On making retrogrades work for you
When a planet goes into a retrograde period its energy becomes somewhat distorted from its natural expression. Retrograde periods are times in which we have access to a different flavor of the planetary energy, and are able to grasp at it in different ways than normal. This of course means that all of the “normal” ways of utilizing this energy become more difficult, but we are offered a rare chance to delve into pieces of ourselves that are normally off limits.
To see the areas of life affected by this shift of energy you should look to your natal chart. Where in your chart does said planet rule? These houses, as well as the house in which the retrograde occurs are going to be focal points for the shift in planetary energy.
Let’s take a look at an example:
In my natal chart, Mercury rules both the 12th(via Gemini) and 3rd(via Virgo) houses. When Mercury goes retrograde, I have much more desire to seclude myself from others, and focus on the internal, subconscious workings of my mind (12th house). In addition to this, I typically have a hard time reaching out to others and communicating with them. Like pretty much everyone I have the usual disruptions of communication and technology, but for me there is another layer of this. It becomes difficult to properly convey what’s going on in my mind, and I sometimes have to work very hard to word things correctly before I’m comfortable sending messages/responding to people. While this can be common for someone with say a natal retrograde of Mercury, my Mercury is well placed in both Libra and the 3rd House, meaning that typically I have little to no problems with this.
This time around Mercury is retrograding in my 6th House. This means that in addition to my usual issues with MercRx (H12/H3) I will be additionally affected in areas having to deal with this house. This means that communications with coworkers might break down or have issues. I may be forced to re-examine my daily routines and my attitudes toward my physical health and diet. These things will become a focal point for me and I’ll need to think about whether or not there are things in this area of my life that no longer serve me, and therefore should be let go.
So many people see retrograde periods as monstrous periods of time when everything seems to go wrong, but if you can identify where you’ll be affected you can better use the shifted energy to your advantage.
I know that when Mercury goes retrograde it will be a period of intense self-reflection, and a time in which I am forced to reconnect with myself because I am unable to connect with others. For this reason I take more time for myself than usual, and I don’t force myself to be social if I don’t feel like it. Mercury Retrograde in particular has become a fruitful time for me, as I’m able to reconnect with myself, reevaluate who I am as a person, and the goals that I’ve set for myself. I’m able to take time to intellectualize and examine old habits and skills (H3) and let go of things that are no longer serving me (H12).
Other retrogrades affect us similarly, but outer planets tend to have a much more subtle effect since their transits are longer and slower moving.
I encourage you to look to the houses ruled by retrograding planets and make retrogrades work for you, rather than constantly working against a retrograde.
Personal Planets:
Mercury rules the signs ♊ Gemini and ♍ Virgo and is associated with communication and intellect
Venus rules the signs ♉ Taurus and ♎ Libra and is associated with love and relationships
Mars rules the signs ♈ Aries and ♏ Scorpio(Sub) and is associated with passion, aggression, and vitality
Social Planets:
Jupiter rules the signs ♐ Sagittarius and ♓ Pisces(Co) and is associated with expansion and grace
Saturn rules the signs ♑ Capricorn and ♒ Aquarius(Co) and is associated with restriction and discipline
Transpersonal Planets:
Uranus rules the sign ♒ Aquarius and is associated with change and upheaval
Neptune rules the sign ♓ Pisces and is associated with illusion and spirituality
Pluto rules the sign ♏ Scorpio and is associated with transformation and control
Houses:
The 1st House represents the self, self-image, and body
The 2nd House represents the value system, finances, and security
The 3rd House represents the communicative ability, skills, and learning
The 4th House represents the home, family, and connection to the past
The 5th House represents the creative ability, amusement, romance, and children
The 6th House represents health, routines, and analytical ability
The 7th House represents one-to-one relationships, the law, and marriage
The 8th House represents collective finances, depth relationships, and the transformative ability
The 9th House represents travel, higher education, philosophy, and religion
The 10th House represents career, public persona, and aspirations
The 11th House represents social networks, dreams, and rewards
The 12th House represents isolation, the subconscious, spirituality, and undoing
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