What Should You Do When Planets Go Retrograde Or Direct?

We all know that things go haywire and that the past comes back to life during planetary retrogrades, but there are actually a few days when the retro effect is even more intense! These are the days when planets appear to be standing still, temporarily blocked between direct and retrograde (or retrograde and direct) motion. Let’s find out more!

Imagine someone is moving in large circles around you. You can feel their energy- it’s dynamic, their position is constantly changing, their influence is significant, but somehow light in its versatility. Now imagine the same person stopping at a point in their orbit and looking you straight in the eye. How do you feel? This is what a stationing planet is all about- a focused kind of energy that can trigger important events and insights in the area that it governs. 

Another way to imagine it is to think of the pause between inspiration and expiration (or vice versa). The inhale is an active process, much like a planet’s direct movement, while the exhale is a passive release, similar to a planet going retrograde. The spaces between the two mark two moments of stillness and focus.

Planetary stations can be retrograde stations, when the planet has been moving forward and is preparing to retrograde, or direct stations, at the end of a retro cycle when the planet is about to go direct again. In May, we have three retrograde stations: Venus from about May 12 to May 14, Jupiter from May 10 to May 17, and Saturn from May 6 to May 16. 

The energy of these planets will be amped up this month! On a personal level, we can go through significant events in our love life or in the financial area (Venus), while on a social level (Jupiter and Saturn are social planets) we can see important changes in laws, rules and regulations, freedom and restrictions. It’s no wonder that many countries are beginning to lift lockdown measures at this time. 

Retrograde Stations: Stop And Stare

Since we’re talking about retrograde stations, we can imagine that they feel like coming to a halt after a long period of walking or even running. You’ve been moving forward, then you’ve started gradually slowing down and now you’ve stopped entirely. It can feel a little frustrating since you haven’t reached your destination yet. You want to keep going! But the Universe has different plans. 

Because you’re finally standing still, you can see the progress you’ve made. You can analyze what helped you and what slowed you down until now. Someone from your past could reappear for a chat or you could witness a significant event, all before you start walking again, this time… backward, to revisit what’s already been done. For some people, retrograde stations can bring relief because they’re pressing the “pause” button on matters that have been long asking for a break.

This is the kind of energy that we’re dealing with this month when it comes to our relationships, our resources, our self-worth, our money, our sense of pleasure (Venus) and, at a larger scale, our values, ambitions and long-term goals as they relate to the society we’re embedded in (Jupiter and Saturn). These three stationing planets can give us a sneak peek of the themes that we will reflect on and revisit during the actual retrograde period, whether it’s an old flame, a past investment, a pattern of low self-worth, an educational, travel or business plan, an ambition or a vision for the future. These will be things to reconsider and to tweak before Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn turn direct again.

Direct Stations: Where Do We Go From Here?

The direct stations happen at the end of a retrograde when a planet appears to be standing still before moving forward. A direct station can feel like stopping to a standstill after you’ve been moving backward, revisiting and reconsidering old destinations. You can now see what you want to keep from the past, what resonates with you, and what’s better gone. In front of you lies the path that you’ve retraced and that you’re now (almost) ready to cover once more, this time with renewed insights. 

Direct stations can be times when we make important decisions using the information that’s come to the surface during the retrograde period. They’re also times when pent-up frustration with the slow pacing of the retro season can finally be released! This release can come in many forms; often there’s a spike in crazy news at the end of the retrograde. Coming out of this slow, hazy, introspective window of time and back to “reality” can feel confusing for many of us, but in the larger scheme of things, it’s a pivotal moment when we can integrate the insights of the retrograde… and finally, move forward again.

What is slowing down, concentrating, and intensifying in your life between May 6 and May 17? Let’s tune in to the energy of the stationing planets and go with the flow (or with the temporary lack of it) as we’re getting ready for the 2020 retrograde season!