What to Expect During "Retrograde Season"

With seven planets retrograde (or about to be) let's prepare ourselves... 🌀

Come take a walk with me down the celestial rabbit hole of “retrograde season”. If you’ve been tapping into the collective energy lately, it might feel a bit “fuzzy”. Sort of like whatever you are trying to do (or convey) isn’t landing where you expected it to. That feeling of just barely missing the mark can be accredited to the current retrograde season. And although retrogrades are not something to fear, they are definitely something that we should try to prepare for. In example, Mercury retrograde tends to get a visceral response from people, but this transit happens 3-4 times per year as Mercury is the inner-most and fastest planet in orbit.

In Astrology, we discuss planetary retrograde periods to help you better navigate the period of time where the planets take an illusionary “back spin” in the sky. The truth is that each respective planet is not *actually* spinning backward, but just like the old adage of driving on the highway and starting to pick up speed an pass your partner in the adjacent lane, it will seem like they are moving backwards. But the truth? They are still very much moving forward, but this is a great testament to everything being about “perspective” more than actuality when we try to relate to things outside of ourselves.

Currently, we have:

• Venus retrograde: July 22-September 3

• Pluto retrograde: May 1-October 10

• Saturn retrograde: June 17-November 4

• Neptune retrograde: June 30-December 6

..and will have the following planets join in soon:

• Mercury retrograde: August 23-September 15

• Uranus retrograde: August 28-January 27, 2024

• Jupiter retrograde: September 4-December 30

To better explain what all of this means, we will break down each retrograde below. Explanations on how your sun & rising sign will be affected are listed below exclusive for paid subscribers!

Venus retrograde: (July 22-September 3) when the planet of love, sex, beauty, and money takes it’s trip in a retrograde period, we start to feel a perilous energy that digs up what we base our worth and narrative around love on to see whether or not it works for our current reality. This time around it is in the fiery and bold sign of Leo, further picking at our ego and making us reframe our ideas of love in a more sustainable way — even if that means letting go of some of our closest relationships in order to align with these new perspectives. Great time to budget and rework your relationship to “spending to fill a void” type behaviors.

Pluto retrograde: (May 1-October 10) this retrograde will start off in fixed air sign Aquarius but enters cardinal earth sign Capricorn on 6/11/2023 (the last time it was in this sign was March, so think back to what was going on around that time for clues into what this new 4 month stint will bring up again). Because Pluto is our outermost planet, these affects will be felt on a societal level. Look around at where power dynamics are in play - the patriarchy is a great example and the Barbie movie couldn’t have come at a better time astrologically! Give yourself time to reflect on how you are either being impacted or implementing power dynamics that you can grow out of and leave in the past with some consciousness and commitment to a better future.

Saturn retrograde: (June 17-November 4) Because Saturn dictates rules and restrictions (hence the nickname “Daddy” of the planets) it’s best to respect the lessons popping up right now and bow your head gracefully to the lessons Saturn is trying to teach you. You are not being punished, and you are not a victim to your lived experience. Contemplate on long-term goals and relationships that can help you get to where you want to go. You will be forced to face the music on whether or not your current dynamics are keeping you on the right path or distracting you away from it. Be willing to let go of things and people that are not reciprocal.

Neptune retrograde: (June 30-December 6) as the planet of intuition, dreams, and illusions, Neptune is actually at home in the sign of Pisces this time around — even in the midst of a retrograde. This period of time will cause you to see with clarity whether you are tricking yourself into believing in something, or if you are finally ready to realize that you are holding yourself back from reality in some way. Great examples of this might be: “I’m excessively spending, but the Universe will bring that money back to me ten-fold!” — yes, maybe for a course, a financial investment, a workshop, or a new car that can get you to-and-from. But your fifteenth pair of jeans, another $10 coffee, and an outfit you’ll only wear once and never touch again? Not so much. Think of how you’re behaving in this illusionary way and deceiving yourself. The more clear you can get, the quicker you can get out of these traps.

Mercury retrograde: (August 23-September 15) as we mentioned, this transit happens 3 or 4 times each year, but society can’t seem to get acquainted with Mercury retrograde! As the planet of technology, travel, and communication, we deal with these themes on a daily basis, meaning when the retrograde occurs, we ALL feel it in a personal way! This time, Mercury will be in its home sign of Virgo, making it double-trouble for Mercury ruled Virgos and Geminis. Expect a call from the people you thought you left in the past, or for old issues and miscommunications to arise. This is not the time to shy away from these issues. Clear out your karmic debt once and for all, and be willing to sever ties to toxic people and tie up loose ends with stragglers. If you avoid them this time around, Mercury retrograde will come back again in the not too distant future. You will save your future self some trouble by being actively involved in your own life at this time.

Uranus retrograde: (August 28-January 27, 2024) as an outer planet, we will feel Uranus retrograde’s affects on a societal level. As the planet of big changes, shake-ups, and revolution, we will all want to pay close attention to the systems that are crumbling during this time. Because Uranus will be in the sign of bullish Taurus who deals with material possessions and wealth, we might see drastic measures with our financial institutions and whether or not the economic standing can sustain “for the people”. Think blackout spending days to rally together, new forms of currency (don’t be surprised if crypto starts making a comeback), a mass exodus from big cities, rent hold-outs, and more. If it’s not working now, it definitely won’t be around by the time late January of next year is here. Or at least not in the same way it has been.

Jupiter retrograde: (September 4-December 30) also in the sign of Taurus, the planet of expansion, optimism, and good luck will take an illusionary backspin for the later portion of 2023 to help us take more methodical steps towards our goals. Instead of being irrational, risky, and irresponsible (especially with our finances, career paths, relationships, and long-term goals), this transit will encourage us to be a bit more decisive and calculated for big pay-offs. Do your research, budget, invest wisely, and look before you leap. Just like Mercury retrograde asks us to do, go through all contracts and promises with a fine-toothed comb before signing.

Now, let’s see how your sun & rising sign will be directly affected during the retrograde season of 2023 (and into 2024)…