Understanding Retrograde Planets

Let’s understand Retrograde Planets in Astrology.

 

There are mainly two types of movements/motion of Planets. These are Direct Motion and Retrograde Motion.

 

Direct Motion means that Planets move forward or progressively in a sign. For example, a planet goes from 5 degree to 6 degree in Sagittarius.

 

Retrograde Motion is popularly known or understood as Planets move backward or regressively in a sign. For example, a planet goes from 6 degree to 5 degree in Sagittarius.

 

Sun and Moon are always Direct in movement.

 

Rahu and Ketu are always Retrograde in movement.

 

Rest of the 5 planets can shift between Direct and Retrograde Movement at different times in Transit.

 

Now, how to understand a Retrograde Planet?

 

As I said, popular understanding of a Retrograde Planet is that it is moving backwards or regressively. For example, a planet goes from 6 degree to 5 degree in Sagittarius.

 

But actually, no planet moves backwards. Every planet is moving forward. Retrograde Movement of Planet is just an optical illusion which happens due to Theory of Relativity.

 

First of all, Retrograde Planets are those planets which are closer to Earth. Now, all these planets are revolving around Sun in their respective orbit. Earth is also rotating on its axis. Speed of Earth rotating on its axis is faster than a planet revolving around Earth in its Orbit. So, when we look at that planet from Earth, it looks like moving backwards.

 

The most common example to understand this is two people going in same direction in different Cars at different speeds. Person in Car with faster speed can think that other person is moving backwards but actually, other person is also moving ahead but at slower speed.

 

Now, from this theory, we can understand a retrograde planet as follows –

 

a. As they are closest to Earth, a Retrograde Planet’s rays are reaching to us more effectively. A Retrograde Planet impacts us more in comparison of a Direct Planet or we can say that we take more notice of results of a Retrograde Planet. Their energy is more intense.

 

b. Also, as they are slower in speed, they can make events related with these planets to happen with delay in life.

 

c. Then as Retrograde Planets are results of an optical illusion, we keep some illusion and confusion related with those planets.

 

d. Due to those confusions, we commit some mistakes related with those planets in our initial life.

 

e. Then we reflect back at those mistakes. Now, we reflect back at something only when we fail at it. So, retrograde planets can make us fail at certain things in life due to the confusion and illusion. Then we look back at those mistakes.

 

f. This is where Retrograde Planets are most important. At this stage, person can reflect back and learn from his mistakes or he can ignore/overlook his mistakes.

 

g. And this is where the whole importance of person’s evolution level can be understood. Normally, people ask me as to how to know if a person is at higher evolution level or lower? Well, the simple test is whether he is learning from his mistakes or not?

 

h. It is not that a person at higher evolution level never commits any mistake. He can commit 1000s of mistake but he never repeats his mistake. All his mistakes are new mistake. A person at lower evolution level will ignore or overlook his mistakes and will keep on repeating the same mistakes with the blind hope of getting some different results and keep on suffering for same reason whole of his life.

 

i. So, a person of higher evolution level will reflect back at his mistake, realize it and won’t commit the same mistake again. So, sooner or later he can get some better results of Retrograde Planets by making better choices/decisions or by taking better actions.

 

j. But a person at lower evolution level may commit the same mistakes again and again.

 

This is what I always say that it is our choice whenever we want to open our eyes. If we are receptive of omens, indications or results of our actions then we can always utilize the energy of same planets in a better way and can get better results.

 

This is how I understand Retrograde Planets.

 

Hope this helps. Thanks,

 

Swami Premanand Bharti