I’ve been talking about doing a blog post on this for quite some time. What better time than when Mercury is in retrograde? I like to live dangerously.
I’ve made a few drive-by posts on Facebook about retrogrades, some with thought, and some a bit trollish. What seems to come out from this is that some people think that I am saying that retrogrades aren’t important or don’t mean anything. I think Facebook is a horrible medium for longer writings, so here we are.
This piece is really about how traditional astrology views any planet in retrograde, and in my mind, it also speaks about how we view how current planetary positions affect us – universally or individually.
What is a retrograde?
A retrograde is when a planet appears to move “backwards”. This is caused by the different sizes of each of the planets’ orbits relative to ours. This causes an illusion from our terrestrial perspective where each of the planets appear to periodically slow down, stop, then slowly start to move backwards, and then eventually slow down, stop, and move forwards again. Since we orbit the Sun, and the Moon orbits us, the Sun and Moon never go retrograde (we hope).
Mercury, as the fastest planet, and goes retrograde the most often, about three or four times a year for a few weeks. It is because of this frequency, that Mercury in particular retrograding seems to always be fresh in our minds.
What does it mean?
I’m going to split this into two sections: modern and traditional. I realize “traditional astrology” is a broad term that covers roughly the 2nd century BCE to about the 18th century, and this covers a multitude of practices. Please allow the generalization for now, and I don’t think what I’m saying in this post varies too much from most sources.
Modern:
Retrogrades mean the planet cannot function as well as it usually does. Modern and traditional agree here. This is pretty much where the agreement ends.
Popular astrology says that Mercury retrograde causes communication problems, and electronics start failing. In extreme cases, some people avoid doing business and signing contracts.
I have noticed a sharp increase of talk about Mercury retrograde since the internet started. I believe this is simply because it’s easier to disseminate information on the web, and over the last 25 years or so, and it is now “conventional wisdom”. At this point we are now talking about a span of time longer than the career of most astrologers practicing today.
I do believe, but haven’t proven it to myself yet, that there ARE texts predating the internet agreeing with the popular opinion. It’s probably a safe statement, but I just haven’t spent the time tracking it down. I can definitely say that this opinion wasn’t popular in the pre-modern era.
Traditional:
The effect of a retrograde depends on the context. In a natal chart, a retrograde is considered a somewhat minor affliction. Planetary strength comes in two major categories: essential and accidental. Essential strength (or dignity) is based on sign placement. Accidental strength is based on everything else the planet happens to be doing – including time of day or aspects.
In addition, strengths and afflictions are cumulative. Not exclusive.
Retrogrades are considered “accidental”. Other factors such as sign placement can either accentuate or detract other effects.
The distinction here is that sign placement acts as foundational strength or weakness, whereas accidental factors act as more ephemeral strengths and weaknesses. Accidental dignities matter, but the interpretation will be affected by the planets’ sign placements.
Why this matters in predictive astrology:
Interpretation in traditional astrology typically involves more than one “testimony” or occurrence of a phenomena to declare an event. Some modern astrologers do this as well. In other words, a planet in a transit, solar return, etc. by itself is not enough to make a prediction. Astrologers would typically look at several tools to check for patterns. For instance, if a particular planet in a solar return is in the same house or sign as the natal chart, we would expect that planet to manifest what is promised in the natal chart that particular year.
Another major point here is that when a natal chart is in X condition, a planet in any current position will either accentuate or detract from that natal interpretation. Sometimes there is little noticeable effect. Some older astrological texts such as Jean Baptiste Morin’s Astrologica Gallica, and Abu Mashar’s On the Revolutions of the Years of Nativities, explain this in detail.
In other words, we use planetary and chart placements of any given year and compared to the person’s natal chat to determine how delineate events in people’s lives.
And one last point: planets can rule things in a chart in two primary ways: by sign, and by house. The five traditional planets rule 2 signs, and the Sun and Moon rule one each. This means that most planets can speak for up to three things in the chart: the two houses the planet rules, and the one house the planet is placed in. The planet will achieve these things in the way that planet does – Saturn in saturnian ways, Mercury in mercurial ways.
For instance, if Mercury rules the 7th and 10th houses, and is in the 9th, then there will be a connection between relationships, career, through travel in a mercurial way. Throughout the person’s life Mercury will especially signify these things. This is another layer of meaning that we need to consider. If Mercury is in any given place, whether good or bad, retrograde or not, we cannot simply say that Mercury just rules communication. In the example above, we would also say relationships and career will be particularly affected.
Additionally, retrogrades are not universally afflicting. In the case of horary astrology, a retrograde planet signifying a lost possession means that it will come back to you.
Making electional charts are also possible while Mercury or any other planet is retrograde. Make sure the planet isn’t signifying the things you want. Tuck it away where it’s not bothering anyone.
Putting this together:
As stated at the beginning of this article, this really isn’t about Mercury in retrograde in particular. This is because Mercury is only one of five traditional planets that go retrograde. Anything you say about Mercury you can say about the others. If the Sun or Moon go retrograde, then we should panic.
Figuring out what a planet is saying is not a simple generic answer. Like most things in our lives the real answer is subtle and more individualistic. This does not fit into pop astrology.
I am saying this through the lens of traditional astrology, but many modern astrologers delineate charts in a similar way. This is the difference between real astrology and pop astrology. Professional astrologers I have talked to typically agree that current transits do not affect all people the same way, and in some cases, hardly at all.
My advice: have your chart read by a professional astrologer, and don’t panic when Mercury is retrograde. Make your plans, use the bus, use your printer, talk to people, and live your life.