Astrology

Venus turns retrograde October 3 in Scorpio as Mercury follows later in the month

Venus stations retrograde on October 3 at 8 degrees Scorpio and stays reversed until November 13, moving back into Libra on October 25, according to the Times of India and astrologer Judy Tsafrir as reported by the Hindustan Times.

The Sun enters Scorpio around October 23, and Mercury turns retrograde the next day, staying that way until November 13, the Times of India reports, meaning the month opens with Venus's reversal and closes with Mercury's.

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Three shifts packed into one month#

The Old Farmer's Almanac, as cited by the Hindustan Times, also places a New Moon in Libra on October 10 and Pluto stationing direct on October 15, before the Sun's move into Scorpio and Mercury's retrograde on October 24.

Venus's retrograde cycle takes place at intervals of approximately 18 months, with each occurrence spanning nearly 40 days, far less often than Mercury's three or four retrogrades a year, each lasting about three weeks, the Hindustan Times reports citing astrologer Judy Tsafrir.

Separately, the Times of India's Panchanga coverage notes Venus's retrograde falls alongside Pitru Paksha, Sharadiya Navratri starting October 11, and Jupiter's later move into Leo, though it reports no auspicious dates for marriage or Griha Pravesh fall in October.

Scorpio themes of trust and loyalty#

Scorpio is associated in astrology with trust, privacy and loyalty, and the Times of India reports that attachments once considered settled may come under scrutiny during this stretch, with small gaps between words and actions harder to overlook.

The AstroTwins at astrostyle.com describe Venus moving from evening star to morning star during this cycle and call it the first time in eight years the planet has retrograded through both Scorpio and Libra, periods they associate with buried feelings about trust and later with resurfacing old conflicts.

Cafe Astrology notes the shadow period, when Venus first crosses the degree it later returns to in retrograde, began August 31 and will not end until December 15, with the site describing the cycle as useful for budgeting and reconsidering personal relationships rather than for final decisions.

Mercury adds a communication review#

The Economic Times reports Mercury turns retrograde on October 24, 2026, a period traditionally linked to reviewing communication, travel, technology and contracts, and recommends finishing paperwork and negotiations before that date.

One investment newsletter examined 16 Venus retrograde periods since 2001 across six stock indices including the Nikkei 225, S&P 500 and NASDAQ, finding the S&P 500 rose 27.25% and the NASDAQ 29.31% during the 2009 cycle, though it attributes that swing to the financial crisis recovery rather than to the retrograde itself.

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