Planetary Retrogrades: Exactly Where You Are Supposed to Be

I love Astrology. I love the symbolism, the history, the weight, the significance and meaning that is there to lighten a path, the synastry, the patterns, the connections, the stories, the mythology, the science, the shapes, the energy,  and the love.

All the Love. For the human experience, for the simple complexity, for the cosmic order, for the unconditional love and expansion into our being, for the guidance, for the map, for the direction, for the signs, for the unity of All into One – for the Completion. For the Wholeness.

I love Astrology and its relationship to us as it is as completely individual and unique as the “I Am” we came to be. It is our story, it is our continuum, it is (one of many) connections to Source energy and our higher guidance systems – it is so many wonderful, amazing things that can be utilized into amazing tools for self-awareness, empowerment and actualization.

I also love the diversity in Astrology because it is truly a microcosm of how many ways we can divide up a Whole and it still be One, with all of the different techniques, theories, concepts, studies, calculations, house systems, zodiac systems, different cultures interpret different ways and yet, it still threads through as One Story translated in a countless number of ways through our unconscious and conscious expression of ourselves in relation to the entire cosmos.

There is, however, one area that seems constant throughout – the negative implications of certain transits, retrogrades or natal placements that, I feel, invoke an unnecessary chord of fear and uncertainty about the future.  I struggle with this, myself and I am taking time to reformulate my astrological language because I am so conscious of the words that I say that have an effect on any client or stranger, alike.

It is hard to not describe transits or placements as something that is “happening to you” or something that you have very little control over – but I think it would benefit greatly if we could entertain the idea of moving away from that language entirely. This would mean replacing the Ancient Belief that outer planetary placements influenced Earthly Events in catastrophic/punishing ways – with the idea that any one other planet is simply not responsible for any effect on Earth or its inhabitants because of our inherent free will and Source Consciousness – that if we accept that we create our own reality, than we need to accept responsibility for what we attract into it, through our will alone – and we can accept that Earth, as it is its own Conscious Body, is also evolving and attracting events through its own design and that we are all held in perfect Unity Consciousness.

The Planets, then, become Partners of Consciousness, they are the placeholders for all the beliefs that have come forth on this planet and they allow us to “go back” and review, re-do and replace them, at any time,  not just Retrograde Seasons,  with the Beliefs and Energy that Serve and Reflect   Our Now.  

Retrogrades are FANTASTIC and nothing that you need to “Survive”  – Retrogrades are the appearance of planets going backward, and as they cannot actually go backward in orbit, it is metaphoric for questioning the ways in which things appear that may not be in actuality, or it is symbolic of the needing to slow our thoughts to a truly snail’s pace so that we can focus on gathering forward momentum…

And Most Importantly, Retrogrades are a Very Important Saving Grace:

Isn’t it comforting to know, by universal law, that YOU CANNOT GO BACKWARD?! You Can’t. You just Can’t. You can spin your wheels, you can feel stuck, you can experience extreme cognitive dissonance of where you want to be and where you are and you can focus excessively, by thought alone, on the past and you can attract the energy of the past into forward momentum of your Now – and that certainly Feels like going backward –

But you Really Can Not. And isn’t that Comforting to Know? It truly is for me. My chart includes 4 Outer Retrogrades that all make aspects to my personal planets. I have lived my entire life through retrograde and it has taught me something invaluable:

The Importance of the Present Moment.

Exactly Where You Are, Right Here, Right Now – This Moment. And this Moment. And this Moment. Where You Are is Exactly Where You Need to Be In Order To Move Forward Consciously and Gain Momentum in a Direction of Your Choosing.

That is the biggest message that I feel any Retrograde Brings. You have the Power, Right Now, to Choose Forward Thinking, Forward Action, Forward Intention by Not Focusing on the Past and Certainly Not Focusing on Any Negative Stuff that “Could Happen” to you during a Retrograde Season!

We are too, too Powerful as Creative Beings that any Outer Planetary Transit could Cause any Effect that would impose upon our freewill. What we do is Align within ourselves the belief patterns active within us that are lovingly held for us by this Planetary Index we have assembled throughout Human History. These are the spirals we travel in our journey, and, I also feel, that planetary energy/stories is a way (one of many) in accessing the Akashic Records – it is veritable treasure trove of energetic imprints of events, emotions, thoughts and beliefs that hardly fail to resonate in present moment context – but it doesn’t make them at Cause for such Energy or Events – –

No, No. We did that. We created all of it and the planets are holding it for us, waiting for us to Align with them in terms of higher consciousness and manifestation of desire – there never need be a detrimental reading or prediction through astrology because it negates our very empowered purpose to Choose our Momentum and since we can’t truly go backward, I like to use Astrology as the light forward and pointing out its higher path – the true choice that exists in Astrology is of what you choose to believe about yourself.

And if it is negative, it is of past conditioning – become aware, but know it is not a limitation upon you and it is Certainly Not A Prediction of Things To Come and that as there are energetic imprints to clear from our belief system, there are millions more to ascend to through our inner being.

The Choice is Ours.

So through this Retrograde Season, let yourself be comforted that even the Cosmic Order practices Stillness as a Universal Rule to Evolution and Find Knowing and Stability in Yourself that You are Exactly Where You Need to Be to Move Forward. You are Never Behind. Ever. Ever.

My Thoughts on the Retrograde Energy:

Retrograde Jupiter in Virgo from January 7, 2016 to May 9, 2016

• Remember, we started out 2016 with no Retrogrades but it felt like a slow start. Jupiter Retrograding through Virgo is to begin questioning our belief systems about who we are and what our purpose is. Just let yourself think about it without resentment or blame on what is “holding you back” Begin to entertain the idea that you are “too big” to hold into one defined space and that you have a right to explore All of the ways in which you can expand into your being. Imagine all of the ways your expanded being, aligned with the truth of who you are, could be of Service in your home, community or place of occupation and know – Know that you are in position to move forward on these new ideas about yourself and what you contribute. You are much bigger, much more powerful an energetic being than you let your human form conceive of. Think Bigger.

Retrograde Saturn in Sagittarius from March 25, 2016 to August 13, 2016

• When Saturn went Retrograde in Sagittarius, it became time to question the true nature of what you consider Authority in your world. Who or what “keeps you” from being who you are and start to question all of the ways in which you Allow it to keep occurring. What are the actions/reactions that create the structure of who you are and what do you do in the intention of security that is not aligned with the true, secure being you are within. Are you living your story or are you following the outline of someone else, be it through family or society – is this your life? Or do you have another concept of your own self-structure that is only waiting for *Your Approval and Your Permission to Proceed*

Retrograde Mars in Sagittarius from April 17, 2016 to June 29, 2016

• What do you really want?? What do you do in relation to what you want and what you believe? Do you believe others are in your way? Do you need to renegotiate your relationships and secure more freedom for yourself to do and be who you truly are meant to be. Where do you need freedom? Where do you need to act? Do you know how to be true to yourself?

Retrograde Pluto in Capricorn from April 18, 2016 to September 26, 2016

• What are your intentions? How do you manipulate/schedule your environment from day to day to see that your needs are satisfied and taken care of and how do you control your environments to ensure order and security for yourself and others that you feel can “make or break” your day, life, project, family – What is driving you to either stay as you are or seek transformation? Where can light be shone to bring peace to darkness? Where can you forgive yourself for everything that you think and feel that doesn’t feel good to you, but can’t seem to stop thinking? How can you make the unconscious, conscious and heal it into a physical manifestation of the reality that you want?

Retrograde Mercury in Taurus from April 29, 2016 to May 23, 2016

• What is right in front of you, staring at you day after day that does not work? Where are you having trouble meeting perception and reality and where is the bridge to security? What are the new thoughts that can come to you about what you are seeing and how can you self-soothe into a place of security, so that moving forward is done on solid footing? What is your story? What Story are you telling and do you see the reality your words are creating? Can you tell a different story that is equally as reflective of the positive and good qualities, having learned from hindsight and self-forgiveness, and yet, when invoked by your communication, will  yield vastly different results in what you are seeing around you.

Ask yourself these questions, during retrograde season or, you know, on a Saturday and let yourself explore the answers that come to you – that you will attract – because all thoughts are magnetic. Explore these questions with self-compassion for you and with abiding love for your experience. Take a moment during these seasons, and all seasons, to just reflect on how bad-ass you are, going through this life, knowing that nobody does it perfectly, everybody is swimming in the same sea, with the same equipment but will create differently through one current: Their Mind and the Thoughts that they Pull down into Expansion and Know, Just Know, that the Choice of Every Next Thought is Always Yours.

The Planets do not Align with You – You Align with the Planets, both unconsciously and consciously – the difference between those two spaces is this:

“It happened to me.” OR “I made it happen.” And interesting enough, those can still play out in both positive and negative ways. But when you are conscious of your intentions (Pluto) and you are deliberately creating your experience (Mars and Saturn ), you are forward moving, forward thinking, forward creating (Jupiter and Mercury) then it is only positive to the extent that you allow it all in to boost your momentum, your intentions and your self image.

But the Choice – The Choice is Always Yours. You are never going backward, ever – but are you keeping yourself in the same place, telling the same stories, living the same life – and don’t you crave something bigger, something more, something true?

Be Present in the Now and You will Always Find the Time and the Energy to Move Forward.

Happy Discovering during this Retrograde Season – You’ll be Fine 😉

Much Love,

Rose.