I've been looking at Astrology as of late but in broadstroke terms since I'm not very good at the finer details like the expert readers.
I've noticed we've have an unusually large amount of planets that goes into the dreaded R mode for 2020. Then there a few dicier planets and stars making their alignment, such full moon Scorpio that occurs a few weeks ago.
One of the first retrogrades of the year happens at the time when the COVID-19 virus broke out into the international stage (Officially), which the full moon is going into Virgo area with a few other conjunctions of the other planets aligning. Apprently according to someone, that last similar alignment occurs with one of the previous major pandemics. (The Influenza Virus in 1918?)
We're still currently stuck in the Venus retrograde shade which is aligning with Gemini, a star sign that usually associate with social aspect. That kind of explains why we have some social discords, upheavals and on a personal front, relationships in family, friends and lovers going foul.
I've looked further into the charts just to see when was the next retrograde and such, so I can prepare for more storms coming in, especially after what I've gone through in April this year.
Today on my end, is the begining of a Mercury retrograde within Cancer.
... Bugger me.
I can't edit my last post, so I want to say I made some few mistakes about my mentionings about retrogrades, so I appologise for that.
Also I mistaken the 1st of June as an actual Retrograde, we're currently in it's shadow phase at the moment, where June 19th actually begins going down the R lane. Still, the shadow phase of a Retrograde is not something to laugh at.
@goldstone, when I began learning about Mercury Retrograde, I started making lists to help me see how to cope with it. Whether I’m going over old ground, having travel delays or trouble with communications, I add it to the list, which begins and ends with the pre and post-retroshade period. I found instead of dreading it, I began to anticipate getting through it with as much grace and information as I could. When the period is well and truly over, I always find the list illuminating in a way that is most helpful. During MR, I have found lost things, heard from old friends, figured out vexing problems, and perfected recipes. I’ve learned to appreciate what’s coming since I can’t stop it, and that timing really matters. I no longer feel like it’s an unfavorable time period. In fact, I’m feeling like the “old ground” of this particular Retrograde may reveal things like T’s taxes, Russian investigations, and secrets we need to know about, layered with the powerful energy of the eclipses. We have been waiting for Such a long time! Like a storm that blows in creating a lot of chaos, it also reveals what has been hidden from us until then. It is an auspicious time for making plans. I have to say, I am really looking forward to what’s coming this time around, and the anticipation is exciting. It’s long overdue!
I have studied astrology as a hobby for over 30 years, so although I'm no novice, I'm also no closer to being an expert than I was the day I started. I'm just making note of that at the beginning of this post so you can remember to keep that in mind when you read what I'm about to write. ;-)
I used to be afraid of retrogrades because of the havoc they can and often do create. All of the planets have retrograde periods, of course, Pluto's period being the longest at ~6 months every year. If we include the pre- and post-retro shadow periods, Mercury spends the shortest amount of time in or under the influence (by shadow or active movement) of a retrograde at approximately 18-21 weeks each year. As we move further out, the periods increase for each of the planets until we get to Pluto, which is under the influence of its retrograde period for as much as 11 months, meaning that there's only a 3-5 week period each year when it's grinding forward relatively unimpeded by pressure from one end of a retrograde or the other.
After many years of fear and loathing of retrograde periods, I finally realized that since it's somewhat rare to have all planets moving forward (and even more rare for all of them to be away from the influence of shadow periods) at the same time, our little blue ball in space is technically "under the gun" of a retrograde from at least one planet at nearly all times during the year. Given that information and the fact that we usually get through them relatively unscathed, I began to understand that the reason for retrogrades is so that we can revisit, review, and re-assess the areas of our lives that have been or are being affected by these transits of each of the planets at any given time.
The caveat here is that while the above paragraph is true in my experience of astrological interpretation, not all retrogrades will affect everyone in the same way or even much at all. If the retrograde transit doesn't cause an aspect to a planet or point on one's chart, the retrograde period will likely pass with very little effect on the person. For example, the next Mercury retrograde occurs in entirely in Cancer, but if you have no planets or points in Cancer (or in major aspect - trine, square, or opposition) to the specific degrees of the transit, it will have minimal effect on you. Yes, you will likely experience some minor delays, miscommunications, or any of the other things that are ruled by Mercury, and those things will usually occur within the purview of the sign/house rulership of the house(s) in which the retrograde occurs, they will likely not cause you too many problems and will be easily handled. If you have a planet/point that *is* aspected by the retrograde transit, the effect will obviously be much greater in the area of your life ruled by the planet/sign/house that is aspected.
Having said all that, the point is that even though retrogrades are annoying at times, they are actually truly a blessing. The universe is giving us a second chance to do something, whether that's simply reviewing the affected area of your life to make sure that you're on the right track, or going back and correcting a mistake so that you get *back* on track. And the thing is, it's not like retrogrades sneak up on us; we know when they're going to happen literally thousands of years in advance, so we can plan for them and utilize them to our advantage.
When I realized that I not only know when they are coming but also know what area of my life they are going to affect, my view of them changed from one of fear to one of gratitude. I now know that I have the chance to make sure I'm on the right path in that are of my life, and if I'm not, I have a chance to either fix it or adjust to it as necessary.
I know, for example, that the current Saturn/Pluto retrogrades affect my home and career. In my chart, Pluto rules my natal eighth of "other people's money" (debt), and Saturn rules my natal fourth of home and foundation (firming it up). Saturn brought up some things about my home that needed to be repaired/refitted before moving on as well as some lessons that I need to learn about work/life balance, so I have the chance to do that now. Pluto is affecting the same areas, so that means that how I live and work will likely change - possibly very drastically - so I need to be prepared for that. I mentioned in another post elsewhere that I am working on paying off all of my debt, and as noted above, this is one of the major areas of my life that will be affected. If I don't pay it off, that debt burden could cause major problems if my job or even my ability to work changes. In addition, Saturn may restrict my movements to remaining close to home - as it has been doing for the past three months that I've been under medical quarantine from work due to underlying health conditions. Because I knew of these effects in advance, I have actually been working on the debt issue for the last four years, and although I am almost finished with it, I needed a little more time. Pluto retrograde is giving me the financial ability to finish it, and Saturn retrograde is giving me the freedom to still move around enough to do it.
So I am grateful for retrogrades, and I am grateful for the knowledge that I have gained over the last 30 years of studying astrology that allows me to understand them and use them to my advantage. Even though I am not a professional astrologer and don't want to be, the universe set me up long ago to know these things so that I can find my way when I need to, and I'm also very grateful for that.
@tgraf66 & Claire
Excellent and thank you... you both have a very 'Virgo/Capricorn' approach, clearly concise and practical as well. I like that in a person! )))
If only we weren't having to deal with this 'clutter ****' of so many retros simultaneously. What a migraine. I hear you, Goldstone ...
What a wonderful distillation of retrogrades!
Retrogrades slow us down enough so that we can integrate things we may have recently learned or experienced, rather like what our bodies and minds do when we sleep each night.
I believe all the retrogrades currently in the sky are forcing humanity to really reflect on everything that has happened since the beginning of the year, and I see many people in my life doing just that: reassessing their goals, their biases, what they truly care about.
We early 21st-century humans are so conditioned to barrel through life, that to slow down can feel like a constraint, rather than a benefit.
I hear you on the Saturn and Pluto. I have a lot of earth in my chart, so I like things at a slower pace. And I'm a bit apprehensive about the impact of the upcoming Aquarius transits on all the Taurus and Scorpio points in my chart, but on a societal level the Aquarius energy will feel like the fresh air that sweeps in after a storm.
Yes, I too have a significant earth element in my chart gbs ... Saturn in Virgo in the first house, and Jupiter in Cap natally too. It's been heavy karmically, but has given me alot of grounding as I have learned the lessons and made the earth elements my friends. And who said we are a work in progress? )) It takes a lifetime ....
So my Venusian (Sagittarius/Libra) planets have helped me in a very distinct way to stay buoyant and to muster the courage to go on at times, along with other fire elements... it's a real challenge to understand one's own natal chart but the reward is the blessing of "know thyself and to thyself be true".
With transits as you said, it can get tricky if they are majorly impacting a key point in our natal charts through aspect ... and as prismatic as all the individual perspective is, it's always a learning process.
What's really interesting to me is the unique distillation (good one?) and balance of the elements in the natal as a whole; we are given all the opportunities and tools for our soul-growth and development and fulfillment in the cosmic blueprint that is crystallized at birth.
The collective has really been suffering with all these transits for certain, and as Rowsella pointed out also over in the 'Great Unravelling...' thread, there is alot of anxiety being manifested over the most negative aspects and what the outcome may look like on the other side.It's all true. We can't go around it though. We have to go through it to get to the other side, and it is very important to have discernment, though this can take many forms.
I, for one, appreciate you gbs, and tgraf66 and Claire for sharing your grounded wisdom, and need to take some of your coping skills to heart in the midst of it all here and now.
And when our Age of Aquarius rolls on in .... it truly will be a world transformed with a collective new beginning. No fear, no doubt. ?
Want to thank you for starting this thread, and would like to share this song from yet another ol' Scorpio that you might like :
*Neil Young ~ Peace Trail* (Official Video)
(on YouTube again)
Take good care my friend ?
Ok so I'm an admitted astrological newbie - astrology has never been one of my strengths, but I'm trying to learn.
That said, I went online and got a natal chart for myself. But now the big question: Can anyone recommend any resources for helping me understand this thing?? ?
It's a fascinating (Divine) science and if it interests you can be so rewarding sistermoon...esp to explore your *natal chart and the spiritually synchronistic transits* that are happening at present.
I'm going to take a little break, but there are some fine *astrologers on YouTube* that are intuitive and can be a wonderful resource for interpretation...
There's another Eclipse coming up on June 21st and it will be on a New Moon in Cancer (here's a YT video *Mega New Moon* MM) that is very informative and might be relevant to your quest... ??
There's a tiny triangle button on the right of the written header on YT vids like the one I mentioned above (Mega New Moon).... more info there.... ?
To be clear, this YT vid is the one to check out :
" MEGA Solar Eclipse! June 21/22 Cancer New Moon ~ " ... ∆
Today, I'm looking at resources and information about planetary retrogrades for 2020 so I can write it down in my personal diary, as a precaution measure just in case my mental stability went haywire for some reason down the line. Some of the planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn, that made me nod and understand why things occurred, such as Maxwell being charged for playing a part in Epstien's crimes, the infamous royal letters that cause the demise of Gough Whitlam.
One planet that sticks out to me the most is Uranus. As I've recalled, Uranus went retrograde last year and it has been spilled over to the beginning of 2020. Not only the Australian bushfires occurred at that time, but also there's a certain restlessness and dissent among the collective, especially the young ones. Which got me thinking that it probably a catalyst for the events that occurred in 2020, including people are pushing to expose wrong doings and changing for the good.
I hit a major wall yesterday in terms of my mood, and I started to right myself today. You may get be interested in this article about America’s Pluto return:
According to this astrologer, the shadow phase of the Pluto return began exactly yesterday.
@coyote What a cool article! USA's Pluto return--- revisiting the issues of its founding. There we have it in a nutshell.
(FWIW I felt like crap yesterday, too-- depressed and exhausted. Today has been much better. Whether it was Pluto or something else in the cosmos causing it, I don't know, but you weren't alone.)
@coyote I have to say - OMG to this. Tuesday (which was the day you were there) I woke up groggy, did my morning workout (which felt harder than normal), and was immediately tired, achey, and mentally fatigued after. I couldn't concentrate on anything when I opened my laptop to start work, my breath was short (I for a moment feared I might be at the beginning stages of COVID), and my depression was the worst it had been in months. Even my heart rate was noticeable and up. I then went and took a cat nap around noon and woke up feeling better but still - off. And when I woke up yesterday morning I felt almost like a new person.
I am NOT familiar with astrology, the planets, their positions, and how it affects all of us. The article above was a little over my head, but it makes me feel better about everything knowing that I wasn't the only one, and that there might be a different explanation for it than the ones I was considering.
Would love to learn more about astrology - if anyone has some good "Astrology for the incredibly mentally dense at times" resources that break some stuff down, I have an all day Zoom call tomorrow and would love to multitask.
@DannyBoy I am finding Chani Nichols' book 'You Were Born for This' an easy to read introduction to astrology. I am with everyone else that the last few days I have had extremely low energy and I had to constantly push negative thoughts away. Nice to know I wasn't alone and it was in the stars.