Making the most of retrogrades in 2020
Planets in direct motion express themselves in a straight-forward manner. But when a planet is retrograde — as if moving backwards from our perspective — things can get complicated. Retrograde motion leads to indirect ways of expressing the qualities and significations of the planet.
Image by Kevin Bergen
‘TWISTED’ PLANETS
The Sanskrit word used for retrograde planets is vakri, which means, ‘twisted’ or ‘crooked’. Retrograde planets do not behave in the usual manner. If, however, you have retrograde planets in your horoscope, then this is your usual manner. When that planet begins to move retrograde, the indirectness of it suits your own need to express your indirectness, without the usual hesitations you feel around… well, hesitating! In other words, when your retrograde planet retrogrades again, you can come into your own. But that does not mean this is without complications. When planets retrograde, there is always something to renegotiate.
REWIND & RENEW
Retrograde planets are a time to rewind and renew ourselves. But we must deal with unfinished business in the process, as retrograde doesn’t mean we are not moving — it just means we must move in a different direction.
As Confucius is quoted as saying: ‘It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop’, retrograde planets offer us a way to slow down and move inwards, as we concentrate and reclaim our energy in preparation for moving forward with more self-awareness after doing the necessary inner work.
Retrogrades can lead to an ‘all or nothing’ approach to the planet’s significations. It’s hard to get the balance right, as we tackle past thoughts and events together with new input. Someone with Mars retrograde in their birth chart, for example, may not know how to balance energy output overall. Someone with Saturn retrograde may be a workaholic sometimes, and other times, feel exhausted and unable to work at all. They may have to redraw boundaries once Saturn goes retrograde which may require withdrawing, spending time alone, to recuperate.
When a planet is retrograde by transit there are too many concerns from our past holding us back from venturing too far into new territory. We need more time to sift through what has already been, without overburdening ourselves with new things.
Opportunities are still up for grabs, but they may come from taking up past opportunities, and going back over things, things which may not have been fully realized at the time.
All the planets: Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury, move retrograde at different times. Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter are retrograde every year. Saturn is retrograde for nearly half the year, while Jupiter is retrograde for about 4 months every year. Mars and Venus are less frequent in their retrograde motion, moving backwards from our perspective every second year or so.
In 2020, all the planets are retrograde at some point.
MERCURY RETROGRADE IN 2020
Feb 17 — Mar 10 (18° — 4° Aquarius)
Jun 18 — Jul 12 (20° — 11° Gemini)
Oct 14 — Nov 4 (17° — 1° Libra)
Mercury is retrograde the most as it only takes 88 days to transit around the Sun. When Mercury is retrograde communications are not straightforward. You may have to actively listen, using the time to re-evaluate what you are expression and how you are expressing it.
Mercury represents our most practical concerns: money, work, security, interaction, communication, travel, health and daily routines. When it moves retrograde, we have to re-check these. There is a need to go offline for a while so we can take the time to work it out.
VENUS RETROGRADE IN 2020
May 13 — Jun 25 (27° — 11° Taurus)
Venus is retrograde every 18 months or so, for about 6 weeks (40 days). When Venus is retrograde it is time to re-evaluate the things and people in our life, we hold dear.
Venus represents money, comforts, love, relationships, art, beauty, pleasures, enjoyment, celebrities, entertainment, femininity, and sexuality. It would be wise to take counsel before making any decisions about relationships or expensive purchases during the retrograde. You may be tempted!
You may be revisited by an old love affair, for example, or simply dwell on things you value; bringing them back into your life through your imagination. There is nothing wrong with this, of course. However, you may not pay attention to the here and now. So, it may be wise to delay making any definite decisions about such matters while Venus is retrograde.
MARS RETROGRADE IN 2020
Sep 10 — Nov 14 (4° Aries — 21° Pisces)
Mars is retrograde approximately every 2 years, from 55 to 80 days.
Mars retrograde represents the courage to act based on previous experience. This ultimately builds inner strength and resolve.
You may find yourself doing things you used to do to gain more strength, whether physically, mentally or emotionally, as you tap into huge reserves of strength within. But you may just as easily find yourself at a loss, as if your system is in shut down mode because you cannot handle the extra energy!
JUPITER RETROGRADE IN 2020
May 15 — Sep 13 (3° Capricorn — 23° Sagittarius)
Jupiter takes around 12 years to travel around the Sun, moving retrograde every year for about 120 days. Our ideas and ideals get themselves into all kinds of twists while Jupiter is retrograde. Jupiter retrograde behaves a bit like Rahu, the north node, which is nearly always retrograde. Rahu is all about innovation and change at every turn. Jupiter is usually the antidote to this chaotic impulse, bringing coherence and order. Usually, that is. In 2019, Jupiter’s retrograde station at the section between Scorpio and Sagittarius has shown chaos and disorder.
Jupiter retrograde is a time to reassess laws, policies, beliefs, and practices which keep a sense of order. While Jupiter is not behaving in the usual manner, it can lead to a lot of confusion. Our guiding principles are reconsidered, as we struggle to sense the right way forward. Mistakes are very possible in the immediate time frame, even though from a larger perspective there are no mistakes — only bigger lessons.
SATURN RETROGRADE IN 2020
May 11 — Sep 29 (7° — 1° Capricorn)
Saturn takes approximately 29.5 years to travel around the Sun, moving retrograde approximately every year for about 140 days. Saturn is the planet of time and form, and as it moves backwards it shows a need to renegotiate our boundaries; to find out where our limits lie.
This may be through finding out what we can, and can no longer, commit to. We may discover we no longer have the time or the energy to continue with something. This is a time to draw a line and be clear with ourselves and others as to where that line is. As Saturn stations direct once again, the line has taken a definite form, developing through a process which last 9 months every year once its shadow phase is considered.
In the end, we may find we have less energy for something or someone, or we may find that we can no longer do that thing we have been doing if we are to remain healthy, well-adjusted individuals.
URANUS RETROGRADE IN 2020
Aug 15, 2020 — Jan 14, 2021 (16° — 12° Aries)
Uranus takes about 84 years to travel around the Sun, spending about 7 years in each sign. Uranus is retrograde every year for about 148 days and is a time to catch up with unexpected change that has happened in our lives.
Uranus as rajas, is an impulse that is selfish, agitated and goal orientated. As Uranus retrogrades in sidereal Aries again in 2019, we can see more of a need for individuality, as a result, with people and nations around the world seeking more freedom. Brexit is just one example of this impulse in Aries, as Uranus transits opposite to where it was when the UK joined the EU, showing a need to break away.
As Uranus retrogrades for the latter half of the year, we see a need for inner changes, as we catch up with the changes happening in our environment. This re-ignites a fire within us that can lead to finding our inner spark and passion once again — to move with the changes in our environment once the retrograde phase has completed.
NEPTUNE RETROGRADE IN 2020
Jun 23 — Nov 29 (26° — 24° Aquarius)
Neptune takes about 165 years to travel around the Sun, spending about 14 years in each sign of the zodiac. Neptune is retrograde every year for about 150 days.
Neptune as sattva shows an impulse to balance and unite but can also be an idealism which can highlight an imbalance between fact and fiction, especially while retrograde. The ideals of sattva are challenged by Saturn’s current transit in Sagittarius, as it casts a strong aspect to Neptune in Aquarius.
Neptune’s retrograde can show us burying our heads in the sand in terms of humanitarian issues, looking within for answers to questions we haven’t fully formed yet.
PLUTO RETROGRADE IN 2020
Apr 25 — Oct 5 (0° Capricorn — 28° Sagittarius)
Pluto takes 248 years to travel around the Sun, spending between 12 and 31 years in each sign of the zodiac. Pluto is retrograde every year for about 5 or 6 months, as we reflect on deep-seated change that we may resist.
Pluto shows an impulse for change and rebirth; a period of breaking down things that stand in the way of progress as Pluto retrogrades in Sagittarius and Capricorn. This can lead to resistance to change, creating a conflict within as it moves back through the first degree of Capricorn and the last degrees of Sagittarius.
Looking at the state of the world today, Pluto’s influence in Sagittarius has mined for deeply-held false beliefs, exposing false guides who are meant to be show us the right path forward, while its influence in Capricorn is tearing down systems that have been built based on these faulty beliefs, requiring us to build anew with new ideas and systems to match.
While retrograde, Pluto guides us inward, to dig deep into our psyche to find the hidden gems in the rubble.
OM TAT SAT
