The Impact of Transiting Retrograde Planets

           Saturn, uranus, neptune and pluto are often retrograde once a year, mercury 3 times a year, venus every 18 months, mars every 26 months, and jupiter every 13 months. Currently we are in a season of many retrograde planets;  mercury, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune and pluto are retrograde and we are still in the shadow of venus' retrograde (venus turned direct on September 3rd). What does this mean in terms of impact on human affairs? Retrogrades turn the planet's energy inwards, making us reflect and analyze at a deeper level than we normally would. It turns the planet's energy inward so that it becomes significantly more intense. As a result, people can overanalyze matters in a way that can distort their opinions and assessments of other people and situations. It is similar to a hard neptune transit in this way, where we see what we want to see based on what we choose to pay attention to and what we ignore or dismiss. The more retrograde planets there are, the greater the tendency is for this to be. For this reason, major decisions and beginnings are to be avoided during this time: signing contracts, hiring/ firing people, launching businesses, buying/ selling/ moving homes, making major purchases, making major changes to the appearance, starting a new job, starting a new course, and many more. Misunderstandings and miscommunications are frequent, especially if mercury is one of the planets retrograde as it relates to the way we think and communicate our thoughts.  If you do start new ventures, you may be questioning your decision or having regrets later. I noticed that people who are born with 5 or more retrograde planets in their chart have a general tendency towards over thinking, excessive analysis and/or anxiety. If you have this, it is advised to tune into the wisdom and intuition of your body as you make major decisions rather than relying just on the mind and intellect. The mind can weave many intricate webs but the body does not lie.

        Venus retrograde includes two shadow periods on either side. This year, venus entered its shadow on June 19th at 12 degrees leo and will only end its shadow on October 7th. Venus went retrograde on July 22nd at 28 degrees leo. It stationed and turned direct on Sept 3rd at 12 degrees leo and it will leave its shadow on Oct 7th at 28 degrees leo. Venus retrograde is traditionally said not to be a good time for meeting new people, especially potential business partners, friends and romantic interests. The reason is that people you meet on venus retrograde may not be who you believe them to be. It may not be that they are deceiving you, it is more likely that you are viewing them through a biased lens, or perhaps projecting unrealistic expectations or feelings onto them.  When they cannot meet your expectations, there can be disappointment. Venus retrograde can also bring people from your past back into your life; perhaps you get an email, text or phone call out of the blue from someone you hadn't interacted with in several years. It is a wonderful time to rekindle friendships and other relationships that may have gotten lost over the years provided you left them on good terms. However, if you left them on bad terms or there was unfinished business that leaves you feeling uneasy, accepting them back into your life on a venus retrograde will cause you pain down the road. The same themes that caused the separation will be clear again when venus leaves its final shadow period. I believe that the way someone leaves your life is all the closure you need, there is nothing further to be said because their actions said it all. If they hurt you and failed to apologize then, and now want to come back in your life with no accountability, why take them back so they can hurt you again? People who say whatever makes them feel better in the moment, do not consider the impact of their words on the listener, and are careless with your heart do not deserve your time and energy. Those who love you will take the utmost care not to hurt you, and if they do, they will try to rectify it right away. Love inspires and brings joy, if your 'love' brings you mostly tears and pain, it is not love.

     You should avoid making major decisions in a close relationship on a venus retrograde because chances are there could be a reverse of some kind. Venus relates to what we value, and when it is retrograde we may not be prioritizing the right things. There may be a fixation on things that don't really matter in the overall scheme of things. You think differently about your partner and/or the relationship dynamics when venus is retrograde as compared to when it is over. When venus is direct, there is more clarity and objectivity around love and relationships. In contrast,  the internalized venus energy can cause one to mentally go over many memories and feelings in a relationship, with a bias for the positive or the negative depending on what you are contemplating doing (examples can include starting to date, turning a friendship into a romance, moving in together, getting engaged, getting married, breaking up, separating, divorcing etc.) If you felt stagnant or unhappy in a relationship prior to the retrograde, once the retrograde (and even the shadow prior to the official retrograde start date) starts it can cause you to mentally review all the reasons the relationship does not work, neglecting all the reasons it does work.  The bias can hasten a decision that would normally not be taken without the excessive mental analysis of a retrograde. Feelings are intensified and will cloud your reasoning. Situations can easily be blown out of proportion. For this reason, it is best to wait to have serious conversations about your relationship when venus is direct, because sometimes people regret what they say or the actions taken because it does not reflect what they truly feel inside. This is not to say that actions can not be permanent under a retrograde but rather that the conversation will not be over as quickly. There will be some self-doubt/ second guessing or matters to tie up before it can reach its final end. If you do make a decision in your own mind about your relationship under a venus retrograde, wait to see whether you still feel the same at least a few weeks after the final shadow period has passed. If you do, it would be safe to go ahead with the decision.

     Around July 22nd and September 3rd this year are when venus stations. These are dates to watch for (along with the day before and day after it; July 21st-23rd and September 2nd-4th). These are times where there can be a lot of confusion around matters related to venus, especially romantic relationships. You or your partner may say things to each other that you don't really mean, as a result of your own confused thinking, but the words can stick with them for a long time. The worst part is you are likely to change your mind soon after the words are said and it will probably affect the other person's feelings towards you. Therefore, on the dates venus stations, it is ill advised to speak to your partner about the dissatisfaction you may be having with them because it will come back to haunt you.

       If you have planets or angles at 12 degrees leo or 28 degrees leo, this venus retrograde would have been even more impactful. Wherever these degrees fall in your chart, whether it is a planet, angle or in a house, is a good opportunity to re-assess, re-evaluate and reflect. Analyzing and critical thinking can be a good thing when it is done in proportion and we can discover subtle things about ourselves, our loved ones, and situations we find ourselves in, that normally would not be as apparent. A season of many retrogrades such as the one that we are experiencing can be very useful in giving attention to matters we usually would not explore to that depth. Journalling is one of the best activities for this type of energy and can help bring awareness to the hidden patterns in our lives, maybe even the nature of the karmic cycles we keep repeating.

​How have these retrogrades affected you? Let me know in the comments below!