Venus retrograde and female sovereignty

The Monday Newsletter

I am currently undergoing a crisis of the self. For any astrology girls reading, you already know the tea, but for everyone else, we are neck-deep in Venus retrograde. Once every couple years, the planet Venus experiences a retrograde, reversing its forward motion before coming back again. Many of you are already familiar with Mercury retrograde — the planet of thought, progress, and communication reversing its sprint and giving way to misunderstandings, communication issues, and delays. Venus’ purview is quite different. She rules abundance, money, beauty and, of course, love.

Venus retrograde is a time for the feminine to regain its ground; a gestational period of healing for women. It’s a nudge from the universe to unpack wounds relating to the internal feminine. This transit is an opportunity to heal from past wounds and come out the other end renewed, with direction. With Venus retrograde falling into the sign Aries, the direction is towards self-sovereignty. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, the spark of life, associated with independence, authenticity, and the fundamental right of the individual to exist. Translation? The Universe is saying, “Girl, get up.”

I confess that I do have a habit of wallowing. Staying afloat in the crashing waves that are the world right now are difficult. It’s easy to fall into the habit of burying myself under the covers and hoping that once I finally decide to surface, everything is going to be alright. I have desires and ambitions that lay in wait in my chest, but it’s far too easy to wave off my dreams under the promise of someday. To imagine that one day I’ll be the girl who’s ready to take those risks, to go for what she wants, to release her chains and attachments towards the things that limit her.

But the truth is, that version of me is never going to just appear. I need to do the work to become her. To become the unapologetic warrior that I know I can be. It’s hard work, and it’s tiring, but if I don’t swim, I run the risk of drowning in the storm. The only way out is through. And the only way through is as me, for me. What is the point of my time on this Earth if not to pursue with fervor the life that I want? What is the point of being given a life if I am not living it wholly and completely for myself?

As women, we live in a world that feeds us a steady stream of societal messaging about subservience. Brain-worms have burrowed their ways deep into our skulls, whispering not to be too loud, too confident, too self-centered. To be humble, quiet, “good.” But I am tired of being good. I am exhausted from caring what other people will think about me. From this day on, I no longer diminish myself to remain digestible to others. I am not a consumable object. I am a woman that will laugh while they choke.

Latest Read: The Book of Longings - Sue Monk Kidd

This is a first on Cranberry Milk, but my latest read left me deeply unsatisfied. The Book of Longings has a bold premise; it tells the story of Ana, the fictional wife of Jesus Christ. You would think that such a daring step into sacrilege would constitute powerful prose, but the story felt hollow and scattered. Partly a story about a young woman’s romance with a pre-fame Jesus, partly a story about a girl finding her voice in a world set on silencing her, partly a story about female solidarity; this story is partly many things, but not fully anything. In fact, I found the tying up of Ana’s own arc with Jesus’ to have been to the novel’s detriment. Her own personal growth hindered at every end, wrapped up in a broad-strokes retelling of the life and times of Jesus (who remains starkly absent from the second half of the book only to show 20-odd pages before the conclusion and die on a cross). When I read the final page and closed the book, my only thought was, “That was it?” I wanted a first-century saga of biblical proportions. Instead, I just got reheated nachos.

Latest Watch: Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey, the newest Ryan Murphy creation, is a procedural medical drama about Dr. Max Bankman — the head doctor on the cruise ship the Odyssey — and his two nurses, Avery and Tristan. I confess that I’ve never really been a fan of procedurals. “Grey's Anatomy” always felt a little too straight for my taste. But this show has injected just enough faggotry to hold my attention. And it’s on a cruise ship! “How much can really happen on a cruise ship?” you ask. And to that I answer, “Everything.” Noses falling off. Wigs catching on fire. Syphilis outbreaks. If it can happen, it can happen on a cruise ship. At the center of all of this, our leads are embroiled in a steamy love triangle. And if the constant teasing of the show and the incessant shipping of Twitter stans under the name ODY3 are any indication, this triangle might just go throuple! Why should you watch Doctor Odyssey? Simply put: It’s camp!

Latest Listen: Model - The Wallows

Is it cringe to listen to the Wallows in 2025? I remember the heyday of Wallows TikTok fangirls during the 2020 pandemic — I was a passive observer, not an active participant. But now? I think I get the hype. There’s something about a man singing sad lyrics pining over a girl that hates him that just does it for me. Their 2024 album “Model” has hit me in the heart and taken over my mind. It’s become my go-to record to blast on my drive to work, and to use as background music during showers. My favorite track on the album is “Your Apartment,” a song about complex longing for a past lover. “I wonder who’s been at your apartment / Would you give in or would you relent? / Who’s been tryin’ to get into your bed?” It captures the intensity of emotions towards an ex that we can all feel. I broke up with my ex-boyfriend back in November, but every time I feel like I’m over it, I get hit with another wave of pent-up emotions. I would never go back to that relationship, but your ties to someone don’t just evaporate just because you’re intellectually done. This album has been a sweet, non-judgemental companion as I heal.

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Oops, I definitely got a little bit too “astrology girl” on main today. I spend so much time thinking about and unpacking these concepts in my own personal life and journaling, and this Venus retrograde transit has been really impactful for me. I knew I just needed to vent about this shit.

As always, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to reply!

Love, Naomi ♥♥♥