Demystifying Retrogrades…Making the Most of the Illusion!

What is a retrograde and what does it really mean for us as a tool in supporting how we use our energy?

Retrogrades get a ‘bad’ rap, and for many that a planet is in retrograde the hype around it instils a sense of being wary and even in extreme cases a sense of fear.

So what is a retrograde and how can we use the energies of retrogrades as a tool?

First off let’s look at the meaning of the word retrograde…

The root meaning of the word "retrograde" has its origins in Latin and the word "retrogradus," which is a combination of "retro," meaning "backward," and "gradus," meaning "step" or "movement." So, "retrograde" literally translates to "backward step" or "backward movement.” The colloquialism "retro" today, is often used to describe something that is backward-looking, nostalgic, or imitative of styles, trends, or designs from the past.

Second, lets talk a little about what a planetary and astrological retrograde really is…

When a planet goes ‘retrograde’, and they all do, it appears that the planet is in an apparent backward motion as observed from Earth. From our vantage point, it appears as though the planet is moving in reverse astrologically through the zodiac for a certain period. This backward motion is an illusion caused by the relative positions and speeds of Earth and the other planets in their orbits around the Sun. As Earth orbits the Sun at a faster pace than the observed planet (from our perspective), there are times when Earth overtakes the observed planet, similar to passing a slower car on the highway. During this overtaking process, the observed planet appears to slow down, stop, and then move backward against the backdrop of stars for a period of time.

In reality, planets do not actually move backward. Instead, retrograde motion is an optical illusion resulting from the differences in orbital speeds of Earth and the observed planet. As Earth overtakes and passes by another planet in its orbit around the Sun, that planet may appear to slow down, stop, and then ‘move backward’ relative to the background stars. After a certain period, the planet appears to resume its normal, direct motion. Once Earth moves past that planet in its orbit, the observed planet picks up on its normal forward motion, and the retrograde illusion ends. This phenomenon is entirely due to the relative positions and motions of the planets and Earth and does not represent any actual reversal of direction by the observed planet.

Lets dig a little deeper into Illusions…

The word "illusion" also has has its roots in Latin. From the word "illusio," meaning "a mocking" or "a deceiving" which has its roots in the verb "illudere," which means "to mock" or "to deceive."

Today, "illusion" refers to a false perception or belief, often created by misinterpretation or distortion of sensory information, be this visual, auditory, tactile, and cognitive. Illusions can be natural phenomena, such as mirages or optical illusions- like retrogrades, or they can be deliberately created, as in stage magic or artistic illusions.

Psychologically illusions go beyond the senses to include mistaken beliefs or interpretations about the nature of reality. For example erroneous beliefs that we pick up throughout our lives based on our experiences and interpretations which have often times been rooted in childhood events, are in fact an illusion of the Truth. Whilst seemingly very real our understanding of these events were based on the limitations of our understanding and the subjective nature of our experience.Illusions therefore present a false or misleading appearance that can be mistaken for reality, just as we experience the illusion of the planets in their retrograde movement.

So what does this mean for us when we bring Retrogrades and Illusion together?

Each planet has a specific energy that is an added assist and tool for us to connect with its energies as we traverse our journey through life.

When we learn to use and harness the energies of the retrogrades, seeing beyond the ‘illusion’, we get to take time to pause, to re-flect, to re-member, re-group, re-generate, re-invigorate, to see through the mists and the illusions that we have manufactured in our attempts to make sense of our world.

Retrogrades are a golden opportunity to make choices that positively propel ourselves forward instead of being seen as something that is retarding our growth, our plans and ambitions. They are a time for us to be more conscious of the erroneous beliefs upon which we have based our choices; a chance to re-flect on how we are co-creating our own reality and whether or not we are re-peating the same old same old patterns that have been based in illusion and in fear.