“Time is an illusion, although a persistent one.” – Einstien
“Time, in quaaludes and red wine.” – Bowie
“We create the illusion of linearity” – Levine
“With your feet on the air and your head on the ground” – Pixies.
Time Capsule
I like to close my eyes and step out of my current order of existence. I like to expand beyond the limitations of the physical body and the rocky earth that we all reside on, that hurdles through the nothingness of space. But, I don’t stop there, expanding further and further out, to a place where time exists on the same plane, and all things happen simultaneously.
Retrograde? Oh, Yes! But, What does it Mean?
“…every phenomenon in all worlds without exception, is the result of a simultaneous action of three forces-the positive, the negative, and the neutralizing. ”
– P.D. Ouspensky In Search of the Miraculous
This post is dedicated to retrogrades for the rest of this year including dates, timelines, my personal experience and what the stage looks like for the rest of the world (US) and what questions we can ask ourselves as events unfold. It’s funny with astrology, because everyone expects astrology to have the answers. The reality is , astrology displays stage, the terrain upon which we lay OUR path. Astrologers, interpreters, teachers, shine the light on the areas of this stage or terrain.
The meaning; however, the choice, the purpose, is up to US, individually ~ and collectively. We have the power to completely revamp our scene. Likewise, we have the power to recognize everything is on the right track and may just require a minor shift, or fine tuning for the ultimate amplification. As well, we have the power to veer off in an entirely new and completely unrelated direction.
Let’s take the fear and uncertainty out of theword “retrograde”. As you read this post, let’s transport ourselves to a world where retrogrades are a wonderful, magical, and completely out of this world phenomenon. They bust up the normal rut. They give us the opportunity of reflection upon a specific energy and area of our life. In grade school, we were taught the meaning of “Past Tense”. Essentially, with a retrograde planetary energy, we are repeating the past. Given the chance to backtrack, reflect, and then do-over again. What a powerful gift! Retrogrades are the solar system speaking in past tense.
Power of One: The Initial Experience, the Shadow Start
I say the “Shadow Start” with appreciation and awareness that even at the start of a retrograde, this cannot be the first time I’ve experienced this. As Rick Levine said in my recent workshop, “It’s not about Linear Progressions, It’s about Resonance”. We can take a timeline, stretch it out, and plot aspects from our lives, and fine tune into past and future lives. A couple weeks ago in this life; however, I set off for an alluring astrological off-grid get away last weekend. Deep into natures wilderness, I was destined for hot springs, plant-life, the sparkling night sky, and co-creating cosmic dialogue with regenerative intention. I am quite self sufficient in a lot of ways. It’s rare for me to get lonely. But I do long for connection of like-minded people. Despite the majority of my planets being scrunched up in the 1st through 3rd houses, I tossed my bags in the car, pulled down my shades, and drove off into the smokey sunset on I-5 north.
Metaphorically, the smoke from the fires igniting up all across the state of California represented the foggy uncertainty of this adventure. When we do something for the first time it’s always a risk. It’s both scary and exciting. Yet, if there is no vulnerability, there is no connection, right?
I had already reserved myself to the fact that this was a communal resort. Hence I would be sharing energies.
Power of Two: The Backtracking, the Retrograde
On the ending day of the retreat I was overwhelmed with emotion, thought, feeling, and left with a feeling like I was going to burst and explode with endless worlds of meaning and purpose. Without going into too much detail, the drive home was in effect, my own personal “retrograde”. I had the pleasure of rooming with two incredible human beings, each with their own stories and their own paths. They each had special messages and lessons for me to take onward into my own stage. It was as if the universe was screaming through them at me! I’ve been telling the universe so much these past several years; what I want, what I need. And now the universe is saying: well, here you go! This is what you should be doing to shape these things you are requesting of me. I’m extremely grateful for the Pisces moon for the majority of the retreat. It gave me that transpersonal emotional support needed to reach out just enough to connect with other like-minded people. It allowed me the cosmic-line to let go just enough to feel and absorb. It closed out with the Moon in Aries to remind me that I came there with a goal and to leave with passion and commitment. Driving back over the terrain once trodden, I suddenly could see. See the things that were hidden before. I had a new kind of knowledge and a new understanding that had I not have experienced this I would never have known.
Power of Three: The Do-over, the Gift
Once you have experienced life and then have the opportunity to do it over again, the real gift is going forward knowing what you know. Suddenly, people, situations, and things that may have caused us stress, anxiety, depression, worry or pain, now they don’t stand a chance to what we know. Whether it’s the energy of Uranus, Neptune, Mars, Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, or Mercury – we’ve been there, and we’ve done that. We possess the power to decide what is best for us as we move forward. See below for dates of each of the present retrograde cycles of each of the planets. Something to note; as soon as Mercury moves onward, Venus enters her Cycle. Some planets like Jupiter and Pluto; have had their Rx cycles going on for some time now. Other’s will push on into 2019. Questions? Looking to the specific area of the chart that these planets are hovering on, how can you utilize this energy? What kind of transformational, structuring, and action oriented work is happening in the earthy and no-nonesense area of Capricorn? What kind of eruptions are happening for us on a global level in the passionate, committed and indulgent expression Aries/Taurus? What kind of Expansion is happening in creative and deeply knowing Scorpio? How will your relationships, balance of life, love and relationships take a turn in Scorpio/Libra? How are our thoughts panning out, where are our minds taking us in Leo? It’s all illuminating and within our power.
Mercury Dates: 11′ Leo – 23′ Leo (July 8 – Sept 2) – I THINK
1 – Mercury Shadow Start – 11′ Leo: July 8 (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
2 – Mercury Rx – 23′ Leo: July 26 (23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11)
3 – Mercury Dx – 11′ Leo: August 19 (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Mercury Shadow End – 23′ Leo: September 2
Venus Dates: 25′ Libra – 10′ Scorpio (Sept 3 – Dec 18) – I LIKE
1 – Venus Shadow Start – 25′ Libra: Sept 3 (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 10)
2 – Venus Rx – 10′ Scorpio: Oct 6 (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25)
3 – Venus Dx – 25′ Libra: Nov 16 (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Venus Shadow End – 10′ Scorpio: December 18
Mars Dates: 28′ Capricorn – 9′ Aquarius (May 12 – Oct 10) – I MOVE
1 – Mars Shadow Start – 28′ Capricorn: May 12 (28, 29, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
2 – Mars Rx – 9′ Aquarius: June 27 (9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 29, 28)
3 – Mars Dx – 28′ Capricorn: Aug 28 (28, 29, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Mars Shadow End – 9′ of Aquarius: October 10
Jupiter Dates: 13′ Scorpio – 23′ Scorpio (Dec 11 2017 – Oct 10 2018) – I EXPAND
1 – Jupiter Shadow Start – 13′ Scorpio: Dec 11 2017 (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
2 – Jupiter Rx – 23′ Scorpio: Mar 9 (23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13)
3 – Jupiter Dx – 13′ Scorpio: July 11 (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Jupiter Shadow End – 23′ Scorpio: Oct 10
Saturn Dates: 2′ Capricorn – 9′ Capricorn (Jan 7 – Dec 20) – I CONTRACT
1 – Saturn Shadow Start – 2′ Capricorn: Jan 7 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
2 – Saturn Rx – 9′ Aquarius: April 18 (9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2)
3 – Saturn Dx – 2′ Capricorn: Sept 6 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Saturn Shadow End – 9′ Capricorn: Dec 20
Uranus Dates: 28′ Aries – 2′ Taurus (April 10, 2018 – May 1, 2019) – I ERUPT
1 – Uranus Shadow Start – 28′ Aries: April 10, 2018 (28, 29, 0, 1, 2)
2 – Uranus Rx – 2′ Taurus: Aug 8 (2, 1, 0, 29, 28)
3 – Uranus Dx – 28′ Aries: Jan 7, 2019 (28, 29, 0, 1, 2)
Uranus Shadow End – 2′ Taurus: May 1, 2019
Neptune Dates: 13′ Pisces – 16′ Pisces (Feb 26 – Mar 16, 2019) – I DISSOLVE
1 – Neptune Shadow Start – 13′ Pisces: Feb 26 (13, 14, 15, 16)
2 – Neptune Rx – 16′ Pisces: June 19 (16, 15, 14, 13)
3 – Neptune Dx – 13′ Pisces: November 25 (13, 14, 15, 16)
Neptune Shadow End – 16′ Pisces: Mar 16, 2019
Pluto Dates: 18′ Capricorn – 21′ Capricorn (Dec 31 2017 – Jan 22, 2019) – I TRANSFORM
1 – Pluto Shadow Start – 18′ Capricorn
2 – Pluto Rx – 21′ Capricorn: April 23 (21, 20, 19, 18)
3 – Pluto Dx – 18′ Capricorn: Oct 1 (18, 19, 20, 21)
Pluto Shadow End – 21′ Capricorn: January 22, 2019
