Here we go again…if you are reading THIS, this time, your must be thinking, “how can there be ANOTHER planet in retrograde?” Yes beautiful people, this time the planet Saturn is in retrograde from 17 April 2018 at 9° Capricorn and ends on 6 September 2018 at 2° Capricorn. Since Saturn is a slow moving outer planet, this retrograde lasts for four months. It might be a good idea to learn a bit more about how to navigate this extended period.

A short primer on planetary retrograde motion: simply put, this is when a planet APPEARS to be moving backwards as it goes through an astrological sign or a zodiac chart. Explained if viewed in Earth’s sky, it is the illusion that a planet is moving in the reverse direction of its normal, usual motion. This apparent backward motion usually occurs when the Earth, in its orbit, passes slower-moving outer planets such as Saturn, Jupiter & Mars. It’s like two trains running side by side: if you are riding in the faster moving train and look out the window as you directly pass by the slower moving train beside you, that other train will appear to you, to be going backwards. It isn’t doing that really, its just that you are moving faster and passing it, hence the illusion of backward motion. When your train finally goes past the slower moving train beside you and clears it, the slower moving vehicle will again look like it is moving forward, from your point vantage point.

So how does this affect us? Every planet has a personality, and has areas of life and aspects of our personalities, psyches, bodies and souls, that they affect & “rule”. The apparent backward motion of such planets, effects an energetic signature that can affect us in various ways.

Saturn is often called the “Lord of Karma,” – in your chart it shows the areas in your life where you most need to learn major life lessons. It points to where in yourself you feel lacking, vulnerable & insecure. If karma is about learning the lessons in every lifetime that we need to in order to no longer repeat this specific learning cycle in our next lifetimes, then Saturn is like a light that is shining on these life lessons and where they are hidden. Although a strict teacher, it is also the Guru which gifts us the with the highest realisations & greatest joys, IF we are willing to do the work.

Saturn is the planet that rules responsibility, our abilities to persevere, and our ambitions. It is concerned with wisdom, knowledge, status, career and hard work. At the same time it disciplines, restricts, limits and defines. On a darker note, it also points to hardships, obstacles & sufferings in our life. Saturn is like the school of hard knocks: we become stronger & wiser through difficulties & trials of Saturn’s influence. Saturn is like a strict yet loving parent who disciplines us till we learn to discipline ourselves, and does not give us more than we can handle. Ultimately Saturn is a planet of growth & rewards obtained through hard work & sometimes, suffering.

Usually when a faster moving planet, like Mercury, goes into retrograde, it can really feel like someone has hit the brakes of a fast moving car, and we might suffer from whiplash. It feels unbalanced & a tad confusing. However when a slower moving planet like Saturn goes into retrograde, it can gives us more opportunities to be less restricted & limited; the usual defining, disciplining energies can be transformed and we can see things more clearly as our focus shifts from outward to inward and begins to slow down so that we can mindfully reflect. As Saturn goes into retrograde, we can, for a period, be freed from the pressures of obstacles & hardships, so that we can better review all that we have learned, so we can synthesise & internalise these lessons; it gives us a chance in the dead calm, to re-examine the parts of our lives that we need to improve. The key to Saturn retrograde is to use the slowing down to see more deeply into the situations, things, people, interactions around us. Since this is the planet that rules wisdom, this slowing down also deepens the wisdom that it gives us, but keep in mind that this wisdom comes from working hard & not being afraid to suffer. Saturn retrograde is not for the fearful or pessimistic; it important not to be negative or sink into moodiness during retrogrades. Cultivate a positive outlook, and be aware of your negative thought processes that might lead you down the rabbit hole.

Since Saturn limits and defines, its retrograde period can be a period of assessing where we can restructure or reorganise pertinent areas of work & personal life that might benefit from this. This is a good time to firm up the stable foundations for whatever it is that is important to us: a project, a relationship, family, work, short or long term goals. This period is NOT about increasing our workload, adding to our responsibilities, or complicating our lives. One of the keys to going through this retrograde is to SIMPLIFY AND MINIMISE rather than make things more complex. These two keywords will go a long way in making time much more productive and less frustrating.

Saturn retrograde gives us the TIME to complete unfinished work, projects and relationships, anything that needs to be brought to finalisation. Therefore it is a good time to review what it is that we need to come full circle with, and proceed to enact the closure of these concerns.

They say karma is about “what goes around comes around”. As the Lord of Karma, Saturn in retrograde is a good time to go back, review and correct mistakes we have made; everyone makes mistakes, on superficial as well as deeper levels. But karma is about recognising the lessons we are meant to learn, owning the errors we have made, correcting the trajectory, learning the lesson, moving forward and levelling up. Saturn retrograde is the time to go within, self-reflect, recognise and correct.

On a practical level, like most retrograde periods, Saturn retrograde is not a good time to make big decisions, sign important agreements & make life-changing actions & finalisations. If you cannot avoid doing this, review all details of agreements carefully, & if necessary, seek professional and expert advise.

One good way to remember the advise for retrogrades is to keep in mind that REtrograde begins with “RE” and this is our prefix mantra for the period: Reflect, Review, Refine, Remember, Renew, Recorrect, Redirect and Rejoice at being given the chance to do this in order to improve.

Saturn is the planet of hard work and it is also rewards this effort. Retrograde is a time to gather the strength borne of this hardship & reap the rewards of your efforts. The greatest gift borne of Saturn hard work is GRACE – we are bestowed with the blessings of the Divine, of the Universe, without asking for it. Namaste!

“The law is simple. Every experience is repeated or suffered till you experience it properly and fully the first time.” ~ Ben Okri, Astonishing the Gods