5 planets go retrograde - find out what energies are activated.

Peek a boo

May 11, 2020

Liezl James

It’s a strange new upside-down world. It all happened so fast, we’re all still spinning! Making sense of it all has been secondary to “just getting on with it” as best we can.

Now that restrictions may be lightened, we’re starting to see beyond the fence line … we actually have to face the reality of this weird-ness.

We have to figure out what we really care about, and what we truly love, and what matters most to us!

Looking backwards to see the future

When a toddler looks backwards at a woman through their legs, an old wives tale is that the woman is pregnant. If the child is looking at their mom, they are in particular looking for their sibling.

We’re going into a six-week period of germination. We’re seeking our true inner child self. And we’re doing so by looking backwards, and simultaneously envisioning our future, all while being upside down.

In other words we’re looking at what got us here, and what needs to be tweaked in order to be true to our deepest core values. What has worked, and what hasn’t. What do we really care about, and what can be left behind.

And when we stand right side up again, what is that going to look like. And what direction will be facing.

We’re imagining our future, and putting steps in place to make it happen.

Make no mistake, this is a very big part of our epic 2020 quest to the new world (crystallising in December 2020).

Retro what?

With 3 planets going retrograde this week, it’s time to look back over our shoulder before we race off through the open gates.

By the by, Pluto also went retrograde last month, and Neptune goes retrograde next month. So over the coming weeks a staggering 5 of the 10 planets will be retrograde!

What is retrograde?

From our point of view here on earth, when the earth moves faster than a planet, the planet ‘retrogrades’. The planet appears to be reversing through the sky as we ‘lap’ it.

For example, the bright shiny Venus is currently rising as an evening star in the West. On 13 May Venus goes retrograde. From our point of view she appears to be retracing her steps. Once Venus goes direct again in 40 days (25 June), she will re-appear as a morning star in the East. (See Astro.com for more detailed Venus star info).

We’ve all heard of Mercury retrograde, well other planets go retro too, just not as often, and for different periods of time.

Looking back

“RE-everything” is what retrogrades are about. Review, revisit, reconsider, reorient, retrace, refresh, retrieve, revise etc. You get the picture.

So what does that mean?

There’s a huge opportunity for insights and re-orientation. These reversals are allowing us to adjust our course before we move forward again over the next few weeks.

Review and restructure

11 May – 28 Sept | Saturn reverses

Since 21 March we’ve had glimpses of what new ideas we’re heading towards. We’ve started to formulate images of how we’re going to do this ‘new normal’.

Now, we’re retracing our steps to check what needs to be tightened up, reviewed, and restructured before we finalise our 'life plans'.

This is no light dippy skippy double check. This is a true-blue “what do you really really want moment”. This is planning your family’s secure future. This is the hard work of deciding where to put your resources, how to maintain them, and what you’re going to build with them.

After July 3rd its going to feel like it did before 21 March. But this is not the same. This is the last chance to make adjustments before the enormous cycle change at year end.

What did you forget, not consider or perhaps mistakenly omit?

What needs to be done to prepare for the new world?

Be sure you've done the work to prepare before you step forward through those gates. There's no going back to the way it used to be.

Helpful insights

Hurry up and wait

13 May – 28 June | Mars moves into Pisces

The good news is the mental friction and possible dry antagonism from all these restrictions will be lightened.

But full steam ahead is not yet a go. Our motivation may get mired, our energies are still scattered, and we may get a little sunk under the watery depths of “what the hell is going on” vibes.

So what to do? Put your energy into feeling, perception and connecting to the universe. Use your intuition, not your fiery sword, not yet.

Use your drive to re-orient yourself. Seek what lights a spark in you, hone in on it with laser precision, and hold onto that insight. Come July your spark will flare into wildfire.

Heartfelt true-ness

13 May – 25 June | Venus goes retrograde in Gemini

Madame Venus is a hot topic right now. Traditionally Venus is beauty, love, the arts, abundance, harmony, lovely light hearted pleasures.

So what is inside out, upside down, backwards Venus? The warrior goddess of what you truly desire.

This is seen a going inward, and re-tuning what you desire, what lights your fire, what makes your heart beat wildly, what do you really really love?

After all this new world stuff. What has come out the other end of the storm? What do you truly value? What is worth fighting for and holding onto?

What values do you carry forward with you when Venus joins the party again

Hot tip

Venus was last retrograde in Gemini from March – July 2012.

Did you make any changes around then? Similar themes may be highlighted for you this time too.

E.g. For me the 2012 review was to do with my profession, what I really wanted to do, and how I wanted to do it going forward. I left high paying and interesting corporate work (again), and returned to freelance contracting. I valued flexibility and independent time management over the high paycheck and ladder climbing. I valued creativeness over technical mind challenges. In the long term I wanted to be able to move to my own drum, and help others do the same. That was not going to happen where I was, so I changed my career course.

Hot tip 2

Venus was also retrograde in Oct – November 2018. Was there a topic you revisited back then? You’ll probably be relooking that area of your life now too.

E.g. I decided to hang an Astrology shingle online. That sounds weird doesn’t it. Well I wanted to set a more direct path to the skies, so instead of fluffing around with the odd consultation I created a full time Astrology web page and printed business cards.

Hot tip 3

Venus represents creativity, and it is in the sign of the mind and inspiration. Perhaps you can find a creative way to adjust your world into what matters most to you? Look for new connections through people and ideas.

The return of the Jupiter

14 May to 12 September | Jupiter retrograde in Capricon

It sounds futuristic and star wars-ey … Well it is. Jupiter is the largest and one of the brightest planets in our galaxy. It is important.

Jupiter is changing its ‘future vision’ goggles to night vision goggles. What did we miss in the last few months? Where were we recklessly optimistic and perhaps too expansive? Did we spend a little too much on online shopping? Indulge in too many video games?

What is the right way forward? Where does our righteous path lie? What truth feels most beneficial to us?

We’ve had a little 3D glimpse into the ‘new way’. Now we need to ensure what we’re going to build is right for us. We’re peering back over our footsteps from December 2018.

By retracing our steps we’re holding space for us to see what our hope looks like. What was it that sparkled and helped us feel a little lucky during the last few months? Where did the sunlight sparkle, and the rainbows glimmer? Where did we find pots of gold and lucky talismans in our journey?

Use those gaming lucky boons to help you find your luck, wonder and truth. What little sparkles are rough diamonds to be worked, and which are just plastic sequins that are fun in the moment, but don’t have the longevity our soul desires.

The spotlight

20 May | The sun moves into Gemini

This happens every year. But this year it is extra judicious in spotlighting the values and insights we are reviewing with Venus hanging out in Gemini. It’s just a little bit more light being shed on the important value matters.

22 May | Venus and Mercury unite

A brief little interlude that may help your epic values quest. Think solo dance during a broadway show. Mind and heart insights are dancing together to show you the way.

Daydream warnings

23 May | Venus squares Neptune

This whole adventure is obviously an important one. The damsel must realise she is her own warrior and find her true calling and where she will save the world. The castle must be re-imagined as a puzzle not an inescapable lair, and the shadows looming large must be seen as little objects blown up out of all proportion.

There will be an otherworldly film or veil over all these insights for a few weeks. Do follow the mystical flying carpet rides and see where they lead you. But try not to make any definitive and concrete decisions until June if you can help it.

This mystique is wonderful for insights, and imagineering what you thought was impossible.

It’s a fabulous way to start with a blank page and not be held back by your own shadow fearing self.

It’s not a great way to take definitive steps into your new strategy quite yet though. It may even hold some skullduggery and deception, from ourselves or others. So use the flying carpet to guide your insights and visions, to see beyond our limited sight. Perhaps hold off on using them in your final strategic steps for a bit though.

The Cheat Sheet

We’re being asked to be authentic, honest, real, and maybe even have fun while were doing it. Use dreaming, creativity, connections, insights and information surfing and sharing to make up your vision board.