Many of us become tense when we learn that a planet has gone retrograde and wonder what nonsense is about to ruin our lives.
However, not all planets in retrograde have disastrous effects, and some even have a positive outlook. So, before we go any further, let’s start with a few facts about planets in retrograde. The first thing you should know is that all planets, including asteroids, go retrograde — some more frequently than others and for longer periods of time than others. The second point to note is that planets in retrograde are not actually moving backward; they are still on their normal course, but appear to move differently due to our shifting perspective here on Earth. Planets farther away will be in retrograde for a longer period of time than planets closer to us. The optical illusion of retrograde is caused by the sun, which affects our view of the planets when they align with it.
On the astrological side of things, however, it is because of this perceived backward motion that we experience changes in our lives. When a planet is seen to be retrograde, it has the opposite effect that it normally has. During retrograde, a planet that brings us abundance in our natal charts and horoscopes will bring us loss and difficulty.
So, let’s look at the planets in our solar system, as well as some asteroids, and see what happens when they go retrograde.
Miscommunication comes from Mercury
Mercury retrograde is the one you’ve probably heard the most about, and probably fear the most. When Mercury is in retrograde, we blame it for our technology not working properly and for disagreements with people in our lives. And, because Mercury is the closest planet to Earth, it experiences the most retrograde periods, which usually last no more than a month.
When Mercury is not in retrograde and appears in your astrology charts, it indicates that communication is important in your life — Mercury is the planet of writers and speakers. That’s why, when Mercury is retrograde, communication goes completely awry. Everything communication gets messed up during this time, from your emails not going through to your phone not working, from you and your family arguing to your boss suddenly having issues with you. Mercury retrograde is not the time to have important discussions, ask for raises, or invest in new communication devices to avoid miscommunication. Just wait for it to pass and then deal with whatever you’ve been holding onto. Any conversation can turn into an argument during this time, so why risk it?
Venus retrograde brings reinvention
Venus is the planet of love, and it goes retrograde for about a month and a half every year and a half. When it comes to this planet in your charts, it looks at finances and things we’re passionate about in addition to romance. Because of the connection to money, one of the effects of Venus in retrograde is a desire to change and reinvent ourselves. This includes everything from coming up with new ways to turn our passions into money to reevaluating our romantic and other relationships.
Of course, because we’re looking at things in reverse here, even though retrograde planets don’t actually move backward, you should keep an eye out for problems with your passions, including your love life. Focus on the positive aspects of your love life and finances — don’t invest in anything new right now, but do begin doing research if you are ready to make some changes. Now is also a good time to pay off any debts you may have. Spend some time during Venus retrograde making plans, and then put those plans into action once the retrograde is over.
Mars causes listlessness
Mars goes retrograde every couple of years, and it stays there for at least two months, leaving us vulnerable to the negative aspects of this fiery planet the entire time. When Mars appears in your natal chart, it represents action and the fiery side of life, including sex and passion. That said, when Mars goes retrograde, that fire dies.
What happens when the fiery Mars retrogrades? Expect a lot of ennui, listlessness, and an inability to advocate for yourself. You may not feel bored for the entire two months, but it will manifest itself when you find it difficult to get motivated to do the things you want to do. Because there is a greater chance of feeling stressed during this retrograde, it is critical to incorporate stress-relieving activities into your daily life in order to achieve some balance. That could mean scheduling time for meditation, getting a massage, or even journaling about what you want to do when Mars goes retrograde. This too shall pass, so don’t let this period of sluggishness drag you down.
Opportunities from Jupiter retrograde
Jupiter is the planet we most want to see in our natal charts because it represents happiness and abundance. In the astrological world, it is known as the planet of expansion. As a result, even though Jupiter is retrograde, it still has the potential to benefit you. Jupiter is an example of how not all planets in retrograde are filled with stress and nonsense. This is also a good thing, because when Jupiter goes retrograde, it stays there for four months. Every nine months, it goes into retrograde.
Finding things you overlooked or missed is one of the great opportunities you can hope to experience during Jupiter retrograde, as missed opportunities are likely to return to you during this time (just don’t let them slip by again). This is also an important time to reflect on oneself. Jupiter frequently brings external abundance, so during this time, focus on inward abundance, such as self-love. Dig for the things you put aside internally, because we all have treasures within us. Perhaps you’ll come up with some new ways to increase your luck.
Saturn inspires introspection
Saturn is one of those planets that has some difficult aspects even on a good day. Saturn enjoys teaching us things, and sometimes it’s lessons we’re not ready to learn. So, what happens when this planet of lessons goes retrograde? At that point, you should start looking internally to see what you can learn about yourself.
Saturn in retrograde wants you to slow down, whereas Saturn usually wants us to keep thinking, learning, and making the necessary sacrifices in order to achieve success. Make plans and set goals for what you want to learn about and accomplish when the retrograde ends. Saturn enters this pattern about once a year and stays there for about a third of the year. Saturn loves to bring karma to the forefront of our lives, so expect some karmic retribution during this time as well. To get out of your own head, spend some time sharing your thoughts with others you trust with your hopes and dreams. When Saturn’s retrograde period ends, you may receive some excellent advice from those closest to you that will help you grow.
Uranus forces changes
Uranus moves slowly, but it still goes retrograde once a year. The thing is, it stays there for a long time — while it isn’t there all year, it’s close. When we see it in our astrological charts, it brings us new ideas. It takes a look at the unexpected, at the things we can’t predict. It becomes even more erratic when it enters retrograde.
Rather than a gradual progression, as the planet does, Uranus in retrograde forces us to make those changes. And if you try to stop them, this shift will take away your ability to choose, so you’ll have to deal with some losses and major changes. However, because Uranus spends so much time in retrograde, we’d be changing all the time. While this may be true for some, it is not true for all. Uranus in retrograde is more likely to affect you when it appears in this position in your chart or in your sign. You’ll probably feel some minor effects regardless of where it is in the zodiac, but it’ll hit you harder when it’s aligned with your sun sign. Deal with it by making the difficult changes you know are necessary.
Neptune retrograde is all about illusions
Neptune, whether in or out of retrograde, brings about things that we think are there but aren’t. Illusions can be beneficial at times, but when the planet is in retrograde, they can be completely deceptive. Every year, Neptune goes retrograde for a little longer than Uranus does. Because this happens so frequently, most of us should be used to living in our heads for nearly half a year.
Neptune is the reason you find yourself daydreaming and thinking about the possibilities life has in store for you.
Consider Pisces, the sign ruled by Neptune: these are the people who have vivid imaginations and can conjure up a variety of scenarios when they are focused on something they want to happen in their lives. Rather than seeing the retrograde illusions as a reason to stay lost in your imaginary world, use those dreams to generate ideas that you can bring to fruition. When you tap into this retrograde energy, you may be confused by all of the thoughts racing through your mind, but you can make the most of it by taking notes. Write down everything you think about during this time and turn it into new businesses, fun stories, art, or anything else you’re inspired to create.
Pluto brings the intensity
Although Pluto was demoted from planet to dwarf planet in 2006, its unrivaled power makes it a world to keep an eye on. It is frequently regarded as a destroyer in astrology, but it isn’t always as bad as we perceive it to be. Sometimes the darker aspects (which is probably why Scorpio is ruled by Pluto) are exactly what we need to get us moving forward and dealing with the difficult stuff. Pluto does not calm down when it is in retrograde, as one might expect. Instead, it encourages us to go deeper within ourselves. Pluto, like Uranus and Neptune, spends a significant portion of each year in retrograde.
Rather than allowing the intensity of this world to add stress to your life, now is an excellent time to begin shadow work, deal with any darker feelings you may be experiencing, and delve deeper into the intuition we all have but some of us ignore. When Pluto is not in retrograde, it creates external issues ranging from death to destruction. When Pluto is in retrograde, all of that stuff becomes internal. The most important thing is to get it out of your head — record it, write it down, and talk about it with others. Don’t keep all your emotions bottled up inside.
Vesta shifts your dreams
We believe we see asteroids moving backwards in the same way we believe we see planets moving backwards during what we call retrograde. Vesta goes retrograde for three months about once every year and a half. Vesta is the Roman goddess of home and hearth. Home fires were lit in the hearth. Many, many years ago, this was the only way to keep a home warm because there were no furnaces. During the cold months, someone kept an eye on the fire to ensure it burned all night and no one froze before morning.
During retrograde, Vesta, like some of the others on this list, wants us to look inward to care for ourselves and our homes, rather than looking outward. Connect with your internal self to boost your creativity and self-esteem. Vesta was a virgin, but this asteroid is also associated with sex and passion — when it’s retrograde, focus on being passionate about yourself. This is also an excellent time to celebrate your own femininity. Spend some time at the spa, get a manicure or pedicure, go on a mini-vacation by yourself, and enjoy what life has to offer when you’re not surrounded by friends and romantic partners.
Chiron retrograde helps heal emotional pain
Chiron is in retrograde for nearly half of the year each year, and it has the potential to help us heal from the things that are causing us pain. Chiron is referred to as the wounded healer. It gets its name from the centaur who inspired it, a half-man/half-beast creature who healed others but couldn’t heal himself. Instead of focusing on physical pains during Chiron’s normal phase, when the asteroid is retrograde, it is time to look inward and deal with painful emotions.
This is another occasion when delving deeply into shadow work is essential. When something emotional arises for you while Chiron is retrograde, look within to determine why it is affecting you the way it is. Get to the bottom of the issue so you can heal old traumas that are holding you back. It’s time to take care of yourself on all levels. If you’ve been experiencing particularly difficult emotions, this retrograde journey is also an excellent opportunity to schedule an appointment with a therapist. Talking things out with an unbiased person can sometimes help you work through issues that you couldn’t get through on your own.
Juno could cause relationship issues
Juno goes retrograde for about two and a half to four months every year and a half. Juno represents both marriage and commitment, so even if you’re not married, expect your committed relationships to be shaken during this asteroid’s retrograde phase. Of course, if your relationship is filled with healthy honesty, Juno has little chance of getting in the way. However, if you have any problems before this asteroid goes retrograde, expect them to surface and cause some friction.
If you and your partner are not on the same page, this Juno phase will bring it to light. It’s time to stand up for your rights. If your relationship has problems, no matter how minor they are, they will now appear to be more serious. If you aren’t both fully committed to each other, this retrograde period has the potential to break you up. Before you and your partner begin discussing any of the difficult issues you’re facing, take some time to reflect on what you truly want out of this partnership. If you’re confident that things can be worked out, approach the subject with caution. If you’re ready to move on, let your partner know and get started.
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