Planetary Retrogrades for 2013

Happy New Year and I hope 2013 is a healthy, peaceful, prosperous and happy year for you all.

Below are the planetary retrograde dates and positions for 2013, plus over at my website you can find Moon info for January - Void of Course and Moon Sign Changes and Moon Phases (with explanations).

Mercury

Mercury turns retrograde on 24 February at 19 Pisces 47 
Mercury turns direct on 18 March at 05 Pisces 41

Mercury turns retrograde on 27 June at 23 Cancer 04
Mercury turns direct on 21 July at 13 Cancer 24

Mercury turns retrograde on 22 October at 18 Scorpio 19
Mercury turns direct on 11 November at 02 Scorpio 34 

Venus
Venus turns retrograde on 22 December at 28 Capricorn 57
Venus turns direct on 1 February 2014 at 13 Capricorn 34

Mars
No Mars retrograde in 2013

Jupiter
Jupiter turns retrograde on 4 October 2012 at 16 Gemini 22 
Jupiter turns direct on 30 January at 06 Gemini 19

Jupiter turns retrograde on 7 November at 20 Cancer 30 
Jupiter turns direct on 7 March 2014 at 10 Cancer

Saturn

Saturn turns retrograde on 19 February at 11 Scorpio 31
Saturn turns direct on 9 July at 04 Scorpio 49

Uranus

Uranus turns retrograde on 18 Jul at 12 Aries 31
Uranus turns direct on 17 December at 08 Aries 35

Neptune
Neptune turns retrograde on 8 June at 05 Pisces 22

Neptune turns direct on 14 November at 02 Pisces 34

Pluto
Pluto turns retrograde on 13 Apr at 11 Capricorn 35
Pluto turns direct on 21 Sep at 08 Capricorn 59

Chiron
Chiron turns retrograde on 17 June at 13 Pisces 50
Chirons turns direct on 20 November at 09 Pisces 07

Note: dates are based on European time zones and may vary by a maximum of one day for other time zones.

For an explanation of retrograde and direct, please click here

See also:

An Explanation of Retrograde, Station and Direct
Retrograde Planets in the Birth Chart

with love Mandi

http://www.mandilockley.com/

Astrology for February ~ Neptune swims into Pisces & Saturn in Libra's on the turn

February is upon us and with it has come some pretty chilly weather across parts of Europe. But what about the astrological weather this month?

February brings two big events, Neptune enters Pisces on February 4th and Saturn in Libra turns Retrograde on February 7th.

Neptune dipped its trident into Pisces back in April last year, before re-entering Aquarius in August. Now it settles in Pisces until 2026.

Neptune is the planet of illusion, dissolution, the dissolving of barriers and boundaries, meltdowns, glamour, scandals and collective emotional undercurrents. Pisces is the sign of compassion, imagination, spirituality, merging, yielding and the victim-saviour-martyr complex. Put them together and the possibilities are endless, indefinable, unfathomable.

See A Neptune in Pisces Miscellanea for more themes associated with Neptune in Pisces, based on its last stay there. It looks at fashion, compassion, watery technology and how we all need to be more sensitive to the feelings of others…

No doubt there’ll be more to come on Neptune in Pisces in the following weeks…

When Saturn turns retrograde in Libra on February 7th, take some time to consider how you came to be where you are right now. This could be an important step in the process of negotiating a way forward, even if it means taking a temporary step back.

To find out more about why this Saturn retrograde is an important one and how to do you your own personal Saturn review, see An Urgent Post about Saturn in Libra

See also Saturn in Libra through the Houses to find out which areas of life Saturn is prompting you to review.

February 7th also brings a Full Moon in Leo. New facts come to light under a Full Moon and emotions come to a head. We feel more sociable and keener to put ourselves under the spotlight.

Full Moons ask us to consider the issues of the opposing signs the Sun and Moon fall in. Together, Leo and Aquarius symbolize the need to balance the individual need for personal gain and acclaim with the need to help, support and be equal to everyone else. Aquarius shouldn’t deny Leo’s right to be king, but needs to insist that the king serves with integrity and honesty. Teamwork and delegation of authority is everything to Aquarius. Selfish greed is not acceptable. Aquarius teaches that it is through serving the group, the community, the team, our friends, that we gain the honour and significance that is so crucial to Leo. Conversely, Leo teaches Aquarius that sometimes you have to take the lead if the cause is important enough. Somebody has to stand up for the masses, rebel against the status quo and shake the system up if there is to be any chance of a lasting change for the better. An important message for our current times, I feel.

Later in February – on the 19th - the Sun moves into Pisces, immediately joining up with Neptune for what promises to be an emotionally sensitive few days, especially as this segues with the Pisces New Moon – the dark of the Moon – on February 21st.

By the time the New Moon comes around, we’ll feel the need for a bit of R&R and TLC. Slow down, sleep, dream, listen to your intuition, send out healing thoughts, sing, dance, create something beautiful. Go with the flow. The time to act on plans will be after this New Moon, but bear in mind that both Saturn and Mars are retrograde so it might take a little longer to put your plan into action or to see the results of your efforts.

For more insights into Pisces see: Pisces Quotes: Woundrous Words of Feelings and Pisceans In Their Own Words
For dates and details of all the Moon’s phases this month, see The Moon Pages at Astroair Astrology.

Here, you will also find February’s Void of Course Moon Times. The basic premise is that if you attempt to do something important under a Void of Course Moon nothing will come of it. It’s not a theory to plan every little detail of your life by, but I’ve found it a useful tool for planning important events and making crucial decisions. Find out more here. The Void of Course Moon chart also shows when the Moon changes signs (which happens approximately every two and a half days).

Enjoy February, which this year – being a Leap Year – gives us an extra bonus day!

With love

Mandi

http://www.mandilockley.com/ 

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An Urgent Post About Saturn in Libra (& Your Personal Saturn Review)

Saturn in Libra requires our serious consideration over the next few weeks. Mid January, it moved into the final degree of Libra, where it will stay until March 3.

The final degree of any sign, the 29^th degree, is known as the Anaretic (or Critical) Degree.  When a planet is at the Anaretic Degree there is a sense of urgency and extremism. Closure is required before the planet can move fully into the energies of the next sign, so issues/themes related to the planet’s outgoing sign placement come to a head. Things can seem as if they’re at the end of their rope with fast action required to find a solution. Issues that have been complacently pushed to one side tend to pop up for urgent resolution. There’s a sense that time is running out. Decisions need to be made quickly.

For Saturn in Libra, this is an especially tense visit to the Anaretic Degree. It will stay there longer than it usually would due to its slow movement as it prepares to station Retrograde at 29 Libra on February 8 (see data at the end). The Retrograde (apparent backward movement) of Saturn makes it doubly likely that old issues will come up over the next few weeks.

Saturn Retrograde in the final degree of Libra is a time to review your progress over the last couple of years. Tie up loose ends, clear up unresolved issues, reflect upon losses one last time, allow yourself to enjoy the rewards of your achievements, make some (perhaps difficult) decisions, restore your sense of balance and prepare to let go so you can move on.

How this will affect you depends on which house Saturn in Libra is transiting in your chart and which natal planets it’s transiting, if any. The house Saturn has been moving through reflects the area of your life where you have been facing Saturn’s tests, delays, obstacles and challenges, where you have had to take responsibility, meet obligations and learn lessons.

In particular, Saturn in Libra has brought lessons and tests around diplomacy, compromise and fairness. It’s asked you to take relationships more seriously, to set healthy boundaries and to get the give-take balance right. Any kind of relationship could have felt like a heavy responsibility under this transit. Solid relationships have become more committed, but others may have broken down. We have learnt lessons around communicating and relating to others. We’ve been urged to play by the rules, stop competing and learn to cooperate and negotiate. Disputes, arguments and claims may have arisen. Some have been settled, but others remain to be resolved. Under Saturn in Libra peace and harmony has been more than possible, but you will have discovered that achieving it requires hard work, patience and constant compromise.

Your Personal Saturn in Libra Review

Back in 2010, Astroair Astrology wrote about the themes of Saturn in Libra through the Houses, including handy tips. Use these themes and tips as your starting point for your own Saturn in Libra Review.

Here are the links:

Saturn in Libra through Houses 1-6

Saturn in Libra through Houses 7-12  

In case you’re quite new to astrology, both links explain how to quickly and easily work out what house Saturn in Libra is moving through.

Here are a a few questions to start you off (relate these to the area of life represented by the house Saturn has been transiting):

What have I learnt?

What obstacles have I overcome?

What new responsibilities have I taken on? Are they still relevant going forwards?

Where have I been held back/held myself back?

What have I achieved?

How has the way I have related to others improved?

Where in my life (or in the life of others), have I helped to create harmony and good relating?

What loose ends do I need to tie up?

What compromises have I had to make? Has it been worth it?

What do I need to let go of?

What decisions need to be made now?

I hope things come together for you over the next few weeks. Certainly, having a personal review now can only help, especially if things come to an urgent head and you need to act quickly or make a difficult decision. Let me know how you get on.

With love,

Mandi

www.mandilockley.com

Data

• January 15, 2012: Saturn enters 29 Libra 00 (enters the Anaretic Degree)
• February 8, 2012: Saturn stations Retrograde 29 Libra 30
• March 3, 2012: Saturn enters 28 Libra 59 (leaves the Anaretic Degree)
  June 25, 2012: Saturn turns direct on 25 June at 22 Libra 45
• September 28, 2012: Saturn enters 29 Libra 00 (re-enters the Anaretic Degree)
• October 6, 2012: Saturn enters Scorpio

Planetary Retrograde Dates for 2012

Planetary Retrogrades for 2012

(For an explanation of retrograde and direct, please click here)

Mercury
Mercury turns retrograde on 12 Mar at 6 Aries 49 
Mercury turns direct on 4 April at 23 Pisces 50

Mercury turns retrograde on 15 July at 12 Leo 32
Mercury turns direct on 8 Aug at 1 Leo 25

Mercury turns retrograde on 6 November at 04 Sagittarius 18
Mercury turns direct on 26 November at 18 Scorpio 10 

Venus
Venus turns retrograde on 15 May at 23 Gemini 59
Venus turns direct on 27 June at 07 Gemini 29

Mars
Mars turns retrograde on 24 January at 23 Virgo 05
Mars turns direct on 14 April at 03 Virgo 41

Jupiter
Jupiter turns retrograde on 4 October at 16 Gemini 22 
Jupiter turns direct on 30 January 2013 at 06 Gemini 19 

Saturn

Saturn turns retrograde on 8 February at 29 Libra 30
Saturn turns direct on 25 June at 22 Libra 45

Uranus

Uranus turns retrograde on 13 Jul 2011 at 08 Aries 32
Uranus turns direct on 13 December at 04 Aries 36

Neptune
Neptune turns retrograde on 4 June at 03 Pisces 09

Neptune turns direct on 11 November at 00 Pisces 21

Pluto
Pluto turns retrograde on 10 Apr at 09 Capricorn 33  
Pluto turns direct on 18 Sep at 06 Capricorn 57

Chiron
Chiron turns retrograde on 12 June at 09 Pisces 45
Chirons turns direct on 14 November at 04 Pisces 58

Note: dates are based on European time zones and may vary by a maximum of one day for other time zones.

See also:

An Explanation of Retrograde, Station and Direct
Retrograde Planets in the Birth Chart

Mandi

http://www.mandilockley.com/

Planetary Retrograde Dates for 2011

Planetary Retrogrades for 2011

(For an explanation of Retrograde, Station and Direct, please click here)

Mercury
Mercury turns retrograde on 31 Mar 2011 at 24Ari21
Mercury turns direct on 24 Apr 2011 at 12Ari53
Retrograde period (including Station): 25 days

Mercury turns retrograde on 4 Aug 2011 at 01Virg12
Mercury turns direct on 27 Aug 2011 at 18Leo41
Retrograde period (including Station): 24 days

Mercury turns retrograde on 25 Nov 2011 at 20Sag07
Mercury turns direct on 15 Dec 2011 at 03Sag51
Retrograde period (including Station): 21 days

Venus
No Retrogrades in 2011

Mars
No Retrogrades in 2011

Jupiter
Jupiter turns retrograde on 31 Aug 2011 at 10Tau21
Jupiter turns direct on 26 Dec 2011 at 00Tau21
Retrograde period (including Station): 118 days

Saturn
Saturn turns retrograde on 27 Jan 2011 at 17Lib13
Saturn turns direct on 14 Jun 2011 at 10Lib26
Retrograde period (including Station): 139 days

Uranus
Uranus turns retrograde on 11 Jul 2011 at 04Ari33
Uranus turns direct on 11 Dec 2011 at 00Ari38
Retrograde period (including Station): 154 days

Neptune
Stations Retrograde on 4 June 2011 at 00Pis55

Stations Direct on 10 November 2011 at 28Aqu08
Retrograde period (including Station): 160 days

Pluto
Pluto turns retrograde on 10 Apr 2011 at 07Cap30
Pluto turns direct on 17 Sep 2011 at 04Cap53
Retrograde period (including Station): 160 days

Chiron
Stations Retrograde on 9 June 2011 at 5Pis29
Stations Direct on 11 November 2011 at 00Pis38
Retrograde period (including Station): 155 days

Notes

All dates are based on GMT time.

See also:
An Explanation of Retrograde, Station and Direct
Retrograde Planets in the Birth Chart

Mandi

http://www.mandilockley.com/

Saturn in Libra Retrograde: Relationship Revision Time (Redux)

Saturn image from NASA

This article was first published on this blog in January '10. This is an updated version.

Saturn, the great lesson-teacher of the zodiac, turns Retrograde from 26 January 2010 at 17 degrees of Libra. It will travel back to 10 degrees Libra and will turn direct on 13 June. Saturn will remain in Libra until October 2012, with one further Retrograde period between Feb and June 2012.

The Retrograde periods are a great time to review your progress under Saturn in Libra.

Libra is fair minded and craves peace and balance and harmonious relationship. Saturn is also fair, BUT works us hard and makes us pay our dues. So, you can't expect everything to be automatically lovey-dovey lovely with Saturn in Libra, we are going to have to work at it! Sound like a buzz-kill? Well, remember that Libra needs a bit of conflict and disharmony otherwise it doesn’t have a job to do. Libra needs a balance to find, a peace deal to negotiate, a relationship to build and a compromise to be brokered and Saturn provides the structure and authority to enable Libra to do that job very effectively. Then, when all is said and done, Saturn in Libra will put you on its karmic scales, deduct points for laziness, add points for effort and goods delivered and then, in the nicest possible way, give you just what you need and everything you deserve.

Saturn’s first major quest in Libra was a challenging series of square aspects to Pluto in Capricorn. The essential phrase to describe Saturn-Pluto aspects is hard, hard, work! Not much fun, was it? However, this was where Saturn’s exultation in Libra came in, for in Libra, Saturn actually enjoys putting the work in. If you note that Pluto’s current placement in Capricorn is also a sign that Saturn absolutely loves, then you can see that Saturn in Libra Square Pluto in Capricorn is a very, very dynamic interaction. Boy, was it dynamic! There was hard work, possibly losses, maybe a few scary demons to face, some bridges to build and re-build and a huge clean up job to do. BUT, at an individual and a world level, it was an opportunity for us to put our grist to the mill, work hard, hard, hard and ultimately make the necessary changes and cut backs we needed to get off on a good, solid, realistic footing for the future. Who knows, if we dug deep enough, shifted enough dirt and scrubbed enough mucky old boulders, we might even have unearthed some very valuable buried treasure or flawless gems, metaphorically speaking!

But Pluto wasn't the only planet that Saturn in Libra met. In 2008 Saturn in Virgo began a series of oppositions with Uranus in Pisces. The last of these change making, status-quo shaking, disruptive oppositions occurred in July 2010 just before the final Saturn-Pluto square, with Saturn in Libra and Uranus in Aries.

Now, as Saturn in Libra turns retrograde, it's time to review what's happened over the last year or so. So what have been your 'Saturn' lessons so far? What’s made you work hard? Where did you find hidden gems? What changed? What was turned on its head? Was it exciting or was it stressful and unsettling? Are things resolved or is there still some work to do? 

Think back to any conflicts you experienced over the last few months, perhaps at work or in your intimate relationships. Ask yourself how you could have handled it better. Was it all about winning the argument or did you just give in to the other person’s demands? Do you think you would have felt better if you had worked for a fair compromise that could have helped both parties?

In your major relationships, where does the balance of power lie? Do you give your power away by letting the other person take advantage of you? Why do you do this? Is it because you are afraid of conflict, or afraid that the other person won’t like you/love you/respect you if you stand up for yourself?

Is your behaviour often influenced by a need to please others or a need to be popular? Consider what would happen if, in the nicest way, you pleased yourself a bit more? How would others react? If you think they would not accept it, then perhaps you might consider if their respect/friendship/time etc. is really so important that you would be willing to always put their needs before your own in order to have them in your lives? Most likely, after adjusting to your new behaviour, they would still love and respect you, perhaps even more so.

Similarly, do you find you spend a lot of time running around after others, so much so that you don’t have time to get your own needs met? If so, how can you make more time for yourself? Do you need to learn to ask for help, rather than doing it all yourself? How do you feel about the time you spend doing things for others? Do you do it out of duty but secretly resent it? If so, maybe it’s time to re-balance things.

At work or at home, are you one of those ‘if you want something doing right, do it yourself’ types? If so, is it perhaps time to learn to delegate more? Or perhaps learn to work alongside others, doing it together? Wouldn’t this approach be more fun and more rewarding? Consider what you might learn from each other and how much more you could achieve as a team.

How have your relationships changed over the last year? Has the change been for the better? Have you freed yourself from toxic relationships or are you still hanging on to unhealthy associations? Have you given yourself permission to grieve for lost relationships, an important part of the healing process so you can move on?

If life still feels like hard, hard work at the moment, consider whether your efforts are being put to best use and whether they are focused in the right direction. Are negative emotions (fear, stress, anger, anxiety etc) overly exhausting you and making things feel worse. Perhaps you need to take a step back and unravel all this emotion in order to move forward healthily?

Finally and most importantly think about all your relationship successes over the last few months. Give yourself a pat on the back for friendships you have grown and developed, helpful alliances you have formed and for the happy, harmonious moments you've shared in your closest relationships.

I know life may still feel difficult for many right now, but can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? Just a glimmer? Remember, every bit of progress counts, however small and Saturn has a very long memory.

While we all, to a lesser or greater extent, absorb the energies around us, this Saturn Retrograde period will have most resonance with those of you who have planets or angles between 10 and 17 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). You can quickly download your own birth chart which will provide you with this information in a simply understood way at http://www.alabe.com/

Note: This original version of this article featured in Saturn in Libra and Relationships, published on Sasstrology as part of the 2010 International Astrology Day Blogathon. The purpose of this web-based event is to create a permanent library of articles about how to deal with the stresses of the Cardinal T-Square of Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. The main page for the Blogathon collections is at The Cardinal T-Square of 2010: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto.

Blessings,
Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/

Astrology For January ~ A Fresh Start & A New Promise

Welcome to 2011!

Early January sees two big celestial events coinciding ~ An Eclipsed New Moon in Capricorn and a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Pisces, both on the 4^th. 

I always think the Capricorn New Moon is the start to the New Year proper. New Moons are seeding times, when we can  ‘plant’ our  intentions and watch them grow. Therefore, if you do have any New Year’s resolutions, start them at this New Moon, when the sky provides an extra dose of discipline and determination to help you on your way. The New Moon squares Saturn in Libra, but before you get depressed at that thought, remember that Saturn is exulted – happy – in the sign of Libra. Use the positive New Moon energies wisely, be patient and you are sure to get your rewards in time. In fact, make a note to check back in on those resolutions around the time of the Aries Equinox in March, which is the beginning of the astrological New Year.  

Want some help with your resolutions? See Auntie Moon’s Show Me Your Saturn and I’ll Show You A Resolution You Have To Keep, or for an irreverent look (and a good giggle) see The Radical Virgo's Zodi-Yuks New Years Resolutions. 

That this New Moon is a Solar Eclipse, makes it even more powerful. Eclipses tend to signify endings – something is eclipsed – making space for something new and positive to come in. The Eclipse falls at 13 degrees Capricorn, so you will be particularly affected if you have planets or points in your chart between 11 and 14 degrees Capricorn or Cancer. See my article Working with Eclipses for more on how to track and use Eclipses that fall on important parts in your chart.

The day of the Eclipsed New Moon sees the third and final Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. This conjunction had its first ‘hit’ in June 2010 in fiery Aries ~ bold, seize the initiative energies. This one is in dreamy, inspirational Pisces, at 27 degrees. It’s time to think outside the box (Uranus) and dream big (Jupiter). Yes, Jupiter-Uranus alignments make us feel like anything is possible and that’s true....but to integrate your big dreams with the energies of the Capricorn Eclipse, take some time to plan your ambitious dreams, work out a goal and a strategy and apply a little pragmatic realism and a splash of common sense. This conjunction will be particularly buzzy for you if you have planet or points in your chart in the late degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces).

Want to know more about how amazing Jupiter-Uranus energies can be? See my article Jupiter-Uranus ~ Science, Discovery and Revolution.

The rest of January’s astro-action:

January 7: Venus – the planet of relationship, giving and our values -  enters generous, enthusiastic Sagittarius. Time to express your affection freely and adventurously.  Venus stays in Sagittarius until February 4.

January 13: Mercury – the planet of communication, thoughts, ideas and connections - enters pragmatic, ambitious Capricorn. Time to re-apply some mental discipline to the goals you set around the Capricorn New Moon. Think realistically, but try to avoid negative thinking. Mercury stays in Capricorn until February 3.

January 15:  Mars – the planet of action, desire and how we assert ourselves – enters independent, individualistic, innovative Aquarius. Time to rebel a little and do things with a ‘twist’. These are great energies for campaigning, reforming and putting ideas into action. Mars stays in Aquarius until February 22.

January 19: Full Moon in Cancer. This Full Moon occurs at 29 Degrees of Cancer.  Interestingly, we ’re having a series of Full Moons at the 29^th and final degree of their sign – October 2010 through February 2011. The last degree of each sign is known as the Anaretic or Critical degree. There’s a sense of urgency about this degree, a need to quickly wrap up any issues to do with the sign involved, because ‘any minute’ the planet involved is changing signs and new energies are about to rush in.

 So what could be urgent about this Full Moon in Cancer? Look towards your home-life balance. Have you got the balance right? Certainly, the Saturn-Pluto energies of last year have seen many of us working very hard and expending so much energy as we battle to cling on to our jobs, incomes and security. The effect this has had on our home family lives could come to light now and we may need to consider whether we’ve got the balance right. While this Full Moon makes us very aware of the need to be financially secure (Capricorn), we also need to remember that emotional security (Cancer) is just as important.

January 20: The Sun moves into friendly, people oriented Aquarius. The creative energy of Capricorn is all about making tangible progress, while staying within the rules, but in Aquarius the creative energies need freedom from rules in order to express themselves.  Aquarius wants to do things in its own way, however eccentric that way may be. A good use of the Aquarius energy is to help others – groups, communities, friends, societies - while at the same time remaining intellectually connected, but emotionally detached.

January 22: Jupiter moves into Aries. We already had a taste of Jupiter in Aries from early June to mid September 2010, after which it retrograded back into Pisces. Now, Jupiter leaves Pisces behind and stays in Aries for the duration. In Aries, growth is found through positive self assertion and self confidence. While Jupiter in Pisces asked us to have faith in life, the universe and everything, Jupiter in Aries takes us back to basics and reminds us to have faith in ourself and act courageously from that point of view. Opportunities are there to be actively grabbed, we can’t just sit and wait for the universe to provide, we have to ask and act. The danger is that we can act too selfishly, recklessly and aggressively with Jupiter in Aries, so we must carry the lesson of Jupiter in Pisces in our hearts and remember to spare a compassionate thought for others as we go for what we want. Put simply, we need to share our winnings, otherwise what’s the point? Enjoy Jupiter in Aries.

January 26: Saturn in Libra stations retrograde. See my article Saturn in Libra Retrograde: Relationship Revision Time for some ideas on how to use the Saturn retrograde energies in a positive way. Saturn remains retrograde until June 13.

I hope you enjoy January, I wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous and joyful 2011.

With love,

Mandi

www.mandilockley.com   

Halloween Special ~ Past Life Astrology (Pt. 3)

In parts 1 and 2 of this introduction to past life astrology, I looked at the Sun and the Moon’s Nodes. Karmic astrologers also look at retrograde planets to glean insight into issues and challenges from past lives.

Before I look at retrograde planets, I would like to point out that while our Sun sign, Nodes and retrograde planets (and other things in our chart) can highlight past life / karmic issues and challenges, it does not mean that you were ‘bad’ or you ‘failed’ in a past life, so do not judge yourself harshly.

I believe that each soul comes into this world with its own chosen mission, a set of lessons it has volunteered to learn and an array of challenges it has opted to take. These are all designed to help the soul to grow and learn. However, here on earth, I believe we have free will to decide whether or how we take on those challenges.

Please also bear in mind when you read the ‘meanings’ I list for each retrograde planet that these are merely suggestions in keeping with the traditional symbolism of each planet. Do not take them as ‘read’, use them as a starting point to prompt you, then let your own experience and intuition guide you towards what your retrograde planet means to you personally. There’s no right or wrong answer.

It’s also worth considering that some past life issues simply need to be released so the soul can move forward. For example, souls who were persecuted for their ideas and opinions in a past life may need to release a fear of speaking freely in this life so that they can fulfill their mission. Souls who led spiritual past lives and took vows of chastity or poverty, may need to release themselves from those vows in this life, in order to let go of negative fears and emotions around prosperity and sexuality. For some tips on release-ment, see my previous blog post here.

Retrograde Planets and Past Lives

All the planets (except the Sun and Moon) spend some time retrograde and most people have one or more retrograde planet in their birth chart. When a planet is retrograde, you are likely to experience its energy internally and subjectively. In early life you may have difficulties with the areas of life the planet represents, but you will get a second chance later in life.

Karmic astrologers believe that retrograde planets in our birth chart represent:

• Unfinished business from past lives.
• A second chance to balance your karma by working out a past life issue.
• A chance to let go of a past life issue that is holding you back in this lifetime.
• Past life energies that can be used to help your soul’s growth in this lifetime.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement that was denied in a past life.

Mercury Retrograde

• Unfinished business from a past life around communicating and expressing yourself.
• A second chance to overcome a past life fear of criticism.
• A chance to let go of past life fears of speaking your truth freely. Perhaps you were victimized for your opinions in a past life, but now you have the opportunity to speak up and be heard.
• An opportunity for soul growth through learning to listen to other’s point of view, or through learning to be flexible and open to new ideas.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through learning and education. If education was denied you in past life, you can make up for it in this life.

Venus Retrograde

• Unfinished business from past life relationships.
• A second chance to experience love and affection denied or lost in a past life.
• A chance to let go of unhelpful emotional behaviors and fears by engaging in relationships. For example, learning to trust and open up to others.
• A chance to release and heal low self esteem issues from past lives.
• An opportunity for soul growth through learning to give and receive in relationships.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through relationship and intimacy and/or through valuing yourself and others.

Mars Retrograde

• Unfinished business from past lives around competition and self assertion.
• A second chance to balance karma from past misdeeds that you still subconsciously feel guilty about.
• A chance to let go of anger and frustration left over from a past life.
• An opportunity for soul growth through learning to assert yourself in a positive and healthy way.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through taking positive action towards getting what you truly want and need.
• An opportunity to learn how to follow your passions and desires.

 Jupiter Retrograde

• An opportunity find closure from past life issues by looking deeply within yourself to find truth and meaning.
• A chance to let go of past life feelings of not being deserving of life’s rewards and riches.
• An opportunity for soul growth through resolving issues around spiritual and religious beliefs. (For example, perhaps you were persecuted in a past life for your religion or maybe you were forced to follow a religion you didn’t believe in.)
• A second chance to find fulfillment and achievement through:
• ~Deep study and higher learning.
• ~Experiencing different countries and cultures.
• ~Learning to have faith in life, yourself and the world.

Saturn Retrograde

• Unfinished business from past lives where you may have felt inadequate, pessimistic or blocked. These issues can be worked out by facing them head on and taking positive steps to resolve them.
• A second chance to balance karma by working out issues from a past life where you had difficulty taking responsibility or setting healthy boundaries.
• A chance to let go of fears that may have held you back in a past life.
• An opportunity for soul growth through being a parent or becoming an authority.
• Soul growth from succeeding and earning respect by your own efforts, without cutting corners.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through patiently and diligently working towards long term goals.

The Outer Planets ~ Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

Note: The outer planets spend so much time retrograde that most souls come in with at least one of these planets retrograde. These are the generational planets, so if you have one or more of these retrograde in your chart you are part of a generation that has some collective karma to work out. As such, the retrograde outer planet may not have much karmic resonance with you on a personal/individual level. However, if your retrograde outer planet is on an angle (such as the Ascendant or Midheaven) or is making a close aspect to one of your personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars), then it may have some karmic significance for you. If you’re not sure, use your intuition and experience to guide you.

Uranus Retrograde 

• Unfinished business from past lives where you resisted change. In this life you learn that change can be a good thing.
• A chance to balance past life karma by daring to do things your own way, even if it upsets the status quo.
• A chance to let go of a past life fear of being persecuted for being different.
• An opportunity to pursue independence and freedom that was denied in a past life.
• An opportunity for soul growth through embracing your individuality and originality.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through living life authentically, being true to who you are. 

Neptune Retrograde

• Unfinished business from past lives where you were super sensitive. In this life you can learn to use your sensitivity to help others while at the same time learning to set healthy personal boundaries.
• A chance to balance karma by embracing your creativity and imagination, especially if you didn’t nurture these in a past life.
• A chance to let go of unhelpful fantasies and escapist tendencies that held you back in a past life.
• An opportunity for soul growth through learning that there is more to life than what you can see and touch with your five senses.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through fostering compassion for yourself and for all life.

Pluto Retrograde

• Unfinished business from past lives around issues of power and control. Perhaps you had no power or control in a past life, or perhaps you had too much and abused it. In this life you learn that power and control can be used in healthy, constructive ways, not in destructive ways. You may also need to recognize that there are some things in life that you cannot control.
• A chance to balance your karma and regenerate yourself by purging unhelpful, self-sabotaging behaviors and emotions.
• A chance to balance karma by seeking fresh perspectives on old (past life) problems, in order to release yourself from them.
• A chance to let go of a past life ‘addiction’ to crisis and upheaval by learning that there is a calmer, more controlled way of dealing with life’s ups and downs.
• An opportunity for soul growth through learning to trust your instincts.
• Soul growth through learning that while you can’t always control what happens to you, you can control how you react and respond.
• A chance to find fulfillment and achievement through learning to be honest and forgiving in your dealings with others.

Part 1: The Sun and Past Lives
Part 2: The Moon’s Nodes and Past Lives

Resources and Further Reading:
You can get a copy of your chart for free at www.alabe.com
Book recommendation: Karmic Astrology, Retrogrades and Reincarnation by Martin Schulman

With love,
Mandi
www.mandilockley.com

 

Saturn and Pluto (and the power of Re-)

The Planetary Movements

On 6th April Pluto turned Retrograde (Rx) at 5 degrees of Capricorn. Pluto will remain Rx until 14th September, turning around at 3 degrees of Capricorn.

On 7th April Saturn, already Rx since 13th January, moved out of Libra and back into the sign of Virgo. Saturn will turn direct on 30th May and will finally leave Virgo on 21st July.

What Does This Mean?

Well, this shift in Saturn and Pluto asks us to review some of the personal and global issues we’ve been facing during the ongoing Saturn-Uranus oppositions which started in late 2008 and the Saturn-Pluto squares which started in late 2009. For so many of us, our lives have changed in the last couple of years, in some cases dramatically. Generally speaking, all these changes and disruptive influences haven’t, so far, made us feel liberated or secure. Quite the reverse, they have made us feel restricted and reined-in, while at the same time forcing us to perform a very delicate and tenuous balancing act in order to hold everything together. Quite frankly, we’re exhausted from the effort and wondering how and where it’s all going to end…..

….As Pluto was moving towards his Rx turnaround these last few weeks, did you feel the pressure building? Did your internal pressure cooker blow, or was that just me? Now Pluto is moving backwards, we can perhaps dare to take the foot off a couple of those pedals especially as Saturn’s Rx move back into Virgo puts the Saturn-Pluto square energies in retreat, well at least for a few weeks at any rate....

....However, while Saturn is taking a short break from Pluto, being back in Virgo means another status-quo upsetting opposition with Uranus is coming soon, towards the end of April in fact. This will be the 4th in a series of 5. The final opposition, in July, will be in the cardinal signs of Aries and Libra, making April's opposition the last one in the mutable signs. This being the case, we’re being asked, individually and collectively, to look for some kind of closure around the changes, shocks and disruptions we’ve faced recently....

....I feel there’s a sense now of needing to let the dust (the ashes of our former life, perhaps) settle before we brace ourself for the next round. Re-energising ourselves now will help us to fully embrace the best promises of the cardinal energies that will come with the cardinal t-square, now building towards its climax in July. Then, with Uranus and Jupiter in Aries joining Saturn back in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn, we can finally summon up the courage, strength and stamina to break out of the psychological and material ‘prisons’ and ‘traps’ so many of us seem to have fallen into to and claim back our sense of self, our confidence, our independence and our positive forward momentum....

What Can We Do To Help Ourselves While Saturn is Retrograde in Virgo?

Here are few ideas (most of them can be read on a number of levels, to suit yourself and your situation):

Rest – If your life is anything like mine, it's been super busy, super stressed and backed up with commitments. Now’s the time to free up a few regular slots in your schedule for your favourite relaxing pastimes (healthy ones!).

Retreat – consciously retreat - emotionally, mentally and physically - from those situations and relationships which are unhealthy for you. Give yourself a holiday!

Restore / Rejuvenate – give something or someone (or yourself) a makeover. Clean up, make as new, dust away the cobwebs, scrub away the grime. Be healthy – exercise, eat well, organise your time better, be kind to yourself and kind to others.

Reveal – Open up the windows, through back the curtains. Let the light in! Find the beauty in the small, humble details.

Re-establish some healthy, reliable routines in your life.

Be Realistic – get your house in order!

Reflect upon and Reassess the changes that have taken place your life over the last couple of years. Look for the deeper meaning, the fresh perspective.

Rebuild relationships of value that have fallen into disrepair over the last couple of years.

Re-evaluate how you handle our personal power. Do you give it all away to others? Do you use it to control others? Recognise, honestly, these patterns, if you have them. Forgive yourself and Release dead and past issues that are holding you back.

Notice that all the key words above begin with the prefix ‘Re-‘? This little word means backwards or again – perfect for times when Retrograde planets are hitting your birth chart. You can probably think of a few more Re- words that are relevant to you.

A Very Quick and Helpful Meditation

Here’s a very simple breathing exercise that might help you during the coming months.

Start to become conscious of your breathing. Slow your breath down, controlling your in breaths and out breaths. As you breathe out begin to relax your shoulders and arms down and relax your facial muscles, feeling the tension slipping away. Relax deep into your belly and keeping your belly muscles soft, breathe in slowly into your abdomen (you know when you are doing this right because your abdomen area will expend). As you breathe in, say the word LET either in your head or out loud. On the out breath, which should also be slow and controlled, say or think the work GO.

Do a few rounds of this and see how you feel better. This is a good exercise to do on the hop, as and when you need to (to help you cope with the litle ay annoyances of daily life) or you can do it as part of deeper meditative work, in your favourite relaxed lying or sitting position.

Planetary Data:

• 4th November 2008 – Saturn opposition Uranus (19 degrees Virgo-Pisces) 
• 5th February 2009 - Saturn opposition Uranus (21 degrees Virgo-Pisces) 
• 15th September 2009 - Saturn opposition Uranus (25 degrees Virgo-Pisces) with Pluto at 0 degree Capricorn, forming a t-square 
• 15th November 2009 – Saturn square Pluto (2 degrees Libra – Capricorn) 
• 31st January 2010 – Saturn square Pluto (4 degrees Libra – Capricorn) 
• 27th April 2010 Saturn opposition Uranus (29 degrees Virgo-Pisces) with Pluto at 5 Capricorn , still in orb for a t-square 
• 26th July 2010 Saturn opposition Uranus (0 degree of Aries-Libra with Pluto at 3 Capricorn, forming a cardinal t-square in close orb - Jupiter joins the party at 3 degrees of Aries) 
• 21st August 2010 – Saturn square Pluto (2 degrees Libra – Capricorn) 
• From June 2012 to March 2015, Uranus and Pluto go on to make a series of seven squares in Aries and Capricorn respectively.

You will be/have been affected by the above aspects if you have personal planets or points in the late degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) and/or the early degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). If you do not know if you have planets or points at these degrees of these signs you can quickly download your own birth chart which will provide you with this information in a simply understood way at http://www.alabe.com/.

Related Articles:

The first 4 links below are to the cardinal t-square blog-a-thon article collection home pages, where you will find a wealth of information, resources and healing tools, from several dozen talented astrologers, to help you work with the the current energies
Look After Saturn And Saturn Will Look After You
Uranus in Aries: Claiming A Self Reliant Future
Pluto Problems Got You Perplexed? Here’s What Helps!
Vibration Magazine: Combining Flower Essences and Astrology

The Cardinal T-Square - What’s It All About?
An Explanation of Retrograde
Planetary Retrograde Dates for 2010


Photo credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Saturn in Libra Retrograde: Relationship Revision Time

Saturn image from NASA

Saturn, the great lesson-teacher of the zodiac, stationed Retrograde on 13 January at 5 degrees of Libra. He is currently retracing his steps backwards through the first few degrees of Libra and re-enters Virgo on 7 April, before finally regaining his forward trajectory from 30th May.

This Retrograde period is a great time to review our progress under Saturn in Libra so far. First, here’s a reminder of what I wrote when Saturn moved into Libra back in October 2009:

Libra is fair minded and craves peace and balance and harmonious relationship. Saturn is also fair, BUT works us hard and makes us pay our dues. So, don’t expect everything to be automatically lovey-dovey lovely with Saturn in Libra, we are going to have to work at it! Sound like a buzz-kill? Well, remember that Libra needs a bit of conflict and disharmony otherwise it doesn’t have a job to do. Libra needs a balance to find, a peace deal to negotiate, a relationship to build and a compromise to be brokered and Saturn provides the structure and authority to enable Libra to do that job very effectively. Then, when all is said and done, Saturn in Libra will put you on its karmic scales, deduct points for laziness, add points for effort and goods delivered and then, in the nicest possible way, give you just what you need and everything you deserve.

But there's a long journey ahead before any of that and Saturn in Libra’s first major quest is a challenging series of square aspects to Pluto in Capricorn. The essential phrase to describe Saturn-Pluto aspects is hard, hard, work! Oh, no, it doesn’t sound like much fun does it? However, this is where Saturn’s exultation in Libra comes in, for in Libra, Saturn actually enjoys putting the work in. If you note that Pluto’s current placement in Capricorn is also a sign that Saturn absolutely loves, then you can start to see that Saturn in Libra Square Pluto in Capricorn is a very, very dynamic interaction. There will be hard work, possible losses, scary demons to face, bridges to build and re-build and a huge clean up job to do. BUT, at an individual and a world level, this is a unique opportunity for us to put our grist to the mill, work hard, hard, hard and ultimately make the necessary changes we need to get off on a good, solid, realistic footing for the future to come. Who knows, if we dig deep enough, shift enough dirt and scrub enough mucky old boulders, we might even unearth some very valuable buried treasure or flawless gems, metaphorically speaking!

So what have been your lessons so far? What’s been making you work hard? Where might you find your hidden gems?

Think back to any conflicts you experienced over the last few months, perhaps at work or in your intimate relationships. Ask yourself how you could have handled it better. Was it all about winning the argument or did you just give in to the other person’s demands? Do you think you would have felt better if you had worked for a fair compromise that could have helped both parties?

In your major relationships, where does the balance of power lie? Do you give your power away by letting the other person take advantage of you? Why do you do this? Is it because you are afraid of conflict, or afraid that the other person won’t like you/love you/respect you if you stand up for yourself?

Is your behaviour often influenced by a need to please others or a need to be popular? Consider what would happen if, in the nicest way, you pleased yourself a bit more? How would others react? If you think they would not accept it, then perhaps you might consider if their respect/friendship/time etc. is really so important that you would be willing to always put their needs before your own in order to have them in your lives? Most likely, after adjusting to your new behaviour, they would still love and respect you, perhaps even more so.

Similarly, do you find you spend a lot of time running around after others, so much so that you don’t have time to get your own needs met? If so, how can you make more time for yourself? Do you need to learn to ask for help, rather than doing it all yourself? How do you feel about the time you spend doing things for others? Do you do it out of duty but secretly resent it? If so, maybe it’s time to re-balance things.

At work or at home, are you one of those ‘if you want something doing right, do it yourself’ types? If so, is it perhaps time to learn to delegate more? Or perhaps learn to work alongside others, doing it together? Wouldn’t this approach be more fun and more rewarding? Consider what you might learn from each other and how much more you could achieve as a team.

If life feels like hard, hard work at the moment, consider whether your efforts are being put to best use and whether they are focused in the right direction. Are negative emotions (fear, stress, anger, anxiety etc) overly exhausting you and making things feel worse. Perhaps you need to take a step back and unravel all this emotion in order to move forward healthily?

Finally and most importantly think about all your relationship successes over the last few months. Give yourself a pat on the back for friendships you have grown and developed, helpful alliances you have formed and for the happy, harmonious moments you've shared in your closest relationships.

Two days after Saturn went Retrograde there was a solar eclipse in the sign that Saturn rules, disciplined Capricorn. Venus in Capricorn conjoined that eclipse, in mutual reception to Saturn in Libra, reminding us then, and still now, that the most important relationship we will ever have is our relationship with our-self.

I know life feels difficult for many right now, but I do hope that in the midst of all the difficulties you are able to keep the bigger perspective and move forward. Saturn is in Libra until October 2012, so we’ve got plenty of time to do this work, plus another couple of Retrograde review periods of Saturn in Libra after this one, so don’t beat yourself up if it feels like a long slow process. Every bit of progress counts, however small and Saturn has a very long memory.

While we all, to a lesser or greater extent, absorb the energies around us, this Saturn Retrograde period will have most resonance with those of you who have planets or angles in the first 5 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) and/or the last couple of degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces). You can quickly download your own birth chart which will provide you with this information in a simply understood way at http://www.alabe.com/

Note: This article is featured in Saturn in Libra and Relationships, published on Sasstrology as part of the 2010 International Astrology Day Blogathon. The purpose of this web-based event is to create a permanent library of articles about how to deal with the stresses of the Cardinal T-Square of Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. The main page for the Blogathon collections is at The Cardinal T-Square of 2010: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto.

Blessings,
Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/