Maple Seeds; Heart’s desire? – Photo: L. Weikel

Retrograde

There’s a lot of astrological activity occurring this week that you’re probably already feeling on one level or another. I know I am. Perhaps most significant in my mind is the fact that Saturn went retrograde on Sunday, Venus went retrograde on Tuesday, and Jupiter is going retrograde tomorrow (Thursday, May 14^th).

I’m pretty sure I’ve provided an elementary explanation of what it means for a planet to station and then go retrograde. It’s all in our perspective which, when you think about it, is so true of practically everything in life. In this case, though, a planet going retrograde means that, from our perspective on Earth, it looks like a planet is stopping in its orbit around us (stationing) and then appears to be moving backwards.

As I say, this is all an optical illusion based on our perspective from here on Earth. It all has to do with the length and pace of a planet’s orbit around the sun vis-à-vis the Earth’s orbit.

Different Influences

Nevertheless, as we are complex creatures influenced by a myriad of factors that we often aren’t consciously aware of, including the moon, sun, and planets, it can be a deeply powerful time of reflection and change when they go retrograde.

Most people have heard one thing or another about Mercury going retrograde. Because Mercury is closest to the sun and is the planet that moves most rapidly in its orbit, it’s the one that’s discussed most often. When Mercury goes retrograde, an occurrence that happens four times a year, I believe, the length of time it is appearing to move backward is about three weeks.

When the larger planets go retrograde, their periods in that state happen less frequently and are longer in duration, although they vary. The thought is that the influence of the larger planets is generally more profound and long-lasting.

As I’ve written about a number of times over the past year and a half, the planet Mercury is associated with communication and electronics, to name two of the most common factors influenced by that planet. Obviously, then, when Mercury goes retrograde, there are certain activities that are enhanced during that time, such as editing and going over details with a fine-toothed comb.

Not Mercury

When Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter go retrograde this week (joining Pluto, which went retrograde at the end of April), we are called upon to stop our relentless efforts at moving forward or maintaining the status quo. Instead, we’re asked to take time to reflect upon and really take stock of those aspects of our lives (or the life of the society we live in, or the country, etc.) that are associated with that particular planet. We’re asked to decide what is working for us in those areas – and what we need to release or surrender.

For instance, Venus has to do with our values, our ways of earning a living, what we hold dear, the things or aspects of our lives that mean most to us. When Venus goes retrograde, we’re called upon to reflect on just exactly what we value most. What we can live with losing. Who we are if we lose what we value.

As you know, I enjoy the work of Kaypacha and I like to listen to his weekly Pele Reports. He knows his astrology – particularly evolutionary astrology – and he translates it into information I can apply to my own life. I recommend you give this week’s Pele Report (for May 13^th) a listen. The interplay of each of these planets going retrograde and what and how they influence us is fascinating. And the application of these influences to what the world is experiencing right now is fascinating and provides an abundance of food for thought.

Just planting the seeds for all our growth…

(T-562)