Planets move in three different ways:
- direct motion
- stationary motion (planets from the point of view of the earth don’t move)
- retrograde motion (planets from the point of view of the earth move backward)
The Sun and the Moon are exceptions and never seem to move retrograde.
Retrograde planets bring retrospective and the possibility to review the events and insights expressed by their energy. Energy of the planet turns inward and is expressed differently than it is in direct motion.
Traditional astrology has attributed a negative meaning to retrograde planets, so today many astrological interpretations of retrogrades are based solely on warnings against their negative activity. It is still considered the principle that the energy of the retrograde planet is suppressed and does not reflect currently, which leads to the manifestation of the more shady side of the planet.
Modern astrologers have begun to notice that its energy has a positive impact on individual’s personal growth, because the retrograde planet brings to the surface unprocessed experiences from the past, especially when it transits the natal planet or an angular point of the chart.
In the interpretation of retrograde planet, we must be vigilant with:
- the symbolism of the retrograde planet
- the symbolism of the sign through which it passes
- the importance of the house through which it passes
- if a personal planet or an angle point is located at a degree where the planet rotates, then a planet or an angle point is strongly emphasized.
Through the retrograde process a specific part of the zodiac is highlighted. When a planet in a direct motion transits a natal point, it brings the experience or a situation, that requires re-examination and insight, to the surface. In the retrograde process the information and the experiences are collected. When the planet turns into direct motion, it's time to re-examine, to absorb and to remediate the past experience. New horizons open ahead of us. When the planet passes over the degree at which it first turned retrograde, the processed contents are manifesting.
