Self Love Day! 🥰(Official)

I’m officially declaring January 8th 2022 as Self Love Day! 💞
This is when Venus, the planet of Love and Beauty, reaches her annual Star Point, at the pinnacle of Venus Retrograde.

Venus Retrograde

The planet Venus goes retrograde from December 19th 2021, and turns direct again on January 29th 2022. It reaches its peak on January 8th, which is a magical day for heightened self-love, self nurturing, and introspection.

Venus Retrograde is the time of year to re-assess who and what we truly value (including ourselves). It’s a time for clearing the past in order to move forward fresh and re-energized; this especially applies during the first three weeks of the cycle (December 19th 2021 to January 8th 2022).

During the second half of the retrograde cycle (9th to 29th January 2022) watch for impulsiveness, e.g. shopping, or the urge to break up with your partner (if you have one). I must have written my heartbreak poem “Is This…Love?” during a Venus Retrograde!

Relationships

Many astrologers consider Venus Retrograde not ideal for starting relationships or getting married. Making final decisions in the areas of love and money is not advised until Venus turns direct again.

This is a good time for re-evaluating your relationship needs and for re-thinking your personal relationships. However, it’s not advised to end a relationship during Venus Retrograde, as you may regret it later. Due to this one being in the sign of Capricorn, your fear of rejection may be strong, but hold on! Rather than ending the relationship, take some time out to do some self-nurturing instead.

Old friends and lovers may re-appear, perhaps complicating current relationships. It can be a real challenge getting close to a lover during this period. Relationships that have been particularly challenging may come to an end during this cycle. However, strong relationships will survive it.

Major love decisions are best saved for after the cycle ends on January 29th 2022, and better still, after the shadow phase (March 1st).

Beauty
Venus rules beauty and aesthetics, so Venus Retrograde is not an ideal time for making drastic changes to your appearance (e.g. new haircut/colour, body enhancements, a new wardrobe of clothes, cosmetic surgery), or for redecorating your home.

Finances
Venus retrogrades are good times for creating budgets and financial plans.

However, taking final action (e.g. signing contracts) is not advised. Try to defer major purchases or financial decisions until after the Venus retrograde cycle. For example, the purchase of a new house, car, or other big-ticket item could backfire later on; they may cause problems for you, or you might change your mind and regret your purchase.

However, if you’re good at finding bargains, this can be a great time for getting unusual items at low prices, as during a Venus Retrograde period, people are more likely to get rid of things they wouldn’t normally part with under normal circumstances.

Social Activities
Because Venus is associated with social events, parties may not go as planned. Bear in mind that Mercury, which rules communications, also goes retrograde on January 14th (until February 4th 2022). So if you’re planning a major event, especially if it’s related to relationships, aim for after February 4th.

Self Love Day! 🥰 (Official)
On January 8th 2022, Venus reaches her annual Star Point. This is a great day for activities which nurture and make you feel better, both inside and out. This is the day to have a love affair with your Self!

Here are a few things you can do on Self Love Day:
💞 As soon as you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say to yourself “I love you! You are beautiful! You deserve the best of everything.” (You can make this a daily mantra throughout Venus Retrograde period)
💞 Pour some water in a glass and speak into the water “I love you!” before drinking it (preferably in the morning on an empty stomach). If you have a rose quartz crystal, place it at the bottom of the glass before adding the water. This is based on Dr Emoto’s experiments which prove that water can be programmed. Because our bodies are predominantly water, we can program the cells in our body with this charged water.

💞 Buy yourself some flowers and decorate your home with them.
💞 Take yourself on a spa day (just you, no girlfriends or boyfriends allowed!)

💞 Alternatively, run yourself a bath and speak words of love and gratitude into the water before getting in.
💞 Spend time in the Silence listening to your own thoughts (no TV, radio or external influences). Focus on self-love affirmations. If a self-defeating thought pops up, nip it in the bud by replacing it with a positive self-affirming affirmation. Ideally, spend some time in Nature.
💞 Have a facial/manicure/pedicure /massage
💞 Limit your conversations with other people and focus on your inner dialogue
💞 Write a gratitude list of all the things you love about yourself
💞 Meditate while listening to 528hz music, which is the frequency for Self Love

💞 Do a yoni steam
💞 Exercise, but nothing too strenuous (stretches and squats are ideal)
💞 I’m compiling a Self Love playlist on the Journey of a Sister YouTube channel, take a listen and leave your recommendations in the comments, for me to add to the list!
💞 Give thanks for everything you have experienced in life so far, and acknowledge how they have helped you to grow, including past relationships.
💞 Focus on giving unconditional Love to yourself for one day, without feeling self-ish! If you have children or pets, arrange for them to be cared for by a family member, or someone you can trust.

This is a great day to focus on the relationship you have with your (inner) Self, rather than your relationships with others.

Earlier this year I learned of a ritual to release the soul-ties of past relationships. It has to be done on a waning moon (just after a full moon).

There happens to be a beautiful Full Moon on December 19th, the first day of Venus Retrograde! As I mentioned earlier, the waning moon is the perfect time to clear the past in order to move forward fresh and re-energized. This is especially for you, if you need closure on a relationship that has already ended, or if you want to clear stagnant energies so you can move forward in life.

My Journey to Self Love

My Self Love Journey began in 2007; I was about to fall asleep one night when the above image flashed in my mind (imagination) in a moment of inspiration. I drew it straight away, then painted it at a later date. I was suffering from a Self Love Deficit; my thoughts were dominated by things I didn’t like about myself, instead of my good qualities.

Shortly after receiving the image ‘Self Love‘, I joined a meditation class; I learned how to ‘nip my negative thoughts in the bud’, and replace them with positive thoughts, in order to keep the garden of my mind well cultivated. I shared everything I learned in Year Three of my self-help novel Journey of a Sister.

I’m still on the journey to Self Love, and while I’m not 100% there yet, I’ve come a long way!

Join me on a 10 day Self Love Challenge starting on 1st January! (Fill in the contact form below).

Make Your Own Self Love Pamper Me Pack!

In preparation for Self Love Day (January 8th), why not put together your own Self Love Pamper Me Pack?
Items you can include:
• Rose quartz crystal
• Make your own bath salts/body scrub with Himalayan pink bath salts, apricot or olive oil, rose petals, rose essential oil, or frankincense essential oil
• Hand-held mirror
• Self Love journal/pen
• Make your own self-indulgent body lotion/oil using shea butter, coconut oil, herbs and essential oils
• Herbs for a yoni steam, or for your bath