Venus retrograde has long been associated with the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna’s Descent. Inanna, the goddess of fertility and abundance, chooses to descend into the underworld to visit her sister, Ereshkigal, the dark goddess of the underworld. As she passes through each of the seven gates, she removes an item of clothing or jewelry, stripping away her identity and power. When she finally arrives, Ereshkigal strikes her dead. Only through intervention from above is Inanna resurrected and allowed to return to the world—but she does not return unchanged. She has faced death, embraced her shadow, and is now reborn.
This mirrors Venus retrograde’s cycle: Venus disappears from the sky, moves through a conjunction with the Sun (symbolizing death and transformation), and then reemerges as the morning star, renewed and reborn.
But what if we looked at another myth to complement this cycle? What if we explored a story of a woman who did not submit, who did not wait for resurrection, but instead forged her own path into the wild?
Lilith is often cast as a demon, a night creature, an exile. But before she was turned into a cautionary tale, she was a
symbol of untamed feminine power. According to Jewish mythology, Lilith was Adam’s first wife, created from the same earth as he was. She was his equal. When Adam demanded she submit to him, she refused. Instead of staying and surrendering,
she left Eden entirely, choosing exile over subjugation.
Unlike Inanna, who willingly descends into the underworld and is later resurrected, Lilith never returns. She does not seek validation or redemption. She claims her autonomy fully, even at the cost of being cast into the shadows.
Lilith and Venus Retrograde in Aries: The Shadow Feminine
Reclaimed
Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of war, instinct, and raw personal power. When Venus retrogrades in Aries, it is a call to reclaim sovereignty over our own desires, self-worth, and boundaries. It is a journey not to please, not to submit, but to remember who we are beneath external expectations.
Lilith embodies this energy. She represents the parts of us that refuse to conform, the aspects of femininity that society fears—rage, sexuality, independence, self-sufficiency. During Venus retrograde in Aries, we may feel this energy rising: the urge to reclaim what we’ve been told is “too much” or “unacceptable” about ourselves.
This is not a retrograde of romantic reunions or soft self-reflection. This is a wild-hearted resurrection.
The Journey of Reclamation: Integrating Inanna & Lilith
The heroine’s journey is not about slaying external dragons; it is about facing our own shadows. Lilith and Inanna represent different aspects of this process:
- Inanna’s journey is about surrender, death, and rebirth. She faces loss and is transformed by
- Lilith’s journey is about refusal, defiance, and self-exile. She does not return; she creates a new world for herself.
Both are essential. To truly reclaim ourselves, we must first let go (Inanna) and then reclaim our power on our own terms (Lilith).
Somatic & Mindfulness Practices to Embody This Venus Retrograde
This Venus retrograde calls for practices that help us own our truth and integrate our shadow. Here are some ways to work with this energy:
1. Shadow Work & Journaling
• Where have I been making myself small to be accepted?
• What aspects of myself have I been taught to fear or repress?
• What would it look like to embody my desires unapologetically?
2. Primal Voice Activation & Sounding
• Practice vocal toning, humming, or roaring to release trapped energy in the throat chakra.
• Work with mantras of self-sovereignty, such as: I am whole in my truth. I claim my power.
3. Somatic Movement & Embodiment
• Dance freely to tribal or drumming beats, allowing your body to move instinctually.
• Engage in dynamic breathwork to release stored emotions and ignite inner fire.
4. Sacred Rage Release
• Find a safe space to scream, hit pillows, or engage in cathartic movement.
• Write a letter of reclamation to an old version of yourself, and burn it as a ritual of release.
5. Rituals of Self-Devotion
• Take ritual baths with herbs associated with Venus (rose, hibiscus, cinnamon) and Aries (ginger, basil, cedar).
• Adorn yourself with red or gold—colors of power, confidence, and raw femininity.
• Engage in sensual movement to honor your body as sacred.
Emerging from the Retrograde: A New Venus is Born
As Venus moves direct and re-emerges from the underworld, we are left with a choice:
- Will we return as Inanna, transformed by our descent, now holding our shadow with reverence?
- Or will we walk forward as Lilith, exiled from old paradigms, but fully sovereign in our power?
Perhaps we will be both.
This Venus retrograde in Aries is an initiation. A stripping away of false selves. A confrontation with our deepest truths. A wild remembering of our power.
When the cycle completes, we will rise—not as the version of us the world expects, but as the embodiment of the raw, untamed, and fully realized feminine soul.
The heroine is reborn.
