters. Then, the New Moon on August 16 in Leo is forging some connections while ending others. All in all, Venus retrograde can bring people together just as easily as it can tear them apart — especially with the Uranian component.
Even though these celebrity breakups have brought a tear to our eyes, let’s wait and see what happens when Mercury begins its retrograde journey. There might be temporary or permanent reconciliations or even more endings. One thing is for sure, the planets aren’t playing around when it comes to love. Regardless of whether you’re famous or not, this summer’s uncuffing season is coming in hot. As above, so below.
