While traditional wisdom says that we should “be responsible” and take steps to change our reality, ancient esoteric wisdom says that putting our attention only on what we want (not on what already is) is our true responsibility. It’s much more responsible to take control of your thoughts and feelings in moment than it is to try to change what has already manifested.

If you truly want to learn to manifest in a consistent fashion, from today forth, when you look at messes and disasters in your life, don’t try to change it all. Instead, ask yourself what you want, and then focus all of your attention there. This will produce a better tomorrow, which, in turn, will produce a better next day. Always, always ask yourself, “What do I want?” Putting your attention on what you want, rather than focusing on disasters that you don’t want, will create a better reality than you could ever imagine. Good luck!

Here are some examples of things that have happened to real clients of mine during Venus retrograde transits in past.

Retrograde Venus through 1st house: •widow moves out of 5,000 sq ft home to downsized residence and begins to realize that house and relationship were prisons and that she is well rid of both; •elderly woman resolves long standing issue with IRS who removes lien on her house and frees up her CD.

Retrograde Venus through 2nd house: •husband gets self and wife new cell phone numbers after five years with old ones (?)

Retrograde Venus through 3rd house: •walls close in on man as he realizes he might lose his wife, mistress and home, all in same month!

Retrograde Venus through 4th house: •Consultant breaks up with woman 15 years older, moves to another city to start over with a woman 15 years younger; •heiress’ brother announces divorce, completely upsetting family power structure; •married boyfriend goes back to his wife with no explanation; •woman vacillates between declaring BK, selling house and selling heirloom family jewelry

Retrograde Venus through 5th house: •middle aged woman comes to terms with death of mother and estrangement from brother, releasing her own intense creativity

Retrograde Venus through 6th house: •obsessive love for a younger man triggers long repressed memories of tragic first love in manicurist; •boyfriend who is in Diplomatic Corps leaves for South America for a year, triggering deep depression and abandonment issues in young girlfriend

Retrograde Venus through 7th house: •PhD candidate stops studies when his girlfriend is almost killed by a hit-and-run driver and hover for weeks between life and death

Retrograde Venus through 8th house: •husband of college professor suddenly offered opportunity for work as interpreter with a government “provider” believed to be involved in undercover work in a foreign country if he will leave with two days’ notice and without knowledge of exactly where he is going

Retrograde Venus through 9th house: •young housewife with 2 year old baby joins metaphysics class and finds terrific outlet for her social nature and brilliant mind

Retrograde Venus through 10th house: •young man has Tarot card reading, discovers reasons behind many of mysteries from his painful past

Retrograde Venus through 11th house •gifted intuitive artist attends Jonathan Edwards demonstration and has experience afterwards that convinces her she is going completely mad

Retrograde Venus through 12th house: •elderly woman seriously considers selling her home (which is free and clear) to get really free and clear!

As you can see, many of these events have to do with areas of life which are ruled by Venus, possessions and desires.

Another mystical thing about Venus Retrograde is that cycle lasts for 40 days. It is as if we all wander in wilderness with our Christlike selves, and return with greater conviction about who we are and greater dedication to our selves and our purpose, some through act of denying temptation.

During this cycle, creative and destructive are so closely interacting with one another it may be hard to tell difference as ridiculous as this sounds. Feedback from trusted friends or a professional astrologer can help if you think you might be throwing baby out with bathwater.

During a retrograde cycle, you may have no idea which end is up. But by end of cycle, a New Order is revealed, and order forms out of chaos. Venus retrogrades are intensely introspective and even anti-social transits that bring forth great bursts of personal creativity when complete. This is kind of creativity which produces an art, palette of which is life itself.