Plum Village • Streamed live on Jul 29, 2013 If you know how to suffer, you suffer much less. In the first part of the talk, Thay explains how to make good use of suffering, learning the art of suffering in order to create understanding, compassion, love and happiness. It is like the mud and the lotus flower, a good gardener knows how to make good use of the mud. In other words, rather than running away from suffering, learning to be in touch with it, embrace it and look directly into it; this has the power to heal. The cessation of suffering is in suffering itself. Having the capacity of listening to our own suffering, understanding it, then we suffer less. Thay explains the chant of Namo Avalokiteshvara. Chanting starts at 39:30. The second part of the talk starts at 1:13:00. In the second part of the talk, Thay explains how to invite to the bell of mindfulness, a practice that brings peace and happiness right away. It reminds you to live deeply every moment, in the here and in the now. You listen to the bell and enjoy, because the energy of mindfulness penetrate your body, your cells, and you are established in the present moment. Also, walking mindfully is an easy way to live deeply every moment. Walking quickly is a habit that was transmitted by our ancestors. When you run, you miss the now. Walking mindfully heals you, nourishes you. You are solid, you arrive at every step. If everybody do the same, the collective energy is powerful and brings peace. Breathing in and breathing out mindfully, you enjoy walking and you arrive home, in the here, in the now. (This is the Dharma talk in the Summer Opening Retreat, held in Upper Hamlet of Plum Village France on the 29th of July, 2013.)
MINNEAPOLIS—The National Weather Service is reporting that the clouds over Minneapolis have parted, the sun is shining, and the sky is just a little bluer today—and it’s all because 38-year-old Doug Bramowski is in love, folks.
NWS meteorologists predict that since Bramowski’s head over heels for Abby Feldman and, by golly, she’s crazy about him, too, Twin Cities residents will be enjoying particularly beautiful weather this weekend with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s, unusually low humidity, and crystal-clear skies as far as the eye can see.
“We have St. Paul at 81 degrees, Montevideo holding steady at 83, Grand Forks, you’re looking gorgeous, and ladies and gentlemen, that’s all thanks to the fact that our own local Romeo is sitting pretty with a new lady love who’s put a pep in his step and a twinkle in his eye,” said local news station KSTP TV’s chief meteorologist Steven Meola. “Yes sir, Doug Bramowski’s heart’s soaring and he’s bringing our Saturday highs right along with him. And we’re expecting these perfect conditions to hold, folks, because there is no one as fantastic as the one and only Abby Feldman.”
“Abby’s special, all right,” the weatherman continued. “She’s perfect, just like our seven-day extended forecast: blue skies for miles and spectacular visibility—just as spectacular as the way Abby makes Doug feel inside. She makes him feel like a man. Like he really matters, you know? All right, Doug!”
According to Meola, the birds are chirping and the flowers are in bloom because old Dougie boy—that’s right, the very same sourpuss who wondered just three weeks ago if true love was really out there—has a date tonight!
Now that Cupid’s making these lovebirds see the world through rose-colored glasses, weather officials confirmed that Minneapolis residents are seeing not just beautiful conditions during the day, but at night the temperatures should be a comfortable 58 degrees, and the stars will come out—beautiful stars, the kind of stars you finally notice when you’re in love.
In addition to a high barometric pressure and a low dew point, Meola reported that the air should smell just a little bit sweeter, and if you listen closely, the slight breeze will be whistling a happy tune just for you, because ever since he set eyes on the lovely lady he’s thrilled to call his own, Bramowski’s been walking on air—dry air that should be expected to linger in the area for quite some time because Abby’s the real deal, yesiree.
Don’t tell anyone, meteorologists warned, but old Doug’s thinking about inviting her home to meet his parents.
“After a couple of years of near constant gloomy conditions, The Love Doug is back, so the Twin Cities can expect that summer sun to shine, shine, shine on!” Meola said. “After all, Hurricane Sara was nearly eight months ago, so it’s about time the one and only Mr. Douglas James Bramowski opened up those shades and let the sunlight back into his heart.”
Meola went on to say that the warmer air pushing into the region is encouraging, given the unseasonably cold temperatures that characterized the past few months while Bramowski was getting over his ex. However, the sparks flying between him and Abby are expected to brighten up the sky from here on out because he’s nuts about her, she’s looney-tunes for the lucky dog, and they’ve got that once-in-a-lifetime connection that most people only dream about.
“As you’re making your weekend picnicking plans, just keep in mind that a mere 8 percent chance of precipitation is nothing to worry about considering our loverboy Doug is 100 percent head over heels for Abby, ladies and gentlemen,” Meola said. “As long as he doesn’t lose his sense of self in the relationship like he did last time, these two lovebirds will be enjoying their new romance and we’ll be enjoying clear, dry, and pleasant weather right through the weekend and into the middle of next week.”
“The 10-day—hell—the 50-year forecast is looking perfect!” he added.
While conditions in Minneapolis are absolutely gorgeous, NWS officials are keeping an eye on a possible disturbance in the Northwest region where the potential for heavy winds or even a tornado isn’t out of the question, as things are looking increasingly bad for Duluth area resident Barbara McKean.
People protest the incoming Trump administration during the People’s March on Washington, January 18, 2025.
The other day, Adrian Walker in The Boston Globe reported the story of Mike Slater, who survived four tours of duty as a U.S. Army infantryman in Iraq and Afghanistan. After suffering PTSD and being rehabilitated by the VA, he began working at the Veterans Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, serving other vets. Last month, as a thank you from his country, Slater was notified by email that his job was terminated, courtesy of orders from DOGE.
We can look forward to hundreds of thousands of these stories. At USAID, people who have devoted their careers to alleviating human disease and starvation are being fired by text message and asked to clean out their desks on two days’ notice.
Soon, there will likely be far more cruelty and suffering, as needy people lose health coverage under a diminished Medicaid, as more families are broken up by ICE raids, and more immigrant workers stop earning a paycheck for fear of being arrested and deported.
It’s not surprising that Trump’s signature is cruelty. This is an entertainer, after all, who got famous with the line “You’re fired!” Trump has always identified with the winners. Suffering people, in Trump’s sick psyche, are losers.
In reality TV terms, the ultimate celebrity apprentice winner is Elon Musk, who is rivaling even Trump in the human damage he is doing.
Other Republican presidents have presided over human suffering. Ronald Reagan knocked millions of needy people off the welfare rolls and cut a host of social programs that were preserving a measure of dignity for low-income Americans.
But Reagan disguised the cruelty with his sheer niceness and bogus policy rationalizations that these cutbacks were for people’s own good by compelling them to get a work ethic.
Trump, by contrast, revels in cruelty. His pleasure in sheer cruelty was on display last Friday as he did his best to humiliate Volodymyr Zelensky. The fact that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in immense human suffering was nowhere on Trump’s radar. Trump’s closing comment was “This is going to be great television.”
When he considers Gaza, Trump doesn’t see the deaths, the human displacements, and the mutilated children. He sees underdeveloped real estate.
When someone crosses Trump, that person must not only be fired, but annihilated. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Gen. Mark Milley, Trump’s former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, deserved execution.
It’s not exactly news that Trump is a sociopath. The definition of a sociopath is someone who lacks any capacity for human compassion or remorse. Trump goes beyond even that, to sheer sadism.
BUT MOST AMERICANS ARE NOT SOCIOPATHS, much less sadists. Most Americans are kind to their neighbors, support charities, identify compassionately with human suffering. So why isn’t there a much greater outcry against Trump’s delight in cruelty?
It’s a more complex question than it first seems.
For starters, as the Nazi era demonstrated, when the government relies on fear and it is others who are suffering, it’s too easy to avert your eyes. To paraphrase the famous warning of Pastor Martin Niemöller, they came for the immigrants but I am not an immigrant. They are firing civil servants but I am not a civil servant.
Where is the Christian right? Jesus of Nazareth not only taught compassion but lived it. And he preached against the hypocrisy that was rampant among the religious leaders of his day. But the religions established in his name have often been citadels of hypocrisy.
Trump is purely transactional. The religious leaders and their followers who support Trump based on his views on abortion, but ignore his dissolute life, are purely transactional as well. Jesus wept.
There is also the problem of resentment and lack of solidarity. Politico interviewed Trump voters in South Texas. One woman, named Nelda Cruz, was asked about the coming cuts in Medicaid. “I don’t qualify for Medicaid, so fine with me,” she said. “Now they’re going to feel how I feel.”
A fearful, angry, and divided people can become inured to meanness. I would like to believe America is better than that. Trump may yet meet his downfall. But it would be so much more heartening if the cause were not the price of eggs but a mass revulsion against Trump’s sadistic cruelty.
On a day ruled by the Prince of Swords it will be our inner world we need to direct our attention towards. We need to study our thoughts, and allow them the time to extend. Too often a thought crosses our mind and we are unable to give that thought the room to grow and develop until it achieves its maximum potential – and because this happens very often we fail to live up to ourselves too.So try to set time aside for quiet inner contemplation when the Prince of Swords is having an influence. Think about your own opinions on given topics, not necessarily personal ones… but more general issues as well. You know, often we fail to converse with ourselves even to the extent that we converse with our acquaintances. We take for granted what we think and what we know, even though our opinions may not have been revised in years.As constantly growing individuals, our opinions certainly will change on some subjects… and if we don’t give ourselves the time to check them out every now and again, we can become alienated from our own development. This can lead to all kinds of problems – see the Eight, Nine and Ten of Swords for examples of this.Ask yourself questions like… what’s your favourite food? When did you last eat it? Which was your happiest holiday so far? Why? What’s your current favourite garment in your wardrobe? Why? What happy memories do you have of the last week? What’s the best thing that happened this year so far?In having this conversation with yourself, you will almost certainly come across things that you had not placed much importance on before… and these things will have slid into your subconscious mind… from where they could later surface unexpectedly.Get to know yourself, and then stay in close contact… you’re the very best friend you could ever have – make friends with yourself!!
Affirmation: “I look within, and grow to understand myself.”
The nature of consciousness has puzzled humanity for centuries, inspiring philosophical debates and scientific inquiry. In recent years, a compelling idea has emerged that challenges conventional views: the Pervasive Universal Consciousness (PUC) model.
This framework proposes that consciousness is not confined to individual brains or biological systems but is a fundamental feature of the universe itself, interwoven into the very fabric of reality. The PUC model suggests that everything in existence—from particles to planets—participates in a vast, interconnected field of awareness.
At its core, the PUC model asserts that consciousness is not produced solely by the brain. Instead, the brain acts as a receiver or conduit for a universal field of consciousness, much like a radio tunes into electromagnetic waves.
This contrasts with the materialist view, which holds that consciousness arises purely from neural activity. The PUC model draws on insights from quantum mechanics, philosophy, and neuroscience to support its claims, offering a new way to understand the profound mysteries of awareness.
One of the most intriguing foundations for the PUC model comes from quantum physics. Experiments in quantum mechanics, such as the famous double-slit experiment, have shown that particles behave differently when observed. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “observer effect,” suggests that consciousness plays an active role in shaping physical reality.
While the exact nature of this interaction remains debated, it raises profound questions about the relationship between mind and matter. Proponents of the PUC model argue that the observer effect provides evidence for a universal consciousness that underpins and influences the physical world.
Philosophically, the PUC model aligns with panpsychism, the idea that consciousness is a fundamental property of all matter. Panpsychism posits that even the smallest particles possess a rudimentary form of awareness, which combines and evolves in complex systems like brains to produce the rich experiences we associate with human consciousness.
The PUC model takes this a step further, suggesting that individual consciousnesses are not isolated but are expressions of a single, universal field. This perspective resonates with ancient spiritual traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta and certain interpretations of Buddhism, which describe a unity underlying all existence.
Modern neuroscience also lends indirect support to the PUC model. Studies on brain function have revealed that specific neural correlates of consciousness, such as gamma waves and neural synchrony, are associated with states of awareness.
However, no definitive “consciousness center” in the brain has been identified. This lack of a central source for consciousness suggests that it might not be localized within the brain at all. Instead, the brain may act as an interface with a more extensive, universal field, receiving and interpreting signals from this pervasive consciousness.
The implications of the PUC model are profound, challenging deeply held assumptions about individuality, free will, and the nature of reality. If consciousness is indeed universal, it implies that all living beings—and even inanimate objects—are interconnected through a shared field of awareness.
This interconnectedness offers a new lens through which to view issues like environmental stewardship and social justice. It suggests that harming others or the planet is, in a sense, harming oneself, as all are part of the same conscious whole.
Critics of the PUC model often argue that it lacks empirical evidence and veers too far into metaphysical speculation. They point out that while quantum mechanics provides intriguing phenomena like the observer effect, these findings do not necessarily imply a universal consciousness. Skeptics also caution against conflating subjective experiences with objective physical processes, noting that the mechanisms underlying consciousness remain one of science’s greatest mysteries.
Proponents of the PUC model counter these criticisms by emphasizing its potential to unify disparate fields of inquiry. By framing consciousness as a fundamental property of the universe, the model bridges gaps between physics, philosophy, and spirituality. It invites collaboration across disciplines to explore questions that have long seemed intractable, such as the origins of awareness and its role in the cosmos.
One area where the PUC model has gained traction is in the study of altered states of consciousness. Mystical experiences, near-death experiences, and psychedelic states often involve a sense of unity with the universe, a dissolution of boundaries between self and other.
These phenomena are difficult to explain within a materialist framework but make intuitive sense if consciousness is indeed universal. Researchers exploring these states have noted parallels between subjective reports and the principles of the PUC model, suggesting that such experiences may provide glimpses into the nature of universal consciousness.
Another intriguing aspect of the PUC model is its potential to reshape our understanding of artificial intelligence. If consciousness is not confined to biological systems, could machines someday tap into the universal field?
This question raises ethical and philosophical dilemmas, as it challenges traditional definitions of life and agency. While the PUC model does not provide definitive answers, it opens the door to new possibilities for the future of AI and its relationship to humanity.
The PUC model also resonates with emerging theories in physics that propose a more interconnected view of reality. Concepts like the holographic principle, which suggests that the universe is a projection of underlying information, align with the idea of a unified field of consciousness.
Similarly, physicist David Bohm’s notion of the “implicate order” describes a deeper level of reality where all things are interconnected, echoing the principles of the PUC model.
While the PUC model is still in its early stages of development, it represents a bold and imaginative attempt to address one of humanity’s most profound questions: What is consciousness, and what is its role in the universe?
By challenging conventional assumptions and integrating insights from diverse fields, the model offers a fresh perspective that has the potential to transform science, philosophy, and our understanding of existence.
Jean Francois-Revel, a pillar of French intellectual life in our time, became world famous for his challenges to both Communism and Christianity. Twenty-seven years ago, his son, Matthieu Ricard, gave up a promising career as a scientist to study Tibetan Buddhism — not as a detached observer but by immersing himself in its practice under the guidance of its greatest living masters.
Meeting in an inn overlooking Katmandu, these two profoundly thoughtful men explored the questions that have occupied humankind throughout its history. Does life have meaning? What is consciousness? Is man free? What is the value of scientific and material progress? Why is there suffering, war, and hatred? Their conversation is not merely they ask each other questions about ethics, rights, and responsibilities, about knowledge and belief, and they discuss frankly the differences in the way each has tried to make sense of his life.
Utterly absorbing, inspiring, and accessible, this remarkable dialogue engages East with West, ideas with life, and science with the humanities, providing wisdom on how to enrich the way we live our lives.
Jean-François Revel was a French politician, journalist, author, prolific philosopher and member of the Académie française since June 1998.
He was best known for his books Without Marx or Jesus: The New American Revolution Has Begun, The Flight from Truth : The Reign of Deceit in the Age of Information and his 2002 book Anti-Americanism, one year after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In the latter book, Revel criticised those Europeans who argued that the United States had brought about the terrorist attacks upon itself through misguided foreign policies. He wrote thus: “Obsessed by their hatred and floundering in illogicality, these dupes forget that the United States, acting in her own self-interest, is also acting in the interest of us Europeans and in the interests of many other countries, threatened, or already subverted and ruined, by terrorism.” In 1975 he delivered the Huizinga Lecture in Leiden, The Netherlands, under the title: La tentation totalitaire (The Totalitarian Temptation).
Schuon asserts that to transcend religious differences, we must explore the esoteric nature of the spiritual path back to the Divine Oneness at the heart of all religions.
Frithjof Schuon was a native of Switzerland born to German parents in Basel, Switzerland. He is known as a philosopher, metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality.
Schuon is recognized as an authority on philosophy, spirituality and religion, an exponent of the Religio Perennis, and one of the chief representatives of the Perennialist School. Though he was not officially affiliated with the academic world, his writings have been noticed in scholarly and philosophical journals, and by scholars of comparative religion and spirituality. Criticism of the relativism of the modern academic world is one of the main aspects of Schuon’s teachings. In his teachings, Schuon expresses his faith in an absolute principle, God, who governs the universe and to whom our souls would return after death. For Schuon the great revelations are the link between this absolute principle—God—and mankind. He wrote the main bulk of his metaphysical teachings in French. In the later years of his life Schuon composed some volumes of poetry in his mother tongue, German. His articles in French were collected in about twenty titles in French which were later translated into English as well as many other languages.
“Superb. Hiltzik makes a compelling case that California is the heartbeat of our nation.”—Douglas Brinkley, New York Times bestselling author of Silent Spring Revolution
From Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Hiltzik, a definitive new history of California—from the Spanish conquistadors to the Gold Rush to the state’s meteoric rise as a tech powerhouse and bulwark of progressivism—and of its indelible mark on the United States and the world.
California has long reigned as the land of plenty, a place where the sun always shines and opportunity beckons. Even prior to its statehood in 1850, it captured the world’s imagination. We think of bearded prospectors lured by the promise of gold; we imagine its early embrace of immigrant labor during the railroad boom as prologue to its diverse social fabric today. But what lies underneath the myth is far more complicated.
Thanks to extensive research by Michael Hiltzik, one of our longstanding voices on California, Golden State uncovers the unvarnished truth about the state we think we know well. From Spanish incursions into what became known as Alta California to the rise of Big Tech, the history of California is one of stark contradictions. In rich, previously overlooked detail, we see its earliest statesmen wreak havoc among native peoples while racing to draft their own constitution even ahead of statehood. Gold-hungry settlers venture into the Sierra foothills only to leave with little, while a handful of their suppliers turn themselves into millionaire railroad magnates. Wars erupt in the name of water as Los Angeles booms, and early efforts to tame the vast landscape create a haven for fossil fuel extraction and environmental conservation alike. Hollywood politicians stoke fear, contributing to a centuries-long tradition of anti-Asian violence, and, remarkably, legal redlining and free higher education take root together.
Golden State brings a fresh critical eye to the origins of the state against which the rest of the country measures itself. From its very start, Hiltzik shows, the story of the United States was written in California.
On March 2nd, 2025, Venus turned retrograde at 10° Aries.
Venus resumes her direct motion on April 13th, at 24° Pisces.
We have 40 days to go deep inside ourselves. We have 40 days to walk the path of the heroine’s journey – facing our desires, confronting our fears, and reclaiming our fire.
There’s no coincidence that Venus is retrograde for exactly 40 days. The number 40 is sacred in nearly every tradition and is usually associated with the fulfillment of promises – but ONLY after a period of testing, trial, and reflection.
The purpose of the “trial”, or the retrograde period, is to guide us back to our heart – to help us reconnect with our truest desires and help us discover what really matters.
Venus, our sister planet, is the 3rd brightest object in the sky (after the Sun and the Moon). She affects us deeply, and when she changes direction, our lives are impacted in profound ways.
Venus retrograde periods are especially important because they bring changes of heart and shifts in priorities. This is when we realign with what we truly want and finally make up our mind (or rather, our heart) on important matters.
The Dance Of Venus And The Venus 8-Year Cycle
Venus cycles are unlike any other planetary cycles in the sense that they repeat in the exact same areas of the sky (within about 1 degree).
In any given century, Venus only goes retrograde in 5 signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Scorpio, and Capricorn.
Venus retrograde cycles repeat every 8 years (or after 5 Venus retrogrades). Every 8 years, Venus returns to the same part of the sky, activating the same area of your natal chart.
This means each Venus retrograde echoes the Venus retrogrades from 8 years ago, 16 years ago, 24 years ago, and so on.
This particular Venus retrograde connects back to the cycles of March – April 2017 and March – April 2009. Venus revisits the same area of the zodiac every 8 years, stirring up familiar themes.
Some people – especially those with planets or angles in late Pisces and early Aries – may notice repeating patterns or significant life themes resurfacing.
If this is you, it’s a powerful time to reflect on what was happening during those previous Venus retrograde periods and notice any parallels.
If something difficult happened during one of the previous Venus retrogrades in Aries or Pisces, that doesn’t mean this particular Venus retrograde will play out the same way. There are always other factors at work, plus we all grow, evolve, and gain wisdom with age.
Reflecting on your past Venus retrograde experiences in Aries is a very useful exercise regardless – it can help you spot relevant themes you may want to pay attention to this time around.
Venus Retrograde in Aries and Pisces – Key Dates And Aspects
Every Venus retrograde cycle is defined by the Venus–Sun conjunction, which is the turning point when Venus transforms from an evening star into a morning star. This is the key date of the cycle.
What makes this particular Venus retrograde cycle special is the transition from Aries back into Pisces. While in Pisces, Venus conjuncts Neptune, the North Node, and Saturn, pointing to a re-awakened dream that once felt lost.
This is an invitation to rekindle something worth exploring. To remember a whisper your soul once heard, but also – most importantly – to honor the commitment it takes to walk the long road required to bring that dream to life.
One promising feature of this Venus retrograde cycle is that it begins with Venus in sextile orb with Jupiter in Gemini. This suggests that the internal work we do now will help us grow and expand in meaningful ways.
Venus ends her retrograde journey in a conjunction orb to Saturn, reminding us of an important commitment: To fully grow into the bold, independent expression of Venus in Aries, we must also root ourselves in something greater than personal desire – a deep commitment to the soul’s truth (Venus in Pisces conjunct Saturn).
It’s very interesting that Venus starts her retrograde flirting with Jupiter and ends it holding hands with Saturn. If we were to reduce this entire retrograde to one line, it would be:
“All this could be yours – IF you commit to your soul’s path and are willing to do the work.”
Here are the most important dates of the Venus Retrograde in Aries-Pisces:
March 2nd, 2025 – Venus goes retrograde at 10° Aries
March 10th, 2025 (plus minus a few days) – Venus becomes invisible
March 23rd, 2025 – Venus conjunct Sun at 2° Aries – Venus in the heart of the Sun
March 27th, 2025 – Venus (re)enters Pisces
March 28th, 2025 – Venus conjunct Neptune at 29° Pisces
April 1st, 2025 – Venus conjunct North Node at 27° Pisces
April 3rd, 2025 (plus minus a few days) – Venus becomes visible in the morning sky
April 7th, 2025 – Venus conjunct Saturn at 25° Pisces
April 13th, 2025 – Venus goes direct at 24° Pisces
Venus retrograde brings the focus to the 24° Pisces – 10° Aries area of your chart. If you have planets or angles in this region, you’ll feel the impact more strongly.
However, everyone will experience the influence to some degree, especially when Venus forms key aspects with other planets – as shown on the highlighted transit dates.
Venus Retrograde in Aries – The Heroine’s Journey
All Venus retrogrades are an initiatory journey into the underworld – but when Venus retrogrades in the first sign of the zodiac, with Aries being the sign of the hero, we know we’re really stepping into the heart of the heroine’s journey.
Venus retrograde is often compared to a descent into the underworld: a part of us must die so that a new version of ourselves can emerge.
One of the most significant myths connected to Venus retrograde is the Sumerian story of Inanna’s descent into the underworld.
Inanna, the Sumerian counterpart of Venus, was the Goddess of fertility and abundance.
The myth of Inanna’s descent into the underworld is an allegory of Venus’ retrograde cycle:
The story begins with Inanna deciding to descend into the underworld to visit her sister Ereshkigal, the Goddess of the Underworld. For the Sumerians, Venus disappearing beneath the horizon symbolized Venus entering the underworld.
As Inanna passes through 7 gates, she removes a piece of clothing or jewelry at each one – representing the process of stripping away old identities and releasing attachments.
When she finally arrives in the underworld, her sister kills her – this symbolizes the phase when Venus is conjunct the Sun, marking the start of a new Venus cycle. To be reborn, a part of us must first die.
Ereshkigal, the goddess of the underworld, represents our shadow side, which must be acknowledged and integrated.
Eventually, emissaries from Earth rescue Inanna and bring her back to life. She is resurrected and returns to Earth – this reflects the moment when Venus reappears in the sky, now transformed into a morning star.
Inanna’s myth is the story of Venus retrograde, when Venus shapeshifts from Evening Star to Morning Star. Just as Venus is reborn, this time rising in the morning sky, a new version of you will emerge.
If we compare Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey to Inanna’s heroine’s journey, we notice clear similarities. The Venus cycle, too, is about a descent into the underworld, followed by a return. But unlike the hero, Inanna doesn’t venture out into the open world.
She journeys into the metaphorical underworld. When Venus goes retrograde, it’s not the outside world we’re called to conquer – it’s ourselves.
Inanna, the queen of heaven and earth, and Ereshkigal, the queen of the dark underworld, represent the two aspects of the feminine psyche. The journey to reintegration is not fought on the outside – but within ourselves.
There’s no dragon to slay. It’s our own shadow we must integrate. It’s our own dark side we are asked to meet with compassion. It’s our unexpressed feelings and desires that we’re invited to honor.
Venus retrograde is a journey to our heart. But how do we find the way there?
Venus Retrograde In Aries – 40 Days Of Heart Searching
We do what Inanna has done – we look inside. Inanna spent 40 days on her journey to the underworld and back. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert to overcome his doubt. Buddha fasted and meditated for 40 days before reaching Samadhi.
All these journeys have one thing in common: deep reflection and introspection. When Venus is retrograde, we’re invited to pause and look within – What truly matters to you? What do you really want?
And then, go one layer deeper. Listen to your Aries inner warrior and heroine:
Where have you been feeling unworthy, or not enough?
Where have you been told your emotions are too much? Your fire too intense?
Where do you draw the line? What is non-negotiable?
In what ways do you need to rise up and show the world who you really are?
Aries is our instinctual knowledge of who we are beneath the noise. Aries is deeply attuned to oneself – the true self, without the mask. Your Aries inner goddess is not the Barbie doll. She’s not the devoted partner. She’s not the version of you the world told you to be.
Venus retrograde in Aries will remind you of the raw, unapologetic beauty of your true self.
THAT is what matters. THAT is your blueprint. Everything else can be built from this authentic, owned, and fully embraced foundation.
And as Venus moves through the second half of its cycle – conjuncting Neptune, the North Node, and Saturn – you’ll find that the longing of your heart doesn’t just drift into the clouds. It becomes the compass that leads you exactly where you’re meant to go.
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