Whenever our astrology apps tell us that there is a retrograde coming, we assume this means there is a bad period of time coming out. We stop to cancel appointments, moves, dates even, because of this planetary alignment we’ve been taught to fear. While astrology can tell us about what’s going on in the spiritual realm, we tend to do less research about what these shifts really mean. Why do retrogrades call for being more careful? Why are fewer activities recommended during this time? We did some research to find out what a retrograde really means. There’s actually a lot more to the zodiac than meets the eye. Keep reading for more.
What Is A Retrograde?
The meaning of retrograde is to “move backward, have a backward motion or direction, retire, or retreat”. It was first coined in the 1300s to define the perceived motions of the planets and is from the Latin word retro, according to Dictionary.com. Astrologers usually reference the word retrograde when they’re talking about Mercury. Mercury orbits around the sun four times as fast as the Earth does. When this happens there is a quick shirt in the energy that surrounds our planet, Earth.
Depending on the planet that the retrograde is in, you might have issues in the department in the time that the planet is passing by Earth. Mercury happens more often than many other planets, so we tend to talk about it the most. It, unfortunately, usually has a bad connotation and negative impact on our daily lives. Usually, this backward motion leads to an increased interruption in the things the planets rule. For Mercury, it’s all about communication, people! That and information, transportation, and technology. Clearly, these things rule our own mini-universes here on Earth, so life can get out of wack quickly.
You may experience miscommunication, disagreements, arguments, mishaps in travel plans, and more. So was 2020 a constant retrograde? Just kidding, just kidding. If you’re truly worried about the retrograde, remember to be clear in your communication with friends and family during this time. Don’t sign any important paperwork. Maybe skip travel (easy to do right now). It’s an interesting phenomenon, but you can get through it with some targeted effort.
