Astrology is an art form that makes accurate predictions about the future of life on Earth by using the positions of the planets. The fact that this ancient art form has been extant for so long has allowed us to observe patterns throughout time and determine that wherever the planets go, something on Earth will also be impacted.
When a planet appears to be moving backwards in the sky to us on Earth, this is known as a planetary retrograde. No, planets don’t go backwards in reality. Because of the speed at which the Earth rotates, it is an optical illusion. Ancient people understood, however, that when a planet alters its speed or direction, the thing it governs will have difficulties or perplexity at that particular time.
The sun, the moon, and clearly our Earth (since we’re, uh, standing on it) don’t retrograde, and technically, in astrology, we refer to the sun and moon as our primary celestial bodies “shining objects in the sky. However, depending on their distance from us in the solar system, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto all retrograde at various times. Simple rule: A planet’s retrograde period will be shorter the closer it is to us and longer the farthest it is from us.
For those who are even more eager astrologers, the inside 411 is as follows: In addition to what the planet rules being out of balance during a retrograde, whatever zodiac sign the planet is in at the time will also experience widespread uncertainty. Different things are associated with each zodiac sign; Taurus is associated with money, whereas Libra is associated with romance.
Last but not least, we often notice that individuals, projects, and events come back to us as the earth moves away from the sun in the sky. So when you’re suddenly slipping into the DMs of that “ex who got away or wondering about restarting that old pastime you left up because you just got too busy, a planetary retrograde may, in fact, be pushing you to give that situation a second look.
In This Article...
How do we get affected by retrograde?
What occurs and how does Mercury’s retrograde phase impact us? Many proponents of astrology think that the retrograde motion starts a cycle of bad luck, but what does it actually mean?
Mercury retrograde is an optical illusion, which implies that from our vantage point on earth, it appears as though the planet is travelling backward. Astrologers think that disruptions in electronics and communication during this alleged backward motion could dampen everyone’s summer attitude.
Find out what Mercury’s retrograde means for you, how to use its power, and anything else you need to know about it here.
What occurs when Mercury is retrograde?
When a planet is in retrograde motion, it appears to be moving in the other direction when viewed from Earth. Due to variations in orbit, this optical illusion occurs. Retrograde motion has a bad reputation in the astrology world.
How does retrograde work? What is it?
A change in the planet’s apparent motion through the sky is referred to as retrograde motion. Because the planet doesn’t actually begin to revolve backward, it is not REAL. Because of how the planet and Earth are orbiting the Sun and their respective positions, it only seems to do so.
The planets typically go through the sky at night from west to east. This is known as retrograde motion. Perversely, the motion alters, and they now traverse the stars from east to west. We refer to this motion as retrograde. After a brief period of retrograde motion, the motion returns to becoming prograde. Within the context of a solar system that is centered on the Sun (heliocentric), this seemingly odd behavior is easily comprehended. In a heliocentric model, retrograde motion is explained by the fact that it happens roughly when a planet moving more quickly comes up to and passes a planet moving more slowly.
The graphic below illustrates how the planet Mars would appear to move in both prograde and retrograde motion. Keep in mind that this is all a result of the Earth’s orbit moving across space more quickly than Mars does. Therefore, the motion seems to go through the pro-retro-pro cycle as we close in on and eventually pass that planet in its orbit.
This effect is something you can see for yourself. Start off by standing next to a friend. Ask a friend to advance carefully. You now go forward more quickly. Consider how your acquaintance is moving in relation to you while you watch them. They initially walk away from you before appearing to be walking backward as you pass them, even though they are actually still traveling ahead.
What is now 2022 retrograde?
Knowing when Mercury will turn retrograde is very significant since, like every year, Mercury will turn retrograde in 2022 as well. In fact, based on the above table, Mercury will turn retrograde three times this year.
What activities are prohibited during a retrograde?
Ellen Bowles, an astrologer and co-author of Astrology SOS, claims that “we can have technical or mechanical troubles, and our wires can seem crossed in all our channels of communication.” “Planetary retrogrades are occasions for everyone to stop and think. We are being advised to slow down and double-check the details when Mercury is retrograde.” The urge to meticulously examine every last aspect extends beyond the three to four weeks of the retrograde period itself. The same guidelines for what not to do during Mercury retrograde also apply during this time, which lasts for a week or two before and after the actual retrograde. This period is known as Mercury’s shadow phase or “retroshade.”
What planet is now 2021 in retrograde?
One revolution of Mercury, one of the planets with the shortest orbits around the sun, takes about 88 days. Mercury is one of the planets that moves the fastest. The aforementioned aspects of a native’s life are impacted by Mercury Retrograde in 2021.
What effects will Mercury’s retrograde have on 2021?
Mercury is regarded as the planet responsible for all communications, cognitive processes, and it also stands for reasoning, rationality, and other things. Mercury entered a retrograde phase on September 27, 2021, moving backwards into the astrological sign of Libra. Since then, it has had an impact on people’s life, causing a great deal of instability in their relationships, businesses, finances, health, and other areas.
People can finally exhale in relief that the planetary retrogression is over and anticipate things to calm down. Following that, let’s take a look at what each zodiac sign might anticipate now that Mercury Retrograde for this year has ended.
Which retrograde are we now in?
January 14February 3, 2022, is the first retrograde period. May 10June 3, 2022, is the second retrograde period. September 9October 2, 2022, is the third retrograde period. December 29 until January 18, 2023, is the fourth retrograde.