Venus retrograde is justice with a knife, not just a sword.
Content warning: sexual assault, r*pe. Read with care.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Cornell 7 by now. I hate that name for them, if we’re being honest. It makes them sound revolutionary; like the Little Rock Nine, the Central Park Five. And these men are anything but; they are evidence of the conservative, patriarchal system in which we live.
The drugging and sexual assault of Jane Doe occurred in October 2024, under a Venus in Scorpio transit. I’ve talked about Venus in Scorpio before, it’s a period of time where we can feel overshadowed by desires. Where wanting overcomes rational thought and action. Hm.
And now here we are, two years later, about to enter a Venus retrograde in Scorpio, and justice is just beginning to be served. My heart is broken and my blood is boiling. I appreciate that people are pissed off now, but why does anger always have to happen after the fact? Why are women punished for standing up for themselves in the first place? Why won’t this be the first, nor the last story we’ll hear like this?
My sophomore year of college, I existed in a large friend group, as one does sometimes. I was sexually assaulted by a man in the group, who was known for being silly and goofy and Always A Good Time. When I brought it up, I was met with various versions of, “Oh, it’s just [insert name here]!” and “He would never do that, I’m sure it was a misunderstanding.” from most of the group.
A time later, he assaulted another member of the group. Yes, she was white. And yes, that matters. Everyone believed her. They went to the police with her, for her. Justice was served, I guess. And I got a phone call while I was in Miami after the semester ended, with people begging for my forgiveness for not being believed in the first place.
Sure.
Yes, that was many moons ago and all parties involved are no longer in my life, but I still carry it most days. Not every day, because that shite is exhausting, but just enough to remind me of where I’m coming from and to remind me that my current armor is not paranoia, it is a reminder that what I’m building must also be protected.
This Venus retrograde, take back what has been taken from you, not by looking externally, but by reaching deeper into the self. Remember that Justice carries a sword, but sometimes, she needs a knife to get to the heart of the matter. Take your blood back, bounce back. Word to Mystikal, Scorpio Venus.
Thank you for reading, thank you for being here.
With love,
Favor
October Astro Forecast
October 3rd, 3:16 am EST: Venus Retrograde in Scorpio begins
October 6th, 8:10 pm EST: Mercury conjunction Venus in Scorpio
October 10th, 11:49 am EST: New Moon in Libra
October 23rd, 5:38 am EST: Sun enters Scorpio
October 24th, 3:12 am EST: Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio
October 25th, 5:10 am EST: Venus Retrograde leaves Scorpio, re-enters Libra
October 26th, 12:11 am EST: Full Moon in Taurus
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This month’s tarotscopes feature the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck and the Art Oracles deck by Katya Tylevich and Mikkel Sommer. Read for your Sun and Rising signs.
Libra: 3 of Swords and Buckminster Fuller
Libra, in the pursuit of truth, you must risk getting your heart broken. Or, even worse, breaking your own heart. The 3 of Swords is one of those cards that’s hard to look at, but its wisdom is beneath that discomfort.
The 3 of Swords, as you can probably tell by the art, is a card of heartbreak, sadness, grief. I like talking about grief, I understand it well. I understand more that grief is a part of a whole cycle, not just pain without purpose. All pain, all discomfort, serves a purpose, Libra. We’re dealing with the Swords suit here, which is representative of Air signs, like you. Swords are pragmatic, rational, pointed in speech. As you speak your truth, as you point your Sword, you are bound to cut someone. You are bound to “break a heart” or two. But let’s think rationally about this card’s design:
- The heart is growing around the Swords, absorbing them, even being uplifted by them.
- The heart isn’t bleeding, it’s still vibrant and alive, despite the Swords.
- There’s a storm, rain. We may not like storms, but you must recognize they serve a purpose: nourishing the earth, washing away debris, resettling the atmosphere.
Libra, let this month be the month you embrace storms in your life. Let this month be a reminder that grief is also a form of love.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Buckminster Fuller.
꩜ (Life): Live to serve, serve to solve.
✎ (Work): Invent the words by which to live your life.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Great height are best seen from your lowest point.
Scorpio: 7 of Swords and Pablo Picasso
Scorpio, in the midst of Venus moving back and forth within your sign, it’s time to be decisive. We don’t always associate Venus with being strategic, but social constructs, relationships (Venusian things) are all about strategy, maintaining order. 7 of Swords is here to support a calculated approach to yourself and others.
Notice our figure is carrying 5 Swords, leaving behind 2 of them. This brings us back to the 5 of Swords, reminding us that sometimes, leaving discordant environments is difficult, but necessary. The 7 of Swords is a maturation of this 5 of Swords energy. The Swords are firmly planted in the ground, instead of hastily discarded, like in the 5oS. This choice symbolizes the tangible knowledge that, even in leaving, be strategic. You can’t take it all with you. Take what you can, take what’s necessary. Don’t over indulge right now, Scorpio, stay objective. Word to Janelle Monae, “Take your time, take what you love, baby just enough but never too much.”
The 7 of Swords figure is also getting out of the nonsense, if you notice the circus tents in the background. Scorpio, I commend your capacity for nonsense, your ability to move through nonsense. But let October be a month you recognize it’s not always your responsibility to deal with nonsense. You can take your skill, passion, and energy into environments that will reward your strength and power. Take your Swords and use them for light, for good.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Pablo Picasso.
꩜ (Life): If nothing else, be prolific.
✎ (Work): Choose to have as many styles as you do lovers.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Make something worth impersonating.
Sagittarius: Queen of Cups and William Blake
Sagittarius, in pursuit of being #funandsexy, you may give a vibe of Being Open and Honest. It’s attractive and inspiring, but I have to ask, is your vulnerability grounded in true self-esteem, or is it a shield to stop people to from really seeing you for who you are?
The Queen of Cups is known as the Water of Water, in tarot. She is fully enmeshed in the element; toes touching the shore, blue robe that seems to melt into the waves. She gets up close and personal with the water’s edge, sets her throne there and meditates. But, unlike the other (masculine) Cups court cards, the Queen’s cup is covered. She gives the illusion of vulnerability while still protecting what’s inside her chalice. In this vein, the Queen of Cups invites you to consider the Why of your vulnerability.
Queen energy is emotional, sensual appreciation of the element. As such, the Queen understands that sometimes, water requires containment, protection. And not because water is weak, but because water is strong and receptive. So Sagittarius, are you ready to admit how sensitive you can be? And, are you ready to admit this is actually a strength? The Queen is an invitation to recognize your sensitivities, to figure out what really feeds your spirit, even if it isn’t immediately #funandsexy. You’ll find nurturing the spirit creates a new kind of vulnerability for you.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is William Blake.
꩜ (Life): Hell is hypocrisy on earth.
✎ (Work): Vision requires not sight, but spirit.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Madness in life, genius in death.
Capricorn: 10 of Swords and Jean-Michel Basquiat & Andy Warhol
Capricorn, do you realize that hitting rock bottom can actually be a springboard towards a brighter future? And as you approach rock bottom, are you willing to look up and receive messages from your higher self?
The 10 of Swords is the culmination of the Swords suit, the end of a way of thinking. Self-defeatist thoughts, taking on other people’s perspectives as your own, not being decisive in your own life. All 10s in tarot speak to endings, but in every conclusion lies a new beginning. That’s why 10 reduces to 1 and in tarot, all the 10s lead back to 1, representing the circle of life.
Capricorn, let October be the last month you let yourself be run to the ground (by all your Swords) before you pick yourself up again. Let October be the month you let go of self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors. You’ve already overcome the worst of things, the storm has already passed. Look closer at the card, the sun is on the horizon. Brighter days are ahead but they require you to let go of the past. Note, the figure in the card is looking away from us, the audience, and toward the sunrise.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Jean-Michel Basquiat (and Andy Warhol is tagging along).
Basquiat
꩜ (Life): In lieu of a canvas, find a wall.
✎ (Work): Try collaborating with Andy Warhol.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Good work can come from bad habits.
Warhol
꩜ (Life): Eat dessert before dinner.
✎ (Work): Give your 15 minutes some time.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Wanting can be better than having.
Aquarius: King of Cups and Michelangelo
Aquarius, your sign is known as The Water Bearer. The Star, in tarot, is representative of this sentiment, too. In astrology spaces, though, Aquarius isn’t known for being sensitive. Yet, water continues to be a part of your signature. October asks you to consider if bearing water, if being the King of Cups, can be a humble task toward your development.
I like to describe the King of Cups as a lighthouse. Note the movement in the waves around him, the boat, the whale. And yet, he is calm, grounded, understanding of that fact everything is working as it should, even when it feels like chaos. Aquarius, the King of Cups is an invitation to accept and recognize the emotional undercurrents of life, even if it’s not in your immediate signature to be emotional. With Saturn co-ruling on your sign, it’s your social responsibility to hold shite down. While this can be lonely, it also gives you a greater perspective on your environment.
This month, the King of Cups asks you to be more compassionate. To stop analyzing emotions (yours and others) and to just let them exist. As the Water Bearer, you have an incredible capacity to help people, to ground them in hope for the future. Remember that you cannot control the waves, or how other people respond to life. You just be present to be the calm in the storm.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Michelangelo.
꩜ (Life): No compromise is a good compromise.
✎ (Work): Blemished origins do not negate flawless conclusions.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Become ill with unhealthy perfectionism.
Pisces: Knight of Wands and Filippo Marinetti
Pisces, October brings a new surge of energy for you. The Knight of Wands is the teenager of the Wands suit, still learning how to temper their inner fire, but not afraid to get burned. This month, you are being invited to move forward with bold intention and action.
The Knight of Wands inspires us to literally take life by the reins. Notice all the movement in this card; the horse mid-rear, the wind moving through the Knight’s plume and clothing. The Knight may seem a little reckless, but there is a genuine spirit behind their movement. There is a method to the Knight’s madness. Pisces, what are the benefits of holding yourself back? Who benefits from you dimming your light? Definitely not you.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, burnt out, the Knight of Wands appears to light a fire under your ass. Get out of your comfort zone, represented by the pyramids in the background, don’t be afraid to take up space in your environment. Think bigger and brighter. In this pursuit, protect yourself, protect your dreams. The Knight is fully armored up, because to go into unfamiliar spaces fully vulnerable, is just stupid. Just like a kid learning to ride a bike, in order to be fearless, you must also be protected.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Filippo Marinetti.
꩜ (Life): Forward march. Looking backward ensures a broken neck.
✎ (Work): Your art should wage war.
𓁺 (Inspiration): The only constant will always be contradiction.
Quick note: I’m moving (to a different Instagram account lol)! If you currently follow @welcomehome.world on Instagram, I’ll be moving to @welcomehomewrld.co over the course of October.
Aries: 4 of Swords and Artemisia Gentileschi
Aries, do you let yourself rest? And recognizing there are different kinds of rest, do you let your mind rest? For an active energy, rest can sometimes look like unwinding through movement, hobbies, etc. But when’s the last time you meditated? Prayed, even, if that’s a term you subscribe to.
The 4 of Swords is a moment of respite in the tumultuous Swords suit. Note the stained glass window, the bed (that kind of looks like a tomb), the peace on the figure’s face. This level of contentment is also shown in the window, PAX, Latin for “peace”. But this peace is only achieved through fully unplugging from the world. A mini Hermit mode. This card invites you to fall on your own Sword, to sacrifice your pride or wanting to be a part of life, and to check in with yourself.
4s, in Numerology, represent structure, stability, consistency. In the Swords suit, the 4 speaks to when you need to get your mind right, so you can fully participate in the world around you. Rationally and reasonably, too. In the pursuit of resting, the 4 of Swords says you need to be intentional about it. Schedule it. Go to church (whatever that looks like for you, I don’t mean actual church), go be in nature, go be dead to the world for a bit, see what you find.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Artemisia Gentileschi.
꩜ (Life): History has your back. Society stabs you in it.
✎ (Work): Use your talent like a weapon.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Don’t let convention confine you.
Taurus: Judgment and Sonia Delaunay
Taurus, October is a wake-up call. Have you learned the lessons this year has been trying to teach you? Are you ready to wake up your past selves, too, in order to figure out which ones are ready to move forward with you? The angel’s trumpet isn’t a warning, it’s a nudge in the right direction. Will you rise to the challenge?
You’ve got the only Major Arcana card this month, inviting you to step up to the challenge that is The Fool’s Journey. Note how much grey is present in this card, this re-awakening isn’t necessarily good or bad, but neutral. What you make of this moment, this month, is up to you. Judgement is ruled by Pluto, representing the slow dissolution of things that were meant to be cleared away. The dust has settled now and judgement day is here. Not a harsh judgement, but an evaluation of who you are and where you’re coming from.
October asks you to answer the call. The calling of the self back home. Judgement day, in traditional contexts, is when the dead are called back “home,” to heaven. This is representative of your higher self, calling the parts of you back to yourself, so you can use them for your next journey. Similar to your sister sign, Scorpio, remember that you can’t take everything with you on this next chapter. Stay hopeful, stay open, stay moving toward the future.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Sonia Delaunay.
꩜ (Life): Don’t live to 94 without founding an art movement.
✎ (Work): The practical should also be art.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Does your geometry lack poetry?
Gemini: 5 of Wands and ORLAN
Gemini, the 5 of Wands asks you to embrace the discomfort of conflict. When 5 individuals, all trying to assert themselves, someone’s bound to get hit. But what can you learn from conflict? How can you use conflict to strengthen your mediation skills?
The 5 of Wands represents healthy competition. Note all the figures are on a level playing field, everyone has the right to be in the ring, they’re all equally matched in strength and intention. This October asks you to step up your game, surround yourself with people who push you to be better, not in a competitive way, but in a way that widens your perspective. Heavy on that perspective part, as we have a clear blue sky in this card. No clouds, no confusion, just truth.
This month, please remember, the only way to get better at discord is to be in discord. As the sign of environmental awareness, you are being invited to look at conflict from a wider, more philosophical approach. As an Air sign, as well, remember that air isn’t noticeable until it meets resistance. So don’t be afraid of a little friction. Don’t take it personally, either, this isn’t a card of showboating ego, but instead testing ego.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is ORLAN.
꩜ (Life): Don’t fear pain. Art is an anesthetic.
✎ (Work): Do you like who you see in your petri dish dish?
𓁺 (Inspiration): Become your paradigm.
Cancer: Queen of Wands and Marina Abramović
Cancer, the Queen of Wands invites you to speak your truth boldly. The Queen of Wands isn’t afraid to shake shite up, she speaks with candor. She may be little intense sometimes, but at least she is sincere. October asks you to consider if you’ve been sincere.
The Wands suit is Fire, in element. Fire, in tarot, is about illumination, without fear or shadows. Cancer, I recognize you like to keep things close to your chest, the insular crabs you are, but what would happen if you let go and let people in? What would happen if you assumed positive intentions in all interactions, even when you have past, emotional evidence to tell you otherwise. The Queen’s sunflower is representative of this sentiment: follow the sun, follow your joy.
In this pursuit of joy, have you been honest about what makes you happy? Not what others expect you to enjoy, but what truly lights your fire. And that looks different for every Cancerian, obviously. But October invites you to really explore that concept of joy. What does life look like when your happiness is paramount? What do you look like when you’re confident, creative, and in touch with your spiritual side? Allow October to help you expand on these themes.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Marina Abramović.
꩜ (Life): Skeptic, heal thyself.
✎ (Work): Discipline is both a noun and a verb.
𓁺 (Inspiration): When a stranger stares into your soul, do not press charges. Stare back.
Leo: 10 of Pentacles and Henri Matisse
Leo, as you shine bright in the present, ask yourself what you’re leaving behind? What your legacy will be? The coins in the 10 of Pentacles are aligned in the Tree of Life formation, symbolizing a full synthesis of one’s life experience, in the tangible world (like Pentacles), creates one’s legacy.
The 10 of Pentacles asks you to slow down, just a little, Leo. To think about what you want to leave behind for your family, loved ones, your community, your profession, whatever aligns with you. Not just in vibes, but tangibly. Creative portfolio, a sense of peace, abundance that transcends the material world but is still grounded in the material. This card invites you to think about yourself and your values in the long-term, to make long-term investments, even though it may feel better to work in the short-term.
What are you building right now, Leo? Is it meant to last or does it just look nice right now? Also, who are you building it for? Leo rules over the heart space, being generous. As you are building a legacy for yourself, don’t forget to give back, to build community tangibly, to cement your investments in history.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Henri Matisse.
꩜ (Life): Unleash the beast within.
✎ (Work): Productivity, even in pajamas.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Sketch boldly and paint with a big stick.
Virgo: 3 of Pentacles and Leonardo da Vinci
Virgo, October provides an opportunity to learn something new. By incorporating various perspectives and knowledges, you will learn more about yourself and how you can tangibly work with others. Your zodiac is the sign of coworkers, how we tangibly interact with the world, our systems, how our brains get from point A to point B.
The 3 of Pentacles is the card of teamwork and collaboration. This card appears when we’ve been carrying too much of a situation and it’s time to consider alternative approaches. It’s okay to outsource some of your ideas, Virgo. Just because you can do it all, doesn’t mean you should. In 78 Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack writes of the 3 of Pentacles, saying, “practical work, done consciously and with commitment, may serve as the vehicle for self-development.” So Virgo, by letting go of all the responsibility of practical work and allowing for a bit of support, what will you learn about yourself?
Notice the sturdiness of the scene, the stone and brick. What these figures are building is foundational, requires patience and time, requires many areas of expertise. You don’t have all the answers, Virgo; there are people wiser than you to learn from and less experienced than you that can benefit from your knowledge. All are necessary for genuine growth.
Your Art Oracle messenger this month is Leonardo da Vinci.
꩜ (Life): “I’m not a Renaissance Man. I’m a Renaissance, man.”
✎ (Work): Dissect what makes you human.
𓁺 (Inspiration): Look into research like you would a crystal ball.
Thank you for reading October’s tarotscope. I hope your reading resonated with you, let me know down in the comments if it did. xx
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