posted March 24, 2004 12:50 PM              

I have 4 planets rx: Mercury (in Gemini...yeah that SUCKS), Neptun in 2nd in Sag, Uranus in the 12th in Libra and Pluto in the 11th also in Libra. I find it interesting that most of the outer planets are retrograde, but I can't really find any usefull info except that it turns that planet to an introverted one...whatever that means! As I'm a scorp rising, Pluto is also my chart ruler, and opposing Mars, which is co-ruler of scorp.

Does anyone have a take on this? I would love to hear your guys views on retrograde planets.

posted March 24, 2004 01:11 PM              

Erin Sullivan and Stephen Arroyo have published books on Retrograde planets.

There are also have a few threads in the Private Tutoring Forum that discusses them.

Cheers,

posted March 24, 2004 03:07 PM              

It can mean that it is difficult for the person to experience that planet's energies as separate from the self. In this sense, it can be difficult to 'control' a retrograde planet or experience its energies objectively. It is easier both to objectify and to detach oneself from the energies of planets in direct motion.

When a planet is stationary or retrograde at birth, the expression of that planet's energies are usually less obvious, less open, and much more inwardly focused. When the planet who rules the sign that the natal Sun, Moon, or Ascendant is in, the person may seem shy or be cautious in approaching new situations. A person with four or more retrograde planets tends to be someone who marches to their own drum beat.

NOTE: The Sun & Moon never turn retrograde. The Moon's Nodes are always retrograde

Mercury -
Mercury is often retrograde and slows down the faculties, making them fixed to the present day. The individual is more practical and pragmatic – as if lacking imagination. The individual finds it hard to concentrate and focus, to think things through.

Mercury is the planet of communication and intelligence or learning. So a retrograde Mercury could indicate a shy person, someone afraid to speak or, alternatively, someone with learning difficulties depending on where the planet lies in the birth chart (in terms of sign and house placement). The person has difficulties coming to terms with the planets significance and requires an urgency to work out the challenges with more urgency.

Uranus -
Retrograde Uranus indicates arrogance and selfishness, boastful of their own (mainly poor) achievements coupled with contempt for others more superior accomplishments. Like they say, pride comes before a fall. And these people are in for a bit of a surprise! Recognition for their efforts is hard won.

Credit is often misplaced and given to others, the person often being overlooked or ignored. Eventually, there is a feeling of pointlessness in continuing in the face of such frustration – the energy and motivation diminishes. These people need to learn control and humility. Passing on skills to others and bringing on apprentices are an ideal method of achieving these aims. These people are also eminently capable of tremendous innovation and creativity, always assuming that the ego is kept in check.

Suitable careers include science and research, or anything that challenges their inventiveness. In this way, the individual may achieve remarkable results through their individual, idiosyncratic way of thinking.

Neptune -
Retrograde Neptune indicates a person unable to use their intuition, due to past indiscretions imposing a sense of guilt in this life. The person feels that they have lost their spiritual values and any connection to the Divine. They are here to pay for the sacred wrongs done in a previous life. It is hard work and one full of torture for the individual feels unworthy to the task, full of self-doubt. It’s as if the person is forever doing penance.

This person must have the self-faith to persevere and not to continually live up to the idealistic view they seem to possess. They need to develop a more realistic approach to their spirituality and take it a step at a time. Allocating a regular time to undertake meditation and breathing exercises is a good start. The need to learn compassion means that a good career would involve psychology or sociology. Only the individual will really know what resources they have to effect the required changes.

Pluto -
Pluto is the hardest of taskmasters involving danger, intensity and power struggles. It is also the plant of compulsion, obsession, regeneration and transformation.

Retrograde Pluto indicates a past life where the individual was manipulative and controlling to the detriment of others. Unlike the retrograde Saturn, the individual would have been placed in a position of authority but welcomed it in order to satisfy their obsession to rule over others, even if it is done badly. Also, unlike retrograde Saturn, the person would have been seeking to control the souls of others rather than commanding a misplaced authority.

There is the same compulsion to control the souls of others in the present life but, with retrograde Pluto, it is overlain with a sense of guilt. It is as if the person is playing out the part and has no control. To paraphrase a common saying: "The flesh is willing but the spirit is weak"!

To progress, the person has to learn self-control and discipline – the very control that they would wield on others has to be turned inwards to transform their own view of others. They have to see others as valuable individuals and not merely resources to be used and abused.

Therefore, they should actively seek a career healing whether in the traditional medical field or in the more unorthodox areas of the new age. This would succeed in fulfilling two requirements; they would retain control and learning how to put others needs above their own.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER TAKE ON THE SAME:

Mercury -
These people absorb thoughts & ideals through osmosis rather than careful, deliberate study. Own best teacher. Tendency to question what others accept as gospel. More capable of dealing with abstractions & impressions than those with Mercury direct.

Uranus -
Here is a natural born rebel. Strong reformer instincts -- for everybody else. These folks have a strong inner need & desire to persistently test their personal abilities against those of others. They must constantly prove themselves to themselves. In seeking greater freedom for themselves, they tend to limit the freedom of others.

Neptune -
These people are frequently confused inwardly as to whether they are "virtuous" or not. Persistently seek to help others, whether their help is wanted or not. They like the role of martyr & are self-sacrificing to the point that others cannot stand them at times. They are more susceptible & more easily taken in by others.

Pluto -
Nearly half the world's population has this retrograde. Its effect is hard to determine except to say that these people generally have a harder time integrating themselves into the mainstream of society. When Pluto is very strong, these people find themselves doing things without understanding why.

posted March 24, 2004 04:01 PM              

oh g*d, I must have been a bloody ARSE in my last life! So much that you wrote, especially in the first interp's really hit home!

Although I'm a Gem, with a Gem Merc, I find it really hard to express myself. I often have a case of the gemini "babbling syndrom", but stuff like cold calling and PR work are a real hassle for me, I don't know what to say, just want to get it over with...un-typical gemini! I hate trying to sell things. My Rx Mercury is in the 8th, btw.

You also wrote that a rx Neptune means a repression of the intuition...this is TOTALLY true with me!! I try to rely on my intuition, but I swear, I HAVE none! Although I have lots of aspects trying to tell me that I am intuitive, but I'm just not.

"Eventually, there is a feeling of pointlessness in continuing in the face of such frustration – the energy and motivation diminishes. " My goodness, that's me at work. And I've realized already on my own that I moan about a lot of things that I bring on myself and tend to play up the not-so-nice things to make me sound more "suffering" than I am...I'm working on this!!!!

"They are here to pay for the sacred wrongs done in a previous life. It is hard work and one full of torture for the individual feels unworthy to the task, full of self-doubt. It’s as if the person is forever doing penance."

*gulp* And this in the 2nd house!!! *sigh*

All in all, very depressing, LOL!

Thanks so much for the informative post!!

Nackie

posted March 24, 2004 04:52 PM              

As you know full well, each of us has tremendous challenges in our charts. Don't take it personally. For example, the other day, The Sun, Moon & Mercury were in Aries, right?

Well... what of the babies born on that day? They will be real bossy, wouldn't you say? Each of us has a tremendous challenge. This is yours. Don't concentrate on things to satisfy your ego, or the ego projections of others. You only have one focus, and that is to "learn through" this chart.

It's like the hand you get when playing poker. You win some, you lose some, and sometimes you have to fold and walk away. You just cannot quit the game forever. Take rests as needed. Do meditation, yoga... things that train your mind to be still.

I have a jinxed 4th House. No matter what I've ever prayed on my raw knees for regarding family and partnership, I've been on the losing end of everything. In my previous lives, I've been hanged, stoned, burned at the stake. In this lifetime, I was left for dead, but survived. So hey, at least it's a step forward...

Get my drift?

Don't stick yourself in the middle of situations which confirm your negative self-image of yourself. Like if you're not good at selling on the phone (VERY few people are), THEN DON'T stick yourself there. Humans do a lot of things just to prove they are "right" about something, even if it means they undermine themselves and others.

I've had major problems communicating orally all my life. I still struggle with it, and I don't have any Rx planets in my chart. I've become a really good writer, and I also challenged myself by taking a university course in Speech in front of others.

Maybe you'll want to try a community college course in that first. But don't make it your main focus and end-all. Like I said, your main focus should be simply articulating a good "student" attitude in this life.

And remember, no matter how bad we have it, there's always someone who has it worse. Do you have your arms? Legs? Sight? Hearing?

Keep ranting here as much as you'd like. Don't feel shame or any such thing. Especially if you subscribe to the belief that we all CHOOSE our incarnations.

The more you try to hide what you consider your weaknesses, the less in touch you will be with your fears. The less in touch you are with your fears, the less you will grow.

Remember some of the greatest inventions and achievements were created out of great struggles.