This Astrology is Backwards! Current Powers of Retrograde Cycles...
Retrogrades refer to the apparent motion of the planets, from our earthly viewpoint, through the sky. A planet is said to have retrograde motion when it reaches a point in its orbit that it looks like it’s going backward. In reality, the planet is just on “the far side” of its orbit - which is considered important in astrology because the planet’s energy is farther out and somewhat weakened or reversed in terms of esoteric influence on how energies flow in our earthly experience. The smaller the orbit of a planet in our solar system, the more of an impact of these influences and the more frequent the retrograde motions appear – for example, Mercury being closest to the Sun and speeding quickly through its orbit appears in retrograde about 4 times each year for a short period of less than a month each time, as opposed to an outer planet like Uranus which will appear in retrograde just about once a year for about 5 months.
Pluto in Capricorn:
The Pluto retrograde is giving us the opportunity to “big picture” everything. We have the opportunity to reevaluate values, beliefs, goals, & dreams as they relate to Life Purpose and the truth of who we believe ourselves to be within the world and society. Pluto’s energy gives us the materials for building the structures (Saturn) that shape our experiences, but as an outer planetary body this highlights energy felt at the core of our identity as an individual and as a part of the whole – like a member of humanity and life on earth, and to what purpose or meaning. It’s the psychology of our group consciousness informing our subjective experience, the convictions and philosophies that give rise to our worldview and personal identity.
In Capricorn, it’s very much highlighting how we do what we do in our lives, what we put our attention and resources towards, how we build the foundations of our experience (as well as repair, rebuild, or update them), and our personal “why” or “for the sake of what” sense of purpose and meaning and value that we place on the world around us.
Venus in Leo:
Venus, the planetary ruler of all things sensual and material in this world – relationships, health, beauty & comfort in our environment, finances & material possessions, and physical pleasures hat engage our physical senses – basically, all the illusions of reality, the manifestations. However, those are the results of Venusian energy. The truth that we often forget is that Spirit, Life Force, Aether… the Energy itself… the “Unseen” … thoughts, feelings, values, ideas, heartfelt pure desire, beliefs, and convictions… these are what is behind all the physical manifestations and experiences and results. These are the structures through which the energy moves in order to formulate the “things”.
So, what is Venus retrograde really doing? Why have you heard from, or not heard from, that person after all this time? Why did that giant expense have to come up now of all times? What the hell is going on in that place or situation all of a sudden that makes you feel like washing your hands of the whole thing? Why has your body & health, suddenly or again, taken a difficult healing challenge? Or the flip-side of any of these… The long hoped-for or worked-for is finally appearing – the weight comes off, the disease dissipates, the money rolls in, the relationship or partnership shows up. And we need to ask, how do I appreciate this? Where do I put my attention, and how do I act on my attention with care?
It is a time to balance work and play, quality time with friends and family or those important to us, and focused attention on our work, hobbies, and passion-projects. It’s also a time for self-care, relaxation, meditation, and reflection – quality time with your Self – to evaluate what you want, where your passions are, what needs forgiveness, what needs release. Looking to so-called bad habits that have been stubborn or hard to break or change indicate areas where our thoughts and feelings are knotted up and stuck. By examining the definitions that we place on things, where those beliefs came from, what limiting beliefs are holding you back from what values, Venus retrograde energy may just give you that “ah-ha” moment to shift perspective and energy.
The Pluto retrograde is giving us the opportunity to “big picture” everything. We have the opportunity to reevaluate values, beliefs, goals, & dreams as they relate to Life Purpose and the truth of who we believe ourselves to be within the world and society. Pluto’s energy gives us the materials for building the structures (Saturn) that shape our experiences, but as an outer planetary body this highlights energy felt at the core of our identity as an individual and as a part of the whole – like a member of humanity and life on earth, and to what purpose or meaning. It’s the psychology of our group consciousness informing our subjective experience, the convictions and philosophies that give rise to our worldview and personal identity.
In Capricorn, it’s very much highlighting how we do what we do in our lives, what we put our attention and resources towards, how we build the foundations of our experience (as well as repair, rebuild, or update them), and our personal “why” or “for the sake of what” sense of purpose and meaning and value that we place on the world around us.
Venus in Leo:
Venus, the planetary ruler of all things sensual and material in this world – relationships, health, beauty & comfort in our environment, finances & material possessions, and physical pleasures hat engage our physical senses – basically, all the illusions of reality, the manifestations. However, those are the results of Venusian energy. The truth that we often forget is that Spirit, Life Force, Aether… the Energy itself… the “Unseen” … thoughts, feelings, values, ideas, heartfelt pure desire, beliefs, and convictions… these are what is behind all the physical manifestations and experiences and results. These are the structures through which the energy moves in order to formulate the “things”.
So, what is Venus retrograde really doing? Why have you heard from, or not heard from, that person after all this time? Why did that giant expense have to come up now of all times? What the hell is going on in that place or situation all of a sudden that makes you feel like washing your hands of the whole thing? Why has your body & health, suddenly or again, taken a difficult healing challenge? Or the flip-side of any of these… The long hoped-for or worked-for is finally appearing – the weight comes off, the disease dissipates, the money rolls in, the relationship or partnership shows up. And we need to ask, how do I appreciate this? Where do I put my attention, and how do I act on my attention with care?
It is a time to balance work and play, quality time with friends and family or those important to us, and focused attention on our work, hobbies, and passion-projects. It’s also a time for self-care, relaxation, meditation, and reflection – quality time with your Self – to evaluate what you want, where your passions are, what needs forgiveness, what needs release. Looking to so-called bad habits that have been stubborn or hard to break or change indicate areas where our thoughts and feelings are knotted up and stuck. By examining the definitions that we place on things, where those beliefs came from, what limiting beliefs are holding you back from what values, Venus retrograde energy may just give you that “ah-ha” moment to shift perspective and energy.
Mercury in Virgo:
While Mercury is the ruler of our planet in this modern age – communication, electronics, technology, travel, and agreements or contracts of all kinds – its energy retrograding through Virgo highlights our day-to-day living, health of Spirit, Mind and Body balance, and how well we are streamlining our personal communication, boundaries, and organizational systems.
With other influences in August and September, this Mercury retrograde will allow us the opportunity to give a final sweep over old ground, experiment with new ways of doing things, and come to terms in our integrity with what energy is really behind the things we want to change or have tried to change but with which we’ve have had a difficult time making progress. If we’ve taken the time to examine what’s really important to us and why (if that importance is granted by us or just appropriated from outside sources), we can find a certain acceptance, simplicity, and clarity that will inform a new approach to the goal or change we want to accomplish. It’s not about giving up on something, it’s about owning it and doing it our way to achieve a result.
While Mercury is the ruler of our planet in this modern age – communication, electronics, technology, travel, and agreements or contracts of all kinds – its energy retrograding through Virgo highlights our day-to-day living, health of Spirit, Mind and Body balance, and how well we are streamlining our personal communication, boundaries, and organizational systems.
With other influences in August and September, this Mercury retrograde will allow us the opportunity to give a final sweep over old ground, experiment with new ways of doing things, and come to terms in our integrity with what energy is really behind the things we want to change or have tried to change but with which we’ve have had a difficult time making progress. If we’ve taken the time to examine what’s really important to us and why (if that importance is granted by us or just appropriated from outside sources), we can find a certain acceptance, simplicity, and clarity that will inform a new approach to the goal or change we want to accomplish. It’s not about giving up on something, it’s about owning it and doing it our way to achieve a result.
Saturn in Pisces:
Saturn is the structure and order that can ground Piscean imagination and expansion. Saturn’s retrograde energy, rather than letting Pisces flow wildly, offers a gentle and slowly progressive shift to recognizing how our spiritual, metaphysical, or mental-emotional and psychic energies can be useful as a practice in moving through daily life, trusting our intuitions, and accepting others as having their own free-will. This energy really does appear to be highlighting our practical spirituality, self-trust of our intuition, and harmonizing Spirit-Mind-Body to bring order and structure to our daily rhythms as they pertain to self-care, meditation, quality time in relationships, and having boundaries that work for us rather than trying to protect ourselves from others’ free-will.
With the right foundations of self-care and spiritual practice, Saturn is teaching us that our boundaries help us relate to others and the world around us as is, recognizing our intuitive nudges and Vibes that tell us we need to say or do something different – like, this is not a good situation so leave, or that person is not on the level with you so step back, or something is great about this situation so just enjoy it and go with the flow. In this way, the energies are helping us to build sound structures for an expansive and deeply fulfilling life even amongst changes and fluctuations and disappointments, expected or seemingly unexpected.
There are other slow-moving retrogrades in-progress or forthcoming, however I'll have to update those later. For now, it is the effects of these which I, and many with whom I've spoken recently, have experienced most strongly this summer. Feel free to leave a comment or share your insights on these, or the ones I've left out for now: Neptune, Jupiter, & Uranus.
Peace & blessings to your powers of manifestation & presence!
Peace & blessings to your powers of manifestation & presence!
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