What's your take on retrograde planets?

SniperBomber328

Well-known member
While Parasara ("father of Vedic astrology") considered planets in retrograde as = to being in exaltation, and rx planets are considered "strong" in Vedic astrology in general, their general teaching regarding practical rx delineation is pretty much as follows:
-if the planet is a functional benefic and is rx, its benefic influences are doubled
-if the planet is a functional malefic and is rx, its malefic influences are doubled

An excellent collection of varying thoughts and insights regarding the rx question (mostly from the Vedic point of view) can be found in G. Inglis book, "Retrograde Planets" (astroamerica.com)

I should switch to the Vedic System, they always have a lot more postive outlooks than Tropical. I have a functional (benefic) Mars, Saturn and Mercury. I wonder since Saturn and Mercury are Rx in my chart, whether they would be greatly emphasized in a positive sense?
 

Carris

Well-known member
Well I'll tell you one thing. I have Merc. retro in the 1st Scorpio and it definitely does not make me less talkative, In fact a lot of people get annoyed simply, because I tend to over-talk when describing so much or just being downright too talkative.

I am less disciplined ( I also have Rx Saturn....luck me *sarcasm*). Hm....I wonder?
While merc in sco should actually talk very deeply and thoughtfully. So could that mean that rx merc works in a more over-the-top manner - its less clear about what it wants to say - so ends up saying more. What about what Jupiterasc said - "dramatically drawing our attention" to something - is your merc drawing attention to the house that it rules or is placed in?

I too have a prominent rx saturn - I'm not too disciplined or cautious - in fact I can be very procrastinating at times.
 

dr. farr

Well-known member
All other factors being equal, the answer to your question from the Vedic viewpoint would be "yes".
I like BOTH the Western and the Vedic approaches, and I also refute elements/outlooks in both approaches-that's why I am an eclectic; I'll also mention that its the concepts and methods/technqiues, not whether the tropical or sidereal zodiac is used as the matrix, that is of the most value, relative to BOTH the Western and the Vedic approaches (I personally follow the sayana school, regarding the Vedic outlook relating to the use of the Tropical rather than the sidereal zodiac, as the fundamental matrix; ie, I use the Tropical zodiac both in Western and in Vedic astrological delineaitons)

Note: I consider the 2 best books studying rx from a purely Western astrology perspective, to be those by H.A. Garrett:
-"Understanding Retrograde"
and...
-"More About Retrograde"
...both of these books are available from various astrological book vendors on the internet, such as astroamerica.com
 
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Carris

Well-known member
This is somewhat true but then it also depends on other factors of the chart. So far of all the stuff I have read on Rx I can't understand if it's a good thing or a bad thing. I'd personally think outer planet energies would be alot more useful Direct than Rx. For eg. I have Rx Uranus in 9 which makes me an 'internal' rebel & conform externally. I'd rather be straight & rebellious outright. :annoyed:
Is your uranus in a gauquelin sector? Is your career, vocation or work requirement of a uranian nature?

Also, if uranus is not conjunct one of the angles or in exact aspect to the luminaries, then you would not be very rebellious in any case even if it were direct, I think.
 

SniperBomber328

Well-known member
While merc in sco should actually talk very deeply and thoughtfully. So could that mean that rx merc works in a more over-the-top manner - its less clear about what it wants to say - so ends up saying more. What about what Jupiterasc said - "dramatically drawing our attention" to something - is your merc drawing attention to the house that it rules or is placed in?

I too have a prominent rx saturn - I'm not too disciplined or cautious - in fact I can be very procrastinating at times.


OMG I am a procrastinator too! What house and sign is your Saturn in? Mines in the 4th Auqarius!
 

SniperBomber328

Well-known member
My rx saturn is in 12th in gemini. But its also opp venus which may be causing the procrastinating.

Well then is must be the Rx. My Saturn is square my Mercury-Mars-Pluto conjunction in the 1st and Trine my Jupiter in the 12th. Unless a hard aspcet to Venus or Mars indicates laziness, my best bet would be an Rx Saturn.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
OMG I am a procrastinator too! What house and sign is your Saturn in? Mines in the 4th Auqarius!
Compared to walking forwards, how speedy is someone who is walking backwards?
My rx saturn is in 12th in gemini. But its also opp venus which may be causing the procrastinating.
Compare two people who are both walking... one is walking backwards, the other is walking forwards...
Well then is must be the Rx. .......Unless a hard aspcet to Venus or Mars indicates laziness, my best bet would be an Rx Saturn.
How easy is walking backwards? :smile:
 

retinoid

Well-known member
Compared to walking forwards, how speedy is someone who is walking backwards?
Compare two people who are both walking... one is walking backwards, the other is walking forwards...

How easy is walking backwards? :smile:

Planets don't move backwards...they are however closer to the earth during retrograde so therefore their influence is greater. For some people, a mars retrograde would be good if their mars is good. For others, it could bring a lot of confusion, lack of energy/drive/etc. Retrograde makes a planet more potent in a person's life, for good or bad depending on their natal planet's disposition.
 

Anachiel

Well-known member
Now this might be off the wall and, certainly someone more erudite with the concept with have to fill int he blanks. With that caveat, here goes:

Einstein postulated that objects moving forward and backward through time and space emit different frequencies. Off course this was all relative to the observer, like most things are.

Now, is it then possible that a planet, that appears to us as observers to move backward, would emit a different frequency than when we observe it to go forward thorugh time and space?

I warned you....
 

Carris

Well-known member
Now this might be off the wall and, certainly someone more erudite with the concept with have to fill int he blanks. With that caveat, here goes:

Einstein postulated that objects moving forward and backward through time and space emit different frequencies. Off course this was all relative to the observer, like most things are.

Now, is it then possible that a planet, that appears to us as observers to move backward, would emit a different frequency than when we observe it to go forward thorugh time and space?

I warned you....
Yes it could - and maybe our human perception is such. Its only from earth's point of view that saturn appears to be moving backwards when it actually is not. So maybe thats what happens to us earthlings - we view things in a wrong way from our point of view when in retrograde.
 

Bina

Well-known member
Now this might be off the wall and, certainly someone more erudite with the concept with have to fill int he blanks. With that caveat, here goes:

Einstein postulated that objects moving forward and backward through time and space emit different frequencies. Off course this was all relative to the observer, like most things are.

Now, is it then possible that a planet, that appears to us as observers to move backward, would emit a different frequency than when we observe it to go forward thorugh time and space?

I warned you....

This is so interesting!!

To continue on this line of thoughts:
Would a retrograde planet, if it emits a different frequency then when it is in forward motion, also have a different effect astrologically - and in what way would it be different?? :surprised:
 

Anachiel

Well-known member
Yes it could - and maybe our human perception is such. Its only from earth's point of view that saturn appears to be moving backwards when it actually is not. So maybe thats what happens to us earthlings - we view things in a wrong way from our point of view when in retrograde.

Well, Einstein theories are based on relativity. So, perception is a big part of the deal. The fact that we see something a certain way does not make it wrong. It just means that our view of the matter is relative to where we are at and when we see the thing occur. It's not wrong or right, really. Those fatalistic terms have bound up humanity for too long. However, perhaps retrograde simply offers a different perspective in and of itself.....like the flip side of the same coin......
 
 
This is so interesting!!
To continue on this line of thoughts:
Would a retrograde planet, if it emits a different frequency then when it is in forward motion, also have a different effect astrologically - and in what way would it be different??

I would think it would, Bina. But, that is just my own thought on the matter. However, most of the posts in this thread describe the various effects of retrograde. Im just throwing out a probable explanation from the point of physics and that is shaky at best :)
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Well, Einstein theories are based on relativity. So, perception is a big part of the deal. The fact that we see something a certain way does not make it wrong. It just means that our view of the matter is relative to where we are at and when we see the thing occur. It's not wrong or right, really. Those fatalistic terms have bound up humanity for too long. However, perhaps retrograde simply offers a different perspective in and of itself.....like the flip side of the same coin......
 
I would think it would, Bina. But, that is just my own thought on the matter. However, most of the posts in this thread describe the various effects of retrograde. Im just throwing out a probable explanation from the point of physics and that is shaky at best :)
To an observer on earth, a planet does indeed SEEM to be “walking backwards” IN COMPARISON TO aka RELATIVE TO other planets also orbiting the sun along with earth.

The illusion is caused by the speed at which the planet is traveling relative to its orbital position around the sun as observed from planet earth.


Planets apparently “walking backwards” - (as the ancients so graphically described it) – are as close to Earth as they can get AND ALSO very bright in the night sky.

The ancients understandably regarded a planet in that condition as “intensified” and/or "making an appearance" aka "dramatically showing something" aka "having an appearance that speaks" aka “dramatically drawing attention” to some matter.

This is so interesting!!


To continue on this line of thoughts:
Would a retrograde planet, if it emits a different frequency then when it is in forward motion, also have a different effect astrologically - and in what way would it be different?? :surprised:
That's exactly the idea Bina... that "retrograde" planets are somehow "different astrologically" than when in forward motion :smile:
 
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dr. farr

Well-known member
Of course the apparently retrograde planet is still moving forward in its orbit, so that wouldn't change, however, RELATIVE to the earth there is a "change", and that change relative to the earth, could certainly have a modulating effect upon that planet's energies vis-a-vis the earth, so, I think Anachiel might well have a very good point (possibly a valid poiunt) regarding this matter!!
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Now this might be off the wall and, certainly someone more erudite with the concept with have to fill int he blanks. With that caveat, here goes:

Einstein postulated that objects moving forward and backward through time and space emit different frequencies. Off course this was all relative to the observer, like most things are.

Now, is it then possible that a planet, that appears to us as observers to move backward, would emit a different frequency than when we observe it to go forward thorugh time and space?


I warned you....

Of course the apparently retrograde planet is still moving forward in its orbit, so that wouldn't change, however, RELATIVE to the earth there is a "change", and that change relative to the earth, could certainly have a modulating effect upon that planet's energies vis-a-vis the earth, so, I think Anachiel might well have a very good point (possibly a valid point) regarding this matter!!
Makes sense dr. farr - it's all relative! :smile:
 

!4C

Well-known member
I have retro cancer mars in 12th of my chart. It seems that I do have a tenancy to direct my mars energy inward more than outward. I'm the type of person that spends more time thinking things through so action I take will be as minimal as possible. However, I am reactionary to environmental demands and very active environments tend to shift the balance to more outward than inward. So environmental control may be a way to manipulate the expression of a retro planet.

Also, my progressed retro mars is now in gemini 11th. I ignored this for the longest time because it seemed silly to me to go backwards on the wheel. Recently I've come to the conclusion that I do enjoy splitting my time 50/50 working alone and in collaborative groups. I like exchanging ideas in groups, but I can't get anything done unless I regroup on my own to think things through. When ever I hit a roadblock, I want to switch environments. So it would be prudent to interpret natal and progressed as resonant energy between the two.
 

Claire19

Well-known member
No one has an opinion?
You can find info on retrogrades online. I dont have any so cant help you. Martin Schulman has a book on them.

I believe they are particularly karmic and need real effort to use properly. They are planets that seem to be going backwards when you are born, but that is an optical illlusion.
 

Claire19

Well-known member
My rx saturn is in 12th in gemini. But its also opp venus which may be causing the procrastinating.
Saturn in the 12th Gemini is opposing Venus in Sagittarius and 6th?
It is more that you have issues with diet, health and perhaps your everyday work that is a legacy from the past. You may be a writer or involved in publishing in some way and this can be an activity that you do more in your retirement years. You can have problems with money and finding work and I would say you like to read, think and study a lot in private.

We need the whole chart to see what other aspects are affecting it. I think you were used to be in a cloistered situation in the past, perhaps a teaching nun or involved in charity work and making short trips around the neighbourhood. You were used to having your needs taken care of and this time you have to earn money for your daily bread, shelter and clothing. .
 

SniperBomber328

Well-known member
About the different frequencies between a(n) Rx planet and direct planet, I am so surprised! Perhaps Atrology can be proven in the near future (or far) with science. Though I hope it will be when I'm alive, since I want to see it happening, and live to tell the tale.

P.S. About the 'Thanks' feature (sorry if it sort of diverts from the thread), has it been removed? I wanted to thank Anachiel for her useful post.
 
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