You’ve heard about infamous retrogrades when it comes to Mercury. However, did you know all planets go retrograde from time to time? When a retrograde occurs, the planets in the sky suddenly stop, pivot, and begin spinning in reverse. This phenomenon may have baffled the ancients, but it doesn’t fool us. The truth is: planets don’t actually go backward; it’s an optical illusion that skews our perspective. Likewise, our vantage is warped during planetary retrogrades — this is a time to look inward rather than take action.
This weird phenomenon has gotten a lot of press in popular astrology with the help of Mercury retrograde’s naughty behavior that more and more people are talking about as it enters the mainstream. You might know all about the mishaps that occur during the communication planet’s infamous backpedal, but it’s not the only planet that goes retrograde!
During Venus, Mercury, and Mars retrograde, these planets move closer to us here on Earth than they are to the sun. The areas of your psyche that they influence refuse to be ignored and they pack a lot of energy. These inner planets move further off their track during retrogrades than the planets that are further out there in the celestial neighborhood, which results in more exaggerated and eccentric behavior. These retrogrades, which penetrate the very heart of our psychic core, feel personal and challenging. They ask more of us than lucky Jupiter or stately Saturn do during their retrograde, which are in retrograde about one-third of the time and have less extreme deviations from their normal path. This means that their impacts feel less personal and less generally challenging.
Retrogrades are a good time to go with the flow. That way, when the planet goes back to its direct course, you have a new point of view on the things that matter most. Use them as a chance to slow down, reflect on the choices you make in the area of life that the retrograding planet impacts, and have compassion for wherever you’re at in your journey. So, don’t fear the retrograde; embrace the moonwalk!