So it’s true, the word is out, mercury is out of retrograde, the eclipse season is over, a few planets are still retrograde but all will be moving direct by early September. Now is a time to breathe some sighs of relief as the breakdowns lead to breakthroughs, revealing new and forgotten patterns, tools and insights to weave yet another layer of your own personal tapestry.
Mercury went direct in Cancer on August 19th
Sun is currently strong and bright in it’s own sign of Leo.
Mars goes direct in Capricorn soon on August 27th
Saturn goes direct in Saggitarius on September 6th
(Outer planets are important but currently outside of today’s blog)
What is retrograde anyway?
Retrograde means the planets appear to move backward. It is an optical illusion caused by the movement of the orbits of planets respective to our position on Earth. They appear brighter in the sky. Their energies have a stronger magnetic and gravitational effect on us. If we think in terms of vibration, frequency and energy, cosmic forces make more sense.
From my observations and experiences over these potent few months, retrograde planets conjure opportunities to slow down and reflect upon various aspects of our lives. The eclipses served to reveal secrets and hidden agendas/elements. This combination is what many have been calling a portal – and rightly so. Mars has been super strong in Capricorn, sign of exaltation, riding Ketu, the south node of the moon opposing mercury conjunct Rahu, the north node, while Saturn has been channeling and focussing Mars’s energy in the expansive and philosophical sign of Sagittarius. With both heavyweights retrograde it has been a frustrating, potentially explosive, yet powerfully transformative few months. The Sun moved through Cancer, conjoining a retrograde mercury, eclipsed by Rahu. opposing Mars… etc etc, you get it! Without going into more astro jargon – It has all been full on time for many. When the nature of challenges are not fully understood, everything might feel like it is falling apart – the point is that it’s meant to. The more out of sync with your deeper realities + truths, the greater the challenges can seem to be. Sometimes what you are asking for is on the other side of the breakdown. These times have invited us to trust and keep things super simple as we discover deepest roots and stratums of our lives, ourselves, and of course, the world we live in. Going through a portal requires slowing down & letting go.
Retrograde implies the gradual slowing down and reversal of situations, which can come as quite a shock to some people. It can feel immensely frustrating when things don’t appear to go the way we want them. Communications get muddled or lost entirely, we feel misunderstood, or travel plans go awry, yet our thinking can become more insightful and intuitive (Mercury). Impulses, desires and energies (ego) get thwarted and fights are more likely, yet we can also yield to the delays and perform with greater diligence and focus (Mars). Delays, setbacks and complicated, karmic situations come up demanding our attention and discipline, yet we can surrender to the pressure and allow ourselves to be transformed in the process, like a diamond, basking in the satisfaction of a job well done. (Saturn) – See my post : Diamond Vision. Perhaps our faiths, beliefs and sources of knowledge and wisdom are questioned (Jupiter).
Whatever planet is retrograding, it’s significations will be highlighted. While it won’t affect everyone in the same way, everyone is affected in some way. I have found positive solace in knowing that the backward energies that have been occurring over the last few months during winter here in Australia have been a fruitful time to go quietly within and dive deep. Personally I have felt quite peaceful, with stresses rising when I try to push an agenda too strongly, but have mostly been learning how to be of greater support those around me that have been going through it. For me the art of listening and conversation has been a hot topic.
These planetary energies have created space for the unknown, dreamtime, oceanic depths, journey into a deep forest, the waiting, gestation, ideation, meditation, stillness, accepting not knowing, resting, growing…
Reflect, Reimagine, Reinvent…
The last few months have not been the best time to begin new things. Though for some there has been no other choice. It has been a good time to get things in order, Karmic situations from the past that were left undone have come back forcing us to step back and check in with the way we have been moving forward. Is it the direction you want to go? Is this the person you want to be? Is this the state of mind you want to live with? How can you change what you want to change? What was not working becomes apparent as old situations are revisited and perhaps have required a complete overhaul. We may feel exposed as our flaws, vulnerabilities, and fragile humanity become all too obvious.
The foundation of my philosophy is that one’s emotional reactions and responses to the world are reflections of our inner relationship to self. It’s not about being bad, or subscribing to phrases such as “If you see someone is selfish, that means you are selfish”.
It’s more about looking at how we treat ourselves and aspects of ourselves. If you don’t like how someone treats you, what about how you treat yourself? As the way you treat others is a direct reflection of your relationship to yourself. What about the inner voice you ignore, dismiss and don’t listen to? If rejection is a theme in your life, how do you reject aspects of you? What if you experience abandonment, shame, judgement or hatred? What aspects of your nature do you feel ashamed about? Do you feel that if you speak your truth you will be rejected or judged? Do you hate the way your body feels, or the way you do a particular thing?
If you constantly feel victimised by life and feel misunderstood by the people around you, then there is a good chance that there are unresolved emotional issues worthwhile exploring.
Conversely, also reflect on all the love, beauty and joy there is in your life, that comes in many forms, from friends, family, co-workers, clients, animals, children, your own heart – Focus on that. Be grateful for what you have. From there you can find the deep strength to move through and unravel habits/patterns/situations that no longer serve.
Reflect on your own attitudes you have created within yourself. What is your internal narrative? Even if it is a kernel of hatred, contempt, or a dismissive attitude, it exists in you and therefore it exists in reality. What you see outside, is actually a projection of your story. The truth is, that we all carry these emotions, states, feelings. The difference lies in how we act upon and project those impulses outwardly.
“If there is no enemy within, there is no enemy without”
The change start in you; in us.
While we may not be able to control our circumstances, our true power lies in exercising our free will where can control our thoughts, emotions and actions. The quality of our thinking reflects in the quality of our choices. The is the most basic starting point to self awareness.
I hope that the retrograde and eclipse season has shed light and revealed deeper insights, inspiring positive internal shifts, fostering a deeper awareness. I think happiness is not a place to arrive, but an internal attitude that can be cultivated, regardless of circumstances. It begins with total acceptance of self and life, warts and all.
Much Love,
Darinka
I have been studying Jyotish for a number of years and have gained so much from applying the insights and knowledge to my life. To me, Life is an adventure, an exploration of the universe, self and others. If you like what you read and would like to know more about your own chart and how the planetary energies are affecting you personally, I offer consultations in person or over skype X
Darinka Maja 