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The subject of retrograde
planets is an extremely controversial one.
This is particularly true when one investigates
it from the Vedic vs. Western perspective.
However, you will find contradictions within each
system, also.
First of all, what is a
retrograde planet?
It is when, from the perspective of our vantage
point here on earth, a planet appears to move backwards in the sky. In actuality, no planet does this — but, because of the
velocity of the rotation of the Earth as compared with
the velocity of another planet, for example, Mercury, at
certain times the planet looks as if it is traveling
backwards. This
can be compared to the motion of a car and a train
running side by side. If the car picks up speed and begins to move faster, the
train may appear
to be going backwards but is not.
Even though a planet’s actual
motion has not changed, the effects of its energy do
change. No
one understands why this is so, but, believe me, it is.
Symbolically, the energy begins to turn inward
and the outward manifestation is very different than
when the same planet is in Direct
motion.
For the purposes of this article,
I chose to only include the inner planets for
examination: Mercury, Venus, and Mars.
Since these tend to have a more personal effect,
I felt the reader could relate more easily to their
delineation.
First of all, let’s look at
retrogradation from the Western perspective.
In most references you will find that a
retrograde planet in a natal chart will manifest its
energy more inwardly and subjectively.
It is, as if one has “dropped a stitch”
somewhere along the line and now must slow down and
consider things in a reflective way.
There seems to be aspects of the personality that
are more subconscious and, therefore more inaccessible,
and require one to reconsider and assimilate the
information in a thorough manner.
On the surface, the person can have difficulty
outwardly directing the urges of the planet in concern.
The person may apply himself in more indirect
ways and, until he is able to establish a clearer
understanding of what that energy means to him, may
appear to relate the energy in a very subjective
and sometimes slower-paced way.
Because the energy is turned more inward, there
is often a very unique and individualistic way of
expressing it—going against the “normal” or
expected manner. Promptings
seem to come from within, rather than from without so
much, as if the person is drawing upon his own inner
reservoir. This
can appear to others as though the person is “a late
bloomer” or slow to grasp certain concepts or
behaviors. For
that reason, some astrologers have tended to consider a
retrograde planet to be weaker in expression, while
others simply feel that it is a different way to
express. I
happen to believe the latter.
In the Vedic or Eastern system
of astrology retrograde planets are, by most
practitioners, seen to be much stronger and more potent
in their expression and influence.
Because the Vedic approach is a
“sky-watching” astrology, and during retrograde
motion planets are closer to the earth, and therefore
brighter, the energy is thought to have a greater
effect. There
is even a very complicated system called Shadbala,
which aids in determining the strength of each planet.
One of the criteria for this is called Chesta
Bala which refers to the motional strength of the
planet. Retrogression
is a main factor when giving weight in this category. Other than that, many of the afore-mentioned attributes seem
very similar: uniqueness
of character, somewhat alternative or unconventional
ways of expression and sometimes delayed productivity.
I decided to use Lois Rodden’s
AstroDatabank to filter some well-known successful
people with retrograde
Mercury, Venus, and Mars to see how the energies played
out in their lives.
A short biography is given, which is very helpful
with assessment. I
also asked that the data be reliable, with a rating of
either “A” or “AA”.
These charts are timed from birth records or from
a family member or close family friend.
I first chose Mercury and asked
to see famous writers. Among those listed were William
Faulkner, popular American novelist and winner of
the Nobel Prize and the Pulitzer Prize in literature.
Interestingly, he did not do well in school and had no
respect for formal education.
He dropped out in the 10th grade. For
purposes of this article, space restricts me from
elaborating; however, his data is 9/25/1897, 10:30 pm in
New Albany, Mississippi.
Next I pulled up Henry Miller,
a famous American writer.
He was extremely eccentric, writing risqué books
based on his own life in France.
Several of his works were banned in the U.S.
He was seen as a “late bloomer”,
leaving college after 2 months and worked as a
ranch hand and at a telegraph company. He didn’t
publish anything until age 42.
He was very interested in astrology and
numerology, and, interestingly, couldn’t manage even
simple machines, including the dial telephone.
His birth data: 12/26/1891, Manhattan, NY, at
12:30 pm.
Next we’ll look at some Venus
retrograde figures.
There were several interesting charts and people,
but I chose two: Demi Moore and Carole King.
One is known for beauty and leading lady roles in
movies, the other for writing and singing music.
Demi Moore began modeling initially, doing a nude
layout in “OUI” magazine at age 18.
She then moved into TV and film, playing in a
soap opera, and then in “St. Elmo’s Fire”.
She shocked the world when she posed nude on the
cover of “Vanity Fair” magazine when she was 8
months pregnant. Again
we see the tendency to “go against the grain” of
conventionality. Her
data is 11/11/1962 @ 2:16 pm in Roswell, N.M.
Next I looked at Carole King’s
life. She
is a successful singer and song-writer.
In 1967 she and her husband, Gerry Goffin wrote
the song that would propel her career upwards . This was
“Go
Away Little Girl”and it broke
chart records. It
was sung by Steve Lawrence.
She won many awards for her album “Tapestry”
in 1972, including “Record of the Year” at the
Grammy’s. However, she suffers from extreme stage
fright and prefers to stay at home with her children.
She now spends most of her time at her ranch in Idaho,
because of her need for
privacy and unconquered shyness of publicity.
Here we see how the retrograde Venus plays out as
contrary to direct Venus in that she is shy, prefers a
lot of privacy, and shuns the social life. Her data is
2/9/1942 @11:42 pm in Brooklyn, NY.
Finally, a look at Mars
retrograde. I
chose two athletes - Michael Jordan and Billie
Jean King. Interestingly,
the 4 or 5 charts I pulled did not seem to have a
delayed manifestation of success.
If anything, these people were successful very
young. Further
research needs to be done, but it is the nature of Mars
to express most strongly in youth.
Michael Jordan played
baseball as a kid and when he went out for the
basketball team in high school, he was cut from the
Varsity team. He
grew about 6 inches in one year, and then there was no
stopping him. He
won 6 world championships with the Chicago Bulls and
numerous MVP awards.
He retired from basketball in 1993 and tried a
stint at professional baseball.
This fell flat and he returned to basketball in
1995. His
birth data is 2/17/1963 @10:20 am in Brooklyn, NY. As an aside, he has Mars angular and with Rahu (North Node), which
amplifies the energy.
Billie Jean King started
playing tennis at age 11, and by age 18 she won the
Wimbledon doubles.
She is said to have put women’s tennis on the
map, winning 20 Wimbledon titles, 5 US Open titles , the
French Open and the Australian Open.
She created a lot of publicity when she
challenged Bobby Riggs to a public match to
“prove women and men were equal”.
There has also been controversy around her
sexuality in recent years.
Her data is 11/22/1943 @11:45 am, in Long Beach,
Ca.
As you can see, a retrograde planet cannot be construed as
necessarily being weaker.
In my opinion, it becomes stronger, but more
often than not, expresses in a unique way that may not
be as conventional as if it were direct.
The person may also be more “inward
directed”, and, therefore be seen as somewhat of a
late bloomer. However,
this seems more particularly true with the more social
planets — Venus and Mercury.
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