A Season of Retrogrades

Date: May 17, 2020

Right now Pluto, Saturn, Venus and Jupiter are Retrograde. They all entered their retrograde cycle this last week, except Pluto which shifted at the end of April. As a matter of fact we will have 4-5 planets retrograde at the same time until November. This is fitting, given we’re in a time of relearning what all areas of life are going to look like.

Based on the planetary slow down, I predict we’re in for a lot of stops and starts, re-dos, adjustments and failures. Retrograde cycles are about re-assessing, re-imagining—all the re’s. Re-do, re-evaluate, re-open, re-store…the list goes on. Having Saturn, Jupiter and Venus retrograde together is a fascinating combination though.

Venus is about our desires, our values, our belongings, so this is a chance to analyze these things and re-define what’s important to us.

Jupiter represents opportunities and optimism, so plans we were looking forward to will have to be rescheduled or re-imagined. Whatever Jupiter rules in your chart (Sagittarius and Pisces) may be postponed or all together cancelled.

We have the planets of commitment, love and celebration retrograde and people have to cancel, postpone and generally re-think their weddings.

Saturn represents our rules, boundaries and institutions, and that’s all getting a make-over. Saturn has taken a short dip into Aquarius where we’re supposed to learn what a more socially beneficial version of those things are- how we can change things like corporations (capitalism), government, hospitals, banking etc. – to serve the greater good. But I noticed that when the loudest voices of the uproar about personal rights and freedoms took over the social conversation, Saturn had begun its stationing part of the cycle. Saturn in Aquarius can be quite libertarian too, and there seemed to be this sense of panic among those so inclined when Saturn began it’s transition back into its position in pragmatic and rule minded Capricorn.

Jupiter retrograde will have us reevaluate what we’ve overestimated. We’ll experience a further redistribution of priorities. When the planets enter their retrograde phases, it happens because the planets are closest to Earth. Just like a speeding car on the highway- when we’re going extremely fast compared to the car we’re passing, as we get closest to it, it looks like the other car is travelling backwards…that’s what the retrograde is.

Because the planets are closest at that time, it’s our opportunity to really examine where we’re at in those parts in our lives. So this is a time of introspection and we may be forced to be really honest with ourselves. Often when Venus is retrograde, we can be testy both personally and on a social level. Take a beat before you react. Re-examine your commitments, re-draw boundaries and take the time to take care or yourself.

xoxo