From a psychology standpoint, retrogrades tend to trigger attachment anxiety or avoidance. Think attachment theory: when planetary motion reverses, old wounds resurface. You start noticing the same relationship loops—chasing, pulling away, or settling for familiar friction. In Tarot, Venus aligns with the Lovers and the Two of Cups. But retrograde flips the imagery. Instead of mutual harmony, you’re looking at the shadow side of the Lovers: the temptation to repeat familiar pain, the cognitive dissonance of knowing better but acting the same.

I’ve seen this play out in my own life. Recovery taught me that honesty beats comfort every time. When Venus retrogrades in 2025, it’s asking us to do real shadow work. Not the polished, Instagram-ready kind. The gritty, 2AM journaling kind where you admit which ex, which pattern, or which unmet need keeps dragging you backward.

If you’re feeling the friction, don’t force a “blessing” onto it. Sit with the discomfort. Read the cards, but read your own psyche first. What’s the retrograde actually showing you? I’m curious how others are navigating this. Are you seeing the same loops?