I’ll just go ahead and say what everyone’s thinking: the stars have been taking us on a trip, and I, for one, am ready to take a break.

After Mars retrograde this summer, Venus retrograde through Scorpio (for God’s sake—Scorpio of all signs?!) opposed Uranus in Taurus, with Pluto and Saturn making a mess of our lives and politics all along the way, I’m out of breath, my heart is tired, and I’m about ready to nose-dive into my bed for a thirty-year nap.

Alas, such a nap isn’t in the cards for this year, and the planets are fully set on bullying us, I guess, so all there is to do is to wipe away our tears, break out our journals, light some self-care candles, and go with the flow.

Let me say that I hate a two-faced Gemini as much as the next ditzy cry-baby Pisces, but I think there’s a lot more to astrology than the popular personality based stereotypes. It’s obviously fun to psychoanalyze our infantile Aries friends, freaky Scorpio sex-demon lovers, and attention-hungry Leo stars, but the true value of astrology comes from the way it guides our self-growth and lifestyle choices.

I like to think of astrology as ancient wisdom, applied to our modern struggles. Venus retrograde, in particular, has been incredibly impactful for the past few months, both on a personal level and on a larger-scale political level. Now that it’s coming to a close, it’s important to reflect upon what it’s brought to our lives and made us consider.

I’ve spat out lots of cryptic nonsense about astrology—just talking about it, I feel like the weird spiritual aunt who tripped on shrooms at Thanksgiving dinner.

But at this point, it might be worth clarifying: what the hell is Venus retrograde, and what do The Stars have to do with my life or politics?

I could tell you what a retrograde means astronomically, but it’s not too important. The gist of its symbolic relevance is this: a retrograde forces us to turn inward and review. Venus represents our values, balance and harmony, and partnership—its retrograde forces us to reflect on the role these themes play in our lives. It also represents traditional femininity, so its retrograde highlights the role women play in our society.

As such, when Venus stations direct on Friday (translation: when Venus retrograde ends), we should think about the past month. How have you found balance in your life? Have you accommodated more than you were willing? Have you been overcommitting and spreading yourself too thin?

On a more political note, how have we talked about women and misogyny for the past month? From the Brett Kavanaugh hearing & subsequent confirmation to the recent election of a record- breaking number of women to Congress, we’ve both disqualified the voices of women and elevated them—why have we done so, and what can we, as a society, do to be better?

Venus retrograde is a trip, and it’s one that comes around about every 18 months. This year, it’s had some added significance, for other astrological reasons that I won’t let myself dive into now. It’s important to make sure that you’ve considered what this trip has done for you. Even if you don’t believe in this astrological BS, these themes are real, and they hold real power in your life.

Recognize the power of the feminine, find balance, and make sure that you’re living in alignment with your values.

— Josh Merchant, News Editor