PSA: The Third Retrograde of the Month Just Started, but Don’t Freak Out
Retrograde. We’ve all heard the term before, and most of the time it brings groans, anxiety, or shivers. But while it can feel like the bad news bears, retrogrades aren’t *actually* here to attack you or make you get back together with your ex for the 75th time (I promise). Working with the energy of a retrograde rather than against it can give you more control of your life, rather than tearing out your hair like everyone else around you.
If you missed it, we have had three retrogrades this month. Mercury Retrograde ended on June 3, 2022, and that retrograde *was* a bad beast this time around because it took place in its home zodiac sign of Gemini, meaning its affects were amplified. Saturn, the planet of karma and life lessons, slid backward in the zodiac sign of Aquarius beginning on June 4. And then bam! Neptune, the planet of imagination and spirituality, began its backstroke through Pisces on June 28.
While this sounds like a lot (and it is), all planets retrograde at some point in time. Sometimes the retrograde lasts weeks (Mercury and Venus), and sometimes they last months (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto). In fact, for most of the year, at least one planet is retrograde.
The more planets that are retrograde at any given time, the slower pace we’ll experience. The personal planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars) affect us more noticeably because they hold rulership over aspects of life that we deal with on a daily basis (communication, relationships, energy). On the other hand, the outer planets relate more to social and collective energies than our day-to-day lives, so their retrogrades aren’t felt as strongly.
What is a planetary retrograde?
First off: All planets retrograde at some point (except the Sun and the Moon, which are luminaries, not planets). But does that mean they’re actually moving backward through space? No. A retrograde is an optical illusion from our perspective here on Earth. Due to our Earth’s rotation, it just looks like the planets are moving backward in their orbit.
How do planetary retrogrades affect us?
Whenever a planet is retrograde, whatever area of life that planet rules in astrology will be reviewed in our lives. We tend to experience obstacles, challenges, and confusion about what it rules, as well. When a planet is direct or “awake,” we experience external manifestations of its gifts, whereas when it is retrograde or “asleep,” we must focus on the internal lessons we must face around the planet’s lessons.
Retrogrades help us to return to the past, revise our plans, review our progress, and then better prepare to make adjustments in our lives for when the planet returns to direct motion once again. BTW, whatever zodiac sign that planet is retrograding within will also add more clues to the themes we’ll be reviewing during that point in time.
When are planetary retrogrades most intense?
There are several stages of a planetary retrograde. The pre-shadow begins when the planet reaches the degree in its orbit that it will eventually return to at the end of the retrograde. From this point forward until the onset of the true retrograde, we consider the planet to be “slowing down” in astrology (even though it’s not literally slowing down).
The exact day that the planet seems to freeze in the sky is called the retrograde storm. The effects of the retrograde are always extremely potent on the days surrounding when it shifts direction. The actual retrograde phase is when the planet appears to be traveling backward in the sky. This is when the affects of the retrograde continue to be felt prominently.
Next, when the planet reaches that initial degree where it began its pre-shadow, this is yet another retrograde storm when its effects are significant. Finally, as the planet is slowly moving forward once again and gaining speed, this last period of the cycle is called the post-shadow, or “retroshade.”
What effects do each planetary retrograde have on us?
While this is a rather general list of what occurs during each planetary retrograde (because it’s also helpful to check what house in your natal chart it’s spinning backward within, as well as the zodiac sign), here’s a Retrograde 101:
Mercury Retrograde causes us to review our communications and creates mental confusion. It may also bring challenges around technology.
Venus Retrograde brings a strong focus on reevaluating what we value as well as relationships, beauty, intimacy, and old connections.
Mars Retrograde can cause our energy, drive, and enthusiasm to wane. It also slows down projects and brings out karmic lessons around how we fight for what we believe in.
Jupiter Retrograde brings us an opportunity to review how we build abundance and pursue expansion in our lives.
Saturn Retrograde tends to be a more enjoyable period. With the “Great Taskmaster” planet “asleep,” we may feel a bit less karmic challenges than when it’s direct.
Uranus Retrograde encourages us to review how we pursue freedom, originality, and progressive evolution.
Neptune Retrograde can make our dreams, intuition, and imagination feel heightened on an internal level.
Pluto Retrograde causes us to evaluate how we are transforming our lives, as well as how we assert our power upon the world around us.
When are the retrogrades in the second half of 2022?
Mercury Retrograde:
September 9 to October 2, 2022. This retrograde begins in Libra and ends in Virgo. The pre-shadow begins on August 20, and the post-shadow phase ends on October 16.
December 29 to January 20, 2023. This retrograde takes place entirely in Capricorn. The pre-shadow begins on December 12, and the post-shadow phase ends on January 26, 2023.
Mars Retrograde:
October 30, 2022 to January 12, 2023. This retrograde takes place entirely in Gemini. The pre-shadow begins on September 3, and the post-shadow phase ends on March 15, 2023.
Jupiter Retrograde:
July 28 to November 23, 2022. This retrograde begins in Aries and ends in Pisces. The pre-shadow phase began on May 4, and the post-shadow phase ends on February 14, 2023.
Saturn Retrograde:
June 4 to October 23, 2022. This retrograde takes place entirely in Aquarius. The pre-shadow phase began on February 26, and the post-shadow phase ends on January 26, 2023.
Uranus Retrograde:
August 24, 2022 to January 23, 2023. This retrograde takes place entirely in Taurus. The pre-shadow phase began on May 7, and the post-shadow phase ends on May 9, 2023.
Neptune Retrograde:
June 28, 2022 to December 3, 2022. This retrograde takes place entirely in Pisces. The pre-shadow phase began on March 7, and the post-shadow phase ends March 24, 2023.
Pluto Retrograde:
April 29, 2022 to October 8, 2022. This retrograde takes place entirely in Capricorn. The pre-shadow began on January 6, and the post-shadow phase ends on January 29, 2023.
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