posted August 18, 2012 04:49 PM            

When a planet is retrograde, its energies are turned inward and becomes more subjective. The energy is slower manifesting in the external world, partly because the individual with retrograde planets tends to think more deeply about the energies involved. Many geniuses and leaders have retrograde planets.

According to Martin Schulman, in his Karmic Astrology: Retrogrades & Reincarnation, Vol. II, retrograde planets tend to break the time barrier. The individual brings memories of prior lifetimes into the present incarnation. There may be feelings of a “blending of lifetimes” characterized by the person attempting to resolve issues that still appear to be unfinished. The memories can be so vivid that the person does not recognize them as “memories.” In Schulman’s words: “He is living in a dulled phase of another time zone whose irresistible magnetism seems even more important than his current life.” The individual keeps re-living the experiences that relate to the particular retrograde planet.

Retrogrades operate through multiple dimensions at the same time. Thus, the person may “be either behind or ahead of himself in this life while still another part of self is not yet in this life at all. In addition to this lack of synchronization with chronological time, which in itself would be enough to upset most individuals, he also experiences on still another plane, a rather unique orientation in space.” (Schulman)

Schulman’s definition of a “Retrograde individual” refers to having either: 1) 3 or more retrogrades in the natal chart, 2) any one of the personal planets Retrograde, or 3) even one single Retrograde planet near the Ascendant or Midheaven (the 10th house cusp is called the Midheaven).

Again quoting Schulman: “The Retrograde planet, with its powerful karmic lessons being brought forward in this life tends to emphasize the matter or form side of life, throwing man into the more primitive parts of himself where his struggle for survival amidst the conditions and people around him becomes predominant over the fulfillment of his Soul. This becomes even more heightened in the case of the inner [personal] Retrogrades (Mercury, Venus, & Mars) through which man deals with the very same intimate, personal, and private parts of himself which he has been struggling with since his beginning in time.”

It is comforting and encouraging to know “that soul and spirit are above the laws of karma” and all difficulties can be resolved. Much spiritual growth can take place through the overcoming of the difficulties involved with Retrograde planets.