What is retrograde in Astrology?
A retrograde (or an rx) occurs when a planet appears to be moving in a different direction than its normal course. The planet itself does not actually change its pattern or direction, though. It only looks this way; it’s an optical illusion.
How does this affect us?
When a planet appears to be moving backwards, we interpret this as the planet going inward or moving back through its experiences. For us, this can mean when a planet is in retrograde, it is time for us to slow down, back up, and spend time reflecting on our choices and our circumstances relating to what the retrograde planet represents. This can often lead to things from the past being brought into the present, causing us to face our estranged friends and ex lovers, as well as our mistakes, achievements, memories, and life choices.
In Mercury’s case, we can experience issues in communication, technology, and travel because we are being called to stand still and relax, in Venus, relationship issues can occur if you have been involving yourself with the wrong people and have been denying this, and so on. Though we are called to reflect, we must refrain from actually living in the past. This is where problems can arise when a retrograde is happening, especially if it is in Mercury because we will feel the need to communicate with people from our past.
What if I have planets in retrograde in my natal chart? How will a transit retrograde affect me?
The same interpretation applies. The retrograde planet’s energies are turned inward. Your particular retrograde planets will be intensely felt but you will have difficulty expressing your planet’s natural energies and the traits of the sign it occupies. This can manifest as introversion, shyness, awkwardness, delays, or denial in the individual with the planet retrograde. During a transit retrograde in the same planet a person has a natal retrograde, the natal retrograde individual will be less likely to act upon the energies because they are used to them. It can however provide growth to natal retrogrades who have not yet overcome their restrictions.
Below is a list of each planet’s energies and how they are affecting during a retrograde.
Mercury deals with: Communication, Thinking, Planning, Organizing, Travel
Transit Mercury Retrograde: miscommunication, misunderstandings, reflecting on career/education, issues with technology, plans failing or experiencing delays, vehicular issues, travel delays/setbacks, nervousness, insomnia
Natal Mercury Retrograde: over-thinking, different method of thinking often misunderstood in educational/professional settings, difficulty focusing, reviewing their words before saying/writing them, social awkwardness, quirky sense of humor
Venus deals with: Creativity, Comfort, Love, Romance, Relationships (Platonic or Romantic), Style, Fashion
Transit Venus Retrograde: reflecting on relationships and lifestyle choices, seeing the truth in your romantic partners and friends, past relationships surfacing, focusing on your indulging habits and how to fix them, exploring and understanding your feelings, wants, and desires
Natal Venus Retrograde: intense feelings, serious and passionate about love, unique/taboo interests and fashion, extremely aware of physical appearance, can be insecure and shy until they develop/mature, secrecy surrounding their comforts and desires, high standards for themselves and others, deep fears of rejection and loss
Mars deals with: Desire, Passion, Assertion, Anger, Aggression
Transit Mars Retrograde: delays and setbacks involving new projects, re-visiting unfinished projects, frustration, irritability, pent up energies and emotions, restlessness, obstacles, reflecting on your anger, passion, and rage, learning to let the delays happen to see what they mean for you or how they can serve you
Natal Mars Retrograde: problems with standing up for yourself and others, issues with assertion and aggression, avoiding competition and confrontation, steady pace when working or doing projects, expressing bursts of passion and anger rather than the energy flowing
Jupiter deals with: Higher Knowledge, Freedom, Philosophy, Luck, Religion, Spirituality
Transit Jupiter Retrograde: changes in politics and social issues, re-evaluating beliefs and morals, research, seeking the truth, delays relating to travel, reflecting on spirituality, purifying the soul and body, can cause some people to behave impulsively in areas that they need growth and maturity in to help them realize this (food, spending, etc)
Natal Jupiter Retrograde: unusual or unconventional beliefs and morals, different perspective than those in their family or community, prefers to learn and gain experience on their own than be taught by others, intolerant beliefs relating to karma and luck, will experience a pattern of karmic situations and relationships to help them overcome their retrograde
Saturn deals with: Limitations, Karma, Restrictions, Authority, Discipline
Transit Saturn Retrograde: understanding and reflecting on your insecurities and limitations, issues with authority, karma for your previous actions (good or bad depending on you), recognizing negative habits and thought patterns, government receiving karma and restrictions
Natal Saturn Retrograde: irrational guilt and fear, holding themselves to high standards, lack of authority or discipline in childhood (usually from the father figure), feels nervous when following directions, standards, and regulations from authority or responsibilities, overworks themselves
Uranus deals with: Individuality, Technology, Society, Unpredictability, Humanitarianism
Transit Uranus Retrograde: personality changes - introverts become expressive, extroverts retreat within themselves, heightened intuition, awakenings resulting in change and rebellion in society, fears and worries brought to the surface, issues with technology and social media (technological complications, people acting strangely online, etc)
Natal Uranus Retrograde: fear of change and expressing eccentricities, hides their unique qualities, random bursts of rebellion from pent up energy and restlessness, disciplined self-expression, confusion or disgust with technology and societal improvements
Neptune deals with: Spirituality, Sacrifices, Dreams, Illusions, Creativity, Intuition
Transit Neptune Retrograde: strange and vivid dreams, clarity on confusing situations, illusions exposed, harsh realities to what was once romanticized, reflection on fears and anxieties that come from the exposed reality, painful memories being realized and faced, experiencing conspiracies and slander
Natal Neptune Retrograde: private, hides their creativity, spirituality, and compassion, feels uncomfortable with their intuitive abilities, denies their psychic senses, fears that fantasizing and dreaming too much will only bring disappointment, denial of prophetic dreams, empathy, and clairvoyance
Pluto deals with: ‘Death’, Transformation, Change, Rebirth, Renewal, Darkness
Transit Pluto Retrograde: reflection on your personal power and your relationship with change, realizing what is causing you pain, suffering, and toxicity, destroying bad habits and relationships, creating a new path, fated events and patterns forcing you to see what needs change
Natal Pluto Retrograde: strong fears of being controlled or manipulated making the individual private and on high alert, keeps fears and secrets to themselves, fearing change and letting go of people/things, picky about who they associate with, what information they give out, and what they do
