Retrograde Planets

RETROGRADE PLANETS AND NATAL CHART

by Laura Poggiani

Normally, in the analysis of a Natal Chart, several elements are examined such as the Houses, the planetary position, the aspects, etc. But usually neglected IS the retrograde movement of a planet, unless it is strictly correlated to the so-called Karmic Astrology. On the contrary, across the ocean, in the United States, the retrograde planets' analysis is kept in enormous consideration, and reasonably on my opinion, as it gives important particulars on the Planets' modality of expression.

But let's see now. Regarding the definition of a "Retrograde Planet": Each heavenly body has an own speed to complete its turn around the sun. So it happens, for instance, that Mercury, a lot faster than the Earth, employs only 88 days to make its complete turn while Venus, slower than Mercury, but faster than Earth, needs 223 days. Now it happens that in some periods of the year, in their motion around the Sun, the planets pass by the Earth, going between it and the Sun. To our geocentric optic, they seem therefore to stop and return back along the Zodiac. At that time, from the heliocentric point of view - that's if we were on the sun to observe the planetary movement - it would take place a conjunction,in this case , between Venus or Mercury and the Earth. On the ephemerids this "back" movement XXX comes signed with a R which becomes a D when the planet turns back to its direct motion.

Under the astrological profile, the retrograde motion must be considered AS if that certain planet was weakened and not able to develop to its maximum potential, independently from the good aspects that this forms. More specifically, the retrograde planet recalls a specific event that has been important for the considered subject, which occurred immediately before the considered planet becomes retrograde or direct.

It's necessary to point now that obviously a retrograde Mercury in the Natal Chart does not absolutely mean shortage of intelligence, just as a retrograde Venus or Mars don't absolutely mean the negation of the affections or the tendency to

violence. But undoubtedly, as we have just explained, the retrograde motion means inhibition of the values pointed out by that planet and the House where is situated. Therefore, a retrograde Mercury will point toward or a more slowness in learning, that there will be anyway, or more simply a trauma that the subject tries to remove. If then we apply the Progression method (1 day=1 year), we will NOTICE that the trauma indicated by retrograde Mercury will display the age pointed out by the number of the elapsed days from the birth to the moment in which Mercury returns direct.

Don't panic! The careful analysis of retrograde Planets could be of aid above all to the parents, who will be then able to stimulate their children to develop a better security in themselves and also correct the own attitudeswhich, from theChart, they will be felt by their children as negative. For instance, retrograde Saturn points often out a fatherly absent figure. It's obvious, this does not necessarily mean the father results really absent, but this is the way as the father is felt from the child. And fisrt of all, you have to avoid the lack of interests that often the retrograde Planets carry with themselves from which derive inevitable frustrations and complexes.

But the retrograde Planets become fundamental above all in the Transits: it's in fact better to avoid the start of an activity, surgical operation or important job when most part of the Planets are retrograde as, after an first positive period due to the direct motion, there will be later the restoration of the pre-existent situation just when the Planets will return retrograde once again (perhaps somebody will remember the sensation aroused from an American astrologer who convinced the President of the United

States Ronald Reagan to post-date an important meeting with the Oresident of the Soviet Union as the previous date just had 5 retrograde Planets).

A FAMOUS EXAMPLE: MICHEL GAUQUELIN

At the moment of his birth, Michel Gauquelin presented in his Chart 4 retrograde Planets: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. Being Scorpio, the presence of Mars and Pluto, Masters of the Sign, in retrograde position engages particular importance.

Just Mars is situated in XI, house of the collective, pointing out the duality that from it derives: Michel has in fact put at disposal of the collectivity his studies but also the tendency to become victim of the same collectivity, with whom he must have   fought-criticized by the astrologers who considered him an enemy and by the scientists because, on the contrary, considered too close to the astrologers- until the extreme action of suicide, in the 1991 (still Mars put in XI, sector often connected to the death, in disharmonics aspect to Uranus, also retrograde.

This Mars has had an enormous influence in the Gauquelin's life: his researches showed, first of all, Mars'influence in the horoscopes of the athletes, also he was for a certain time the tennis French team's top athlet, but above all it has signed his battles because normally retrograde Mars produces a revolutionary, in any field he wants to show, disposed to sacrifice the own personal happiness for a collective cause.