Part 1 : Retrogrades

Retrograde• The appearance that planets are moving backwards.

• All Planets have a retrograde period, except Sun and Moon

• Geocentric perspective

• Apparent motion

• Inferior planets- Mercury and Venus, retrograde when between Sun and Earth, closest to Earth in cycle around Sun

• Superior planets - Mars-Pluto, retrograde when opposite Sun, closest to Earth in their cycle around the Sun

• Besides the Sun and the Moon, all planets will have aretrograde period in their orbits around the Sun at their pass closest to Earth, called perigee.

Retrograde• Retrograde is when a planet appears to move backwards from a geocentric perspective

• Planets appear to move backward along ecliptic as a slower moving planet is approached and overtaken by faster moving planet, the movement in the zodiac appears backward.The phenomena of retrograde motion resembles that of 2 trains passing each other, the faster moving train momentarily appears to move backward from the perspective of the slower moving train.

• Planets appear to move backward along ecliptic, slower moving planet is approached and overtaken by faster moving Earth, the movement in the zodiac appears backward

Retrograde Planets in Natal charts• Natal retrograde planets

Transiting Retrograde planetsRetrograde by progression*

• Are retrograde planets WEAK? INFERIOR? REPRESSED?

• Generally they are more expressed and seen as more -Subjective, reflective, Internally focused, inner orientation, reflective, defined

• Have different perspective, are more deliberate, slow, slower on the uptake

• Stationary retrograde and stationary direct, more intensifiedCritical degree for each planet, where it goes retrograde or direct- A potent point

• Are closest in their cycles to Earth therefore are seen to be more potent and somehow accentuated.

• Indicate -Change of direction, them, another perspective

• There are time when are APIDM - All Planets In Direct Motion

Retrograde Planets in chart delineation

• Signify a more subjective and reflective internally focused orientation with the planet.

• Can be much more sharply defined and focused.

• Act against the grain, retreat or rebel.

• Reject the status quo and concepts of the direct moving planets and their planetary meaning.

• Are physically slower moving therefore more deliberate to act, more thoughtful and less impulsive.

• From a karmic point of view, the retrograde planet represents the soul’s intention for a life lesson, a greater challenge that must be met in order to deal with unfinished business and clear the path for future progress.

• Will indicate a deeper more challenged experience of the retrograde planet. eg. Mars with anger issues or energy levels, Venus with self love and values and relationships, Mercury with communicating and learning abilities.

Synodic Cycles• Retrogrades have everything to do with synodic cycles,

• Synodic - Sun/Earth/Planet- meeting place

• Planetary orbits and the combination of the line up between Sun, Earth and Planet, makes each planet spend different amounts of time retrograde and a different percentage of their time retrograde.

• Every planetary cycle with the Sun, has a different time frame Moon 28 days, Venus 584 days -1.6 year, Mars 730 days etc - 2years

• Venus is the planet least likely to be found retrograde, whereas Pluto is the most likely planet to find retrograde in an astrology chart.

• It is quite usual to find a few planets retrograde, yet especially rare to have all or many planets retrograde, no planets retrograde or only one planet retrograde.

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Retrograde loop

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Inner planet turning points

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Evening starMorning Star

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Stations rx 31st OCT 27° Scorpio

Cazimi/Sun 12th NOV 18° Scorpio

Stations direct 22nd NOV 11° Scorpio

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• Exterior planets, when retrograde are at their brightest and most visible at their closet pass to Earth.

• Interior planets, Venus and Mercury are at their brightestjust before retrogrades begin and finish, before and after their “Cazimi” of the Sun, as they transition from evening to morning stars.

Stationing Planets

• Stationing planets are planets found at the beginning and end of retrograde periods, when a planet stands still to turn around so to speak, from direct motion to retrograde, or from retrograde to direct again.

• These stationing periods are seen as the most significant parts of a retrograde cycle and intensify, magnify and concentrate the retrograde meaning and experience.

• Check planetary motion by using an ephemeris to see if a planet is near a stationing point.

• Look for stations around 0 -7 days for faster moving planets, 5-10 days for midrange planets, and 2-3++ weeks for outer planets before and after retrograde cycles (outer planets can stay in the same degree for quite a long time around stationing points)

Add speed and Days from station using on software

or ephemeris

Mars is 3 days after stationing direct Pluto 23 days before station direct,

moving only ‘6 mins of arc

Venus stationing (direct in 7 days) Mercury stationed direct(2 days) Pluto stationed rx (2 weeks prior) Saturn stationed rx (1 week prior)

Mercury rx• Retrogrades 3 times per year, for 19-22 days (3 weeks), for about 15° • 7/8 year cycle through elements backwards • 2018 - Fire/Water signs,

2019 - Wate, 2020 -Water/Air 2021 - Air2022 - Air/Earth2023- Earth 2024 - Earth/Fire2025 - Fire2026 - Fire/Water

• Mercury retrograde periods by transit invoke an period of RE- RE -RE • Rethinking, redoing, reconsidering, revision, Rethinking • Communication breakdown, review, redo, reconsider, re, re, re • Each sign placement of retrograde will show out its theme • Communication breakdowns, haywires, breakdowns • Mercury known as the The trickster, • Transport holdups, back up, misread, unseen seen, revelations

Mercury rx natal• Rejects and rebels with information • Are more attuned to specific information and learning techniques, • Often learn in their own unique ways, are more individualistic. • Can show more clarity, depth, intensity, focus, and refined thinking. • Can show a greater capacity to perceive symbols, messages and non-verbal communication.

Thoughts and perceptions are more internalised, can be slower on the uptake, overthink • Evolutionarily can be slowed down for a reason.

• Mercury Sagittarius, Pisces (fall, detriment**)

• Mercury retrograde celebrities include: Angelina Jolie, Princess Diana, Steve Jobs, Russell Brand, Madonna, Salvador Dali,

Venus Retrograde• Retrograde every 19months, for 40-43 days • Venus is the least rx of all planets • Retrograde loop every 19mth, creates pentacle, rose pattern • Retrograde repeated every 8 years, one whole cycle create pentacle • Retrogrades occur in only 5 signs at anyone time, taking approx. av 96 yrs to stay in a

sign • 40 days 40 nights, Christ in desert, seclusion, • Re- orientation, renewal, withdraw and reflect

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June 2016 dx

March 2017 rx

Jan 2018 dx

Nov 2018 rx

Retrograde Venus• Venus retrograde is deep, serious, shy, awkward, • Venus retrograde accentuates the experience of self love and value, and other insecurities, and

can find it harder to express love and affection. • Can have overly high standards and unusual values. • Often look outside for self love • Venus rx individuals are generally more private, secret and hidden. • Can overcompensate, overindulge, be over the top and exaggerated.. • Venus rx individuals can be carrying past pain of love and relationships. • Venus rx evening, letting go, running away, self sacrificial, giving of themselves more important

than what they need • Venus morning rx- running way, don’t look back, start of new cycle, raw, warrior attitude • Venus Virgo, Scorpio (fall, detriment**)

• Venus Retrograde individuals include:Amy Winehouse, Ellen de Generes, Adolf Hitler, Gianni Versace, Venus Williams, Anthony Bourdain, Tom Hanks, JWG, Charlie Chaplin,

Mars retrograde• Retrograde for 58-81 days every 2 plus years 765 days, • 2nd least rx after Venus • Retrogrades for about 19° • Retrograde cycles repeat in a sign approx every 15 yrs

• Time to slow down, change energy levels • Use energy differently • Assert in opposite way • Mars rx or direct stations pressure points • New attitudes, change of energy, drive and focus

Mars retrograde natal• Retrograde Mars energy is raw and primal, internalised, can be held back or overreactive. • Anger and frustration, the will, the ego and the desire nature may not be properly channeled and

they may struggle with directness. • Mars rx individual is sole worker, loner, unconventional, needs focus. • Mars rx can succeed against all odds, and beyond physical limitations or neglect physical needs. • Mars rx projects a different animus, can come on too strong, awkwardly and has a hidden power. • Mars rx individual can be recreating past life situations, unfulfilled from the past • Mars -Cancer, Mars - Taurus - Fall, detriment

• Mars Retrograde individuals include:Micheal Jordan, Jack Nicholson, Angela Merkel, Jim Morrison, Lauren Bacall, Sigmund Freud, James Dean, Rupert Murdoch (st rx), Frida Kahlo, Judy, Garland, Bernadette Brady, Rick Tarnas, Martin Luther King

Jupiter retrograde- natal• rx 4 mths once a year, rx for 10 degrees • Jupiter rx, re-examine beliefs, seek deeper truth, question • Rearranges opportunities, changes the dynamic of inherited beliefs and • patterns and is unorthodox with religion and philosophies. • It presents non-standard opportunities, access through the back door, • For a Jupiter rx individual the challenge is to develops a self made law, an individual philosophy. • Jupiter rx can be socially awkward and withdrawn, or won’t speak their truth, they are on their own

quest to explore knowledge and question deeply. • Jupiter retrograde people are attracted to conceptual and abstract ideas. • Jupiter retrograde’s intention exemplifies the need to eliminate past beliefs to become

individualised and live by and trust their own found truth.

• Jupiter Retrograde individuals include:Donald Trump, Julian Assange, Malala Yousafzai, Richard Branson, John Lennon, Greta Thunberg, Randolph Hearst, Julija Assange(St rx)

Saturn retrograde - natal• Retrograde 4.5 mths, Once a year, rx for 6°apprx • Transit - review how we adhere to our own laws and regulations regulations we set ourselves,

ground the work, re-structure, re-secure, re-work

• A Saturn retrograde individual is set to define their own personal authority and reality, not as indicated by social norms, regulations, laws and authority.

• Saturn retrogrades reject authority figures, father is not supported by traditional roles and early life responsibility. May have no good authority figures, or security.

• Authority manifests in different ways, Instant guilt, moves beyond limits, regulations, • Aloneness, alienation and the strength and ability to stand on own is challenged. • Saturn retrograde is one to move beyond limits and regulations. • Mastery, dedication, hard work, commitment emphasised, internalized. • The karmic lesson is to work hard to get it right this time. Work harder at self autonomy.

• Saturn Retrograde individuals include: • Marilyn Monroe, Che Guevara, JK Rowling, Carl Jung, Michelangelo, John • Lennon, Anthony Bourdain, Madonna (st dx)

Chiron retrograde - natal• Retrograde 5mths per year , retrogrades back about 4- 5° • Chiron retrograde - re-heal, integrate healing wisdom, integrate maverick/outsider part of self,

accept one’s differences

• Chiron retrograde natives experience more profound initiations to discover unrecognized abilities. • Their experience of recognizing that the most beaten down parts of self are actually ones greatest

strengths, the Chironic wound is deeper. • The chronic experience, of feeling outcast, different, unwanted • Evolutionary lesson - initiations, deeper, harder, more painful, accepting oneself as unique,

different,

• Chiron Retrograde individuals include:Bjork, Martin Luther King, Graham Bell, Isaac Newton, KD Lang

Outer Planets• Outer planets retrograde are re-organizing, rebirthing, re-visioning collective impulses.

• These natal retrogrades - reinforce and individualize the outer planet to a greater extent.

• The collective experience and transpersonal growth is greatly internalized.

• Outer Retrograde planets show more personalized and directed energy when closely tied to the Sun, Moon or Ascendant.

Uranus Retrograde• Uranus 4-5°approx— urge for freedom, not restricting freedom on others, compelled to leadership

roles that reinforce freedom principles

• The urge for freedom, not restricting freedom on others, compelled to leadership roles that reinforce freedom principles.

• Uranus rx emphases experimentation, rebellion, individuation • Uranus rx can often feel left out, detached from others, that they don’t belong and relive many

karmic issues through family ties and group dynamics. • Uranus retrograde correlates to a Soul who has experienced various kinds of traumas that remain

unresolved

• Uranus only Rx planet: Albert Einstein, Edgar Cayce

Neptune Retrograde• Neptune- 3-2 °reinforces universal oneness, or self destructive behaviour, stresses self sacrifice to

serve the collective, strengthens creative urge, amplifies need for divine connection

• Neptune retrograde can stress self destructive behavior, phobias and addictions and self sacrifice to serve the collective.

• Neptune rx is learning to bring true dreams to fulfilment, and is led to uncover the meaning behind everything and the interrelatedness of all, it amplifies the creative urge,

• With about half the population having Neptune retrograde like Pluto, it reinforces collective evolution and universal oneness on all levels.

Neptune only Rx planet: Stationing rx : Nicola Tesla, Stationing dx: Bob Dylan, Galileo

Pluto Retrograde•Pluto rx 2° - half population, delve deeper into collective psyche, urge to reform values systems,

more comfortable confronting depths and the unconscious,

•With half the population having Pluto retrograde accelerates the evolutionary process: individually and, collectively.

•As JWG states that retrograde Pluto places the emphasis on the desire to return to the Source of the Soul, to evolve in a more accelerated fashion.

•Pluto retrograde individuals delve deeper into collective psyche, have a strong urge to reform values, and systems, and are more comfortable confronting the depths of the unconscious.

•Pluto retrograde individuals have more impact to influence the masses

• Look up charts for people you may think embody these outer planet archetypes retrograde, as there are too may to mention!

• Look back on previous chart example in these EA course modules for further understanding of charts studied in this course

One rx planet• Superior planet - strong focal point, only category reflecting , urge for expression,

creative, individualistic • Dominant theme • Challenges and reflects the ego, reflect, review, rethink • Internalising morals, conscience, attitudes • Develop strength in that area

• Mercury - Bruce Springsteen • Venus - Ringo Starr • Mars - Sigmund Freud • Jupiter - Isidora Duncan • Saturn - Marilyn Monroe • Uranus - JFK • Neptune, William Blake • Pluto -

Notice anomalies!• Individuals with NO retrograde planets include:

Vincent Van Gogh, Coco Channel, Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, Bill Gates , Eva Peron, Liz Greene.

• 6 retrograde planets: Mark Zuckerberg.

Keep Reading• Retrograde planets traversing the inner landscape

- Erin Sullivan • Karmic astrology Vol 11 = Retrogrades and Reincarnation • Cycles of Becoming - Alexander Ruperti • JWG - Pluto books etc

• Do Workbook exercises with you won chart • List all your retrograde planets. Note if they are also near stationary points. • How does understanding the planet, by being stationary or retrograde, help you to deepen

your understanding of the function of the planet in your chart? • What has been some of your life experiences so far of the retrograde planet?