Hello friend,

Welcome to Sky Reading! This is my first experiment in poetic horoscopes.

As these horoscopes are for Venus Retrograde in Scorpio, I have been drawn to thinking about black apples as symbolic of this Venusian-Martial journey.

Black apples are rare and exquisite; an erotic feast for the underworld.

And, in a beautiful synchronicity, black apples also take eight years to mature, and can be harvested for only a matter of weeks. Not only do black apples feel like Venus in Scorpio, but their life cycle echoes this transit.

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Venus is retrograding through Scorpio now as part of a forty-day transit that began on October 3rd. It will continue its retrograde through Libra from October 25th until November 13th.

The last time Venus retrograded through Scorpio was from October 5 to October 31, 2018 and it continued its retrograde through Libra until November 16, 2018.

What were you doing roughly eight years ago, the last time this transit happened?

Think about the Venusian aspects of your life (creativity, romance in love and friendship, beauty and art, adornment, pleasure, sensuality) and where they might interact with the Scorpio part of your chart.

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For me, almost every Venusian area was stretched to breaking point. I was going relentlessly towards things that I thought were working and would make me happy, but I was destroying myself in the process.

Because all of this was happening in my first house of self and expression, I felt that my sense of self was at stake, so I doubled down. I threw a Venusian party and ended up in serious Martial trouble.

Three hours before the party, my back went into spasm and I couldn’t move. I was in a lot of pain, unable to sit or stand, only to lie or crawl. So I put on some lipstick and “hosted” the party from a supine position, dosed with painkillers.

Looking back, I see something masochistic in this behaviour. Masochism feels like one form of a Venus in Scorpio embodiment. Pain as pleasure, or pain as enactment – emotional intensity that can’t be ignored. It began the process of serious change in all of those aspects of my life. I had to go back, to fall all the way down, to cut away what was killing me.

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This cycle isn’t necessarily about abrupt endings, or shocks. You might already know these things, consciously, or unconsciously. This transit shines a blacklight on these aspects of your life.

Venusian areas that felt more out of focus last time retrograde in Scorpio might feel closer now. If you were deep in a creative project then, you might be focusing on relationships now. Or there might be a single narrative arc that fits the cycle perfectly in one area of your Venusian life.

How have things shown up for you in this period that echo, recall, repeat, or sharpen what was happening eight years ago?

If this transit is a black apple, how can you tend it, devour it, carve it, or share it with others?

Read your Venus Retrograde in Scorpio horoscope to find out more.

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Scorpio

It’s midnight in the orchard. In all directions there are trees bursting with black apples. Some are ripe, some have already fallen. Some are coming into full fruit. A sliver of moonlight catches a pile of night fruits and you bend to look at it. These fruits represent you, and hold your deepest desires. You find a table laid out with tools of all kinds. Everything you might need. What will you construct with your black apples? A crown? A piece of jewellery? A talisman? Once you have designed your object, it will be sealed, and yours to keep forever; a reminder of this time in the orchard. Take it with you and feel its power next to your skin. What does it feel like? What will it allow you to do? What might it force you to cut away?

Sagittarius

Wrap yourself in something soft and cosy. It can be a patchwork blanket, a velvet cape, or a favourite winter coat. Step outside at dusk and follow the trail of gleaming black apples scattered along the side of the road. As they soak up the last rays of sunlight, let their glow guide you deep into the forest. The air grows crisp and you hug closer into your clothes. When you arrive at a clearing, you turn to see the apple trail still glowing, though the sun has disappeared. You know you can find your way back any time. You are at the end of the trail, with nowhere else to go. Nowhere else to be. What will you meditate on while you are there? What would you do and who would you become if you could trust yourself to dream? What will happen if you turn back in fear?

Capricorn

You wake at dawn, ready to see how your apple cider is doing. It has been fermenting for weeks, and today it will be just right. The sun is just coming up as you pad, barefoot, to the balcony and your cider still. You dip a glass into the liquid and take a first sip. The drink is a deep purple and it is deliciously tart. You sprinkle a little magic into the cider as you pour it into jars, ready for the harvest festival. Which parts of your magic go into the cider to be shared? How will other people receive this offering? What will you be able to do together once the festival begins? What are you afraid they might see?

Aquarius

You walk into an empty theatre with red velvet seats. There is a glittering black curtain across the stage. You sit in the front row and hear the sound of a harp; warm, harmonic sounds that make you feel at home. The curtain is raised, and you see a single pedestal, spotlit. On it, sits a black apple. You are drawn towards it, and as you approach, the spotlight goes out but the light continues to glow from inside. The apple becomes a scrying mirror, and if you choose to, you can see your future dreams, visions, and plans in its surface. Do you want to know the truth? What do you think you might find?

Pisces

At twilight, you see a greenhouse lit by a single bulb. Inside, there are cuttings, notebooks, pencils, and planters. You see that someone has left you notes about how to graft and propagate the black apple tree. You have never done this before, but the writer believes in you; they want you to pass on the knowledge of this plant so it can be shared. You don’t understand at first; the pencil scratch irritates you, the bright light hurts your eyes. But then you spend time with the plant itself, feeling its skin against your own, tasting its flesh, letting it whisper its secrets to you. You understand, at once, its histories, its biology, its folklore. You eat it, right down to the core, knowing that it can be reproduced anytime. What does it tell you about your relationship to knowledge? How far can you help the apple to spread? What does the core taste like?

Aries

You wear a veil made from spiderwebs and crystals to show your respect for the dead. You enter an underground cave and feel the damp air swirl around you, but you can feel your own blood thrum warm in your veins. In the cave, there is a stone altar and you approach it. From your bag you produce five black candles and five black apples. You lay them out on the altar. You make an offering of your apples to the dead; to your ancestors, to the souls watching over you, to the unmourned. As you light each candle, you say a prayer. As you blow each candle out, you hear a whisper from the dead. What do you hear? What can they help you to do? Will you follow their advice or will you go back to your old ways?

Taurus

You are in an underground bar in the early hours. The sun has disappeared but there are no windows so you can only guess at the time. There’s no one left in the bar but you and one other person. Perhaps they are your lover or an enemy. Perhaps they are your friend. You’ve both been drawn into the influence of the bar – an atmosphere that warps reality around itself. There is a low hum of music; ominous chords. The fairy lights flicker. The walls are painted red. The other person moves forward and takes your black apple in their hand. They look at you, direct in the eye, and lean back against the wall, laughing. They place the apple on their head. You pick up a bow and arrow from the table nearby. You feel certain you can hit it. They dare you. Do you shoot? Or not? What happens when you do? Or what happens if you don’t?

Gemini

You are planning a research trip to the big city with your friends. You will be interviewing one of your idols and learning about your favourite subjects. You are excited to go deep. But a nagging cold has been bothering you, and your ankle feels a little sore. The night before you leave, you find a kit under your bed, with an apothecary’s handbook. A bag of black apples has been left behind. You inhale the scent of the fruit and feel your lungs expand. You rub the apple against your joints and feel light and loose. You follow the instructions and add apple juice to each empty vial, then pack your apothecary in your suitcase. Will you remember to take care of yourself once you arrive in the city? How will you prioritise your medicine? What happens if you forget?

Cancer

You are in a harness, suspended above an exhibition space in a gallery. This is your show. Twenty feet below, is a vat of black apples that you have suspended in saltwater. Slowly, the water is turning into dark sludge. The scent is tangy and sour. The apples give off an erotic heat. The audience are waiting to see what you will do next. If you choose to, you can stay suspended. Or, you can fall deep into the warm apple sludge. Or, you can bring the audience members in with you. What does it feel like to remain suspended? What does it feel like to let the apples close over you? What does it feel like to bring someone in with you?

Leo

You are in your new apartment. You have leased it for six months. It is cozy with your usual touches of glamour. You can make this space into whatever you want – a retreat, an artist’s studio, a party pad, a home. You find a bowl in the kitchen with four black apples neatly stacked. You know what to do. You place one apple on the windowsill at each corner of the apartment – north, south, east, and west. They are wards that keep your home protected and allow your chosen family inside. Who do you want in your home? What or who will bring you fulfilment? What are you cutting away?

Virgo

You are in your local area on a Saturday morning. You see your neighbours in the distance, some you know, and some you don’t. The feeling rises within you that you would like to know them better. You would like to share something with them, just for this one Saturday morning. You have some complicated feelings – shyness, a sense you might get caught up in tedious conversations, worry that you don’t have time – the feeling wavers. Then you look around and see that there are black apples scattered all over the ground. They shine in the mid-morning sunshine and you rush to gather them up. You offer them to your neighbours. They invite you for coffee and a gossip. You find out about a film screening for this evening. You register for a clothes swap the following week. How can the apples help you to sate your hunger for company? How can they lead you to mundane pleasures?

Libra

It is mid-morning and you are walking through the city. It’s an in-between time and you have the chance to take in your surroundings, to nod and smile at the people who pass you by. You feel connected to the universe and know that you are just as important as the other people you pass and the dogs you stop to pet. You are no more and no less than the sun shining down or the trees overhead. You are deeply connected to the universe. You push open the door to the tattoo parlour and walk inside, greeted by your artist. They offer you water as they prepare their tools. The design has been ready for weeks; it will take an hour to complete. It is your private insignia, a pattern that represents the deepest parts of you. The colours are exactly right. The symbol is unique. You have it marked on the inside of your wrist, just for you, a resource that you can check any time you need to, to remind you of what you carry inside. When you leave, doubts begin to creep in about whether you made the right decision, whether this was the perfect symbol, the perfect choice. What can the tattoo teach you about trusting yourself in the moment? About your inner resources? About living with imperfection?

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