Impact of Retrograde Planetary Transits

No other time can be better for me to write about Retrograde Planets and how intense they can become for us. Currently, 4 planets are retrograde in sky and its results are evidently felt by me in last couple of days. So, this is the best time to write about it. 

 

Retrograde Effect really started for me couple of days ago when Mercury, last of the 4 planets, also went retrograde. Energy of other 3 retrograde planets must be and was working behind the scenes but when Mercury also gone retrograde, things really became so evident and on the surface. So, let's understand this retrograde season on the basis of following points - 

 

Retrograde Planets. 

Stages of Retrograde Motion. 

Jupiter Retrograde. 

Venus Retrograde

Saturn Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde

Joint Impact 

Conclusion 

 

Let's cover all the points one after the other - 

 

Retrograde Planets - Retrograde is a state of planetary movement in sky when they come closer to Earth and from Earth it looks like that Planets are moving backwards. Best example which is always given is that a Car is running on road and another Car passes by in same direction. Seeing from 2nd Car, it will look like 1st Car is going behind but it is actually not. It is also moving ahead in same direction but with slower speed. Same phenomenon works between Planet and Earth. This optical illusion of Planet going backwards while looking from Earth is called Retrograde Motion of Planets. So, we can get two characteristics of Retrograde Planets from this explanation itself, i.e. Illusion and Reverting Back. 

 

Stages of Retrograde Motion - There are three stages of Retrograde Motion. It can again be best understood with a moving Car. Suppose a Speeding Car is moving in a direction and needs to take a U-turn. It has to slow down its speed and take the turn. This is 1st stage. Then it starts moving into opposite direction. This is 2nd stage. Then if it takes another U-turn, it will again slow down and turn. This is 3rd stage. 

 

Likewise, these 3 stages for planets are - 

• When a planet slows down just before turning Retrograde. It is called Stationery Retrograde Stage. 
• Then it looks like it is moving backwards. It is called Retrograde Stage. 
• Then it again slows down to turn Direct. It is called Stationery Direct. 

And then there is something called Shadow Period which starts after planet turns back to Direct motion and remains till it reaches the point from where it initially started the retrograde motion. Like, if Jupiter started retrograde motion at 29 degrees Virgo and goes back up to 15 degrees. Then at 15 degrees it turns direct and starts moving direct again but it will remain under Shadow Period till it reaches 29 degree Virgo where it started retrograde motion. It is said that planet remains under retrograde effect during Shadow Period. 

 

Here, 2 things are important that Retrograde Planet means planet is very near to Earth, so its rays reaches Earth with greater intensity. So, this is the time when events related with that planet surely happens. 

 

Also, even more intense impact is when a planet is Stationery because it has stopped at a place to turn on other side. It means its whole energy has got accumulated at one portion of sky. So, Stationery Planets are actually the strongest planets in birth chart or during transit. It has its whole strength focused at one place. 

 

So, Stationery & Retrograde planets during transit are most important in bringing an event to manifestation. 

 

Sun & Moon are never retrograde. Rahu-Ketu are always retrograde. So, planets which switches movement from Direct to Retrograde and then Direct are Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. 

 

Now, impact of planets which are currently retrograde. Here I can cover all planets as karakas not as house rulers. So, here it is - 

 

Jupiter Retrograde - Jupiter represents our Beliefs, Ideals and Teachers/Gurus. So, Jupiter Retrograde during transit indicates the time when we revert back within ourselves and reflect on our Teachings and Gurus. We reflect if we are following right Gurus or right belief systems. This is also the time to question or challenge our Teachers and their Teachings. 

 

Venus Retrograde - Venus represents our Relationships. So, Venus retrograde is time when most break-ups happen as lovers reflect back if they are in right relationship or not. Here, questioning happens between lovers. As Venus also represents Wealth, person may reflect back on his Wealth and what it can do to improve it? It can bring a past lover back in life too.

 

Saturn Retrograde - Saturn represents our long term duties, commitments and responsibilities. So, Saturn retrograde is time when people reflect back on their current work or job and think if they are in right work or career. If not, Saturn makes them leave it and go towards new long term goals in life which can be more satisfying to them. 

 

Mercury Retrograde - Last but not the least, Mercury represents our Communications. So, when Mercury goes retrograde, it leads to mis-communications, no-communications, emails or site hacking, contracts or agreements being re-drafted, cell phones loss or damage, misunderstanding etc. We need to be very careful in our daily oral or written communications during this time. Create a back-up of your stored data in computers, read an agreement 3-4 times before signing it. At individual level too, person reflects back on his communications from past and tries to improve upon it. 

 

Joint Impact - When so many planets go retrograde together, one of the obvious result is that things turn very intense. We can feel the intensity in events around us. Also, as retrograde motion is slower than direct motion, we tend to focus on things more and life feels stuck at a point and we feel that nothing is happening. But as I said, retrograde time always brings events. 

 

Conclusion - Away from the thought of good or bad, just utilize this time to introspect and reflect back on your mistakes of past and learn from them. Reflecting back or introspection is useful when it comes back with realization. 

 

Hope this helps. Happy Retrograde Season. 

Thanks,

Swami Premanand Bharti