retrograde planets

Lunar eclipse midnight 5th – 6th June 2020

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There was a question so a quick post on this upcoming Lunar eclipse. The details for this eclipse in India are,

  • First Contact – 23:16, 5th Jun
  • Maximum – 00:54 6th Jun
  • Last Contact – 02:32 6th Jun
  • Duration – 03 Hours 15 Mins
  • Magnitude – 0.56

It is a penumbral eclipse so its not really very visible to the eyes. Just a very faint shadowing of the Moon. Thus this eclipse has no significance for rituals etc. (Specific rituals are to be performed only when the eclipse is visible, ie for an Umbral eclipse) This eclipse will be affect the Earth as per this image. The pink colored land masses and the dark blue colored oceans will see the effect of the eclipse.

Lunar eclipse midnight 5th - 6th  June 2020

Now even though it has no significance for doing the usual pujas /mantra etc, it is still an astrological phenomenon. And right now we are in the most confusing month of the year, June. The confusion has started since the major planets went retrograde in mid May 2020. Jupiter, Saturn and Venus are retrograde as of now and Venus has gone combust too (read my previous posts on these topics).

On this day 5th– 6th June, Moon is in Jeyshtha nakshatra in Scorpio. The Sun is in Rohini nakshtra in Taurus. Sun has combusted Venus right now and in his own sign so his energies are slightly different. Plus he is being aspected by Mars, adding to his fire. So people who have their ascendant lords Sun, Moon or Venus should be more careful at least a week before and after this eclipse event. Or even if your Birth Moon falls in their signs, you will feel the effects on your emotional levels as your astral body is going to be affected. Especially so if your birth Moon or your ascendant degree falls exactly in either of these two nakshatras. In fact, people with Ashleysha or Revati nakshatra also can expect some sudden changes in life (refer the Nav-tara post for this logic.) If you have Rahu/ Ketu in a prominent position in your horoscope, ie conjunct the ascendant lord or the birth Moon or influencing several planets then you should take care of these aspects of your life. Avoid rash behaviour, try to keep yourself calm. A lot of energy is being poured in the Taurus-Scorpio axis. If you remain passive you will be swept away with it. But if you work with it, take some efforts now, you will rise. This blast of energy can be channelised to create gains out of adversity. So do some spiritual practice during the duration of the eclipse.

The lunar eclipse is in the lunar mansion Jeyshtha, it is ruled by Indra and connected to Mercury. So to begin with, divine blessings are going to be reduced. There is reduced ‘protection’ for everyone. Prosperity will be affected, superficial show-off will increase. Misunderstandings and mindless self-destructive behaviour can increase. Complaints will increase, also over-emphasis on the negative, as people refuse to look at positive sides of things. Rains will be heavy and in some areas will cause damage to agriculture. There will be cyclones and floods in the coastal areas. People in authority will not able to function properly. But this is a very good period for spiritual or occult activities. Try to put your energies into healthy competition rather than blaming fate. Try to avoid negative feelings like jealousy, vindictiveness, mean-mindedness etc. Pay attention to your personal heath and finances. Avoid arguments, over-confidence, immoral activities, over-spending, etc, double-check everything and do not leave any loose ends.  think before you act. You have to work, so try to find the best direction for your talents.

A significant event will be the true Rahu and Ketu changing their direction, briefly stationary and going direct on 7th June in preparation of the major Solar eclipse on 21st June. They will remain in the forward motion till 22nd June. Rahu and Ketu go direct around major eclipses. But in the current world scenario they are going to cause even more upheavals. A pyramiding of energies more prone to give inauspicious effects on the physical levels.

Especially for India/ Bharat, the ascendant lord is Venus, he is combust and thus participating in this eclipse, so the government and the authorities will be more confused as a whole. The corona COVID 19 is going on. Though in India/ Bharat we are in a much better shape, still we must take care of our personal health. (Viruses are Ketu’s agents and we are going to face a humongous Solar eclipse on 21st June.) Next, there will be some civil unrest driven by fanatic thought processes. Suicide bombing or some such incidents are possible. There will be confusion on all levels, rumours, allegations and attempts to misguide are possible. Our neighbouring nations are going to go through a bad phase, some might see signs of breaking up. Economy will continue to be affected. Money, liquidity, treasuries and wealth generation is Venus’s domain, he is combust and retrograde. (Also he has no role in the Nav-nayak system for this current year.) Recovery will begin slowly after Sept and will be evident only after Dec 2020. However regional instability will affect the Indian economy too and this will continue for another 2 years. I am expecting one, or more likely, two major earthquakes Cyclones, heavy rains and floods are going to make their presence felt.

As I always say, energy is energy, all depends on you how to use it. If you let this current eclipse energies drive you, it will cause a lot of trouble in your life. So the correct option is to actively make use of them. During the eclipse time period, do some spiritual practice, recite the mantra of Rahu, Ketu, Sun, Moon or Venus 108 times, or recite a mantra of your favourite deity 108 times. However inauspicious or unfavourable the energy may be, if you can intelligently divert it, you can actually find opportunities in these distressing times. You have to try, to make the effort, use your intention and work. Remember that the overarching theme for these 2.5yrs is set by Saturn in Capricorn, there is no alternative to discipline and work. Work hard now so that you can enjoy your gains 3-4yrs later.

 

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Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

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There was a question on the movements of the planets and I love math and geometry so couldn’t resist writing this high on numbers post.

Planets move around the Sun in at a constant speed and in one constant forward motion. (Heliocentric model). But when we see them from earth, they seem to go through various types of movements in the sky (Geocentric model). It is all about perspective, your position, the ‘frame of reference’ which we studied in physics in school is ultra-important. The path of the planets as seen from the Earth is called the geocentric epicycloid motion and it is a beautiful geometry, it is a spiral in space, ever evolving. Here are some images I picked out from the internet, but I suggest that you try to find some animated models so that you can appreciate the true beauty of the planet’s apparent motions.

Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

This above is the annual motion of the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars as seen from the Earth. One circle is the path of one complete revolution of the planet around the Sun but as seen from the Earth.

Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

This beautiful geometry above is the apparent movement of Venus as we see from the Earth. As Venus revolves around the Sun 5 times, its path makes this lovely 5 pointed star around the Sun from our perspective from Earth.

Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

This is the geocentric epicycloid path of Jupiter, it is 12 Earth years long, Jupiter makes one revolution around the Sun in 12 Earth years. So his path makes this springy design as seen from the earth in 12 of our years. And Saturn’s path around the Sun as seen from the earth, he makes one revolution in about 30 Earth years, so his path is even more springier! The outermost circle is the 360degrees of the zodiac (Bhaa-chakra).

Life apparently and quite visibly goes in spirals!

When we look out from our Earth, we see that the Sun and the Moon move only in the forward direction. They move elliptically so their speeds vary a bit, but not very much, they can be considered to be moving at a constant speed. The 5 Tara graha, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn move in these following eight types of movements (as listed in the Suryasiddhant written by Mayadanav). The two chhaya graha, Rahu and Ketu are a bit confusing, unless you have your astronomical concepts clear. Rahu and Ketu are mathematical points where the orbit of the Moon cuts the ecliptic. Generally people average out this calculation and use a ‘mean’ Node value. If you use Mean Nodes you will always have them moving retrograde at constant speed. And for horoscopes of souls at lower levels of evolution (post here), this much is enough. But if the chart is of a soul on a higher plane of evolution or you are analysing your own horoscope, you must calculate the ‘True’ node, ie the exact value of the nodes at the moment of your birth. These then true nodes can be in any of the eight motions as below.

The eight types of movements of the graha in the Geocentric model are,

  1. Vakra – Retrograde, when the planet in the motion reverse to the usual forward motion and apparently moves backward into the zodiac. e.g. Saturn goes retrograde on 11th May 2020.
  2. Anuvakra – When a retrograde planet goes back into the previous sign continuing in its retrograde motion. His speed has now slowed down a bit. Jupiter will do this when will reverse direction on 14th May 2020 and go back to Sagittarius on 30th June 2020.
  3. Vikala – no movement, the graha seems to be stationary. This can be for hours or upto 5 days days depending on the planet. e.g Saturn seems to stop /stambhit, for about 5 days before he changes his apparent direction of motion while Mercury is stationary for just a few hours. The True nodes can be stationary for days during a series of eclipses.
  4. Mandatara – forward motion but very slow
  5. Manda – slow forward motion but faster than than Manda
  6. Sama – the regular average speed forward motion
  7. Chara – is faster than the previous Sama
  8. Atichara – when a planet in forward motion is moving really fast and often enters the next sign moving really very fast, e.g. Jupiter had entered Sagittarius in Nov 2019  and he moved really fast and entered Capricorn in Mar 2020 covering one entire sign in 5 months!

If you have a sense for figures this is a useful diagram where you can see how the motion of the planet in the spiral goes apparently faster, slower, stationary, forward or retrograde etc. The numbers 1 to 8 are the above 8 motions of the planet in the curving spiral of the apparent motion. This spiral below would be the spiral section of the planet’s geocentric epicycloidal path which I have put above.

Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

So now you know how the 8 types of motions are generated in the planet’s path as seen from the Earth.

The average time taken by the planets/ graha to cover 1 deg of the zodiac from the slowest to the fastest., ie Saturn = 29days 18hrs, Mean Nodes = 18days 21hrs, Jupiter = 12days, Mars = 46hrs, Sun = 1day, Venus = 15hrs, Mercury = 6hrs, Moon = 1.45hrs.

And the mean distance the graha cover daily in arc-degrees, arc-minutes and arc-seconds, from the slowest to the fastest, Saturn 2’, Mean nodes 1’15”, Jupiter 4’52”, Mars 37’, Sun 59’8”, Venus 59’8”, Mercury 59’8”, Moon 13deg10’36”

Now you have to find out what was the speed of the planets at the time you are interested in. Eg 12th Apr 2020, 9am Delhi, (you have to find this speed data online, this data is from Parashar Light).

Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

So now if you compare it with the mean speeds which I have given above. Sun is moving a bit slower than average. Moon is moving a slightly faster than average. We would say that Sun and Moon are in ‘sama’ motion. Venus has slowed down, ‘manda’. Mars, Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter are moving significantly faster than their average speeds.

We need to check the speed of the graha to analyse its results, but very few astrologers will get into such analysis depths. The direction of its motion, retrograde/forward is also quite important to make sense of its effects in our life.

I have written on the current Saturn retrograde in this post, about Jupiter going retrograde in this post and about Venus retrograde in this post here.

 

 

Movements of the Nine Planets/Graha

Manage your Retrograde planets

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A bit of statistics, Venus is retrograde in approx 5% of the charts, Mercury 8%, Mars 7%, Jupiter 22% and Saturn 26%. Then 52% of charts have at least one planet retrograde with the likelihood being Saturn> Jupiter> Mars> Mercury> Venus retrograde.

Retrograde planets deviate from the normal as the planet gives unpredictable results in life. You are made to re-learn, re-experience, re-examine, re-do the lessons indicated by the planet till you understand it fully. This means that, you might be on the verge of success and you fail at the last moment, there are disappointments in physical life, rarely meltdowns of epic proportions, internal emotional turmoil. There is often a feeling of suffocation and repression in the aspects of life connected to these planets. The expression of the planet’s energy in the physical life is often erratic. On the inner levels, it gives a boost for the spiritual practice and growth. It is logical as disappointments in the material life are always conducive to progress in the spiritual life. It is painful in the short-term.

Remember that a planet will influence these basic items from your birth chart.

  • The house/ sign it is in, and also other planets if it is conjunct with any.
  • The house/ sign/ planet it aspects.
  • The signs owned by the planet, check out which houses they are placed in.
  • The other planets placed in the signs it owns.

If you have more than two retrograde planets in your chart, examine them carefully. These planets project their energies inwards not outwards. Eg a Retrograde Mars will not allow you to healthily express your aggression, confidence, innovation etc. It will bubble inside till it reaches a breaking point where it will burst out with so much force that you won’t be able to use it productively, generally it triggers a melt-down, you might cry or rage uncontrollably. This will be a rare event, maybe once or twice a year but others might think you have an unpredictable temper. So if there are more retrograde planets they will weaken the outwardly directed power of the personality as a whole, as many aspects of your life will be influenced by these many planets.

There is a misconception that when retrograde, malefic planets reduce their malefic intent and benefic planets too reduce their benefic behaviour. It does not happen like this. The planet’s functional malefic/ benefic nature is as per the ascendant sign, it does not change. Eg Mars is Yogkarak for Cancer and Leo ascendants and Saturn for Taurus and Libra ascendants, they will be Yogkarak irrespective or retrograde or forward motion. And Jupiter is a functional malefic for the Taurus and Libra ascendants irrespective of his forward/ retrograde motion. What can happen is this. It is possible that the malefic intent gets diverted to the inner worlds and is not visible in the outer environment. Or the benefic aspect of the planet is also diverted to the inner self and thus invisible. But we are studying how to analyse the planet’s energy, turmoil is turmoil, be it in the inner world or the outer material world.

Then again some believe that if a planet is retrograde and in his exalted or debilitated sign it nullifies the retrograde! This is again absurd. Retrograde planet’s results are often invisible in the material world. So an exalted planet may not give visible results but he will give his exaltation result in the inner world. So the perception is that exalted power loses his power to give good results when retrograde.

Do understand the concepts first. Retrograde/ forward is about the direction of the planet’s energy, inner self or the material world. And exhalation/ debilitation is about the comfort levels of the planets in the environment of the sign that they are placed in, does the planet’s energy match the environment he is placed in. Do not mix the concepts. Malefic /benefic can be thought of as the level of happiness/ harshness that the planet is responsible for in your chart. Each concept defines a different aspect of the planets energy, behaviour and expected results. Each concept adds to your understanding of how your energy is represented by this planet. They do not cancel each other out!

Manage your Retrograde planets

So now theoretically you know that your birth chart has a retrograde planet and its energy is going to be expressed differently. You know which houses/ signs/ planets he is going to influence. You know that if he is a functional benefic/ malefic for your chart etc. In short now you know what all he stands for in your chart, what all he is capable of giving you, now let’s add ‘timing’ to it.

First add the Dasha to it. Check the Vimshottari Dasha section and see if you are in the Mahadasha/ main period or Antardasha/ sub period of the retrograde planet. If so, his influence on you is amplified. If so you might watch out for the following behavioural changes in yourself. These are your actions/ reactions and these can be extreme, erratic and unpredictable.  You are not allowed to express them normally in a flow, they tend to bubble under the surface till they explode spectacularly at rare intervals.

This, in brief, will be the background energy of this period controlled by the retrograde planet.

  • Mercury will affect your interest and concentration in studies, communications, choices made in life, thought processes, siblings and office teammates, legal and financial issues etc. Intuition will try to dominate over logical analytical processes. You need to be careful while driving and doing similar skill-based activities. Try to write something regularly this will give your Mercury a regular safe outlet.
  • Venus will give extremes in relationships. You might get married, divorced, remarried or get into a series of affairs. Or in the other extreme shun relationships and enter deep spiritual practice. You will be shown the real value of relationships during this period. During this period, try and take an active interest in your financial dealings and business partnerships at least. Do some creative stuff like sketching or some regular spiritual practice. The simplest outlet for this Venus can be as simple as putting on some make-up and wearing nice clothes!
  • Mars will give mood swings and cycles of melt-downs and rage which would be uncontrollable. Generally he is reluctant to assert himself or act decisively. Do not lose your temper while dealing with the opposite sex. Do not take unnecessary risks and be careful while driving etc. Going to the gym regularly helps in giving the aggression a safe outlet.
  • Jupiter’s retrograde extremes can be an overly religious fanaticism, dogmatism or a complete rejection of God/divinity. A sanyasi or an atheist for a specific period or for a life-time. But more insidious is an internal hopelessness and pessimism that he generates. Guard your mindset against this, else this can cause dullness in life. Go to a temple once in a while or read a new book once a week, its upto you. Be more active, try to think and do something new once in a while.
  • Saturn gives fear. The underlying theme is being scared of something all the time, under stress. When he is retrograde at birth or in transit he affects your ability to work off your karmic imbalance. So the person either becomes a workaholic as he is afraid of being punished. Or he loses all fear. This is actually unhealthy as once needs to be aware of social reputation, responsibilities towards family/society etc. Then he neglects his duties and gets himself and his family into trouble. This can lead to inferiority complex and dejection later. So during his retrogrades, do not isolate yourself, try to mingle with others, attend social functions and keep in touch with family/friends, this will help.

Manage your Retrograde planets

Then you need to fine tune the ‘timing’ part of your analysis. This is done using transits. We look at the transit position of the planet counted from its birth position. I have written posts on analysing transit positions of the planets in my earlier posts.

And finally I have observed that if your retrograde birth planet is going forward in its transit motion, you might feel the energies of the planet to be more suffocating. You might feel that the energy is going nowhere. But when your retrograde planet at birth gets retrograde in transit too, there is a sense of movement, that events connected to the planets are finally moving on.

This was a very brief on how the retrograde planets give results during their Dasha and transit periods. You should analyse your own horoscope from this starting point and continue your own analysis. If there are any extreme effects, you should try to alter your behaviour or there are simple remedies that you can try for yourself. Generally this much is enough. If this doesn’t address the issue, then you can try the detailed mantra-based remedies too.

Retrograde planets are nothing to be scared of. Eg you are walking on a road and you see something beautiful. You walk on, but then you turn your head again to see that beautiful thing again. Retrograde planets in your birth chart are something like this. You are revising the planet, learning its energies more completely. The challenge is to be conscious of what is happening, so try to observe yourself, your actions/ reactions. Do not get worried about retrograde planets in your birth chart. Give them a proper channel to express themselves, be aware of their energies and modify your behaviour so that you can work more easily with their energies.

Be happy, every planet’s placements was chosen by your higher self before you took birth. Trust yourself!

 

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Effect of retrograde planets Jupiter

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Jupiter tends to be retrograde for about 4-5 months every year. So, you can expect Jupiter moving in the apparent reverse motion in about 22% of your client’s charts.

Retrograde motion happens quite regularly, most of us have at least one graha retrograde in our horoscopes. These retrograde planets affect deeply on the psychological levels, on growth and development. Their energies are channelised differently, turned inwards towards the non-rational dimensions. They offer subtle challenges, and if you can over come these, you are granted greater access to your inner self. If you consciously use their energies, they will support heightened intuition and self-awareness, but if left to themselves they will deny access to these. These are the subjective, unconscious motivations of your self, you cannot understand them in the context of your rational, objective, conscious and motivated actions.

A planet gains more power when he is retrograde because he is in the reviewing, redoing, reevaluating Re-mode.

Effect of retrograde planets Jupiter

Jupiter is considered the biggest benefic planet in the chart, benevolent and gentle. He is the agent of knowledge and wisdom. Depending on what he signifies in your chart, he can help you on the material or spiritual paths. Based on what Jupiter means in your horoscope, he will make you understand and experience its true value. Education, career, law, religion, metaphysics, spirituality, philosophy, marriage, children, he gives and expands the potential for all these. Jupiter is also about being ‘visible’ in public, fame. Jupiter matures rather early in life so generally by the time the individual enters active society his thought processes have already taken a definite direction. Colleges and Universities are the places where these thoughts are first expressed, this patterns then continue throughout life.

A retrograde Jupiter increases the psychological dimensions of the experiences he controls. He will be successful in the roles assigned to him, but now he will look for the inner subjective meanings, the patterns linked to these roles. He might have money and fortune, but he will question the use of these things in life and in a broader social perspective. Jupiter retrograde is the courage of conviction. Questions like ‘what is good for me/society’, ‘what is personal/societal progress’, ‘what is personal/societal good’, are pondered upon. He will think very deeply on the matters of the house he is placed in. Jupiter retrograde will have an inner hope, righteousness and faith. He knows himself to be right, will never give up hope and can turn into a crusader of his faith, in benevolent but insistent ways. He is quite positive in approach. A retrograde Saturn thinks for a change in material benefits for the society. A retrograde Jupiter thinks about the society’s collective ‘soul’.

Jupiter is the natural owner of Sagittarius and Pisces. Both these signs are located in the second half of the zodiac. These energies are directed outward from the person, more social in context, more distributive. This is where the personality diffuses, the larger picture comes into focus. He sacrifices his individuality for the sake of the larger perspective. So when Jupiter turns retrograde, he thinks and rethinks on larger issues very deeply. He develops his unusual perspectives on philosophy, religion, law, learning, losses of the material, gain of the spiritual, etc. Such a Jupiter values subjective humanitarian values, like kindness, generosity, compassion etc in an abstract way. He might not actively give money to a charity but might prefer being a spokesperson motivating others to contribute. This ‘visibility in public life’ usually happens after mid-life, for the simple reason that in his younger years, his unusual opinions will not be taken seriously or he may lack opportunities. The initial years may be accompanied with self-doubt or lack of self-confidence but there is usually a complete change with middle-age.

Effect of retrograde planets Jupiter

Retrograde planets are always linked to a ‘inner voice’ who evaluates the gifts linked to the planet very strictly. You will not bother about how your opinions are being received in public as long as your inner conscience is satisfied. You prefer to learn from your own experiences and reactions to them, rather than from others. You will also not expect returns for the actions you perform, e.g. you know that this is your life path and you are following a greater force, so walking on this path is satisfaction enough.

Retrograde planets in the horoscope invariably delay some things in life, e.g personal achievements, marriage, wealth, etc can come later than you expect. And spiritual growth and philosophical understanding will invariably come earlier than you’d expect it!

If your retrograde planets are conjunct with a direct moving planet, e.g. retrograde Jupiter conjunct Sun, you should analyse the Sun and Jupiter as a combined unit, as Jupiter will subconsciously influence the actions indicated by the Sun in your horoscope. Jupiter will in a way, use the Sun’s energy to express himself. And the Sun will use retrograde Jupiter’s thought processes as his back up.

As with Saturn, Jupiter is retrograde for a significant period, 4-5 months, every year. So if you have retrograde Jupiter in your birth chart, these transits of retrograde Jupiter will  be felt quite intensely. You will seem to work overtime without a break during this period. If you observe yourself over the years, you might notice that you take decisions which have far-reaching impacts during this period. Jupiter retrograde at birth has marked out whatever is stunting your personal and spiritual growth. Transiting Jupiter retrograde will make you resolve these issues in earnest. And this will happen every year. These 4-5 months is where life will be in fast-forward for you. So try to remain aware of events. Try to clarify your internal understanding. You will reap the benefits of your this hard work when Jupiter goes direct in transit again.

‘Fulfilment’ is a very subjective. To be really satisfied about the aspects of life controlled by retrograde planets, you will have to tread on unusual paths. There will be hard karmic lessons or extra effort required this life to be genuinely happy and content. So be patient and persevere.

And finally, because he is Jupiter and he is retrograde, replaying the lesson of faith, ethics and values, you will not follow established religion blindly. You will find your own truths and deeper meanings, with time. There may be disappointments on your spiritual journey as you follow others. Try and listen to your own inner voice and have faith in yourself. Be kind to yourself and you will find your own way, which will be perfect for you, with time.

Effect of retrograde planets Jupiter

Effect of Retrograde planets, Saturn

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Saturn is the planet most likely to be retrograde in a chart. Approx 26% of the charts you get will have Saturn in his apparent backward motion.

Retrograde planets are teachers with a different agenda. They teach you by rewinding events in your conscious life. You review and re-analyse, again and yet again. The conscious event is never directly in sharp focus, your feelings, instincts and indirect impressions add more dimensions to the experience. You may not be able to clearly express yourself in the matters ruled by the retrograde planets. A jumble of feelings, you may not be sure about what you ‘feel’ and what you should be ‘doing’. On these matters your conscious and sub-conscious are in conflict.

If you have more than one planet retrograde in your chart you will need to find out the relative strengths of each to know their relative influence on you. As a starting point you can consider the planet which has advanced most into its sign, i.e. with the highest degrees, to give more results.

Effect of Retrograde planets, Saturn

Saturn teaches you to maintain the society and helps you maintain your public/visible role in it. Saturn is the owner of the 10th and 11th house of the natural zodiac. Thus he is the natural agent of your work, profession, your birth father, your luck, gains from every aspect of your life, like-minded groups etc. (The father in the spiritual sense, the Guru, is the 9th house). Most importantly on the spiritual context, Saturn gives you the work-plan which helps rebalance your karma systematically. He keeps a tally of how much work has been done and how much more is required to balance your this life’s karma target. The strength to persevere. All of us hope and are optimistic, but the next step towards success is to work steadily without faltering, this is Saturn. On the emotional front, Saturn is often dour, forbidding, causing restrictions, constrictions and not-happiness.

On the inner levels, Saturn’s job is to reduce ‘self-ego’, the inflated sense of personal self.

A retrograde Saturn will often start with a complicated relationship with the father or people in authority who discipline you. This begins in the childhood itself so has implications throughout life. We are required to live our life with self-discipline and responsibility. Often it is the father who teaches the child the value of discipline and corrects his behaviour if required. But a child with retrograde Saturn may subconsciously resent his father and all that he teaches. He might perceive his father to be distant, not-loving, emotionally unavailable or absent.

In life, resources are limited and you need to plan and be systematic about using them. As you grow, the ability to organise life and its resources becomes even more vital. You live in a society and its norms and legal/social behaviour is important. A retrograde Saturn is sometimes a balancing act. You have to think of positive goals which support Saturn’s natural role and also his role in your personal chart. Saturn signifies society in all ways, so retrograde or not, he will find ways to make you work for the society. So over time, especially after Saturn matures at the age of 36yrs, you might find your own ways of contributing. You tend to choose an external apparent freedom which is strictly regulated by your internal self-discipline. A retrograde Saturn allows you to use your talents differently, you may work in a profession considered ‘odd’ by the society. If the chart supports, you may be an eccentric professor who thinks differently, a brilliant artist who creates unusual works, or even an astrologer! All forms of jobs and professions are Saturn.

Effect of Retrograde planets, Saturn

Saturn’s energies are turned inwards, so the conscience is always hyper-alert. This internal voice reviews every step you take and every word you speak, always, non-stop, to an extent that you might feel an underlying fear of everything you do. ‘Are you doing things the way you are you are supposed to do?’, The internal self is hyper-strict, always finding faults. This over time can lead to low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and an inability for self-love. The solution here is to direct the energies. Try to develop your own frame of reference, Saturn will allow this. You can develop your own internal sense of self-discipline so that you are more comfortable with what you do. Try to intuitively feel what is really important to you than what you were taught is important in life. You are required to be more subjective than objective. Look for patterns not separate events.

Retrograde Saturn will work with and through the planets he is associated /conjunct /aspected by /aspecting /house owner etc with. So e.g. if he is with a direct Mercury, try to find Saturn’s subjective influence on the Mercury-linked actions you do. You might think on what society needs, a thought, an intellectual reform, you might initiate a ‘process’ for the welfare of the society, speaking out, communicating, writing! Several social reformers had a retrograde Saturn who powered their thoughts and actions. These individuals were highly convinced of the correctness of their thoughts and were considered radical by the society of that time. Retrograde Saturn does provide the internal energy to work hard, the person knows he is right and unaware of the odds, perseveres and brings about fundamental changes.

If you want to come to terms with the power of retrograde planets, you have to go through a highly introspective process. Self-reflection is key. This however happens over a life-time. As you contemplate, your powers of intuition also increase, this will lead to increased trust in your own feelings. You will be able you love yourself, ‘self-love’. Only then will the subjective, seemingly irrational influences on your psyche be gradually accepted and integrated. However odd these subconscious feelings may seem, they are a pattern which will gradually synthesise and make sense. Retrograde Saturn is a great power-house, if you can use it in the sub-conscious levels, it will manifest in your physical reality too. Try to be comfortable with these inner dialogues and self-doubts, as they will make sense eventually.

 

Effect of Retrograde planets, Saturn