posted September 01, 2003 08:44 AM              

RETROGRADE MOTION:
All of the planets with the exception of the moon have periods of time when they appear to move backwards in their orbits from the perspective of a person on planet earth. It is important to remember that these planets never do actually move backwards--it is just an appearance. The planets with the longest orbits around the sun spend the most amount of time in retrograde motion.

RETROGRADE PLANETS:
Planets which are retrograde in a chart operate in a manner that is differently then planets in direct motion. The energy of that planet is more inwardly focused and it can manifest in more unusual ways. The viewpoint here is subjective rather than objective. There is less desire to experience and more desire to reflect on past experiences and their meaning. The retrograde causes the person to go back to the past and to try to work out unfinished business or unresolved issues in matters signified by the symbolism of the planet involved. This can result in the person not living and responding fully to the present moment. Another result is that the person cares less about the societal norms in things ruled by the retrograde planet and responds more to his own inner truth here. There can also be a slower maturation period for the individual in learning to express the planetary energy.

In terms of past life astrology, retrogrades indicate planets with which we have had a lot of experience in the past. We have worked actively with these planets in other lifetimes and now have chosen a lifetime where we take a more subjective view of--where we contemplate and reflect rather than act. This allows us a period of absorption and integration where the energies can be absorbed into the totality of our being and balanced with those of other planets. The planetary energies go from having collective and generalized meaning for us and become individualized and personalized.

Five or more planets in retrograde motion in a birth chart indicate that the focus of the birth chart is more subjective than objective. Other factors in the chart that point in the same direction include many oppositions, the majority of planets below the horizon, birth at the time of the full moon, and many planets in water signs or houses.

MERCURY RETROGRADE:
The mind here is contemplative and reflective with a strong inward focus. The workings of the mind can be slower than when Mercury is direct but they are usually deeper and more profound and more sensitive to the feelings of others. Learning of new concepts can be more difficult and slower than with a direct Mercury as the person learns much through osmosis and through his intuition. There is a strong link between the conscious and the unconscious minds. The person is less verbal especially about his feelings and may keep a lot inside. He can also be very self-critical. A mercury retrograde in the chart indicates the need to focus on one's perceptions and relationships and to use the discriminatory powers of the mind as well as the intuitive powers of the higher mind to bring these into balance.

VENUS RETROGRADE:
The main issue with Venus retrograde is love and especially self-love. This person is less outgoing socially and is less concerned with earning the approval of others by conforming to social norms. Even in terms of relationships, the person is more reserved and more self-contained, finding much of his emotional fulfillment within. Relationships can be difficult and the person may feel insecure in pursuing this area and experience difficulty in emotional expression. A Venus retrograde in the chart indicates that the person needs to carefully review his ability and willingness to give and receive love (even in the presence of past wounds and insecurities) and learn first to love himself and then others.

MARS RETROGRADE:
Mars retrograde in the birth chart shows a need to concentrate on the right use of action and power. The person has a tendency to react rather than act and many of these reactions can be based on feelings and experiences from the past rather than being rooted in the present moment. Thus the person can overreact or under-react in a given situation. Much energy can be focused on inner psychological dimensions rather than toward accomplishment in the world and this position can give great strength and courage to confront inner "demons." This position indicates that a person needs to be clear about his needs and to carefully plan his actions. There can be issues related to the expression of one's sexuality that may need to be addressed and the directing of the Mars energy inwards can result in health problems if it is not properly handled.

JUPITER RETROGRADE:
Jupiter retrograde in the birth chart indicates a search for truth and spiritual principles that is inwardly rather than outwardly directed. The person here foregoes organized religion and dogma and depends upon intuitive answers from within to answer philosophical, moral or spiritual questions. Because of this the person can be at odds with the commonly held ideas of his culture. There is less desire to find riches and abundance in the material world but rather a seeking of it within. A person with Jupiter retrograde needs to seek the truth within.

SATURN RETROGRADE:
Saturn retrograde in the birth chart indicates a person who turns the discipline, perfection and ambition normally associated with worldly achievement inward. The person focuses on resolving unfinished business from the past and reaching perfection in areas where they are not satisfied with their prior efforts. He can be very self-critical. Issues here can focus on the relationship with the father, authority figures, responsibility and power issues. Even when there is a desire for worldly recognition and achievement, then can be a reluctance to pursue it or feelings of inferiority or insecurity can make it difficult for the person to make the effort. This retrograde in particular is especially suggestive of past life energies being reworked and perfected.

URANUS RETROGRADE:
Uranus retrograde in the birth chart concentrates on issues of freedom and independent action. There is a strong need to search for the truth in all situations and this search can take the person within as he works to free himself from the preconditioned ideas that he has built up in the past. Unfortunately, this placement can also take the form of dominating others. This person's ideas are often unique and ahead of his time. The commitment here needs to be to the search for truth and freedom from those things which keeps the person from progressing.

NEPTUNE RETROGRADE:
Neptune retrograde in the birth chart indicates a person whose spiritual idealism is inwardly directed. Intuition, dreams and visions play an important part in this person's life and if past life talents exist they can be easily accessed, often at a very young age. But these need to be balanced with a dose of reality and structure as the person can have a hard time manifesting his talents and ideals in daily life. Issues can involve establishing boundaries with other people, dependency, self-delusion and sacrifice.

PLUTO RETROGRADE:
Pluto is retrograde in roughly half of all birth charts and this is less significant than the retrogrades of other planets. Here the transformative power of Pluto is focused on inward processes rather than outwardly. The intense power of this planet can be difficult for the individual to handle and it is not uncommon for it to be suppressed eventually to erupt as anger and self-criticism or other destructive emotional expressions. When it is working well it gives great power to change the inner dynamics of the personality so that spirit can express itself more freely. Here the past can be overcome and a new birth can take place.

posted September 18, 2003 06:14 PM              

Scorpio Asc -- Pisces Stellium in 4th with NN. Moon, Venus Mars Aries, 5th. Interceptions, Yod with Pices focal.

posted September 19, 2003 09:07 PM              

All these -- rofl

posted September 21, 2003 11:28 PM              

Seriously, though - I probably do give the impression that I'm unknowable to more than my fair share of people. My fiance thinks that I'm hiding some deep, dark secret from him, but, if anything, it's just that I don't even begin to grasp all the parts of myself. He - and a few others - say that I often get this faraway look in my eyes as if I'm thinking about something deeply profound or important, but it's just me drifting.
Myriad thoughts pass through my head during those times, but it's like they're not mine, like I'm simply observing them. Whole stories and lives play out in front of me, as deeply rich and moving as anything seen anywhere else. They come into me and fill me; I can feel a faintly pained look spread across my face as they do so, but I do not know why. Sometimes it's as if all of Existence spreads out before me, all of it making sublime and ecstatic sense - too beautiful to bear but too grand to hold in...and I don't know how to express this. It rips me apart in its majesty and wise absurdity, and so I sit or stand, muted, and look as if I'm holding something back.

posted September 22, 2003 06:04 AM              

If manifests itself as something like my brains' processing information thats' so abstract there's no analogue for. At the most it manifests as some weird geometric shapes... but there's definately a huge amount of data going through.

posted September 22, 2003 06:07 AM              

It's like there's too much info rushing through for this body to handle, y'know?