As of tomorrow (June 18, 2020) there will be five planets in retrograde simultaneously (Pluto, Saturn, Venus, Jupiter and now Mercury).
This means that from the vantage point of Earth, these planets appear to be going backwards.
Of course they’re not actually going backwards. What’s actually happening is that the Earth’s orbit around the sun is outpacing the other planets’ orbit.
What does retrograde mean?
Have you ever been on a train that is going fast, past a slower one? Remember how the slower one almost appears to move backwards? And how disorienting it can feel?
That’s what retrograde planets can feel like.
The added nuance to the planets going into retrograde (as opposed to a train) is that the energy of each planet affects us in different ways.
Even if you don’t think you buy that, I encourage you to do a little research on which planets were in retrograde at times (say in the past year or two) when you experienced some new challenges that really made you reassess some things in your life and about yourself.
Because that is the opportunity of retrograde(s)
It truly is opportunity.
To reassess things about yourself, choices you are making, and what you really want.
The energy related to each planet in retrograde will bring up to the surface things that you may be avoiding, or where you’ve been using a lot of energy on something that is very misaligned with your Self.
The most commonly known retrograde is Mercury retrograde. People often comment about technology, travel and communications going haywire during this time. And indeed those things happen.
Retrogrades and their inconveniences happen. Just like other circumstances that we can’t control happen. Like I regularly say, it’s way more important to choose how we respond to these things.
How to handle retrogrades
So how to handle retrogrades? What retrogrades present is the opportunity to reassess the issues that arise most keenly for us.
In other words, whatever part of you (emotion, thoughts, etc.) that is screaming in your face or coming up repeatedly during a retrograde – pay a lot of attention to how you can work on that.
Example
For example, let’s say you haven’t yet mastered healthy boundaries (or perhaps haven’t been so great about respecting other people’s boundaries).
During the Saturn retrograde we’ve had since mid-May, it’s likely you have been experiencing scenarios that push you up against the edges of respecting your (or others’) boundaries.
You may have encountered situations where your boundaries were completely disregarded. Or perhaps a relationship blew up in your face because you overstepped a boundary one too many times.
Pay attention to yourself
Regardless of which retrograde you are feeling the strongest, the thing to do is to take a pause, and zoom out to notice what you could do differently to achieve the feeling or outcome that you actually want.
And then gently repeat this each time that strong emotion or challenge arises during retrograde.
I encourage you not to fight what arises in you, but rather to TAKE NOTICE of what’s coming up most strongly in you.
What arises most strongly is the area that is asking for some development. It’s a part of you that knows it needs a loving nudge in the right direction. So that you can grow more and be the fuller, more aligned version of You.
The three steps
Here are the three steps as a recap:
- take a PAUSE when you are suddenly face to face with a big challenge or big emotion during retrograde.
- zoom out to NOTICE what you could do differently to achieve the feeling or outcome that you ACTUALLY want.
- keep gently REPEATING this every time the issue comes up during retrograde. Why repeat? Because until you make a change, this outmoded mindset or behaviour that’s no longer aligned with your Self will keep screaming to be addressed. So gently address!
If this helped you, please share it with someone you know whom it might also help.
If you’d like to watch the video where I discuss getting through retrograde, you can watch it here:
Blessings and empowerment to you.