TL;DR
Each one of the planets go into Retrograde, but when they do, what energies change, and what does that influence in our lives? Eclipses, too, cause energetic changes that affect our lives. Here’s what to know when a planet is in Retrograde or there is an Eclipse, and what to expect.“Oh great, Mercury is in Retrograde again!” you have probably heard people say, as if life stops when that happens. Some fret when there is an Eclipse, and still others will panic when Venus goes into Retrograde, terrified their significant other will automatically break up with them. It doesn’t have to be so terrifying, and you don’t have to put your life on hold over an Eclipse or a planet in Retrograde. It’s still beneficial to know just how Retrogrades and Eclipses can influence our lives, though, and our simple Retrograde and Eclipse definitions can help.
What Does Retrograde Mean?
Retrograde is when a planet appears to move backwards because of how it’s passing the Earth. In reality, no planet actually moves backwards, so this is simply an illusion. However, during the time the planet moves this way in conjunction with the Earth, it creates a change in the energy it gives off, and this directly affects us. Each planet rules something different, and the energy it creates when it is moving forward, or Direct is entirely different than what it is when it goes into Retrograde.
The Planets in Retrograde
Earth does not have a Retrograde motion, so as we explore the influence Retrograde planets have, we will only focus on the other eight planets in our Solar System. They are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. What does it mean for each planet when it is in Retrograde and how does this affect our lives?
Mercury
The planet Mercury goes into Retrograde more than once per year. This planet rules communication, mental expression, and analytical skills. When Mercury is in Retrograde, it typically lasts a few weeks, and this is a good time to be mindful of communications and forgiving of technological glitches as well as miscommunications between people. Because communication gets goals moving along, it is possible for there to be some obstacles to keeping things moving smoothly, but that doesn’t mean NOTHING can be accomplished. Just be patient, persistent, and keep moving forward.
Venus
About every year-and-a-half to two years, Venus goes Retrograde, and this lasts close to six weeks. Venus rules love, romance, relationships, and our taste in what brings us comfort and a sense of pleasure. When Venus is in Retrograde, it can cause struggles in relationships that were already having issues, and it is during times like these that extra care in communications should be taken. Extra care in all decisions pertaining to relationships, too should be taken. Don’t worry though, because people meant to be in your life cannot be taken away from you by a planet in Retrograde.
Mars
Mars goes into Retrograde every couple of years and this lasts for a little more than two months. Mars rules initiative, courage, vitality, and desire. Mars energy is outwardly active, and Mars in Retrograde can literally turn that inside out, making you internalize things instead of being active. You may have a lack of energy or lack of drive to get things done, but this can also translate into inner struggles and emotionally imploding. Remember that none of us is at our peak performance 24/7. If the Mars Retrograde slows you down, that’s okay. Just take a moment to catch your breath, regroup, and start again. You’ve got this.
Jupiter
Jupiter goes into Retrograde every year and will be so for about four months at a time. Jupiter rules progress and personal growth as well as acquisition of financial and material wealth. Don’t assume that you will lose everything when Jupiter is in Retrograde, though! During a Jupiter Retrograde, extra time and energy needs to be devoted to taking stock of where you are on your personal journey of success, what is truly important, and what things you need to do in order to assure this success. Be on guard of being overly optimistic during this time because it can make you drop your ambitions. Make sure that you are paying close attention to what still needs work and this will help keep you on the right track during this time.
Saturn
Saturn goes into Retrograde annually for about five months. Serious Saturn rules planning, setting limits, work, and discipline. When Saturn goes into Retrograde, you can take a breather from all these structured, work-based things, and relax a bit. This doesn’t mean no work needs to be done, however. It just means that the feelings of being burdened and stressed out from all this work and responsibilities will let up, and you can review the things learned and accomplished when Saturn was Direct.
Uranus
Uranus goes into Retrograde for anywhere from about four months at a time, or up to almost half of the year. Uranus rules curiosity, exploration, and the future. It can be a bit of a rebel at times and is always looking forward to new things and unique experiences. With Uranus in Retrograde, however, our itch to get out, expand our horizons, and try new things is relaxed, and we can focus creativity on something we are already working on. This is also a very good time to reexamine values and habits, and to also accept that some things are good just as they are, and no revolutionary change is needed!
Neptune
Neptune goes into Retrograde every year and spends about 23 weeks moving thus. Neptune rules mysticism, illusion, and imagination. When Neptune is Retrograde, you may get a reality check, and have to accept things for the way they are instead of the way you believed them to be. Perception may create how you function, but it certainly doesn’t create reality. When Neptune is in Retrograde, you will get help dispelling illusions, and accepting the way things have been all along. While this might be difficult at first, the truth will help in the long run, and you will feel so much better!
Pluto
Pluto may not be considered a planet by Astronomers anymore, but a lot of Astrologers still count it as such, and when it goes into Retrograde, they pay attention. That’s a good thing, because Pluto goes into Retrograde every year and spends about 180 days doing so! Pluto rules transformations, death and the Underworld, and rebirth. It also rules power, the deep subconscious, and forces that are hidden from us. When Pluto is in Retrograde, it’s an excellent time to dig deeper, to find hidden truths and hidden parts of yourself you need to examine. This is an especially good time for transformation. Just make sure to go with it if it’s changes you didn’t initiate, because Pluto gives a rebirth when the death of an old way of being happens, and that’s good.
What Is An Eclipse?
The Sun and Moon don’t go into Retrograde, but they do Eclipse. A Solar Eclipse and a Lunar Eclipse are different, but both are equally as meaningful as one another.
The Lunar Eclipse
A Lunar Eclipse occurs during a Full Moon when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are almost completely aligned, and the Earth is positioned between the Moon and the Sun. The Lunar Eclipse is just for a couple of minutes, and sometimes, depending on exactly where it is, the Moon is not darkened, but the color turns red, and this is called a Blood Moon. The Incans, Ancient Chinese, and Mesopotamians believed a Lunar Eclipse signaled that the Moon was under attack, and they did things to protect it. The Incans in particular believed that if the Moon was completely devoured, all animals on Earth would be devoured as well.
The book of Joel in the Bible states the Moon will go dark before the terrible “Day of the Lord”, and the Book of Revelations says the Moon became “as blood” and this was one of the events in the heavens that set off the Apocalypse, or end of the World and their final judgement. More recently, a group of Christians preached that a series of Blood Moons beginning in 2014 and ending in the Fall of 2015 would set off the end of the World. Fortunately, their calculations were wrong, and if their final judgement will come to pass as it is written about in the Bible, it didn’t happen in 2015!
What Does a Lunar Eclipse Mean To Me?
Spiritually, some say a Lunar Eclipse magnifies its energy, and the affect is the equivalent of many Full Moons. While some insist the Full Moon makes people “go crazy”, science disagrees, and studies have shown only people with certain disorders have a negative reaction to this.
To read more about Full Moons: The Spiritual Meaning of the Full Moon
Some say that specifically, a Lunar Eclipse shuts off the Full Moon’s energy from us, allowing us a moment to break our energetic connection with it, and once the Eclipse has finished, form our connection anew. Any Full Moon magic you do is considered amplified during a Lunar Eclipse. You can charge your crystals, take your Moon bath, or draw down the Moon during this time for extra Full moon power.
The Solar Eclipse
A Solar Eclipse is simply when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, temporarily casting a shadow. A total Solar Eclipse is when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in complete alignment with one another. It takes hours for the Moon to move from between the Earth and the Sun, but the entire time the Sun’s light is blocked is from a couple minutes up until seven minutes. Yes, that’s all! If you ask some ancient people however, a Solar Eclipse is not a good thing at all!
Some believed the Solar Eclipse could cause birth defects, and pregnant women were carefully kept indoors during this time, lest the baby be born ill or with deformities. Ancient Greeks thought Eclipses were the gods way of expressing displeasure with their ruler, and captives were sacrificed to appease the gods, thus protecting the king. The Aztecs believed a complete Solar Eclipse would make the world fall to malevolent spirits and said it would occur in the 21st century. Like the Greeks, they believed sacrifices could hold this disaster off. To both Ancient Chinese and ancient Norse people, an eclipse was the sun being devoured by animals, and both peoples made noises to scare them off, thus rescuing the Sun!
What Does a Solar Eclipse Mean To Me?
Today, we know the Eclipse is temporary, and the true danger in a Solar Eclipse is when we make the mistake of staring directly at the Sun when it’s occurring. However, Eclipses still influence our lives although it won’t cause birth defects! The Solar Eclipse is about new beginnings, and you can use this energy to start something important to you. It is said that even spiders take down their webs right before an Eclipse, weaving new ones afterward! Sometimes, with new beginnings, something has to end first. Don’t fret, though, because when one door closes, another opens. If something goes away in your life, open yourself to whatever is waiting to take its place.
Some people insist their psychic abilities are much stronger during a Solar Eclipse, and others say male power is at its fullest during this time. Plenty of females are in touch with the “traditional male attributes” of success, acquisition, and assertiveness. You can use this energy to work towards your goals with added strength and confidence and use this opportunity to practice your psychic gifts. The energy of a Solar Eclipse can work for you, helping you attain your goals and build your personal power.
With eight different planets that can go into Retrograde, a majority of the time, we experience some Retrograde or another. Combine that with Solar and Lunar Eclipses, and we are almost always under the influence of either an Eclipse or a Retrograde planet. Don’t fret, or put off important plans in life just because of this, but pay attention to them so you know how to counteract any energies that might be holding things up, and use their beneficial energies they give off to work in your behalf!
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