I think one of the mistake we astrologer make sometimes when delineating the time period of planets moving retrograde is thinking along the lines that there are normal times when planets are moving direct and then abnormal times when planets are moving retrograde and then a return to normal when planets start moving direct again after a retrograde period.
For starters, life is a complex network of cyclical happenings at all times. Things occur vertically, horizontally and cyclically and there is no such thing as linear progress, normal times or abnormal times and you can easily see this if you study the various planetary cycles long enough.
Things can go wrong with technology and communication when Mercury is moving direct and I’ve noticed that Venus moving retrograde actually enhances relationship themes and that Mars moving retrograde actually brings about impulsivity, impatience and aggression out in the open. Delineating retrograde period is never as straightforward as saying: ‘’relationships will be back to normal when Venus turns direct’’ or ‘’stop thinking and communicating while Mercury is retrograde’’. (I’m exaggerating here)
There are no clear demarcations of success between planets moving retrograde and planets moving direct; most often when a planet is moving retrograde, it can be a time of profound reflections, the opportunity for careful assessments and necessary reorientation or at least I like to approach retrograde periods that way, especially as the topics associated with the planet are usually magnified or exaggerate during its retrograde and we have no choice but to address the dysfunction in our thinking, perceiving and overall approach to things related to that planet.
The next five months are really interesting because we’re dealing with a combination of old stories or pre-existing threads seen with Jupiter retrograding out of Aries and re-entering Pisces at the beginning of Eclipse Season at the end of October and turning direct in Pisces at the end of November on the New Moon in Sagittarius which Jupiter rules none the least. Story-lines that were playing out in the first half of 2022 could even be more emphasized by Saturn in Aquarius currently moving retrograde through the same territory as it was in early March 2022. Important threads from that time may get picked up in the coming months. Think back to the first half of 2022 for themes you may have to revisit before the end of the year.
The upcoming Mars retrograde in Gemini which begins at the end of October and lasting until mid-January 2023 may have some variations on the same themes as in 2020 and 2021 when the North Node Eclipses were occurring in Gemini. Mars moving retrograde in Gemini on a mundane level will most likely emphasize polarizing information, media campaigns and ideological wars.
This leads me to the impending Mercury retrograde in Libra beginning on the 10th of September just a few hours before the Full Moon culminates in the sign of Pisces. Libra and Pisces share a relationship by antiscia and these two events occurring almost simultaneously could be secretly connected. Look to the two houses where Libra and Pisces sits in your chart for insights.
The upcoming Mercury retrograde in Libra is our psychopompic invitation into the second half of 2022. Although Mercury retrograde happens four times in 2022, this particular one ushers us into the heavier astrological aspects playing out at the end of October and a lot of the threads are pre-existing ones.
There are some very beautiful aspects currently taking place between Mars, Mercury and Jupiter and I would say that things are relatively hopeful and there is an opportunity to project ourselves in the future and move forward and this is where my idea of Improvised designs within the Fated tapestry comes in. Some of you might be able to slip through the cracks and continue to create your tapestry and that is the beauty of fortune.
However, if you are like me and look at astrology to inform your life, you know that late Fall is a place of Fate more so than Free Will and that although things circulate horizontally, vertically and cyclically, we might have to contend with things looping back around, not turning out as planned, and demanding closure before we can progress towards our imagined future. An extremely slow Mars rules over the first Eclipse of the season in the sign of Scorpio on October 25th, stationing retrograde a few days later on October 30th. We can speculate that things might not go as straight forward as we hope and that frustration is highly probable.
You might be looking to get rid of a bad habit or take a risk but all I’m saying is that there will most likely be some hauntings from your past to reckon with and you should heed the call and adjust your stance so that you can come out on the other side to find sunshine.
The underworld journey is about to begin and there will be a myriad of confusing pathways emerging as we progress through the polarizing labyrinth of our minds in the following months.
–M. C. Escher
Mercury Retrograde in Libra : September 10th to October 2nd, 2022
Mars Retrograde in Gemini: October 30th to January 12th, 2023
Jupiter Retrograde in Aries and Pisces: July 28th to November 23rd, 2022
Saturn Retrograde in Aquarius: June 4th to October 23rd, 2022
9th House 