PERSONAL PLANET RETROGRADE PERIODS FOR 2017 - A MUST READ !!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! ... since I have had numerous messages with questions regarding the personal planets – Mercury, Venus and Mars – retrograde periods as many of you have now become enlightened and aware over the years of the potential challenges they can produce in our lives, and with it being the beginning of a New Year where one likes to make resolutions - like trying to make the most productive use of a personal planet retrograde period, it seems like an excellent time to pull out the Cosmic binoculars and look ahead to address the personal planet retrograde periods for the remainder of 2017 since many of you have become quite savvy about planning ahead for better results … and with Mercury currently retrograde for a few more days, it is an excellent time to "review" and prepare - of course it might be wise to "review" this yet again after Mercury stations back into direct motion on January 8th !!! ... only Mercury and Venus are going to be making their next retrograde journeys during 2017 beginning with the Venus retrograde on March 3rd ... Mars does not take its next retrograde journey until June 26th of 2018 !!!



It practically goes without saying, but I will anyway, that the Universe will be placing each one of us on a steep learning curve in the "school of life" particularly in regard to the way we think and communicate, as well as how we pursue romance, partnerships and relationships, personal values, and finances !!!

Mercury, Venus, and Mars are considered to be "personal" planets as their energy tends to reveal behavior characteristics that make one unique ... the Sun and Moon are also in this group but they never go retrograde ... the following is a list of the timing of their retrograde periods beginning in March and through the end of this year ... we actually have four Mercury retrograde periods this year since the last Mercury retrograde began in late December of 2016 but the last part only occurs during the first 8 days of 2017 ... each upcoming retrograde period will be addressed in more detail later as they actually begin ...

Every planet, no matter which one that is involved in a retrograde journey, goes through a period of influence ... it begins with the approaching backward energy making itself apparent, the actual retrograde period where the energy is indeed moving backwards, and then the energy turning back into forward motion as the planet eventually moves back up to the point where it began its retrograde period ... these points are respectively referred to as:

SHADOW POINT - the planet, still in forward motion, reaches the degree where it will end its upcoming retrograde period

RETROGRADE PERIOD - the degrees and sign, or signs in some cases, where the retrograde takes place

EXIT RETROGRADE ZONE - the degree and sign where the retrograde period began to which the planet has now returned to and is passing over ... considered by some astrologers as the planet returning back up to full speed ...

Shadow points aren't always thought of as being that detrimental, but they often will produce some kind of energy or event that appears to foreshadow what the upcoming retrograde period will involve ... the retrograde period is the actual time where one should slow down and be careful as to actions being taken especially in regard to which particular area of life the planet, and the sign it is retrograding in, rules or exerts its energy over ... if you've had a natal chart done then you will get an even better idea as to where this backward energy has the potential to present in your life for you to deal with in regards to the house or houses it occurs in, natal planets it aspects, and natal planets the retrograde planet crosses back over ... once the retrograde is over the planet has now resumed forward motion and in most cases it is not a problem to proceed with what needs to be addressed in your life, but one might want to be somewhat more cautious and not move too quickly until the planet exits the retrograde zone ...



The following is a brief description of the general effects of a Mercury or Venus retrograde period ... as mentioned before, they will be dealt with in more complete detail later as they occur ...

MERCURY - Mercury goes retrograde 3 and sometimes 4 times a year ... it governs our thinking and how we communicate naturally governing the 3rd house (Gemini) of the horoscope ... it also governs the 6th house (Virgo) thus making its retrograde period a time when work and health issues arise especially in regard to the sign or signs it takes its retrograde journey in ... as a rule, communications are going to be challenged both to and from others - partnerships and relationships often hit the skids during these periods ... it is NOT a good time to make major purchases - especially cars, a big NO-NO - that goes double for USED CARS, computers or anything that involves electronics ... purchasing homes can end up producing unforeseen problems and even the contracts can have unexpected difficulties along the way or at closing especially if the closing takes place during the retrograde period .... it is not a good idea to enter into contracts or start new jobs as they will most likely not pan out and end up becoming dead ends ... and weddings, well I know it takes a long time to plan a wedding and some of them will just have to go on as planned, but if you can avoid a wedding in a Mercury Retrograde - DO IT !!!



VENUS - Venus goes retrograde roughly every 18 months for a period of about 6 weeks ... Venus naturally governs the 2nd house (Taurus) which addresses money, how you earn it and how you spend it, as well as personal values ... it also naturally governs the 7th house (Libra) which addresses face-to-face partnerships and relationships ... during a transiting Venus retrograde, old lovers or friends may resurface - some hoping to reconnect while others are only in and out for "pass and review" so to speak ... relationship issues, both personal and professional/ public and private, come to the forefront thus causing all types of contracts and partnerships to be reconsidered especially if they have become difficult or challenging ... this is also a time when our personal values get reconsidered - both material and spiritual - to see if they still make sense or need adjusting somewhere ... the main purpose of a Venus retrograde is to reconsider relationship and acquisition needs as these change over time for all of us ... it becomes very important during this time to get in touch with ones present values, wants and needs, and to become clear about exactly what you want to attract ... it's NOT a good time to purchase "luxury " items if you can wait because when Venus stations back into direct motion you might well find yourself thinking "Why did I spend THAT MUCH MONEY on something I really didn't need or want", or you may simply feel you did not get the anticipated value for what you spent your hard earned money to purchase ... often in a Venus retrograde money can become low and scarce and we could also end up having to spend money we hadn't counted on spending, but in some cases one may end up getting money "coming back" to them from one source or another!!! ... it is not usually a good time to begin a new job if you can wait because you may never get the money you expected out of the job, and the job might not pan out down the road for some reason ... that being said, unfortunately as a Venus retrograde can indicate the "tightening of the purse strings", salaries could be cut back or the job may be terminated for one reason or another ... we also tend to become a little less sociable and often forget our manners ...  ABOVE ALL ELSE, weddings are most certainly a huge NO-NO as this is the planet which rules romance, love and affection - do you really want that energy going backwards on the day you say "I Do" ???

The following are the actual dates of the upcoming personal planet retrograde periods in case you would like to mark your calendar or make a note in order to be prepared for something important you may be planning ... and for the sake of saving excessive typing, these are the following letter abbreviations to note the period of the particular retrograde : 


SP = Shadow Point  

RX = Retrograde Period

ERXZ = Exit Retrograde Zone :



VENUS :

SP : 1/30 ...  26 degrees 55 minutes PISCES

RX : 3/4 - 4/15 ...  13 degrees 9 minutes ARIES – 26 degrees 55 minutes PISCES

ERXZ : 5/18 …  13 degrees 9 minutes ARIES

MERCURY :

SP : 3/27 ...  24 degrees 16  minutes ARIES

RX : 4/9 - 5/3 ...  4 degrees 51 minutes TAURUS – 24 degrees 16 minutes ARIES

ERXZ : 5/20...  4 degrees 51  minutes TAURUS

MERCURY :

SP : 7/24 ...  28 degrees 25  minutes LEO

RX : 8/12 - 9/5 ...  11 degrees 38  minutes VIRGO – 28 degrees 25 minutes LEO

ERXZ : 9/19 …  11 degrees 38 minutes VIRGO





MERCURY :

SP : 11/14 … 13 degrees 0 minutes SAGITTARIUS

RX : 12/2-3 - 12/22 … 29 degrees 18  minutes SAGITTARIUS – 13 degrees 0 minutes SAGITTARIUS


ERXZ : 1/10/2018 … 29 degrees 18 minutes SAGITTARIUS 

Now you have an idea of what to expect over the next 12 month period in regards to the backward motion and resulting potential influence of these two personal planets as they make their retrograde journeys ... also be aware that the period from 4/9 through 4/15 could prove particularly challenging as the next Mercury retrograde will be embedded in the final days of the Venus retrograde !!! ... transiting retrogrades affect everyone because the energy we feel from the retrograde planet is "different" while it is, so to speak, "moving backwards" ... it doesn't mean it is all doom and gloom and something that should be dreaded ... sometimes a retrograde period may come and go with side effects barely noticeable while other times it could prove extremely challenging ... but that of course is going to depend on where you are in life and what is going on around you ... for those born with any of these planets retrograde in their natal chart, I sometimes have found these clients seem to navigate these often choppy waters with less stress and aggravation ... and you have to keep in mind that these particular energies aren't the only ones producing influential energy down here below ... there are always many different energies in play "upstairs" at any given time which results in the universal energy affecting one through transits around their natal chart, progressions to their natal chart, solar returns, lunar returns and a vast array of other cosmic influences which can usually be deciphered for you by a credible astrologer ... and certainly, as previously stated, if you've had a natal chart done, then you will get a clue as to where in your life the retrograde energy has the potential to affect you !!!

Though we all will probably experience some kind of effect from the ensuing retrogrades, those that may be more sensitive to the energy include Aries, Pisces, Taurus, Leo, Virgo and Sagittarius born as these are the actual signs in which the various retrograde periods will take place … Gemini, Virgo, Taurus, Libra may be especially sensitive to these retrograde periods as these two are your ruling planets : Mercury = Gemini and Virgo, and Venus = Taurus and Libra …

Ultimately retrograde periods are simply Universal time outs put in place to slow us down and give us the opportunity to get back in sync with the Universal rhythm thus making them thought of as global wake-up calls ... so why try to swim upstream in a raging current of disruptive planetary energy … go with the flow - adjust, adapt and try your best to be patient as well as keeping that sense of humor about you !!! … and, most importantly, in trying to determine what is going on around you due to planetary energy interplay and influence as nothing is set in stone, it is always a good thing to keep in mind a phrase when synthesizing the overall astrological energy at any given moment in time - "MODIFIED BY WHAT ???"

"Everything must change ... nothing stays the same ... everyone must change ... no one stays the same ... "