The planets in astrology contain certain themes. But how these themes are expressed depends on the zodiac sign, house, and direction of the planet. Retrogrades become a big scary hairy deal whenever Mercury retrograde comes around (about three or four times every year), but what about people with retrograde in their natal charts? Today I want to talk about the astrology of understanding one another. And no, not through synastry, but through planetary expression.
We understand zodiac signs well enough. Someone with a Mercury in Capricorn is likely to communicate similarly to someone else with Mercury in Capricorn. Furthermore, they both may be fairly blunt, direct people, or logically thinking. The signs show us how the planets express their themes or traits. They show us means of expression, or how the planets portray themselves in a certain birth chart.
But the signs aren't all there is to it. The houses show us what areas of life the planets express themselves in. The degrees show us the minute ways planets and signs can come to life. And the direction of a planet, be it direct, stationary, or retrograde, can tell us a whole lot about how a planet behaves.
A direct planet is commonly said to act more normal, regular, or within the bounds of usual expression. A stationary planet is said to act more powerfully in a chart. A retrograde planet is said to act in extremes, or not like its usual self. Retrogrades are said to "weaken" a planet or cause it to go a little haywire, like a glitch in the system. But what if this means of expression could draw us closer together?
When a planet goes retrograde, the themes of the planet are highlighted. For Mercury, it's travel, communication, and thoughts. A retrograde period may cause us to reexamine how we talk to one another. A Venus retrograde period may have us reexamining our relationships. A Neptune or Saturn retrograde may have us reexamining our goals or dreams, and what they really mean to us. But people with retrogrades in the birth chart show us something very special: the variety of ways we can express something and still connect with each other.
In fact, a retrograde is kind of like a wild card. It constantly throws new things at you, whether that be goals, challenges, or accomplishments, and presents you with the opportunity to make something entirely new out of it. Retrogrades are a disruption, but that's just part of the fun of chaos - getting to create.
"You are so busy standing in your ruins that you are not building your new city."
-Brianna Wiest
Retrogrades present us with the opportunity and willingness to change. To create something new. In the birth chart, this looks like finding understanding in how we express our planetary placements. This includes having compassion in how others express their charts as well. Retrogrades remind us that each day is a start of something new - we just have to take it.
That's the fun part about natal retrogrades. They push us to constantly, consistently, reflect and change. Betterment is part of life, but with retrogrades, arrogance or pride doesn't necessarily get in the way. Acknowledging when something needs worked on and when it doesn't is a key part of getting to know yourself, and astrology, in the process. Because retrogrades are so reflective, they allow us to not only understand others better, but also ourselves. This allows us to relate to others in a way that we previously may not have thought about. We relate to one another with the energy that is being expressed through not only the sign, but direction of the planet.
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