Spring 96

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW

by Miriam Klamkin

Retrogrades accumulate this May. Neptune and Pluto are already in retrograde motion when the month begins, and four more planets (Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, and Venus) turn retro during the month, for a grand total of six retrograde planets during Rites of Spring.

People dread retrogrades for some reason. Somehow, folks have gotten the idea into their heads that a retrograde period is a rare celestial phenomenon that will invariably trigger terrible events. It's just not true. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto each spend about five months of every year travelling retrograde--usually not the same five months, either, which means that something will be retrograde at least half the time and usually more. Mercury has three 24 or 25 day retrograde periods every year. Venus is retrograde every nineteen months for about six weeks at a time. Mars goes retrograde for three months every two years.

Fear of retrogrades probably dates back to the days when they weren't understood. It must have seemed pretty weird to people that a planet would turn around and go backward. But Copernicus figured it out centuries ago: it's just the difference between the speed of Earth's orbit around the Sun and the speed of the other planet's orbit that makes it look like the planet's moving backward. It's like when your train is pulling out of the station and the one next to it isn't. (Well, OK, Copernicus didn't put it exactly that way.) So there's no need to worry when a planet is moving retrograde. Right?

Right. No need to worry, exactly. Maybe just think twice, look before you leap, that's all. Things aren't necessarily worse, they're just different. Out of synch, like the two trains. The planet appears to be backtracking over the same territory, which suggests what we need to do during these times. We're out of synch with the usual, linear flow of activity, and it's time to go over what we've done, reflect, review, reevaluate and regenerate ourselves. Moving Forward and Getting Things Done just isn't the energy of the moment. That can be frustrating when there's an imminent deadline, but to the extent that you can work around deadlines and such, a retrograde period can be relaxing. You get to follow up, consolidate, do it over again and get it right the second time.

It's most noticeable with the closer planets, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Mercury affects your plans, projects, travels, purchases, contracts and the like. Debbi Kempton Smith puts it most succinctly in her terrific book, Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook: "Don't sign, don't buy." Nothing drastic happens, usually -- you just have to change plans or do things over again or wait for more information. Constructive for research, but wait until Mercury turns direct before you draw any conclusions. Mercury travels retrograde May 3-27. Venus has to do with your relationships mostly, but pleasures in general. Don't try to tie the knot, or dissolve it, during this time. Instead, reflect on the inner and outer complexities involved. Venus will be retrograde from May 20-July 2. Mars retrograde is not the time to initiate action, especially aggressive or ambitious action. Lawsuits begun now tend to go to the defendant; elections and wars to the other guy. Mars doesn't go retrograde in 1996.

MAY ALMANAC

• May 1 Beltane
• May 3 Full Moon at 13 Scorpio 19
• May 3 Mercury turns retrograde
• May 4 Jupiter turns retrograde
• May 8 Uranus turns retrograde
• May 17 New Moon at 26 Taurus 51
• May 19 Saturn sextiles Uranus
• May 20 Venus turns retrograde
• May 27 Mercury turns direct

Miriam Klamkin has been practicing astrology for more than twenty years. She is available for private consultations, classes, and workshops at Night Vision Astrology. She can be reached by phone at 508-921-0789, or via e-mail at miriam@earthspirit.com.